Christmas Photos

Down here in New Zealand we don't do the holiday Christmas photo, and send it out to everyone, but I still wanted to take some photos of the kids. It's hard coming up with a theme as it's summer here, and kids with hot chocolate, cute pj's, etc don't quite fit in. Maybe next year I should put tinsel on the BBQ, they can wear shorts, t-shirts, jandals, and hold onto some sausages.  

So on Christmas Eve I was stringing up stars, and taking photos. There is so much more that I wanted to do - take some video, more stars, better poses etc etc, but ran out of time. But saying that I'm really happy with what I got. I also put the photos into a short video, which the kids loved.

One of the bribes I used to get them in front of the camera, was they could open some Christmas Crackers.

I also got some different coloured glitter to blow.  Emme didn't quite get the hang of it, but Mason was really good.

My Baking Buddy

Even after having trees around the house cut down, my kitchen is still quite dark, small and cluttered. I do dream of a nice modern clean Pinterest kitchen with perfect light, but alas it is what it is. My Mum has a beautiful white modern kitchen with lots of light and windows, and I do take the kids around there when we make gingerbread men at Christmas to take photos.

So…I was getting ready to bake my nieces 16th birthday cake when my daughter asked if she could help. Cake decorating is also a hobby, and I can get a little OCD on how things are done.

But this time I said yes, and how can you say no when she comes out in her cute little apron and Hello Kitty whisks.

I’m happy to report there were no egg shells in the mixture, most of the flour went in the pot, and as per usual when it came to clean up time she was nowhere to be seen.

Still mixing everything together with her Hello Kitty whisk.

I told her that she could make cupcakes from the left over cake batter.

The butter has melted, and mixing everything this time with the big whisk.

All mixed together, and in the cupcake liners.

This is when she disappears and I'm left to do all of the cleanup...hmmmm

All I want for christmas is my two front teeth!!

In the space of 3 days Little Miss M lost her top and her bottom front tooth. Her top one had been wiggly for weeks and she wouldn't let anyone pull it out.  She's definitely a lot happier now that she can eat without sore wiggly teeth.

So two visits from the Tooth Fairy this week. I also heard that the Tooth Fairy spent 1/2 an hour searching the house for $2 to put under her pillow!!

These were taken when her top tooth came out, and you can see in the photos that her bottom tooth was on an angle and on its way out as well. Her other top tooth is on its way out as well.

All that she would give me was a couple of minutes to take photos, so I took what I could get!!!

I also had to write a note to the Toothfairy when she lost the second one, as she was at school and they went swimming and she lost it in the pool.

She was very worried she wouldn't get her $2 so I had to write a note and explain it to the Toothfairy.

I couldn't decide between B&W or Colour for these, so went with both.

King Edward Park

After our visit to Nowell’s Lake a couple of weeks ago Emme wanted to go to our local park (King Edward Park) to feed the ducks.  She had been there a few days earlier and one of the ducks had ducklings, so she was excited about seeing them again.

Unfortunately mum and her ducklings weren’t there but all the other ducks got their bread, and Emme was off to the playground.

I managed to get a few photos of her as she went quickly from ride to ride.

It was great to see the flowers in bloom, and next time I will bring my macro lens and spend some time up close with the flowers.