Christmas 2012

Christmas this year was a quiet one, at my request. I was so tired and flat at the end of the year and the cares and stresses of 2012 certainly were weighing heavily on me. So we ended up having a very quiet affair with my Grandparents, parents and our little family. It was perfect.

So here is a glimpse of our wonderful day.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree! Thy leaves are so unchanging...

This weekend we finally got the Christmas tree up. It was a wonderful, exciting time to spend Sunday afternoon as a family.

First of all we put the kids tree up. This is the tree that they are free to touch, play with, decorate and redecorate if they wish. They don't have the freedom to do that on the main tree, because some of the baubles are fragile or made of glass.

So here is us working on the kids tree.


Here is us working on the main tree:



Finished and at night time so it looks more impressive!


Tis the season folks! I don't feel very Christmassy unfortunately. I guess I've been so busy with other stuff that I just don't feel very festive. What stuff you might ask? Well that is a whole other post.

Christmas Day 2010

It's been so crazy busy around here so I haven't had time to put my Christmas pics up.

Christmas day was a wonderful day for everyone. It was so wonderful to share it with all the family and the kids LOVED having their cousins around to eat with, play with and share the day with.

The day started for Daz and I around 7:30 - the kids were still sleeping, so we crept out of bed and started the early preparation. One by one, sleepy children emerged, rubbing their eyes and murmuring their "merry christmas". We crowded into the lounge room and began opening presents.

We have a small glimpse of the moments of the day.

Here are the kids, cheering and excited about the presents!



... and it begins!



Milly unwraps her quilt I made her...



...and starts testing it out for comfort.


Caitlin unwraps her quilt I made her...


EJ finds the pillow I made him....


Mop was pleased to get another Wii game


Milly stoked to find her Christmas present behind the pillows (we did a treasure hunt for the smaller gifts!)


EJ test driving his new scooter.


Daz happy with his new BBQ cleaner


My necklace that I got


Milly's school bag for starting kindy next year


I also received a watch with my beautiful babies in the face, smiling at me!


A new cook book from my bestie in New York!


A BBQ apron for Daz.


Bath toys for Milly Moo


I sooooo wanted this soooooo badly... and I was stoked to get it! Lark Rise to Candleford!! (Excuse the bed hair!)

A new cubby for Milly


A nice shirt for Daz


and looking good is not complete without smelling awesome!


Mop was thrilled to get this Barbie set... mainly because she now has a Ken doll. :)


Lots of princess dolls for the little princess.


EJ with a marble maze game that he is thrilled with!!


The Christmas table...








... and here it is again, with all my wonderful family at it!


More present opening with the family...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

This is our tree.

:)

This year was the first year that all three children could help put it up and decorate it! A sign that our beautiful little family are moving forward from the baby stage into kiddlet stage! It was so much fun to work all together on this!



I love our tree. I could stare at it all night if I didn't have a gazillion xmas presents to make, and only 5 weeks to make them. :)





Underneath now the presents are starting to mount. And before anyone asks, Santa does not come to this house. If a fat man in red appeared in my house, I would be after him with my marble rolling pin or my dress-making scissors! I don't teach my kids that Santa leaves the gifts - but I do teach them that other kids may believe this, so we are to respect the game that their parents are playing, and it's not up to them to say anything about it. Each to their own, but this is how I do Christmas. So... the presents are starting to pile up underneath and I can see the kids gaze at them longingly and in anticipation for the big day. :) And I can't wait either!!!!

I'm hosting Christmas again this year instead of Mum and so I'll have 19 odd people here celebrating the big day. :) I've been working out the menu and have started gathering up all the festivities and whatnots that make my Christmas table special. :) I can't say too much more, because I believe my brother and SIL read this blog. (Hi Pete and Deb!) Can't give away the secrets of the day! I can't wait though for all the cousins to be together again to celebrate and play together on this special day! It's been a few years since we have all been together. I don't think we have ever had xmas day with Molly (my brother's step-daughter) because she has always been with her Dad. I think it's going to be a very special Christmas.

Life has been hectic around here.
The kids are getting tired, since life seems to get busy around this time of year. Mop had her piano recital on earlier this week, which was a late night for her. She did so well and I nearly cried with pride and joy! She has really gotten good lately, and she would make her Aunty Bec proud I think. :) Daz took Mop and I stayed home with the little ones, but he videoed it for me so I could see her. Such a tiny little girl on such a big piano.

