A pretty Christmas GIVEAWAY

This morning I went to the Post Office to find out what the cut off date was for sending Christmas pressies to overseas friends and family by ship.   Airmail is just SO expensive, and as I missed the boat (literally) last year I thought I would be nice and organised this year).  So as you can imagine just how annoyed I was to find out that I'd missed it AGAIN!!!!!    The lovely lady in the Post Office informed me that Christmas is only 10 weeks away!  How does it ALWAYS creep up on me on quickly.  It got me thinking though, about all the things that both me and Candy Bows need to do to get into the festive spirit and ready for a fabulous 2012 Christmas.

What better way to start than a little Christmas giveaway.  This will be our family's second Aussie Christmas and I must admit I'm still finding it a little strange to get used to the season change!  Even though a blistering hot Christmas Day on the beach will be a far cry from the snowy, white Christmas that I'm used to,  we still have some family traditions that will make Christmas Christmas. (Don't get me wrong I am SO not complaining about the sunshine).  When I was little we always had to leave a beer and a mince pie out for Santa before bed.  I love that my mum and dad managed to keep that going for what seemed like years before I finally worked out the dad was having that one last sneaky Christmas eve beer!!!!!  Mr D has totally embraced this tradition and I so hope we can keep the magic of Santa going for as long as possible with our three little munchins.  The rule in our house as kids was NO waking up mum and dad until the sun came up.  A very smart rule guys - another one I hope that my kids will embrace (although I'm not holding my breath on that one).  I also remember the immense levels of excitement at taking one last look at the Christmas Tree before going to bed knowing that in the morning there would be the biggest mountain of presents EVER!!!

Competition Time

How to enter:
I'd love to hear what childhood christmas traditions you've passed on to your kids.  For me Christmas is still one of the most exciting times of the year and I hope that never changes.  Simple write your favourite tradition in the comments section below and the lovely reader with the BEST story will win!!!!!!! 

The Prize (the best bit):
$75 worth of ANY Candy Bow goodies.  There are so many beautiful bows to choose from - take a look at Candy Bows Australia to help you decide.

A few examples of some of Candy Bow's stunning hair bows, tutus and hair accessories that you could choose from. More details at Candy Bows Australia

The Rules:

Entrants must live in Australia, Tasmania or New Zealand only.  Just one entry per person please and all entires need to be in by November 10.

I can't wait to hear all your stories (more bedtime reading for me - YAY).  It's just what I need to get me into the Christmas spirit.  

Have fun xx

My week in pictures - Love Instagram (2nd week of school holidays and a little family road trip)

I can't believe it's Saturday already and I'm back to my 'love Instagram' week of pictures.  This week has been the second week of the school holidays and as you all know, we drove up to the Central Coast for a little mini holiday.  It really has been fabulous to take a break from routine and just see where the days take us.  I wish I did that more often instead of waiting for a planned holiday to just kick back and relax. 

Tomorrow is Day Light Saving in NSW where our clocks 'spring' forward an hour ready for the summer (YAY), however I've been working on that time all day today as I have completely got my days wrong!  Now that must a sign of a good holiday (either that or I'm going slightly mad).

So here they are..... my week in pictures.  Love Instagram

I'm sure I have this exact picture with every one of my babies!!

Last weekend at home, we popped out for dinner on the beachfront.  A treat to stay out past bedtime - (only in the school holidays.)

On the walk home after dinner we watched the most amazing full moon rise above the ocean.  A stark reminder of how lucky we are to live where we do.

Me and Miss H, having just arrived in Hawkes Nest for a few days of R & R

Miss L just taking it all in.

Beach Life!

Beautiful sisters.  One of my most favourite photos taken on my phone - thanks Apple!

Pelicans

Boys will be boys!

Three is most definitely NOT a crowd

Mr D chilling

A flower for mummy xxxxx

Sleeping angels x

dB5 (and yes, Mr D does have green teeth)

Cruising on an old fashioned, wooden ferry boat from Tea Gardens to Nelsons Bay.  Dolphin watching at its best

lolly pop lolly pop ooooh lolly lolly pop!

If you don't already have an instagram account, you really should get one!  They are so much fun to use and you can link your pictures up to facebook and twitter in the click of a button.  You can find and follow me there at mrs_d_and_candybow.

Tea Gardens and the best ice-cream shop EVER!

