e have just returned home from a family trip to Auckland and further afield. We drove 780 km and made it home in time for tea. The trip was helped by a unexpectedly early start on the road and my mother's offer to cook us dinner when we got home.

We caught up with lots of friends, though not those with babies, due to us all getting colds. I think that's a holiday thing.

I managed to get to the Calico Christmas Quilt Show and was very restrained in my shopping. I'll post more on that when I get he photos sorted.

My Father-In-Law was married in Whangarei on Saturday (the reason for the trip). It was a nice relaxed event celebrated with friends and family. Little e had a great time and it was very hard to drag her away at her bedtime.

The trip home was an event in itself. We had packed the car the night before. When Little E woke, inconsolable at 12 am there were no bottles or cups handy in the hotel room and she just wanted to go out the door. She got louder and louder, and we already knew that walls were thin. There was nothing for it, really, and so after an hour of tears we hit the road just after 1am to drive home. I wouldn't recommend that trip unplanned but we did get a headstart on the road before she woke again.