T'was the night before Christmas.........

......and all through the house,
was the air of excitement & thankfully no bloody mouse!

The children are in bed, too excited to sleep
while I need the broom to give the floor a quick sweep.

For Santa there is some fruit balls and beer
while the lawn holds 6 carrots all ready for the deer.

The stockings, still empty, have been the focus for much of the day
and if they be filled with lots of things for play.

Both parents are tired, from the night before
and Mummy just about smothered the Farmers annoying snore.

The house is ready, food mostly prepared,
wine in the fridge and more in the shed.

Presents all wrapped all under the tree,
Camera all set to capture the glee.

"I think we are ready" Mummy confidently said
And with that she headed off to bed.


Thank you for reading my blog this year - it's been a good way for me to journal the ups, downs and sideways of Life.  I have had people read from all over the world and want to wish you all a safe, Happy Christmas and a wonderful 2012.

With love
Jane

3 more sleeps!

The excitement is building..... How will they last the distance?!? 

The magic of Christmas is alive and well within the realms of my home!  Cards made for Santa....Christmas music blarring....checking we have enough carrots for ALL the reindeer........

However, I'm still a bit upset at the kids for asking, 'is there another present?' while at a friends house swapping Christmas gifts. 

** Insert exasperated sigh **

I have two very lucky children who perhaps (even after serious amounts of 'schooling' from me) are failing to grasp that most people get just one gift, and are incredibly grateful.

Perhaps next year when they are likely to get just one larger item instead of 10 small things they will get it.  Perhaps.

Until then I will encourage they to be the ones to pass out homemade things, biscuts and the like to others and hopefully remember the lovely feeling they get from doing so.

Well it's worth a try!

The Meaning of Christmas

While sitting in PJ's I'm reflecting on what the meaning of Christmas to me....... meanwhile the kids are gluing, cutting and creating Christmas masterpieces.  There is glitter gracing my floor and I will use that as a festive excuse not to vacuum...cos it looks so gosh darn pretty!!

I've been drumming into the kids that Christmas is all about the giving.  The thoughts for other.  And that doesn't always mean a present.  Certainly they both have taken it on board and Master 6 3/4 has been wonderful in saying what can I do to help, all the time, which is great but sometimes the gift of silence perhaps would be better !!  (Remind me I said that when I say he doesn't do anything!!)

How much do I believe my party line?  Quite a bit I would have to say.  However the gift of giving, of time, thought and love can be hard.  Sometimes, with (or for) some people, it's quite draining.  But that's when you need to choose to be the bigger person, and keep going.  So I guess if you mean what you say and live by it then you are not just embracing the meaning of Christmas but the making yourself that person all year around.

Oh yeah people, that totally sounds like my shit don't stink.....but I am finding that my halo does seem to be shining today!

As for this Christmas.....we are well ready.  I'm happy with all the work done, the preparations for my children because lets face it that's the most important thing, for me and the Farmer - that they get to embrace, enjoy and live it.

Happy Christmas!  6 more sleeps to go!

The Uncomplicated Christmas Cake

So it's been a while that I've cooked something from this book.  My original goal to cook my way through the recipes (there is only 27 for crying out loud!) is still under way....er....a work in progress!

Early this year I did the 'Complicated Christmas Cake' which I really enjoyed.  It might be worth mentioning I don't really like Christmas cake so it was no mean feat to enjoy it!

This one is still cooking, so watch this space for the taste test but my goodness it was  easy peasy lemon squeezey to make!

Here it is cooking....smells pretty good......

The Uncomplicated Christmas Cake from the book: The Kindness of Strangers – Kitchen Memoirs

by Shonagh Koea

 250 grams of butter

250 grams of brown sugar
Five eggs
250 grams of flour
One kilo of mixed fruit, or just sultanas will do (I usually use just sultanas)
A teaspoon of baking powder
One teaspoon of nutmeg
A wine glass of brandy or sherry*

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time and beat thoroughly after each addition, floured fruit, baking powder and nutmeg, and lastly brandy or sherry. 

Bake in a 20 centimetre (eight inch) square tin at 140 degrees Celsius for two hours.

*The business of the wine glass of brandy in the recipe is an interesting one because exactly what is meant by a wine glass?  This is a very old recipe so I think – and I could be wrong – that it might date from the time when, if there was a festive function of some kind, there would be beer for the men and what was called wine for the ladies but this was actually sherry.  So perhaps the wine glass stipulated would actually be a sherry glass.  A real wine glass like people use now for Chardonnay or sauvignon blanc would be too big, I have decided, so I hedge my bets and use an old port glass I have got.  It is quite a bit bigger than the usual small sherry glass, but not as big as a modern wine glass.

