Christmas. Take 11.

Well, THAT was a depressing post! I'd actually decided to post some of my better gift ideas and somehow went off on a tangent. Funny how good intentions can derail like that!

Anywho, thankfully the pessimism I felt pre-Christmas eventually lifted.

 I decorated the tree. Wrapped pressies and organised food and family. 

My monochromatic + metallic theme was sabotaged by Santa's wrapping!

 We had two Christmas's.The first was with Mum and Dad on December 23rd (also Dad's birthday) where I made a really simple Aussie style, mango and chicken salad, served with king prawns, fresh bread rolls and followed with pav. Easy peasy lunch for ten!

Then we celebrated here with the children and their partners on Christmas Eve with a more traditional European baked dinner of turkey, lamb and chicken, peas, roasted veggies and lashings of gravy. 

Luckily the weather was cool and forgiving! This is the first hot Christmas meal I have ever prepared for a large number and it was surprisingly easy; I had all day to prep (hubby generously helped) and roast the larger pieces of meat and then we served it on platters so everyone could help themselves. There was very little left - which is always a good sign!

our Christmas Eve table

Desert was macerated fruit (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries) in brandy snap baskets (Shh...store bought ones) with brandy infused whipped cream and ice cream + a mini Flake chocolate in each! Yum. All pre-prepped and put together to serve in less than 5 minutes. (Yup; I'm no cordon bleu!)

We then opened presents on Christmas morning while eating croissants and mini egg / bacon and feta pies I'd made the day before so the older children could scoot to their partner's family luncheons. 

And we got a real surprise gift from Santa!

As this was our first year with all 'knowing' children...we tried to add some fun for our 12 year old by getting him involved in the Chrismas Eve, Santa arrival prep. This included making e-mail videos through PNP for the older children, who J decided to nominate as on the the 'naughty' list. (Yup. He's 12. And a boy. LOL!)

Imagine our surprise on Christmas morning on finding alien wrapped gifts for us all in our stockings from Santa! We were on the 'naughty' list too with chunks of coal* inside!

BEST present ever! Still LMFAO!

*Without channeling Scrooge, I'll quietly note that daughter #2 is currently dating a miner!

Merry Christmas!
 

x KL

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Christmas

Some years, I am bursting with enthusiasm about the upcoming festivities and enthusiastically prepare to celebrate with gusto. Others, I approach the season with a bit of a Ho - Hum attitude. 

Unfortunately, this year is unfolding as the latter.

It may be because this will be the first year, in 25 years of motherhood, that there are no Santa believers in my household. J, newly 12, realised the truth at Easter and sobbing, also lost the Tooth Fairy and Santa in one painful moment of realisation .

It could be that my life has been recently touched by friends grief. The loss of a Grandmother, the sudden departure of a young Mum, a long battle lost by a child. And the sad memories of losing of my Father-in-law and Aunt rekindled.

Or the stress of a looming client deadline - with them immigrating from overseas and anticipating a completed home for Christmas. The tile supplier informing me this week that their tiles (ordered in August) are quite literally on a slow boat from China...W.T!

Perhaps, as my adult children establish their own lives, and extended family grow, the coordinating efforts to celebrate together has become such a drudgery, that the event has lost its lustre.

Maybe I'm just tired.... The Table Debacle was resolved only yesterday.

The top floor bathrooms show no further progress because our tiler became unavailable.

Mattress gate concluded a fortnight ago.

Or perhaps it's the heat. It's hot! I'm hot. And honestly, just not bothered!

 Trying to look on the positive side, with less than 5 weeks before Christmas, I am very relieved to have purchased 98% of our gifts.

The wrap is really to go and my 2014 theme decided; metallic + white, 

(which is rather unoriginal as Christmas 2013 was bedecked similarly)

I might try and action the tree this weekend. It can only end one of two ways....

The Christmas spirit will either be created or drunk...

x KL

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3 weeks lost

 Losing three weeks of my life to sickness has been frustrating...most of all the inability to 'do' anything, go anywhere and feeling confined. I was pretty zonked on painkillers and one can only peruse so many magazines! Headaches made any indulgence in real literature impossible.

