Christmas morning

I made these jars of Cowgirl cookies from http://bakerella.blogspot.com & put them in their santa sacks. The girls went mad for these. They wanted to make them up on Christmas day but I had to take control & say 'hold your horses, we already have far too much food' haha sorry 'bout the pun. Nik reckons all her Uni buddies will go crazy when she cooks up the cowgirl cookies.
She loves to dress up & chrissy was just another excuse.
We had a blue & silver theme this year, in fact I think I became a traitor from Pink this year.

Yep, they were sooooooo happy when they seen their Napoleon gift bags but not as excited as they were when they opened their Pandora bags. This was the 'best Christmas ever' they reckon. Santa & I bought all the girls a silver Pandora bracelet with a little silver house charm.
We explained its significance. We explained that they should always remember that they will always have somewhere to come home to where they can feel safe. The door will always be open.... All I want for christmas (for the past 10 years!) is a pair of footy shorts. Well this is your lucky year darling!!! Merry Christmas !!!!!

Christmas day lunch at The Lancasters.

The two older girls were her for this and did they have a feast. We had oysters, salmon and prawns all given to us , this was a real treat and the girls loved having the oysters to themselves.Craig & I not too keen on oysters.

We still had the traditional ham and chicken, no pork or turkey for us this year. We enjoyed lots of salad dishes & only one hot dish of potato bake. Too hot for anything else we thought. We shared bottles of our favourite wine, Browns Brothers Merlot. Yummy.

My last Christmas Eve in Inverell

How beautiful is our angel

The girls are 16, 20 & 21 but the still like their sack of goodies from Santa Good things come in small packages

Miranda & Bec (Besties) exchanging gifts...........aaHhhh!!! That's Pandora ahhh!! & Napoleon

Sisters

My two girls are moving in together at University accommodation next weekend.

Do you know what this means for me?

It means I can stresss less!Whew!
It wasn't long ago that they 'got on each other's nerves'. Now they are thick as thieves.

I 'm glad they have found each other again. Nik has a blog! go see what she wrote about the love for her sister at http://myheartby monique.blogspot.com /2009/10/hope-is-something-myself-and-my-sister.html

Yey!! Blog Award

Jack http://myworld-jack.blogspot.com/ awarded me this Over the Top blog award. Thankyou!!!

Let me see if I can get this right, now I have a little job to do
That is..........pass onto 5 of my favourite bloggers ( not easy task, too many beauties!)
......................Alert them that you have given them this award
......................Use one word only .....

1. Where is you cell phone? dunno!
2.Hair? Yuk!
3.Your mother? friend
4. Your father? protector
5.Your fave food? Thai
6. Your dream last night? peaceful
7.Your fave drink? moscato
8. Your dream /your goal? longevity
9.What room are you in? lounge
10. Your hobby? thrifting
11. Your fear? hairdressers
12.Where do you want to be in 6 years? married
13.Where you were last night? home
14.Something that you aren't? lonely
15.Muffins? maybe
16.Wish list item? diamonds
17.Where did you grow up? Gunnedah
18.Last thing you did? ate
19.What are you wearing? P'js
20.Your T.V? Flat
21.Your pets? dogs
22.Your friends? fun
23.Your life? busy
24.Mood? settled
25.Missing someone? daughters
26.Your vehicle? maroon
27.Something your not wearing? jewellery
28.Your fave store? Spotlight
29. Your fave colour? Pink
30.Last time you laughed? today
31.Last time you cried? today
32.Your best friend? fifty
33.One place I go to over and over? work
34.One person who emails me regularly? Kay
35.fave place to eat? Thai

Now pass onto 5 friends....

Lee Laurie http://asouthernrose.blogspot.com/
Joey http://joey_joeysplace.blogspot.com/
Patti http://peppermint54.blogspot.com/

kimmie http://serendipitycafe.blogspot.com/
sheryn http://pinkandprettydesngns.blogspot.com/

My Garage Sale finds

Have you been bargain hunting lately??

Look what I picked up at a saturday morning Garage sale at Vinnies. I didn't know Vinnies had garage sales?? I come across this by accident. Just in time I arrived 5 minutes before closing.....ooooweeee!

I found all this for under 8 bucks. A hp deskjet 5550 printer (great for one of the girls at Uni or another doing her senior years at high school), a blue christmas ball, a frame that fits the drawing that my daughter done for me for my last birthday & a pretty painted jar that I just thought would be perfect for my cottonbuds for my bathroom
( do you remember these from the late eighties?)

Delicious Lemon Coconut Slice

I 'm feeling pretty chuffed right now!! I just couldn't wait to get my big jar out from layby!!
I had other plans for it until I visited Cindy at Romantic Home
I zoomed in on her kitchen & seen her big jar that looks just like mine.

She had filled it with lemons & added ribbons.

