Weeds, nothing to do with xmas lol

We sure are good at growing weeds around here. There has been loads of rain and we are in summer now with extreme heat one day and cold the next, crazy Aussie weather.

Suddenly noticed growing in the soon to be mowed grass something different.

Yeah, mushrooms!! Not even the time of year they would grow especially out in the middle of a sunny back garden......weird.  They have now been mowed away so yard is looking better today.

Even have potato bushes going crazy down the back near the lemon tree.

I cut the top off this young lemon tree and it has gone mad. Think the man has been assisting in its growth lol

The sage is dying off for some reason, but the Aloe is growing bigger as is the spearmint.

Well enough boring garden talk.

Caught up with one of my bro in-laws and he was having an in depth discussion with the man.

lol

And my sis who just LOVES having her picture taken and especially appearing here lol

Hello Chook my little name for her ☺

Had to delete one pic of her or she would not have been very happy with me ♥

They came to see our new van now called Winnie.

Oh yes and my pic just to be fair ☺☺

Have made for my mum for Xmas this scarf and also

these mittens she loves wearing so I reckon she will be happy with these.

Drove down (2hr) to take her Xmas shopping and she was glad to have me and my sis help her and of course see us, but left camera home so Mum is safe from my picture taking lol....

May you all be enjoying getting ready for Xmas and some of you have already had plenty of catch ups with friends and family. Our next 2 weeks will be full of that ☺☺

Till next time take care my lovely visitors xo

Wishing everyone a happy new year & our family xmas

Look at that sweet little face of my new grandson Riley. He came to stay for a night with his sister and mum and dad for our Xmas gathering over the weekend ☺♥

And here is the big sister Misty, beautiful blue eyes although this is not a very good shot of her, she is always on the go lol.

Here is his mum (again a bad shot lol) and dad in background.

Daddy my 2nd son ☺

The man himself with his youngest son.

And yes the man's daughter Julia, pretty girl.  

My girl Sarah having one of many cuddle times with baby Riley.

My oldest grandson Brandon ☺☺ Did not get a close shot of his younger brother Sebastian but he is at the table in later shots.

Of course babies need to eat/drink too lol.

A puzzle game I gave to the man called Heist and he still has not solved it, but got his boy to put all the pieces at least back in the frame that holds them. Apparently you have to  have the bullet looking bits alternating and combine with the jewels, 3 options of solving and none done yet. Usually he takes 15mins to solve a puzzle so this year I bought this bigger one and have him stumped so far lol ☺☺

Table getting set for the 10 of us (not counting baby) with everyone staying the night.

A better picture of Misty getting ready to eat.

Riley resting on his mat, he loves the little hippo I gave him.

Tucking in to the Wings, Ham, Roast pork, Coleslaw, Pasta salad and roast chat potatoes. That is Sebastian in the blue t-shirt. 

 

All happily eating.

I baked a loaf of bread day before and a few sampled this as toast for breakfast the next morning.

Lunchtime on the 2nd day when my youngest boy Ray and his pretty fiance' Lauren came for the day with their lovely black Labrador Roxy and whoops forgot to take a pick, was too busy patting her and enjoying all of the family ☺☺

Ray again with Lauren next to him. Everyone enjoying Pork, Ham, Roast Turkey roll, Smoked Salmon, Roasted chickens, salad again with roast potatoes done with Rosemary and garlic.

Never took a shot of all the wonderful slices, white Xmas, truffles, rum balls, hedgehog, mars bar slice, shortbread which Fiona brought and I also made so lots to be eaten. Also fruit cake heated with custard and cream and a chocolate Ripple cake.

And even Riley joined us at the table with Misty loving the Xmas cracker.

And a lovely way to finish this post with Lauren holding Riley, sweet.

Hope you all get to have a wonderful new years night and keep safe to enjoy the year ahead.

Thank you for visiting and hope you will drop by again.

