Time, waste it wisely!

It’s amazing how sometimes life gets away from you… Can you believe that it is almost Christmas already? It honestly didn’t feel like long ago, when I greeted the new year in Vietnam.

So, with time slipping away, I realised that it has been ages since I hung out with my elder brother and his wife. There was always something… So now we find ourselves so close to Christmas and a big distance between us, yet we literally live a few blocks away from each other. Pretty sad ha?

This Sunday I am grateful for morning family fun days, and finally getting to hang out with my big bro and his wife. It was such a beautiful day, even with the occasional shower here and there. We hung out at the beach for most of the morning, with an amazing sausage sizzle cooked by yours truly… Yeah ok, I suck at BBQ cooking – better give the credit where it is due – so cooked by Chef extraordinaire Zac. The kids swam and then when cold got extra warm cuddles from their Uncle and Aunty.

I have so much love for my brother…even though he is annoying as hell, just like I annoy the living shit out of him. I couldn’t ask for a better brother. He supported me and stuck by me at my worst. Even went so far as being one of the big reasons why my life is the way it is today.  A long time ago I hit rock bottom. Pre-marriage, pre-kids, pre-meeting my ex-husband. I lost my way... badly… and there he was, doing a special trip to Bundy – took me out and put it straight. He gave me a choice to come willingly to Brisbane to get out of the world I was spiralling into, or he would make me move. I have never forgotten that day, and never will. I honestly would not be on this earth if it wasn’t for that chat.  I don’t think I have ever openly told him: thank you for saving my life… I know he knows, and I should probably say thank you more often than what I do. But, I do tell everyone else in the world that story all the time.

His wife is perfect for him, I honestly believe they are the perfect match, and I am so proud to call her my sister.  The joy she has brought into his world is all I could have ever hoped for,  for him. He has always been such a nice guy – such a caring guy.

I have some many amazing, funny, crazy, drunk teenager memories with my brother and many more amazing, funny, crazy, drunk adult memories to come…

It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas!

Today has no doubtable been an absolutely full on day. It's always good, well I love it - the busier you are the quicker time flies. 

So between work and my health today flew before my eyes... and then, let the excitement begin!

SCHOOL CHRISTMAS CONCERT!!!!!!!!!!! (screamed in two adorable little ladies voices).

Yep, it is Christmas time here at the girl's school! Boy, was it the absolute best! I remember a time where we never were able to make these things... Now, all that hard work over the years has paid off and I don't miss a thing!

The Christmas decorations and outfits were out in full force, with the old and the young all giving it a good bash... Nothing could beat the smile on all the little faces... All 300 hundred odd. I am pretty sure as soon as we arrived, they ran off to their friends, compared outfits, run around, threw in a couple of cartwheels and then enjoyed some tasty food from the food trucks on site. 

The stage looked awesome, and so did the gorgeous little Preppy's that got on the stage, all nervous but full of excitement belting out Silent Night at the top of their lungs. 

Then the MC announces that it's the grades 1's turn to show the parents and teachers their best Christmas singing voices. Immediately Havanah got up, jumping up and down, waving her arms around like crazy to ensure without a doubt we could see her. The excitement and joy on her face this year was so much better than last year... Pretty sure it is because she wasn't as nervous since she has done it once before. 

A few more grades go by, and then MC announces grade 3's... Oh, the smile on that kids face, the fun she had, the joy it made Zac, myself and their Au Pair Evie feel. A little more conservative, she didn't jump up and down like a monkey... She just smiled, waved, smiled again, giggled with her friends when Zac and I waved back like the dorky proud parents we are and then belted out her Christmasy tune!

Such a magical night, under the stars, listening to 300 children singing completely off key, not in time with each other and all distracted by waving at their parents!

It's never too early for Christmas!

Happy Sunday, so happy, because today was Christmas for us!

So, naturally, today I am grateful for celebrating an early Christmas with some pretty special family members. My to be mother-in-law and her partner are miners and will be working over Christmas. So, because of this, they brought Christmas to us...

We stuffed ourselves with good food, amazing drinks, laughter, happiness and quality time... An extra added bonus, the girls got some super special and super early Christmas presents.

I love spending time with family, especially my future mother-in-law. I absolutely adore her, and I absolutely love the fact that we get along so well. And the girls, absolutely adore her as well.

There is no better way to spend your day, than spending it with family... Ok, maybe a side of Christmas into the mix is slightly a better way to spend your day with Family.