Pizza Boxes in the Mail

A year or so ago, I joined up to the Lime Tart Copic Club.

I bought the first 3 or 4 packs and didn't spend nearly as much time playing as I should have, so I decided to sit on those for awhile before I ordered the rest of the packs.

BUT then a few weeks ago I received an email from Lime Tart saying they had decided to close down. ARGH no.

I bit the bullet and ordered the remaining packs, a bit of a Christmas present to myself really.

Due to all the bargains in their online store I decided to get a few stamps, inks, paper stocks for my stash. I can justify all purchase of course, as my girls are going to start art journalling with me this year ;)

I went to the PO Box today to check the mail and was delighted to have these 2 pizza style boxes handed over the counter to me!

What crafty goodness lies within? i couldn't remember a couple of things I ordered and was so excited to open them up to check out my purchases. I also received some gifts from Lime Tart for the stash so feeling very appreciative of that!

Head over to Lime Tart to grab yourself some bargains before they close for good at the end of January.

We have been having lots of holiday fun here.

Last Friday we headed into town to visit Exxopolis - Architects of Air in the Sydney Opera House forecourt. What a fun afternoon. Something very different and cool to do!

It is really quite fabulous and on until 27th January. If you are a Sydneysider, or visiting Sydney, we all loved it and it is well worth the visit!

I love to travel

Tonight I have returned from Europe. Travelling with my husband, child free and it was fabulous...but it felt like it was longer than 2 weeks. I was fine for a week but then really started to miss the kids. My wonderful family (a mix of mum, sister and brother in law and step mum - but mostly my step mum) had the girls. We are forever grateful for the long stretches they have the girls once a year - not to mention the baby sitting and weekends throughout the years as well. They just move in and it is more of a disruption to their lives than it is ours and we are so appreciative for their support! Usually I am only away for 10 days, this week was 14 days and the girls and I all felt it. We told the girls I would arrive home later than I actually was going to be, so they expected to see me when they woke up in the morning. Nana let them have a treat of watching a DVD lying on our bed, so I was able to tiptoe up the stairs and suprise them. It was priceless and it was so exciting for the 3 of us (Dave not home until Tuesday night!) and there were lots of hugs and kisses!

So...I love to travel, even though Australia is so far away. Dave loves to travel. We always have something booked, even if it is a weekend away. The rest of 2012 is booked up with a week on the Gold Coast, a weekend in Melbourne, a week in Fiji and of course my quilt camp in Queensland in November. That should keep the itchy feet at bay for a while!

Back to this trip though...

3 days in London - I lived there in the late 90's and have been back 4-5 times since then. I always feel right at home. The weather was amazing - bright blue sky and 27 degrees. We caught up with friends, we shopped we drank, exercised, we ate. We enjoyed each others company uninterrupted. I adore my kids, but with all of Dave's travel we don't get a whole lot of quality one on one time in length together!

We flew to Malta for a week. 3 1/2 days at our leisure and then a 3 1/2 day event for Dave's company. An annual recognition event - it was very social and busy but lots and lots of fun. Malta has a fascinating history and we loved exploring the island and learning about it. Event dinners, clubbing, catching up by the pool - all great but has my jeans feeling a little (ok, alot) too tight!

Then onto Dublin for 3 quick days. Felt like I touched down, and took off again. Always lovely to see Dave's family and friends. The weather was abysmal given it is their summer but I wasn't there long enough for it to bother me.

I have flown back and forth from Ireland, UK and Europe many many times - it is always a reminder how far we are away from that part of the world every single time. Though 22 hours of uninterrupted movie watching and book reading makes it alot more enjoyable. Champagne and a flat bed helps too!

Pics to follow once I have unpacked the camera. Fow now I am going to go to bed and hope I make it through until the morning.

A crafty post too. Another resolution has been made - more craft time for me. I am so much happier when I do!

Merry Christmas Everyone...

The weather is freakishly cold and snowy in Dublin, and whilst we are looking forward to getting home and soaking up some sun, we are still having a fun time!

There was a visit to Santa's Cottage up in the north - a wonderful experience for us all, but the kids especially loved it!

