Family Reunion

Last night we headed over to the Wheelers for a family reunion with one of Mum's sister's. She has 6 brothers and sisters and the youngest Aunty Zoe who is a twin, is down with her husband Jim. Zoe has two children, my cousin's Prue and Jarrod who we grew up with. Jarrod still lives in Launy with his wife Samara and their 3 children but Prue lives in Qld with her daughter Laura. I had not seen Aunty Zoe for 15 yrs. I remember her living on Punchbowl Rd and Abbott St in Launy. Jarrod was a prefect at Prospect and was very popular. I went to St Pat's and had heaps of girls pretend to be my friend so they coul hang with Jarrod.

Aunty Zoe

Jarrod with hsi wife Samara, Luke and Sebastian

On Christmas Day, Prue got engaged to Gordon who is from Nigeria. He has not been home for 6 yrs, having spent 3 yrs in China teaching English and now in Australia for the past 3 yrs. They are thinking of having 2 wedding ceremonies, one in Nigeria and one here. Gordon is one of 8 kids so it would be a real experience for Prue to go over there and meet them all.

Gordon and Jonty

Gordon, Laura and Prue

Mum's 2nd cousin Carl and Jean came too. Carl looks so much like Pop that it takes your breath away. It's like seeing a ghost. Pop died in 1991 and he was the last of my grandparents. The rest all died young. Nanna Cox, Mum's Mum was only 58. Pop Lanham was 65 and Nanna Lanham was 63.

Jim, Carl and Chris

Mum and Jean

I realised how much I missed him and I started to get all teary. I spent ages just staring at Carl, as a flood of childhood memories of Pop and the farm came to me. We had so many cousins growing up and we would all go out to the farm at Staverton (past Sheffield) each year and have loads of fun.

Pop's name is Lyal and I wanted to call Jonty, Jonty Lyal after him but had to compromise on the Jonah. Hey there is always depol - Jonty Jonah Lyal Triffitt :) If our scanner was working I could scan some photos of Pop.

Prue with Jarrod and Samara's youngest, Jasmine

Laura and Jonty

The kids amused themselves with Guitar Hero. It is such a good babysitter!! And then once everyone left, Jayme got out HIS hair straightener. I am told it was his and not Emily's and straightened Hallie's hair.

Check out Hallie's fanta moustache.................

Goodbye Nursery

Luz, Alison and Rachel with Oliver, Mary, Chloe and Gabriel

Today was Oliver's last day in nursery as next year he will turn 4. He has loved nursery and has always been so excited to go each week. Each Sunday I have packed him a lunchbox and drink and he has worn his backpack on his back to church and as soon as the last prayer is given, on it goes and he heads off to nursery.

He first had Luz as his nursery teacher and he used to run to her and give her big hugs. Since last year he has had Allie and has loved her just as much.

I felt a little lump in my throat today as I realised my little boy is growing up. He only has one more year at home with me before he starts kinder. Now that I see how quick time passes (I never used to believe the Mums who told me that), I am really looking forward to cherishing the last year Oliver and I have at home together.

A third Christmas Day

Yesterday we celebrated Christmas Day for the third day in a row by going to my Dad's house. The kids got a four-wheeler from Santa (I keep professing someone must have spiked his milk to deliver such a present) and so they were very excited to test it out on Poppy's property. Everytime we go to Dad's the highlight is a ride on HIS four-wheeler with the trailer on the back but this time they had their own and so Pop got a bit of a break.



Simon pointed out that you could fix the bike so it wouldn't go over a certain speed. He said Santa would never deliver such a present without making sure it was safe. No comment from me but I have decided that Santa should put himself on the naughty list next year.


We had a lovely barby with Dad in the summer house and spent the afternoon chatting and relaxing. The kids are always so worn out on the way home from Dad's as they spend the whole day running and playing. It makes me wish I had a bit of land to let the kids play and get back to doing what kids should be doing rather than cooped up in front of computers all day. (which I might add mine love doing).

Hallie as usual was in her element on the bike and spent most of the afternoon burning around on it. She has told me that when she grows up she wants to be a motorcross champion. I just say to her, 'honey as long as it is a sport with good sponsors, Mummy will be happy'. :)

Another Boxing day birthday

HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY SARRA

So yesterday we woke up at Kay and Dion's house to celebrate Christmas with them and the Rowlings and Oma and Pop. We left home on Christmas Day night about 6.30pm along with Collette as she used to live with Kay and Dion for a yr when she was teaching at Cooee and it was a great opportunity to catch up with them before starting a new teaching position at Oatlands next year.

Sarra thought it ws such a treat to wake up on her birthday at their house and she spent all morning playing Bratz dolls with Piper.

