25

Christmas Day is always here at our house, celebrated with my Mum, Dad, Nan and Cousin Di.
From my perspective it is all about the food.

I plan it, shop for it and prepare it all. Because it is all about the food, I rarely take any photos on Christmas Day. Last year we had additional family visiting and it was quite a spectacular. I took photos of the finger food and main course and was totally over it come dessert time. This year I made it easy on myself. Our meal was traditionally non-traditional.

This year Mr Paradise snapped some food shots for me.

No finger food or nibbles this year (it spoils your appetite). We had Steamed Soy Chicken Lovely Legs, Roast Potatoes, Asian BBQ Pork and Ham on the bone with home made tomato chutney.

The side dishes were, Asian Rice Salad and, yep, you guessed it, THE pumpkin and feta salad with honey mustard dressing. Mmmmm.

For Dessert I usually make individual trifles with both green and red jelly. This year, thinking I was making life easier on myself I made one large trifle, with only red jelly. It tasted delicious (I am told), but it gave me grief like you wouldn't believe!

Then there was Chocolate Cup cakes for the little people, iced with white icing and decorated with mint leaves and red smarties. That was supposed to look like holly. In the heat, they kinda slid off a bit.

A fruit platter of seasonal green grapes and red cherries, and Rum Balls, made with sweet sherry!! :) They were gooooooood.

Hope you had a lovely day, however you celebrated.

Jodie

26

Gold Coast United 5, Brisbane Roar 1. Go the Coast!

Jodie PS, I do realise I haven't posted December 25. Working on it!

19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24!!!

Ok, so the wheels of posting (almost) everyday kinda fell off, but I have still been taking photos. Crazy busy here at the moment. Still complaining about the humidity, and we have had enough rain to make all the heat wet! But still tomorrow is Christmas Day and preparations are in hand.

So since my last post we have done more food shopping, lots of baking, chutney making, spent a day 'out in the country' driving in the rain, scrapbooked this years Santa photo, been to visit some friends who are camping just over the border, drank some champers, cleaned out Miss Paradise's (aka DD1) school bag and found a decoration for the tree she made at school, chilled out watching tellie, and the list goes on.

I hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas and I will be back with some updates in a few days.

Jodie

18

A decorated tree in one of our local parks.

Ahh, Fruits of the Season. We love Cherries, and Ferrero Rocher, freshly picked from the chocolate tree :)

Christmas food shopping has begun.

Jodie

17

It is the 17th of December!! Where has the time gone? I know I have been recording each day in pictures, BUT how is it now just a week until the man himself starts his sleigh ride?

It also means we only have one week left with Meteor. The pesky reindeer will be collected from under our tree next Thursday night when Santa makes his rounds!!

We cleaned out DD2 room today and her wardrobe and we have a huge bag to be donated and we have all her clean laundered clothes hung up. By the time that was done we were hot and bothered and my back was protesting.

Lunch, shower then over to my Mum and Dads. The next bit you will never guess!! I started knitting. My mum can knit, crochet, sew clothes, all the practical things. Me I am the creative one, you know the sort, can just manage to sew a button. I wanted to learn to crochet several years ago, so mum lent me a hook, some wool and a book. I took it all back, I couldn't follow it and mum couldn't/wouldn't teach me. She doesn't have that sort of patience. So fast forward to today. I remember how to knit (kinda) from when I was a kid. Mum remembers it too, she told me today. So well that she discouraged me then and offered to do it, and tried it again today. But I stuck to my guns and below is my mum''s 4 ply cotton, my mum's number 10 knitting needles and MY KNITTING ATTEMPT!!

I am very proud. Think I have already picked up some extra stitches. I would like this to be my first attempt at a washcloth. At worst I can undo it all and it will have been a practice piece.

