The Greatest Gift

Looking at my tree and all the presents underneath it I realise that all these "things" are nice but the greatest gift of all is love and FAMILY...mine sometimes brings me great sorrow but thankfully also tremendous joy.

From my family to yours at Christmas and All through the year...Love, Peace and Happiness

My Babies

The photos I got today are sooooo much better than last years and there were so many other great ones that I could have got except the kids were cracking me up...I love my "babies"

My Boys

I must be either feeling hormonal or sentimental...or both...all these photos are making me feel teary today

There were sooo many great photos I could have taken but I was laughing toooo much....LOVE these pics of "my boys"

Early Christmas

Kris, Kate and Maddison dropped in for a couple of hours on Sunday so we had an early xmas with them and swapped some gifts.

This was the best gift I could have gotten to have all my family together, laughing and happy...is still bringing a tear to my eye now

Maddison's First Santa Letter

I simply can't Rave enough about the Reindeer Barn.... everyone who has gotten a letter from there has commented how lovely it is and Maddison's honestly brought tears to my eyes...I just sent Santa a thank you letter I think he and his helpers at the barn are angels....

here's Maddy's letter...

Dear Maddison,

Over the mantle in our cozy little living room, Mrs. Claus and I have photographs of all the little boys and girls who are celebrating a first Christmas. There are thousands every year, but every single one holds a special place in our hearts. You see, Maddison, you represent the future of Christmas!

You're so lucky to be almost a whole year old. It means that you're big enough to be awake and aware, crawling about, playing with ribbons and bows, watching the lights on the tree, jabbering along to Christmas carols, sampling cookies and icing, and knowing - with all the excitement - that something special must be happening...

Christmas will be different for all those who love you, too. Your aunties, your uncles, your mim and pop, and most of all your mummy and daddy will be that much happier this year every time you smile!

Here at the North Pole, we're as busy as can be. Mrs. Claus has baked so many cookies that the kitchen is filled to the brim! (We're going to have to start putting some in the barn.) The reindeer are using their teeth to tie holly berries and ribbons and bells to their harnesses. The elves are painting and polishing the finishing touches on toys for every good boy and girl around the world. And one special elf - Sweetsparkle - spent most of the day today making toys for a very special girl named Maddison.

It hardly seems like a year or two ago that I was bringing toys to your mummy and daddy, and not long before that, it was your pop and mim. They were always so excited to open their stockings Christmas morning! I'm so very glad to have known your family, and someday, I'll get letters from your little ones, too.

Have a very merry Christmas, Maddison. I can't wait to see you... and to start the tradition of coming to see you every year!


Love Santa xox

Tuesday Playvan Christmas Party

Tuesday was our Christmas Party for Playvan. Hard to believe another year has gone already. As I've said before Tori is REALLY loving Christmas this year and had a ball playing with her friends, doing some crafts and, of course, seeing Santa (and getting lollies from him!)

Ups and Downs

Well last weekend certainly had its up and downs.

The Ups was getting to see Maddison, Kris and Kate (even tho it was only for a couple of hours)..she started crawling since we saw her a couple of weeks ago :0)

And the Downs? Having to do a round trip to Mudgee and back in 7 hours! Why? to pick Kym up after he swerved to miss a wombat and smashed the Kia...just waiting to hear if it's a write-off or not!

Emailing Santa

Tori is getting right in to the Spirit of Christmas this year and is already at us to go driving and look at all the lights. Here she is getting ready to send off a letter to Santa with all her requests..which weren't that much actually....playdough and a new brabie (Ashlee broke the one she got for her birthday :0(..she also asked for beer for dad and chocolate for me and I must say I was soooooooooooooo impressed with the letter she received. If you haven't done so already, then check out http://www.thereindeerbarn.com/ I'm going to get one for Maddison ;0)



