Nearly there

We got the keys to our new house today. hooray! So I will take the most delicate items across to the new house myself. We have packers coming in on Monday to pack the house up and sometimes they aren't always very careful. 

I will take the Xmas tree over too and put it up this weekend so it will be ready when we move in. I love Xmas, who doesn't hey? Oh well, don't answer that perhaps..lol

So... the cake... well cakes... because you know Fox got jealous when I said what I was making for the kids. Men... 

No less than four layers high. I made them gluten free of course. And wow it tasted so good. Only one small piece gave me a belly ache. I'm too used to eating well now since starting Michelle Bridges 12 week body transformation back in May this year. More on that later :) I promise.

Also this morning I finished the secret Santa gifts for the twins classes. Just something small, it's supposed to cost no more than $10.

I had to do a boy & girl gift so they are each getting a small zippered pouch with some treats inside.

Now I'm done. I don't have anything else on my craft list although I would love to make another Xmas stocking like the one I made for last years stocking swap but I really think my time is running out. 

Now I'm off to move house. x

There's busy and then there's keeping busy.

Today I baked TWO black forest cakes.

One for my 12 year old who has an assignment due on Germany. 

Yes that's right, I'm doing HIS assignment, well part of it anyway.

Once that's done it's on to the secret Santa gifts for school. Only have to make 1 boy & 1 girl gift.

Then it's on to packing boxes for our move next Monday,.. gasp!

After making the cakes today-  that will be completed tomorrow I made this cute Army pencil case for a Birthday Party this weekend.Cool huh..

 

I'm keeping busy. My dad's in ICU in Canberra tonight.

Last week he just had a sore throat.

Today we're faced with Cancer and a lot of uncertainty.

I don't know what else to say except that I'm feeling both lost and very calm..

Really... Xmas?

Well this year has just gone in a snap. So much happening and not enough time for blogging.

My sisters have been ON MY CASE about my blog. More of it they say.

Truth is, I go quiet when things are not good, and I've had some worries with the kids that are ALL fine now. And we were told a month ago that our lease is being cut short and have had to organise a move prior to Xmas. One more week and my life will be packed up in boxes and into a truck.

In the mean time, I have a mile long To Do list that keeps growing by the day.

But today I have checked off one thing on the list. Teacher gifts.

My sisters can tell you, our mum was not the best cook however she rocked the sweet home cooked treats. My Lord she could whip up a novelty birthday cake in the blink of an eye and look out dentists... her Xmas treats were best only eaten at Xmas. .. sweet and moreish :)

So I though it best to make some coconut ice and wrap it up all lovely in cellophane and give that to the teachers. I had never attempted this before but figured, hey if I can bake a cake and a mean pav, i can do coconut ice.. right?

Not so.  It turned out crumbly and cracked when I tried to cut it. So that idea quickly went out the window at the pure delight of my sugar deprived children (thank you Michelle Bridges - will fill you in soon enough).

I made these cute little gift bags today. they were meant to fit the Xmas ball inside but yet another plan that quickly got changed.

So now the teachers are getting a massive gingerbread cookie that upon closer inspection could very well be a dog biscuit, a candy cane, a chocolate Santa & said Xmas tree decoration that has a bell in it.

Not my best effort, but certainly good enough I say.

My little 'picjacker' loves to jump into the blog pics and do funny faces.

So there you go sista's - How not to make Mum's coconut ice... or is it Nana's... or Mum's Nana?

How to adapt a plan under pressure and a cute pic of your nephew.

xox

Crazy birthday month

We all have them. Ours is July... we have no less than 13 birthdays and had a few kids party invites thrown in there too.

So you can guess what I've been up to.

Always trying something new I decided to do vinyl covered pencil cases for the girls, I've never sewn vinyl before. And the boys got peek a boo toy sacks after I found THIS cute pin on Pintrest.

I bought the cute Sprout turtle fabric after Dman spotted it while I was buying fabric online. But of course how do you use white fabric for a boy? So it became the lining of his toy sack and I've made sure you can see a whole turtle through the front peek hole.

Now it's August, I'm working through my unfinished projects. You know I have a quilt that I made for Fox last year and all it needs is binding. I'm guessing it will be done in time for Father's Day :)

Celebrating 5

6 months in the nagging... I mean planning. Yes, for 6 long months I have been asked 'when can I have a party, I want a party with my friends". So did you think we could let another year slip by without an actual party... not on your life! We decided on Lego as a theme, he loves Lego... and cars... and guns... but mostly Lego.

I found some lovely ideas on another blog and had to make up some Lego Bunting, I downloaded, laminated then used bias tape and sewed them together.

We hired a face painter, she was an absolute hit.

Lego cake, Donna Hay showed me how in her latest Kids Magazine, I just tweaked it to fit in my cake carrier.

 being outdoors in fresh Townsville sunshine right near the river was perfect, all the kids had so much fun and no personality clashes... oh i love it when you get the right mix.

One happy Birthday Boy :)