There has been a few trips into Dublin city to meet up with Zoe's school friend and her family, who is also visiting Ireland. Dave and I also had a couple of nights in town together..and we took the girls to go into the National Leprechaun Museum and to see the Christmas windows and lights.
Of course there was the whole reason we came to Ireland at this time of year. The wedding of my brother in law John to his gorgeous fiance Sinead. A spray tan, central heating and a short one shouldered dress almost lulled me ito a false sense of security that it wasn't actually sub zero temperatures..that was until we went out into the snow for the official family photos....
Of course there have been lots of cups of tea and red wines with friends and family. To keep me sane I have read 5 books, worked on my Pies and Tarts blocks and been going to the gym a few times a week.
I was also delighted to find a Little People Nativity Set, and the girls have had a great time re-enacting Jesus' birth.
I got the best early Christmas present ever - we are the proud owners of a black AGA cooker that is ordered and will be shipped to Sydney. To buy in Sydney it was way out of the budget but with the exchange rate the way it is it was nearly half the price, even paying shipping costs and duties. I can not wait for my new kitchen!!!

Now we have Christmas day to look forward to, and Zoe's 6th birthday on New Years Eve and then a couple of days later we wil fly out to go home.

I'd like to wish you and yours peace and love this Christmas, enjoy your day and may Santa bring all your dreams true. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Wintery Wonderland

and then it is so lovely to come inside, almost sit on top of the radiator in this big comfy chair of Grandads, have a big mug of green tea and read my book or do some stitching!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Ciara was in the deepest sleep when we landed in Singapore. We couldn't wake her, and she remained asleep the entire stop over and about an hour into the 2nd leg of the flight. Flying into Dublin. Minus 7 degrees and snow. We had been laughing about how the weather was going to be when we arrived, but the reality was we were in total denial. Pretty to look at as we flew in though.

Zoe had a ball catching up with her second cousins in the back yard on the day we arrived.

I dared to venture outside at 8am yesterday morning, I couldn't believe the darkness. I lived in London for 3 years many years ago but had obviously blocked those dark wintery mornings out of my mind. Now here it is light not long after 8am and dark again at 4.30pm.

I have a fear of cabin fever. After 3 days I am feeling it. Shortly I am going to have a snooze with the kids so we can try and break the jet lag. 3am mornings are not fun. There was a fair amount of snow over night, it looks so lovely. Then I am going down to join the local gym so I can get out of the house for an hour a day. Then we are going to Bewleys Cafe for the girls to have a hot chocolate.

I realise how I have taken for granted the small things like playing in the back yard, going for a stroll in the brisk winterweather. This snow just makes things really different! Even the Irish are over it already!!!

"In Dublin's Fair City...

...where the girls are so pretty" we landed to -7 degrees and snow yesterday morning. IT IS COLD!!! The flight was pain free as the girls were just awesome, we were so proud of the way they travelled. We all got a fair amount of sleep along the way!

Yesterday was spent unpacking, lots of cups of tea catching up with family and the girls playing in the back yard in the snow with their second cousins.

Dave headed off for a few pints with his dad in the early afternoon whilst the girls and I hung around home with Granny Mai and other family dropping in and out. One by one we all dropped off into a jet lag induced sleep. Ciara first at 2pm, followed by Zoe at 4.30, then me at 5pm then Dave followed at 8pm when he got home. So by 3am this morning it was party time...it is going to be a long day.

It is the first time that Dublin has seen snow this early in the winter for many years. I have already taken load sof pics, but for some reason I am unable to upload them at the moment, will try again later on in the day!

We are all so excited to be here and looking forward to lots of fun and laughter with the Irish lot!

Cinderella

This morning we went here to see ...

Cinderella

written by Helen Martin
with music and lyrics by David Cashman

Directed by Will Edwards

A timeless story - with a new twist. In a dusty outback town Cinderella sweeps and sweeps while her silly sisters squabble. Purry Cat and her fairy godmother are her only friends. The guest of honour at the local ball is a royal Prince looking for the woman of his dreams - someone he can have a good conversation with! With a little bit of magic involving mice, pumpkins, members of the audience - and a lost shoe - both Cinderella and the Prince find their hearts' desires.

It was a really enjoyable production, the cast were very talented and the lead had the most incredible singing voice. The kids enjoyed it just as much as the mums!!!

We then had lunch with the friends we went with, a gander around the National Trust Shop where I picked up some great pink gardening gloves for the girls and also a wander into the Crewel Gobelin - a fabulous needlework shop. I picked up a lovely Irish sampler to do for my beloved to give him sometime in the next how ever many years. I mean it did take me 3 years to complete the last one.

Now onto sorting out the girls bedroom - packing up, sorting clothes, tidying. What a fun afternoon (?)