Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Christmas down under

Christmas morning the kids were up around 6 am. Of course the adults were not! Jack came into our room several times to ask if he could open his presents. Naturally, we said 'no'. Now we know how our parents felt. I was the last one up, just around 8 am, and then it was down to open presents. 

Once the presents were open, the kids spent the day playing with their new gifts. Millie was by the far the most interested in all of her new things. She carried everything around the entire house. 

Millie loved her new puppy. 


The boys played a game of thumb wrestling, which was quite clever. 

We had lunch of prawns, salmon, and ham. I had a cracking headache, so the meal wasn't as wonderful as it could have been. I spent some of the day trying to mend my aching head. 

Everyone was on the beach after lunch. The kids were playing on the beach for a while and finally insisted that Uncle Matt and Grandpa bury them in the sand. 


Louise, her mum and her Auntie Joyce left for the afternoon to go and visit her dad in the hospital. He is suffering from renal kidney failure. 

Then all the kids were playing with the kayaks and the paddle board. The beach at Lou and James' is unbelievable and provides the kids with entertainment all day. 

Dinner was served just after 7 pm. We had turkey with all the trimmings. The kids ate out on the deck while the adults ate in the dining room on the lower level. It was a wonderful day for sure. 

The evening ended with everyone having had a fantastic Christmas Day. 


Monday morning I was up and feeling much better. I decided to go running with Matt. We ran to the Como Marina. Matt ran in place to keep up with my pace. However he was kind enough not to give me crap about it. James, Stuart and Grandpa came to get us. Since the Como Marina coffee shop was closed, we headed to the St. George Motorboat Club for coffee. After two coffees we headed back to the house. 

We decided to have lunch at St. George's as well. While we were there I facetimed my brother. He was headed to Missouri the following day to spend time with my mom and dad. 


Once we had eaten lunch, we went to the pokies and had a play. We all came out ahead, which was nice. Grandma and Grandpa had taken the kids back to the house while we enjoyed the pokies. Once we were all back at the house it was clear we had not been missed. Grandma was building a sand castle with Millie and the boys were playing on the lawn. 


For the evening meal we had leftovers. Matt and I peeled the leftover shrimp from Christmas lunch. We knew if we didn't peel them they would not be eaten. I am proud to say that all but 4 prawns were consumed. 


Once the kids were in bed, the cricket went on. I certainly do not understand this game at all, but it seems to be one of the most popular games in Australia. Jack understands more about it than I do. 


Bed was in order from another amazing day. And when we arose on Tuesday we were back at the fun. Because of the 2.5 mile run the previous day I was unable to cope with another run, although that was my intention. Pain wouldn't let it happen. 


Matt, Josh, Grandma and Grandpa left just after 9 am to go to Matt's. Louise had planned to work for a bit, the kids were playing outside, Stuart was watching cricket, and I decided to go into Cronulla a bit earlier than everyone else. The plan was to go in for the afternoon, but James took me to the train to go in early. Cronulla is a beachside town with a bit of shopping for those who enjoy that. 


Once everyone else was in Cronulla we ate lunch. However, I had been at the pokies about 30 minutes prior to their arrival and as Stuart said they had arrived, I won 800 Australian dollars. Yahoo! Oh, and lunch was on me. 

After lunch we had ice cream and a play in the park. Stuart, Louise and James went to get some provisions for the evening. 

Once we were back at the house the kids decided badminton was in order. It seems there is never a dull moment at Uncle James and Auntie Lou's house. We are having such an amazing vacation.

 After a BBQ and some roasted marshmallows, Uncle James made hot chocolate for everyone. It was a great way to end an evening. 

We moved to Grandma and Grandpa's room for two nights since they were staying with Matt across town. Stuart thought their bed was way more comfortable than the pull out sofa we had been sleeping on, but I wasn't as sure. As long as I have a place to sleep, I'm totally fine. I'm never too fussy, I hope. 


