Last breakfast in 2011... Waffle, honeycomb ice-cream with organic strawberries

Richmond

Richmond Park's Isabella Plantation with the lad

Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park

Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park

Spurs fan??? ;)

Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park

Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park

Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park

Spoilt girl!

Lance (as usual) amazes me with his gifts. 

I got a treasure chest (a wood trunk I eyed out a while back... unknown to me he went back and bought it, and filled it with chocolate coins, fluffy socks, nail polish - his favourite colour on me -, mascara, cream - the correct kind, having excema I have to be so careful -, and other goodies), which literally overflowed when I opened it.. I was so bowled over with all the thought he put into it. 

I also got a Kenwood kMix Mixer (I am forever asking him to stir my baking!haha); socks shoes for around the house (he knows how cold my feet get with the wood floors, always in socks); and 2 x Kirsty Allsopp books (Yippee).

Who's hiding in the stocking? :)

Lance cooked Christmas lunch :)

Church service was great :)

Tottenham Spurs goodies

Christmas

Richmond

Adopt a Smurf for Christmas!

Adopt a Smurf for Christmas!

Beautiful Richmond

Chicken salad at Gauchos

Rib eye steak at Gauchos

Time for Christmas Eve lunch!

Merry Christmas!

Nieces and nephew in the US :)

Hehe

My new microwave that looks like a TV!

Someone likes the lil car her uncle and aunt got her :)

Latest photo of my Joburg brother and family

Some choices are hard to make...

Clever lil nieces and nephew made this :) Well done guys!

Thank you Iris!! x

Hubby made me a hearty breakfast!

2011 --> 2012

So, looking back, this year was a great travel year! 

South Africa in January (Jhb and Kruger), then again in April (Jhb and the Cape), The Algarve, Portugal in August, Dominican Republic, Caribbean in October, Nice, France in November... and I have just booked a surprise visit to Paris with Eurostar for mum in Feb 2012... possibly another trip to South Africa on the cards... but otherwise no plans in the offing for 2012.

How will your 2011 compare to your 2012?

How do you celebrate Christmas?

We've just started the Christmas season with a 3 day trip to Nice in the French Riviera... we had an amazing time... the Christmas Market started on Saturday, the ice skating etc. Huuuuge ferris wheel (which I love and Lance doesn't!! But he went up anyway bless him!). Was great. Will probably get to putting these pics up before my Caribbean pics at this rate.

Working with kids, we have tons of Christmas activities, personalising stockings, making decorations etc. The tree will go up this week. We are seeing various extended family members over the next 2 weeks for Christmas meals, on Christmas Eve we (hubby, sis and I) are dining at a lovely restaurant in Richmond, Christmas Day will be understated with church, a roast and then going to the soup kitchen to help out. 

We do pressies for immediate family adults only if we are with them at Christmas, the nephews and nieces always get gifts, they are young still. For us it's not about the hype, the commercialism... we do get into the spirit of the season though 

Looks like Italy... sounds like France...

Christmas time, mistletoe and wine...

Nice, French Riviera

Hubby and I took a last minute trip to Nice for 3 days... the Christmas market had just begun, the city was awash with Christmas lights, the atmosphere was lovely... thoroughly enjoyed it! 

The tree is up!

So the tree is up... later than usual as we were in the French Riviera last week... will take it down by February. 

Promise. 

Unplanning a planned day

From a planned day of chilling, pressie wrapping and amarula sipping, I now have a poorly hubby in bed with mangreensnotflu, am helping 2 clients with emergency care work (when will I learn to say no??? Both pregnant and look so desperate!) and awaiting the electrician... dodgy burn smell from a dimmer switch. 

Sorry kindle. I'll play with you tomorrow.