Onion Marmalade...

Yep that time of year again. Was going to town couple of weeks ago and came across 10kg boxes for $5. So I got two boxes and ended up making 23 glass containers of onion marmalade... Started at about 10:30am and finished my last batch of water bathing at 1:30am... I was had it by the end. But so worth it. Will make great presents :)

Cheers Damaris

Climbing monkey :)

Josh loves doing this... He actually is jumping on the trampoline at the same time and 'walking' up the wall of the house. He has seen Tim do this over many years. Now he loves to do it too... Freaks out others but :) hehe

Cheers Damaris

Cherry Tomatoes galore...

Picked these yesterday :) Man they taste so darn good :)

Cheers Damaris

Reward trip to IceWorld...

Just away from the edge...

Tim flying by with Russell's ski gloves on. lol

Josh too lots of breaks. Tim only one...

Josh scored a bargain. Tim did all the hard work and he got to go along with him to IceWorld. We were there for three hours and in that time Tim only had a tiny break. He loved the time on the ice. He scored a huge blister off course. Josh listened to me and put on two pairs of socks... Tim didn't listen to me... He only had on one pair...

He ended up doing twirls even. Josh hugged the side mostly but got very brave in the end... By the end the ice was slush and I was glad to get out of there to thaw out... Even just sitting in the stand for three hours with Russell you end up a little cold... But they had a ball and that is what makes the $15 each so worth it :) Will be doing it again. Great incentive :) :) :)

Cheers Damaris

RIP Oma...

Yesterday was the 7th Anniversary of my Oma passing away... Still remembered... Never forgotten... Always treasured...

Cheers Damaris

Peaches everywhere...

Had Christine ring up earlier during the week... She had a tree full of peaches and couldn't use any more of them. She had given a heap away and water bathed a heap herself. Chutney and jams had also been made. Could I please help her out and take some... Could I??? Off course I could...

So down I drive, armed with two doz eggs, which she was running out of :) And filled up two buckets. I ended up with seven glass containers full of peaches that I halved, skinned and water bathed in a light syrup. One didn't seal so we have been having it with home made custard. Oh yummmm... Straight from the tree to the bottle. From tree at 4pm and water bathed in total by 7:30pm. Now that is what I call fresh :)

Cheers Damaris

New Playground equipment...

Been waiting for ages and finally the unveiling happened... Lesley Park in Warwick finally got it's new playground opened up. Tim has been busting to get in there and off course we had to spend a chunk of the afternoon there playing... Was lovely to watch them both on the equipment but sad to say they are getting a little big for it...

Cheers Damaris

Christmas at my house...

My side of the family came over to our place this year on Boxing Day. Every four years we get it. All siblings, except Tina, take turns. Easier that way to share it around... Was nice to get together with everyone... Was lovely to do things differently this year as well. I had the cricket on in the background as well as music. Don't usually do that we are so noisy don't need more noise usually. But it all worked really well...

Cheers Damaris

Oh Adam...

When Adam was up for my Birthday at the end of November, Lisa and he decided that we needed a name for our little group. Noone could join though. Just for the three of us... So LADettes it became... L for Lisa, A for Adam and D for Damaris lol

Adam had these lovely mugs made up for us all. How cute is he???

Cheers Damaris

Meet Dylan's new bird :)

Margaret's boy got a hand raised Cockatiel at the beginning of December. Oh how it reminded me of Scruffy :( I miss mine so much... But we have Bud the Budgie keeping us company for now and he is just lovely. Dylan is in love with his bird and he is a lovely one at that... Told Margaret that I would have him anytime if Dylan got sick of him. lol

Cheers Damaris

Fairy Floss anyone???

Found a Fairy Floss maker the other day in Sam's Warehouse. Only $20 so a bargain I reckon. Now the kids can have that as a treat whenever they want and I know that there are no awful colours in with the sugar. Sugar on its own is failsafe so a nice treat to have occasionally :)

Cheers Damaris

Learning to knit :)

While we had Russell's mum over for a week, Josh came up to me and asked if I would teach him to knit. Didn't have to ask me twice... :) I loved it that he asked me. Love teaching stuff to my kids :)

Cheers Damaris

Frog in a cup :)

One of the bricks outside out yard held a little treasure the other day... It was a green tree frog. Josh went his hands and made sure he has water in the cup so that he wouldn't get hurt... Then he talked to him for a while. He then returned him somewhere were the dogs or the chooks couldn't get to him... All safe and sound :)

Cheers Damaris

Off for a visit...

