Oliver's Christmas Presents

I am happy to say I have almost finished my Christmas shopping. Oliver is one lucky boy this year. His first and last VERY LAST lucky year. He has asked Santa Claus for some match box cars and a box (to make a kitchen).

He is also getting a stack of things in his santa stocking most of which he needs. Undies, Back Float, Rash Shirt and Board Shorts, Magentic Book, Beach Chair, Stamps, Fishing Line and how could I forget some match box cars. I am sure there is more but I can't remember them all.

16 Weeks

My god, the heat is exausting already. How will I cope through February, the hottest month of the year. Being pregnant and my first summer for 6 + years in Australia is going to make it a very tough time. But if that is all I can complain about then I am a happy woman.

Nothing major this week to report on the pregnancy only that it is the only slowest pregnancy in history, so I am going to talk about Christmas. I am gearing up for Christmas and I can't wait. My shopping is almost over. I have hubby to buy for and a few odds and bobs. My plan is to finish this weekend before December 1st comes on Tuesday. All I can say is, Oliver is going to be one lucky boy. I will post some pictures of the things he will be getting over the weekend. I just have to finish his santa stocking and I am trying to make them things that will get used and not thrown on the floor and forgotten about.

Decorations and the tree will be going up this weekend as well. How exciting. Christmas has never been this much fun. Having a 2.5 year old makes it like being a child again. I have ordered the Christmas cards, started organising the advent calendar for Oliver and written up my Christmas list.

It is definitely starting to feel a lot like Christmas (and pregnancy and summer).

My Christmas

Oliver not long after waking to see the empty bottle of beer left for Santa and his full stocking

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. We had a relatively relaxed and slow day thanks to some stomach bug racing through the household. Firstly me and now hubby on Boxing Day. I did manage to see Oliver open all his presents (he was one lucky boy) but I did spend nearly all the rest of the day in bed with a bucket beside me. I did have my husband and little boy with me though and that is all I could have asked for.

Christmas Parade

It was the Wimborne Christmas parade today. Oh my god, the crowds, it was crazy. It was such a lovely atmosphere. There were morris dancers, marching bands, lots and lots of people and no rain! Oliver and I went along and he had a ball, thanks to the steam engines and the tractors that were there.

I think every man and his dog was there. It is a quaint little village, I do like living here and usually you run into someone you know, like today. You can see it was a miserable grey day though.

Do towns in Australia do this sort of thing?

Christmas Cards Sent

I sent out our Christmas cards today. It is the deadline for post to Australia so I hope they get there in time. Here is a sneak peak.



This weekend I will be wrapping all the presents, buying and decorating our real Christmas tree.
All my Christmas shopping is done, now to wrap them all.

Have a nice weekend. xxx

Make your own Christmas Wreath

I think I might give this a go over the weekend!! I think I could do it. Here are the instructions on how to make it.

Living in a Shoe Box

The house was valued yesterday. It left me totally depressed. I think we have decided to rent it out for at least 6 months and see if the housing market has improved in that time. The valuation wasn't good, but it wasn't that bad either. If we sold it this time last year, we could have got £40K more then now. That is quite significant AND we wouldn't be buying in Australia straight away anyway as we need to settle and then find the right location and the right house. So, we will sit tight.....for now!

This doesn't change our moving to Australia plans at all. In fact, we are one step closer to the visa getting approved, hopefully. Alastair had his chest x ray and medical yesterday so the only thing left to do is the phone interview which has not been arranged yet.

After the depressing house news, I paid a visit to the local toy shop which sells the most gorgeous wooden toys and for a really reasonable price. The shop owner was telling me about operation christmas child which you can read about here. It made me realise that things for us aren't that bad and there are people a lot worse off then us. So, I have been inspired to do my own little shoe box for someone. I would like to encourage you all to do the same. Unfortunately, I think the Australian's have missed the drop off date but maybe you could all do it next year.