1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper - no peeking!
2. Real or artificial?
Real and personally chosen by the family and cut for us at the same tree farm.
3. When do you put up the tree?
The first weekend after December 1st that we can all arrange to be available!
4. When do you take the tree down?
January 6th, even though it is bugging me from NY!
5. Do you like eggnog?
I haven't had it since we made it in Home Ec at school! Too hot in Australia at Christmas.
6. Favorite gift received as a child?
My tricycle or my scooter - can't decide between them. Both red!
7. Do you have a Nativity scene?
Yes and we now own two sets of figures, so I guess they will take it in turns - unless I ever get the Willow Tree set, then they will take sole centre stage!
8. Hardest person to buy for?
The Outlaws - the have whatever they want/need, and if they haven't they can buy it easily. And we have very different tastes, so ...
9. Easiest person to buy for?
My daughters - too easy!Hardest part is stopping!
10. Worst Christmas present ever received?
I can't name it here in case it gets back to the giver!
11. Email or Christmas card?
I am at a transition point. Cards only to those whom it is especially important to (like aunts!) and emails to everyone else.
12. Favorite Christmas movie?
Original Miracle on 34th Street, though I haven't watched it for years.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
I might pick up bits and pieces prior but after Kaitlyn's end of October birthday is when it becomes a priority, though December is the peak.
14. Have you ever recycled/regifted a Christmas present?
I have donated them straight to the op shop.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Christmas pudding, turkey with cranberry sauce.
16. Favorite Christmas tradition?
Getting the kid's photo taken with Santa (23 years so far!)
17. Favorite Christmas song?
Real, proper, old Carols.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Stay home! All the family live locally.
19. Can you name Santa's reindeer?
Dasher, Dance, Donder and Blitzen, Cupid and Comet, Prancer and Vixen ... and Rudolph! Thanks, Bing!)
20. Do you have an angel at the top of the tree or a star?
An angel and the kids take it in turns to put her up as the very last decoration.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Christmas morning, before breakfast, in jammies. Bah humbug to anyone who makes their kids dress and eat first.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
The end of school year wrapped up in the middle of it all and the uncaring school whose (next year) fees are due in the same pay period as Christmas. Shame! And it is a government school - so much for free education.
23. Best thing about Christmas?
Seeing the reaction to the gifts you have chosen with so much care and being with your family.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
January To Do List ...
I tell you what, I reckon I am going to be flat out throughout January ... or maybe out flat!
Our library has closed for two weeks for renovations and to console us poor addicts,
we were allowed to borrow as many books as we wished for 8 weeks!
This is what I have narrowed it down to!
All due to be returned by the end of January 2008 ... that is, um 12 books in five weeks ...
better get started now!!!!
Our library has closed for two weeks for renovations and to console us poor addicts,
we were allowed to borrow as many books as we wished for 8 weeks!
This is what I have narrowed it down to!
All due to be returned by the end of January 2008 ... that is, um 12 books in five weeks ...
better get started now!!!!
Sunday, December 16, 2007
I am just about finished!
Got the last major pressies today and did the monthly grocery shop! I think I now only have a few small stocking stuffers which I can pick up through the week, so apart from the fruit, veg, meat and other fresh stuff, hopefully I won't need to brave the shopping centres again!
Mind you, I don't mind crowds so I don't find the shops the horrendous experience that some do, but it does seem to drain your energy more when there are more people about.
So I think everyone is getting something they will like and that is all you can ask for. A couple more to wrap (if I ever get the place to myself!) and then it is all over bar the waiting.
Off to lunch with The Girls tomorrow and then just three more work days (ever?) before I am officially on holidays. I imagine next weekend will go fairly quickly with just the everyday stuff!
Mind you, I don't mind crowds so I don't find the shops the horrendous experience that some do, but it does seem to drain your energy more when there are more people about.
So I think everyone is getting something they will like and that is all you can ask for. A couple more to wrap (if I ever get the place to myself!) and then it is all over bar the waiting.
