7 woo hoo who thought I'd make it!

Well I hope you all had a great Christmas and have recovered ready for the new years eve parties.
Lets start my blog by saying I'm still married and just before Christmas I was considering divorce, which happens every year at Christmas time with help from the monster in laws. Families are funny things, some are supportive and some are not and some are a bit of both, I guess all families are dysfunctional just how much and at what time varies.
Leading up to Christmas was the usual frantic running around shopping and partying, more so with only one car, but I got it done! My work Christmas party was nice and calm with laughs and good food. JH's on the other hand is always interesting! He works for a small family company where family is a loose term. The bitching and fighting is something to see, I think once a year is only time they manage to be together without coming to blows or insults. I think it depends where you sit on the table as to what comments you hear. It was at Mounties and was nice for us and the kids.
My sister came down from Port for Christmas this year. I haven't had Christmas with her for at least 5 years, so I was just over the moon.They arrived late Christmas eve. Christmas day started at 5am when Marcus' alarm went off. Mental note to self turn of kids alarm clocks next year. The kids had a great morning. When we were growing up and had Christmas lunch at Nanna's house we had to have lunch and clean up afterwards before we were allowed to open presents. It used to nearly kill us. So what do we do the same thing to our kids, mean mean mean.
My brother is the model for total disorganisation, always late and you only ask him to bring things he can buy on the way at the servo, He has got slightly better now he is older and married. So my sister started a book on what time they would turn up. 50cents to enter, half hour time increments, with 15 min either side buffer zones. after the 2 hour time period it went to 5 min intervals. Bro rang at 11am to tell us he was on his way, a 2hour drive. He arrived at 2pm (I won the $2 pot) with only one of his 4 kids, the others at ex partners houses. This was extremely disappointing, Christmas is for kids and not to see them open their presents was a blow. Let alone not ringing to let us know just how late they were going to be, the kids were starving and getting ratty. Then the presents, woo hoo what a score. We did presents first this year. My Dad & Step Mum were extremely generous, I had to get up the next morning and check they were still there and real, a digital video camera and a tom tom. The presents we buy each other are always something to get a great laugh. We have a warped sense of humor and the presents we buy each other reflect that. My sister and I both got the same thing for each other and our brother a pencil sharpener in a nose, a big nose joke that never gets old in our family. The kids were beside themselves with their hauls. Now the task of finding homes for the new toys and getting rid of all the rubbish. Then Jon took the kids to his mum's for dinner and the Christmas with his family. I told him I wasn't going, I don't think he believed me until the last minute. His family Christmas is not fun for me and sometimes JH as well, so when my sister can make the effort to be here for Christmas I was going to make the most of it. JH scummed to the manipulations that his family do so well, much to my disgust. I know that's not fair for him not see his family at Christmas, but the balance is never fair and I'm sick of it. Oh well its done now for another year, thank goodness. Must say am looking forward to some upcoming parties as is JH, good friends, good food and lots of laughs. No firm New Years eve plans as yet, we usually can't stay up. Now the fun of the sales, are the bargains real? Is it worth the crowds? Is it worth the parking fun?
Well I hope you enjoyed the day and the relaxing afterwards. Hope you have a great night New Years eve, don't forget next year will be a pearler and full of interesting options, rewards, and fun.
Love you all
DonnaJ