Tag Archive for christmas

Christmas

26/12/2010 Joh family, food, friends, gratitude, holidays, love

Yesterday was jam packed amazing. So many luscious moments!

It’s so good to have little ones in my life again, especially at Christmas time. Watching them open their gifts, check that santa had drank the milk and the reindeers eaten their carrot, was such a treat for me. My big ones were awesome too. Having Asha around more now is a gift in itself. She has been so good to me these last few weeks, helping out at the shop, reminding me to breath and being there just when I need her. Tom rang yesterday and it was lovely to hear his voice. He worked all day and snuck a call in during a break. I always wish he was here, but I know he is where he is meant to be.

We had the family at our house for lunch and the food, company and gifts were outstanding. It was actually very relaxing and enjoyable. I don’t think I had enough time the last few weeks to panic about it too much. We kept it all pretty simple and had a roast lunch, mum brought the pudding, we had some leftover tarts and tiramisu from the shop, so there was plenty of great food and drinks. I got the BEST gifts ever. Lingerie, essential oils,perfume, books, a signed David Bowie photograph,a reading and cd’s from Tim, pretty much all my dreams come true.

I’m feeling a little damaged from overindulgence today. I have a lovely couple of weeks ahead of much less activity and I feel very relaxed about it. It’s Darin’s birthday tomorrow, so another celebration to go yet! Life is good:-)

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Fireworks

22/12/2010 Joh family, food, gratitude, love

We live close to town, so tonight, even though we didn’t make it to Carols by Candlelight, we still got to see the fireworks, which I reckon would be one of the best bits!

Tonight when I got home, I had a nap! It was delicious. I feel so refreshed now.

I have mountains of presents to wrap. I feel pretty happy that I’ve managed to get some awesome gifts for people I love. I’m also glad that I’ve got it all handled now. There is one more gift I would love to get, but I have to restrain my spending and say… that is enough. I find it so much fun to buy presents for the great people in my life. I can easily get carried away. I’m very excited about giving them out on Christmas morning. It’s so exciting to have the kids for Christmas eve. All the excitement… how lucky I am.

Yesterday when I posted Tom, Dean and Joan’s presents, I had a little teary. I wished they could be here for the day.  I was a bit emotional yesterday, maybe the eclipse got me:). The great thing is that Tom called me as soon as I got home from work and we had a chat, which helped a lot. His phone has died so I haven’t been able to talk to him for days… it was nice to hear his voice.

I think we have lunch handled. Well, Darin has it under control. That is another blessing;).

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A weeks holiday in a day

19/12/2010 Joh family, food, friends, gratitude, health, holidays, learn

Yesterday I slept for most of the day. I usually do this on the first day of the school holidays. I also read a great chunk of the book I’m reading right now. I’ve been so tired at the end of the day, my progress on ‘Atlas Shrugged’ is slowing. It was cool and I’d been to the shop in the morning and had another practice on the coffee machine, we’d done all the little things we had to do and I spent the afternoon napping, reading and eating. It is enough. I still slept soundly last night so I obviously need a bit of a catch up.

Today I feel totally refreshed and ready to get back into it all. It’s one week until Christmas. We are having lunch at our house this year. I’ve spent the morning writing lists of things to do. I have to post Tom and Dean’s Christmas present to Hamo, post Joan (Darin’s mum has the same name as my mum:-))her present, which I finished making this morning. I have to do a bit more shopping for some gifts I haven’t got yet, I’m guessing we will do most of the cooking for lunch at the shop and bring it home. When I say we, I mean Darin. Mum will help with the Christmas day preparations, she’s doing the pudding and dad’s getting the ham. We get the kids on Friday night until lunchtime Christmas day, so we need to have all that sorted out by then. I’m very excited about having a Christmas morning with little ones again.

I really like being so busy. I feel healthier than I have felt for a long time. Sometimes Darin and I look at each other and say ‘What were we thinking?’, but then we laugh and plow into it. It’s all coming together nicely, thanks to lots of help from other people as well as our own efforts.