EJ and Milly (and me as a result) both got some kind of virus that settled on their chests. Healthy has horses, until night time when they (and me) cough up a lung and a kidney. :)

EJ has his first classroom orientation day on Tuesday which will be interesting to see how he goes. I'm terrified and excited all in one go! At least then we will get a better idea of how he goes in that environment and what things we need to put in place for him for next year.
We've started to crack down on him a bit heavier now, since we know that he understands some things, and it's teaching him to self calm, which sounds dreadful I know! If he continues to whine and whinge and get himself worked up, we dock "merits" off his chart. He learned the hard way when I docked 10 off because he kept ranting. He now shuts up, and tries to distract himself - which is a HUGE thing!! Normally it's us that is distracting him to try and keep him from going into meltdown mode. This is only working for minor whines though... it wouldn't work for over-stimulating environments. :) We were also having problems with him getting up in the night and drinking so much that he would wet his bed. So we said if he wet his bed again, he would have to go back to pull-ups. "I'm NOT wearing nappies!!!" he protested.... and we haven't had a wet night since! :)

EJ has also become a bit of a sports nut. At home he plays tennis, soccer, catch and whatever else he can get his hands on. At school he plays cricket with the other kids and he loves it!! It's interesting since Daz and I are not very sporty people, how he still enjoys the games, even though he isn't overly exposed to it. I think he will be one for after-school sports activities later on down the track!

Milly is turning three in a few weeks, which has shocked me. My baby is no longer a baby - she really is a little girl now. She has cast aside all baby things and is playing imaginative and wonderful games with little girl toys. We have bought her a massive big dolls house for her birthday gift, which I think she will love!! :) So my baby days appear to be well and truly over. Thrilling in some ways and sad in others. I love babies!

Uni is well and truly over and I can breathe again. I've already enrolled in 2 subjects for next year, both psychology subjects, and the lesser workload I think will be better for the time being.

Milly has been booked into kindy for Mondays and Friday mornings which is exciting! She can't wait to get to school. Also when EJ is in school, I'm going to start branching out and getting my life back, since it had to be put on hold because he couldn't cope going anywhere. I've found a craft group I plan on joining, and I am going to head back to MOPS (Mother's of preschoolers) and start socialising! In turn Milly will be socialising as well and having a wonderful time with little friends.

So that is what is happening in this house....

35 days till Christmas!!

11 days to go...

11 Days until my uni semester is over!!! I cannot wait. I have three assignments due in the next 11 days. I have been working so hard, and I am going to be welcoming the break with open arms.

11 days until I can sew, quilt and get ready for Christmas. I can do this. I can do this!

A few weeks ago, my Mum experienced a pretty major nervous breakdown, and has been diagnosed with depression. The meds they gave her were dreadful and the poor thing reacted badly to them. I have been taking care of her most of the time. It was pretty bad in the beginning, she wouldn't eat, she was in and out of hospital, she couldn't sleep, she was a wreck. Slowly but surely she has crawled out of "rock bottom" and is on her way to physical recovery (still waiting for psychological help). The kids love having their Nanny staying all day at our house, and EJ is convinced she lives with us. Not that it's a burden, and I am happy to take care of her, it's been a hard slog to stay on top of my uni work while caring for Mum. I'm happy to say that I have succeeded. 11 days left and it's all smoooooooth sailing.

Oh and another thing... since Mum is unwell and it's her turn to host Christmas - she asked me to do it for her. Oh what a shame..... :P I LOVE hosting Christmas. I've spoken to my sister in laws and it looks like we will all be together this Christmas! How exciting!! I can't wait!!! I might even attempt doing a turkey this year! :)

Christmas Day in the Skipper Household.

We had an amazing Christmas Day!

The first miracle of the day was I SLEPT IN!!! I NEVER sleep in on Christmas Day - I am usually up at the crack of dawn, too excited to sleep. I thought I would show you a few snippits of our day:

When I got up, Milly dashed out after me, and she found one of her presents before we had a chance to give it to her. I had to chase her back out to Daddy until everyone was awake and ready. She cried and cried - heartbroken because this "little" In The Night Garden character had to be left where she found him:



Mop appeared bleary eyed:


EJ was thrilled with his "big" christmas present:


Mop's new piece of real estate:


and something Mummy made:


EJ sporting the latest in hair-do's:




EJ was thrilled with the totem tennis:


The Christmas Table:


My glorious ham that I baked:


Mum and Dad opening up their gift boxes that replaced Bonbons this year:


2, 4, 6, 8 - bog in don't wait!



Granny and Grandad celebrated Christmas with us which was really lovely:


MORE presents:






Exhausted, Milly makes good use of her Christmas present - an Iggle Piggle sofa: