So I mentioned I had a fun day last Sunday

... and I never came back to tell you what it was.   We had an early family Christmas with Mike's family down the coast.   And it was TERRIFIC.  The whole day was just perfect from start to finish.  We did follow a big black cloud the whole way down there, the weather was looking ominous, but the day ended up beautiful.

We stopped for a couple of hours with my mum on the way through.  She is not "doing" Christmas again this year, although she did have a little tiny tree up, so is making some progress as this is the first tree in five years.   With the words of a very wise friend always ringing in my ears at this time of year, I can't change the way she is, I can only change my reaction to it, so I choose not to react.  Mike made sure he took a nice photo of the two of us.   Gracious my head looks big in this shot.

Then we headed down the coast to the extended family gathering.  I was lucky enough to get a tripod from my mum for Christmas so made good use of it and the self-timer on the camera.  This was the second group shot we got, there was a bit of laughter going on after the photo was snapped, we in the front row had no idea what they were laughing about, until we see the LED display and Miss T and her fiance having a smooch!  I actually love this photo best of all.  I also like the expression on Mike's face, it makes me laugh.

And here are some other random photos from throughout the afternoon.  I just want to add that my father-in-law and his partner put on the most magnificent spread - turkey, ham, vegetables and the trimmings and a big bowl of salad, so score for me, I just had meat and salad and it was yummo!  

Love this photo of my father-in-law and I.   I really scored the jackpot in the in-laws stakes with what I married into.  And love him I do, he kept that santa hat on all day.

My sister-in-law asked me to take a photograph of her so she could change her profile on her facebook.  Both she and I were thrilled with the capture I got here.   It was so funny during the day, in the present unwrapping frenzy, we had gotten each other near enough to exactly the same thing - a little three drawer glass jewellery case.  Laughed about it all day.

During the afternoon the kids decided to climb the apricot tree (as you do!!) as the tree was laden with them.  It proved to be fun, eldest stepson climbed way up in the tree, there were apricots being shaken off right left and centre.  I guess this is quite different to how my northern hemisphere friends would spend their Christmasses being cold.  Here we were dining inside and outside on the verandah and picking fruit in the warm afternoon sun.

We gave my nephew a remote controlled helicopter which he had huge fun playing with -- we won't talk too loud about when it hit the television cabinet when his grandpa was not looking -- and I love this capture of the helicopter in mid-flight in front of him here.

My eldest step-daughter and fiance.  I don't think he knew what hit him with the extended Clan gathering.

My eclectic unique youngest step-daughter, beautiful both inside and out.

My niece, this is the great thing about marrying into a family, you get nieces and nephews along with the deal.

Youngest stepson, just with the cool, hip and happening dude look.

Mike with his sister and dad, yep I was crazy with the camera, did I mention I took over 300 photos on this day.  Hey, my argument is, it's the photos you don't get that you regret.  I love that everyone just had the attitude of grin and bear it.  It's easier with me that way!

Handed the camera over to eldest stepson to take this shot.  Nice one!

And finally for tonight, how did I get so lucky?  Really?  Four absolutely beautiful amazing step-children that I am proud to say I am their stepmother.  Sometimes I forget they are not really mine.

And with that, it's waaaaaay past my bedtime, g'night.