We were up just after 7 am on Wednesday morning. Jack and Billy were up much earlier than any of us, and Millie was up much later than the rest. She's a sleeper for sure. It was Louise's birthday so the plan was to go out for a meal in the evening. 


We hung around the house while Louise went to work for a bit. Stuart and James headed off with Zoe to do some errands and the other three stayed with me. We played a game and then they went off to do their own thing. 


I took the kids to the park and James dropped Stuart off to meet us. We had some lunch first, and then we let them play for a while. James went back to the house and cleaned during this time. Just before 2 pm, I dropped Stuart off at the house and took the kids to the cinema to see Moana. It was roasting outside so the air conditioning felt fantastic. The movie was phenomenal. It meant so much more to me because I have so many island friends from New Zealand. I think the kids enjoyed it as well. 

James and Stuart collected the kids from me so I could do some shopping. I wanted to get Louise something for her birthday. I knew of a few shops she liked so settled on one of those. I did a little shopping of my own because I needed a certain color of a t-shirt to go with some new pants Karen gave me for Christmas. I waited almost too late to get Louise's gift, not knowing the shops closed at 6 pm on Wednesday evening. It seems that Australia really does shut down for the holidays, at least longer than things do in the states. It's kind of nice that they recognize everyone needs a break from the hustle and bustle of life. 


I met everyone at the restaurant only to be told Stuart and James had won money at the pokies just up from the mall. They both thought they would see me in there. Ha! I do love the pokies. 

We had a lovely meal with Auntie Joyce, Ev, James, Lou and their kids. There was a birthday cake at the end, which everyone seemed to enjoy. It was a great night out. 


Once we were home all the kids went to bed while Stuart and James attempted to drain the kegerator. It was due to be picked up at 9 am on Thursday morning. I think they might have drank three pints a piece and then called it a night. I'm not sure James got his money's worth out of the keg, but he had bid on it for a charity event so I suppose all was not a loss. 


Thursday morning I was the last one out of bed. I got up around 8 am and went downstairs for a cup of coffee. I put a load of laundry on, which seems to be an every other day event. I didn't bring as many clothes as I thought I had. Thank goodness we are staying with family where laundry is no big thing. 


It had been decided that we would go to Matt's Friday morning and spend the night, returning to James and Lou's for New Years. So I began to think of an overnight bag for us. James and Stuart headed down to the shop to get some breakfast for everyone and Louise continued to work out some things for this big dance tour she is putting on in January. I know it has been very stressful for her, but she's a pro so I'm sure it will all turn out incredible. 


Once breakfast was over and kids were nice and full, Uncle James decided bumper tubing was the event of the morning. They looked to be having a fantastic time for sure. We decided to book St. George's at 1:30, but James asked me if I wanted to go and play the pokies about 45 minutes before. So he took me on the boat early. I ended up winning 350 dollars and paying for lunch, again. What a special treat this is for us. Is it wrong to be thankful for the blessings of gambling? Maybe! At any rate, it has bought a few good meals for us and I've had a great amount of fun for sure. 


Lunch was fantastic, maybe because essentially it was free. After we ate I hit the pokies again. I lost some, but Stuart won, so I ended up even thank goodness. I think Stuart is still down, but since I'm ahead I suppose he is as well. 


We came back to the house just before 5 pm. The kids played lawn darts and I sat in the air conditioned living room. By this time of day, in the summer, in Oz, it can get pretty toasty. It's was relatively mild until Thursday, which was muggy and not nice at all. 


Once the kids had played in the water and on the lawn, they opted for a splash in the jacuzzi, as did the rest of us. We sent them out several times so we could have it on our own. The kids finally ate dinner just after 7 on and my two went to bed just before 8 pm. They were whiney and argumentative and just not nice at all to each other. I took this as a sign of exhaustion, therefore I put them to bed. Neither Jack nor Millie has been to bed at their regular bedtime since our holiday started. One of the issues is that it doesn't get completely dark here until after 8 pm. The other issue is that they are having so much fun they can't stand for it to stop for sleep. Therefore, we sometimes have cranky kids. 


