Can we have Christmas again tomorrow.......

This was what Louis asked me this morning in bed.
No, nope, no way - I need a year to recover!

Christmas baking on Christmas Eve - what was I thinking! I nearly didn't get it all done - even with all my little helpers!

Gingerbread - mmmm quite nice really. Up the top are what we call 'Emily's Star Biscuits' as these are her favourites. We've been making them for a few years now. Sometimes we ice them but this year we chocolated them (see below).

Very yummy and very easy.

Making the gingerbread house. This was Emily's first year of making one of these and she learnt a lot from the experience - namely to give herself more time (this was made on the afternoon of Christmas Eve and she wanted to take it along to the Christmas Eve celebration at my mum and dad's house).

The end result was quite nice though even if it wasn't the original plan - she didn't have time to let the icing dry and it was hard to get the lollies to stick!

Here are the boys at our Christmas Eve celebration at Oma and Opa's house. We always give out the gifts on Christmas Eve - I think it is a European tradition. The boys are wearing the Christmas t-shirts that I managed to get done just in the nick of time!

I don't know if you can see, but I have sewed a woolen felt star onto a t-shirt and back stitiched around the edge in silver thread. Very simple but quite cute.

Okay, I best get back to my post Christmas tradition of doing very little. The house has been trashed, but it can all wait until tomorrow for today I must rest.

Hope everyone had a very merry Christmas.

Cheers
l
x

Hey it's me, Emily, Levineke's 13 year old daughter. Gosh, its been a while since I posted, hasn't it?
With only 4 days to go, we up to our necks with Christmas preparations, wrapping, sewing, baking, buying etc. and haven't had much time to post. So, while I have time, I'll show you our latest finished projects.This is a little Christmas fairy I made as a Kris Kringle present for my good friend Ingrid. I was very pleased with it, and so was she. Unfortunately I ran out of time towards the end, so the neck is less than perfect, but i still love her to bits. As of yet she has no name, I left that up to Ingrid.

These are our new family stocking, made from red felt and white crushed velvet by mum. Sorry the photos are crappy, it has been a very grey summer's day today, with thunderstorms and lots of much needed rain.
The letters are cross stitched on, with a leafy pattern embroidered around them. They look great hanging up over the fireplace.
Well I better go, there is a nice fairy cake with my name on it in the kitchen. If we don't post before then, have a safe and Happy Christmas

Emily

Budding Artist

I love those first recognisable drawings!
This is a picture of Louis best friend, Jaspa - he has blue eyes and gorgeous curly hair - just like in the picture. We had to give the card away, but I had to have a photo to treasure.

cheers
l
x

Christmas

I've been a little slack on the blogging front.

Okay, I've been very slack - it was over a week ago that we put up our new Christmas tree. It was a present from my mum and dad. We used to get real trees but we've ended up with a fake one as it suits us better. At one stage we grew our own in a pot, but it died :(

Anyway - when it comes to Christmas we do it with a bang - lots of decorations, lots of colour and lots of fun. We have so much cramped into my little lounge room! It's become a super cosy room. In fact, when I put the lights on at night, it almost feels like we are in Europe somewhere ensconced in a warm dry room whilst outside the winter rains fall- apart from the sweat dripping down my back as it happens to be 34C at 9.00pm with not a breath of wind!

I still have so much to do!

cheers
l
x

Family traditions

We've developed a habit in summer of getting a pizza on a warm summers evening and heading down to our local golf course. When we get there - we set up a little picnic spot in amongst the trees and sit down and eat together.



After we have eaten, we get out some clubs and have a bit of a hit.



The boys are really getting into it these days - they play a couple of holes.



Apparently I have a beautiful swing. I just need to connect with the ball :(



I have to say, it's a beautiful spot for a picnic and a beautiful place for a stroll :)

And I have to apologise as some of the photos are a little dark but you get the idea!!

cheers
l
x

The Men's Room

Last weekend David and my brother-in-law, David F, built a semi pergola to create another 'room' in the garden.
Yesterday the boys finished it off by laying down weed mat and then gravel and this is the end result -

I give you - The Men's Room!

So called because they like to sit there and play games, chat and listen to the cricket (well, one of them likes to listen to the cricket!)

This morning I was allowed in the "men's room" - we had a lovely breakfast together in the early morning warmth - quite delightful really!

Cheers
l
x