Boxing Day

Today I pretty much spent the whole day cleaning the house, washing, ironing and packing to go to Rainbow Beach.

The kids were happy to play with their Christmas presents etc.

Christmas Day

Everyone was up early for Christmas and the kids got some great presents...

We opened the ham at 9am to find that it had gone "OFF" - I could not beleive it!! So it was panic stations but thankfully Lauren and Myron were our lifesavers and we were able to get their ham left over from Christmas Eve -so Ben raced over to get it..

Everyone started arriving from 9.30am and we did the Christmas stuff - my god there were people and presents and wrapping paper everywhere!!!

Then McKenzie passed out just before lunch time - sort of a fit thing, not really sure what it was, but it was pretty scary but I think it was just because she didn't eat much breakfast, it was hot and the excitement of it all....

Anyway after that, we all had a nice lunch and everyone started to leave around 3pmish and then Grant, Anna and their 2 children came over and left around 7pm - so a very long day, but an enjoyable day with all the family and friends.

Conjunctivitus on Christmas Eve

Well you wouldn't believe it but both kids came down with conjunctivitus on Christmas Eve - so I had both of them to the drs to get the eye drops for them.

Luckily it's only mild, as I was worried that I have to cancel Christmas Day at our Place!!

So I couldn't work as I had to look after both of the kids (and I felt really bad about it) but I couldn't do anything about it...

We ended up going over to Lauren and Myron's place for Christmas Eve drinks - which turned into a massive feast (and like I said, luckily the kids only had it mild) and we had a lovely night.

then I had to get my last minute stuff for Christmas day - busy busy.

More visitors

This morning I finished off the Christmas shopping thankfully - well I'm pretty sure it's all finished!!

In the afternoon we had Bronny, Ross, Gabriele, Shane, Micaela, Genevieve and Declan over for drinks and nibblies - it was so nice to catch up with all of them.

We haven't seen Gabriele for 9 months, so she has definitely grown up and is on the move now. We were all calling her Cyclone Gabriele.

Shane & Micaela ended up staying for dinner and left around 7.30pm and then it was the Sunday run around getting everything ready for Vacation Care, Child Care and work.

Santa Photo

This is the Santa photo that we got a couple of weeks ago - the silly photo place did it as a landscape and the kids look so tiny on it, so I scanned and cropped it, and fixed up the colours (got to love photoshop!) and here's the end result (a lot better than the original!!

Saturday Catch Up

This morning we went and had a look at a house at Alderley - it was nicely done and had a separate studio with 2 bedrooms and a bathroom which would have been pretty good, but the house itself was still only 3 bedrooms, lounge, dining and kitchen - so really no different to our arrangements now. It was on a big block but it all sloped, so again, nowhere for the kids to ride their bikes....

It's really hard to find a place that totally suits all our needs.

Then we caught up with a wonderful friends, Kristy and Adrian (with Taya and Caden) at the Warner Hotel - we haven't been there before but they had an inside play area for the kids and there weren't too many people there so it was nice to be able to catch up..

We had a nightmare walk with the kids this afternoon. All Kenz did was whinge and when we were about half way Dom decided he didn't want to ride his bike, so I piggy backed Dom home, and Ben pushed his bike home whilst walking Oscar...

Not the most enjoyable walk, that's for sure!

Dominic mustn't be feeling too well as he was asleep by 6.15pm!

Kenz watched a Christmas movie whilst I ironed for at least an hour.

Ben went to a party with some of the guys from the gym but he was home by about 10.30pm.

More Library books

This morning I took the kids to the library to get some more books for the next couple of weeks - I think McKenzie picked up 13 and Dominic managed 15!! I don't mind, as long as they read them (and don't lose them).

We also had the pest control guys here and we've had so many cockroaches (yuk) since the storms and rain.

Ben and the kids had a sleep in the afternoon and then about 6.30pm we went to the Everton Park Hotel to catch up with some more wonderful photographers for dinner! It was a good night and we were actually the last people to leave at 10pm. The kids thought it was great running around the playground in the dark - a bit different to the day time!!

