WOO HOOO - for the first time in FOREVER - a proper SUMMER christmas with all our family in New Zealand! Going to be so much fun seeing all our aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
The last time we were all together was
2000 - much much too long. Yes we had a big bunch of us together in
2006 when they came here - but my brother Mike and his kids could not
make it that time - and although we had everyone else here which was
fantastic - it still was not all of us.
This could well be the last time we can even do this - as we all get older. All the kids are getting to
the ages now where they are going to university, getting jobs, moving
on and out. So not that easy to all get together - not even counting
the fact that we live in the US, my nephew is in Australia, and the rest are in NZ.
The getting there and back this time is a little wonky - all over the place really - because of the kids university schedules - and trying to get a somewhat decent airfare without totally being bent over and @#@$%#$ on price.
I am flying over first, then Hannah - then Mike and Cait. Hannah is back first because she is going to New York this year for NY Eve in Times Square. Then Mike, Cait and I are all coming back together in January.
I will even be in NZ for my Dad's birthday!! Because of that - I am going to be gone a LONG time. 5 -nearly 6 weeks in fact as I leave the Monday after Thanksgiving.
I am gone all of December!!! and do not get back until the end of the first week of January.
