It's that time of year again. The mangos are fruiting and the birds are coming in to find them. It feels like xmas is coming earlier and earlier each year, with the shops brining out all the xmas stock months and months in advance. You can smell the grass fires burning through the old dead grass in preparation for the (fingers crossed) upcoming rains. We branded a small bunch of calves, to take the lead out of them before next year, especially if the predicted wet does arrive, and we are late getting back to them.
As I said in my previous post, I made a trip to Brisbane to have my stent repaired and we took the opportunity to catch up with my gorgeous cousin Jess.
As she had been feeling a bit unwell, we retreated to the Glass House Mountains Eco Lodge for a few days to rest and I must say, it was one of the best holidays that I've ever been on. We did absolutely nothing and it was so awesome. We went out in the morning for brunch and on our last day we went shopping at the DFO, but apart from that, we didn't do a thing and it was great!
A short walk behind our lodge, there was this dragon fruit farm.
And this was the little creek that ran along the side of the lodge.
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After returning home, it was back to baking and branding and generally cleaning up everything to prepare for xmas.
Dad stick raked the paddock below the house and burnt the piles in the afternoon, made for a few nice photos. The sky even turned it on for me for a bit.
Fires and Sunsets, my two favourite things.
From my phone:
Brunch with a view, glass house mountains lookout.
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| So gorgeous. |
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| Yep, we just did this most of the time! |
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| Meanwhile back at home, J managed to get the kids out for a spot of fishing. |
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| Sago Plumb Pudding |
Back home again and the bake fest begins. I did a lot of baking as gifts this year, as I find that way people can always eat it rather than trying to find them some nice give them gets thrown out or shoved in the back of a cupboard.
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| Peppermint Macaroons. |
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| Gourmet Crackers |
Quick trip to town and dumping my kids with their Aunty Ange while I had a Dr apt.
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| Teaching them to pull faces in the camera! |
Yes, there's a storey! While I was in Brisbane, the big fella's lamp blew. As we have matching lamps, he stole my light bulb! I thought that two could play that game!
Nanna, came to babysit for us for a couple of days and meant that I could get out and do some "real" work. Branded 60 calves and while I was a wee bit sore, was lovely to get out and work with my babies.
Gingerbread Cheesecake Cob!! YUM!
We had the road party at home this year, as it will be our last year here, which meant lots of baking and preparing. Was a great food feast and lovely to catch up with everyone. I'm just a little annoyed that I didn't get any photos, other than the food lol.....
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| Mum made this cheeseball wreath. |
Burrito Cob.
Xmas lunch with uncle Stew and aunty Penny.
Cousin Emma also has her birthday on the 20th of December so it was another good excuse for a party.
Then off the following day to help the neighbours with their 3-day inoculations.
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| Tayla, Coolee, Ella, Bonni and Lou |
New Xmas dress.
Becoming daddy's girl.
Found this old album and oh my goodness, talk about bring back some childhood memories.
Trying to get nice family photos!!
Got there eventually!
Kinda!
Santa brought the kids some kites and Poppy Eric was teaching them how to use them.
The got lots of blow up swimming toys, but the weather today has been a bit bleak for swimming.
Nanna, Grandma, Kaka and G man
Xmas night after all the excesses of food and present opening, we had a quiet one with some popcorn on the couch.
And some fruit for dinner, followed up with plumb pudding and trifle of course.
Hope you all had a very Merry Xmas. I got very spoilt with too many presents to name them all. Looking forward to the races this week and fingers crossed that some of this rain they have been predicting is on its way.