We had chicken tortilla wraps for dinner and then watched the cricket. I have mentioned the fact that I don't understand this game, right? I was bored by 9:30 pm and decided to head to bed. With a load of laundry in the washer, I could rest easy for the night knowing that in the morning I could pop it the laundry in the tumble dryer, ready to head to Uncle Matt's house. 


I was up early to get the laundry started drying, but discovered that a laundry fairy had beat me to it sometime in the night. So I stripped the bed we had been sleeping on, put our duvet back on our bed in Zoe's room, and began the clean up to Grandma and Grandpa's room. I packed our stuff for Matt's and did have some peaceful time with a cup of coffee out on the deck. 


James and Stuart went to the supermarket to buy the provisions for our New Year's Eve taco bar extravaganza. We had wanted to roast a pig and have more of a luau, but the pig folks never returned James' call, so taco bar and salsa making contest it would be. They needed to shop before we went to Matt's so there would be little to do on Saturday. 


Once they returned from the store and everything was put away, everyone had a bite of breakfast, and then we were off to Uncle Matt's. The kids and I headed straight there while everyone else headed to Uncle Matt's warehouse to work on the merchandising for the Mackenzie and Maddie tour. 


The kids and I stayed at Matt's house while they all worked. Grandpa came back to the house with Billy and Zoe about an hour before the rest of the gang headed home. When they were finished they all headed back to Matt's where we decided to go to the RSL club of Castle Hill for lunch. We sat outside and the kids played in the play structure. I, of course, went to the pokies and won 400 Australian dollars. Everyone is worried that I may actually start losing. When that happens they feel I will need an intervention. 


We came back to Matt's for a pool and jacuzzi party. We ended up ordering Thai food. At the end of the evening, once the kids were in bed, the adults played Articulation. Matt ended up being my partner and he stinks. We didn't win. Karen and Stuart won, as usual. At the end of the evening I fell asleep on the sofa only to wake up at 4 am and go to bed. My neck was a bit tweaked on Saturday morning, but nothing some headache medicine wouldn't cure. 


We had breakfast at the local coffee shop around 8 am, then we were back at Matt's to pack up and head back to James' house. Matt and company went to the airport to collect Uncle Giles. Once we all convened at James and Lou's, Karen and Matt went to the supermarket, Stuart, James, Grandpa, Giles, and the boys went bumper tubing. Millie wasn't able to go because her ear was hurting again. She was none too happy about that decision, but it was a necessary one. 


The brothers went to the boat club after bumper tubing was finished. They were gone for about an hour and a half, then came back for more boating fun. The evening festivities began with a salsa making contest that started around 5:30 pm. We decided to have all the adults pick a number out of a cup. We matched up according to numbers and made our salsa. Naturally, Stuart and Karen's salsa was voted the best. Those two seldom lose a competition. It's annoying. 


The boys went down to play cricket afterwards, while Stuart finished making the barbacoa for the taco bar. We had decided on a Mexican themed night. Millie's ear was hurting her again which stunk because we knew we wouldn't have access to a doctor until at least Monday because of New Year. We gave her Tylenol and she went to bed. Bless her heart! The boys were still up and trying their best to stay up until midnight. Unfortunately, they didn't make it. The adults finally congregated down on the beach for the last hour before the new year. Matt kept pulling stuff out of the boathouse and pestering everyone. Clearly he was bored. Everyone was tired from the bumper tubing and cricket that was played all day, so it's not surprising we all struggled to stay up to see the Sydney fireworks. 


Just before the fireworks had finished, I took off to take a shower. Since the shower we had been using was leaking, it meant there were 2 showers for 13 of us. The shower in Grandma and Grandpa's room is open so if someone is taking a shower they are exposed to whoever else might be in the room. It's tricky, but we have managed and no one seems too fussed about it. 


A new year is getting ready to begin and we seem ready for another year of fantastic adventures! Happy New Year!



Saturday, December 24, 2016

Our first full week in the land down under.

