Merry Christmas!!

I hope that all have had the most wonderful Christmas. I realize that people are on their own and it makes me sad. This week at work I had a lady come in who would have been in her late 60's who was going to be on her own. If I knew her a bit better I would have loved to have invited her to our house for lunch..... It made me feel so sad for her.

 Our Tree... (note my present wrapped in Strongbow cartons, love you Macca!! LOL!!)

Mia was so excited she was literally bouncing off the furniture!! lol!! 

Lexi opening a present, and below I love the excitement on her face! Precious!!

New bikes, thanks Santa!!!

The crazy scene in our living room... Presents paper, coffee, and afterwards ham and cheese croissants.

Brenton was pretty happy with his Berenberg hot chilli sauce from Mum and Dad!! We are easy to please!!

Can't beat a man on Christmas Day with a beer in his hand and meat in the weber!! Happy!! 

Lunchtime we had Brenton's family here, I made 2 delicious salads which I am still eating today!! I will not throw them out yet. What's not eaten tommorow I will have to but I will most certainly have a red hot go at finishing them off.

Above is a gorgeous mixed bean salad. Truly good. 

And below is a roast pumpkin, rocket and feta salad. And Lauren Boase will be please to note that both have chickpeas in them! Oh yes!! 

Mia and her smaller cousins eating and playing!! 


And Mia with her presents from Aunty Keryn and co.... 

Lexi got a cute little Santa's helper dress up from Aunty Keryn and co. She loved it!! And was very cute in it too!!

Mia looking gorgeous and grown up with her Christmas chocolates!! YUMMY!! Not sure how many are left! 

I tried to get a self portrait on Christmas Day and this is the best of a bad bunch, but the funny thing is is that I really do love them all. Just us, a lil bit crazy, and I like us like that!

Mum, Dad, Michael, Anele and Ethan came back for dinner and the two littlies sat up at the counter on my brand new counter stools that Brenton surprised me with for Christmas and ate their icecream cake!! These two are very cute together and more than a little ratbat-ish... Bless....


I'm looking forward to the New Year. Last year I chose a word, can't even remember what it was now, but this new year coming, for me, will be all about getting back to basics. More photos of our everyday life, more scrapping, more cooking, more blogging and keeping up with the garden. Talk to my friends afar more often and just re-ground myself. This time of the year is a busy time, so I'm not sure if I feel out of whack from that, or just a new and different year altogether, with big changes for us as a family happening in 2011. 2012 will be more grounded. 

I sincerely hope that anyone who comes to visit my blog had a lovely Christmas and is looking forward to the New Year.... 

If you visit, leave me a comment and let me know your plans for 2012.. I am interested you know!! 

xxxx

Time is just slipping past me!! 

A little of what has been happening....

 My sick Mia on Sunday, she is still not so good. I have a Dr appointment tommorow for myself but am going to take Mia instead, she will be onto day 5 tommorow of being unwell and I know my Dr will take blood to see if there is anything underlying. The two other Drs we have seen were not interested. Shits me to tears, the Drs were ok, but made me feel like a jumpy mother which I am most certainly not, just concerned with her recent bout of pneumonia.... 

Stories last week with Daddy. They love it!! 

 I have been back into cooking more since Brenton has been home. I marinated some chicken with garlic, ginger, chilli, and some oil. I would have used sesame oil but don't have any atm. I also managed to make the best fried rice of my career. Even Mia thought it was great and she is hard to please in the fried rice dept. I used my rice cooker to cook the rice and then spread it on an oven tray and popped in the oven to dry out a bit. Grated carrot, zucchini, onion, egg, peas and corn, some light soy and some sweet soy sauce, and it was a winner. I took the leftover to a bbq the next night for a salad. Two birds with one stone, gotta love that!!

And so this was going to be a mammoth post but will leave it here for now!!! Be back soon!!

 

Ten Random Things You Don't Know About Me But I'm Telling You Anyway.

