Oh Christmas Tree

With many family members visiting for Christmas this year, I am so excited about getting our home ready for the festive season.  The kids and I have decided that this coming weekend is the one for putting up the Christmas tree - much to Martin's dismay because he believes it should not go up until December.  We win!

I LOVE Christmas, it is my favourite time of year and I take it full on - craft, music, decorating, preparing Christmas treats and homemade gift giving. We also have a few traditions that are never broken - our Elf on the Shelf, Jake visits, we have a weekend in the city where we stay at a hotel and visit Santa, see the Christmas lights, purchase or make a Christmas decoration that is symbolic of the year and we also share a special Christmas meal at  a 'fancy' restaurant.  Other traditions include - writing to Santa, the Christmas books are out and each night we read one together under the Christmas tree lights,  Advent calendar and new Christmas pyjamas that I sew for the kids.  It is exhausting but I wouldn't change a thing about it and I know the kids wouldn't either.

Stay tuned for some Christmas photos next week. 

It is simply the most magical (and my favourite) time of the year.

Holidaying!

We are still holidaying in Sydney so it has been a bit tricky finding time to blog.  We're having a fabulous time seeing friends and family.  As much as I love Melbourne I miss my dear friends here a lot.

Christmas was very special and the children kept us entertained with their antics.  It was an action packed day full of family, food and love.  By 7pm I was exhausted and ready for an early night to bed.  Thankfully, the children felt the same and were sound asleep nice and early.

A few photos from our day...

 Getting into the spirit of backyard cricket.

Whee!  Lots of running around and pushing each other in the car.  They have both grown out of this but manage to work out a way to still have fun in it.

 The girl has attitude!

 Swinging! 

Love my boy!

 My mum with her granddaughters.

My dad with his grandaughters

 Dudes!  My parents gave the kids sunnies for Christmas and they had fun playing in them.

 Homemade fun!  Slip n'Slide!

My sassy girl! 

Ready for some Slip 'n Slide fun.

Cousins!

Hi-Ho-Hi-Ho It's Off to Sydney We Go

In a few short hours we will start the drive to Sydney.  I have lots of knitting to keep me busy.  I have snacks and books to keep the kids busy, too.  How they read in the car without getting sick I'll never know.

We're looking forward to love, peace and spending time with loved ones.

The Start of the Christmas 'Holiday' Season

Today marks the start of the school holidays and also the start of Martin's annual leave...hooray!  I LOVE having the whole family together.  Yes, we are busy packing, organising, folding and cleaning but it's just nice to be home - together.  


I find it hard to believe that Christmas is four days away!  Four days...that's CRAZY!  We live in in Melbourne and all of our family live in Sydney so we will be heading north tomorrow.  We intend to stop at Jindabyne tomorrow night (yes, I know it makes the journey longer) but we need to have some 'family time' before the onslaught of busyness in Sydney.  I'm looking forward to seeing my parents, brother, sister, nieces and nephews and in-laws but I sometimes find it hard to breathe with rushing here, there and everywhere and seeing everyone we need to see.  


Last night we drove to see some of Melbourne's Christmas lights.  In the area we live no one, and I mean no one has Christmas lights out - we don't either.  I'm not sure why that is because we have only recently moved but  it doesn't feel very festive around here.  It is part of our Christmas tradition to take the kids to see the Christmas lights and this year was no exception.  I only had my phone with me, the photos below are not great but photos nonetheless.

Today I aim to finish the Ravelry Mug Snug that I am knitting.  I hope to finish 3 more for little gifts.  I'll post a pic of the finished works when they're done.

Off to pack...and sort...and fold...and iron...and wrap..FUN!