Sunday was my niece Zoe's christening. We were up and headed to the church at 9:30 am, which is no small feat with 12 people in the house and 3 bathrooms. It was quite impressive. Once we were at the church, we walked in with the priest and he instructed us on what we would do. It was a full mass, which means one of us needed to be Catholic, so Stuart played the part of a Catholic on that day. The service was wonderful and of course we were so honored to be asked to be her godparents. 

Uncle Matt photo bombed our shot. 

Lunch followed the service. It was a big affair. Many friends and family attended, included the other set of godparents. The food was gorgeous. It was really like a wedding. Her cake was so beautiful. The entire event was so much fun. The kids danced and had a grand old time. We had such a fab day that in the end we decided to stay in Australia another week and go to Hamilton Island for Matt's 40th birthday. I kind of think we might be crazy, but life is about experiences not things. We were very excited. 

The day didn't end so well. When we came back to the house, I was helping bring in all the gifts from the car. I had made about 4 trips up and down the stairs. On the last trip I kicked off one of my heels and fell down the stairs. As I was falling, Louise was standing at the bottom trying to stop me. I started cracking up laughing and in the end I peed myself.  I told Louise to stand back and I would clean up the mess.  I'm pretty sure I broke my burser sack on my elbow. It was bruised badly, that's for sure. 


The brothers and Barry had gone Christmas shopping and Stuart came back with gifts for Billy and Josh which saved me the trouble. The kids played outside while I did laundry, Louise worked, and Karen ironed. Once everyone was back in the house we ordered pizza and everyone ate. We retired downstairs to watch the Sydney carols on television. It lasted for over an hour. Millie was asleep within 10 minutes of the beginning of the show. Jack and Billy were asleep just before it was over, and Josh was still awake because he was sleeping downstairs and basically we were in his bedroom. 


I had trouble sleeping because of my fall. I couldn't move in any direction. It was beyond a restless night's sleep. I got up around 7 am and had some coffee. I was super sore and would need to take it easy for a few days. The main thing was I would need to keep injury free if at all possible. 


Once everyone was awake, we got sorted out to go to Matt's for a few days and then into the city for a night. While the kids were waiting for us to pack up, Millie fell down the drive and scuffed her forehead, hip, left knee and left elbow. She was a mess. It seems we might all be a bit accident prone. 

When we got to Matt's we unpacked and then went to the mall. The boys went to see the new Star Wars movie while Karen, Millie and I went shopping. I was able to go to Target, which was quite exciting for me. 


We got back to Matt's just after 4 pm and Matt started cooking. He gave me a new cover for my phone, which had donuts on it. Since they are my favorite, it was perfect. Although I can't eat them anymore, I still appreciate them. Of course, Matt got it from his neighbor Rachel because he calls everyone a 'donut'. 


Matt invited his neighbor, Rachel, over for dinner. Her son is Josh's best friend. She's lovely and we like her and wish Matt liked her. However, you can't pick who your brother in law falls for I suppose. 


Tuesday morning I was up at 6 am. Matt was off to work and we took the kids to Featherdale, a wildlife park. There were koalas, kangaroo, wombats, and many other animals native to Australia. The weather was amazing. The kids loved the experience, and an ice cream at the end of our trip didn't hurt at all. 


We were back at the house and needed to head off to the Towers Mall because my iPhone was not working. I can only assume, in my technology ignorance, that I pushed a button I shouldn't have and the phone went nuts. In the end, my phone was fixed and we were back at the house just after 5. Karen and I went to the IGA.  We went back to the house for salmon. Rachel came over again and we sat around and chatted the evening away. 


While we were talking I received an email from my illustrator, but it was attached to the original one I sent to her, so I thought she meant she was finish, but in reality she had only finished 4 pages. Still yet, I was excited to show the pages to everyone. The new pages were amazing! It is finally starting to become a reality. 


We got up on Wednesday morning and tidied Matt's house, washed a couple loads of laundry, and then headed to the city around noon. We checked into the Westin and went to the food court for lunch.  The kids were restless so we came back to ours and had a shower. The plan was to go to the Brewhaus for dinner. 


