A week before Christmas I got the best present ever...a treadmill!!
After the kids opened a present each on Christmas Eve we went to bed with the Santa Sacks all ready for the big man in red to fill them with presents.
Ava woke first on Christmas morning at around 5:30.
Isaac woke at about 7am and dived into his Santa Sack.
After some breakfast, we packed the car and headed to Caloundra.
We found more presents from Santa and Grandma & Grandad at their place.
Then we all got dressed up for Christmas lunch at the Crowne Plaza at Pelican Waters.
Lunch was lovely, a huge seafood buffet.
And Santa arrived with more presents for all of the children.
Ava was a very very brave little girl and went up to Santa with Beth.
After Beth painted Ava's toenails green and a game of cards with Mark, Zoe, Beth & Grandad, we went to bed on Christmas night at Grandma & Grandad's.
On Boxing Day we all got dressed up again to go to the races.
It was the first time at the races for Isaac and Ava.
And it was the first race for Grandad's new horse, Henry's Spur.
After one more sleep over at Grandma & Grandad's, we packed the car again and headed for the Gold Coast.
This year, for the first time, we were having our Dennis Family Christmas at Michelle and Shane's place.
After even more presents, the kids jumped into the pool before the storm hit.
And Rob jumped into the car to beat the storm and head back to Gympie for work at 6am the next day.
After the storm all 8 kids were in the pool and then we had a sleepover at the Evans'.
We woke up the next day, the kids did some more swimming.
We all went to the library.
Then I met Michelle's friend, Jo, and her 3 boys.
Just one more sleepover there, then we packed the Tarago and headed for the farm...with a quick stop for a very nice coffee at Jo's.
Once we got to the farm, the 8 kids played again on the slip 'n' slides at Greg & Trish's.
Then we waved goodbye to the Evanses...after Tiara and Rita-Lily played a little game of hide & seek.
Jewel and Jack stayed for a movie and a sleepover after we toured the Christmas lights on the farm.
The next day Mum's school friend's family (Sharyn & Errol Smith, with Paul, Katherine, Phoenix, Felicity, Belinda & Phil) came for lunch and a tour of the new robotic dairy.
Ava and I also had a tour of Aunty Rose's roses, which is one of my favourite things to do.
And that was the day Rob was going to join us at the farm after work, but his back pain was so bad he decided to drive down the next day.
Mum & Trish very kindly offered to drive us home so Rob didn't have to drive. So to draw our Christmas Tour to a close, we packed our bags again into Greg & Trish's car and Rob met us half-way-ish in Brisbane. We met at Meadowlands Picnic Ground, our old street. It was so nice being back in our old area again. Trish packed a scrummy Christmas left-overs picnic and the kids played in the playground. Then the rain chased us back to the cars and we were on our way back home.
After 6 nights in 3 different places, interacting with 48 people, this little introvert was so very happy to see home again.
And then that night John, Toni, Ellie, John Patrick Waters & Toni's brother Dave dropped in.
And the next day the Norris', just back from Christmas in Hawaii, dropped in.
I think I'm officially drained!
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