Willbanks' Down Under: 390 + 286 Weeks

This has been such a huge week for us, with Christmas, so much family and beach time. Our house looks like a bomb has gone off, as we're just not home enough to tidy up the damage from Christmas. Both of my brothers were in town for Christmas, as well as Sting's girlfriend, and my sister and her family, as well as my cousins Tess and Ruth and their parents and families. It has been one long family get together. We did a beach dinner at Collers Beach, and the next day Jeff and I took the kids to the Bommie to go snorkelling in the rock pools. It was so amazingly beautiful there, and really made me appreciate where we live (not enough to keep us from moving though!). Christmas eve was spent at Mum and Geoff's, and was just us four siblings and our immediate families. It was so nice to have everyone together. It doesn't happen often enough. The kids were happy because they got to watch tons of tv, and of course they were totally wired that night and couldn't sleep. Too excited for Santa. Jeff and I were up past midnight doing Christmassy things like filling bean bags full of beans. I got to sleep well after 1am, and then was awake again at 5am, so I wasn't in the best shape for Christmas day. The kids were up at 6am going through their stockings and trying to be quiet while really making such a ruckus. They were so excited to open their presents, and loved them all. They are very disappointed that Christmas is over, even though they have such good stuff to play with.

Christmas lunch was over at the place my cousin Tess was renting, with all of the extended family members who were in town. It was a little tough for the kids as they don't know my cousins' kids very well, and they didn't gel very well. We took them down to a nearby oval to fly their new drones, which they love. Christmas lunch was really fun for the grownups, with plenty of good food and drink. On Boxing Day we met the extended family again on Mollymook Beach for a beach day. The water was amazing and it was fun, despite Arley having a meltdown and taking it out on me. After the beach we went back to Lolo and Dida's to spend the afternoon and evening, so that we could have one final night with my brother Jay before he left for Sydney today. The kids are so in love with their uncles, they wish they would live here.

Today Jeffrey had to work, and it was crazy hot, so I took the kids to the Bommie again for a bit of snorkelling and swimming. Arley is always too scared to go in to the water very deep, but today he had a major breakthrough. He was in the water with me, and dared to let go of my hand, and realised he could swim in the ocean just like in a swimming pool (telling him this over and over just seemed to fall on deaf ears!). He got brave. He refused to get out of the ocean, and was in by himself! He kept turning around to me every 15 seconds to give me the thumbs up, but he was literally in the ocean today for about three hours. He couldn't get enough. I couldn't believe it. And now he can't wait to go back to the beach! When he got home, he fell asleep on the couch and was dead to the world. Of course now he is wide away at 10:45pm! And boy is he grumpy!

It has been a huge week, and it still isn't over. But it's been really lovely too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20FpvWlCko0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI7ipetvk-Y

Family after Sunday night beach dinner