An Island Christmas

With The New Year starting tomorrow morning and Christmas has just been I thought I would share our Christmas table with you. Aussie style, minus the snow and rain.
With a beautiful 25 oC and a light covering of clouds it was a perfect day all round. Sitting in our front yard on the island under the marquee that comes out for all parties and events, boats going past and kids either running around or riding the new bikes.

We had 24 for Christmas lunch, seafood, ham, salads and so many treats just looking at it made you feel full.
Handmade cracker made by the kids and stuffed with goodies, 50 hanging pine cones from the marquee's roof as a cheap and fun decorations, home grown hibiscus as table decorations and plenty of giggles and laughter.

I am excited for the new year as I am now 16 weeks pregnant with baby number 6. Shock horror and mouth dropped open I am now over the sickness and the shock.

I wish you and your family a safe , happy, loving 2011 and hope that you continue to visit the blog this year.

Crackers made by the kids

Brayden waving at a passing boat

Logan and his Christmas gift

A very stylish grandma, Beth

My sister Keris and Bianca

Gift giving

City girl hits the country

I just thought that I would give you a little more insight to Cabbage Tree Island and our family life.
Our island has no water except for the tanks now when we moved in here 8 months ago the tanks were almost empty. With winter now over they did fill but with a family our size that does not last long. We are still trained like city kids, water just runs freely.
Needless to say a couple of weeks ago we ran out. A kind neighbour from across the water said we could hook up to his tap and pump water into our tanks. 600m of pipe and a few friends to help we sunk the pipe on the bed of the river with bricks and marked it with the Australian flags so boats don't ripe our pipe out.
32 hours of the tap running we are now 3/4 full. You wouldn't believe it the day were were laying the pipe it actually started to rain.

Both Chris and I want the children to understand that living in the country is different to the city. We grow avocados and have 500 trees, chickens have been bought and we now get a dozen a day. we box them up and send them to family and friends to earn a little pocket money and holiday fund.

So far we love the country life with a LOT of funny stories and some not so funny. A friend said I should write a book called "The misadventures of Britta's Island". Not such a bad idea. With getting Partylicious up and running again other huge things in the future ( TBA ) it might have to be great idea for now.

Our home grown, organic, vegetarian eggs

1 of 500 avocado trees

Brayden

Elyssa holding the pipe

Good friend Christen wet suit and all... I reckon he loved the adventure.

The team of workers

Me directing oncoming boats.

10th October 10

Happy 10.10.10

Our daughter Sienna asked me some time ago if we could have a party on 10.10.10 at 10 am.
Great idea. Out went the invitation of a Partylicious lollipop.
Theme colors were orange, lime,pink and yellow.

It was a wonderful day with the rain now gone decorations out the party was on its way.
Everyone turned up to our island either by boat or we picked them up from the mainland.
Even the boat was dressed up for the day with 15 meters of homemade bunting.

The kids had a lolly buffet after the sack races but to get the favor bag to fill with sweets we hid them on one of the 500 Avocado trees.

By the time everyone left at 2 we were being asked if we were going to have a party for 11.11.11.
Answer to that is absolutely.

Invitation was delivered in a cello bag and bow

Handmade Bali flags

A buffet for kids and kids at heart... go Judy we love you

Tiffany was not about to be left out

Halloween 2010

I love Halloween and seeing the kids faces but don't like the blood and guts part of it. In Australia we are just coming around to the idea of Halloween but parents still need to educate children on the manners of Halloween door knocking.
In the past couple of years I have found that the older children go out without costumes and before the young children. The lollies plates so kindly left are emptied into a pillow slip.
Should we have an age limit to it? What about nut allergies and kids asking if they can have something different because they don't like the choice?
All of the above does not dampen my spirits yet, and I will still get out the pumpkins and webs to decorate the front door.

Now when you see the very talented Tomkat from The Tomkat Studio and her Halloween idea, this should inspire you.
Beautiful color, design and ideas you can also buy your Halloween cards from her shop.

I hope you enjoy the following photos

http://tomkatstudio. halloween

Invitation from Tomkat Studios

Spooky spiders from Tomkat Studios

Purple Glitter Tree from Tomkat Studios this was her whole Halloween inspiration

From Tomkat Studios

From Tomkat Studios

Simply stunning by Tomkat Studio

Wedding Season is in the air

With spring in the air and the warm weather upon us it's wedding season. Yippee

A good friend of mine is getting married on Friday. We call her a family manager... "She" is Karen and my sisters last nanny for 6 years. Karen has been at all 6 births in our family and one of her own.
Now its her special day. A total of 10 children are in her wedding party and the theme is lilac and beige.

Photos posted next week.

We know it will be a beautiful day. Preparations and planning have been happening for about a year with every detail thought and dreamt about.

Some great sights to get ideas are. Things you can do at home. Very beautiful.

tomkatstudio.blogspot

karaspartyideas

celebrationsathome

projectwedding

Even Very pregnant Karen took the kids to a cookie factory. To see how they are made and of course a taste test.

With 4 of my children, Sienna, Elyssa, Monique and Logan.
Brayden was still a twinkle in daddy's eye.

Karen and her beautiful baby Indiana.

Tea Party anyone

When our daughter Monique wanted a Tea Party I was so excited to design something old fashioned with a twist of modern day. Fairy booked , smartie flowers made and baskets all ready for the 30 guests. We decided on pinks and blues. The favor was a hand made flower in the theme color with a tasty centre of smarties. The house we lived in at the time was not suitable for a party so decide on the local park and gazebo. It soon became our known party venue for the other children as you will see in the coming weeks.

So sit back make a cuppa and I hope you enjoy the photos.

Made by partylicious and designed by me

Food baskets instead of platters of food

And it tasted great

Birthday Girl Monique

Fairy from www.fairycrystal.com.au

Monique's invitation was a teacup and a gift tag swinging off the handle.