NANNY'S PRESENTS.

 I think it is crazy how the kids get rediculous amounts of presents on Christmas day.  So mum decided to come over on Boxing Day to give the kids some presents from her.  Here are some photos of the kids      getting pressies from her and giving her kisses etc.  Every year before now Dad has been the one who sits under the tree with his santa hat and hands out pressies.  So now mum has to take over that role.  Look at this photo below this must have been about 15 years ago even before my kids were born performing his 'Santa role' with his first grandchild Ethan.  So CUTE!

I think it is crazy how the kids get rediculous amounts of presents on Christmas day.  So mum decided to come over on Boxing Day to give the kids some presents from her.  Here are some photos of the kids      giving her kisses etc.

HALL WHANAU CHRISTMAS

Christmas with the Hall Whanau this year was on the 27^th of December.  The Hall Whanau Christmas get together is always  a little bigger than my family getting together.  There are many more cousins in Keiths Family (about 40 grand kids to be specific)  Not all of them were there this year though only a few.

We basically got together for a big feast and sing song at Marisa’s and Morgan’s AKA the Hall Whanau Homestead.  The Hettig boys always bring their Keyboard and we  have a lovely sing song together (that is always my favourite part)!  Nanny is in Heaven as she sits on her chair ordering her favourite requests to all of her MUSO grandkids.

Johnny on the Keyboard.  He is such a natural,  he can play nearly anything by air.  

Music flows in the veins of this family.  

Below Kiri in the middle with Arama and Heinrich.

Nanny opening her present from Elletta.  Everyone pitched in this year and bought her a sewing Machine which she loved.  She loves to sew but her 80 year old one is getting a little tired now  so it was time for a new one!

Heinrich and Niwa together cute!

These two look very excited don't they!  No Screens in the room for them right now. BORING!  LOL!

Nanny Hall and Tirol below.

This photo below is funny.  Arama turned off the Keyboard and Nanny got  her stick and threatened him.  We were hassling her.  Then she started to laugh.  So cute!

Jarom and some of his cousins.

Joel and Nicole our Perth couple.  With Baby #1 on his way.  

Yes thats right He!  His name is Matthew apparently

Dahlin and his Dad Aaron (Keiths brother).  Dahlin in on of Arama's all time favourite cousins.

Keith with Rosanna and Brian.

The clean up Crew.

Leonie, Marisa and Elletta.

Joel, Alana and Morgan,  sitting on the Stairs,  No more seats spare in the room  LOL.

Some of the Cousins singing together and the little kids jumping on each other and playing 'Rough and Tumble' on the floor together (this lasted nearly all night).  The twins and Niwa are always playing this way its so cute.

CHRISTMAS DAY AT MY BROTHER'S HOUSE.

This Christmas was very quiet.  We only just decided a few days before where we were going to have it.  Aaron and Sharis hosted us all at their house and the Hall whanau decided to have their Christmas on the 27^th at the Hall Homestead so it was good to not have to juggle them all in one day.  We had amazing food as usual with a BBQ and lots of yummy salads and deserts.  

A few years ago we had Christmas here also.  There was a big trough with ice in it for the bottles to sit in so they could keep cold.  I remember Dad getting the ice and sticking in down the kids backs etc.  Well we thought we would carry on this tradition this year since dad wasn't with us.  LOL.  Niwa was the most into playing it,  he just loved it.  See the photos below of the ice fights.

It was lovely to have Jarom here with us and Soph's man Mike to the left of Jarom in the photo below.

Good old 'Swing Ball'

Kai time!

Some close ups of the Kai.

As usual mum made her Orange Jellys for the kids.

On the computer below you can see Aunty Colleen and Sarah etc,  

these are photos of us Skyping them all.  They had only been

home 2 days before Christmas after beign here for Dad's funeral. 

We were all missing them heaps already!

A photo below of mum and Aunty Robyn, Mums sister.

Mum was very quiet this day and infact I felt the same way.  It seemed strange to not have Dad

there and he was greatly missed by all of us.  I went home with mum that night and stayed with her

the night,  I didn't want my mum going to bed that night in her home alone.  You are so brave Mum. 

It is tough but we will get through this!  

I hope Dad's Christmas in Heaven was his best Christmas eva!

CHRISTMAS ANGELS

Christmas this year was a little challenging to prepare for as we spent the month before nursing Dad.  Rushing out to malls to buy presents etc seemed irrelevant in the bigger scheme of things.    I must admit I was a little stressed about it but that was just the way things were this year. 

HOWEVER….

On the evening of Dad’s funeral,  my Bestest Buddy Nix bought over 3 boxes of presents,  one for each of the kids and put them under the Christmas tree.  The kids were all asleep when she came.  Look at the photo below,  prior to this photos there were NO presents under the tree at all!

She also bought a lovely note which has stayed displayed in the Christmas tree since then.  All of the gifts were from my friends for my kids and this is what the note read....(see below)  I cried when I read the note.  Need I say any more. 

The next morning when the kids got up they were surprised to see all these presents under the tree.  I had told Nix it may not be a good idea putting them under the tree yet as I usually don’t until Christmas Eve,  she told me that this was her thing and she was the Boss this year!  LOL!  She put me in my place.  I told the kids they could have one present each morning before Christmas and this was okay for Terina and Arama but it just about Killed Niwa opening one a day.  I heard him yell out one day when I was down at the washing line  “Yey a Trash pack!”  I told him to come here  and asked him if he had opened one of his presents and he said no only a little bit.  LOL!  I guess it is kind of torture for a four year old to be so restrained!

Through this whole ordeal with Dad dying,  I have come to realise how loved I am and how AMAZING  all my friends are!  I don’t think there is anyone else in this world who has friends so amazing as mine.  They have taken the kids,  picked them up from school,  made us meals,  prayed for us,  texted mum to tell her they are praying for her too,  visited Dad to say their farewells,  stayed at my home so I can be up at the Hospice,  weeded our garden,  helped with stuff around the home,  made my aunty a birthday cake,  bought amazing food up to the Hospice and the list goes on and on,  it has been so humbling.  I would not have coped without their help. 

THANK YOU MY DEAR FRIENDS FOR ALL YOUR UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

I LOVE YOU BACK A MILLION TIMES MORE!