Christmas Days 2011

The last few days have been so blissful...what special times.  Those days that you wish would never end, the busyness of the last few weeks now in the distant past.  Wonderful family days, so much happiness and joy. 

Late nights wrapping presents are all worth is when you see the smiles on the faces of little children.  Hours spent constructing, playing and creating...

Nowhere to be and nothing to do, except enjoy each others company and perhaps help ourselves to some delicious left overs, another chocolate or some summer berries!  Family memories being made and precious times together...

 

And it is not over yet...Gingerbread House still to go, courtesy of a dear friend.  Summer days ahead and time to enjoy the slow lane for a while.  Happy days.

That sense of anticipation...

Christmas Eve and that sense of anticipation is filling the house.  I think that we might have managed to get everyone's present and now all we need to do is wrap them all! Lots of scurrying behind closed doors and a flurry of paper and where is the sticky tape?...It does not seem to matter how many 'sticky tapes' I buy, I can never seem to find one! The Christmas cake is made and we are looking forward to seeing dear friends this afternoon.  I've done battle at the green grocer, you have never seen so many people in the grocer well before 8am...all very well behaved mind.  Croissants to be collected this morning and vegies and ham ready to prepare.  The children are getting so excited... so is Mum!  Couldn't sleep in this morning, awake with the birds ready for one more day before Christmas!  Now what to do first?

Where do the years go?

I can't believe that my daughter has just started reading her very first Harry Potter book!  Miss Eight is happily tucked up into bed well before her brothers and long before it is dark...reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone.  It seems that not too long ago she was just a little girl starting Pre-school.  What an amazing transformation!  Special thanks to all those who took the time to read to her and inspired her with such a wonderful love and desire to read...

life is full...

and that is good.  It means that a lot of stuff happens.  Great stuff and fun stuff.  Sometimes frustrating and dreary stuff but it is still full.  Lots of happy times with lovely warmer evenings and times spent with the ones we love.  Looking forward to special days ahead.  All this means that I have not had space to reflect or ramble... but it does mean that we have had many memorable days and nights...RG  x

spring community festival

We had a brilliant time at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hobart recently.  Last weekend was the Spring Community Festival and it was really wonderful. 

 The gardens looked amazing and I could not believe how early the delphiniums and foxgloves were.

 

What a special treat for those of us like me who are bereft of their gardens, due to our "rental status".  Missing my garden and longing to be part of the wonderful joy that spring flowers bring to your world.  Especially on such a glorious day, warm and even "steamy" for Tasmanian standards!

Looking forward to many more visits to the RTBG during the summer 

and hopefully some warm days lying in the sunshine...

Our weekend treat

Salted Caramel Cupcakes were our treat for the weekend.  A very delicious taste sensation.  Even the icing alone was amazing. 


Another thing I love about holidays...time to browse for recipies from my favourite books and magazines.  This little wonder comes from Country Living July Edition 2011. 

More about space...

Having space in one's head is also nice.  We have just finished a long, cold and wet winter term.  At times it seemed like it would never end.   Add to that some very sick and miserable children and it was all pretty exhausting really.  So I am enjoying having some space and time to think again.

It is so refreshing to get out and about and we have been having some lovely school holiday days... Now all we need is for some slightly warmer, perhaps even spring like weather.

 We enjoyed a lovely children free night over the D'entrecasteaux Channel to Bruny Island.   The stillness was so strange...the views were glorious and I always love exploring new places.

 The best thing about moving to a new place is that it gives you the opportunity to go to places yet undiscovered and it takes you out of your comfort zone and broadens your horizons...

So bring on more school holiday freedom.  With much thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for having 3 small children for an extended sleep over.   RG x.

Ahhh if only...a space of my own!

I am just missing a few essential items...time, space and opportunity!