The Trip, Josh's Birthday and Christmas

OK to finally catch up...lol

So on Saturday 22nd December at 4am we started our trip to QLD...yes 4am, John likes leaving early....lol

It was raining in Melb but had cleared by the time we were out of the city. Most of us, except poor John had a sleep and we stopped at around 7am for some breakfast, toilet stop etc and headed on. Once we hit NSW it got dark and then the rain started, they had obviously had lots of rain as we were driving through lots of flooded sections on the road. About an hour before we hit Dubbo, where we were staying the night, the rain was coming down so hard you could hardly see the road. Dubbo was flooded and even when we got to our Hotel we had to run through about 15cm of flooded rain to get into our room. We arrived in Dubbo at around 2pm and John had a much needed sleep and we ordered pizza and were all zonked by 9pm...lol

Sunday another 4am start and all the floods had disappeared out of Dubbo over night...we still were going through different sections of the road that were flooded. Again we stopped for Macca's for breakfast at about 7am, and hit QLD before lunch. We were again about an hour from Springwood (where we were staying) and the skies opened up again...lol...the kiddies were a bit disappointed as we had promised them they could swim in the pool in Dubbo and couldn't and now with the rain it looked like they wouldn't be able to go for a swim in Springwood. We arrived in Springwood around 1pm and unpacked the car. Again John had a sleep and later in the afternoon the rain was just spitting so we let the kiddies go for a swim as the pool was just outside our back door of our room.

Later that night we suprised John's family by dropping in to say Hello, they thought we were coming over the following day.

Monday 24th December
My baby boys Birthday - I can't believe that my little boy is 11
Today we headed off to one of John's Aunt's houses for lunch and a swim. Thankfully there was no rain to be seen. Josh was in heaven and spent all day in the pool, the only time he was out was to have some lunch and wait the time until he could swim again and to have Happy Birthday sung to him...lol...Teagan loved swimming as well, but she also was having a ball playing with Cousins, some of whom she had met for the first time.

So here is Josh with the first of his birthday cakes for the day. Look at the amount of candles, it looks way more than 11...lol

Later that night we went to Macca's for dinner (it is a family tradition so we stuck to it in QLD)..didn't see much of the kiddies as they spent most of the time out on the playground. John's Mum made a cake for Joshua and again we sang Happy Birthday to him...then before you knew it everyone was heading home and his birthday was over for another year...and of course he had been spoilt yet again.

Tuesday 25th December
Christmas Day

We had to be up early (well early for us...lol) this morning. The kiddies were suprised to see that Santa had bought them a couple of little presents to QLD, as we told them that he would be leaving everything for them at home...then it was time to get ready and head to John's parents house as they have a pancake breakfast. I had never done this, as this was the first family Christmas we have spent with all of John's family. So there was heaps of pancakes, salad, muffins, bacon, eggs and we were all full just from breakfast. Then finally it was time to open the presents, the thing that all the kiddies were waiting for.










Grandad did the honours and handed the presents out from under the tree and again everyone was spoilt...lol


Then after all the presents had been unwrapped we did a quick clean up and it was time for family photos.

First one all the Millar kids with their partners and their kiddies. One of John's brothers was unable to make it for Christmas, as they live in Hawaii and his wife is due to have a bub in January, so they weren't allowed to fly over.

Then they did the family photos oldest to youngest.

So our family first.













OK so everyone had a photo with John's parents and Grandma...If you want copies email me...lol..way to many photos to put up.

Next is Brent and his family.

Then Karen and her kiddies



Then Paul and his family

Then Nichole and her family

and finally Grant all on his lonsome...lol

and one of John's Parents

Then closer to lunch time some more of John's relo's arrived. Some I knew and some I had never met before. It was great to see everyone again...the problem living all over the place and to meet nieces, nephews and even Husbands for the first time. The lovely thing was that even though the kiddies hadn't met some of the cousins before it was great that they instantly got along and played so well together.

So a couple more photos.
This one is John's cousin Al...you might remember the posts I did about him being on Australia's got talent.

and Johns Uncle Graham and Giselle

So we all had some lunch, then all sat back as the kids played and the adults caught up and before you knew it Christmas was over.

We managed to squeeze in a quick visit to John's best friends Dave and see his family and then it was time to drive back home again...so again another 4am start.

I was nice to be finally home...although we left in rain in QLD and came home to 33 degree heat in Melbourne and it hasn't really cooled down.

The kiddies were excited to see that Santa had remember them and left presents at home for them...and finally that was the end of Christmas for another year

I will admit that I struggled a bit on Christmas Day with all the little kiddies getting their presents, it was gut wrenching knowing that my baby girl should have been there enjoying the day as well and had a bit of a break down in the Hotel that night. I still feel so robbed and Rani should have been there enjoying Christmas with the rest of her family...I don't think this is a pain that any of us will get over.