Happy Belated Australia Day

Sorry sorry sorry - we were in Perth all day and I just didnt have time to come and wish you all a Happy Australia Day. To me its a great day to celebrate who were all are and where we have all come from. Im an immigrant - South African by way of the UK. But Im a proud Australian and have been for a long time.

We watched the fireworks over Perth - the largest display of its kind in the country. Dullsville - I dont think so!

Here is a couple of rough pics from the iPhone....I hope you had a great day too :)

Ahh well all good things must come to and end....Mike started back at work today and so ends the 6 weeks of summer holidays we are very lucky to enjoy every year over Christmas. Mike works in education so we get the 6 week school holidays together a s a family.

This year we enjoyed a wonderful Christmas and New years, had a brilliant family holiday and pottered around the house to our hearts content. We slept in, stayed up late and started a new fitness and lifestyle regime.

I think 2010 is going to be a great year - started with a wonderful summer holidays.

Thanks family :)

Bran Nue Dae Premier

Last night Mike and I went to reading Cinemas and saw Bran Nue Dae. I won tickets in the ABC radio and wasn't sure what to expect as I didn't know much about it.

Well it was amazing - I would highly recommend you go. Its so funny, got a fantastic cast and has some really ripper songs in it. Its bright and colourful and fast moving. A real Aussie gem!

And to top it off - I met Ernie Dingo ! Yah!

Home from Holidays

We are home!!!

Albany will go down as one of the best ever holidays. We had a ball. We did everything that Albany, Denmark and Walpole had to offer...we swam (a couple of times as the weather was very mild!), we ate, we spent time together as a family and I have come home energised and ready for what 2010 brings.

Here are some snaps for you. I took 541 - so this is definitely only a small proportion!

Christmas 2009

Well done and dusted for another year! I cant believe it - it comes so slowly and then goes so fast!

We had a very quiet christmas this year with just 8 of us at Mikes parents house. My parents decided to not see us this year...their loss in my opinion.

The kids opened a mass of gifts this year on christmas morning ans then we made our way down to Perth, coming home on Boxing Day around lunch time. It was a wonderful couple of days.

Next on the calender - NY Eve at Mikes folks place and then Adventure World NY day!

Christmas Chefs Hat

I have made this for Mikes dad this year. He is the BBQ whizz at Christmas (as he is all year around!) and I thought it would be a good gag to make him a chefs hat out of Christmas material - it even matches my mother in laws Christmas apron.

Mike makes a great model doesnt he!

This was the last thing on my list to do. I am now done :D

Christmas Cushions

I thought this year that it would really nice for the children to make something for their Nanny and Pa for Christmas. I looked through what I had stash wise and came up with the idea of a cushion each for their bed. I had some inexpensive inserts from Spotlight and made a cover using one side printed fabric and the other calico. Before I sewed them up the children painted the covers with fabric paints.

Once they had been sun dried I ironed them with a hot iron for 5 minutes and whipped them together with the OL. Then I got the kids to put the cushions inside and I hand stitched the final edge.

I think they came out really nice - I was going to applique the words nanny and pa on them but decided against it. Right now the kids are making cards to put with the pillows.

I hope Nanny and Pa like them!

2009 Channel 7 RAC Christmas Pageant

Today Mikes parents and I took the kids to the 2009 Christmas Pageant. This is the second year its been run during the day and I think its a great idea. We left home at 7am so at ensure a good spot both sitting and parking - last year we got caught in the car park for almost an hour! The pageant started at 9.30 and it was as magical as ever. The kids loved it and this year was even more special as Lainey really understood it a bit better. Her face was priceless. I love the pageant...to me it really marks the start of the festive season ..next - Carols by Candlelight on Tuesday night. What says Christmas more than pageants and carols.

When we are watching the pageant I feel the need to take a photo of every float...to kind of capture the essence of the parade and Christmas I guess! Here are some of my favs (considering I took over 130 photos culling it to this many was hard!) :