We walked to the restaurant, which is down on the Rocks in Sydney. It was a German restaurant where there was live music, games and competitions and beautiful food. It was an incredible evening. 

Louise's Auntie Joyce, her mum and I went to Saint Mary's cathedral to see the lights of the church. This was the church where Louise and James were married. It was what I needed to feel the Christmas spirit. 

I got home just before midnight and settled in for the night. Stuart had taken the kids back to the hotel when I went to the cathedral. Millie's ear infection had gotten worse so we knew we would need to take her to the doctor at some stage, but for the time being we were handling it with Tylenol. She was roasting when I returned so her nightgown came off and another dose of meds was in order. 

We were up Thursday morning and off to breakfast. We ibuprofened Millie and she got better. However the doctor would be a necessity in the afternoon. We decided to walk to the harbour for a break with the kids. Then we met up with James and Lou for lunch, and collectively we all decided to stay another night in the city at the Westin. Matt had already gone back to Castle Hill, the suburb where he lives. He had to work Thursday so had left rather early that morning. 

After lunch, as we walked back to the hotel to check into our new rooms we stopped at the park for a bit. When we were back at the Westin we settled into our new rooms. Then Millie and I headed to the doctor. She's had a bit of a time so far on this holiday. The doctor determined she had an ear and throat infection and prescribed antibiotics for her. For not having insurance here I was impressed that the doctor wasn't any more expensive than it was. She was good to go after the appointment and medication. After the first dose I could already see a difference. 

Once we walked back to the Pitt Street Mall, Stuart took Millie from me. I was going to buy a white cardigan at H&M because I had a red shirt mishap in the wash with my white cardigan, but the line was too long so I couldn't be bothered. Instead I headed back to the hotel. 


We were down for drinks and the kids had dinner. After about an hour, Grandma volunteered to have the kids for the evening while Lou, James, Stuart and myself went out for dinner. We ended up going to a tapas bar called Subsolo. It was delicious. 

After dinner, Louise went back to the hotel while Stuart, James and I went to the pokies, which is the casino in Australia. We won money but then we lost money. I know I came out ahead, but I think the brothers ended up in the hole. Once we were back in the hotel, and the kids were settled, I took a shower and cracked my head on the bathtub as I was drying my legs. What the heck?  I'm just an accident prone person this trip. Fortunately, the tiny cut was just that, a tiny cut. A little bit harder and I probably would have needed stitches. 


Friday we were up by 9 am and down to breakfast. After having a bite to eat, we headed to Circular Quay to take a cruise around the harbour.  We stopped in Manly Bay, shopped a bit, and then had a coffee at Starbucks. We then went to Watson Bay for the kids to play on the beach and at the park. 


James joined us for a very late lunch or early dinner at 4:30 pm. I had a lovely sushi boat. We then got the ferry back to Circular Quay and actually headed back to Oyster Bay, our holiday home away from home. We ended up enjoying beverages and a jacuzzi. We didn't get to bed until around 1 am, but it was a good evening. 


Saturday morning I woke up just after 6 am. I was tired but when the sun comes in your window you sometimes wake up, even in paradise. I would say I have already had a complete holiday and we are just over a week into it. 

Doesn't everyone paint their garage on Christmas Eve?

We putzed around the house for most of the morning. Just after 10 am, Louise and I headed to the Miranda Mall, where we spent about 4 hours finishing up the last bits of shopping needed for Christmas Day. The kids, Grandma, Stuart and Matt were at the house, while James, Billy and Grandpa went to visit Roy, Louise's father. He's in the hospital because of kidney failure. It's a very sad time for his family, unfortunately. 

While we were shopping the kegerator arrived. Just what the Telford boys needed. 

Once Louise and I returned with the treasures, I decided to get all of the presents wrapped. The kids had taken a trip out to the other side of the river, using the paddle board and kayaks. They had a blast jumping off the rocks and spending time with family. 