Inspired by Tatum and Lauren, here is my list!! 

1. 

I'm not a fan of the un-announced visitor. We all have mobiles these days. Send me a text to let me know you are on your way for a visit. Although in saying that, I will welcome you warmly. I just like a little notice. I can't even tell you why, I just don't love it when people rock up un-announced. (yes, yes, I know I should be grateful for visitors at all. LOL)

2.

I'm having a joyous time with my kids at the moment. They are playing beautifully together, love each other and just make me feel so good. Right now they are. We will see how we go next week!! LOL!! And it helps that they are asleep right now, love them the most then!! (just kidding)

3.

I really could put more effort into alot of things. 

4. 

I have to make the beds in the morning. It's something I 'have' to do. (do you???)

5.

I get way too shitty over the smallest things. 

I need to stop it. 

Smell the roses type thing, intsead of focusing on the thorns. 

6.

I still miss my dog. His name was Sam. RottyXKelpie. He had the best temperament. I would love to get my girls a dog one day. I think they are the best animals. I would have one tommorow if he was like my big black boy. Miss you Sam. 

7.

I hate sitting in a darkened room. I like lights on or if it's daylight, curtains open. Let the light and life in I say!! Brightness = lightness of self. Well, for me anyway!!

8. 

I love music. Lots.

9.

I'm a gonna type of person. Hell, I'm gonna do it all!! 

10.

 I love the Vampire scene. Twilight and True Blood specifically. I'm not a fanatic, just enjoy the escape from reality that they bring. A big escape from reality!! 

Thanks for coming on by! 

x

 

Did I say I love Garage Sales?? 

I have tried to upload these photos all week. Blogger hasn't wanted to play, but here I am with last Saturdays treasures!!

 A bone handled knife, cool retro style tongs, a cake server, and another knife... 

 

 Cute teapots for a High Tea of a different sort. High tea where we make cocktails and serve them in teacups from out Teapots... Should be a hoot when it happens!! 

 I love love love this metal enamelled tray. And it's no wonder when it's got these gorgeous colours and beautiful design on it... 

 Cute tin, which was free. Might get my Dad to pop a slit in the top and make it into a money box for my girlies.. So bright and gorgeous!  

 Another lovely little pyrex bowl. Love them and oh so handy!! 

 Two of the most gorgeous little pink wine glasses. SO sweet and so fine. Can't wait to have a little tipple from these... 50c each too... And a gorgeous addition to my old fashioned glasses. Yay!

Little Tupperware containers. Handy for those packets that have a little bit in them. Happy with these.

 

 I snagged this wicked Casserole dish. You can hardly tell from the photo but it is the most softest eggshell blue. I used to have an Emilie Henry casserole dish years ago and used it until it fell apart. I have a feeling I am going to love this just as much! LOL!! 

 And these! I could of just bought some at a shop, but have not found what I wanted and here they were at a G sale. A good scrub up and disinfect and they are as good as new. Even better.

And my cherubs!!

 Three weeks ago I bought a new mattress for our bed. These two just love jumping on the old one like it's a tramp. Lexi in particular thinks it's just the best!!! 

And a ta-da!! From Mia!! Bless!!

 

And a LO for E2C mid October challenge. I love this layout. It is wonky. It is not straight at all. But I love it still! And if you read it Amanda, it's not fabric, just some paper!! But into the gorgeous floral look at the moment. I do really love this photo. Special! A moment captured.

Thanks for stopping by!

xxx

I didn't get to go Garage Sale-ing on the weekend, as I had to work Sat morning. But Mia and I went and did 3 Op Shops last Wednesday, which was fun for just her and I to go while Mum had a sleeping Lexi at her house! 

 Cute Elmo slippers for Ethan, they looked practically brand new. Will chuck them through the washing machine, but other than that, they are pretty cute as they are!!

How cool is this bag?? It is so big, it's going to be my new bag to take away with me. Nice and deep. It's not leather, but in such good nick!! I love it so much!! 

