CHRISTMAS 2009

If I had actually been up to date with my blogging, I would have posted this pic of the digital Christmas card I made*, and wished everyone a wonderful and safe Christmas and a new year filled with happiness and good health. So Merry Xmas and Happy New Year fellow bloggers and blog readers!

We had a great Christmas (Samuel's 1st) and are still wading through the many toys that Santa left! This caused Thomas to tell me one day that he and Daniel are well behaved and not naughty...he challenged me saying that if they were naughty (as I claim), then how come Santa left them lots of toys and not a bag of dirt (which had been my threat)! Good call... but who in the world could follow through with such a threat?!

*I have given up traditional scrapbooking for others due to time constraints but was thinking of offering a selection of pre-designed photo cards for purchase. People could simply buy the JPEG file and print themselves or buy the actual prints. I would also offer blank card and envelope packs (like the ones I used for Christmas) as do-it-yourself kits. Does anyone think these would sell?

THE WIGGLES!

December 20th last year saw us head off to our very first Wiggles concert. I had never taken the kids before, thinking they were too young to last through the show...and that was probably a good call on my part! I know my children well.

Due to the fact that we also had a family BBQ that day, my parents needed our car to transport baby Samuel, so we took Sam's work station wagon instead. The boys were more excited about travelling in Daddy's car than they were about the impending concert! Go figure!

The Wiggles lived up to expectations! They were brilliant and I have to say it was one of the best value-for-money concerts around (only $30 per ticket!)

They were absolutely amazing...and to see them "in the round" was great - they were so close! They even ventured into the audience during various parts of the show :) I took heaps of photos but these are just a sample:

The boys loved it and were awestruck. Thomas, who LOVES to sing and dance, refused to show much excitement in public, preferring to maintain a composed, mature demeanour. Daniel, on the other hand, danced wildly and joined in all the fun.

However, in trademark style, Daniel didn't quite maintain concentration to the end of the one and a half hour extravaganza... and so began to perform his own acrobatic feats on the seats.

Hence my good call in not taking them to a Wiggles concert at a younger age :)

GRADUATION DAY

Meet 6 year old Sarah and Giuseppe. They are my niece and nephew. This is them having a dance at mine and Sam's engagement party...so cute...and you can tell, even then, that Sarah was feisty!

This is them at our wedding, with our other nephew (also named Giuseppe). So damn cute...and innocent.

Fast forward almost 10 years to their Year 10 Graduation and BOOM! Look at them now!! My camera flash wasn't working but you get the general idea...

Boy, who feels old now?

Special thanks to my cousin Jacqueline, a MAC master, for doing Sarah's make-up for the big night xxx

This post could have 2 names:
SAM, THE STAR GOLFER or BESTEST WIFE IN THE UNIVERSE!


This was also a long time coming...and I have really, really wanted to write a post on it. The moment is finally here...


On the 22nd March, 2009 Sam hit a hole in one at golf! Notice the exclamation mark at the end of that statement? Well, when he excitedly messaged me from the golf course with a pic of himself holding the magic ball, I replied with "that's great"...not an excited "that's great" but a "so, you have finally achieved what most golfers achieve all the time" kind of "that's great". You see, I was under the impression that a hole in one was a common occurrence on the golf course. Little did I know that such feats are rare, that Tiger Woods himself hasn't scored that many (considering his golfing status) and that many players, even professional ones, can go a lifetime without landing even one! In fact, this was only the second ever hole in one scored in Sam's golfing club!


So basically, it was a BIG DEAL! Hence the headline, "Sam, the Star Golfer!"


However, Sam had to wait until the end of year trophy presentation BBQ to receive the spoils of victory. This is where the "Bestest Wife in the Universe!" comes into it. The event was held in a local park/reserve on a day when the mercury rose to over 40 degrees Celsius! We left the kids with my mum and off we trotted.


I have never, ever experienced such blistering heat! We sat in the middle of a park as boiling hot winds lashed us. I am not exaggerating! I sweated in places I didn't think it was possible to sweat! But being the wonderful wife I am, I endured it all and sat there for hours, even helping Sam when he was posted on salad making duties (we were given a box of lettuce, carrots and cucumbers with a knife that would put Crocodile Dundee to shame...don't think anyone even touched the lettuce we laboured to make lol). And then I sat through all the speeches and presentations and even stayed for about 20 minutes after it had all ended, even though by this stage I was close to collapsing from heat exhaustion.


But it was all worth it! I was very proud of my star golfer!! I hope he gets another hole in one...and receives his next trophy in air-conditioned comfort :)


This is him receiving his trophy which will be mounted with the original ball, along with a plaque outlining his success and housing a bottle of Blue Label Johnnie Walker scotch.

The plaque impressively reads:

The Tatas Club is a non-profitable organisation carrying on social and sporting activities for their members and guests in Sydney, NSW.

Every player is part of the unique culture, friendship and camaraderie that is known as the Tatas Club family.

Congratulations Sam Camera on achieving this momentus feat and we hope that you gain many more in the years to come...

"Hole in One" on the 9th Hole Bardwell Valley Golf Course. This was a 90m Par 3. His ball fell short of the small well guarded green and slowly rolled into the hole for a slam dunk.

He achieved this feat for only the second time in Tatas Club history on the 22nd March 2009.

His prize: A framed set with a bottle of Johnnie Walker "Blue Label".

Sam Camera - A keen and avid golfer with a handicap of 27, Sam achieved with the Tatas Club what every golfer aspires to: A HOLE IN ONE

CARMELINA JOINS THE 30 CLUB!

A couple of days after Daniel turned 3, my sister in-law Carmelina finally got inducted into the 30 club! I don't feel quite so old now...kind of...

She also had a drinks celebration a week or so later but unfortunately we weren't able to make it. Happy Birthday again Carmelina!

My sister and her turned up in the same dress lol had to include this photo!

MY MIDDLE MAN TURNED 3

We have an extremely large family, so for a little guy to have his birthday at the end of November...well, let's just say it's a very long wait for his own special day to roll around! But roll around it did! Daniel was very excited to be turning 3. My sister in-law Barbara made his Wiggles cake which he had been asking for since about the time he turned two :)

Thomas was just as excited as Daniel and many arguments ensued in the days after the birthday party, as Thomas took possession of all toys! Poor Daniel!

This is Dan in his little chef's outfit, given to him by my mum. He is constantly by her side, wanting to know how and why and what and where about every single dish cooked, so she thought it only appropriate.

MIA for 2 months!



Wish I had some great (and major) adventure to share but I'm afraid life hasn't been quite that exciting although a lot has been happening...I only remember half the stuff because I took photos! So I'm going to use them as my cue and start a marathon blogging session...lucky you :)



I'll do separate posts to make it easier to upload photos etc so stay tuned if you're still around.