Wednesday, December 24, 2014

It's the day before Christmas......

....and all through the house is strewn stuff from my making and baking.....which all needs to be cleaned up soon!  It's been a big week....lots of emotional stuff with the kids leaving and lots of tiring stuff with getting things finished off at work so I can have a couple of weeks off. 

Rhiannon and Wade arrived safely in Denver for the holidays and have been enjoying the snow and the chance to have a white Christmas......Mark is due back tomorrow from a 10 day visit to Thailand with some mates so I am looking forward to him being home! 

But I need to go back a bit and recap the last 10 days......

Breakfast of Champions on the morning after the annual Festival of Loz......


...and this is the type of pic you find on your camera when you leave the kids home and go to work.....

A couple more pics of Christmas decorating for 2014....the 50% off Christmas decorations sale at our local homewares store a couple of weeks ago might have been the reason for a few new decorations this year...


 the tree is the same though.....


with a couple of favourite decorations from overseas....



....now where was I.....oh yes.....the airport farewell for Rhiannon and Wade.....
 
 


 Rhiannon asked Wade to get her a magazine for the flight......his choice was an interesting one...which took the girls' mind off the imminent farewell....for a couple of minutes anyway.


On the way out of the airport Jessica and Jianna stopped off to be gingerbread people for a minute......
 
I drove home and went to work......always a good way to keep the mind busy and off other things (like kids departing for a year!) 
 
Saturday was spent with some of the NTFW girls - always fun and super supportive!  .....and a good feed guaranteed!
 

 
Which brings me to Sunday......I have to say at this point that my weekends are usually pretty quiet but I was pleased that this one wasn't......My sister and her hubby had family/friends visiting so brought them up to the Barossa for the day.....I played tourist with them and had a lovely time.....a few pics from the Yalumba winery...a beautiful setting on what was a very hot day......
 

This little fellow caught my eye....very unusual looking .....hard to tell if he was the predator or the prey!


..and the resident emus.....quite prehistoric looking among the agapanthus.....



Monday was back to work to finish off ready for the break and a bit of shopping.....and yesterday I decided (as one does) to make Christmas cakes....not my usual recipe and I will be going back to that next time...but ok.....I also had to go out for a couple of last minute gifts.....no crowded shopping centre for me......got to love having some amazing local shops! (not to mention Maggie Beer's Farm shop just down the road......where I went for my lunch....a tub of  vanilla bean ice cream....well a girl has to eat doesn't she?!)


So here is said cake ...oh and some mini cakes and some gingerbread as well......just because....


The cake topper is one I use every year...it was on our Christmas cakes when we were kids....love it! He is getting old and is a little battered, but still going....and it's nice to bring him out of the cupboard every year.  Which is why I had to make a cake - otherwise he wouldn't have gotten out this year!


So ......to everyone out there reading this I wish you a safe and happy Christmas and a New Year that is filled with health, happiness and creativity.

'Til next time...........................Lorraine

7 comments:

Susan said...

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas too Loz. I have loved reading your posts through the year, hearing about your amazing family and seeing your lovely creations. X

Carline said...

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. I know how it is to have an empty house at this time as ours live too far away to come home as well. I just may find myself at the sewing machine on the big day.

Carline said...

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. I know how it is to have an empty house at this time as ours live too far away to come home as well. I just may find myself at the sewing machine on the big day.

Sue said...

A very Merry Christmas to you too Loz and happy holidays. The year will go quick and before you know it,it will be Christmas again and your loved ones will be home again. Just keep yourself busy stitching all the wonderful projects out there. xxx Sue

Terry said...

Merry Christmas! :0)

Chookyblue...... said...

lot happening for sure.........Merry Christmas.........

Katie said...

Merry Christmas! Your Christmas week weather is certainly looking better than ours. :-)