This morning we visited the most gorgeous town called "Tea Gardens".  I think the term 'town' is debatable as it was more like a little village in my opinion - blink and you'll almost miss it.  It's a quaint little seaside town just on the other side of (a very pretty) bridge from Hawkes Nest.  It's positioned right on an estuary with a beautiful river on one side.  Lined with one or two expensive looking yachts, but mostly lots rickety old-fashioned and rather cute looking wooden boats.  It was like being transported back in time, away from all of today's mod-cons, and filled with so much character.  Flying or waddling around everywhere were lots of HUGE pelicans.  Miss H decided to throw some bread out for one and it almost ate her!!  We have lots of pelicans around the Narrabeen lake where we live in Sydney (in fact one flew over our garden wall onto the patio table a few weeks back and gave me the fright of my life).  But somehow these ones just seemed so much more elegant - like they suited their surroundings better.

On the Marina - it reminded me a little of Sausalito Island off San Francisco

Very old fashioned looking ferry 

He makes the seagulls look like baby chicks!

Only about two to three roads back from the river on the other side of Tea Gardens 'high-street' is the most spectacular beach, which over looks Nelsons Bay and Port Stephens.

This beach could easily give the Carribean or Polynesian islands a run for their money

Little Miss L just taking it all in

We'd been told by some people we met on Hawkes Nest main beach yesterday that Tea Garden's had the the VERY BEST ice-cream shop EVER!  Well, of course if we didn't head there straight away we would never have heard the end of it from the kids.  Mr D did try and wind them up a little by suggesting we go for a walk first, to work up an appetite, but that suggestion was immediately shot down in flames!  There was really only one street with shops in Tea Garden's, which mostly consisted of a couple of old fashioned pubs, a hotel and a few coffee shops.  The ice cream shop was easy to spot and it really really didn't disappoint.  As I'm still strictly (well.... strictly kind of, sort of, still a few glasses of holiday vino slipped in) following my 12 week body transformation diet, I had already pre decided that I was not going to be having any ice-cream and I had packed a green apple instead.  One foot inside "Ice Cream Shack" and I caved!!  I did however go for the only low fat version - watermelon flavour!!!

Very retro

Yes! Those were 'kid' sizes

Not only was the Ice Cream Shack the best ice cream shop ever, but it was also the BEST lollie shop ever.  The kids were in seventh heaven!  It was filled to the brim with all kinds of really old fashioned sweets and treats.

                                                                                    Decisions Decisions.......

                                                                                                  Great choice J

                                                                            If only she knew what she was missing

I can highly recommend Tea Gardens as a fabulous place to visit.  In fact it's made it onto my list of "places I'd one day like to retire".

First mini road trip as a family of 5 - Day One

Almost ready to go...

It’s the second week of the school holidays and Mr D has the week off, so what better to do than a mini road trip.  I found a great deal on Scoopon (www.scoopon.com.au) for a little apartment right opposite the beach in a place called Hawkes Nest.  It's two and a half to three hours’ drive north from where we are in Sydney.  Perfect - Our first trip away as a family of 5!  The last time we did a road trip I was 7 months pregnant with Miss L and it wasn't the most comfortable drive I have to admit.  (Mr D just didn't seem to understand that a pregnant woman needs to use the bathroom – frequently!!!!).  Hopefully this trip will be easier with Miss L out my belly, rather than in it!

Excited much????  We only just squeezed them in!

We planned to leave at 8am in the morning, but of course that was never going to happen!! (I've learnt from my parents always to add an hour at least on to any time a dad give you).  Even though the kids were up with the sparrows (or I should say cockatoo’s), we still only managed to hit the road at 9:30.  The car was loaded up to its full capacity and I think we even managed to pack the kitchen sink!!  Well it looked that way anyway.  It’s amazing how much stuff you need to pack for a 5 day beach trip with 3 littlies.  We almost didn't have space for them!!  Just as we were about to hit the highway (only 15 minutes into the trip), Master J had already started with the “are we there yet dad's?” and Miss L decided that RIGHT NOW was the time she needed more milk!

Quick bottle stop!

The journey wasn't too bad at all.  Both the big kids had a little nap and Miss L did very well for her first long(ish) car journey.  She only screamed for the last hour!!  She was fed  and comfy so there was not a lot we could do except sing above her.  Master J just sat with his hands over his ears and Miss H didn't really seem too fussed by all the noise.  Both Mr D and I remember a time when Master J screamed for an entire plane journey (it was only an hour flight), so we knew that she'd have the potential to scream for at least that long - and she did!!  When we finally arrived and got her out for a cuddle she was happy as a kookaburra.  Typical!

Power nap

Compulsory milkshake stop

After just over 3 hours and only 1 wee and milkshake stop we finally arrived, dumped our bags in the apartment and hit the beach.

Checking out the waves as soon as we arrive (just like Grandpa does)

Happy holidays x

Hawksnest main beach - stunning!

Miss H building a princess castle for her barbie

worn out! (must have been all that screaming)

We have the next five days to explore this beautiful part of New South Wales together and I can't wait!