Christmas Day

Well, we were so lucky this year with the weather! Forecast called for rain and thunderstorms...not very exciting! But we ended up with nice breezy cool (if you call 32 cool) weather! It was a great day for just hanging out, eating, and relaxing in the pool..which is exactly what we did! We spent the day at our friends' place (Tim and Danielle). Tim's brother, Pete, was also there. They have a baby girl, Eva, who is just getting big enough for Rhys to take notice! On the menu was: Turkey and stuffing, ham, butternut squash bake, 3 kinds of cold salads, broccoli and cauli bake, cranberry (of course)...hmmm can't remember if I'm missing anything. Anyway, it was delicious! We had 4 different desserts which ended up as our dinner as we were too full to eat them after lunch!

Had to get a picture with the stocking!

Rhys managed to open his first present...a book from Arlen and Jessi...and then he promptly sat down to read it and forgot about all his other presents!

Eldon reading "The Gruffalo" to Rhys

Eva likes the music from the frog on this bouncer so Rhys is helping her pull the cord

Sitting down to our feast! (Notice Eva in the bumbo...getting very interested in food!)

Rhys in the pool...he wasn't very happy to begin with

One of Tim and Danielle's dogs relaxing on an inner tube

Dinner! Pavlova, apple pie, christmas tree cupcakes, and chocolate marshmellow balls (not pictured)

Christmas baking....

Merry Christmas everyone! We are heading to some friends' house tomorrow for the day....a day of eating and relaxing in the pool, playing games and then more eating probably! Hope everyone has a really good day! Here are pics of my baking to get you in the mood!!!

Orange Cinnamon Bread

Apple Butterscotch Pie

Christmas Tree Cupcakes

Stocking complete!

I have finished the stocking for Rhys! It turned out pretty well considering I didn't really know what I was doing!
These are the fabrics I found...didn't want traditional christmas-y fabrics so we went with blues and dogs...Rhys loves dogs!

These are the two sides cut out...the back is navy with gold pin stripe and the front is going to be quilted...

All cut out and quilted...just putting the stars and cuff on...
Here's the back all done...Finished!

Close up of the stars and cuff

All ready for Christmas!

Convention 2009

We cheated this year and flew to convention! The company Eldon works for has a flight over to Townsville twice a week and it worked out nicely for us to catch that. We rented a car from Townsville and drove down to Mackay (about 4 hours). The convention is just south of there in a place called Chelona. We rented a cabin so that we could have air-conditioning (slackers, I know) and we were so glad of it! The weather was hot and sticky, much more humid than Mt Isa at the moment. Convention was wonderful, of course, and we had the added bonus of an Oregon worker, Doyle Smith. It was nice to catch up with him on Sunday afternoon before we left again for Townsville.
Rhys looking rather sleepy as we wait for our plane.

Mommy's kisses are the best!
Beechcraft 1900D which we flew on...19 seats. We left Mt Isa at 12noonish and unfortunately that is getting into the hottest time of the day. The aircraft is pressurized...but it is small enough that you feel every bump. The route goes from Mt Isa and stops 3 times along the way in rural areas...so we got the bumps and jumps x 3! Poor Mom!

The awesome car we rented....they gave us a free upgrade to an XR6 and I have to say, it was hard coming home to our bomb!
Our cabin

Mom and Rhys, hanging out in the back!

Doyle Smith with Rhys

After our Sunday afternoon meal...

So sleepy..on our way home...we had a very long night and a very early morning!
Deep in the reading material...apparently there was a dog on that page...

My Little Laundry Helper