Hey everyone & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year! Spent too much money, had too much to eat and too much to drink!!I know exactly how you feel except this year I will be calculating the diet in kilos instead of pounds!!

HOWEVER, it was so worth it!! I'll pick up from where I left of back in mid December...

The last few weeks leading up to Christmas were very exciting in the Hutson household what with 2 little people eagerly awaiting Santas arrival as well as Nannys and Pas and aunties and uncles all coing to see them so it flew by and before I knew it, it was time to start packing ready to go to Annettes for Christmas as well as last mintue christmas presant wrapping!! The family put me together a lovely presant- full of English treats as well as a canvas bag saying 'i love a hutson'- which was very sweet!

I also got my flight date confused so I was actually flying a day earlier than expected!! Which was a nice suprise but was also a bit of a rush!! When I got on the airport train to Brisbane I realised I didnt have my passport! Was just about to panic but made a call instead and confirmed I didnt actually require my passport for this flight which was a massive relief otherwise I wouldnt have been going anywhere!! Things were on the up from there, arrived at the airport, wizzed through security as I had already checked in online and boarded pretty much straight away! Great!! An hour later I was landing in Newcastle with some smiling faces waiting for me!! Annette, Amy and Owen came to pick me up from the airport- was soooo lovely to see them again!!

We spent the lead up to Christmas chilling out around the house in preparation for the big day as well as preparation for my taste buds, Annette got some fruit for me to try- Lyches (?) Passionfruit, Papya (sorry if i have spelt them wrong!) which were all delicious although I was a little wary about trying the lyches!! For those of you who have watched 'I'm a Celebrity- get me out of here' - they look just like the kangaroo testicle!! (Just to top it off- you have to pop them out of thier skin to eat them! Didnt feel much like a celeb at that moment!! lol

I was also pre-warned on Christmas eve, when the kids were putting a sausage out for Santa that there would be an early start of 6.30am the next day....hey, it is christmas!! Christmas day was lovely, when we were up the kids were really excited about opening thier santa stockings- and guess what...santa got my new address and actually found me!! So I had my very own Santa sack that morning!! A travellers delight...suncream, bite cream smellies and of course chocolate! (Not just any chocolate- this one pops on your tongue!!) Oh and Aussie choc coins which I must say are better than english ones!!

After breakfast people started to arrive, Karen, (Annettes sister) Peter (Gregs brother) Marlie (Gregs mum) and Grages sister and partner. Unfortunatly Mike and Leonie were unable to make Christmas day and Curly had gone into hospital on Christmas eve.

We had a lovely CHICKEN roast dinner- sorry to say, but chicken has got to be the way forward on christmas day. I hate to say this but NO-ONE LIKES TURKEY!!!

The rest of the afternoon was much like other christmas's- 'i need to lie down as ive eaten too much' kind oif afternoon...until...we went swimming! Yes we had a chritmas day dip, totally UNLIKE previous christmas's!! It was great, I even wore a Santa hat in the pool!! he he!

On boxing day we headed down to Gwandalin, Lake Maquarie to visit Mike and Leonie for a second christmas. We spent a few days there, Annette and Greg took me out sailing on thier boat (Annette is a bit of a pro at sailing) and I alsoi went canoeing which was another first for me! Me and Amy went out together, we were doing really well until we had the smart idea of trying to race the boat...which is when a wave and a gust of wind snuck up on us and tipped us over! Was soo funny- me and Amy couldnt swim to shore for laughing!! What a giggle! When I went out with Owen he didnt want to go too far away from shore...I cant think why??

A couple of days later I headed down to Sydney to go and stay with some friends for NYE. When I got there I was finally able to pick up my parcels that had arrived from home- was like a third christmas!! Except this was was on the streets of Sydney! So another big thank you to Leonie, Naomi & Preston, Ali and Toby and Mike and Maureen for my lovely presants!

On NYE I arranged to meet up with Nat, James and Rogers for a drink and a trip to the Bondi beach. Once we had all met up and got chatting over a couple of pints in Sydneys Circular Quay we ran out of time to go to Bondi so Nat and James went to start thier NYE celebrations and me and Rogers went to Manly beach for a little more relaxation before the night started. Once I got the ferry andf train back to Newtown, Tanya had made a lovely last dinner of the year and we were off to start celebrating!

First we headed to a bar in Paddington to meet soime people and had a few drinks there before heading off to the party! Just like any good party the drinks were flowing and the music blaring and before we knew it, it was time to head off and see the fireworks! We were able to walk to the fireworks from the party and we ended up in a great spot right opposite the harbour bridge. We were all a little shocked to get such a good spot so late as around 20,000 people camped out around the Opera house to get a good view and we didnt do any of that! too busy having fun!!

The fireworks were amazing and def one of the best ways to see in 2011! As if the sights of the harbour are not enough, they fill it with fireworks- amazing! Afterwards we headed back to the party, of which I dont remember much except a very funny bus trip home, an odd experience at Macca's and walking through Newtown as the sun was rising and the birds were singing...

Needless to say, the next morning was not pretty! I had a phone call from my Dad around 11am to wish me Happy New Year as it was his midnight, although I dont think I quite shared the same enthusiasm! My head was pounding!! Serves me right 6pm to 6am drinking dont make Jenny happy the next day...

I was happy top be leaving Sydney and go back to Annettes in East Maitland although I was a little sad to say goodbye to Sydney as I dont know if I'll make it back! Anoter few days chilling with the family before heading back to the airport...

Then it was time to go back, a 3 hour train ride, an hours flight, another few hours on the bus and I was back in Taneh Merah!

I had a lovely warm welcome...now back to work!!

Although I had some lovely suprises when I got back, a nice big box full of my fave english foods- doritos, hula hoops, pringles and of course mayonnaise!! (the mayo over here is sweet and yuk!) Thanks Dad!! I also got lots of xmas cards and letters from people which was lovely!

I am due to leave my job either the end of January or beginning of February sometime and head up to Hervey Bay (Fraser Island) to hopefully spend my quarter of a century birthday which, again- mixed feelings!! ha ha!!

As always, love to all and thinking of you all xxxx