Then, I couldn't resist making some yummy lemon coconut slice.
I forgot the recipe so I found one on the web along with some other beaut recipes, head on over to http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/ for some ideas for next weeks menu planning.

Pink Poison

I' m suddenly into poisons !!What a sweeeeeeet way to go!!
My kinda halloweeeeeeeeeeeen...........

Wow!! Pink turns the scariest skulls into pretty
pop on over to toriejayne's Blog at

http://toriejayne.blogspot.com

Oh So Sweet

I am soooo in love with these candy bars!! So much so that I am collecting my own jars to have my own little candy bar. Yummo !!!smacko!!!

See the tall one on the right with those big round gumballs inside, well I have it on layby.

Yes! yes! yes! I do!.............& guess what ??
It was on sale at 35% off..........How Cooool is that!!!

Theres more..........They let me layby it too...........hehe
You know what?? I don't think I ever pay full price for anything. I mostly shop when there is a sale on. Once upon a time, stores would only have sales on at stocktake time.
BUT not anymore........They will use any excuse for a sale.......
This time I think the sale was in line with the festivities of the Sapphire City Festival.

Pink Party

One day I am going to host a pink party just like this one isn't it gorgeous!!!
I have a friend turning 50 soon, think she might like this one??
Love those flower pots as weights for the balloons too!!

My business at Balloons n Stuf can supply and fill your balloons up to a 3ft size.
Photo courtesy of ?? not sure sorry, when I saved the picture it was only for personal use.
Please let me know if you know where it may have originated from.

Miranda came to see us off home. She loves the Byron Bay area so much!!

I have resigned to the fact that she has made this her home now. Boo Hoo for me!

She looks happy & she says she is happy. So........ that's good enough for me!! She has lost weight though!? Should I worry?? Stop it right now!!! Why do mothers WORRY so much agh!!

She is so happy that she has decided to study at University. She is hoping she can get in after Christmas break, Good Luck girl we know you can do it!!

Monique is on 5 months break from Uni now and she has full time work, which she loves most of the time.
Enjoy life while you can because you never know what's in store for you!!!

He loves being in front of the camera!!!

Taste of Summer

SHAME!!

Come on summer!!

We spent the October Long Weekend at the beach. Well almost, we went to visit the girls and stayed in Lismore ( bit cheaper accommodation, just as nice). could have spent all day at the markets on Sunday but we wanted to see the girls more, so we headed for Byron Bay where we drove a round and round looking at all the sights.

AND there are many let me tell you!! More of a culture shock for some really. Think I am accustomed to the sights and feel more at home there than anywhere really. Let's just say , Byron makes everyone feel welcome!!Hey look!! Craig is trying to pick me up hehe, you know like in the movies haha. He actually managed to pick me up poor boy ! yeah we had a really good time,Craig was feeling really romantic this weekend, not sure why but i went with the flow, no complaints here LOL.

Oh yeah & we had a Spa Room whoo! hoooo!

Funny ?? I didn't even notice that the weather was overcast until I posted this shot , i was enjoying myself too much.

I took a fly by shot of this little cottage in Bangalow. Love this detail on the verandah.

Love this picket fence too !!Get in real close & check it out!

Really like this home mmmmmm

Bangalow Palms at you guessed it!...........Bangalow

More photos later........

Happy Pink Saturday

I love a bargain!!!!Looked what we picked up for $2 each. We bought the only 20 pots left.
Usually $6 each , we made a killing at a third of the price. Saving (ku...ching$$$$)$80 yeehaa!!

Beautiful gerberas !!!!!!

Sweet Roses........mmmmmsmell it??

He loves me , he loves me not...........he loves me today.......

Happy Pink Saturday Everyone & for more Pink Saturday posts pop on over to Beverley's at How sweet The Sound http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com

Love is........a strawberry cheescake

Look what my hubby made, I knew I was keeping this photo for a special post. Hubby made this strawberry cheescakke for me 'just because ' one day last month. I'm glad I dug the photo out cause I wasn't luvin' him too much earlier today.

As much as I would like to think I have a perfect marriage I am a realist and I know that this isn't always so.

Yesterday i was ready to 'wring my husband's neck' . What for? you may ask? Well that was yesterday and lets just say that it's a good thing i don't hold grudges. Grrrrr........

Be careful what you wish for , they say...................yesterday, I hoped and prayed that something would change his (yes his !) behaviour towards me and what happened I woke up to a stinkin' dust storm didn't I? My goodness I thought, what have I done!! wished for a miracle or more like a disaster of sorts.I wondered how this dust was going to change the little storm we had going on inside the house.??

Anyway........

Hubby went off to work still NOT HAPPY with me and I stayed home with a stomach virus. Later in the morning he arrived home with my favorite hamburger and an Iced Coffee (my fave!! ) he knew I wouldn't venture out in the dust today so he bought me home home lunch. Had we had not had the dust storm things may have been a bit different.