Photographer's Christmas Lunch

Today we held a Christmas lunch at our place for a bunch of photographers. Ben normally catches up with these guys the 1st Monday of the month (which I can't make because I'm at work), so we held it today!

So in the morning the kids and I raced out and grabbed a few supplies, picked up the platters we had ordered from Coles, picked up the foccaccias from the deli and raced home and set everything up.

Everyone started arriving around 11pm and we had a great, watched a couple of slide shows and checked out a couple of albums.

Unfortunately I had to leave just after 2pm to take Dominic swimming, and then everyone pretty much went home after that.

Dominic loved swimming.

And after that we had to do our normal grocery shop, so we raced back to the shops, and then came home.

Ben had to go out to the AIPP meeting so the kids and I have left overs for dinner.

Trudy and Dean came back about 8pm and helped finish off the food (since there was so much left over!). It was great to catch up and chat with them.

Christmas Lights

Went to work today - just billing, billing, billing.

Kenz went to New Farm park today with Vacation care.

Ben had 2 appointments in the evening, so I took the kids to View Crescent (Arana Hills), Bowers Road and then to Mark and Sharon's place to check out all the Christmas lights! We had a pretty good night and it was great catching up with Mark and Sharon too!! Their place always looks great!!

Got home about 9.pm.

Tuesday

Dom woke up again with a dry nappy which is excellent - he's been so tired at night time that he hasn't really drunk his milk so obviously that is helping!!

Work was quiet today and we went out for our Christmas group lunch for nearly 2 hours.

Dominic came home in the same clothes he wore to child care (you might think this is strange that he doesn't normally, but he's been having a few accidents with his toilet training) so it was WONDERFUL that he came home in the same clothes - no accidents!!

Just writing out Christmas cards tonight and updating the blogs..

Toilet Training

Well I don't really have anything overly exciting to write about today, I just went to work, Kenz did cooking at vacation care and Dommy is toilet training and doing pretty well. He woke up this morning with a dry nappy for the first time ever!!

Should have gone to the gym tonight but again, had to much stuff to do - started wrapping Christmas presents.

Found out the name of the little girl we (all of the Clark family) are going to Sponsor and her name is Benedicta and she's from Ghana and she's 5 years old. Must get the paperwork organised asap!!

2nd Work Christmas party (for our kids)

We had a sleep in until 7.30am which was nice and then Mum and Dad brought Kenz and Dom home about 9am - it was so nice to wake up to a quiet house for a change!

The kids had a great time down the coast.

Then we had to race off to the Chermside Leisure Centre for the Christmas Party - it was a pretty good day - we were there for 3 hours - and they put on a lunch for us, and Santa handed out Christmas presents.

The kids just loved swimming at the water park!

The kids have a sleep over

Mum rang early this morning and said if I could meet her at at Jacobs Ridge (where there investment property it) that they would take the kids back to the coast for the night and bring them back to Brissy on Sunday morning. (so this meant that we could go to my work Christmas party and not have to worry about booking a babysitter)..

So I raced around in the morning, took the kids to get their Santa photo done at Stafford - I'll upload it when I get a chance - and then met Mum and dad at Midday at the house.

We then went to Harrigan's Bar / Hotel at Jacobs Well for lunch and then the kids went off with Nanna and Grandad for the night.

I got home just after 3pm, and then we got ready and caught the train to South Bank and joined our Christmas Party at the Maritime Museum. It was a pretty good night, they had a band (which played too much 70s music) but they were ok, and it was free drinks and a meal for the night. We left just after 10.30pm (as it was finishing at 11pm) and we caught the train home again...

It was horribly hot and muggy - and we were on the river!!

Dominic's Christmas Carols at Child Care

I don't know why, but Dom was not interested in joining in, yet he loves to sing Christmas Carols at home!!!

Decorating the Christmas Tree

You'll have to excuse the crappy quality of the photos, I've lost all of my actions in photshop, so these are just how they come out of the camera - nothing fancy

McKenzie's last day of Grade 2

Dominic's 3rd Birthday Photos

McKenzie's 7th Birthday Photos

Waterpark and the Library

This morning we caught up with my cousin Angela, Dallas and Lexie at the Newmarket Pool. this place was great, I've never been there before but they have waterslides and shallow fun play areas for the kids.