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Weekend at Home

12/12/2010 Joh family, gratitude, home, love, work

After all the hustle and bustle of the last few weeks, we have a blissful weekend at home and the kids are here to sweeten it all. They didn’t arrive till late afternoon yesterday so we had the morning to clear the debris of the last few mad weeks. It was such a pleasure to clean my home. Darin handled the car and lawns. Can anyone say sex role stereotypes? I like it like that though :-) .  I threw out some things and feel very conscious right now of minimal ‘stuff’ so home can be easy and peaceful. I was totally in the zone so to speak and found myself cleaning out the pantry and the wardrobe as well as the regular washing, sweeping, vacuuming, dusting and wiping things.

I didn’t go to my last day of school on Friday. It was too much and I wanted to be with Asha for her birthday. She had to go to Melbourne on Friday night for a family (exes) party, so I wanted to enjoy the day with her at least. Friday night Darin and I put our feet up and had a drink and a debrief about what we’ve learnt so far and what we want to try. It doesn’t even feel like work.

Today we are putting up the Xmas tree with the kids. Life is very good.

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Progress and Exes

28/12/2009 Joh family, friends, gratitude

I have been really productive today. I have cleaned the house and attended to a few overlooked personal matters that I have been putting off. I have downloaded all my photo’s from my camera and my mum’s and put some on facebook for the family to see. I also put my little clip from Asha’s 21st on for the family only… she is still a bit wary, but so many wanted a copy, it seemed the easiest way.  I found my iPod! It had been used at the party for the music and whilst I remembered grabbing it, I couldn’t find it anywhere. It was in dad’s car!

I have resumed my exercise today and didn’t do as poorly as I expected. I think the cough I had for most of last term has finally subsided! I chatted with my friends today. It was great to talk to them and bring them up to speed with my fast changing life and hear about theirs also. 

I took a risk today. I made Darin and his mum a clip of the photos and small snatches of video I’d taken of his children throughout the year. I was pretty happy that Darin enjoyed it so much. I haven’t got it to his mum yet because she lives in Sydney and I only finished it Boxing Day. Darin’s ex, the mother of his children sent a beautiful gift of home baked goodies to me on Christmas Day. She also put one in for my daughter. I was so touched by this gesture. I sent her a copy of the clip when he went to visit today. She cried when she watched it and said it was the best gift she’d received all year. It made me feel good.

I have to admit there have been challenging times for me this year. I’ve been the ex and I haven’t always treated my exes new partner with the respect she deserves. Mostly to be honest, I’ve just ignored her, after making a few attempts that weren’t well received. I have felt wary of Darin’s ex. I have projected my own attitude on to her. She has really shown the way though and has always been polite and helpful to me. She is the mother of these precious children and as the primary care giver, it is also her influence that makes them such great kids to be around. I realise these situations will always be fraught with emotional responses, but I hope this is the start of a relationship that will ultimately benefit all involved.

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The Jolly Blur that has been this week

25/12/2009 Joh family, friends, gratitude, relationships

It’s hard to believe it’s less than a week since Asha’s 21st. What a packed week I’ve had! It’s all been lovely and I have seen most of the people I love this week. I miss Kate and Tom today, but had Tom here this time last week for the weekend, which almost makes up for it. I’ve had two phone conversations with Kate this week so that’s pretty good too for someone who lives in the UK.  My brother Brendan is home from Darwin and Jane and Sam were here last weekend from WA, so these things have been the real gifts for me this week. Watching my daughter shine at her 21st and entertain all her family and friends with the beauty and grace she carries with her was also a priceless treat. I’ve had Darin by my side cooking, entertaining, cleaning up, holding me up when I’ve had a panic and just generally being rock solid there for me is worth more to me than I can say. I feel absolutely surrounded by goodness.