I just melted into his arms and everything was OK Again.......all is forgiven,again.

Now, I'm off to cook him up a big dinner and give him a big hug when he comes through the door singing out 'honey I m home!!!'( he loves saying that!hehe)

Ooooh nearly forgot! Pop on over to http://rebecca-gatheryeroses.blogspot.com to check out another perfect blog.

Dust over Inverell

I think a trip to the carwash is needed , maybe tomorrow? The dust feels thick on my tongue and gritty to my eyes and I haven't even been 'out in it' today. This photo doesn't really show the extent of it all really. This is at 3.15pm this afternoon, it seems to becoming clearer but the winds aren't dying down at all. This is a photo looking over the top of my neighbours rooftop. It's very dusty outside and blowing a gale. I am inside with the house all locked up. All relatives and friends seemed to be affected by it over a lot of Australia.

I thought I 'd get in and do some cleaning and ironing etc etc. BUT guess what i done ?

Not a heck of a lot of anything. I roamed around on blogland and then rang all my rellies to see how they were coping with the weather conditions and just a lot of R & R really.

The dust has had me concerned for my mum and dad who both have emphysema and of course you worry for your children, don't you when they are living away from home and are 'bulletproof'.

I 've rang my parents twice already today, you see i am very worried for my dad who lives with an oxygen cylinder. We nearly lost him last year until the Dr discussed what would happen to him if he 'became worse'. Well, talk about 'will to live'!! I believe it was a good thing that dad was informed of his condition. They said he wouldn't come out of hospital ever but you don't know my dad . He's a real fighter!! hey, i didn't know my dad either!!

But i am getting to know him better again, stuff we missed when I turned into a rebellious teenager.

Heirloom Party September 18

Hi Girls

I only just found out there is an Heirloom Party happening over at

Marie's http://emmacallsmemama.com blog.

If I have time I 'm going to join in but didn't want you all missing out

so pop on over & check it out.

Don't be late!!!!

Last weekend

Note to self: post pictures before writing notes Agh!! This crazy little duster I picked up for $2 has a battery controlled spinning head that makes dusting a bit easier, not bad I d give it a 7/10. (Can't beat a damp cloth & vanilla. )

Yep, there he is again, not a bad bloke to have around hehe. I was a single mum for quite a while and once did quite a bit of hard labour myself. But now the only time I get to do hard labour tis when this guy is upset with me. Grrrrrrr!!LOL

With the lights on!

Practising balloon decorating

I can't understand when someone says to me that they are bored. I just don't get it!!

Maybe I take on too much sometimes ?? I 'm not sure?? I actually fear the word 'bored'. I actually have a problem with it. I just feel that no good comes from boredom so I keep busy, amused, stimulated or whatever you I want to call it Blah, blah,blah............

Anyway, here 's how I kept busy last weekend
Saturday

Made balloon sculpture

Washing

Helped decorate a couple's wedding

Cleaned house

Tidied up the yard

Went for a walk along the river

Sunday
Pulled down decorations at the wedding

Had brunch on Sunday at an outdoor cafe(crap, can't remember its name!)

Watched a couple of DVD's

Promoted our business some more

Had friends visit

Visited the cemetery

Mowed lawn

Ran the car through the carwash

Practised balloon decorating for the coming weekends events

& read some of your blogs.

Hope you all have a great weekend!!!!!!!!

Hayley & Todd's Wedding in Inverell

Last Saturday was a beautiful day for Hayley & Todd's wedding ceremony.
The young couple chose to have their ceremony in the rotunda and then later held the reception in the Riverside Restaurant on the other side of the town bridge. Our business, Balloons n Stuf hired out the pedestals and arch for the ceremony & the couple then chose to enlist friends & family to place the items at the reception area afterwards.
The bride wore a very elegant halter neck gown whilst the attendants wore gowns of a gorgeous shade of purple. The groom & his gentlemen looked stunning in their charcoal suits

The Bride & her attendants walked under the bridge , along the McIntyre River & along the path in the park leading up to the ceremony.

Happy Father's Day

Vivid memories of some special times spent with my Dad.

Dad always made friday nights special for us kids. If it wasn't staying at home making ice cream soda's it was walking to the town pool in the warm summer evenings to buy a milkshake at the kiosk or driving the family to the 'busy bee cafe' for an ice cream sundae & raisin toast.

Tagging along with dad to auction sales & garage sales to pick up other people's trash to turn into treasure.

Digging worms to go fishing on the river bank.

My feet being planted firmly on top of his, holding hands & dancing around the house like i was the most important girl in the world.

Trying to squeeze in between dad & mum as they cuddled, sang & danced in the hallway.

and I 'll never forget when I returned home to visit, 2 weeks after I left to move in with my boyfriend at 18. He didn't talk to me & I couldn't understand why at the time.

Mum said I 'd understand one day when I had my own kids.

Now, 'I totally get it, Dad!'