Happiness is...

I am on family overload at the moment. The past couple of weeks have been filled with family, family and more family. But surprisingly, it has been happy, low key and relaxing. I think having kids who are at that 'golden age' of needing minimal help and supervision, but who still think their mum and dad are the ant's pants, plays a big part in it. Also having a finished kitchen, a nice big outdoor table and a dog who no longer leaps uncontrollably over every person she sees. It's like invisible gears turning and little parts of the puzzle falling into place. Still, it is nice to have this quiet day in the middle of all the Christmas and New Years activities to do nothing.

My brother, his wife and their little boy came for a day before Christmas and it was a lovely day. We had a picnic at the Botanic Gardens and Archer, who is now 16 months, did his deeply important walking style (one hand on hip, the other arm doing a marching type piston movement) up hill and down dale. He waved at a man on a tractor and said "Hehwoe!" to every bird he saw. I adore that age, they are just so ridiculous and you could eat them up. But so exhausting!

Then Brett's sister and her family arrived for Christmas. Thankfully no one ended up in an ambulance this time... (Christmas 2 years ago). That week saw several get- togethers with the whole clan, including Ruby's birthday, Christmas Day, BBQ at our place and lunch at his other sister's place. The kids loved having their cousins to play with.

Then tomorrow it's my family for New Years Eve. And at the end of next week Brett is playing a gig at the Basement in Sydney and we are all going as a big family group to watch.

I look at all these crazy people what I'm related to, either through birth or marriage and I feel such contentment. I'm glad my kids will grow up with people they can rely on to be there for them.