Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Not long after Christmas...

We totally chilled out! And it is divine!
Christmas Day was a little wondrous as it was white - with hail.
Never a good thing here in the Southern Hemisphere, where white Christmases 
never occur. We were fortunate, but some poor folk experienced some dreadful damage.



We did experience one  fatality and that was our oven!
Just as I removed the roast from its belly, it gurgled and 
died. RIP Omega /Smeg 2000 - 25/12/2011. Gone but not forgotten.

 

Yesterday was Boxing Day. I have a strict tradition on Boxing Day.
Prawns and salad and assorted left overs for lunch. I start a new knitting project and
I watch DVD's all afternoon. Yeah!


But today the sun was shining and blue skies a plenty. Off I 
trotted to Bunnings and bought up a heap of seedlings.
Back home I did some potting and pottering around the yard.

 \

I tidied up my deck and it looks lovely.


Martha and her pal played with her new bunnies she got 
for Christmas.



 Martha played in Lady Bug Cottage : her cubby house


I basked in the sun. swept the paths and even jumped on the trampoline.
It was a good day.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas Day 2011


Christmas Day started early as usual. An IPOD seeking boy and 
a girl seeking anything that Santa might care to leave her, barged into our room 
around 6am.  Despite seeking sleep ourselves, we pulled ourselves out of bed 
and joined in the whooping and yelling. Santa has been!


Martha made these ginger bread cookies yesterday for Santa.


Meet Princess Leia.

Martha after a silly string war with her brothers

Now MY really BIG news is that Mr G, Mr Wonderful 
gave me a DIGITAL SLR camera!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just cannot believe it!!!
OMG it just works like a dream. 
I am so excited.
I keep taking photos.



It has been a pretty slow day here. A nice contrast to the lead up.
We have just grazed through the day, collect hail stones (oh my they were huge)
when it stormed. Lounged around and played with our new friends ! Yes! 
Our new furry friends! Martha got 2 little male (they had better be!!) mini Dwarf Lop eared 
rabbits and they are dear little creatures for sure! I will be posting about them tomorrow.

We are having a big Christmas dinner tonight with all the 
trimmings. Our table is set and now the cool change will
allow us to eat in comfort.



I was also very lucky in getting this beautiful rose for my garden from the children!


So to you all you wonderful folk with whom I have blogged
with this year and all those visitors i am lucky enough to receive,
Merry Christmas and God Bless you all.

Friday, December 23, 2011

the final gifts

The final makes for Christmas and they were for teachers. 
Fabric brooches were happily received


But the bunting (please excuse the appalling photo quality) 
were a huge success with teachers. This one was given to 
a beautiful teacher who taught Tully, she is Harry Potter mad and has HP days in her room that
requires dressing up and lots of room decoration. I made her bunting in brown, crushed purple
velvet, greens and a kind of wizardy pattern.  The other one was in pinks and oranges for a pink 
mad teacher who was also a wonderful role model for my Martha.

Merry Christmas Mrs Kane and Miss Taylor,  you were an asset in 
Martha and Tully's lives this year - we thank you 


Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Grade 6, it is now all over

Angus with the whole year singing "firefly"

My boy has now finished Grade 6. Primary School is now over for him.
A whole new world of challenges lies ahead for him with High School
firmly in his sites.

Two nights ago our family dressed up and attended a Graduation Ceremony
for the Grade 6 of 2011.

We were so proud, he held himself so well. 
We were even prouder when he was presented the Art Award over all students.
But nothing can describe how we felt when we watched a slide show
displaying photos of each student and their personal description of themselves
and their personal aspirations such as career and travel aspirations.

Our boy summed himself with a statement : Life is a wave, ride it well.

For a kid that was branded with a reputation, had never really enjoyed 
access to natural justice and always seemed to cop an unfair hit at every turn (okay some hits were 
deserved ), it was his way of letting everyone know that 
"watch this space, I'll show you".

You rock my boy, you will ride it well!




Tuesday, December 20, 2011

A Christmas make


I was reading a post today about ditching from the Christmas list.
You know, when you are trying to get all the trimmings made, on time,
gifts for all, the house looking amazing and basically trying to be Super Mrs Claus. Yeah?
In this post a blogger had decided she would let go of making a Christmas Stocking for her daughter.
After all the daughter was only One and likely not to mind getting when she was two.

Miss M is 8. I had yet to make her "that" stocking I had been meaning to make!
So today I did.





Monday, December 19, 2011

Christmas Quiz



I saw this over at LissyLou's and thought I'd give it a go....

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? 
Bit too warming for Christmas in the southern hemisphere, maybe punch.

Does Santa wrap presents or just puts them under the tree? 
Santa wraps most - for  three kids in three different patterns of Christmas paper. This helps him
put the presses out and get to be at a reasonable hour before the kids wake their parents up at some 
unGodly hour!

Coloured or white lights on tree/house?
Thanks to solar lights, we now look like the Griwalds - coloured lights EVERYWHERE!


Do you hang mistletoe?
                                 I have yet to work out what this actually is, something to illicit smooching I hear!

When do you put your decorations up?
Miss m's birthday is December 1st - so the day after her celebrations the decs go up.

What is your favourite holiday dish? 
Left overs!

