Merry Christmas

The week before Christmas is hard. The school presentation nights are all finished, the Christmas parties for work and stamping are also over, but you still have to go to work for a week! This year, I took Wednesday to Friday off, so I only had to work the first two days of that long week, and it was so good.

There had been a flurry of festivities the week before. We went to the Magpie's Nest for my work Christmas party. It is a gorgeous restaurant, and we had a beautiful meal and a great time. The sunset was spectacular.

Cynthia and Tracey were also spectacular, and the phone could only capture one or the other.

I had my card makers' Christmas party, too, and with 13 of us making cards, drinking tea and coffee and eating chocolate pavlova, I didn't have time to take any photos. That, and the fact that I forgot. As always.

It was Andrew's birthday on Sunday, and after church he hopped into a car with some band mates and headed down to Melbourne for a Steve Gadd gig. All the way there and back again in one go, he climbed into bed at 3.30am! 'Twas an awesome gig by all accounts. Phil and the kids came up from Melbourne on the same day and stayed with us on their way to Mum and Dad's. They good-naturedly came along to the Carols in the Park event in town, as I was hosting. Jane sent me this photo during the carols, clearly taken by a mutual friend in the crowd at the beginning of the puppet show. Goodness, I have bad posture.....

This was my view while the puppet show was going. Phil had a very funny view, as from his angle the lights were shining on the side of the theatre, illuminating Lachlan with his hand up Gaffles!

I was pleased to have that job over and done with, and after my two days at work, I was finally on holidays! I celebrated by cleaning the house and packing so we could leave for Sydney on Wednesday morning.

We took a leisurely drive up, stopping at Berrima for lollies and coffee scrubs. We spent two days in Sydney, hanging out with Andrew's family, doing some last minute shopping and Joss even squeezed in a visit to Manly with friends.

Friday morning saw us driving up to Broke and settling in for a family Christmas in the vines. We had delicious food, plenty of pool time, cousin fun, gin and tonics, and games of Uno (as long as we pronounced it the proper Italian way).

My husband knows me very well. It's a clutch bag and I love it so much.

The drone was a big hit for Toby

 Tim also brought up a remote control car, which was fun to drive and hilarious to watch as Sunny barked at it and chased it, until it turned around and chased him!

G&Ts on the verandah. 

Selfie challenge from P&K

It was sad to say good-bye, but we came home yesterday, to a rainy Wagga, our own beds and several days before we go back to work. Relaaaaax.