here's the letter she got back :0)
Dear Tori,
How are you, Tori? I was just talking to Mrs. Claus to see if she thought you would write this year. She said that you would of course, and she was right! I know you really must be very busy having started Kindygym AND becoming an Aunt to Maddison. That's all very hard work. Being a sister is hard work too. I'm very impressed with how you are growing up. Time is moving so fast for me that it just seems like yesterday you were a little bitty girl baby. Now, you are 4 years old. I suppose you'll start school soon.
I just looked on my Good Girl List and there was your name right near the top, under the C's! I'm very proud of you, you know. You do try to be really good. Let me see what presents you have asked for. Hmmmmm. A Barbie and some playdough. Do you know that you can mix some of the playdough colours together to make another different colour? I mashed up some red with blue and got purple. That was amazing! The only problem is that you can't unmix them. Once they're together that's what it will be so don't mix them all up or you'll have a really icky mess. I know! HO HO HO!!!
I love that you have asked for some lovely presents for daddy and mummy. Beer and chocolate. Quite a combination. I love chocolate too but I don't think I'd like it with beer. Maybe your daddy didn't think that he'd like to nibble on the chocolate. You'll have to ask him what he thinks about chocolate beer. How does that sound?
Rudolph and the other reindeer wanted me to thank you in advance for the food you said you might leave out for them. They do like a little bite after the long flight from here at the North Pole to the great land of Australia. I'd appreciate a sip of water too. It's thirsty work delivering all the presents. We go soooo fast that it blows the water right out of my eyes.
Well Tori, my dear, I have to go help the elves with the doll production now. One of the dolls came out of the dollmaker with three ears. We can't have that now, can we? I think someone was playing a joke. HO! HO! HO! I'll have to remind them how many ears we are supposed to have. Please tell Kris, Ashlee, Brent and Brooke (and Maddison) that I love them all and you too, of course!
Love Santa xox

Brent's Final Parade 2008

Brent had his final cadet parade for the year on Saturday and as always, was a wonderful day (proud mumma alert..lol)

Kindergym Christmas

Tori had her end of year presentation for Kindergym and had lots of fun getting her face painted and playing on the jumping castles and, of course, seeing Santa :0)

She was also extremely pleased that she got a "gold medal" and had to sleep with it and wear it constantly for the next few days :0)

Hard Drive Update

the external hd is COMPLETELY stuffed...paid $160 to recover files from my laptop and ended up being just photos that are in "my photos"...complained went back and had a "deeper recovery" done and have spent the last coupla days trawling thru all the bits of cyber crap that go onto your machine while "surfing" (I didn't  realiise how much bits of files go onto your hard drive...and how many HUNDREDS of DUPLICATES of the same crap!!!... it's going to take me FOREVER to search thru these files) So after going back to the shop 5 times in 6 days !!!! (doesn't that make for interesting journal in my December Daily Album!!! NOTTTT lol) I have found a few more photos than before but have realised i didnt ask to recover the videos...grrrr....

Hopefully now I have my laptop back I can update my blog though it's not our week (hubby smashed our car on the weekend...now THAT was a HARD DRIVE...lame joke)...Yes he's fine but it looks like the car might be a write off...and the wombat he swerved to avoid is doing fine too!!!!

Tho I did get to see Maddison again when I had to drive to Mudgee to pick him up..and she crawling....what a difference two weeks can make!! Thanks Kris and Kate for coming to the rescue, picking up Dad and "looking after him" for the nite...Love you guys :0) xoxo

Now Im Pissed

I have been without my laptop and desktop for 3 days because they told me my harddrive was totally dead and unrecoverable but they would be able to retrieve 90% of my deleted photos from my laptop as it was what I originally downloaded the photos on to (well post my destructive restore in May) before transferring to my harddrive. Well... I got it back yesterday afternoon and spent hours last night going through the files and weeding out all the bits and pieces of photo crap that you get online, just to realise that all the photos they have "recovered" and put on disk are the ones that are still in folders on my laptop NOT ones that have been deleted....grrrrrrr


What a waste of 3 days and ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY DOLLARS (and to think they made me think I was getting a bargain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Devestated!!!

No other word for it...my external Hard Drive has crashed taking all my family photos,,and my craft stuff...EVERYTHING!!! and I hadn't got around to back up this years files and only just moved across a couple of months worth of files as well as a heap of purchased robo and stamping files :0(

A Merry Christiansen Christmas

I was originally going to try for a brady bunch like photo and have everyone looking in a different direction...but was lucky enough to get everyone to pose with a silly hat on...

Wishing you all a VERY merry Christmas :0)

Maddison's visit

Sunday night Maddison, Kris and Kate arrived at our house to stay over for a few nights. We are looking forward to spending some time with all of them - and convincing them to move to Sydney..lol

Trick or Treat 08

Trick or Treat time again and as Tori understood what it was about this year (lollies) all we kept hearing was "one more house"...lol. The funniest part tho was when someone opened the door to be greated by her yelling "chickaching"...lol

and yes...she changed her mind AGAIN about her outfit!!

