Grateful for/that...

I love being grateful. It' so much better then the alternative!

Here's my list:

1. My wonderful husband who is an amazing father. We have come so far together and I am incredibly proud of him. Love you, Mr Samoa.

2. The end of an incredibly tough year. The toughest in our marriage so far. But it's mostly over.

Mr Samoa starts work in 6 weeks and he received his invitation to graduation in May next year.

What a celebration that will be!

3. Finding these shoes! And these shoes

 You have no idea the trouble I had trying to find a really soft soled sandal for a boy. Lots of closed shoes...but who wants to wear closed shoes in Summer? And lots of hard soled sandals...but he's just learning to walk so not good for his feet. Lots of soft soled sandals for girls around too.

The hours I spent looking!

4. A girls night out for a hen's night, theme: a day at the races. It was fun to dress up and play games and laugh freely. No kids, no curfew!

But I have to admit I was home by 10pm...just too tired to join in humiliating the bride to be in town.
(Sorry about the strange photo angle. Still working on Mr Samoa's photo taking skills)

 5. Freebies!
This gem was left on the pavement for anyone to pick up. 

I was examining it and figuring out if it would fit in my car when the owner came out to help me.

She then 'reserved' it for me until I could Mr Samoa to come back and get it.

6. Everything boy-ish. Blue and red together. Spiderman.
Lightning McQueen PJs.
Tackles. Roars. Sword and gun fights.

7. Finding this Buzz Lightyear that Turbo adores for just $3 when at other leading retail stores they go for around $70. Ok, he's a lot smaller than the $70 ones but who can argue with $3?

We would have bought him Woody too but this Buzz was the last one.
Meant to be, I tell ya!
(excuse Turbo's very dirty hands...I do bath him everyday, I promise!)

8. That the journey with Smiley, the personification of cuteness, gets easier with each passing week.

I remember before he was born...I was so nervous of how I would cope with a newborn and a dynamo of a not yet two year old.
It's so much easier now and I am enjoying Smiley so, so much.
Delighting in him actually.

9. I've got to see my two precious boys grow up first hand almost every day of the week. It was huge sacrifice but something I always wanted and believed in. It's been hard but now it's over, I don't regret a minute.

10. That my boys get to grow up with their cousins. These two get on so well, and yell and shriek with joy when they're together.

11. Christmas!

And all the parties and yummy treats and get togethers that come with it.

Creating our first family traditions.

Remembering the reason for the season...and starting to teach your children about it. 

I could go on and on.

What are you grateful for?
See what others are grateful for here

My very first attempt...

 ...at Christmas biscuits and working with dough. Vague memories of making mince tarts with my mom came back to me when I was presented with a mass of sticky, not very pliable biscuit dough.

O that's right, you have to keep adding flour and kneading it. The recipe I used obviously took it for granted that people would know what to do because it had no instructions!

And little chubby armed helpers did not make it any easier. But that was the point, remember? (talking to myself). To make some memorable Christmas traditions.

Look at the finger holes and overlapping shapes. O well.

It's about making memories, it's about making memories.

 We did manage to get it right in the end.

Bake until golden. Hmmm....are these golden or reflecting the oven light? 

Managed to figure out how to dust icing sugar with my oversize sieve.

And found some Christmas bags in my wrapping paper and gift bag stash. Perfect!

And of course, someone had to sample the goods.

He wanted to sample them several times actually and I had to pack them away super fast.

Here Turbo told me he was counting them! Hmmm.

All in all it was a success and they taste fine so I'll do the real batch, that will be packaged as Christmas presents, next week. 

Well done me...O and um, you too, Turbo.

Blast from the past

I found some treasures in my parents garage on Saturday.

As soon as I saw them I knew that Turbo would love them. Ever since having Smiley, his nurturing side has come out and I've observed him playing lovingly with baby dolls whenever he could get his hands on them.

So when I saw my baby doll from when I was a little girl, I knew it was the perfect gift for Turbo.

She's a lifesize 6 month old...or probably four month old in the case of my boys!

After a wash and some new clothes (wish I had taken some before photos), she is now a 'he'.

And is being doted on! He's had rice, water, a bottle, a sleep, a walk...and it's only day one with him. I've tried to give him a name but he firmly remains just "Baby". Look at the love in Turbo's eyes!

Another treasure was this Cabbage Patch doll. Anyone remember these?

The dress was missing but I cleaned her up and she looks cute in a new born t-shirt that kind of looks like a dress, so she can stay a she.

She is actually for Smiley, who couldn't give a toss about her right now, and so is being looked after by Turbo a little as well.

Love that I get to pass these on!

My Mom and Dad are amazing at keeping things for us because their parents kept nothing of theirs and so they have no treasures from their childhood at all. Here are some other things my Mom and Dad kept so I could pass them on:

Turbo is really rough on toys and I cringe when he throws these treasures around. But what are toys for other than to be played with?

Note: Yes these are boys toys. But I was from a family of three daughters and my Dad thought it was his duty to educate us with boys toys as well.

We even had a collection of Matchbox cars and were taught things like how to change a tyre, re-wire a plug, use a drill etc. Invaluable skills!

Starting Christmas traditions

Up until now, when asked the question, "What's your family doing for Christmas?" my thoughts always extended to my Mom and Dad, sisters and Mr Samoa's family.

But this year, my thinking has shifted somewhat.

Because, actually, my family is me, Mr Samoa, Turbo and Smiley.

And we need some family traditions, just for our little family of four. Turbo is now 2 and a half and I think it's so important to start them this year.

 

As I wrote a couple of posts ago, we started by buying our first Christmas tree and decorations. And on Friday afternoon, we put on some Christmas carols and set up the tree as a family. Turbo was super excited. I didn't even know he knew what a Christmas tree was!

He was so eager to help and hang the decorations, and once it was completed, it was like he was on a serious high.

Who knew a tree could be so exciting?

And then on Saturday, we attended a Santa parade with 'Nanny and Gempa'. Turbo really enjoyed it, although he has no idea what it was all about and he

actually looked the other way when Santa came past! O well, plenty of time for that.

After the parade there was lots to do. Turbo visited the fire engine crew, watched a helicopter take off and went on a jumping castle. Fun fun fun!

And a little exhausting I must say.

I have a few other things up my sleeve like baking some Christmas biscuits and a special night on Christmas Eve....where one day we will read the story of Jesus' birth. 

Having kids certainly does make Christmas even more special I think.

I remember my childhood Christmasses fondly. My Mom and I always baked mince tarts (yuk!) in the weeks leading up to Christmas, put up the tree and decorated the house. Christmas morning we always awoke to a stocking from Santa then went to church and then as soon we were home, gathered with our mince tarts, tea and other goodies, and one of us put on the Santa hat and handed out the presents. The rest of the day was spent in the pool, playing board games with cousins and eating a big Christmas lunch.

I want to make memories like that for our children. Starting this year!

Oh, and we recieved a package from South Africa from my Aunt with this beauty who has a place of honour on our tree. Gorgeous isn't she?

Thank you Aunt M!