Pulling the roast potatoes from the oven Kate lifted the baking tray on to the side. She had roasted them in beef dripping with garlic and rosemary. Tipping them in to the serving dish she sighed as Grace walked in picking up a pack of chocolate buttons

"um young lady dinner won't be long. Put those away please"

"but I am starving" Grace wailed

"well then you will have a clean plate then won't you. Now go put the crackers on the table and ask daddy to come and help instead of watching the footie" Kate smiled handing Grace a box of crackers.

"fine" Grace sulked taking the box walking in to the living room. "Daddy mummy says stop watching the stupid footy and help" she said

"Gracie I didn't say that" Kate said walking up behind "Mike give us a hand please"

"sure we are getting thrashed anyway" Mike smiled standing up. "what do you need me to do" he smiled.

"can you get the Ham out and then round the kids up" she smiled

"consider it done" he smiled

Eventually everyone managed to sit down. Around the table.

"mum what's this" Nicole asked pushing the nut roast along her plate"

"nut roast. I asked in the shop it is the most popular vegetarian dish" Kate smiled putting the beef dripping version on Grace and Chris's plates for them. "do you want some garlic potato's" she said "i did some in olive oil for you" she said passing Nicole a small dish.

"thank you" she smiled looking longingly at the ham.

Kate looked over at Mike who was still carving up the ham. Sighing "would you like some ham?" she smiled

"yes please" Nicole said nervously. "i don't like nut roast and I don't want to be a vegetarian anymore. I miss ham" she said "and this nut thingy smells funky"

"okay" Kate laughed as Mike placed a slice of the ham on Nicoles plate.

"mummy I don't want those" Grace said as Kate began putting the vegetables on the plate

"Gracie you are having vegetables and you are going to eat them or no pudding" Kate said placing the plate Infront of her sitting herself down at her space.

After they had finished dinner which resulted in Grace having a strop because not only did she loose at the cracker pull but when Nicole very kindly given her one of her halves she had won Grace was unhappy because the paper hat was yellow and she wanted a pink one and she also got a diddy pen when she wanted the pack of marbles

"its just Craker tat Grace" Mike sighed "if you really want some marbles then we can get you some later"

"

Sitting in the living room they opened the presents under the tree. Placing them all in piles Kate smiled as Mike opened his from her first.

Picking up the small package first he felt down it trying to guess what it was.

"ooh I wonder what this is" he grinned as it was obvious from the feel of it. Pulling the paper off he revealed a large pack of socks

"now you can throw all of those manky smelly holey ones out Kate grinned. Watching as he moved on to the larger parcel which was the photo frame with the name scrolls in.

Pulling the paper off Mike looked at it closely

"it's the origin of our names" Kate smiled and our families coat of arms. The white represents peace, the blue is loyalty and truth, the gold is a person worthy of trust and the wolf is perseverance in a long siege or industry" Kate smiled. Mikes crest seemed to sum up their relationship perfectly.

"it's perfect" he smiled leaning over kissing her "i love it"

The kids seemed to love the fact they had more presents. Tearing the paper off left, right and centre.

"keep the labels with the presents please" Kate said as grace was about to chuck a load of paper in the bin

"why" Grace asked

"so you can write a thank you card" Kate said

"i have already thrown mine away" Grace said

Sighing Kate shook her head. Thankfully she had already had the foresight to write down who had given the kids presents just in case this had happened

Kate opened her presents. Mike had brought her a set with her favourite peach shower gel and body mist from the Body shop, a set of fluffy pyjamas and a new leather holdall with her initials on as her old sea bag was beginning to fall apart and was well worn

"its beautiful I love it" she smiled leaning over to kiss him

"mummy there are still some presents under the tree." grace said beginning to pull it out. "they are for Midnight" she said

"you got the cat a present" Mike grinned looking over at Kate

"of course, I can't leave her out she is out baby" Kate grinned

"really because last time I checked. To a dog your family to a cat your staff" Mike smiled

"well Midnight is part of the family so she gets a present." Kate grinned

As if in cue Midnight trotted in. Walking over to Kate she sniffed around the first smaller present watching as Kate opened it. It was three little nip mice. The larger one was a cat tree with several different levels.

"well I guess that's my boxing day down the pan" Mike smiled looking at the cat tree.

"but midnight will love you for it" Kate said leaning over kissing him on the cheek

Later that evening Kate lay in bed reading the book on the meaning of words Pete had given her. It was a interesting read with a new word for each day and how that word ot phrase had come to be. Christmas was over in the blink of a eye which it always seemed to do now she was a adult but it was still fun watching the kids open their presents.

so i hope you like this and you all had a fab Christmas. the meaning of Mikes family crest is true, but i was unable to find what Kates McGregor meant but the site i used for Mikes was irish names only. and Kates is a scottish. anyway hope you like and i will hopefully have more up soon