Brooke didn't come trick or treating for us as she was waiting...and waiting.. at home for friends to come over for her "Sixteenth Spooktacular" not knowing that Brent had told someone at school that it may have been cancelled (I said that to Brooke the night before when she was in trouble). As a result of gossip spreading through school as it does (and instead of just ringing Brooke and asking her) four of her gf's didn't turn up :0( So not only did she miss out on trick or treating she also missed out on her party as only 2 gals ended up sleeping over instead of 6 :0(

Dress Rehearsal...Sneak Peek

When I brought all the pirate stuff for Brent's birthday I knew what I wanted to dress Tori as for Halloween, but she wasn't having a bar of it...until Natalie brought the costume over on Saturday and then we couldn't get it off her. So come friday when we go trick or treating Tori will be a pirate...hook and parrot and all..lol

Playvan Farm

Last week Tori was in heaven! Due to it being "Children's Week" Playvan provided the kids with lots of animals to squeeze and torment...lol

She had a ball and even though it looked like the guinea pig was going to be the winner again (or the loser depending on how you look at it!) the mice were her favourites this time around :0)

Port Kembla

Looks like a luxury resort somewhere...I wish....but we did manage to get a day away from home as well as our first meal at Sizzler in nearly 3 years!!! All in all it was a great day and we all had a blast!

Marvellous Miss Maddison

Sunday saw us doing a flying visit up home..the boys went straight out to Wollar to check the house and grab a few things, while us girls took a (not so) leisurely drive with Brooke at the wheel....

We all spent the night at Kris and Kate's and got to spend the day with them the next day as Kris wasn't working. It was wonderful just kicking back and relaxing as a whole family again (and I'm now kicking myself as I JUST realised I didn't take a family pic...grrr)

I miss them all sooooo much and wish petrol was cheaper and they were closer so we could see them all more often :0)

From La Perouse to Mudgee...

Well last weekend found us at La Perouse at the beach..not surf like I like but it was really good for Tori even though the water was freezing! and of course when Brent saw the photos today..we have to go back...which we will, it was only a 45 minute drive which is about half as far as Wollongong where we normally go...great to get a dose of Vitamin D!

This weekend sees us heading up to Mudgee to visit with Kris, Kate and Maddison (and the boys will head on out to our place to do what needs to be done) ..Can't wait to see them as it's been about a month since we've seen the girls and a couple of months since we've seen Kris :0(

Watch Out World!

Yup, it's time for everyone to get off the road! Brooke has gotten her L plates!


Congrats, Brooke :0)

Big Birthday Week

Well the end of September is always a big week for us with Tori and Brent's birthdays only 5 days apart but this year was EXTRA big when the weekend found them both having 5 friends over for parties!

Tori's birthday was actually Tuesday and she got to have some cakes at Playvan with her friends as well as a YUMMY McDonalds icecream cake that night but she got to have her party on Sunday with all her friends coming over having fun playing games and smashing the pinata!

Brent's birthday was Sunday but had 5 mates come over on Saturday and they played army games, rode the motorbike and camped out.

I have to say 6 teenagers are MUCH louder than 6 toddlers..lol

I love, love, LOVE the picture of when Ashlee opened the boot of his car to show Brent his gift and the look of total surprise and amazement on Brent's face...I wish I had his reaction on video but it's etched in my brain..lol..he actually cried to think that his brother does like him after all....and by the way, it was an electric guitar!

Sweet 16

Well hard to believe but Brooke is already 16! We had a family party at home and as they get to pick their birthday menu and she wanted a fondue we brought her her own set. A great night was had by all but she has had a tough week this week. After getting contact dermititis at work (Donut King) we were at the chemist waiting for her prescription and she was talking to everyone around her (as she normally does) when the boss came up to her and told her that she loved her personality and offered her a part-time job which Brooke accepted. After dropping her resume off the boss rang back and said she wanted her full-time and would she being willing to give up DK! She has been really torn as she has started a traineeship at DK and been told she will be up for assistant manager but then she was really tempted by the chemist job. After talking to the boss & manager at DK and being the loyalist she is I think she'll stay at there (hope it's the right decision)

What a Week..

What a time for my camera (new) to die..

Recently I had my in-laws turn up from Queensland (who we haven't seen for a couple of years) and they brought Kym's aunt and cousin who are visiting from Denmark (who he hasn't seen his aunt in almost 40 years and never met his cousin) and they also brought another cousin Shelby who despite living about 10kms away the kids never see. (Funny side note- when Tori was told these girls were her cousins she said "NO, Annalise is my cousin" and wouldn't believe us she had more than one :0) )

Then Kristopher, Kate and Maddison came for a visit and we took her over to meet her aunty, and cousin and Grandad for the first time.

Then it was Brooke's 16th Birthday....

long story short...I had to pay to get Brooke's camera out of layby as well as my trusty "baby" and my mobile phone...we managed...but still annoyed it died in the first place...

