Australia Zoo

Santa gave the boys a family pass to Australia Zoo so we stopped in on our way home. Its a great place. Altho the car park was crowded we never felt in a crowd (except at the feedings which we could avoid). We had 2 very tired boys sleeping on the way home but they had the most exciting day!

Of course it all started with the Crocodiles.....

but the Australian animals were a winner....

and YD has had a soft spot for Tortoises since his youth

but I was most delighted to actually feed Bimbo the Elephant (& I'm sure my bit of banana was the most delicious she had!)....

and to see the gorgeous Tigers at play.

Xmas highlites, now they are over...

It's nice to look back and see the bright spots after a little break where you feel like you didn't really have any time to yourself for relaxing at all......


Before we left we had Xmas dinner with the rest of my family as they were all off to Fiji for a weeks holiday a few days later.

The resort -Atlantis Marcoola- was wonderful, right on the beach, family friendly pool, playground, games room, and they even gave out little goodie bags Xmas eve!










Our Xmas tree was tinselled up apartment decor -stylish!

Presents were given and recieved with joy - and I was not annoyed that I didn't get the only thing I asked for..... (I just went to the sales the next day & got it myself!)

I made a great brunch and we ate it and drank bubbles while over looking the ocean...

more of YD's family had gathered in one place than in the whole time I've known him -from Zimbabwe, Sth Africa, Townsville, Buderim & us!


and finally, boxing day involved a huge family waterfight during which I was the only one to stay dry!

We did have a great time - and I did manage to read a whole book and get the boys photo albums up to date. I'm as tanned as I get -which is still white but with an unintentional red tinge, no matter what I do I always miss somewhere and get burnt when in the sun....and I got some new scissors (as in 2 pairs) for cutting material and paper!

Merry Christmas

This is a version of this years Xmas card we sent out.
The heads are our thumbprints but it just didn't work out as cute as I'd hoped -maybe due to a dodgey ink pad. I just attached them to standard cheapy cards and incorporated the design already there if possible or covered the whole front if not...
So have a lovely Christmas anyone who visits here, thanks for coming by!

Xmas lites are twinkling

Tonite we went out to see more of the local Christmas lights. The boys loved it.





















These were mostly all in one street.











A bit of Aussie Xmas - kangaroos, beach & surf.


It was our last chance to see them as we head off tomorrow on our little holiday up the coast. Presents are mostly wrapped and hidden in the car, clothes and food is mostly packed. Computer will NOT be coming with us -so far my pleas for a laptop have fallen on deaf ears but the New years sales will start soon! I am taking some beads to play with to cover my withdrawals from blog visiting...and there will be a pool and the beach....oh and Xmas day too!



















and my little elves.....


Merry Christmas!

Flower Friday

a gerbera from my anniversary bouquet

decisions decisions

So which pic should be my new screen saver?

Monday was a good day

Monday was good for a couple of reasons - it was my 7th wedding anniversary....doesn't seem that long ago we were laughing with friends & rells, some who we hadn't seen for ages, some who travelled a long way to join us and the evening did all go so fast....

To celebrate this year my *Boy was not well so we scrapped plans for them to stay over at the grandparents and just had them babysat here instead so we'd be the ones up all night if need be.....yes of course he was fine the minute we left but that's just typical! Anyway we saw Quantum of Solace (wasn't to impressed really) then drove around in search of an open restaurant YD deemed acceptable to eat at -we ended up at Montezuma's mexican -yes ever so romantic but a nice meal.


Monday was also the arrival of my prize from WhatKatyDid Designs thru Le@ ThirdontheRight's
Creative Aussies competition. I got a lovely birdie decal which I think will go on my car (after I wash it). I also decided to get one of Katy's pendants so we did a swap and I got to wear my lovely pendant out Monday night.


This was my first swap and I so love the idea of it. Next year I'll be out searching for all those ornament & gift swaps I see everyone participating in....It'll drive YD nuts -he just doesn't get the joy of giving to someone you may not know......

ps The winner of one of my banners went to Trish @ MyLittleDummerBoys thru Le's comp, I think it looks quite cute (if I do say so myself!)

starting on Xmas

We are going away for the Christmas week this year - a bit of a luxury to stay at a nice resort at Marcoola at this time of year but with Rellys-in-law visiting from Zimbabwe we were wanted by the MiL to be present Xmas day to complete the family and this was my compromise..... Anyway the upshot is that we haven't gone all out with the decorations this year.

#1Son has produced a nice array of new Xmas art at school which is decorating the back door.



