Friday, December 28, 2012

Boxing Day birthday beach fun

The day after Christmas Day, Sarra turned 12. I couldn't believe she was now officially going into YWs and ready to start grade 7 in just a few short weeks. She is not into chocolate birthday cakes so we did a cold rock ice-cream cake for her.


Sarra got some cool pressies.







We had a lovely birthday lunch outside. Sarra just wanted a simple bbq and salads to go with her cake.




After lunch some of the family decided to go sand dune driving in Kyle's 4-wheel truck.



Trying to get the car up a sand dune...




Sarra loved doing something different like this for her birthday.


























Hayden looks like he is holding on very tight!




It was definitely a very cool way to end a great family gathering at Bridport. Can't believe that at the end of next year, Mum will be retiring and Collette will have a 5 month  old at Christmas time.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Christmas on the coast 2012

The kids woke up nice and early, for Christmas, our first Christmas in our new home, just over a week after moving. I still can't believe we moved, finished school and had Sarra's school birthday party plus leaver's day all in the last week before Christmas. Looking after Bastian and being sick that week too while Jess was in hospital just added to the craziness.




We had a nice lazy morning opening presents and playing with them.



This was my choice for breakfast -  the yummy chocolate that my good friend Lisa gave me for Christmas in this cute little tin along with matching tea-towels for our new home.









Hallie loved her motorbike top to go with riding her little 50cc 2 -wheeler.



We set up a yummy lunch to have before heading off to Bridport. We had invited Simon's parents to come and we had a nice relaxed lunch together.





After lunch Hallie got out on her motorbike, she got for Christmas a few years ago. Soon she will outgrow this one.



We headed up to Bridport in time for Christmas dinner. Mum had organised that we all be there this year as it will be our last Christmas together before she retires and plans on going on a mission for our church. Every second year, the Bells and Andrews spend it with Kyle and Hayden's families so we knew this was the year to do Bridport.

Jess had only got out of hospital the night before but that had not stopped her from decorating and putting nice touches to things. 


For about a year, Jess had had stomach pains etc and they had diagnosed her with irritable bowel syndrome. It was in actual fact her appendix and while she was here, it burst and because the bursting went undetected, it infected some of her bowel, and so when she went to hospital in really bad pain, they took out her appendix and some of her bowel (a bowel resection) that had been affected by the bad appendix. A pretty major operation and something that could have been much nastier for her, particularly as burst appendix can be fatal.


We had a lovely Christmas dinner.





Mum had invited Marnie and Norbert from her ward. They are a really lovely couple.






Of course the kids loved opening presents.


A bit blurry but this is Jonty opening and trying on his his new school bag all ready for kinder next year.











This is Sarra showing her beautiful new quilt that Jess sewed for her. It is really special because Jess wanted it to signify how special it is to turn 12 and to start YWs.


After tea, the Wheelers and us headed to a local cabin place to stay because we couldn't all fit in at the Bridport house. It was a lovely treat from Mum and the kids loved the novelty of staying somewhere Christmas night.




We were very excited to be waking up the next morning there for Sarra's birthday and spend another day at Bridport with all the family.