the girls at our house ...

Massive Mug skinny latte 2 Equal ...

after 5 ...

December 28th ...

- quiet morning

- decided to make our first family trip to the pool so we headed in at 3pm for a couple of hours.

December 27th ...

- quiet day at home, Jack woke with a headache and John & I feeling a bit flat still

- worked on my "25 days until Christmas" journal ... nearly up to date with the photos and journaling!

- read this post ...

http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/2009/12/share-your-holiday-bokeh/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+pioneerwoman-full-rss-feed+%28Pioneer+Woman+FULL+RSS+FEED%29

According to Wikipedia, bokeh is “the blur, or the aesthetic quality of the blur, in out-of-focus areas of an image.”

and thought I'd give it a try before the Christmas lights get taken down!!

My examples aren't very good at all but hey I'm no Pro!!

things I'd like to achieve in 2010 ...

... okay I am not going to be held to this list but just want a record of things that I would like to attempt to do!

1. make something Christmas related each month ... may be cards or a patchwork wall hanging or tree decoration, just something ... some months I may just start on the project and achieve it the next month ... but I want to get a few more things done before next Christmas!!
2. read more novels ... keep a list on my side bar here on my blog
3. practice photography to try and have a more consistent collection of photos ... not just a few okay ones!!

December 26th ...

- home again home again jiggety jig!!!

- we left Orroroo at about 10am after saying goodbye to everyone

- stopped at Big W in Pt Augusta to buy a few discounted Christmas items, Whyalla for lunch at McDonalds and Cowell for an icecream to be home by about 4.30 or 5pm

- quiet evening at home!

Now I have been very remiss ... I forgot to write about my present from John!

Each year he generally puts on the very serious story about not getting me anything and if I want to buy something then go ahead. Most years he does actually suprise me with a gift!

But this year I trully thought that he hadn't bought me anything. Even when I saw an amount of money on the freshly paid off credit card I thought ... hhhmm wonder what that is? ... but I didn't look ... I asked a day later ... quick as a flash he said very smuggly that he had bought some wine ... very believable as he has done that a bit lately!!!

So then on Christmas day I heard him whisper top Lachlan and then he came back in with a bag that had this in it ...

a leather Pandora band and beads!

He had been in cahoots with a very good but sneaky friend of mine and arranged my gift!!!

I love it!

December 25th ...

- kids didn't wake up until about 7.30 or 8am!

- before that I discovered that I felt sick and had tummy cramps, so did John ... oh no not a good start to Christmas day!

- after the boys had opened their presents I went back to bed for a rest, Hannah was still asleep!!

- got organised to head over to my sister's for Christmas lunch, still feeling a bit unwell!

- others also felt unwell ... not fun!

- kids seemed to all be happy with their presents!!

My sister had gone way out with some great decorations ...

We started with some yummy prawns ...

- Then enjoyed salads and cold ham, turkey and chicken ... delicious, although I only had a small serve of each!

- Lots of yummy sweet things too!

- after lunch we chatted and enjoyed a bit of quiet time then headed back to our B&B at about 4 or 5 ... rested some more and had a quiet evening with John and me feeling a bit worse for wear ... and not from drinking!

Merry Christmas to everyone!!

December 24th ...

- been great for the kids to see their cousins

- went out for lunch at the North Star Hotel at Melrose ... great spot!

Lachlan enjoying his pie!

A brick in the billiard room!!

John's goat curry ... yummy!


A bit of domino fun

Nuggets with a twist! Kangaroos and wombats!

After lunch the kids were eying off these jars ...

Giant smarties, jaffas and freckles!!

Hannah's face after her goodies!

Hannah and her cousin Bailey enjoying some time together!

- went to church ... only 11 people there as the town Christmas parade was on at the same time

- John and the kids went to the parade and enjoyed it

- getting ready for tomorrow ... you know what I mean ;-)

December 23rd ...

- worked this morning

- very hot today



- after work we headed off to Orroroo but as we looked across the Tumby hills we saw a very worrying sight ... smoke near Port Lincoln ... after a few phone calls we discovered that there was a serious bush fire right at Port Lincoln ... sadly people lost their homes.



- we were very cautious as we drove, hoping we didn't come across any other fires, it was very warm and very windy



- we arrived at Orroroo at about 5.30 and settled into our accommodation ... Nuccaleena Cottage ... a great spot to stay ... highly recommend it!



