Little EddyG turned one on Wednesday. Happy Birthday Eddy!

We were lucky enough to spend the day with the birthday boy. We snorkelled at Gordons Bay (we saw a couple of rays!). We followed that little bit of exercise with grilled fish and chips at Coogee. It was a great 1st birthday celebration. It was also a 29th birthday celebration as Eddy shares his birthday with his Dad, Goldy. Poor Goldy. Nobody is ever going to make a big deal out of your birthday again. We promise we'll make a big deal out of your 30th birthday. Well, we'll call you old at least.

For Eddy's 1st birthday I made him a lambykins. Like the one below except from different material.

Usually, I have to explain what the present is after it is opened. It's a soft toy but it also doubles as a pillow. We didn't have to explain it to Eddy though. We put lambykins in front of him and he put his head straight down and gave it a hug. Everyone there went "awwwwwwwwwww". It was very cute. It's nice to see your presents in action and being appreciated.
Thanks to Nina for the photo. I stupidly forgot to take my camera on the day.

Another reason that I'm happy to be home... my sewing machine! I missed it while I was in London. I've already done some Christmas crafting for the kids.

First up, a towel cape for Ellie. I gave the twins a towel cape for their second birthday (five years ago!). I figured Ellie's version was long overdue.

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of Ellie with her towel cape. She was so happy with her present that it went straight to the pool room. She ran into the bathroom and hung it up, ready to be used that very evening. Heather said it was the first time ever that Ellie had voluntarily hung up her towel.

So, here is a photo of the girls opening their other presents.

I've also made a towel cape for Leo for Christmas. I'm pretty sure that Leo doesn't read fushmush so I'm safe to post my creation. Leo loves Spiderman so Mum suggested a Spiderman themed cape would be a winner. I'm pretty impressed with how it turned out. I think Leo will love it. (Andrew did :D)




My towel capes were inspired by LJC. Thanks for sharing your fantastic ideas.

London: Thursday morning - Autumn. Sydney: Thursday evening - Spring.

"My crafting mojo has returned. Hurrah! Here are two little doggies that were inspired by the Mad Dog pattern in the book Softies (a present from Sarah and Duncan). These two have already found new homes. One was snapped up by Andrew's workmate who wanted one for his daughter. The other was given as a present to Isaac. He immediately took the dog out into the yard and was running it through the garden growling and barking. A crafting success I think.

Isn't it strange how both photos are of dogs this week? We don't plan it that way, I promise! "




Check out Sue's day at noodlebowl.net and her photos on Flickr.

Gingerbread House decorating, it's a Christmas tradition. I've actually done it every year, except one, since 2003. I think six years of an event means it counts as a tradition. This year, as we were back in Australia, I figured it was time to include the boys in on the tradition.

The boys were great. They were very patient while Andrew and I made the icing and the boys even helped with the sifting of the icing sugar. Leo thought that icing sugar was flour and yucky tasting before Andrew suggested that Leo taste it (I had gone along with the flour comment). After that we had a hard time keeping Leo out of the icing sugar.

Oscar loved the decorating bit of the gingerbread house process. He loved making patterns with the lollies and was keen to cover every single part of the house. I think we did a pretty good job.

Leo wasn't so keen on the decorating and was more interested in the eating. He soon lost interest when we stopped letting him eat the decorations. He did announce that he was going to eat some of the "cake" when we were done. Luckily we convinced him to wait at least until Daddy got home so that Oscar and Leo could show off their creation. (Then we put it out of sight and out of reach of Leo's very sweet tooth).



More photos on Flickr.

More Christmas Fun...

Lollies, sweets and candy...
For the past three years, one of my favourite Christmas events has been the Gingerbread House evening run by Heather's church. It is such a fun community event. Although I'm half a world away, I decided that this year I wasn't going to miss out on this event. Natalie and I put our heads together and sourced a couple of Gingerbread house kits. Natalie's came all the way from Canada and it's a typical North American mansion. Mine is from ASDA and is a classic European chalet (complete with Hansel and Gretel and a witch).

Natalie and I had a fun time decorating our Gingerbread Houses. Although there are no freckles, musk sticks, redskins or strawberry and creams decorations on our houses. The English really have no idea how to do tasty lollies.

Look out behiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiind yooooooooooooooooooooooou!
The last item on my Christmas in London to-do list was "See a Christmas pantomime". Yes, this Christmas really is all about my inner-child. So it was appropriate that our pantomime of choice was Peter Pan, a play about the boy who never grows up. Starring Sarah Jane Honeywell as Peter Pan (who!?!), Bobby Davro as Smee (who!?!) and (the reason we decided on Peter Pan) the Fonz as Captain Hook. I mean, Henry Winkler as Captain Hook.

Pantomimes are all about audience participation. The audience responds when an actor asks a question. The audience boos when the baddie comes on stage. Although I was a bit hesitant at first, I soon loosened up and joined in the fun. Even to the point of joining in the special audience participation section at the end of the panto. (It doesn't advance the story line at all; it's just there for the audience.) How could we resist though when Captain Smee, dressed in a big Kangaroo suit, made us all sing Tie Me Kangaroo Down. We were the only ones in the audience that were properly qualified to sing it. We sang loudly with the appropriate ocker accent.

The whole thing was just one big Helen De Paul dancing concert. The dancing and music were so very 80s with an Eye of the Tiger / Final Countdown medley at one point and a Queen finale. The Panto also borrowed heavily from other musicals. Consider Yourself (Oliver) and We Go Together (Grease) both made an appearance.

All in all, I had a really good time. I love punny humour and at the end of the evening my belly ached from laughing so hard. I'm definitely up for a panto at Christmas time next year. Although, I feel it would be twice as fun with a child in tow. I think next December it might be time for a "Holiday with Auntie Jess" in London. Just whack 'em on a plane, I'll meet them at the airport *G*.