Christmas Holidays

During the Christmas holidays I just had to get away. It had been almost a year since we had been away as a family, hence, the itchy feet. Carnarvon had just experienced astronomical floods and the weather was not looking good so we were contemplating spending Christmas in Karratha as it is too expensive for the 6 of us to fly to Perth. Noooooo! I didn't want to spend one more minute here, so while Jared was at work, I packed the car and when he had finished his shift that morning we left for Perth. Because of the flooding in Carnarvon,we had to take the inland route which meant going through Newman, Meekatharra etc which I didn't mind at all as I had never been to these places.Thought it would be a good opportunity to do some sight seeing! Newman is probably one of the only towns I haven't passed through in the whole of Australia so I was looking forward to it.

The first night we were traveling we came across an injured bull in the middle of the road. It had been hit by a truck and had broken its back and it was still alive! This was not good! We couldn't leave the poor thing suffering on the road like this so Jared got a hammer out of the boot and went up to the bull. After patting it and calming it down, he knocked it on the back of the head and in an instant he was out of misery. I don't know how he did it. We were all sitting in the car, I was blocking my ears for some ridiculous reason and the kids were looking out the window trying to sneak a peak. I'm glad it was dark so they couldn't see but I'm sure I was more traumatised than they were!

Newman Museum.

Ammon avoiding the camera just like his mother!

On our way to Perth!!

Jacob's early Christmas present.

It was pouring down with rain a lot of the way so the kids and I got out of the car and had to have a dance in the rain.

As we all know, the boys love to skate, so the first chance they got in a town where there was a skate park they had to utilise it. There was one at Que.

Ammon has always been a climber!

Little Tuckers!

Ammon was just so excited to get to Nannup where we were going to spend Christmas with Dad. Ammon loves it in Nannup. He gets to ride motorbikes,  canoeing, shooting with Dad and basically they get free run of the farm with Kelly the dog. Of course, the other kids love it as well but Ammon has a special bond with Pa.
It was funny because Jared would drive slowly on purpose to wind Ammon up as he is so impatient. He just had to get there!










When we got to Perth, Jared showed the kids where he used to run down a hill at a park in Bedford with Donna and Kylie when they were young. We jumped out of the car and did the same thing!  

My brother and his wife Fleur came down from Margaret River to spend Christmas with us which was lovely. I don't get to see Stevie much these days so it was great to catch up with them.

Riding in Pa's trailor

Uncle Steve reminding Ammon how to use dodgy clutch!

Monique & Solomon

Moni & Olea Christmas lunch

Pa & Olea

Even I can ride a motorbike!

Dad and Di ended up taking the kids while Jared and I spent two weeks in Perth. The kids had a ball although Olea ended up coming back after one week because I think she is a bit young to stay too long without her mummy!

In Perth we stayed with some good friends of ours Damien and Belinda. We had such a good time and I have never laughed so much!! I would say that Jared and Damien are not a good combination sometimes! Jared ended up flying to Melbourne for his cousins wedding for a couple of days while I stayed in Perth and caught up with other friends and family.

Only Belinda looks this good at 38 weeks pregnant!

What did Jared say this time? lol

Vienna

What else did we do in Perth?? So much!! I can't write it all down here but a few things I will say.

Whenever we go to Perth there are always two of Jared friends we catch up with. Without fail. This is Adam Chapman (his best friend since he was nine years old) and Dion Hayman. Adam has just finished his first book and I would have to say it is one of the best books I have read on the saviour. I will write about my experience with this book another day. We have spent a lot of time with the Chapman's over the years and I have learned so much from Adam. He is great to have a chat with and his family are second to none. The kids, especially Rebecca is one of a kind. For a 16 year old, she is not what you would expect. Just so lovely and mature beyond her years. She is the most caring, thoughtful teenager I have ever come across. Emma is too although Rebecca is more like her father and has a great sense of humour!

We caught up with Dion quite a few times, we went to the beach 3 mornings I think it was, went out for lunch and did the usual hanging out thing. Jared also spent the night with him and helped him with some genealogy. We won't get into that mare scenario though!!

Jared couldn't resist a visit to Melbourne Library

Olea having a bath with the Chapman kids

Chapman's pool

Scarborough Beach

Emma Chapman

Rebecca learning to drive

Michael Chapman

Hyrum chapman

Rachael Chapman

Eden Chapman

My first ride in Terry kneal's convertible

Olea showing off her new ugg boots in 35 degree heat!

Dion, Jared, myself and Terry go swimming at Scarborough Beach!

Olea & Kirra

Aunty Simone.

Hillarys

Kaelee, Kirra & Olea

Burns Beach dinner picnic.

Hillarys

Olea and Kaelee Burns Beach.

Watching beach volleyball at Scarborough Beach.

This is my running track in Quinns Rocks. Oh how I miss running along the beach!

I love this photo. Check out Olea. She just has to be in the photo!!

This photo is of my Nanny! She is 95 years old and stays at Shawford lodge. She has had bladder cancer for a little over a year now and she is still hanging in there! I cry every time I leave her thinking this will be the last visit. It was so funny on the last visit as she suffers from acute dementia thus only has her long term memory. She was discussing with me how much weight she thought Jared had put on!  I had to laugh as her last memory of him would have been at our wedding!! 

This photo of the kids and I was taken at Pinnaroo Memorial Park. Tracy miss-carried  at 21 weeks so there had to be an official burial and birth certificate for Seth. This is Tracy's 9th child.