Nanna is relaxing for New Year's Eve

I am having a wonderfully quiet evening enjoying blogging and having no pressure to go out and party.... to be honest I am a bit over parting.... I shall go into the New Year well rested....

I am wishing all my beautiful children and grandchildren a wonderful New Year... and hope that the pressures of life will be small for them and that the children will blossom and bloom into superb young children guided by their parents... and of course the grandparents..... its sounding a bit Corny.... what the hell...

Whats in store for the grandchildren.... Jasmine starts school... year 1, Dylan starts Pre-school and has his tonsils out in January (no swimming for 3 weeks poor boy), Jessica starts Kindergarten not before time.... she will love it... Talia is our in between child at two and a half... then there is Sam, Isabella and Logan who are all 18mths there abouts Logan being the youngest at 15mths.... so I guess its their turn to be home alone with mum/dad.... and miss the sibling that has gone to school.... it will be interesting to see how these three blossom this year.

But there parents still have to entertain them until February.... oh how I use to get so tired of the Christmas holidays..... it does bring back memories......

until next time wishing you all a Happy New Year.......

Summer is great for the kids playing in the pool.....

Dylan, Jasmine, Jessica



Over the week or so I have managed to spend more time with the family... what a surprise... because I have been off work... even though I do have work to do, i have not been motivated to do it... the weather has been wonderfully hot therefore I have spent a lot of time in the pool.

Jodie with Sam and Talia


Isabella


Scott & Logan


I looked over previous blogs and note that I have not blogged much on this site....that is mainly because I have been too busy with my other blogs and work... there are many times I have spent with the grandchild and have laughed at comments they have made and thought I must blog that .... but alas time gets away with me and I don't get it done. The children come out with such gems..... at times...you wonder where they get it from.

With seven grandchildren we are busy all the time.... I do try very hard to be fair and equal with them all in terms of everything.... this week we have one each night for a sleep over...of the older children...the younger ones make it to hard... already having the kids invades on our sleep in of the mornings and our playtime... remembering this is our holiday too as during the year we are both busy and tired. We do have to train the grand kids to knock on our door.... before entering...

Jasmine helped wash the dog (Muffin) don't know who needed their hair brush more!

Next year Jasmine starts school, Dylan starts pre-school and Jessica starts kindy so a big year for all of them.... they are certainly ready for it...Talia who really is the middle one will probably do four year old kindy, then there is Sam, Isabella and Logan who will be left at home..... I also think next year we may be heading for grandchild number 8 if Ben & Peta's plan goes ahead.... that is there baby plan... so watch this space for more adventures with the family.
All the very best for 2010 to everyone.

Santa came to visit on Christmas Day:

The kids call out Santa, Santa, Santa and then Santa appears with lollies and presents in hand....


Joy at our house, we have a special arrangement with Santa, he comes to our home to give out the Christmas presents in the evening with all the family.... it is such a special time.... everyone is welcome... and often we have special people visit us...like Auntie Pastie from England who was staying with Auntie Audrey and you know what, Santa had presents for them as well wasn't he cleaver.... we put a lounge chair and an umbrella in the back garden and Santa sits in comfort and hands out the presents to the eagerly awaiting children and parents.... it really is a fun day....



We went to see Jasmine, Talia & Sam at there house for lunch.... just as well because the kids were at there best..the girls looked great in the dresses, that I bought them in Singapore last year... I get so much pleasure out of seeing the kids wearing the outfits you buy for them.... in the afternoon the two little kids were tired and poor Sam was sick.... it really is a big day for the kids....



There is lots of family, friends, food and drinks... a good time was had by all....




Isabella Rose in her angel dress was as cute as ever.. however she was not impressed with Santa.. she stuck close by to mummy....


like wise Logan Mark.... stayed close to Daddy... this is a great picture of father and son... both smiling at the camera.... they have the same nose...thats his grand-dads nose....


Dylan got this great present from his Uncle Scott & Auntie Nikki.... he went around asking everybody if you could open it after mum and dad said wait.... poor boy...Nanna found it hard to say no.... but she did...


The family having Christmas dinner outside after Santa's visit, it was all very good food and fun... roast turkey, pork, ham, crayfish, prawn salad, roast potatoes, salads.... cakes, lollies, Moet Champagne......etc

I am so blessed to have a loving family.....Thank you....

Putting up the Christmas Tree with the grandchildren

Dylan helping nanna put up the Christmas tree he did a terrific job..



Singapore: a Christmas tree made with teddy bears:


Oh my favourite time of the year.... work has come to an end at least for a few weeks... I switch off and concentrate on my family life... leading up to Christmas is always very busy... this year I was in Singapore early December which puts pressure on in terms of time and Christmas parties.



My Christmas tree was late going up this year... as Kirsten moved out in October and she normally helps me.... so I was tardy getting up this year... until I thought the grand kids can help put it up... so there begins a new trend.... the kids putting up the tree.... they are such helpful little cherubs.... even Isabella helped by the decorations on the tree..