I received great stuff too, as you do at this time. I especially appreciated the camera from my parents. Darin and I bought a camera recently that has disappeared. I’ve really missed having a camera. I didn’t realise how much I would. I got it in time to capture some of the delight of Darin’s beautiful kids opening their presents today and the smiles and glee at playing with all their new toys. I’m not going to list all the other lovely things.

I’m off to bed, full of gratitude for all I have in my life. I hope all readers have had a safe and lovely festive season.

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Christmas Debrief

27/12/2008 Joh family, gratitude

I’ve had a fabulous couple of days with the family and friends. Christmas was the joy I always hoped for. Too much food, plenty of laughter and many loved ones surrounded me. I adored my presents this year. I didn’t want anything specific this year, so it was all surprises as well.

I missed Kate, but had a great 2 hour chat with her on facebook on Boxing day morning, that satisfied some of the need to hang out with her. My brother Brendan was also absent from our Christmas day this year. He was in Darwin though with his adopted family and I know he enjoys those Christmas’s as well. The remainder of us enjoyed mum’s fabulous cooking, Tim’s great music and all that goes with the family getting together.

Yesterday we went to my Auntie Judy’s and spent a relaxing afternoon eating and conversing with mum’s extended family. There were four out of the seven of her siblings there. Way too much food has been consumed by myself. We dropped my brother Danny off at Seaspray on the way home from Judy’s. I don’t think I’ve ever been there before. It looked beautiful. The rain we’ve had lately has really transformed the countryside and in the late afternoon it was really picturesque.

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One more sleep….

24/12/2008 Joh gratitude

Every Christmas is different really isn’t it? I remember how excited I would be as a child. I feel that again after a long time. In between these years there has been a lot of stressing, rushing, overspending and people pleasing involved in Christmas… not in a good way. Last year was probably the quietest Christmas of my life. It could have been lonely, but really it was ok, just quiet.

My house is clean and I’m just about to have a soak so I can smell as good as it does. I feel infinately blessed and grateful to have so many to love and be loved by. Hope all readers have a brilliant Christmas Eve however it is spent.  

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Christmas is Coming….

23/12/2008 Joh family, holidays

I am bragging I know, but I am finished my shopping. I have totally enjoyed it this year and feel really pleased with the gifts I have to give. I am excited about Christmas. Each time I’ve been shopping, I’ve bumped into my best mate from school, Rhonda, and we have had a coffee together….totally unplanned. How fortunate is that! I have found the things I have been looking for with ease. I feel like I’ve had plenty of time this year. It’s been cruisy.

I spent the afternoon showing my dad how to download podcasts. I gave him the ipod I won from school a few weeks ago. I still have the ipod I won from Mr Wong ages ago. My kids already have ipods.  My dad likes to listen to talkback so I thought he might like it. He was quite facinated to find all the ABC radio programs there to be downloaded. I am sure I will have to go over it again a few times with him. 

I’m having Christmas lunch at the parents and celebrating Christmas Eve with the young people. Boxing Day will be extended family with my Auntie. I’m lucky I don’t have cater… then I would be frantic.

We’ve had lots of spontaneous gatherings here lately and I feel like I am cleaning up after little celebrations constantly. It’s ok though, I’m actually enjoying it this year. It is a different lifestyle with adult children, with their own cars to run themselves around with and their own jobs and money to fund Christmas with. I am getting quite fond of this freedom I have now. It’s not so bad after all!

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Recovery

22/12/2008 Joh gratitude

I have spent the last couple of days sleeping off too much celebrating, late nights and all that goes with it. It makes me feel old that I need so much time for that! The weekend was very big socially for me and I am not used to it. I am grateful I am on holidays.

I have most of my Christmas shopping done luckily. I got a call from my brother today and I half expected he was going to ask me to do his shopping for him as my younger sister took over from me with that task and now she is in Scotland. I was wrong though and he actually had a good suggestion for one of the people we were stuck on. People do change.

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