- then we headed over to my sister and brotherinlaw's place for a few drinks and a BBQ tea

- yummy stuff from Henry's Drive.

- got to meet my new nephew Will ... so cute and always smiling!

- it was great to see our kids playing with their cousins who they don't get to see very often, after the inital shyness!!

December 22nd ...

- early morning circuit class ... the last one for 2009!!

- home and tidied up the very messy car!!

- hot day today

- in to town for lunch at John's Mum and Dad's and for the kids to open their presents from Granny & Pop ... everyone seemed very happy with what they received!

Jack with his new cricket gloves on!

Rohan received this Lego plane and he LOVES it!

- home and housework ... eekkk!!!

- now the kids are enjoying the balmy evening ... playing cricket and playing in the sand pit!

- a day of catastrophic weather is forecast for tomorrow in several areas of the state, including our area ... a bit scary as the last day like that saw a fire in the paddock next to our house.

December 21st ...

- up and organised to go to PL shopping

- picked up the mail and got my order from Kikki.K ...

- only a few items left to buy for the kids today

- couldn't decide on John's present so will wait until after Christmas and go together for a look ... thinking of getting one of these ... http://www.weberbbq.com.au/weberq_3.htm#220 or this one ... http://www.weberbbq.com.au/weberq_3.htm#320

- had a yummy pizza for lunch at Del Giorno's

- decorated a couple of candles after tea

- should be wrapping a few more things now but have an early circuit class tomorrow!

December 20th ...

- quiet day at home

- finally wrote some Christmas cards to send tomorrow

- made some more little fabric pouches and finished off these fabric tags, designed by Janelle Wind ... decided to stamp each of our initials on them and use them as tree decorations

- went to the local Christmas tree where the main feature is a visit from Ho Ho!!

And all four went up without crying or being scared ... a first for us!! And they all really liked their gifts!!

Decadent Chocolate Crunch ...

The recipe I mentioned earlier ... it isn't very photogenic so I haven't taken one!!

I got this recipe from Simone Duke a few years ago and I think it was from a "Tupperware" recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup pitted prunes, chopped
• 100g dried apricots
• 2 tablespoons of Liqueur ... I used Kahlua but you could use Baileys, Tia Maria, Cointreau
• 300g chocolate
• 50g copha
• 125g butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 170g sweetwheat biscuits, like Granitas / Digestives, roughly chopped
• Cocoa for dusting

Method:

• If you have a Tupperware Jelly Ring place it in the freezer. I used a spring form cake tin with a dariole mould in the centre
• Add liqueur to all the fruit
• place chocolate, copha and butter in a saucepan and melt (I tried the Microwave and the copha didn't melt very quickly)
• Stir until smooth and add egg
• Take jelly mould from freezer and dust liberally with cocoa
• pour melted chocolate mix over fruit, add biscuits and lightly combine
• Pour into jelly ring and refrigerate for at least 35 minutes, until set
• Unmould onto a large plate and dust with cocoa. You could fill the centre with fruits, such as berries, figs or grapes.

With my "mould" I just cut it into small wedges.

It is delicious but John said the Rocky Road is better!!!

Sites I love ...

I love Etsy http://www.etsy.com/

I have recently ordered from this site ... http://www.etsy.com/shop/CaliforniaCraft

I have also found the Australian version ... http://www.madeit.com.au/

Their blog has lots of great ideas ... http://madeitdotcomdotau.blogspot.com/

December 19th ...

- tried to sleep in but it didn't work!

- John took the boys and girl to town so I could wrap a few items!!

- then Hannah and I headed to Amanda's for some candle decorating and a very relaxing afternoon...

Lots of fun ... the idea came from here

Go here for our extra tips!!

The images are from House of 3

- and now for a quiet night at home!! Tonight is the first meal at home that John and I have had since Monday!!

- might pop back later with a yummy recipe!

December 18th ...

- eeekkk I'm a bit late ...


- I worked today from 0800 until 1400


- picked up the kids from W & B's


- came home and Hannah & I had alittle sleep


- went to our local Rural Supply Centre for Christmas drinks


- just got home!!

Rohan asleep ...

Our Christmas lights as we drive up our drive ...