The tree was a $7.50 bargain. We usually have a real live dying tree but since the empty house won't appreciate the lovely pine smell as the leaves cover the carpet in the sweltering heat, I decided we would fake it this year -and I have to say, while small, it doesn't look too bad. The boys did a great job with the red decorations -there wasn't even room for any tinsel when they had finished.


This is one of our new decorations for this year. While gazing at it later in the night I was reminded of my Grandma's decorations and all her twisted tinsel in the dining room, all ready for a big Xmas feast.
I think I'll have to get some more if I can find them - just another way to remember her. I wish she had met my boys.....




We have our lights up out front - just white icicles along the roofline (I should take a pic) .
We went for a drive around the suburb the other night and this was a fav -not too over done but pretty. My batteries went flat after this shot but I thought it was not bad (The reflection is on my car roof) and we shall probably go out again to see more. Next time we won't leave the grill on with pork fat in it tho - our house was full of smoke when we got home & the alarm was screeching, lucky we didn't stay out longer!

Christmas designs

Today Cheeky Cheeks did our 1st christmas party for the year so yesterday I used #1son as a canvas so we would have some Christmassy designs to display....





















it was all a bit of a waste tho as only one design got used, the rest went for the usual old butterflies, spiderman, hearts & flowers......
































but I think looked in the spirit of things!

80's flashback

Playing along with Le@ThirdontheRight 's Flashback Friday Linkup here....so here's my 80's memories for all those who weren't there with me.......

I started high school in 1980 with long straight hair and no direction and finshed with a tight perm, good friends and no direction....

High school was great, I did passably well but could have applied myself more according to report cards, but I think I was there to socialise anyway -never in the cool group but friends with many. I had crushes then finally achieved boyfriend or 2.

Never a style guru, I none the less had fashion pieces scattered thru my wardrobe -like the knickerbockers at left which was teamed with a pirate shirt for Duran Duran concerts. I have never been a shoe person -and apparently neither was my Dad who seems to have cut off my feet in most pictures. I was heading off to a school dance here, aged 14 - just prior to my 1st perm I think!

The 80's was a time for concerts, my 1st was Adam & the Ants and tkts were only $13.90 (!) and many followed. If I couldn't afford to go I would sit at the entry way doors and listen. I loved music and would listen to the top 40 weekly on Sundays while I did homework. Unfortunately my hearing is now wrecked and I blame this squarely at the feet of large speakers!

School finished in a blaze of satin & lace and everyone was out to get jobs or start uni. I still didn't know what I should do but applied for various jobs and courses finally getting into a pre-vocational Graphic arts course. It was a great course but Dad offered an even more tempting option -to travel to the UK with him for about 7weeks. So off we went and the travel bug nestled deep under my skin. The pic to the right is us on our return via LA where Dad's cousins lived. I loved that skirt -and look, I haven't always had tuckshop mum arms!!

While away I was accepted as a pre-press apprentice so on my return I started working -my 1st pay packet was $118...so much back then! Anyway the 4 years passed and I had a great time both at work and at play & in the pubs & clubs - not alot of satin in my wardrobe but definately shoulder pads, black stockings, a jacket or 2 and layered clothes with either dead tight straight or very full skirts. Oh there were those big wide elastic belts too and my fav black & red striped long sleeve T.

And finally I turned 21 in 1988. '88 was a big year for Brisbane -we hosted the World Expo and our town grew up and we learned the city was a great place to be entertained. There were exhibits from heaps of countries, foriegn foods, concerts, buskers, arts (our art gallery & performing arts centre opened about then too) -my friends & I had passes and spent many happy hours there. For my 21st I had my party on a boat which cruised up the river in time for the nightly fireworks.

Le asked for perms and here's a fresh one! I loved a good spiral perm -especially the bounce you got that 1st night on your pillow! ....and lookee here, who's that with curls beside me -a very stylish Le herself! Again I fail the traditional 80's glam look opting for what I think was polished cotton in an asymetrical long shirt over black pants -probably with black suede 'pixie' boots (loved them!) -I do have the obligatory shoulder pads tho!

My 2nd best ever present was from my parents for this birthday - my 1st SLR camera (the best being the digital camera to superseed it). I had gained an interest in photography thru my apprenticship, as I gained an understanding of film, light & exposures. Below, I got a zoom lens a year or 2 later and just had to play!

So I came to the close of the 80's having saved lots of money somehow to start travelling - 1st I went to the USA and did both coasts, then as the 90's dawned I headed for Europe....but that will have to be another flashback.....

Ok that was a bit long but I did looove the 80's and it was a great time in my life!!