Off to lunch with The Girls tomorrow and then just three more work days (ever?) before I am officially on holidays. I imagine next weekend will go fairly quickly with just the everyday stuff!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Our Trip to the Big Smoke
Here are the photos from our annual trip to the City.
Photos
We took two cars to fit us all in and I had the *joy* of supervising Melissa driving in – yay! It was very exciting on the highway, as a huge cloud of smoke caught everyone’s attention – it was a factory fire in Moorabbin. After we passed it and got closer to the City, we counted NINE fire trucks roaring past in the other direction. Very disturbing. (Are supervising drivers meant to play photographer? No?)
We had a lovely time wandering and shopping and eating and this year, Ashley researched exactly where ACDC lane is (last year he had us aimlessly wandering) so we indulged his request and staggered up hill to take his photo. A bonus on the way back was seeing Brian Mannix having drink on the footpath!!!
We did the Block and Royal Arcades. Melissa had to be surgically removed from Spellbox, but the lure of iced chocolates finally coaxed her out!
The Myer windows are lovely – I had managed not to hear what the theme was and we were delighted to find it is Graham Base’s book Uno’s Garden – Animalia and The Eleventh Hour were big favourites around here when the kids were younger. We bought the book on our way back to the car as we passed through Myer!
Of course, part of the whole visit is seeing Santa and having the annual photo taken!
Photos
We took two cars to fit us all in and I had the *joy* of supervising Melissa driving in – yay! It was very exciting on the highway, as a huge cloud of smoke caught everyone’s attention – it was a factory fire in Moorabbin. After we passed it and got closer to the City, we counted NINE fire trucks roaring past in the other direction. Very disturbing. (Are supervising drivers meant to play photographer? No?)
We had a lovely time wandering and shopping and eating and this year, Ashley researched exactly where ACDC lane is (last year he had us aimlessly wandering) so we indulged his request and staggered up hill to take his photo. A bonus on the way back was seeing Brian Mannix having drink on the footpath!!!
We did the Block and Royal Arcades. Melissa had to be surgically removed from Spellbox, but the lure of iced chocolates finally coaxed her out!
The Myer windows are lovely – I had managed not to hear what the theme was and we were delighted to find it is Graham Base’s book Uno’s Garden – Animalia and The Eleventh Hour were big favourites around here when the kids were younger. We bought the book on our way back to the car as we passed through Myer!
Of course, part of the whole visit is seeing Santa and having the annual photo taken!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Well, the countdown is in earnest now, with wrapping paper littering the house and frantic shuffling and hiding of shopping bags and whispered converstaions that stop when you enter the room (or is that just me?)
Suddenly I have only the rest of this week and next week to finish everything off at work and shut down the office for summer. Whether I shut it down for ever after January remains in the hands of the government department who hold the purse strings for our funding. Regardless, the new year will involve packing up the office as we need to find a new home!
Lots of scrapbooking happening, in amongst all the rest! If you haven't checked it out lately, pop over to http://justaboutscrapping.blogspot.com/ and have a look - there are lots of family albums online too, so have fun!
Suddenly I have only the rest of this week and next week to finish everything off at work and shut down the office for summer. Whether I shut it down for ever after January remains in the hands of the government department who hold the purse strings for our funding. Regardless, the new year will involve packing up the office as we need to find a new home!
Lots of scrapbooking happening, in amongst all the rest! If you haven't checked it out lately, pop over to http://justaboutscrapping.blogspot.com/ and have a look - there are lots of family albums online too, so have fun!
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Deck the Halls
Okay, today we (finally) went to the Christmas Tree Farm on our annual pilgrimage.
Apart from the flies (it is going to be a bad summer for them!) we had a great time.
Then home to put the tree in place and decorate it - smiles all round!
Decking the Halls
Apart from the flies (it is going to be a bad summer for them!) we had a great time.
Then home to put the tree in place and decorate it - smiles all round!
Decking the Halls
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