Toy & Game Expo.

 Today we had an unexpected treat at the Sydney Show Grounds. It was a wet and miserable long weekend and so i thought we would give this a try. The kids were under strict instructions that they were not to ask me for anything. There would be no purchases of toys but that they could play to their hearts content.
In return i was given strict instructions from Ela that I must not get a cofee and talk to Dad but I must play with them too :)

It was amazing. Playdoh, My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop, craft, Trash Can heros, bouncy castle, Nerf arena, go carts and motor scooters, Laser inflatable, Jigsaw puzzles, Chess, Lego pit.....

We could have spent the whole day there.

This is something I highly recommend and we'll be going next year especially if its a wet day (although i'll probably take them a friend each and a good book :)

And no, I didn't quite escape without a purchase but it was the cheapest thing available (a $2 toy!)

Tom's 4th Birthday

Today was Tom's party, and what a big day it was. He refused to go to Phizz kids in the morning because he was too busy playing with all his new toys. His main present was a skateboard and he's had us with our hearts in our mouth watching him try to get to grips with it.

All day he kept asking when people would be arriving. Luckily the jumping castle came early so that kept him quiet for a while! And also gave me a reprieve while I battled with icing his cake. I need to take lessons as i failed to get the consistency right for the yellow icing which i was trying to write his name on the blue with, and it ended up running off the cake like a snotty nose!

Finally the guest arrived at 2pm and we had a great party, with pass the parcel (though Ela was disgruntled at being the only one not to get something), musical statues (again Ela was miffed that she only came second), limbo, tattoos, fishing game, yes/no game and duck duck goose (Tom's favourite). I also made a marvelous Train shaped jelly (using one of those silicone moulds) and forgot to get it out of the fridge!

He scored some awesome presents including a cricket set, a soccer net and flippers to name a few, and the best was he got two identical Ben Ten on a motorbike figures which he has been thrilled with. Ours was bought as a last minute addition to add to the cake but then his friend also turned up with one much to Tom's delight.

Christmas Celebrations

Well our celebrations began I suppose at the beginning of December with the purchase of a real tree from the Boy Scouts (although we were very lucky to get one - the floods had made them in short supply), decorating it and the house and of course the advent calendar ritual which came complete with bickering over whose lolly was bigger!

By Christmas eve, we were all rather tired given the whirl of social activities (mainly Ela's - end of year parties, music awards, dance concerts etc). So we tried to have a relaxing day that began with Beados and moved through baking cakes (called white Christmas - a recipe Ela brought home from school) to take to Nanies on Christmas day to a christmas show featuring Mrs Ela Claus and little Tom Rudolph, to a beautiful christmas eve dinner - Turkey with all the trimmings cooked my master chef Dad.

So Christmas morning arrived (at 6.30am, not too early!) and the kids raced downstairs to check santa had drank his beer and spotted the extra presents under the tree plus the large sacks by the fireplace. They then ran straight back up to drag us down so they could start unwrapping.

Ela's favourite present by far was the art set she got with pencils crayons paints and oil pastels. As for Tom, he disappeared numerous times inside the sack but I think Spiderman and the fireman's water gun was his favourite.

Dad was laden with sports items galore including goggles for ocean swimming and new bike gloves and me well i was spoiled rotten with a beautiful Paspaley Pearl pendant.

Bye Bye Blankie

Today a beautiful Santa Bear arrived from England. Nana had won a name guessing competition and this was the reward, Sophie bear. After long discussions along the lines of 'Why don't we give this bear to cousin Sophie for Christmas? (me) or Why don't we give this bear to charity? (also me) or Why don't we give this bear to a kid who has no toys (yes me again). All received the same reply 'That's nice mummy (thinking)..... but no I would like to keep it.' (Ela). So after copious amounts of bribery and bargaining and stroking and touching Ela agreed that she would give up one of her toys in return for Sophie Santa bear. Ah but that's not good enough I said... how about you give up something more precious? 'Oh yes mummy I'd give anything for this bear' (Ela) Oh really? I replied, Anything? Oh yes ANYTHING she repeated. Ok then why not give up Blankie? (Silence...thinking) Well if i give up blankie and then i change my mind later on can i have blankie back? Oh no, blankie will be sent to Santa to keep his reindeer warm. Oh then I'll have to think about it some more. (Ela) Happily, not too many days later, Blankie was submitted for the swap and sent on its merry way. Needless to say, the bear lost favour after about a week and nothing more has been mentioned since. Phew thank goodness for bears!