EARLY PREPARATION!

Christmas preparation is underway at 'Camp Clark' with the creation of our December advent calendars. Rocci and I sat down on the weekend and began cutting, counting and gluing the beginnings of our edible calendar.

Thanks to Bobbie for this great idea. Filling shot glasses with M&M's and covering them with tissue paper which you can poke your finger through on each day. Yu-u-um!

We wondered how it was going to hang on the wall with the weight of the lollies on paper but.... With the aid of Rocci's drumsticks and some gaffa tape, it hangs perfectly in his room.Now all we have to do is wait for December! Sounds simple enough, but, we have had to print out a November calendar for him to cross off the days until he can start this calendar. Perhaps next year I'll wait a week longer before making one. Argh, the nagging!

WE'RE MOVING!

With our recent release from Rob's Business we have had the opportunity to rethink our living circumstances. We have always been tied to a radius within the area of the factory which, luckily for us was in a beachy location. I hate to think of what may have become of us if the factory was started in Roma, or worse still, the Northern Territory. Not that I don't love our sunburnt country.....it's the whole.....desert thing.

We have been discussing our ideal living location this week in an effort to finally decide where we would like to raise our children.

We recently moved to a new area, an area I thought I have always wanted to live. It has still water on one side and a surf beach on the other side. But after living here, is it where we would eventually choose to stay? We have: A quiet street. Close to shops. Middle of suburbia. Surf, sailing, tennis, breezy walk ways and parks. Close to school.

Surfing - Eating out doors in the evening- Breakfast at the park - Sausages on the Barbie - Handsome, healthy family - Yep - I'll take it. This is it, we'll stay! I love living here!

RACE DAY FROCK-UP!

MY DAY AT THE RACES!

I haven't had a day off work for quite a while due to my new business venture, and I really, really, really wanted to enjoy Melbourne Cup Day for a change - instead of working right through it. So a group of mums from Rocci's class made up a table of ladies and went to our schools function.

What a treat to sit around and have a yarn with the ladies, but best of all, and more importantly (to me) I got to 'Frock-Up! I love a good dress up and this was the perfect excuse.

We did sweeps, drank champagne, applied lippy, entered raffles, bid at auction for horses, re-applied lippy, entered fashions on the field, laughed, re-applied more lippy, and generally enjoyed a very loud and raucous time.....actually maybe the loud bit was just me? But, our table was definitely the most raucous.

Ahhhhhh, no stress.

Everything was fabulous, except, for one thing..............(view all pics then read the bottom line.)

Hair by Karyn

Way too much time spent on this.

FILLIES ON THE FIELD!

THE HAT THAT SHOULD HAVE WON A PRIZE!

Pipped at the post by a peacock!

HIGH HEELS AND CHAMPAGNE?????

AFTER PARTY CHAMPAGNE HEAD ACHE.....

NOTHING LEFT TO DO NOW BUT BLOG UP THE DAY

My problem is that no-one noticed my doubled stranded exquisite natural pearl necklace and the giant sapphire hanging off it, even though it was surrounded by carats and carats and carats of diamonds. The perfect occasion to wear it - but not one comment!!!!!!! Is it not big enough?????

Perhaps next year I need to borrow my jewels from the queen. Maybe a crown will get their attention!

PLEASE HELP!

I'M ADDICTED TO POTATO CHIPS!

Hi my name is Karyn, and I'm a Chip-a-holic!

It's been 2 hours and 10 minutes since my last packet. And I still want more. I can't help it. It's a weakness........must have chips.

• I've tried to stage my own intervention.
• I've admitted I have a problem.
• I've warned my family and friends.
• I've asked for them to be removed from the pantry.
• I've had glasses of water to stave off cravings.
• I've even tried sticking 'post its' on packets saying "Dont Touch"

Nothing works.

I first discovered I had a problem when I was told that as a Coeliac I was no longer allowed to feast on flavoured potato chips except.....the Plain Salt varieties. Since then, I have purchased the plain Smiths chips in all different sizes, but, more recently I having been stocking up the pantry with the largest packets money can buy. Telling myself this is cheaper and more cost effective.

I innocently set about buying the chips for my two boys, as we regularly weigh chips into smaller bags for them to snack on. Alas, innocence turns ugly once I need a fix. Rob took to hiding the packets so the boys didn't miss out, but I frequently find the hidden stash of chips and eat them, and later saying "we must have run out".

Today I was very healthy and made a lovely big salad with tuna and avocado for lunch. So why would I need something more? Surely a big salad is sustainable? Why would I need to hoe into the chips that were screaming at me from the back of the top shelf? Argggh.

Am I the only chip-a-holic around? Or the only one who will admit it?

Please help me find a cure.......or send your donations (of chips).