Christmas Day 2010

Ok, So i havn't blogged in quite some time!! This is because we are coming to the end of probably the most stressful year of my life! It was a really hard year and at times i really felt like i was going insane - literally. I guess it's because i had a new baby to take care of, only taking 8 weeks off when i had him, working over 40 hours a week and organising 5 children with a husband who was working (AT LEAST) 12 hours a day!! So i've felt like a single parent ALOT this year.

But i'm not here to whinge, just putting it out there. I like to self analyse and this is what i've come up with. I love my job, it's a good one to have . . . but i'm glad the year is over and while i won't have any pay until Feb i am happy to be taking 4 weeks off work!! I start back on the 24th Jan. . . . . . .

BUT! . . . . . With some changes . . . . . .The first one is - I have new hours.
Instead of working 7.30am til 5.30pm i have changed things around so that i'm not starting until 8.45am each day and finishing at 5pm! It may seem like a small change but i tell you having 1.5hours extra in a day without daycare children will make a huge difference. The second change is - i'm hiring a cleaner! Well hopefully. . . I havn't actually found one yet but my plan is to get someone to come in on a Friday for a couple of hours. So if you know of anyone in the area, please pass them my number or me theirs.

SO, to Christmas Day. We started off the day with the kids checking out their stockings (which they are allowed to do without us being there) then they check out each others!!

We then ventured to the lounge room to open the pressies under the tree. Now when i was growing up we didn't really have any traditions or formalities to follow, Heath and I have kind of made it up as we've gone along. Some things have changed over the years since the girls were little and some things have stayed the same. The only thing we've changed recently is that instead of all the kids 'going for it' with their individual pile of pressies, we now give them out one by one. Mainly so we can all see and appreciate what the gifts are.

Anyway, this year we decided to let Asha have the first present to open. He enjoyed the ripping part and seemed to like playing with the toy inside.

Eventually we got to everyones main presents - and there were smiles all round! Jory with his Mega ramp

Chey with his little TV for his bedroom

Morgan was very very surprised as you can see to receive a ghd hair straightener (top off the line, salon quality hair straightener for thiose not in the know!)

And Makayla received numerous accessories for her digital slr camera. This is the tripod/monopod.

But this year was a little different and the kids ended up getting a bit more than usual. This is because AFTER i had organised, paid for and picked up all the main pressies HEATH decided it would be a good idea to buy thm all motorbikes!! (Well Jory's is Chey's old one repaired And Asha's is a little different from the others and was from his big sister, Makayla).

Here is a pic of them all on their bikes just before getting going on them. I must add though that they were all totally shocked to see the bikes and Morgan even burst into tears!!!!!

How cute is Asha on his little bike!?


So we headed to Heaths parents house for a Christmas lunch. Both of Heaths sisters, Carmen and Nadia, were there with their children, Preston, Phoebe and Ella. Nadia's husband, Aaron was there too and it is probably going to be the last time we will all be together for Christmas as Heaths parents are hoping to sell up, buy a caravan and head aroung Australia sometime next year. His youngest sister, Nadia lives in Qld now and i doubt she will come back for Christmas again.

Phoebe and Ella

Me and Asha at Christmas lunch


Chey, Jory and Asha with Preston

After lunch we headed out to Meander to my dads house. We wanted to breathe some life into the place as there hasn't been a Christmas held there in ALOT of years! Also, my dad only goes there on weekends as he lives in his Launceston house during the week to save on travelling.

Asha at Christmas Dinner in Meander

My Dad, James and his partner Orn. My Nana and Papa (my dads parents) Margaret and Jim.

Nana and Orn had set the table nicely and had organised everything which was nice because we usually have it at my house and it was a nice change.

I really loved being there again and reminded me of what a lovely house it is. It did remind me of my brother, Stuart though and i had a peek in his old bedroom while i was there. I'm sure he was there in spirit and i bet he was pleased to see us all there together again. Although, dads very very old dog wolfgang died this year so his presense was also missed.

This is everyone watching the film we took of the kids discovering their bikes (and yes there is really proof of Morgan getting very emotional)

We had such a great day which wouldn't be complete without some 8-ball in dads pool room.

Chey somehow managed to beat Dad, which is surprising as dad has played competition for years and ended up in the Launceston final a couple of times (one year my dad and my brother Stuart played each other in the final and as a parent i'm guessing my dad felt like he had won either way. My brother won that match though). Anyway, good old grandad!

Chey taking his shot










And checking out the next best move.

We stayed out there talking until really late and didn't get the very tired kiddies into bed until around 11pm. But it was worth it to have such a lovely Christmas day!!!