Present Day

Today really is Present Day...Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve is the day the Jacques/Upton/McLaughlin/Broome/Andrews all get together to share Christmas Dinner. And we all love it! The preparations start way ahead of time (However this year overshadowed a little by babies and weddings!) - it's all about yummy simple food, great drinks, fabulous decorations, but most of all getting together and just having a great time.

This years theme is Asian inspired BBQ - I'm hoping the weather cheers up by this afternoon so I can put out the fairy lights and lanterns in our courtyard. Plan B is our front room which will still be great!

Almost as important as Christmas Eve is that today is Izzy's 6 month birthday!! 6 months feel like such a milestone, for some reason it feels like we can take a deep breath and think everything is going to be OK from here. She's out of the SIDS danger zone (good thing too as she now sleeps on her tummy!)

She's definitely lost that newborn look - she holds herself well, she's even sitting now! She's onto solid food so it's not all up to me to keep her healthy (I'm sure I will miss it soon though!)

She rolls all around the place and it so interested in everything. She's officially allowed to wear sunscreen so we can do more swimming!!!

What a little chunky monkey. She is STILL the most beautiful thing in the world. Izzy what did we do before you came along?!!! Our life would just not be complete without you!

I was listening to a song yesterday which said It's not the things you do on Christmas, but the Christmas things you do all year. So this year I'm hoping to put a little bit of Christmas into every day, be a little more loving, a little more giving, put that little bit more effort into every day. I'm making a decision to be happy to be a little over-the-top like we are at Christmas, so long as it's with a great attitude and not with pride or arrogance.

And so the craziness begins, it's time to tidy the house and prepare the food, then to the Upton's tomorrow, followed by 2 boxing day parties and perhaps a game of bowls, and then a post-boxing day BBQ. I think it's safe to say we will see you in the new year!

So to everyone who has been so supportive of us this year, thank you thank you thank you! We have been so amazingly blessed and it has truly been to most amazing year of our lives! I can't wait to see what 2011 brings.

Wishing you all a truly wonderful Christmas,

Luce xx