"Tis Christmas Eve already.................

 ...............and I have been reminded that I am overdue for a newsfromjude post again. Except for the quilting post, it seems like more than 2 weeks have elapsed, again! And what news do I have? Just as well I take a few photos, so that I am reminded. Time is just flying by and there are always more things on my "to do" list than I ever seem to achieve. Must be a sign of getting older and slower?? Or too many things in my head that I want to do?? 

I finished that custom quilt that I was working on and will post photos soon, and might combine that with another competition with a prize? 

I have spent a lot of time in the kitchen, making some Christmas goodies, which I have given out to friends and family.

                    I cooked a few meals for the freezer, and also to give to a friend who is not well.

I made some sugared almonds that I posted off to some friends. I had intended to make some more of these for family, but ran out of time. The almonds are still in the pantry, so perhaps I will get some more done another day.

The frozen strawberries came out of the freezer and ended up in a nice collection of jars as jam, which have also been given out as gifts.

There has been time in the garden, and this area has been revamped. I pulled out a tree that wasn't doing so well, and fertilized the soil and planted a few of the purchases from my recent trip to Naracoorte. I shall post the after photos soon, with a few others of the dahlia's progress. I am feeling good about how much I have achieved, although there is still a long way to go.

I couldn't resist the temptation to read the other 2 books in the set that I had purchased and so that totals 4 books in a month!! Once I start a book, I have to keep going until it's finished, but I can usually read one of these in about a day. (Which means that nothing else gets done in that day!!) I really enjoyed this series which is about 4 women who attended a retreat and their spiritual journey together. Some very thought provoking material.

Time spent reading the books has meant that my blog reading is way behind, so hopefully I can catch up next week and see what you have all been up to!

And the biggest news of last week is that we had our family Christmas!! All of us managed to gather at the home of DD2 and were able to be together after 10 long months! My mum came too, which made a total of 19 of us. It was so good after all that time. Lots of photos were taken and we even managed to get one of the whole group, as there was one clever one amongst us who could set up the camera with a timer and jump into the picture before it was taken.

And here is my 10 grandies, all together again.

And here are a few more photos, so that they appear in the blog book at the end of this year! (And that seems to be coming up real soon doesn't it?)

When it came to time for opening presents, Miss Billie showed no interest in unwrapping hers, as she was more interested in playing with this little pink ball.

After the family gathering I spent a couple of days with Mum in Murray Bridge and had more family time. I saw my brother and my sister and other family, and it was lovely to catch up with my cousin and her husband who have finally been able to come over the border to see her mum after almost a year of not being able to.

On Monday I packed up and came home, bringing Mum with me for a few days until we go back this weekend. We had a morning tea with friends, have spent a lot of time in the garden, read books, and we might even have had a couple of nanna (and great nanna) naps.

As my family celebrated last weekend, there has been no pressure this week, and down time was in order. Tomorrow morning we will attend church followed by a roast turkey lunch and a quiet afternoon.

Saturday we will pack and head up the highway to attend the extended family lunch at my sister's house. We expect about 45 of the family to gather which will be lovely, although sadness that it will be the first Christmas without Dad.

Hope you are all organised for your celebrations of the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

I will be back with another post tomorrow.

Blessings, From Jude