Our Christmas Dinner......

Last night we had our big Christmas dinner - a week early as tomorrow Abby and Sam go to their Dads house for two weeks.  Everyone helped set up the table, and we used the centrepiece I won in the tacky gift exchange to decorate the table.

It was a fun dinner with crackers to pull as well. 

After dinner we watched a movie together - National Lampoons Christmas Vacation #2 - the sequel to the Chevy Chase movie!!  We had Christmas pudding half way though the movie :)

Yum!!!  :)

Cheers!!

Family traditions :)

Abigail made us a huge bowl of brandy butter last night.  Enough for the whole Christmas season and ready for last nights Christmas pudding :)

Cookie Exchange!!

My friend C organized a Christmas cookie exchange for us all - I chose not to take part as Abby and Sam leave for two weeks at their Dads, and I wanted to make the most of their time here before they leave without being stressed out by baking 11 dozen cookies lol!!  

I did however ask to join them for the actual exchange - which was an excuse for a playdate :)  I took dreidels and gelt, and a paperchain kit for the kids :)

It was a lovely afternoon - the children played and us grown ups ate and chatted :)

My amazing friends surprised me with some cookies to take home even though I didn't take part.  I really do have such incredible friends!!!  :)

Gingerbread Houses :)

Yesterday we spent the morning making and decorating gingerbread houses.  It was so much fun - Sam and Abby did so well - they didn't have ANY help at all but both managed to build their houses themselves :)  Abby taught me how to make the BEST icing using Laurences Meringue Powder!!  

I decorated Sams snowman and gingerbread man - that was fun :)  

Sams house:

My Shrek/ alien man:

Abigails house:

Candy for decorating - love having Bulk Barn so close :)  

My little professional:

Filling the piping bags was funny:

Mondays sunrise...

Yesterday morning Susannah and I headed to Timmys for breakfast before I drove her to school.  It actually meant a bit of a sleep-in as we got to leave later than we do for her bus!  The sunrise on the way to school was beautiful!

It makes a nice change to go to Timmys so early and have that bit of extra time with Susie :)