from throughout the year...

Some photos I grabbed randomly from throughout the year to share in my Christmas letter (rather heavy on photos on light on text this year, just wasn't feeling it this year!)

And one more, from my family to yours:

Happy Mail

The other day, I got a lovely little parcel, from a wonderful friend.(One I've never met!)
Delivered to my mail box (yes its a bucket. Ask my husband where my weather proof mail box is). The mail comes in a Private Mail Bag, twice a week delivery.  Very rural. We lost our local post office and daily mail earlier in the year.
In my mail bag, was a parcel, containing this:
And inside that gorgeous little box, was these:
 
Aren't they just lovely? They don't look quite right with the other jewels hanging on my twig tree from last year (not sure its got another year in it, think she'll be gone after this Christmas) so I am hoping to find some quiet time to make some plain white card paper ornaments and a garland to go with these ceramic beauties. or not - they still look gorgeous.
Thanks, Amy!  One day we might get to meet face to face! Hope you liked the parcel you got from the wild west as well.
EDITED TO ADD:  Just got another parcel from another friend who I am yet to meet! I haven't taken photos yet, but some gorgeous, gorgeous, silver christmas word ornaments from Di, wrapped in her trademark colours! (the words look right at home hanging on my twig tree with the white snowflakes...the twigs are looking MOST posh!) I feel very lucky.

Lights

Another mini post, this time with bad photos of my own fairy lights.  Our little town has around six homes participating in an unspoken but never the less fierce competition of Christmas lights.
These are on my front fence.  And I was too lazy to find my tripod for a decent photo, but I still like these shots.
Even this fuzzy one of the icicle lights that I hung (with determination, as I hate ladders...I could see my husband thinking: if she can hang the bloody lights, why can't she clean the gutters?!..its different, that is why!)
This is looking out my kitchen window to the back patio area, which looks magical in the dark with these lights twinkling away (and in the dark I can't see the crap that has accumulated on the table downstairs!)
But sadly, we don't come anywhere near the lead of the Light Competition.  May I present another bad photo, this time of a house across the road:
(taken on full zoom from the front of my house).  I think this is one instance where the Less Is More motto looses out!

Found

These flower spike things on a tree over by The Shed.  I don't walk past it often, but had to shut a gate the other day, and noticed the tree flowering (think its called an Umbrella tree).  It doesn't often flower, and not where I can reach it or see the flower spikes well, but due to the humidity and rain we've gotten lately, it must have gotten excited!

I was excited, and quickly snapped off a couple of spikes and put them in this jar/vase. I think they look particularly festive-y in a modern way!

They don't appear to last long, even in water, but I am hoping the ones on the tree last until Christmas and I can grab some more on Christmas Eve.

Speaking of Christmas, our just-us-at-home-Christmas has grown a little with some casually thrown out invitations, to quite a gathering...the more the merrier, as long as we can adhere to the very relaxed no getting food ready just help yourselves rule for the day.  And everyone must wear stretchy waisted pants so I don't feel bad for wearing my own (who am I kidding, 'most all of the pants I own are stretchy!)

I do think I might need to find some more chairs...and a long table!

Wounded

Feeling much better, after:

1. having a car door slammed on him as he was getting out of the car, and getting a nasty split on forehead. Make older sister cry after she gets roused on by mother, and then sees the blood on little brothers face.

2. going a nasty shade of grey, then "I gunna 'pew!" (and doing so) when mother was doing the butterfly clip and bandaid thing to the split skin (assesment - not bad enough to warrant the 80km round trip to Dr for gluing split together)

3. Going back to a more normal white, and having a nap, watched carefully by mother and very sorry big sister.

4. asking 150000 times for a swim (denied each and every time) due to the aforementioned injury and a green snotty nose.

This made up for the swim denial, playing in the bath tub with Blue Goo, which mother had successfully hidden in the back of the bathroom cabinet for the past twelve months.

(warning, bare bottom coming up)

PS. Don't ever go out and buy that Blue Goo. Despite being harmless and non staining and non toxic...it goes every-bloody-where. Just sayin'!

On the wall

The girls brought home from school some art work they have been doing all term - studying various forms and artists (like Van Gogh) and doing their version.  Their smart teacher planned this well, laminating their artworks and turning them into a calendar that is meant to have a different art work for each month.

I require the use of a rather large and spacious calendar for our family's and business monthly needs, so put the calendar part to one side and kept their art works out. This is what I did with them, with the help of blue tac and an empty wall, on which I was going to hang a series of photos over three years ago.  But didn't and got used to that nice clean empty wall!

There were a couple of photos included in each of their calendars, which I didn't bother putting up, as well as two weird impressionistic bits of art that I just didn't like.  Each bit is laminated so easy to put up.

Georgie's version of the famous Monet waterlilies painting/

Kate's interpretation of Van Gogh (using tissue paper!) love how their experimented with different mediums as well.

The girls love seeing their work on display and I think I will leave it there for quite some time (but will take down the merry christmas banner of course, and move up the row of pictures).

Thanks for dropping by!

Christmas Sightings

My niece was here for a short visit the other morning, and we put on some christmas music.  The kids had a great old time dancing and singing around the lounge room.  Love this photo and how it portrays their movement. Some Christmas decor around the house.  I confess that  good deal of it is still packed away...I will break out some more soon, as we will have family coming to our house for Christmas Day. Love these felt stars. They are meant for the tree, but I put them on some hessian string (love it btw) and hung it up. 

Of that age

wherein I actively seek out sensible undies when I go shopping.  The perils of aging.

But I am most pleased to discover that sensible undies can in fact, take a walk on the wild side and have some fun!

When I hung out the washing this morning, I so admired the cute patterned fabric and lovely soft flat elastic (and in polka dots no less!) that I just HAD to take a photo. Yes, of my undies.

I really must get out more.

But there you have it, even sensible can be fun!

The Things You Find!

Some random images from my great little point and shoot camera that lives in my handbag, and comes on outings mustering as it fits neatly in a pocket or glovebox and is far less likely to be damaged than the big SLR!

But seeing as it lives in my handbag, it doesn't get downloaded that often, and when I do, its full of great little surprises... Like this one of the kids walking along the beach front near the caravan park cabin we stayed in during a quick trip to the city in the September school holidays.

he  hee hee - this last one looks like a G rated version of a play boy cover or something - you know with the teeny bikini clad model in the waves?!

And as a total contrast, this one:

Incidentally, we got soaking wet this very same day - minus the kids. We went home for lunch and came back to walk to cows to the yards and it poured. And being in the buggy did not really keep me any dryer!

Now, best I get on and do my Christmas cards/letter before it is 2011!

This is so cool!

I'll be back next week some time, a bit chaotic around here with the start of the school holidays today (and the kids school concert + the clean up + playgroup/last day fun the last three days) and upcoming meetings and trips to the city sans kids and husband to do some no peeking eyes shopping.

But when I get back and catch my breath, I'll share some the adventures from the past week! Until then, enjoy this funny clip! :-)