Twas the Night Before Christmas....

When I finally gave in and said we could put up a Christmas Tree. Having just finished the wallpapering, the last thing on my mind was the huge effort that is putting up our huge (fake) tree. However, Jayden insisted that without one, Santa would have nowhere to put the presents! Our tree is so large (8ft tall and 1.5m in diameter at the bottom), that we usually put it up downstairs. I was dreading the process as that also meant clearing a space for it. A quick thought entered my mind - what if we forewent the bottom section (it comes in three sections). I tried it out and although a little wobbly - it worked, so we decided to put it up upstairs.

I only had to use about 1/2 the decorations (which gave me the opportunity to have a clear out of some old ones) and 2 sets of lights instead of three - I'm liking the idea of a smaller tree!

Jayden was very worried that Santa (knowing we always have the tree downstairs) would not be able to fin it, so he got out our Christmas rope lights and wound them around the handrail on the stairs from the rumpus up to the tree. Needless to say - Santa found his way.

So this was our tree the night before Christmas (just on midnight) and in fact the only shot I got of the tree! Seriously considering trading in the tree for a smaller one for Christmas 2009, or perhaps even going to a real one!!!

Wallpaper at last...

...Yeah!!! After three years of looking at my stripped walls, I had become quite accustomed to them. However after another set of photos taken with the bare walls as the backdrop - I'd truly had enough. So - 10 days before Christmas I decided I wanted wallpaper on the walls for Christmas. We already had the paper (sitting in storage for 3 years), plus the size and glue and all the tools, plus the sandpaper, oil and stain for the skirting board, so time was really the only expense (and getting mum's time too - as she's the main paperhanger in our family).

Anyway, after hours of sanding (with a little help from Jayden), staining, oiling, sizing cutting, pasting and some very precarious positions (on mum's part-over the stairwell), we went from bare walls to colourful walls. I got my photos back up on the wall by the stairwell and just need to get some pictures/paintings for the other walls to add a bit more life. Here's how it looked before and after.

So much to catch up on

It's been so long since my last entry. There's just been so much going on, that the blog has taken a real back seat. I have loads of picutres to share though, so will try and get a couple posted each day over the next few days.

Not a pretty sight.....

....although not the worst job he's ever done. Here is the latest attempt on his hair. Hiding the scissors is futile as I swear he can smell them a mile away. So I'm tossing up, do I get in and fix it tonight, or send him to school with his own style????

Becasue I didn't have my camera....

...I missed the most amazing photo opportunity. I was gardening yesterday in Greenhithe. In the middle of some low down palms I was trimming was a birds nest, with 3 baby chicks crying out for mama. Damn they were cute (a little ugly too, but cute at the same time). What an awesome photo that would have been. I'm almost tempted to go back and see if they are still there just to get a photo.

Taryn and her drums

After 3 days on her drums...

Been a while....

Since I posted. Things have settled down a bit since my last post, just been so busy with other items, that I haven't had a real chance to sit and blog. Have had KaiserCraft orders coming out my ears with new orders still going through this week. Had the school Art Auction - it went amazingly well. I had said that I would like us to raise at least $2,000. We made $5,714.! Had a sausage sizzle the day of the elections, as our school hall was used as a polling booth. We sold out! then had Taryn's birthday to organise. Whilst she didn't have a party, we had a family afternoon tea on Wednesday and also had to try and get her new drum set in and set up on the Tuesday night. That was interesting! Tonight she is having 2 friends stay over, so hopefully that will be fun for her. She on the drums now, so I'll go and get a small video of how she plays after just 3 days and post it. This week I'll be preparing for the craft market being held next weekend. So everything has been pretty full on lately, but life is good.