An Early Christmas

On Saturday morning we got up early to leave home about 7 am to attend an early with my extended family. It's lovely that they include us as we have no family here. My kids get to exchange presents with my cousins children and hang out with them all day. It's nice as we don't really spend much time with family.

Boy Child is the oldest of them all but two of my cousins cousins (does that make sense?) also have 13 year old boys so Boy Child wasn't actually the oldest there. Girl Child slots in as one of the older children and she enjoys playing with the younger children, so they both had people to talk and play with. Plus they got Christmas presents so they had things to do or play with as well.

They were both lucky enough to be given some cool and much wanted things. Girl Child has now got a 'Boy Barbie' aka Prince Nicholas from Barbie's Princess Charm School and two real ZhuZhu pets. Boy Child got iTunes and movie gift cards and will be going to his first ever concert in January. They are very happy and the presents we gave seemed to go down well, too. Lunch was great and relaxed. All we had had to bring were drinks and some nibbles which was very good because we almost didn't make it. With only 10 minutes to our destination, our car died at a set of traffic lights. Not a great thing to have happen anywhere but especially not at a busy Sydney intersection.

Mr E. and Boy Child had to push it through the intersection onto a slightly quieter road where we parked it. I called and got a family member to pick us up but poor Mr E. got stuck waiting for around two hours.  Firstly for the roadside assistance and then the tow truck. Thankfully, I had gotten the premium roadside assistance which meant that we were covered for a hire car to get home and they would bring the car the three or so hours drive back here to the car dealer.

So we are home and the car is getting fixed this week. Who knew a new clutch and flywheel would cost over $3,000? It's not a great thing to happen the week before Christmas but at least this year Mr E. managed to make it interstate. Last year we left him home as he was really sick and was close to being admitted to hospital. This year he managed to get sick (again!) but antibiotics have helped him enough that he had been able to work half days and come interstate with us. For that I am very grateful.

Now we just have to get Christmas food for us and we are ready for it. Oh, maybe I should actaully make and send some Christmas cards - if I can find enough motivation. Plus some toys and treats for the animals at the RSPCA.  I'm looking forward to our nice quiet Christmas at home. I'm actually feeling the Christmas spirit.

Which parts of the Silly Season are you looking forward to the most? Are you feeling the Christmas spirit or are you feeling Bah Humbug about it?