Travelling

Very grateful to be heading on a holiday...

I read a cute saying - and I don't know who said it:

If you don't like the path you are traveling then forge your own track.

I like that!  There are so many ways to live your life and so many options and opportunities.  We just need to ensure we choose the right things for ourselves.  I know that I've chosen poorly sometimes, but that is OK.  Life is an adventure!!

Traditions

It's Fran's birthday.  So we went to the Carter's house.  I love the fact that I always see Fran on her birthday!  So grateful for the wonderful traditions that I have in my life. Happy Birthday Fran!

Death of a son

Often at Christmas, as I Christian, I think about the death of God's only son.  Christmas is such an upbeat time (albeit busy) and it helps to really focus on what the birth of the child at Christmas means.

Earlier today, Sam discovered that one of her friends from school had died suddenly. He had felt unwell on Christmas day and his condition had deteriorated over the following days and he died at 6:42pm on 27 December - just three days short of his 17th birthday.  I am thinking of a mother tonight who has lost her dearly loved son.  I'm thinking of a family that will forever associate Christmas Day, a time of celebrating, with the death of a young family member.  I'm also thinking of Sam and her friends, particularly the boys, as they come to terms with the death of a friend.  Death is very difficult...

Sisters and Boxing Day

I went to the shops with my sisters on Boxing Day! It was lots of fun even though the only thing I purchased was a pair of shoes and a few little Christmas things.  So grateful for the time I spend with my sisters...

Christmas Day

I love Christmas.  And I love the photos!!!  It is said that a photo says a thousand words, so here is summary of my Christmas Day 2012.

Christmas Morning

Christmas Lunch

Christmas Dinner

I decided to say "no"

There are some things that I always do and one of them is to sing in the Christmas Eve service at Wesley.  This year I said "no".  I'm very grateful that I am able to say 'No' for something that I would always do, but I'm half regretting it now.  I always enjoy the service and I always enjoy the singing.  That being said, I am tired and had no energy to attend the practice last week!  So it's probably a good thing.

I now have lots of time to now get re-energised for 2013!  I am not going back to work until 11 February.

Harry Potter Party

Rachel had a Harry Potter Party to celebrate her 13th Birthday!  She and her cousins have been reading the books out loud with each other - such a lovely past-time.  I decided to get into the spirit of things by ensuring the food followed the theme!  I was very happy with my efforts.  I had to rush out of work to get them all done in time, but I think it was worth it.  I probably would have enjoyed it more if I'd had additional time, but that's life!!!

Broomsticks (pretzels and cheese tied with chives)

Spiders (cupcakes covered with chocolate icing with liquorice legs)

Ginny / Rachel holding one of my golden snitch cake pops!
(I won't be making these ever again!!)

Puff pastry witches hats with spinach and ricotta filling

The Hogwarts Castle Cake!  (Not a bad attempt!  Not Brilliant either, but you get the idea!)

Gun control

It is impossible not to be saddened by recent events in Newtown, Connecticut, USA.  How one young, silly boy can think about hurting young children is horrific! How that same boy can have access to a weapon that it capable to firing a large number of bullets in a short period of time is unimaginable, and yet he did!  Guns - especially automatic weapons - have no place in a functional society.

Thank goodness for gun control laws in Australia.

Jumping

One of the things that I've often said about my childhood is that my parents didn't actually enjoy watching us play sports.  Now, that's not really a problem because we still DID the sports, they just didn't watch.  However, it did mean that we weren't able to do certain activities because they required parental assistance.  One of these activities was Little Athletics.  Every Saturday in summer I endure three hours watching and assisting my children in athletics.  I'd rather be in bed most weeks!  Anyway, yesterday I took some photos - which I enjoy - and I liked this photo of Tash in long jump!

A Shared History

I have a lot of friends that have been my friends for a lot of years.  I am sure that is pretty weird for a lot of people, but I like it!  I also like 'series' photos - you know, the photos you take from year to year from the same spot or with the same people!  The other day I realised that I had a photo of Natasha, Liana, Tegan and Chloe taken in February 1998 and another of them taken in November this year.  It's so cute!  I didn't even set it up!  Interestingly, each of these four children have a parent born in 1967!