The Christmas cake was later than usual but the fruit managed to get a soak for at least a week.... it was too late this year to make the gingerbread house.... so I had to find something else to make for the kids that would distract from the usual ginger bread house.... so I put chocolates and candy sticks in the welcome bowl near the front door and made some Christmas crackles which went down a treat... and nobody mentioned the gingerbread house... will do it next year.....




Then the kids decided that uncle Scott could be decorated as a Christmas tree and then Dylan also thought he would make a good Christmas tree and put the tinsel all over him... it was all good fun......

Dylan's first Kindy Christmas Concert:

Oh the joys of Christmas... I just love it... I love the fact that I can buy the children presents... looking through the shops to see what they would like.. to spoil them in a nice way... to see there faces as they open their presents... it is a real pleasure one which I look forward to and enjoy immensely...



With Christmas comes the children's concerts.... how I love to watch them... it brings a tear to my eye...they look so cute and innocent and they try so very hard to please and do the right thing.



Dylan's kindy class was dancing to Lilo & Stitch - Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride - they were all dressed in Hawaiian shirts and the girls had grass skirts on they all looked so cute.... and did a wonderful job... I managed to persuade the others to watch several other performances before we left for dinner at Faye & Brendon's with the other grandparents.... Dylan was so proud that both sets of grandparents came to watch him on stage... he really loves all the attention and love he gets from both his grandies... and I must say I do enjoy spending time with them all.... it is one of my greatest pleasures in life..... and I look forward to many more concerts.....

April...Grandparents day.... Jasmine...

Nanna this is where I hang up my school bag



I am a real sucker for watching the school kids especially at Assembly and singing..Grandparents day what a fantastic idea.... we never had that when my kids were little... I wonder if it is an acknowledgement for the work that grandparents do... or is it that more grandparents are looking after children. The children sang beautifully... they had also written poems about their grandparents... it did bring a tear to my eye.... and Jasmine kept an eye on me to make sure I was watching her... and she knew all the words to the songs.. so cleaver.



For me this has become very important because I never knew the concept of grandparents... or extended family... because mine all died young... as for my parents... I came from a rather dysfunctional family... so my children didn't grow up with grandparents... or rather they did know a sort of grandparent..... so it has been very important for me to be the best Nana possible .... our family has grown rather significantly... there are uncles and aunties and cousins... plus the fact that Ian and I are the Brady Bunch... three kids each which makes for seven grandchildren.... so we are steppies.... so to speak... but we all mix well and for all the grandchildren we are Nanna and Pops..... and we do our best to treat them all equally.... and believe me that can be a merry dance.....



I was so proud of Jasmine... she looked so sweet... we sat on the mat and read a few stories... she showed me around the school and introduced me to the teacher... she is so cleaver sometimes I think she is way beyond her years.... she is a bright cookie... and needs lots of one to one time... there are no flies on this girl.. does not miss a trick... she has a better sense of direction than me... in fact on this morning I took her to school and she showed me the way.... which was a good 20 mins from home.... she was 4 when she did this... I am slow at putting this post up.... because grandparent day was at the beginning of this year.... sorry Jasmine... just too busy....
But she did a brilliant job.... I got lost coming back to work....

The grandkids are growing up quickly

Its been a long time since I have written on this blog... thought of it often but work is so busy that I have not had time. What reminded me was all the stories I have to tell about the grandies....they just make you laugh... they are so much fun... today Jess, Dlyan, Isabella and Logan all came to visit... the two older ones are four and the younger 16mths and 13mths... and off course there are the other three grandchildren that were not here today... that would really make the house full.... surprising you think the house is big enough until you get the kids in it and it never seems big enough...


For me as a Nanna it gives me time to play like a child again, watch cartoons and Disney Movies....it is so much fun.... and to listen to them talk.... the incredible stories they come out with and the way they mimic their parents... it is so much fun being a nanna, although there are times you cringe at what they say.... and wonder where do they get it from....

Nanna I don't like anything on your oven rail... please dont put tea towels on here!This is the only baby grandchild to come this close to Monty....



Little Logan is walking and like a walking tornado and an eating machine, Bella is sweet a real girl, with a high pitch squeal and trying to boss everyone, Dylan is a georgoues little man so helpful... ready to come to resuce everyone and Jessica, Miss Jessica wise beyond her years... "Nanna dont you know 'sex is when you get naked' pursing her lips towards me... its a worry.... when I asked where did you hear that she replied "the TV".Grandpops said "I want to watch her TV"... I do wonder what is she watching on TV and do the kids just watch too much....



Dylan has almost finished his first year at kindy.... he bought his books for nanna to look at today.... how nice... he was so proud of the work he had done...."Nanna look I did this" so cute....



Jessica is always telling me she wants to marry Dyan..."Nanna he's my best friend" and I keep trying to explain you can not marry your cousin... especially your first cousin.... alas it falls on deaf ears... the only saving grace is that in a year or two she would make lots more friends and have a bigger social network her cousin won't be as important to her....she will be to busy with her school frends.


Yes this is how I keep them all in one place....and quiet.... 'ice cream'