So, I shopped. 

Online of course...

....just a little....

Here's the deets....

My love of Camilla saw this long kaftan (which was on sale!) pop into my cart. Even though I'm a curvy girl, the style swamps me so I'm going to get it reworked into a sleeved dress.

New season Country Road tempted...and fed my continuing pastel pink obsession with these summer jeans and vase. 

The shoe height on these CR mules are just right for this ol' gal but I think I'll return them for the white colourway which is everywhere this season!

Ordered two of these light fixtures from Beacon Lighting for over the dining table. David picked them up and HATES them. . . Beacon have a great return policy but I'm going to try to 'sell' them to hubby first!

J is growing like no tomorrow. At 12, he is now as tall as me. He seems to have outgrown every wardrobe item in the past three weeks! New CR jeans (he hates the button fly) and a new Tee are a stop-gap till I can take him shopping. 

Whilst I was buying from CR I also grabbed this black smock which will hide my puffed up belly. I think it will look sweet over the pink jeans. The detailing is gorgeous!

My hospital admission was so hurried that I was admitted with only the clothes I was wearing! Mum grabbed these men's flannies for me from Lowes. Super sloppy, soft and warm. Perfect post surgery. Thanks Mummy!!!!

Harold's always has something I 'need'. Cough. A handful of porcupine quills and an emu egg have now been added to my collection of curiosities!

 There is one more thing that I bought from my hospital bed...

It's a biggie and I am very excited about it! I think it deserves its own post though, so stay tuned!

Here's a teaser...

x KL

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You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!

Life

Considering J wasn't having a birthday 'party' this year, (we host one every second year; a cost containment strategy I started as a single Mum many years ago) his 11th birthday has managed to span a week with two cakes and a fun trip with a few mates to see Star Trek Into Darkness with lunch at a local pizzeria.

Mum and Dad have decided to zhush the family home which is 50 years young. New kitchen bathroom, flooring, paint and storage. Exciting! I'll have to get their permission, but hopefully will be able to share the before and afters... Decision 1: Limed Oak Flooring!

*drool*

 Here, the  s l o w  progress continues.... David has finished painting the ceilings in the main bedroom and installed doors, skirting and architraves whilst I've been playing around with some on-line wardrobe planning programmes.

 Is it cold where you are? Winter has hit the Central Coast of Australia with a vengeance today. I'm happily wearing my new boots and living in comfy jeggings (long tunic jumper on top of course!)

x KL 

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Bits & Bobs

This Bed Bath N Table soap dispenser's not a bad match for our marble is it? I'm thinking I might get another for the guest en suite. 

J's finally spent all his birthday present money. 

How do you say no after "...but Mum, it's my own money." Thank God for blu-tack!

Do you own one of these gizmo's?

 It's a splatter guard and I can't believe that I'm a year-off-a-half-century and have only just discovered them! 

J 'discovered' how to make fire with a magnifying glass. Great. Thanks Daddy and Grandad!

Still dreaming of a black (and white) kitchen!

And this one has 'my' splash-back window, stainless steel and marble benches and Mr Starck's ghost stools that I'm planning too!!!
*sigh*

x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

Soccer Season!

Soccer Season has recommenced here. This will, no doubt, be our last season playing as next year the 'serious' competitions and grading start. Unfortunately J inhereted my poor sporting ability and not his father's quite able genes. Up to now, soccer has been alot of fun, good exercise and all about sportsmanship and team playing (And the mud baths.... as the photo above shows!). I'm so proud of J's 'have-a-go-attitude'. 

He's learnt so much more than the rules of soccer in the last three years.

It's a shame it will have to end.

x KL 

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

General update, dragons & rainbows!

 I have had another busy week here - which I love, except it was made particularly difficult because I've hurt my leg tripping over the vacuum cord! As you do. Major ouch! I fell onto the concrete floor and am a total mess. (I'll spare you the gory details!) I have decided that vacuums are dangerous things and need to be used sparingly! (or one needs to engage someone else to clean. He he!) 