A DAY OUT WITH MADDISON bear

Anyone who reads my blog would know about Maddison Bear. Seeing as we can't take the real Maddison out for the day we decided to do the next best thing. After waking up with Aunty Tori we strapped Maddy in the carseat and headed out to check out Kindygym (where evryone had lots of fun). Then we went to Hungry Jacks where Tori and Maddy danced at the jukebox and went down the slide. After sharing a drink with Uncle Brent we all went home :0)

Yes, we are a little bit crazy but one day we hope for a day out with "THE REAL MADDISON" ...lol

And Baby Makes Three!

Well I for one had a FANTASTIC time this weekend, not only did I get to see Kristopher for the first time in almost four months but I also got to spend the day with Maddison and Kate and her wonderful family.And as you can see by this great pic I FINALLY got to take a photo of Kris and his girls together :0)

Proud Mumma!

I'm ALWAYS proud of all my kids but I LOVE Brent in his army polyesters. I am very proud of the way he carried himself at the 3 Anzac services he participated in and the fact that he volunteered to be part of the Dawn Service!

SURPRISE!!!!! it's Maddison!

Well I got a great surprise over on my mum on Saturday. She thought the surprise was that I picked her up from work but after making a fake phone call and saying I had to call home first, and then plying her with food & drink for a couple of hours the real surprise arrived. Ironically, only moments before she was saying she will probably never see Maddison (as they live a couple of hours away & she doesn't drive) and lo and behold who should arrive??? but Miss Maddison herself! I thought poor mum was going to faint! Well after a couple of hours, a feed, nappy change and LOTS of cuddles we sadly saw of bubby, mummy and nanny. Hopefully it won't be long til we see them all again.

Thanks to Sandra and Kate if you happen to read this, the visit was MUCH appreciated :0)

Catch Up on Family News

okay, well as you know it's pretty boring in our neck of the woods but here goes... Brooke has gotten herself a fulltime job at Donut King in Penrith as well as still working at Good Grub on the weekends she is keeping herself busy (but NOT saving any money...lol) Ashlee passed his P's second time round and is now driving himself to and from work and TAFE in the Kia (though he keeps asking to take MY CAR...as if! lol) Brent went on a weekend biv with cadets this past weekend and came home EXHAUSTED yesterday but thoroughly enjoyed himself! FINALLY seems to be settling in at Kingswood High and making friends. Tori is still doing Playvan twice a week and LOVING it and has also started doing Ballet on the weekends which she ADORES...plus she gets to see Hudson for an extra day :0) Kym is away in South Australia again for work this week and is still busy, busy, BUSY! I closed my Ebay shop and haven't been listing any items, would still like to do some craft markets but am still busy with MUMS TAXI. (In one day starting at 5.20 am and last run at 9.40pm I.... Took Ashlee to work, came home, took Brooke to work, came home, Brent to school, home, Tori to playvan, straight to pick Brooke up from work, pick Brent up from school, home, pick Ash up, home, take Brent to cadets, home, pick Brent up..HOME!!!...phew!!! Who needs a fulltime job!!!)

Maddison Louise

Born 19.01.08 8lb5 54cms and ABSOLUTELY gorgeous. Well done Kris n Kate...well I guess that makes it official...I'm a grandmother (gulp)

2008!!!!

Well we've rung in the new year, hard to believe! We stayed home so we could see what the fireworks we like and boy was it worth it! With almost 360degree views we could see fireworks EVERYWHERE, even all the way to Sydney Harbour! (faintly) with Tori still being scared of the loud noises it was great to be able to see them even tho at times it sounded like a war zone with them going off all over..at one stage I counted 17 different lots going off but Brent counted 34 lots around us....

New Years Day (my birthday) we had a lazy day and then went to mum & dad's for my birthday dinner.

Resolutions - My personal resolutions this year are to LOSE WEIGHT IN 08! Get more active, get to bed earlier, drink less coke and more water, and take better care of my skin (Ashlee brought me some Dr Lewinns so I had a facial to get started and now I'm using his present!) Scrapbooking resolutions this year are to do a layout a day (which I've managed so far...lol) and to use up my stash (our LSS gives a 30% discount for your birthday so I brought a trolley to store my papers so HOPEFULLY I'll be a bit more sorted. And lastly, I saw on a great blog http://boutiquebabe.typepad.com/my_weblog/ 365 photos, so I have done my first 2..maybe this covers both resolutions as its in scrapbooking and will HOPEFULLY record weightloss...lol

HOPE 2008 WILL BE FANTASTIC FOR YOU AND YOURS!!!!