The weather turned a bit sour, and when the lightning started it was time for showers. With kids cleaned and dinner almost ready, Christmas was surely approaching. We ate Shepherd's pie and lasagne for dinner and watched the carols on television.  At 9 pm, the kids said goodbye to Elfvis and Millie cried. She was very sad to see him leave for another year. 


Once the kids were in bed, Operation Santa was in full force. The mince pies and carrots were set out. Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase was on the television, and everyone was ready for Christmas. Australia has been all we expected and more. What a wonderful time we are having. 



Sunday, December 11, 2016

The week before winter break and all is well.

Sunday we had the day off because it was the Prophet's birthday. Stuart had left the Land Rover at the club and taken a taxi home, so we went to collect it.  Stuart headed to the store while the kids and I went back home to chill.  I finished last week’s blog while the kids played upstairs.  I also did a load of laundry and hung it up to dry.  I can’t want to get my dryer fixed.  I hate hanging clothes and waiting for them to dry, especially at this time of the year when it is cooler outside and it takes longer for them to dry.

 

Stuart came home and was getting things ready for dinner with Cathy and the girls, as well as Gemma and Fechin and their kids.  We had a very lazy day and then around 3 pm our company showed up.  Our three families came together to the UAE and we have keep a very strong bond ever since.  Stuart made warm pork sandwiches as well as a roasted chicken, with cole slaw as a side.  It was delicious.  We had such a wonderful time just cutting up and having fun.  Kayleigh and Claire did crafts with the kids, but didn't keep their attention very long, sadly. 

The kids went to bed much later than we had hoped for, but we knew that would be the way for this entire week.  It seems no matter where you live, you start to lose routine the week leading up to a school break.  There is just so much to do, especially if you are traveling.

 

Monday morning the best we could hope for was that there would be no children at school. When I arrived, I went straight to the auditorium to see that about a fourth of our students on the boys’ side had come to school.  I think there were a few more on the girls’ side, but classes were still able to combine and no one had to teach their normal load, which is good enough.  Initially, my principal had said that we would need to stay for planning, which meant an hour and a half after the students were dismissed.  Since most of my teachers were able to get their planning and grades finished that day because they didn’t have a full teaching load, we talked her into letting us go at 1:30, or normal time.  


When I left school I headed to the mall to do some last minute errands before leaving for three weeks to Australia.  I had to get some pictures printed, stocking stuffers purchased, and maybe one more gift from Santa.  Our kids are beyond spoiled.  Is that a bad thing?  Maybe!

 

Stuart had gone to school to collect the kids and Meriana, one of Jack’s friends we had over for a play date.  When I got home they were outside playing.  Now normally this doesn’t bother me, but about 6 weeks ago the compound decided they needed to replace the water pipes that ran right in front of all the villas.  So they dug up the bricks, and left a ditch about 6 inches in depth, in front of everyone’s villa.  Why haven’t they come back to complete the brick work?  I’m not sure.  It’s crazy and now has become dangerous.  The neighborhood kids climb on the dirt piles, they throw bricks, and cars have less space to maneuver around the complex, thus making it unsafe for the kids.  

 

Once Jack’s friend left I fixed the kids food and had them shower. I then made toffee for the kids’ teachers. Why do I do these things? It was very frustrating because our gas stove here doesn’t seem to get as hot as ours in the states did.  It wasn’t the best toffee I have ever made, but it would have to do.

 

Once the kids had eaten and were ready for bed, they watched Gnomeo and Juliet. Then they were in bedand I was on the sofa for the rest of the evening. 

 

Tuesday morning I got to school and there were about 20 boys and 20 girls at school. I was asked to make the boys' side schedule. What a pain that was.  When people know they have to cover a group of students they may not normally have, they can’t be found.  I went back and forth with my Egyptian sport teacher, until finally I just told her she had to cover one of the periods and if she had a problem with it she could see the principal.  