Anyhoo.... this is what I've been up to lately:

AFTER

BEFORE

The Terrigal Project is being put back together again; what a difference changing a roof line and adding a few windows can make! It never ceases to amaze me that homes are built with no consideration to aspect or in this case, a spectacular ocean view! David designed these changes to fit within a tight budget. Money well spent I reckon!

I've been looking for bathroom tiles for the same job. I was leaning towards a charcoal tile to continue the flow from carpet to tile. (The client having chosen charcoal carpet) but I've been given a 'no' to this suggestion so am exploring sandy hues instead....and had meetings with several kitchen contractors too regarding pricing.

Davo and I ate our weight with 'Wamby Whoppers' last weekend. If you're ever in Wamberal, on the Central Coast of New South Wales, they're a legendary hamburger! We followed them with a family bowling game which was lots of fun!

 We had to laugh at our eldest daughter's tiny feet (size 3) compared to her boyfriend's (size 13). They're both 22.

Having completed their uni degrees, they are contemplating the big 'move out' together in 'the big smoke'. O.M.G. My baby..... in Surry Hills!!!! Eeeek!

They don't want our stored Javi lounge, they want their own 'stuff'. Fair enough. So Davo and I scrounged this from the side of the road.

Retro Fantastic!!! And in such well loved condition. Thank you Hugh, I hope your father in law, at 94, hears that his well loved lounge will have a new lease of life with my daughter and her BF.

J, D & I went to see the 'How to Train Your Dragon' show at Sydney's Acer Arena too. Wow! We loved 'Walking With Dinosaurs'  last year but this was amazing.

No 2 daughter, A's BF surprised her with tickets to the show the day before we went. Very sweet!

We read the book quite a few years ago and then the movie adaptation came out. This was the icing on the cake. At nine, J still loves the soft toy souvenirs; Toothless now a part of his bedroom collection.

And to top off a perfect day, how better than Grandad making some paper aeroplanes for a flight competition in their backyard! Magic!

 Today I remembered my friend Lisa who lost her battle with Leukemia. We shaved last year to raise funds for this worthy cause but coloured this time. 

A rainbow of hope for other sufferers.

x KL

 Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

And on the seventh day, she rested

 We're all celebrating here! The mighty Lego Death Star is complete! 

My liver and eyesight say thank God it's done!

 And the pool W.C is at a standstill as the tiler has gone surfing for a few days.  Here's where it's up to.

7 more wall tiles and grouting to do and we are ready for P.C fit out. And a good clean!

Back to celebrating.... J choreographed a chorus line to entertain the housewarming spaceship warming guests!

x KL 

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

WORLD'S GREATEST SHAVE

My 9 year old son has joined the 'World's Greatest Shave' team at his primary school in order to assist fundraising for the Leukemia Foundation. We have a very dear friend and Mum of two littlies who is battling with this.

I am so very proud of him!

Amazingly, his inspiration for this comes from an equally young peer; Abbey ( yes, a very pretty little girl!) who at the tender age of 10 or 11 (she's currently in year 5) has beautiful LONG hair and has organised this at school!

Wow.

I'm in awe!

My son has been growing 'the 'do' in preparation for ages. He has mastered a very cool Justin Bieber flick (OMG don't tell him I wrote that!), and I suspect the blindness the fringe is causing is helping him count the days.....till September 19.

They have currently achieved 50% of their $5000 target!

 I know I have a very small readership (I appreciate every one of you!) but I thought I'd still 'put-it-out-there' to the blog world. If you can pass this on, especially for Abbey and the foundation, Jack and I would be stoked and perhaps we can make a difference!

Donations can be made publicly or privately via

http://my.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/personalPage.aspx?langPref=en-CA&registrationID=379959

or go to 'The Worlds Greatest Shave 2011' website and type in Abbeys name under sponsorship.

And I'll definitely post the 'after' shots! Word has it we're going to be a local media 'hot-spot!'

x KL