Happy New Year!

We hope you have a fantastic end to 2010,

and may 2011 be the best year yet!

Christmas Past

Every couple of years, we go to the bike centre for Christmas breakfast as it's central to most of us, contained, and easy to keep all the kids in one place where they can play and try out new bikes, scooters, rollerblades, skateboards etc. They found it a little harder to all fit on the steps this year!

The Tassie Grandkids!

2006 2008 2010 Georgina 17, Patrick 11, David 11, Lauren 10, Clea 5, Myka 21 months.

Lucky there's room for one more on the bottom step!

Christmas Day

It's all about...

the presents

(Patrick was still asleep!)

family the Tassie grandkids

Luke

Quinn

food

and did I mention PRESENTS?

This is my favourite - a brilliant little "bean bag" book seat that holds your book when you are lying down, or sitting trying to drink a cup of tea, or whatever. A brilliant invention for an avid reader like me, that would also be great in hospital. My favourite bit is that has a little pocket on the back for "Your reading glasses (don't need them), mobile (not while I'm reading thanks) or your favourite chocolate bar" (that's more like it!).

You can find out more about it here

Thanks Santa!

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas day, got a chance to relax and can now breathe a sigh of relief the madness is all over...until next year!

We wish you a merry Christmas...

...and a brilliant 2011!

Crazy Christmas Capers

Ahh, the Christmas photo - trying to get both kids to pose with a reasonable smile, no fighting and no tears is often too much for me this time of year, but fortunately I think we got a couple of salvageable photos from the dozens I took!

Friends - for the moment!

As long as Nanna gets her annual Christmas photo, everyone is happy.

Next year I think I'll need some advice from Lisa on how to get

more than two kids in a reasonable photo together!

It's a .....

BABY!

"Trixie" at 12 weeks 5 days

For those of you who don't yet know, I am just over 14 weeks pregnant and expecting this little one around the time of my 42nd birthday in early June. Due to my age, I've had a heap of tests including a CVS (nasty big needle) but all tests have come back normal so far which is a HUGE relief. Patrick (11) and Lauren (10) were shocked, but have recovered well and are now in the 'curiously excited but still a little unsure' stage. I'm currently training them in preparation for when their little brother or sister arrives! I found out the baby's sex today so if you'd like to know, email me. Wish us luck for the next 25.5 weeks and beyond!

P.S. With this being number 6 for Shayne, he is now retiring!

Don't miss it!

Tonight and tomorrow night between midnight and 4am Geminids meteor shower will be visible in the Northern sky. My FAVOURITE meteor shower of the year with up to 50 meteor per hour, this is one not to miss. It will be visible most of this week, and pretty much as soon as the sky is dark enough (after about 9.30 here in Tassie) but the best time will be after midnight and before dawn. With a bit of luck, we will have one night without rain and I'll be out on the trampoline checking out what is sure to be a spectacular show. Keep the kids up and/or set your alarms!

Woolworths Christmas Party

We LOVE the Woolworths Christmas Party. Shayne pays $2 a fortnight, and it's held every year. Santa is always there, lots of freebies for the kids including food, drinks, lollies and presents, and as many rides as they want to have for free. We've been going for 7 years now and in the past it's been at Deloraine twice and then at Devonport every other year. It was great to have it at Invermay this year as it's a LONG day when you have a round trip to Devonport and 5-6 hours at the party. Luckily we missed the rain this year. Please excuse the dodgy photos but I can't be bothered editing them tonight, and I have a new post to put up soon.

The Hurricane Gee Whizz! Shayne's favourite - the Crazy Dance (he was green!) Scary glimpse of the future! Lauren's favourite.

Ahh you've got to love the "carnies" that come with the show rides -

so enthusiastic and friendly they are! (If she'd moved her butt off the trampoline Lauren would have been able to bounce higher!)

A post

It has been drawn to my attention (and not-so-subtly I might add) that I have been negligent in my blog writing duties. It seems Lisa, and my multitude of other stalkers - whoops - fans, need a post from me. So here it is....