Kay and I had been discussing how Jonty would sleep being it was his first 'sleepover' away from home and I was expecting to be up every few hours but I fed him at 9.30pm and he did not wake until 5.50am. I could not believe it and it hasn't happened since but it was THE best Christmas pressie from him.
Kay made Sarra an amazing castle cake for her birthday. I told Kay I had to take a photo to blog it and she said, 'just say you made it'. I laughed and told her that people knew me better than that and would no way believe I made such an awesome cake. I reminded her of the day I blogged one of the kids' birthdays with the cake still left in the tin while they blew out the candles.

Kay was very organised and had bought bubble blowers for the kids to amuse themselves with.


We had 15 kids there but I have noticed over the past few years it is not as noisy as the majority are now older or are teenagers and there are only a few young ones and they tend to play quietly or watch the older ones play the wii or playstation.(or try to play it themselves - here Josh is trying to get Oliver to move his arms in a running race on the wii)

Look at this little cutie. Savannah is such a character and loved having everyone in the house to play with.

At about 9.30, Simon, Collette me and Jonty headed off to the Boxing Day sales. We bagged Burnie out the whole way, joking about the peak hour traffic and overcrowded shops. There was like noone around and we did the rounds of Target and Harris Scarfe real quick. I did pick up some sheets and towels at Target and it was actually really good to be in Burnie because the sale prices were the same as everywhere else but with only a quarter of the amount of shoppers to fight with.

Around midday the Rowlings and Oma and Pop arrived for another HUGE yummy Christmas meal. After lunch we did the pressie thing. We rotate buying for one family each year.

We had Penny and Chris and had already sent their pressies over to Georgia when Oma went in Sept. We got to talk to Penny on Skype which was nice but it will be even better next year when they are here for Christmas. It would be nice if Jason was home too so we could all be together. Penny and Chris had our family and the kids loved their gifts.

Pop and Jonty were content to keep an eye on the cricket scores and see the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
At one stage in the afternoon we noticed all the girls in front of one tv and all the boys in front of the other. Aah generation Z and their love of electronics is alive and kicking in our family.


We sang Happy Birthday to Sarra who felt very special with so many people singing to her. (all up we had 23) and then we left around 2.30 to get back to our house for a birthday tea with the Wheelers and Gibsons.

Collette and Jess had to take off to Hbt because their plane to the YSA convention in Adelaide was leaving at 6am this morning. I had to feed Jonty at about 4am so I texted them knowing they would be up and getting ready to leave for the airport. I bet they are having a good time.

So last night we had a barby at our house with again more turkey and ham and sweets but by this time I was all photographied out and too tired to take anymore pics. Sarra definitely had a wonderful 8th birthday to remember!!

10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT SARRA....................

1. Her earnestness in wanting to always do the right thing
2. Her love of singing
3. Her gorgeous blonde hair
4. sharing without questions
5. Her love of learning
6. Her commitment to spiritual matters
7. she is kind and considers the feelings of others
8. the little mother in her coming out as she helps me with Jonty
9. her patience with her siblings
10. the crafty little cards and notes she is always making for us

For eg I found this on under Hallie's pillow today.........

'Dear Hallie,
I love you lots and lost(sic). I love playing with you. Best sisters.
Love Sarra.

Our Christmas card.........
Dear Mummy and Daddy
I love you very much and I always will. I will keep the new car clean.
Love from Sarra

Christmas Cheer

After getting home from Mel's last night, I got to bed at 11.30pm and got up again at midnight when Simon got home from work. (I know why bother going to bed at all). We had to haul all the pressies out of the police garage and run in the rain back to the house to put them in their sacks. So I got to bed at 1am, fed Jonty at 3.41am, got back to bed at 4.33am and then woke at 5.45am to Sarra standing in front of the bed, all excited because Santa had come. The kids had a lovely morning opening their presents and playing with them.



The girls each got a bike, after battling with old rusty ones for so long. Our school is only a short walk away so they will have a lovely time riding to school. Oliver got a small pedal car. A couple of yrs ago when Myer was taken over by another company, we found it in Hbt really cheap and have been waiting for Oliver to grow into it.

Just before lunch we drove to the Wheelers and met up with Mum, Collette and Jessica. We had a lovely Aussie traditional lunch of roast vegies, turkey and ham and the traditional Christmas pudding. Jayme got Guitar Hero from Santa and it is actually quite hard to play. You really have to concentrate. Jayme put me on easy but then put me back a level to beginners.


We gave Lisa and Chris a foot spa (that's what they wanted - bucking the trend that it is the number one most unwanted Xmas gift) and it was a hit with the kids.

The kids all play so well together so it was nice to sit back and watch them playing with their gifts together.





These two were tuckered out by the end of the day. Now we are off to Kay and Dion's for a sleepover and Christmas lunch with the Triffitts.