hockey nights + pumpkin pie + snow

the two of us, outside somewhere - can't remember where, back in november

back in nov we had some very heavy days of snow, this is the driveway after it was shovelled - the snow banks wear at least wasit high! And that's my winter coat - down filled, water proof, all the way to the knees.

Peter in his hockey gear - not long after being kicked off the ice for fighting! (which is unusual for him, but was a sight to see that's for sure!)

Peter's two gorgeous nieces and me at Sunday night hockey. Peter's two brothers-in-law and Peter are all in the same team so it's a family affair on the sidelines.

i baked a wheat and dairy free pumpkin pie back in nov - it was delicious!

random snaps dec 08/ jan 09 - xmas morning, winter hike + tea

dressed up like bugs in rugs for our super cold full moon hike last weekend - no need for blush, the minus twenty something wind chill kept the cheeks rosy!!

contrary to this pic, the scenery on the hike was beautiful - and surprisingly visible even though the Full Moon stayed behind the clouds

note the aussie uggs - they are the BEST thing for keeping toes warm, even outside (they are suprisingly waterproof - I shovelled the driveway in the name and stayed toasty warm + dry)

see all the snow in the background? That's our backyard!

Me holding the gorgeous glass teapot Peter gave me as a moving in gift - inside is a blooming tea, 'le grand amour', kind of appropriate don't you think? :)

a random xmas snap - first thing in the morning with the kids and their stockings! More of these to follow at some point

Christmas in Sydney, the people

Me and Aunt M

Aunt M and Em (Godmother/ goddaughter)

Kel W and Joel - smiling as ever for the camera

Aunch Anne with her dickie light (Mum and Dad have them too - we don't get it!) Something to do with their marathon bike ride through tassie later this month (Jan 09) maybe????

Kel and Chooke, note the empty champagne and guava glasses! Nana is in the background too

chimes - Chloe (Mark's GF) and Kelly W (Joel's GF)

We do these number shots (which relate to birth order) as the odds all look alike (dark haired and mostly taller) and the evens all look alike (blonde/ lighter hair and shorter, other than Mark!) Daggy, but hey it's family and we love it!

Joel and Em aka 3 and 5, waiting for 1 (that's me!)

Me, Joel and Em - that's 1, 3, and 5

Kelly, Joel and Emma, otherwise known as 1, 3, 5 and Aunt Mary

Joel, Cooper and Mark

(keep in mind, in these snaps, almost everyone not in each is behind a camera pap snapping away, hence the random direction of everyone's eyes in the snaps - nobody knows where to look!

Mark, Megs and Chooke, otherwise known as 4, 6 and 2

4, 6, and 2 with Aunt Mary (left) and Aunch Anne (right)

the present couples - Joel and Kel (aka Bernie) and Coco and Marcus

the chimes, Kelly and Chloe, leaving space for Peter to be photo shopped in (don't know how many Peter's they think there are!!)

the ladies, L to R, Megan, Mum, Kelly, Aunt Mary, Emma, Aunch Anne, Brooke

self portrait, kelly, megan and brooke

Megan's 18th - will the party never end?

the birthday girl and her drink of choice - no longer required as I believe she has turned sober since this night :)

Chooke, Megs and Chloe attempting to get it together for a snap... take 1, take 2

The baby and number 1 (not you Em!)

well this photo, taken early in the night, was a rather accurate indication of what lay ahead!!!

the families there to supervise, passing the time (and showing their age!) by playing cards. Just outside this little kitchenette there was a Dj playing too loud music (now showing my age!)

random sydney adventures part two

the lovely Yazzy B and hubby Oli. The gorgeous Louis B was sleeping in his pram - we were having coffee at a fabulous little place on Hall St Bondi - the name of which escapes me!

I did actually see quite a few people whilst in Sydney but was a little lax on the old camera usage (except obviously at family do's!)

Sydney adventures Dec 08

and then with a post lunch scene like this, who could resist a dip? Not this recent snow bunny!! (and I seriously needed as much sun exposure as possible to try and eradicate a wicked moon tan!)

Clarissa, Kate and I, after lunch and some yummy wine

Clarissa and I (shy much?!) photos taken by Kate!

One fine sunny day in December, three old friends got together for lunch. The venue: Le Kiosk at Shelley Beach

This me and my two Kate's! Katie F on the left and I have been BFF's since we started working at McD's together over 15 years ago!! Katie C is also a great buddy from McD's days - and got married to the lovely Will on Dec 5

Let them eat cake

one mouthful to go!

dad getting stuck into the cake - it has pineapple in it so it must be healthy!

so apparently there's an art to eating cake, at least according to Dad and Joel. It involves squishing your cake into small morsels, drowning it in sauce and cream (when it's available) and then eating it (sorry joel there was no custard too!!!) Cream has been scarce since August when Dad gave us all a bit of a scare, it has gone the way of cheese and late night snacks involving vita weats dipped into the margaring tub........ well for the most part anyway! (Love you Dad!)

Meg's 18 th cont...

all dirty plates now - a well fed family! ok start this post here, read down then come back and see the picture at the top!

birthday girl waiting for cake......note the clean stack of desert plates to the left

the chief baker carrying the goods

Joel's hands on the left, raised for spirit fingers (I have no idea where this tradition came from, but at birthdays, which lets face it, in our family happen every other month and twice in february, august and december, when we sing happy birthday, we raise our hands and wiggle our fingers, all spirit like. It sounds silly, and really it probably is, but it's our tradition, we love it and we're sticking to it!)

dad joining in spirit fingers as we all sing! Megs and her favourite cake - sticky pineapple pudding. It's a recipe I got out of a woman's Day or Weekly mag and is the simplest cake ever - no beating and a one bowl wonder. The gooey caramel sauce is a winner!

said chicken burgers with Mum's lush home made garlic aioli (see earlier post on Megsy's 18th)now you see it, now you don't