So its a new year...

Christmas has been and gone, it seems like it was a really long time ago to me... all that preparation and then its over and done with in what feels like the blink of an eye. My children are still at that magical age where they truly BELIEVE in the magic of Christmas, I am only too aware that this too will pass in the blink of an eye... so this year I made an effort to slow down and treasure this time.

We travelled to my Mum's up the coast on Christmas Eve, leaving at around 7.00 pm. Everyone told us we were mad to be heading off for a three hour drive at that time on Christmas Eve... but surprisingly we really enjoyed ourselves. After we managed to cram all our clothes, Christmas baking, presents, special soft toys that sleep with the munchkins, Jacob's treasured drawing supplies, wine, beer, boogie boards, buckets and spades, fishing gear, an eski of fresh fruit and the bikes into the car and the boat (which made a very handy trailer) we were off. Stopped for some takeaway for dinner and cold drinks, popped on a Christmas CD and the munchkins searched the twilight skys for Santa's sleigh. We sang, we chatted and it was really nice to just be the four of us and have some time together before all the frenzy of Christmas. Bianca did get a tad worried when it got dark and she was still awake because "what if Santa realised she wasn't asleep?" We did managed to eventually reassure her that it would all be okay, but only after I told her that as a child I used to go to church at midnight and Santa still always came!

Christmas Day the munchkins awoke at the very respectable hour of 6.15am... I still have memories of my sister waking me at 3.00am so 6.15 is bliss! Santa presents were unwrapped in a flurry of paper, Santa delivered all the requested gifts... a two wheeled scooter, wedgits and star wars dvd for Jacob, Littlest Pet shop, a barbie car and a fairy beach dvd for Bianca. Breakfast was bacon and eggs on the barbie, fresh fruit, thick crusty toast and great coffee... we feasted, breakfast became brunch and then we exchanged family gifts.
At the end we had four bags of wrapping paper and some really happy kids. Dinner was roast lamb, turkey, ham, roast potatoes, carrot, pumpkin, peas and beans... followed by plum pudding and brandy sauce and then we all collapsed into bed... and that was Christmas over and done with!

We stayed at Mum's for the following week, a very relaxing week just spent catching up with my sister and nieces, a little shopping, lots of trips to the beach and the park, kids splashing in the paddling pool, bbq's, hot,hot, hot weather... we saw the new year in wearing shorts and tank tops... that is practically unheard of in Tassie! Miss B turned five and for the first time ever actually ate some of her birthday cake!!! My children are freaks, they do not eat cake, they eat a few types of lollies, don't drink cordial... they did not get those genes from me lol!

I have photos but I can't show you because my naughty computer will not talk to my camera unless I first switch it off at the power point for half an hour !!!! Grrrrr.... my first new years resolution is to try and get that fixed!