Home sweet home...

I think I say this every time I come home from being away. I love going away, I love seeing my family - but boy-o-boy do I love coming home. My bed always holds a special appeal on that first night back in it.

Five adults, three teenagers and three children aged 4, 18 months and 5 months all in one house for 4 days is just unconstrained chaos.

It's fun and hectic all at the same time. It's also a lot different from when I go to Renmark on my own and have pure uninterrupted peace and quiet.

My nephew is a hundred miles an hour of action and talking, he's exhausting to be around.  I love him dearly, but with the boys and I all lobbing in the house at once he doesn't know which way to turn.

My niece is just the most gorgeous baby in the world and smiles and laughs constantly. She whinges to go to bed and that's so minor it's barely worth mentioning. She sleeps till 9 -10 am and then just lies in bed smiling and making sounds rather than crying until you go and get her - where do you get babies like this?

My grandson has several new words, 'wow' I heard at least a hundred times over the four days, I'm certain this was probably said to him a lot on Christmas day. I told him to sit at one stage because he gets all klutzy when he's tired and then he spent the next hour telling everyone in sight to 'sit',only sometimes it doesn't quite sound like 'sit' either.

He's not a baby any more

My sister in law is always prepared for kids

Dad and his boy in the river

This holidaying stuff is tiring work

A day on the river - family, dogs, kids, friends

Four generations

He had an absolute ball with his uncles, he ran around non-stop and his energy levels are amazing. He played with my nephew and was in awe of my niece (what does that make them, I'm not sure - it all gets too confusing) It was just a great four days of kids and action.

Now I need some rest...

Tomorrow night, for New Years, hubby and I are going to a show with friends - it's an illusionists show, 7 of the best apparently, a cocktail party with the stars after the show and then we have a hotel room booked in the city. This is our treat, my quiet time away from the chaos of children. You forget once your kids are teenagers how exhausting little ones can be.

So what's everyone doing for New Years, grand plans, a night with friends or a quiet one at home? This is the first time ever that we've had big plans for New Years, normally we're with friends and swimming on New Years Eve when it's hot. Looking forward to a night out actually.

Then I have the rest of the week to get my head down, bum up and get some writing done and also get some plans in place to ensure 2013 is sensational.

Hope your New Years Eve is all you want it to be, with a marvelous 2013 ahead for all of us.