Dom just loved going down the waterslides and he was landing in water that was up to his neck - but he loved it - he's just make his way to the side, climb out and then go down the slide again!

Kenz had a great time too but I think she was a bit cold as she had purple lips but she refused to get out!!

It was great to catch up with Ang, just a bit tricky when we're trying to keep our eyes on all of the kids!

I'll try take the kids another time during these holidays...they'd love to do it again.

Then we went to the Mitchelton Library and became members as they have a Kids Reading Program on during the holidays - so Kenz got 7 books and Dom got 6 - Kenz has already read 5 tonight (which is unheard of!).. I managed to read 1 to Dommy.

We got home just after 2pm and then spent some time at home, just trying to stay cool!!!

Ben had another wedding at Redcliffe today and he didn't get home until about 8.30pm. His friend Grant, and his wife Anna, made us Thai for dinner again - Anna makes the best thai - it's so nice that she does that for us - we're very lucky!!

AIPP Christmas Party

This morning the kids and I visited Kristen, Charlotte & Ethan at their house - the first time we had been there and they've been leaving there for 12 months!!

The kids thought it was great because they've got a pool, and it was such a hot day, so is was great for the kids to cool off. Kristen bought the kids lovely birthday presents too - she always spoils my 2.

Then we had to race off and go grocery shopping and come home, quickly unpack and then race back out to go to Dominic's swimming lessons - so lots of swimming for Dom today!!

We got home by 3.30pm and then we had a babysitter arriving at 5pm as Ben and I had to go to the Photographer's Christmas Party at The Fox Hotel near South Bank..

As we were leaving, a massive storm was brewing but luckily there was no damage.

The Christmas party was good - I got to drink as Ben was driving, because he has a wedding tomorrow.

We got home about 12.30am and let the babysitter go home - she cost us $120 for the night!! Far out - it just makes a nice night out so expensive!!!

Dominic's Child Care Christmas Party

Another day of work, vacation care for Kenz (they went to Putt Putt at Victoria Park Golf Club) and then we had Dom's Christmas party at child care.

Dom was singing the Christmas songs beautifully at home abut once we got to child care, he didn't want to sit with the kids and he blatantly refused to sing!! Ben had to actually stand up with all the kids and hold Dominic who was very very shy....tried to get photos, but I don't think I managed to get any - I'll have to check!

Ben had to race off after half an hour because he had an appointment but at least he got there for a little while (so of course we had to take 2 cars).

We were the last ones to leave, mainly because both of the kids wanted to go to the toilet and when we walked out, everyone was gone, except for the staff! So we were home before 8pm.

School Holidays......again

McKenzie is going to Vacation care this week and Dom is at child care whilst Ben and I are still working. My work was busy today.

Kenz did arts and crafts and cooking.

After work we went up to our friend Greg's Photography Studio Launch up at Woody Point (near Redcliffe). It was nice of Greg and Loretta to invite us (and the kids) and it was a good night. The kids were stoked because they got Lolly bags!! I really admire Greg's photography, he does amazing stuff. We got home about 9.30pm.

Shopping

I was meant to catch up with Steph, Tres and Lyn today at DJ's Toowong to get our Annual Santa Photo but poor Tres had hurt her back and couldn't drive an hour down to see us, so we decided to cancel it this year and catch up at Steph's housewarming in the new year.

So instead, I went clothes shopping - 3 hours - and still didn't manage to find much! Bought some swimmers, some white casual pants (for the Nautical theme for my Xmas Party), a shirt and a red Christmas dress for Kenz and some crocks for Dom....

In the afternoon, we took the kids for a ride on their new birthday bikes (how bad is that 3 and 1 week after their birthdays) they finally get to ride their bikes!!

Kenz only stacked it once or twice but it was a controlled stack and Dom was fine as he still has training wheels on his bike.

Roshy's 2nd wedding

Ben had another wedding today so I packed up myself and the kids and headed down to Burleigh Heads to catch up with Rochelle & Andy and all of our family and their friends (who didn't get invited to the wedding).

