Another Festive Season

Another year, another xmas. This year was pretty exciting because G man is clued up to the whole present/ Santa Clause deal now. So he got a bit excited, which makes me excited. 

As I said in my last post we had 112ml of beautiful rain, which cut the road and meant that we could spend a few hot afternoons having a little cool-off in the running creek water. 

My little ratbag

I finally finished my 3 year project of getting this table done (not the best photo). Then my darling son was left alone to discover his talent for drawing in permanent marker, so I had to sand it back again and give it another coat of oil. It looks a bit uneven now because some of it has had more coats of oil than other parts... but I was a bit over it by then. Besides, it does the job. 

Taking selfies

Xmas Eve we decided to make our way up to the neighbours to their beach.  

Cool cat!

So we cut a smoko and lunch and had a lovely family day out. 

Unfortunately..... I don't seem to have much luck with the weather for these outings. Not very good for fishing..... Again!! 

Great weather for making sandcastles and destroying them, it was actually a really lovely cool day, which is unusual for xmas time. 

We spent the arvo having a few nibbles with the Couti-Outi clan before heading home and making the essentials for xmas eve. 

The much requested trifle. 

As well as my concoction of a cocktail that I've named "BubbaGump" because after you have one you won't be able to feel your legs. Delicious though..... I may have also poisoned my cousin with a couple of these when she came to visit after boxing day. 

Like father, like daughter.... someone else likes trifle. 

Xmas day the kids discovered what Santa had brought and after much paper ripping and playing with numerous toys, discovering that I'm a bad parent for not stocking batteries, and a quick breakfast; we journeyed to Clarke Creek to visit Justin's parents for xmas lunch. 

Was a lovely relaxing way to spend xmas day and night. Always so lovely when someone else does the cooking too. 

We headed home boxing day to prepare ourselves for the troops that were to be arriving over the next week. 

The day after boxing day, my two cousins Sam, with her two kids Oskar and Zoe, and Jess, with her partner Nashy and son Louie arrived at about lunch time. So after a bit of a catch up and the boys did a quick spot of fishing and threw the pots in, we (just Sam and I, everyone else was too wise), had an excess of cocktails. By excess, I mean "two" instead of the "one" that it normally takes to find oneself reasonably inebriated. 

So needless to say the following day was rather steady but the boys did manage to bring home a lovely feed of crabs that was absolutely beautiful and the supply didn't cease until everyone left the day after new year. 

With our livers partially recovered, we packed the troupe and headed out to check the crab pots and have a bit of a drive around. I'm not sure how really big families do it because by the time we had breakfast and packed smoko it was almost 9 before we left the house. 

Kaka with Aunty Sam

Nash, G man, Oskar and Zoe 

A big day for these little tykes. Passed out before it was even lunch time. 

Unlike my two terrors who were still powering on, home time didn't come too soon for the to have a nap though either. 

Jess and Louie

After lunch Grandma and poppy arrived and a bit later in the afternoon came Greer and Mango with their kids Thomas and Brookie.... if you're trying to keep a tally, we are up to 9 adults and 7 kids. 

As a bit of an afternoon adventure we left the men and grandparents in charge of the kids and the three cousins went for a ride on our horses. Was such a treat to get out with these pair and was very nostalgic of our school holidays when they used to visit and we would spend hours and hours riding horses and making stables and getting up to all sorts of mischief. 

Couple of keepers here for sure!!  

The next day we got the 9 adults and 7 kids all packed to head down to the creek for the morning. Kids had a blast and I'm sorry there's a mountain of photos but that's the joy of being a photographer. 

Cheeky girl. 

D Nash and his shadows

I missed the memo about wearing pink!

I love this shot. 

D Nash showing us his bait netting form. 

Louie

As you can see in the photo above (because I missed editing it)... I've got a black mark on my camera *insert devastated face here*

So I've sent it away with my cousin to Brisbane to be fixed. I'm so lost without it though. I think I've gone to use it about 5 times since they left on New Year Eve.  

Brooklyn. 

Even Kaka got the "pink" memo

Kisses!!

Kisses for Kaka....... 

No thanks brother. 

My little nephew Oskar.... omg.... he is such a throw back to the Rea's. Freaks me out!!! Like travelling back in time. 

I know, I know, they are weeds but I think they are cute anyhow.  

Mango and Thomas caught a fish. Greer was trying to get the fishing like but Mango goes "I got the fish, you take the baby", cracked me up! 

Crabs were even coming in on a the boy's bait, you can just see him in this pic. 

G ma with all the kids, Louie, Gman, Kaka, Zoe and Oskar 

My two favourite Jesss 

So Sam, Jess, Nash and their three cherubs all left us on New Years Eve, as they were heading to Fraser for a couple of days. So after breakfast they were gone and by smoko time we received Ange and Jase to bring in the new year with us. 

While the boys were out fishing, the girls took a vote, that if we started drinking at lunch time, we would be done by 9, have an early night and feel tippy top for the next day!

Plan worked for me anyhow, I was the only one feeling in form the next day and our early bed time wasn't too much later than planned. 

So the girls tapped out and left the children with the boys while we headed down the creek for some much needed girly, downtime. 

Slipped on the rocks. 

Someone had to light a fire..... it was cold!

The best afternoon, just sitting in the sun, having a few beers with a few good mates and the fires keeping us warm after a nice cool swim. What else could anyone ever wish for. 

Darkness eventually came and we ventured home to join the boys for a few more beverages. 

There were a few sore heads the next morning however and not a lot of action that came from the house. 

The aftermath 

These pair!! 

But New Year rolled in, Ange and Jase left us in the morning followed by Grandma and Poppy after lunch and the following day the departure of Greer and Mango left us with our little family of four and a not-so-noisey house, once again. 

So the usual clean up ensued and with the big fella and two kids all having the flu, I ventured out to check the waters and repair a few fences that had broken over the xmas break.  

Back to work!! 

So with the whole family suffering still slightly from the flu, with me being the last to get it and currently sitting her with my feet in a tub of warm vicks water, we've had a bit of a steady week following our new years celebrations but with Monday rolling around tomorrow it will be back to the grindstone I'm sure. 

We ventured out this afternoon to check on our seed's progress!! 

Some of it has responded quite nicely with the bit of rain that we had. We have our fingers crossed that this cyclone they are talking about is going to bring us a little bit of rain to give it a boost. 

How was your xmas and new year celebrations? Have you all recovered or are you down with the flu as we are? Bring on 2019, I'm sure it's going to be an awesome year.