The pattern I am doing is one row plain, next row knit 1, purl 1. My inspiration is here, although mine is looking nothing like Inga's! :)

Jodie

15 & 16

Finding it harder to keep up and find interesting things to photograph! Recharged my little camera this morning so I can take it with us more easily and not be so obvious when snapping away.

First up yesterday DD1 finished up her first sewing project for a kids swap organised by Chookyblue. She is feeling very proud of herself and just quietly so am I! Will show the whole project after Christmas.

Made a quick trip to the library yesterday because this was waiting for me on the holds shelf!

Our pesky little Reindeer, Meteor, is finding better and better places to hide and is harder to find in the mornings, but is spending more and more of the day sleeping off his night time adventures. Dolls cradle generously supplied by DD2.

This last shot appealed to me. We went to the beach today and someone who had already left had made these three castles, complete with foliage and a mote!

Hope your December days are treating you well.

Jodie

12, 13, 14

Playing catch up again!

It has been so hot and steamy here, for what feels like forever! This sunset is actually from Friday 11th but I like the effect. It was cool in the house from the air con, and steamy outside, so as soon as I walked out the lens fogged over. I cleared it, but the pics still seemed to have a eeriness to them.

So on Saturday the 12th, we had an inside arts and craft day. I finished writing out this years Christmas cards, so I gave last years to the girls to "do what they want with" Lots of cutting, glueing and messing. Kept them busy for hours!

The on the 13th this is where we found our pesky reindeer Meteor. He comes to life at night when the girls are asleep and then hides so they have to find him!

Sunday (13th) also involved defrosting the freezer. Such a fun job, not! So yesterday (14th) I made some banana muffins with the black bananas I had stashed in the freezer for just such a purpose. Two left this morning. They are good!

Jodie

11 - New Decorations and a House Guest

Today was a very "Christmassy" day.

We visited Santa's Castle and got the obligatory Santa Photo. I am lovin' this years shot. DD1 rolled her eyes when I told her what was on the agenda today, but I asked her to reconsider because the photo was all about me, and I really, really wanted one of the two of them!

We got a new tree last year after many years of a smallish tree so today they got to choose a new decoration each. This is DD1's glittery pink butterfly,

and DD2's glittery purple bird.

I didn't pick one out for me, I will ask Mr Paradise to take the girls shopping and get one that they like for me. We couldn't resist this one for him though!

The most exciting news though, is the arrival of our house guest - Meteor!!! Meteor was waiting under the Christmas tree when we got home. Remember when DD1 wrote to Santa explaining why she and her sister were good candidates for looking after a reindeer? Well he arrived today. Below is a transcript of the letter he brought with him. It's rather long so you can skip it if you like :)

This little reindeer is named Meteor. He is very excited about his first ever visit to a home with children in it. He is used to elves and of course Mrs Claus and me, but he has never met a child before. I told him to expect lots of cuddles.

Meteor has worked hard all year at his flying school and did very well in his flying test today. He has worked so hard he is ready for a holiday.

Meteor has a secret magic. When you are awake he will be very still and not even blink. Santa's reindeer are supposed to be a secret so you can't see him move or eat, but when you go to sleep he will come alive! He loves to explore! Even though he can't move when you are awake, he can play a game with you. Each morning, before you wake up he has told me he will hide somewhere and you have to find him.

He can be quite mischievous but he days he will try to be on his best behaviour. Young reindeer are famous for getting into mischief, so I can't promise he'll always be good.

Don't forget to leave some food out for him each night. He loves sultanas and a drink of water would be nice too please.

He will need to come home to the North Pole on Christmas Eve so he can get back to Reindeer School. He has lots more to learn, like how to land quietly on roofs and how to find all the houses I have to visit each year. Please leave him under your Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve and I will pick him up when I deliver your presents.

I know you are both going to have a lot of fun with Meteor and I know he is going to be well looked after by both of you. If you like he can come visit you again next year. All you have to do is send me another email or letter next year telling me you'd like him to visit.

Lots of Love, Santa.

Jodie