It must have been 37 degrees, too hot for standing around in a park, but it was good to catch up with all of the family.

The kids were happy playing on the swings, I must have taken Dom to the toilet about 8 times (the joys of toilet training) and I took the kids for a little dip in the ocean.

When the kids were getting out they had a quick shower under the beach showers and this old woman with a very strong accent started abusing us and saying we were wasting "precious gold coast water" - for goodness sake, they were only washing the sand off and cooling off a bit. This woman kept on ranting and raving and then started trying to stop the kids turning the taps on - so that got me pretty angry and Beck told her to go back to her own country!!

So that sort of topped off my day at the park and we left and headed home about 3.30pm - I was so glad to be in air con!!

School finishes today

I took Kenz to school for her last day of Grade 2 - where has the time gone??

Dom and I raced to Harvey Norman to get some prints done for Roshy and then we raced off to digilab to pick up some prints for Mum.

Then Dom and I raced back to Kenzie's school for her final assembly - boy did that drag on!! But we finished by 11.15am and came home for lunch.

At 3pm we went to the Everton Park Hotel again as I had organised a get together with the grade 2 parents - anyone that wanted to, or could turn up were welcome. There ended up being 10 parents, so it was a nice little group.

We grabbed some dinner and got home just after Ben had flown home from Hamilton Island - so it was SO nice to see Ben again. The kids had missed him, especially Dommy - he made some comment on the way to swimming yesterday asking if Daddy was coming home and I said not until tomorrow and he said "I never see Daddy" - that really upset me.. Poor Dommy.

But Ben bought the kids some tshirts and surfy necklaces and the kids were happy about that! I got a lovely pink sarong...

Ben didn't get much time with the kids as he had to get all of his camera gear ready for tomorrow's wedding, download the Hamilton Is photos, un pack his clothes and wash them to wear to the wedidng the next day and charge batteries etc..

I think I was ironing clothes for Ben at 10pm or later!

Another busy Thursday

This morning I went up to McKenzie's school to see her teacher and talk about McKenzie's report card. She did ok, just the standard "at expected level" but her teacher just wanted to make sure that we kept reading, writing and doing maths with McKenzie over the holidays.

Then Dom and I went to the EP Hotel to catch up with the lovely Lise, Meaghan and Henry. Dom loves catching up with them. But it was so hot so I think we were only there for just over an hour or so - but we'll catch up with Lise and the kids in the new year.

Then Dom and I went grocery shopping, and we raced out to Dom's swimming lesson and got to Kenzie's school about 15 minutes late but she was playing on the swings with some friends, so that was good.

Ben shot his wedding at Hamilton and he even got a flight in a helicopter with the bride and groom over to Whitehaven Beach! He gets all the good gigs!!

I just cooked a quiche for dinner tonight - something easy.

Happy Anniversary Mum & Dad

Today is Mum & Dad's 37th Wedding Anniversary! I don't know how they do it!

It's also Lexie's 5th birthday today (my cousin's little girl) so I hope Lex has a great day too.

Ben left this morning to fly up to Hamilton Island to shoot a wedding.

I raced from work to pick up both of the kids, then we went and got Red Rooster for dinner and then got home at 6pm, when Ben phoned. He was sitting down over looking the Marina ordering his dinner - lucky for some.

Then we had a massive electrical storm and we lost power! Trust me, it's not fun having a black out with 2 little kids and a black dog!! I kept falling over Oscar. We had a torch and 2 candles, so that gave us enough light. Apparently one of the big transmitters was hit by lightening and that's why we lost power.

I can't believe it is DECEMBER!!!!

Firstly a very Happy Birthday to my wonderful friend Steph - I hope you have a great day Steph!!

I worked today and then raced home to go out McKenzie's School Christmas Carols at the school. We got there at 6pm (just before the mad rush). The concert was pretty good except I couldn't see McKenzie very well - she was standing on the front stands but then there were tall kids standing in front of her - so I was a bit annoyed about that because I was trying to video her. Oh well, maybe she will be taller next year (LOL)...

Dominic had enough by 7pm so Ben took him home and then Kenz and I left at 8pm as McKenzie wanted to write out her Christmas cards for school.