Happy 2010 – the year of the spoon (My new years eve) + goodbye WA

Our last night in Perth… we really truly went out with a bang!

We celebrated New Years Eve with a giant slumber party. There were about 21 of us from various families sleeping over at the Buma house. Good times!

The evening was spent with lots of talking, laughing, eating, music-making and just a bit more eating.

Here are the photos to prove it…

 

Peter with: Cameron, Miranda, Holly & Emily

[left] Cameron, Alexie, Holly, Me & Miranda. And yes, Cameron is lining Alexie up for a ‘wet willie’ (where you put your tongue in someone’s ear). He’s so gross! And yes, he did it to me too. | [right] Jordan, Emily & I making music.

 

Enjoying our food!!!

Oliebollen – only one of the best Dutch foods every invented.

A 10 person spoon to bring in 2010! And why 2010 will always be known as the year of the spoon to us… lol. From left: Me, Alexie, Cameron, Miranda, Jordan, Emily, Holly, Alicia, Anne-Elise & Lance.

 

New year kisses – from Cameron & Alexie, Josh & Cameron, Cameron & Pete. Clearly Cameron wanted to make sure I was feeling the love.

Bedtime at the house of Buma. Clockwise from top left: Alexie & Emily, Grace, Anne-Elise & Bethanie, Cameron, Jordan, Lance & Lachlan, Holly & Miranda.

It was the most awesome night.. and talk about a full house! We didn’t get to bed till well after 2am, and luckily even Miss Mayana let us sleep in to the very dignified hour of 8.30am. Others slept even longer.

Personally, I didn’t want to waste a minute more of my last Perth day sleeping than was absolutely necessary.

Once everyone was awake we enjoyed a beautiful breakfast, which eventually evolved into morning tea. Later in the day we had to pack. We all started to feel a bit sombre around then. I don’t think we were quite ready to say goodbye.

In the afternoon we went for a final visit in the hospital with Oma. We took her some oliebollen and other leftover new years goodies, and had a good long visit.

Four generations

Oma was doing so well, her recovery is truly miraculous and we are all so proud of her and so glad to have her still with us.

Before we left the hospital we sang a song with Oma, and had a prayer time. It was pretty hard to leave her still in hospital, but we look forward to Christmas 2010 when the plan is for Oma to join us.

After the hospital visit, the troupe of us that had celebrated New Year’s together headed out for a last supper at a yummy Asian restaurant.

 

[Clockwise from top left] Mayana & her Papa, Joshua (Legs) & Anne-Elisse, Oom Sace and others eating, me with my parents.

After dinner we reluctantly headed toward the airport. After checking in our mountains of luggage, we spent our last few hours together at the airport, along with a few other cousins who joined us to say goodbye.

There were lots of tears when it came to boarding time. I couldn’t believe how quickly our time was over. We had rekindled awesome relationships with uncles, aunties and cousins, and the thought of leaving them was overwhelmingly sad. We all kept reminding ourselves and each other that this time we have the assurance of seeing each other again in only 2011, and imploring them to come to Qld in the meantime.

The look on Alexie & Emily’s faces says it all really.

But, it had to be, and goodbyes were said, hugs and kisses were had, and the plane was boarded.

We left at about 11.15pm, and arrived home just after 5.30am. The trip was long and uneventful. Mayana slept the whole way which was awesome, though I wish I could say the same for myself. Being short really sucks on a plane, and I had the puffiest feet from them not being able to reach the ground, but I managed a few naps.

We spent a few days in Noosa, catching up on sleep and with Pete’s uncle and aunty from Townsville. And on Monday we headed home for Pete to start work on Tuesday.

On Tuesday night my poor darling baby girl came down with a delightful gastro bug, and at the moment is still trying to get over it. And that brings us to the present!

I had the most fantastic holiday – I’m pretty sure we all did. We were all so excited and looking forward to our trip with such anticipation, and it’s so satisfying that our trip met all our expectations and more.

Thank you for bearing with me and my overload of photos as I reminisced.

I hope your new year was as happy as mine :)

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