Hey everyone...yes still alive and kicking and I have some major catching up to do.
We re back from holidays and ready for this fabulous NEW YEAR!
I have only read page one so far so will come back to comment more later.
Firstly a big
to everyone....missed you.
Shad..you must be at your new posting now. Hope all is well. I would have loved to have caught up while I was away in the Gold Coast. I was carless and then the days just flew with the kids. You did mention that you were really busy too...but i did send thoughts your way
Ceejay:hi: to you. Look at all those calories burnt! wow!
Holly... I love the idea of your little girls room. I did my DD's up last year with soft lime green and pink. I love it and every time we walk in it reminds us of gelato! really pretty and will last the distance i think...have fun. I have yet to do the rest of the rooms, maybe that is something to plan for my to do list!
Happy
Interesting what you said about the nose thing and feeling like you are on the edge of a cold. I felt like that all through our strange winter and still in the summer. The temperatures have been strange here too...very extreme. Hoping for some better weather soon.
We had a lovely break away the kids and I but missed DH alot. The weather has been very average with summer not really here some days and boiling hot the next. It really is a strange mix world wide.
The kids had a ball while away. We only ventured one theme park but it was a good one. The new water park at the Gold Coast is so much fun and I haven't giggled so much for ages. I loved watching my 14-nearly 15 year old "play" with his brother and sister. It is a rare thing these days. I feel like I got my teenagers back for a while.
DS14 spend the first little while away being quite distant and removed while his younger brother and sister played. Then he came around and really gelled with the family. It was nice.
I can't believe that he turns 15 next week!
Good news on the car front. It is all fixed and I just picked it up this morning. Westfield shopping centre are paying for the excess on the damages. I am glad about this. It really was a shame that it happened but everything worked out in the end.
I have a kitty cat meowing her head off so I better go attend to her whims.
Thinking of you all
Suz
I don't think the "grandson" will appreciate it. Fingers and toes crossed that they are able to find some way to make things work out for you. You've had quite alot of stress these past few months, it's high time things turned around. 
Then the woman who picked next month's selection chose a book the group had already read. How are things up in your part of town - is it cold and snowy? I hear there is supposed to be another winter blast headed across the midwest - north of us. We're to get a drenching rain. Water, not chocolate thank goodness 
- I like them both, having a hard time chosing which is my favorite. Now I can follow along with your holidays and get a glimpse of places you speak of. Brings us together across the miles. Thanks from both of us. 
I did buy new workout shoes yesterday. I intend to try them out tonight. I had to try on about 8 pair in various styles and multiple sizes within each style before I found one that fit. In fact I think the one I got which was the biggest shoe size I've ever worn - may in fact be a half size too big. Hard to tell with a thick workout sock until you've walked a bit in it. I don't care if I wear the boxes the shoes came in, just looking for something that doesn't make my feet cramp up. 
