21 December 2008

Pre Christmas Christmas



Well, after yesterday's little tantrum, I've regained my equilibrium, thank goodness. I really do not like feeling that way and I'm sorry you all bore the brunt of it.

Today, things are back to normal with my psyche and this post is more in keeping with the Christmas season.

Yesterday afternoon, because my eldest daughter and her family will be in New Zealand for Christmas day, we had our family Christmas. My son-in-law, Darryl, had some of his family there also as the others will also be away on Christmas day. We all brought something along for a late lunch and had cold barbecue roasted turkey with cranberry sauce, ham with pineapple, potato salad, coleslaw and I made a Thai citrus salad. I also made up a couple of small bowls of guacamole with some crackers to nibble on before lunch. Dessert was a yummy trifle, a huge fruit platter and I'd made chocolate eclairs filled with whipped cream. There was enough for all to have seconds if they wished and some did, as it was all very delicious.

Between our first course and dessert, we had present opening, to let our dinner go down and make room for dessert. Well, Cooper was so funny. He gets extremely enthusiastic about things and when I first arrived he was playing in his adventure playground with his cousins. After about 15 minutes, he came down to the patio with his dad, caught sight of me and shrieked: "Daddy, daddy, daddy! Nanny's here!" He was so funny, his little body goes rigid and he shakes with excitement also. Anyway, he opened his first present. Well! "Oooh, ooooh, oooh! It's a Thomas!"...Thomas the tank engine, one of his favourite tv characters. We were hysterical with laughter watching him. He gets so excited he doesn't know where to put himself.

We had a lovely time opening presents, seeing what we got, seeing what others got and oohing and aahing over it all. I also received an early birthday present from my daughters. They gave me two Gold Class tickets to the current Cirque du Soleil production, Dralion. It included nibbles and drinks beforehand plus a tour of the circus tent. I was so gobsmacked it didn't really sink in until today. I can't wait!

So that was one Christmas down, two more to go. Fred's mother's place on Christmas Eve. She's Dutch and the Europeans usually celebrate on 24 December; then Christmas day itself with the neighbours...and the pool!. That's gonna be fun and I'll certainly post about those.

Here are some photos from yesterday.

Cooper and his Grandma opening his first present with cousin, Riley, looking on.

The presents on the table.

My lovely daughters, Suzie and Toni.

Cousins Stacey and Gabbie.

Granddaughter Stacey with mum Toni.


Granddaughter Gabbie with mum Suzie.

Grandson Anthony with mum Toni

Anthony and Jeff (Stacey's boyfriend), doing their 'gangsta' thing.

Stacey and Jeff.

My daughters and me.

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Looks like a delightful Christmas!

I want some chocolate eclairs filled with whipped cream!

Anonymous said...

Yahoo, Christmas already! Sounds like it was a great time. My nephew Aiden loves Thomas too. Cooper sounds entertaining :) I hope the rest of your Christmases are just as great!

Gattina said...

That's a nice family meeting, we only are the 3 of us + "DIL" and her mother. She never celebrates with her father and apparently hasn't a lot of contact with her brother. I have no family anymore and Riccardo's sister lives in Italy.
but there are friends fortunately !

Jeanette said...

Hi Dear Robyn,Looks like a lovely family Christmas, and lovely photo,s of the family.. Cooper and his Antics, reminds me of one of my grandsons,he is now 11 and still get excited when he recieves a gift..Merry Christmas Enjoy the next 2 parties,, Love Janxxxx

Christine and FAZ said...

Wonderful and I do miss Aussie style Christmas dinners. It's quiet for us here probably just a pheasant as there's only two of us (plus Faz makes three). Sounds like you're going to have a great time. hugs from us.

Liz Hinds said...

Wonderful! Three Christmases! Enjoy them all just as much as the first!

Gledwood said...

Hey does that mean you've got the worst of the Festive Season over and done with?... I hope so

still, here's wishing you a Merry One for the day and a fantastic 2009!

xx

Carole Burant said...

Sounds like you spent the kind of weekend I just did:-) You have a beautiful family and how wonderful that you were all able to get together. I so loved looking at all the pictures but it made me smile to see the summer tops...here we're wearing heavy woolen tops! lol

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through! Merry Christmas to you and yours, dear Robyn! xoxo

Anonymous said...

Merry, Merry Christmas!

Oh, the joy of Christmas for the kids! I can understand what a moment to watch him. Sometimes, I almost wish that I were a kid again :-)

You have a lovely family indeed.

Anonymous said...

Cooper sounds just like my daughter Chelsea when she was that age. She would get so excited she just wouldn't know where to put herself.


I love all the pics and Christmas lunch sounded beautiful. We are having a cold lunch this year with crayfish, prawns, chicken, ham and salads. I think it's going to be a warm one so that will be perfect.


Enjoy the next two celebrations as much as you did the first. The pool sounds like the way to go.

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

Thanks for stopping by!! It is Christmas here today of course!! We got up toe -12 degrees!! That is just awful and should never be!! We are going over to our daughters...right next to our motor home this morning for Christmas!! I WANT TO GO BACK TO WARM weather!!

Mountain Mama said...

I'm glad you had a nice day. Your pictures show a happy family and your meal sounds wonderful.
I love anything with whipped cream in it.
I hope you had a very nice new year too.

Pear tree cottage! said...

Happy holidays my dear friend......keep cool!!! (smiles) the photos are so lovely.

Lee-ann

rel said...

Robyn,
A holiday perfect post!
rel

Walker said...

Reading backwards down your posts i can see where eating all the great food can become a worry on and about the actual day LOL