TIRED TIRED TIRED TIRED, oh did I mention Tired?

Waking up this morning with a small blonde head on my shoulder I thought "Fark, far too early"....Thankfully that child went to sleep.  The larger child came in a bit later...complaining that there wasn't enough room for him.  Back of buddy it's only meant for the Farmer in me anyway.....tears followed, him not me, the farmer was getting grumpy, understandably and so my day began.

Tired children. Tired Mummy. Tired Daddy.

TIRED.

Now it just so happens that today was going to be Christmas card making followed by Christmas baking. 

The thought was there, the will is not.

Tired children do not make for happy Christmas atmosphere. 

The farmer (wisely) took the small people to town before we had visitors, giving me time to complete some projects. 

I played Christmas music.  Put the lights on the Tree.

And still the Christmas spirit eludes me.

Children arrived back.  And so far I have managed to get them to make Christmas cards....given them supplies, glue, glitter and said enjoy.  Probably not what I had in mind but the patience levels are low and desire to have a Pimms before noon is strong.

I've read a number of blogs of late that tout all about their fantastic Christmas crafts, ideas and show lovely pictures of wonderful things made with their children.  My message to you is Bah Humbug.

I'm hoping a good sleep, a bit of time to myself and a Pimms (not necessarily in that order) will restore my Christmas spirit and I too can join the festive blogs, delighting in all things Christmas.

Credit must go to my Wangavegas friend for supplying the above image to me!

Sunday in pictures.

 Christmas Helpers

The Farmers Work do at Petting Zoo

 Hanging with the Man of the Month

End of the Day the tree is up, there are wrapped presents, tired happy kids.....a good Sunday all round.

HOWEVER at 5.30 this morning....Master 6 appears in our room saying he feels sick.....half an hour later he follows through on the sick and a visit to the loo......lucky I'm not doing today in pictures!!

Advent Calendar, Vomit and Disappointment.

Our Family Advent calendar made by my Mum - pretty cool huh?!

So it's the 3rd of December and after 2 days of excitement with what the pockets of the Advent calendar may hold, I was surprised last night when Master 6 said "Mum I hope there are no food treats in there".  With a confused look I asked why?  "I'm not feeling well Mum".  Alarms bells.

After Miss 3 being sick and then me, and with a about 6 hours sleep over 48 hours I was really not keen for another round.

Bundled into bed he seemed fine.  Well kind of.  Moaning and groaning, squiggling and squirming he didn't settle.  Aha! Pamol.  That's what he needs.  Sitting on the side of his bed I told him to sit up and have some Pamol....unfortunately he decided then was a good time to vomit, on me.  Sigh.  Thankfully the Farmer decided to sleep (for about the 3 night running) in Masters 6 bunks with him so I had a relatively good nights sleep.   As for Master 6, not such a fun night.

And we get to the disappointment part of the story. 

Today was meant to be filled with Christmas fun.  Had thought about taking the kids to the Santa parade in Waipukurau (a wee rural town down the road), decorate the tree, head to a friend of Master 6's 7th Birthday (which is a Star Wars theme - how cool?!), then have Fish and Chips with another friend who we have been looking forward to seeing.

The problem with all this is that this bug has jumped through my family like fricken wild fire, it's just not smart to be heading around seeing people......man it sucks.

So the plan for today now.  Much the same as the last 3 days.  Look after small sick person.  Likely be indoors.  And drink lots of coffee.

World famous in a calendar! Whoop whoop!

So I've been snapping photos for a while now and this year I entered some in for the Farmlands calendar.  Well it turns out that you can now call me Miss April!

Yes you may well recognise it...it my blog picture...possibly one of my favourite farm shots so am thrilled to see it in a calendar!  And I may even get a prize for it!  Who knows!

But the fun doesn't stop there....on the back of the calender is another 12 photos.....and 3 of them are mine!  They mustn't have had many enteries! 

 (they cropped this one to just have the sheeps head...good idea!)

The only thing maring my joy from such awesomeness is the fact that Miss 3 was up night before last from 3am vomiting and I was up with her..... and then last night I was up all night being sick myself.  Nice to know I've installed such a caring - sharing daughter but we need to have a chat about extactly how it's meant to work! 

Anyway I was so excited about my photos I just had to blog about it.  Now I think I pop a DVD on for Miss 3 and will sit beside her and have a nap.