Friday Favourite

I spotted four funny fish having a snorkel on Boxing Day!

Here's my favourite photo taken this week. I'd love it if you'd share your Friday Favourite too, just add a link to yours in the 'comments' below.

Happy Christmas to all...

 ...and to all a good-night!

Friday Favourite

Man of my dreams!

Here's my favourite photo taken this week (thanks Harry). I'd love it if you'd share your Friday Favourite too, just add a link to yours in the 'comments' below.

Heeeeey Macarena

Careful Harry, unloading the dishwasher whilst grooving can be fatal (for my china)!! You may well be pleased (or horrified) to know the Christmas Macarena is alive and well....in our kitchen. Till knows it well enough that she could probably dance the steps in her sleep.  Like all good little sisters, she taught it to her brother. Let's face it, we should all know the moves for this classic. And what's not to love? 

Of course I joined in...and no I'm not sharing that photo!!!!

Ar me hearties

Tough pirates? Um, no. Cute? You betcha!!!!!! In fact, these photos almost cause me to weep....all I can see is their cute baby faces from years ago. Yes, Harry and Till pulled those exact cute cranky expressions when they were babes. Oh why do they have to grow up? I love these pirates to bits.

Thanks for inviting us to your pirate party Wilkes. Dressing up is always so much fun (and all we had to do was raid our dress-up box).

Norfolk's Christmas Pageant 2012

A book before bed

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,

stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? 

It came without ribbons. It came without tags.

It came without packages, boxes and bags. 

And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. 

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. 

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. 

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

 

Advent Day 12 -  Listen to Daddy read 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas'.

Ah, the Grinch. I think he has a lesson to offer us all. It's certainly one of our favourite Christmas stories. Do you have a favourite?

A Little Christmas Cheer

Friday Favourite

Playing with the doll house...

Here's my favourite photo taken this week. I'd love it if you'd share your Friday Favourite too, just add a link in the 'comments' below. 

Life's little lessons

This past weekend I learned an important life lesson: NEVER underestimate your kids. Never doubt their capabilities. I also learned it's best to train before signing up for a sporting event - but more about that later.

Harry signed up for this years 'Around the Island' relay - he and 5 "sporty" (capable running) mates.  I tried to talk him out of it! What kind of a parent does that? But honestly, he's never shown much interest in running and I really didn't think he could manage a 5km run that involved a very long steep hill climb, part of which was on a gravel road.

I was proved wrong - boy of boy, WRONG I tell you. This kid of mine ran his little heart out! Seriously, his legs didn't stop - even up that massive hill! Ben and I were knocked for six. Truly, to say we are shocked (and mighty proud) is understatement. And boy do I feel lousy for not believing he had it in him.

Ben's team 'The Oldies' came in third place. I'm proud of him too. Just look at him. Nawww, my heart goes a flutter (it's my blog so I can be gushy if I want). He makes running look so damn easy. You know, he was actually smiling - who smiles and runs at the same time?? Crazy people who like to run I guess.

Here's me. My team consisted of 5 ladies - between us we covered the 25km course. I walked my BUTT OFF!!!!! Today I'm paying the price. Today.....ouch....grimace....I'm walking around gingerly like a hundred year old woman - my legs are SO sore. Yes...next year I'm going to make time for training (which is what I did for the 2011 relay...and I was nowhere near this debilitated).

Lesson(s) learned!

Don't get in my way people! I have 'Bust a Move' blaring from my iPod.

PS For those who have visited Norfolk...Harry started outside the school, running along Cascade Road, past Cockpit Reserve, up the killer-steep-gravely Prince Phillip Drive, past the Montessori preschool.....finishing almost at the start of Red Road. Unbelievable.

Homemade Advent Calendar

After reading this blog post, I felt inspired to make one too. Over the years, I've admired Owlet's advent calendars as well.  The plan was not to buy anything to make this project, I just raided my card making supplies.  I couldn't find anything suitable to attach each envelope, so did end up buying the mini bulldog clips from our newsagency. The numbers I printed from here.

Each day, Harry and Till are taking turns to unwrap the days message. They are clipping the cards back on the string so over the next month we can look over them and remember what we got up to. Most of the cards involve fun family pursuits that don't cost anything. I had to be smart about planning ahead and sat with a calendar in my lap whilst coming up with the list. We have a busy month coming up - I didn't want to double book myself. Now I can't give much away (little folk here read my blog)...but so far the line-up looks like this...

Day 1 - Put up the Christmas Tree
Day 2 - Eat breakfast at dinner time
Day 3 - Make a Christmas snow globe

I'll reveal more later in the month.

Iron Chef: By the Sea

Remember Iron Chef? I won't bore you again with a run down of 'how it works'. I've written about it here and here. This just may have been my favourite Iron Chef so far...lunch instead of dinner...plus we headed outdoors. It was magic.

Another Trip Around the Sun

36 is a good number, right!?
Here are 36 things you may or may not know about me....

1. I love Sunday afternoon naps. If it's Saturday, I'll take one too.
2. I lived in the Tooraweenah Caravan Park for 10 weeks by myself...in the before time (AKA marriage and kids)
3. I have very short, broad feet, but thankfully not as hairy as a hobbit's.
4. I love carob covered licorice (followed closely by carob covered ginger).
5. One of my favourite holiday destinations as a kid was Mogo.
6. Put me on a train or a ferry - I'll ride all day!
7. I really like airports.
8. I love the smell of coffee, clean sheets and lavender.
9. I don't drink coffee!
10. Growing up I shared a room with my sister. When she snored (often), I'd yank her bedclothes away!
11. People think I'm really tidy. Sometimes I'm not!
12. My first car was a red Mini Cooper. My Mother-in-Law called it 'The Farting Lady Beetle'.
13. My brother is named after my childhood imaginary friend, Matthew David.
14. I've never been to Tasmania.
15. Wobbly teeth give me the creeps.
16. I was a pretty good down-hill snow skier once upon a time.
17. As a kid, I really wanted a pet donkey.
18. I just read 'The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society' for the second time.
19. Now I want to visit the Island of Guernsey.
20. I'm the eldest of 10 grandchildren on my Dad's side.

21. In 1992 I watched the Disney movie 'Newsies' and fell head over heels for Christian Bale!
22. I like peanut butter and banana. Together.
23. I'm the 4th youngest grandchild out of 14 on my Mum's side.
24. I love  L'eau D'issey by Issey Miyake, but these days perfume makes me sneeze!
25. I was in such a hurry to wed Ben I almost ran down the aisle....and then I balled my eyes out all through our vows.
26. I write lists. I get a kick out of ticking/crossing things off.
27. It takes me a long time to fall asleep. The cogs in my brain never slow down.
28. I'm happy to share my home with spiders....but will run a mile if there's a rat in sight!
29. I'm lousy at apologising.
30. I drive too fast.
31. Wet towels on the floor irritate me beyond belief!


32. Watching 'Charlie and Lola' with Harry and Matilda makes me smile. It's like they star in it!
33. I wash my face with honey.
34. Sometimes I think about my funeral in day dreams. Is that weird?
35. I wish I had curly red hair.
36. I remember my Mum's 40th birthday like it was only yesterday. In 4 years it will be me turning 40! eeek