My baby sister Lis and I...

Went to Lis' place for a couple of nights at the beginning of the holidays... Was nice to catch up with her and at the same time we visited my mum for the day in between to do some Austrian Christmas Baking... Had a ball. Was exhausted by the end of it. We were at it from 9:40am to 2:30pm. Great effort and got a heap done. Went home with plenty to share with the family :)

Cheers Damaris

Strawberries anyone???

Got these in one go last week :)

Cheers Damaris

Ckrickey!!!

Look what I found hiding under some leaves... A huge over grown squash!!! Guinea Pigs didn't like it but the chooks sure loved it :)

Cheers Damaris

In Law Christmas do...

Loved getting together with them all again... Doesn't happen very often... This year was at my BIL's place. Had not seen their new house yet and was nice to get a guided tour. Lunch was yum as usual and was nice to catch up with everyone face to face and not via Facebook :)

Cheers Damaris

Wow Here comes the rain...

On the way back from my work Christmas party there was a huge storm... Followed us most of the way and we ended up going through some very deep water. Too close for comfort and we wouldn't have kept going had two coppers not been there to keep everyone safe :)

Glad we got home ok :)

Cheers Damaris

Last day of Primary School

Josh pretending he's sad about going to SHS...

Last morning of Primary School... where did the time go...

Here are just some piccies of his last day... I will miss these days... Am glad though that Russell still works at the school so won't be gone from there altogether :)

Cheers Damaris

Josh Graduates from Primary School

Josh giving his last talk about the great camp they just had :)

Maryvale SS Students performing of the audience, all 12 of them :)

Last time his helmet was put away at school...

Here we are... It is the end of the school year and I am a primary school kid mum no more. He is now in High School... He has completed the first seven years of education and he couldn't be happier about it. He had his orientation day the day that Tim went to Dreamworld and he loved it.

He got to see the High School, got to stand in line for the canteen, meet all of his teachers and generally get to experience what it is like being a high school kid...

He has come such a long way. He loved doing the concert as well. It was his last. He is such a performer and the crowd know him for it and where waiting for it... For someone that regularly says that he is shy and doesn't know how to meet new people he has a knack for doing just the opposite :) They all love him. He ended up with a dog tag with his name on it and a certificate for graduation. He loved it and we are still looking for the right chain to put it on. :)

Here is to the high school years. They will certainly be different to the ones that Tim has experienced so far... Time will tell how he goes...

Cheers Damaris

What a champ...

In the second last week of school we were notified that Tim had reached a new Behaviour level for the last 1/2 year's work... This level is only for Effort and Behaviour in the school, while in class as well as outside of it. He had been on level 4 which meant that he had 3 C's. Fine with Russell and I as they were all for mainstream classes and we know how much he struggles. They are still average anyway so not bad marks at all.

He managed, with allot of help and scaffolding to get rid of all C's and got 6 lots of A's!!! He got A's and B's for the rest. This meant that by the of the year he needed up with Level 2. To say that Russell and I are really proud is such an understatement...

He got a rewards trip from school and ended up going to Dreamworld on the last Wednesday of the year. He was so happy to go even though it was raining.

Cheers Damaris

Green Surprise :)

Went to hang out the washing the other day and what do I find... something wet and cold in the peg bag... lol

What a cutie... Have since had him inside as he has hidden inside one of my work pants as well :)

Love the wildlife around here :)

Cheers Damaris

20yrs and finally giving up...

I got this Tupperware Scales some 20 years ago. I had allot of Tupperware parties the year Russell and I were engaged... This was one of the prizes for having the right amount of sales. It has done so well all these years... Finally this month it started loosing 60grms... Amazing... After all these years. Unfortunately we can't change over the batteries... Hope my next scales are just as great :)

Cheers Damaris

Last parade for Primary School was not parade...

Russell and I turned up for the last parade for the year... forever as far as primary school was concerned... Kids had other ideas. They were playing ball... No parade was had... They had fun though and we had fun watching them :)

Cheers Damaris

Angie and her Daniel :)

My lovely friend Angela recently went overseas for the very first time. One of the main things she did over there was see Daniel O'Donnell in concert... She sees him here allot too and is part of his fan club... So cute... So sad... Only joking... Here she is with him. She always makes sure to meet and greet him after each concert... :)

Cheers Damaris

Hand feeding...

They love it :) Feeding them whenever we can to make contact with them and get them tame... They are so cute.

Cheers Damaris