Mega Christmas Roundup!

 

Merry Christmas Lovelies!

What a wonderful time of year this has been.  I hope you have had some relaxation, some reflection and some thoughts to the future, as I have done so.

It's always such a rush during the week or so leading up to The Day. Last minute gifts, Christmas parties, the buying of The Ham, and having the kids home from school can certainly raise the stress levels!

But we all do it, because we love it!

And I even have to plan for two birthdays during Christmas week - two of my children have their special day 2 days either side of Christmas Day, so you can imagine what this Farmers Wifey has to do to stay organised!

It's not only a special day for them, but a celebration for me, remembering the most amazing time of my life, when my babies were born.  I usually feel quite emotional and reflective during this week, and as much as it is busy and stressful and tiring, I wouldn't change it...I just love it!

We spent Christmas Day at our new house.  I refused to go anywhere as I've waited for over four years to have The Day here.  It was grand!  So very relaxing, with the kids swimming, and enjoying their new gifts, while I actually went back to bed at 2pm, after cooking a delicious lunch that was enjoyed by all!

I went back to bed, and I got right in! I snuggled underneath the cool sheet under the fan and had an afternoon siesta. With nowhere to be, and nothing to do, it was bliss!

And I set the table on Christmas Eve, and I must say it looked beautiful!

Boxing Day saw us at the beach, where the kids threw sand at me and I scowled at them because I just don't like sand in my hair!  So much beach and so much sand and they have to play right.in.front.of.me.  When they are in the water it's a different matter, however, as I expect them to stay in my line of sight!

We also welcomed 13 brand new guinea babies on Christmas Day.  The best.present.ever.

Well I'll check in on you later.  I'm off to make some new years resolutions that I will break.  As you do!

It has to be said.

 

So, ten days break from blogging and such an emotional, heartwrenching post to come back to.

I wasn't going to write it, but it just can't be ignored.

I may offend, but really, we are way past that.

On December 14, my facebook status read "I'm so sorry my beloved America". 

It was a story that started like a ripple on the water, circles that start off small, and slowly....very slowly....spread outwards into perfect formation, gathering everything in it's wake.

The news was big, and hour by hour, the ripples got bigger...more information, more tragic news, more undescribable disbelief that this could actually be happening.

Again.

The focus this time was about children.  Not teenagers, or young adults in a movie theatre, but little, innocent babies murdered at school.  This focus in no way devalues the loss of the brave and wonderful adults, but it stirs something in us that is just.not.right.

So many children..so many.

Could you just imagine the feeling of rushing to the school and just not knowing what you would find? 

Would your heart stop beating for just a moment? 

Would you be able to breathe?

As a parent I put myself in this position, and it hurts.  Before having children, I could be shocked and saddened by a tragedy, but as a mother I can relate.  It's no less thoughtful, but it is different.

I hope that makes sense.

So what happens now?  The messages of love, hope and support will keep flooding through social media, until the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting becomes a sad reference on Wikipedia.

We will distance ourselves from the exact last moments of the lives of the beautiful children, because it is just too horrific to think about.

The Anniversary will come, ribbons will be worn and a day remembered.

How many of these days will come and go before something is done?  Before laws are changed and people realise that the current focus is not working?

Australia's firearm laws in a nutshell:-

State laws govern the possession and use of firearms in Australia. These laws were largely aligned under the 1996 National Agreement on Firearms. Anyone wishing to possess or use a firearm must have a Firearms Licence and, with some exceptions, be over the age of 18. Owners must have secure storage for their firearms.
Before someone can buy a firearm, he or she must obtain a Permit To Acquire. The first permit has a mandatory 28-day delay before it is first issued. In some states (e.g., Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales), this is waived for second and subsequent firearms of the same class. For each firearm a "Genuine Reason" must be given, relating to pest control, hunting, target shooting, or collecting. Self-defence is not accepted as a reason for issuing a license, even though it may be legal under certain circumstances to use a legally held firearm for self-defence.
Each firearm in Australia must be registered to the owner by serial number. Some states allow an owner to store or borrow another person's registered firearm of the same category.

Obviously a privilege rather than a right.

And to my beloved America.  The right of the people to keep and bear arms is set out in the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution.

A right, not a privilege.  With a distinct and obvious impact on the gun culture of America.

The right to bear arms while perhaps being relevant hundreds of years ago, to protect ones family from invaders or grizzly bears, could be somewhat outdated now.  From a patriotic viewpoint, I can understand wanting to protect your family, and having the right to do so, but seriously at what cost?

Tougher firearm laws may not have stopped this perpetrator from carrying out last week's atrocity, but it may have made it harder for him to obtain the weapons to do so. 

There is a connection.  It is obvious. We may have just turned a corner because it is just not acceptable for these children to be gone.

Observations

Observations.....

Mr C (aged 9) walked along the deck to the dining room exclaiming " we have a new mat. It's so fancy".  Yes we are.

I'm getting quite anal about my new polished floors.  I sweep them, and sweep them, and they still get dusty.  If a bread crumb is dropped, I'm onto it.  I AM the dirt police.

We really need to do something about the water pressure as every time I fill a glass , the pump kicks in and I'm standing there with a bench covered in water.  It just won't do.

My new favourite saying is "SHUT THE DOOR, YOU WERE NOT BORN IN A TENT".

An inside toilet is the best invention since the sticky note.  Or sliced bread.  Or online shopping.

I've been searching for days for our Christmas tree lights, but they are nowhere to be seen. Our tree will not twinkle this year, but it will still look damn hot.

This is the first time in four years that I'm excited about my Christmas tablescape.  Tablescape is now my favourite word.

Speaking of online shopping, I still get a thrill when a package arrives for me at the post office.

My eldest daughter was named vice captain of her school for next year.  I am so proud, and happy, and in awe of my amazing girl.....

A few nights ago, The Hubbster and the kids were dancing on the deck to Gangman Style.  I couldn't help but think......

We are home.

We have babies!

 We have our newest batch of 14 brand new guinea fowl babies!  Only one day old here, just melting my heart!  So tiny and precious and fluffy and funny!

Hidden Treasures

 

I am loving my new house! 

I am finding joy in the little things.  How deep my new kitchen sink is, how much bench space I have when making school lunches, and how fantastic it is not to have to walk from the shed around to the bathroom!

I've had such an exciting day today! I decided to unpack some boxes from our storage room.

I came across some wonderful treasures that I haven't even thought about in four years!  As I unpacked each trinket, or photo frame, I noticed that the newspaper wrapping was dated October 2008.

And as the emotional mush that I am, the tears started and I had a cry.  A happy cry that is!  I just thought about everything that we had been through, my miscarriages, a sick child, years of planning and building and working and stressing, and thinking that I would never be unpacking these boxes.

But we did it, and now all of that can be a sweet memory.

I cooked lasagne in our new Glem oven, and we sat on the deck and had our first meal together as a family in our new home.

And it was beautiful.