Christmas 2014

This year we spent Christmas with the Buchanan family. Due to Graham (and in the end my) work schedule we didn't arrive in Sydney until Christmas morning. I really dislike the red eye flight from Perth to Sydney. It means you only get 5 hours of sleep on a plane and for me, that means 0 hours of sleep but it was the only flight we could take so we got on it christmas gifts and fishing gear in tow.

Unfortunately my father in law was very ill on Christmas day and we didn't get to spend the day with him as we all hoped, but no one can help when they get sick. We still managed to have a nice Christmas together. It was just good to be with our family.

On Boxing Day we went and visited with Graham's Nan Marj and his biological father Craig, it was quick visit but nice to see more family and chat about good times.

On the evening of Boxing Day we started getting ready to head out (the next morning) for a week long South West Rocks vacation. We had been looking forward to another South West Rocks visit for many years. Its the town Graham's mother's parents retired in and the place Graham has many good childhood memories with his family. Unfortunately that evening I came down with the flu and by the morning my Mum in law had it too.. So the men of the family headed up to South West Rocks without the girls. It was a sad morning and the sickest I have been in a long time. It was absolutely terrible.

To make matters worse I was meant to spend the day after Boxing Day with my American friends Holly and Sam who flew in that morning from the US. In the end I could not get through to them at the airport so they spent the morning worrying about what happened to me as was meant to pick them up. It was a sad story. One I feel terrible about. Our friend Louisa who is a mutual friend of all of us was going to have me, Holly and Sam to her families home for the evening, I was too sick and had to miss out. This illness not only disrupted our families plans but the plans of 2 other families. I felt terrible on top of being sick.

Mum and I are struggled through the first day and made plans to drive up the following morning for South West Rocks a 6 hour trip north. I don't know how she did it, but my Mum rallied and drove the 6 hours with me as her suffering passenger. We arrived in South West Rocks to find the boys at our beautiful holiday rental. Everyone seemed to be in good health except for Graham who had spent the night before in hospital with terrible stomach pain. It was a nightmare start to a holiday. By that evening I was on the phone to Holly and Sam and we decided they would travel up the following day to spend 2 nights with us in South West Rocks. The next day Holly and Sam arrived and everyone in the family was feeling much better. We had made it out the other side. I was so grateful to have had time with Holly and Sam for a couple days even though our time was cute short. It was a nice start to the beach holiday.

We had a beautiful week at South West Rocks with the Buchanan family, we swam (a lot) every day, went for walks, golfed, fished, made beautiful meals, one by my bother in law Simon that was fantastic!! There was naps and playing in the pool. Presley the dog made his first appearance in his new swimsuit as a surf lifesaving dog. There was card games in the evening and the Buchanan's taught me the much loved family game of Yahtzee. We celebrated New Years in South West Rocks and watched the fireworks on TV live from Sydney. We ate fish caught by my Mum, Graham, Simon, Sam and myself! There was ice-cream every night and great wine brought by my father in law Stuart. It turned into a week of heaven and we all needed it! I can't wait till we can do it again!!

Some photos..

Mum's Christmas Tree

Me and Presley having a Christmas cuddle.

Mum Karen with Presley in his new swimsuit! 

Graham carving the turkey.

Christmas pudding came out just as she hoped!!! Perfect!! 

Christmas on the couch.

me and Marj on Boxing Day

Me and Craig

Marj and her only grandson Graham.

Mum decided Presley needed a cap to go with his new swim gear.

So she made him one, just whipped it up on the sewing machine. 

He wasn't as excited about it as we hoped. 

Wally's Folly in South West Rocks, the best holiday rental in town! Amazing! 

Mum and I arrived on a rainy day but little horseshoe bay stilled looked beautiful. 

Mum and Presley ready for the first ocean swim in his new suit! Ha!

 Holly and Sam arrived just in time to go bait fishing!! YAY! They made it!!

Bait fishing so we could go rock wall fishing in the morning! I was a successful morning!!

Simon and one of his fish!

Fishing on the wall. Holly and Sam.

We had to take Holly and Sam to our favorite beach fishing spot, little bay. Possibly one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

It was so good to have them visit us. Thank you Holly and Sam for coming so far to see us!! We miss you!! 

Relaxing on the couch. 

Yahtzee night!! New Years eve. Simon left this day to go back to Sydney. We missed him.

Presley loved the beach holiday..... but all that beach and sun made him sleepy.

He was even too tired for a silly New Years Eve photo. lol

We missed Simon after he left us in South West Rocks.

So we entertained ourselves by snoopifying him in his honour. Ha! Nice glasses on that Fish Simo!

Got to hang with my Mum in the pool and just have some girl time. 

I have a whole series of photos of Graham fishing over the years, but my favourites are all of him fishing this spot at little bay in South West Rocks.

This year we got to take Mum with us and she out fished us all!!

Mum on the left and Graham on the right. Little Bay, South West Rocks.

Dinner

Just the guys chatting on the porch.

Gosh Christmas flew by this year, this year was the year we will all remember as the "illness Christmas" but what family doest get those from time to time. Im just happy we got to spend time together and in the end enjoy a great family vacation. 

Happy New Year! Heres to 2015!!!