Tis' the Season

                               

This Christmas season was probably the most magical that I can remember. After two years of cancelled plans, Covid lockdowns and home schooling I had lots of motivation to reflect on how I wanted life to look once the world opened up to us again. I really wanted to get out there and have lots of fun and I felt this really strong pull to connect with old friends and new. 

The party season kicked off with a very fun evening at Levi's work dinner. It was held in a very moody wood panelled private room at a hotel in Canberra and it was such a good night. There's always a big buzz for us that night, it fun for Levi after a year of hard work and he gives lots of thanks to everyone in a big speech. I wore this beautiful forest green velvet dress Levi had bought me earlier in the year and had so much fun with Levi. 

All through December I attended really fun events. A cookie exchange with the church girls, Kate's hilarious ugly sweater party, my booclub's annual Christmas dinner out, Chloe's Christmas sermon in the Primrose Valley, Christmas Dinner with the Niven's and our ward Christmas party where we discovered the most magical forest. Bungendore celebrated in country style with the hail bail Santa's sleigh and the Antique store was a Christmas wonderland. 

I made my way to Sydney with the kids a week before Christmas to spend time connecting with friends there before all the family festivities began. It was not without incident. Our first attempt we got stuck in a storm where a huge tree fell over across the road. We narrowly missed hitting it. It was a very scary experience for all of us, with cars from the other direction hitting the tree at full speed as they couldn't see it in the storm. No one was injured luckily and we were able to turn around and head home for the night, setting off the next morning. Once we arrived in Sydney we joined in on my friend Cassies annual gingerbread decorating day. I saw, Cassie, Ben, Gemma, Sarah and Tanya for the first time in a long time and it was the sweetest reunion. I had a perfect lunch with Kirsty, a far too much fun sleepover at Monique's place. Levi caught the train up later in the week and I met him at the QVB for a night out in the city. We shopped, tried clothes on, ate dinner and dessert. It's our second time doing that and I want to make it a tradition, it is such a fun night. On our way home after Christmas we stopped in to visit with Ben, De and Harvey at their place in Wollongong for lunch. It was so nice to have a lazy afternoon to catch up and see how beautifully the kids play together. 

My cup was so full after the most beautiful Christmas season. I can hardly believe how blessed I am to  love and be loved so deeply all of these wonderful people. It really was magic and I felt the joy of it the whole month through. What an incredible end to the year.