 

I had bought some snacks for the teachers so naturally all the English teachers were in my office most of the day. We had a senior leadership team meeting at 9 am and sorted out the last few days of the term. It was decided we would leave school at 12:30 on Tuesday and noon on Wednesday, which was good because I had planned on going to Jack's school Wednesday afternoon for his end of term celebration. 

 

When I left school on Tuesday I went to the tailor’s to pick up the dress I had altered for my niece Zoe’s christening in Australia.  When I got there it wasn't ready, although he had told me it would be ready the 12th, and it was the 13th.  I was not happy.  He said, “I will finish tonight at 7 pm and you can come after that.”  To which I said, “I will be back tomorrow and it had better be finished.”

 

I came home, had a bite to eat, and napped until the kids got home around 2:30 pm.  I was busy sorting out clean beds and doing more laundry when I heard my phone ring.  I knew instantly that I had forgotten to go and pick Claire up from school.  Stuart answered the phone and I yelled at him to tell her I would be right there.  Once I was home from getting Claire, the kids were playing on their own, and I attempted another batch of toffee.  Unfortunately, I burned this particular batch and ended up having to throw it out.  It appeared that the teachers would get the gift cards and only the teacher assistants would get the toffee.  So sorry!

 

Stuart left for the club just after 4 pm because they were interviewing for the club house manager.  It seems that the person who had performed this job just recently was seeking different opportunities, so they had to replace him.  There were many applicants, but I think they only interviewed 5 people.  He did the interviews while the kids waited for Santa to show up.  They had the Christmas party planned for the kids, but unfortunately it coincided with the Gingerbread houses being made at one of the resorts, so it wasn’t very well attended.

 

Santa did show up and give each child a gift.  It was a Christmas ornament that danced.  We can never have enough of those for sure.  We all ate at the club as well.  Mandy, Cathy and Claire joined me since Stuart was busy interviewing.  We stayed at the club and let the kids play until just after 8 pm.  Then we were home, showered and in the bed.  Stuart got home just as Jack was going to bed.  He ordered food from a take away shop, ate, and then was off to bed as well.  I slept on the couch for a bit, then resigned myself to the bed.  I really should have been working on Christmas presents or packing or something like that, but couldn’t be bothered.


On Wednesday we were wrapping up last minute grades, data analysis, and completing classroom environment checklists. We had a leadership meeting at 8 am and I was presented with a basket of fruit, lined with flowers. They bought it for me for having surgery. It was a few weeks late, but better late than never. 

School on Wednesday was weird. We were allowed to leave at noon and most of us did. However, one of our senior leaders walked into my office and somehow convinced two of the English teachers to stay for an extra hour to help her do an evaluative checklist for each of the classrooms. I have some informants who messaged me to let me know. I then called the principal and suggested we not allow teachers to evaluate each other's classrooms. Duh! This particular leader doesn't quite understand the duties of everyone at this stage. She thinks if the teachers agree to it then it's fine. Uh, no!


I was on the way to get my dress when this debacle was brought to my attention, so I tried to deal with it as best as I could, knowing I would have to sort it out the following morning. 


When I got home after picking up my altered dress, the kids were out playing with the neighborhood kids. They came in just before 5 pm, when Claire, Kayleigh and Cathy came over and brought the kids presents for Christmas. They left just after 6, then the kids showered and ate beans on toast. We hadn't been food shopping for a bit because we would be out of town for three weeks. So we were scrapping the bottom of the pantry. Fortunately they didn't mind. 


Millie was in bed by 7 and Jack was in bed by 7:30. A friend,Topeka, came over and we rode to the wedding together. Hassah, my Muslim friend whose bridal shower I attended last week, was getting married. Weddings here start around 8 pm. This was not a local wedding, therefore it had a different style to it. We danced, her father came in to present her. We danced some more. There were some traditional Jordanian dancers. We then ate around 10:30 pm. I should have been snoozing on the sofa about the time we left for the wedding. Instead, I didn't get home until almost midnight. 