Happy New year to everyone out there ♥♥

 

Family visits and waiting on our xmas gathering tomorrow.

In my last post I showed my son Rex with baby Riley as he was visiting for Xmas to catch up with family ☺☺ I love watching aeroplanes taking off and landing so was more than happy to go pick him up and watch lol. The drive was a total of 800klm's over the 2 days I had him with me, but so worth it all ☺☺

Here is the plane he flew in on and I was very excited to be there.

There is REX!! Mum's are always excited to see their babies lol.

The man's little girl came over to see Rex too, not a great shot but the only 1 I took. Also her brother too, but no snaps of him, but will make up for the photo snapping of them this weekend as we are having our Xmas family gathering over this weekend. I have been doing lots of baking and getting ready, even mowed that hideous grass lol.

And the man himself looking rather serious lol lol.

 

Finally have our little train setup under the little Xmas tree. It is battery run and really cute and know that little Misty will love it when she visits for the night on Saturday. Actually most of them are staying this weekend, so will be lovely time for us all. Except for Rex who flys

 back, me not taking him this time and am feeling rather sad about it, but I had 2 full wonderful days with him.

But I get to see this little guy again and can't wait as he is also sleeping over. Of course have shown this pic before but just had to share again. Granny and Grandpa will have fun.

May you all have had a wonderful Xmas and new year ahead.

♥♥♥♥

 

 

Like so many other's Merry Xmas & may 2013 bring a better year than the one before!!!

Oh yes, here is the little grand baby himself, Mr Riley, Merry Xmas everyone!!

With his Uncle Rex who was visiting from NSW.

Yes, this hat that Granny made, sent me to sleep lol and it was mega hot on Sunday so took it off pretty quick, well at least after the photo shoot.

Daddy (my number 2 son), Uncle Rex (number 1 son) and Mr baby Riley, cute lol.

And in the name and memory of my dear Dad and younger brother Andy a quiet Xmas drink......the man is on night shift so he is sleeping at the moment (3pm here) and will head off to work around 6ish.  Nice to remember those who are no longer here but so many wonderful/fun memories ☺☺♥

And just for something different, some planting I plan to do, some Olive herb which, apparently, taste's just like olives in salad and cooking, so a win win if you like Olives.

Love pig face because the little flowers are so bright and reckon my veggie garden which has become NON existent, can now become flowers and herbs only, I am good at that lol.

Yes more Rosemary, can't have tooooo much of that.

My wonderful Large Rosemary bush!!

And some Sage that has grown itself mixing in with Spearmint, all good as a nice cup of tea to pretend I am healthy lol.

May you all have a Merry Xmas with a better year ahead.

Take care ♥♥

 

Xmas baking

Hello again! Well I have at least been doing something so have a few pic's. Not very exciting but for me it is amazing I did this much making/cooking in one day lol.

Mixed dried fruit with butter, rum and mixed spice.

Flour of course.

A couple of eggs, then beaten.

And I still can't believe I donated a whole cup of my beloved rum into this cake lol. My son arriving Sunday to stay one night loves this cake so hoping he will be very pleased I made it ☺

The end result, a nice boiled fruit cake. Recipe in a book called NMAA cooks and old nursing mum cookbook I have which would be roughly 30yrs old.

Then whipped up with more flour, cornflour too.

Some butter nicely softened.

Yep sugar which I grounded down to be like caster sugar.

To end up with these little shortbread's, with different faces ☺ Made about 40 so these should last if the man of this house stays away from them.

Then melted some of these yummy bars.

Threw in some rice bubbles (about 2cups worth) with a dash of cream.

Mixed it all up and formed into little balls and put into patty cases.

Little mars rice crackles, now living in the fridge also with a warning to the man not to eat them all lol.   How is you prep for Xmas shaping up? I have almost completed all pressie's and most are wrapped sitting under tree. Our family gathering is not till the following weekend and the man is working over Xmas so will be a weekend of partying here around the 29th.

Take care out there ♥♥