Mooching About.

Some Christmas decorations hiding in the kitchen, desperate to extend their stay beyond the festive season... who am I to deny them.

The dining area looking nice and tidy waiting for some friends to come over for a games night.
And beautiful moisturiser that was given to me by a lovely friend for Christmas and is in use constantly. It's free from all of the nasties too - nice one Cath.

So yes, we are still just mooching about at the moment but we kind of have to in order to preserve our sanity. The boys are on an enforced kindness regime and Jonno and I are thrilled to see it is starting to leak into us as well. There comes a time when as a family, everyone has to review their behaviour and this is certainly our time.

Well, had better get back to the mooching.

Crochet Rabbits and Real Boats.

Yesterday we spent the entire day at the beach from 10am until 7.30pm. Jonno bought the biscuit (pictured above) a few days ago and had to have it boy-filled and out of the water. Like any reasonably sane mother I was a little concerned but Archie and Hugo loved it, zooming about the more shallow parts of the harbour. In the end they convinced me and I had a turn too. Note there are no photos of this as I really didn't want to have a photo of my generous, white bottom over the Internet... call me crazy.

My biggest surprise of 2009 was learning to play the ukulele. At the beginning of the year I dropped a cooking bowl on the floor as I was falling and managed to sever a nerve on my right pointer finger - the finger I used for everything. It is still very numb but the movement is great although I have had to slightly change the way I use it. This is why I paused with the knitting and learnt crochet instead as it is far easier for my hand and much less pressure on the areas where I lost little bits of finger. So yes, If you told me I would be playing ukulele by the end of the year I would have thought you were mad. And the ukulele even came along yesterday to the beach and nobody told me to pipe down. Hugo even made a few requests - is it a good thing for a 3 year old to know all of the words to 'Drunken Sailor'?

And here is the crochet piece I have been working on - that strange blue-headed thing from the other day has turned into a rabbit! I almost sent it away without a tail though so it will be at home for a few more days.

I hope everyone is enjoying their New Year and well on the way to recovering from Christmas.

XXXXOOOOXXX

Afterbits.

Eating.
Crocheting.

Gardening.

Just taking things quietly at the moment and recovering from the rush and fussle.

Christmas Glimpses.

Bright eyed and bushy tailed even with an early start - did I really think I would have a sleep in?

Finally, finally being given the very thing Archie had been dreaming of for years...

A bit of decoration for the table.

In prime position for the extended family present giving.

Christmas Eve...

The boys are in bed being read Vanessa Cabban's magical book 'Dear Father Christmas', carrots artfully arranged in the garden and Father Christmas's tray filled with sweet offerings. I was most shocked because usually he has a beer when he visits but this year has instead requested water!!!

The presents are wrapped and under the tree, stockings hung (albeit precariously) and a heavy, snoozy Christmas Eve feeling has descended upon us. No frantic making of anything tonight, just my feet propped up on the big, blue couch and a DVD. Early to bed too as I have a feeling the boys may not be too keen on a sleep in. Happy Christmas Eve xxooxxooxx.

Peeking Inside.

Can you remember this parcel from a few weeks ago that hinted mysteriously of hidden depths.

Well, now that my Mamaaa has received it I can reveal its innards... A folder covered with a bit of Cath and a lot of love for Mum to put her crochet patterns in.
The frustrating thing is that while I have lots and lots of things I want to show you, I have left my camera at my cousin's house and can't take any photos until this afternoon. AAAGGGHHH. I keep being overtaken by urges to photograph things and I can't - I know I am one for drama but it is kind of like having a limb or a sense removed... a digitally implanted sense.
Things are coming on for Christmas Eve. I am still wrapping with furious joy but am mostly revelling in having a new floor put down after 8.5 years of waiting patiently on cold concrete. It is so luxurious and of course I would be showing a photo but unfortunately cannot!
Happy Christmas Eve to you all and hopefully with a camera safely back in my hands, there may even be another post before the day's end. XXXOOOXXXOOOXXX!!!

Strawberry Picking.

I'll be honest with you. This expedition, the strawberry picking was the highlight of our weekend away, they hung in shiny red clusters, hot and jammy. Every year we travel down to Whakatane, pick strawberries, swim in hot pools and generally relax. It's the December treat and something we anticipate every year. But this year... it was awful. We were too tired and too stressed to be packed up into a camper van together. The fun, the sparkle, the pizazz of holidaying wasn't there and we all had to get on the best we could with cranky scratchiness erupting boil-like from our souls. I have to clarify that this is not normal for us, we holiday very well together and can handle being in enclosed spaces together... just not this time.

In fact, yesterday morning after a 5.15am (ish) wake up, we decided the best thing for it was to pack up and go home. Driving up towards the house was the closest to sheer giddy heaven I have been in quite some time. Separate bedrooms awaited us as well as personal space - loads of it.

And the strawberries... the sweetest I have ever eaten in the privacy of my own home.