Stuart had a rugby match in Dubai, but arrived home before I did. We then started to get Santa's gifts sorted so we could put them out just before we left for the airport on Thursday. One of the gifts Santa got Millie was a scooter. When we got it out to put it together it looked terribly small. I nearly cried. There was no way I could fix that problem at that point. In the end, it was decided that Santa would leave a note stating he noticed that Millie had grown quite a bit since he last saw her and he was afraid the scooter would not be large enough. He also stated that he had put some money in Mama and Daddy's bank account so that if it was too small we could go get her another one.  Sorted!


I didn't have to be at school until 8 am on Thursday, so I had another cup of coffee once the kids were off to school and then did my last minute Santa prep, which becomes increasingly more difficult when you leave town for Christmas. Once I was at school, I completed the checklists that my teachers were not to complete the previous day. It took me about an hour and the rest of the day was spent chatting with people. We were then able to leave at noon. 


When I got home Stuart had been there most of the morning. He had all the items off of the counters and we were virtually cat proofed. Once the kids were home, we all got cleaned up. Then while Stuart loaded the kids and the bags into the car, (we had the same driver to the airport that had taken Mandy and I when we went to Jordan) I put out the Santa presents. We sure do go to a lot of trouble to keep up this lie we tell our children. 


We had been on the road for about 10 minutes, when I realized I had forgotten my jewelry at home. Ugh! Much to Stuart's dismay I had the driver take us back home so I could get my jewelry. A girl is naked without her bling. 


When we got to the airport, hardly anyone was there. We checked in, went to have a bite to eat, and went to our gate. It was  a short flight to Doha, then we were to have a layover of two hours and then we were on the 14 hour flight to Sydney. 


The lady behind me on the Sydney flight was a treat. About 5 minutes after takeoff I leaned my chair back, which got me a tap on the shoulder. She said, 'You won't be able to lean your chair back because it leaves me no room for my legs.'  I responded by saying, 'Well, I paid for my flight just like you did and I'm going to put my seat back.'  Needless to say it was a very pleasant flight with her knees in by back most of the time. Do you think she was trying to prove a point? Other than that, it was just a long time on the plane. 


We arrived a half hour late and were picked up by a car. We were at the house by 9 pm. We virtually missed all of Friday. The kids were wired, the brothers were on the boat, and then we were all down by the beach until quite late. We didn't go to bed until at least 2 am. Then I got a FaceTime call from my brother Mitch. He was telling me all the things he was doing to prepare for the holidays. His baking was what made me miss having Christmas with him. He was making me laugh so hard I was actually crying. We talked for about an hour. I was finally in bed at 3 am. 


I was up at 6 am and knew the sleepies would kick in at some point Saturday afternoon. We headed to the ball fields at 8:45 to watch my nephew Billie play t-ball. He played for about an hour. We returned to the house and the boys started playing cricket on the lawn and then moved their party, with their clothes on, to the water. I decided to take a nap on the lounger upstairs. I slept for about 30 minutes and because the kids were being so loud, I decided to go to our bedroom. I quickly decided that was a bad idea as the gardener was making a lot of noise just outside our bedroom door. So in the end I didn't sleep any more. 


Karen and Louise had gone to get their hair done, and Karen had returned before Lou. So leaving Grandma in charge, the brothers, Barry and myself went out on the boat. We stopped at the marina cafe for a drink. 


Once we were back at the house, it was more tea, coffee and beer. We left for the Thai restaurant just after 6. I drove James' car, which was a bit nerve racking because I had all the kids in the car, I was on the other side of the car as well as the other side of the road. As you would guess I was trying to make sure I didn't hit anything. Thankfully, we arrived safely. 


The food was beautiful. Unfortunately, Jack slept through most of the dinner and wasn't interested in eating at all. I think the flight finally caught up to him. We had a lovely meal paid by the winnings of the guys from the pokeys, which is like slot machines. It was a great deal for sure. 


We returned to the house and the kids were bathed and in bed by just after 9 pm. It was needed for sure. The rest of us were in bed by just after 10, which was also needed. It was a wonderful week for sure and we are more than thrilled to now be with family for three weeks.