Merry Christmas! I hope you've all had a lovely festive time this week? My only complaint is that it's gone way too fast and I feel SO sad that this hazy, chocolate and cheese filled time with family by the tree, not knowing what day it is, watching Netflix and going for walks is almost over already. The post Christmas blues are a very real thing around here. But I also feel so grateful and happy for this time and I'd go as saying that it's probably been one of the best ones yet? Partly with our little baby bee in the oven {growing extra fast I'm sure with the sheer amount of food that I've consumed} and knowing that next year, it will be very different, special and exciting indeed <3. 

Some photos from these past couple of weeks for me to look back on, or if you'd like to see. This is also the first time I've opened my laptop up in over 10 days and it's been heaven! 

// Girls Christmas Dinner <3 

Where we decided on a menu and everyone brought something/all cooked together. 

So much love for these girls.

Lucy made Jamie's Pear and Chocolate pavlova. and it was sooo delicious. I need to make it.

// Presents wrapped & ready under the tree

// An afternoon date at the Rex for a Home Alone screening which probably made my whole Christmas. Favourite ever film and I think it gets funnier every year? Although my pregnancy hormones had me crying my eyes out at the end with happiness. 

// Our annual girls dinner {different group} at Molly's where we all cook a Christmas dinner together.

I'm always in charge of brownies.

Camilla bringing crackers {for cheese} instead of christmas crackers one year still lives on and makes us laugh every year so we honoured it with both types!

Only six of us this year. Two of our fav girls are travelling.

But Jo sent us her famous quiz all the way from South East Asia.

// Wintry walks {although I think this was the best sunrise we got, most days were really cloudy}

A morning running festive errands in town with my parents & picking up the very last supplies.

A lazy afternoon with Ben watching Romesh {our favourite comedian right now}'s Christmas special & The Christmas Chronicles by our tree before we pretty much moved into my parents.

// A morning of Christmas cooking prep. Making mini mince pies, two big chocolate traybakes and cooking the famous Coca Cola ham.

Can you believe that I've never made mince pies before this year?

// A mini Christmas with Ben's family at his Mum's. Where we learned about the Baby Shark dance from our nephews {most addictive song ever?!}

And the bump had it's first present <3! 

// and then Christmas Eve/the start of the festive week at my Parent's barn.

A beautiful Christmas eve walk.

Finishing off Nigella's ham.

and prepping the turkey.

Prepping for a Christmas Eve party with friends from the village.

My Mum laid the table for Christmas.

This sparkly jumper is pretty much all I've worn.

Getting some practice in with sweet Nellie! Who managed to sleep in a room fullll of people and noise!

// Christmas Day

Dressing up the pup.

Christmas Day walk

Before breakfast & presents

Never too old for a stocking filllllled with Christmas chocolate.

Spoilt with some lovely gifts.

Riley loves opening his presents. 

Baby's first Jellycat <3 

Ben, my brother & I skipped our annual Christmas morning drinks at a friends to stay on the sofa and watch some funny TV together and it was one of my favourite parts of the day. 

Meanwhile, we kept checking on the turkey.

Decided that we should probably get dressed properly before everyone arrived. 

{I wore this dress, now in the sale.}

and a million necklaces.

Ben & My Mum are the dream team of cooks.

Can't wait to recreate these photos next year with a new addition.

Annual sibling Christmas photo.

Ben's Mum & Andy arrived in their matching jumpers, haha a family joke.

Grandma & Gramps.

Dad <3

F E A S T 

And then time for games post-dinner where our family friends joined us....

// and then for the laziest boxing day. Just how we like it.

with a walk for the pup before us all crashing onto the sofas for the rest of the day, only popping out to the kitchen for leftovers.

We started Making a Murdered season 2 and devoured it in a couple of days.

Such a cosy time.

We made bubble & squeak and then spent the next day doing pretty much the same again. With a brief interlude for a baby scan... heart eyes! and this time we watched Big Fat Quiz of the Year.

An impromptu game of 'throw the sprout around the kitchen' which had us all crying with laughter. But then ended with it falling down the back of the cupboards.

Trying to fit all thirteen of us into one photo.

Oh Christmas. Probably my very favourite week of the year. 

A huge thank you to my wonderful Mum & Dad for making it so special and for letting us invade and for being people who we genuinely love spending time with.

R <3 xx