Very cool ice bucket. For when we are sitting under our pergola in summer drinking wine and watching the kids play!! 

How is this shirt?? It's a bit like a kurta top. It's a little too big but am thinking that I will get someone to run it in a little or just go with the flow and leave it like it is!! Love love love the brightness of it!! 

 New cute little lace ups for Lexi, were in perfect condition, look a bit dirty here as she just had to wear them straight away, up in the back garden and to childcare the next day too!! Funny little girl!!

 Check this out!! It's a lazy susan!! So cool!! I thought it would be good for scrap supplies on my desk. Now to make room on said scrap desk. Oh and to scrap too!! lol!! 

A book about Steven Bradbury, thought it might be an interesting read. Once I read the 10 or so books on my bedside table first!! LOL!! 

 Got 3 wine glasses like this one although they had Port Lincoln Zonta Long Lunch on them instead. 50c each. If I drink wine, I love to drink it out of these sized and shaped glasses. So to find the long lunch ones for so cheap cheap, was happy. Think the glasses are about $10 on the long lunch. Yay!! 

Other things I love....

Agapanthus starting to flower in the garden. I love watching the stalks get bigger every day and am excited when I discover them!! Can't wait to see what colours they all are. Hope it's a mixture.

Cheapie flowers from Woolies again. 

A pizza picnic on the lounge room floor. 

Gorgeous girls eating their pizza. Although after a bit Lexi says "I can't like my pizza" lol!! 

Other flowers in the garden. It's all happening out there!! Love the colours! 

My view on a lovely day.

Other things around here include... 

***Lexi going into her big girls bed. Tonight is night 6. She is pretty good, but not really keen on her daytime sleeps anymore. But she does go to sleep. She still needs a daytime sleep. Not everyday. But about 4 times a week. She says "I no go to bed" but yes, she goes!! LOL!! She is changing into a real little miss. Puts her head to one side when asking for something. "Sparties Mum??" (Smarties) Talking so much, and quite often puts "one day" at the end of her sentences like, "I did painting at childcare one day" just about every sentence has "one day" at the end. It's very very cute! 

***Booked airfares for us to Darwin next June for me bestest ever friends Wedding. I am Matron of honour which is a huge huge honour. I better start planning a speech, or maybe not!! It is going to be beautiful and so lovely to know that my sister-girl is marrying the absolute man of her dreams. And if he ever hurts her, he better watch out, his balls will be mine!! LOL!! (not joking) haha!! 

***Also planning a solo trip to Darwin in between then and now for me!!! YAY YAY YAY!! To talk wedding stuff and have some special time with Amber and I. All I want to do is take her out for a really nice meal, and hang around, drink coffee, scotch and bourbon and just be together. I miss her so much!! 

***Going to Roxby for a visit mid November. I can't wait to get there. I miss the place still, although am happy to be here. I have mixed feelings that I need to get over, and I'm working on that. I love being near family, but after relying on and spending so much time with two of the most beautiful friends that live in Roxby, I miss that female closeness. I don't have that here. I have gorgeous friends here, and am blessed to have them in my life too. But I miss that closeness. Mmmmmmmm...... Anyway.

***Looking forward to going Garage Sale-ing with the gorgeous Lauren this weekend. And then maybe a trip to Vinnies too. I think they are open on Sat mornings. We will see what we can fit in. Brenton is going to be home, so will leave Lexi Loo with him and take Mia. Hope there is lots to go and look at. Today I saw a canvas at Mia's school that was made with an old curtain with little holes in it, and there was bit of fabric and wool weaved through it. Mia and I both love it and so am going to try to find a bit of curtain similar to use. Have lots of bits and pieces of things to weave and make!! 

***Ok, off to watch a bit more of True Blood, have started from the beginning all over again. I love noticing all those things that I missed the first time around. When you know more about the characters you notice more things at the beginning that lead to developments later on. Make sense?? lol!! 

Thanks for visiting. xxx