Favourite holiday memory? 
                           Christmas, when my family lived closed to extended family we would gather for 
huge parties. My favourite memory was the cheer that would go up each and every time 
another family member would arrive. The last to arrive received a resounding cheer!

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
No

How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
                                               Specific colour themes that vary from year to year



Snow! Love it or dread it?
huh? Snow? At Christmas? 

Can you ice skate?
No, but i can boogie board and can float on a lilo really well.

Do you remember your favorite gift? 
Swirla Curla Chrissy (she was a doll with hair that wound up when you wound the wheel up at the 
back retracting the hair. You pressed her belly button and yanked her hair back to long) I still have her.

What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? 
Watching the children and sharing their excitement, downing tools and feeling the
general malaise that sweeps over Australia and remains for the rest of summer.

What's your favourite holiday dessert? 
Trifle

What is your favourite holiday tradition?
A massive breakfast with blueberry pancakes and a very late lunch.

What tops your tree?
A star

Which do you prefer: giving or receiving?
Giving...I love watching everyone open their parcels - oh and getting the big hugs 
after.

Candy canes... yuck or yum!?
Yuck after two

Favourite Christmas show?
A Wonderful Life

Saddest Christmas Song?
Confession here - I actually tear up when I hear any Christmas song. EXCEPT for
that Bob Geldof, live aid song. It brings out the grinch in me - I HATE it!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Coming to grips it's Christmas

So it is time to get a bit better planned. 


Better consult Nigella! I picked up this book last year at the Border's (RIP) warehouse
for, get this $2!!!!


I crocheted a few granny baubles using Pip's pattern 
that seems to be everywhere including the doyen of women's mags : The Australian
Women's Weekly. Congratulations on your growing media successes Pip! 
How great that I can make some new things for my tree and not just simply 
go out and "buy more stuff".


Today I had to brave the shopping centres.  Our kids received Christmas money 
from Grandparents and just HAD to spend it, it is not a Christmas present if 
it isn't under the tree on Christmas morning.   So after two major shopping centres in 
North / North East Melbourne - Miss prudence needed  a strong sherry, but it was 
too many hours before wine O'clock, so I bought shoes instead.


Look at these platform babies! HMmmm, Mmmm! 

See later to share some Christmas planning!



Saturday, December 10, 2011

Things that I am loving

Joining in with Paisley Jade to share some things that I am loving this week...
This week I am loving some IKEA goodness.




A serving tray with rainbow birdies $8.99


This star shaped serviette holder for Christmas $3.99


I love these Christmas glasses a steal for $5.99 for a set of 6!


I bought a heap of these little lanterns at $3.99 each. Some I filled with chocolates,
added some fancy ribbon and voila perfect little gift.


Ah we can wok around the kitchen again! Finally I replaced the
dead wok, stir fry veggies were just not the same in the fry pan.



Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Brown paper packages tied up with string

These are a few of my nieces' favourite things! My extended family all live interstate and around Christmas  time there are birthdays too. So I need to get my Christmas presents and these birthday presents organised quick sticks and send them off together ! My niece adores the Sound of Music - so I wrapped her birthday present with brown paper and string and used a fabric brooch for decoration.




Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Trimming the Tree

With Miss M's birthday being the 1st December, we always try to separate 
Christmas and her birthday. However we all (especially Miss M) are always 
very keen to get on with the next celebration ASAP!


This year we are doing a red, silver, white theme, which really isn't too different
from any other year! But what was different this year was the kids took charge of 
the decorating! I just sat back and enjoyed the show.


They were very competent and had a decidedly strong 
concept of balance in decoration style - our tree looked great!


All three displayed strong leadership qualities.


Which made for some noisy moments.


Some were charged with angels,


others managed baubles.


It was serious business.


But nothing was more serious than topping the tree. 
This year it was Miss M's turn, but not without being "bunny eared" (which 
seems to have become a sport in this house).

Monday, December 5, 2011


Yesterday I found the time to head off to a local nearby market that included 
a few local market farmers. Whilst they didn't carry official organic certification
they stated they didn't use pesticides and their chooks ran around munching on 
natural stuff. One vendor in particular struck me as very honest and was just 
lovely. So I now have a new "green grocer"....Her produce was very reasonable,
$26 for the above loot (the bag is chockers with big brushed spuds) and the gingerbread
also purchased had been eaten hours before photo ; 0


In the making stakes, a few more fabric brooches for gifts, sunny summer rose and daisy.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Rainbow Party

Yesterday we had Martha's party. Rainbow was the theme and she invite 12 guests to our home for a relatively low-key party. Sugar and colour played a massive role, so if you have issues against colouring, then please look the other way!

Martha opted for a number 8 cake, rainbow style. American candy 
"twizlets" were the go for decorating the cake. A small fortune cost 
from specialist lolly shops in Australia!




Party bags were a last minute innovation. I stamped small flowers
in rainbow colours. I think it worked a charm!



Cupcakes of course


 The weather allowed us to celebrate in the back yard


A novelty table, complete with moustaches and gum ball machine 
was a hit


American bloggers showed me how "rainbow bark" was divine


Rainbow girl in tutu and tie dye


We relied on old fashioned games like pin the tail or the Mo 
on the donkey!








Mmmm rainbow cake!