Julafton+Juldagen - Ett svensk och ett australiensiskt julfirande
Christmas Eve + Christmas Day - One Swedish and one Aussie way of celebrating Xmas

Layla fick ett lekhus och en rutchkana av tomten
Layla got a cubby house and a slippery slide from santa

Layla i den fina prinsess klanning som mormor skickade
Layla in her princess dress that her Swedish grandmother sent

Manga julklappar
Lots of pressies

Layla med sin farmor
Layla and her Nonna

Laylas servering av svensk julmat
Layla's serving of Swedish Christmas food

Pa kvallen var vi och tittade pa alla juldekorationer/jul lampor. Det ar en tavling i Brisbane och vi var och tittade pa nagra av de som var med i tavlingen.
In the evening we checked out some of the houses in the Christmas lights competition

Hmm, inte sa bra for miljon att ha sa manga lampor direkt
It is not very good for the carbon footprint to have so many lights

Layla i sin pyjamas. Hon vaknade nar vi kom till det hus som vann tavlingen. Det ligger inte sa langt ifran oss. Det tog ca 30 minuter att se allt och det var massor utav manniskor dar. T.o.m polisen holl koll pa trafiken. Vi var ju inte de enda som ville fa lite julkanslor.
Layla in her pj. She woke up when we got to the house that won the competition. It is near where we live. It took about 30 minutes to see it all. The police had to be there to look after all the traffic. We weren't the only ones in other words, that tried to get into the Xmas spirit.

Det fanns t.o.m. en puma som lyste...och nu pratar jag om den i bakgrunden
There was even a puma that was alight...and I mean the one in the background

Layla fick en dockvagn av tomten pa juldagen. Hon alskar den.
Layla got a little stroller on Christmas day and she loves it!

En liten julangel
A small Christmas angel

Kommer tomten snart?
When is santa coming?

Lunch at vi hos Gregs moster och morbror, Claude och Rae
We had lunch at Greg's aunt and uncle's place (Claude and Rae)

Bus med Nonno Aldo
Nonno Aldo is giving the little angel a helping hand to fly

Vem ar busigast?
Who is the cheeky one?

Mys med Gammelmormor Bianca
Snuggling with Nonna Bianca

Med pappa Gregory
With daddy Gregory

och mamma Agneta
and mummy Agneta

Gregs kusin Scott med sina pojkar Sean och Michael
Greg's cousin Scott with his two boys Sean and Michael

Layla & Misato

Claude & Raes nya hund Dusty
Claude and Rae's new dog Dusty

Layla var lite radd for Dusty men inte for Poppy
Layla was a bit scared of Dusty but not of Poppy

Lachlan pa juldagen
Lachlan at Christmas day

Francesca oppnar en julklapp...det kravs koncentration
Francesca is opening a pressie...very focused

God Jul igen...de har hade jag tankt att lagga ut innan jul. Battre sent an aldrig.
Merry Christmas yet again. Meant to publish these before Christmas. Better late than never...

Layla och renen shakar loss
Layla and the raindeer get into the Xmas rythm

GOD JUL OCH GOTT NYTT AR!!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

STORA KRAMAR FRAN AGNETA, GREG OCH LAYLA
BIG HUGS FROM AGNETA, GREG AND LAYLA

HOPPAS ATT NI ALLA FAR EN HARLIG JUL OCH ETT
ROLIGT OCH AVENTYRSFYLLT 2010

WE HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A LOVELY CHRISTMAS AND AN EXCITING AND FUN 2010

Efter strikta order...har kommer lite bilder
Better follow strict orders from my sister...here are some photos

Layla tycker det ar roligt att leka med julgrans dekorationerna
Layla likes to play with the christmas tree decorations

Sa har mallig sag Layla ut nar hon antligen fick traffa lilla Ari som kom ut for tva veckor sedan
This is how proud Layla looks now that she has finally met little Ari that was born two weeks ago

Ari och mamma Fiona
Ari and his yummy mummy Fiona

Sa himla sot...puss!
So cute...you just want to give him a 1000 kisses

Imorse var vi ute och at frukost med min mammagrupp
This morning we went out for breakfast with my mother's group

Kram, kram
Cuddle, cuddle

Layla provar nyckelpige hatten som vi gav till Emily
Layla is trying out the secret santa we gave to Emily

Layla provar hattar...igen
Layla tries out her hats...yet again

Mumsig julgranskula
Yummy decorations

Undrar vad den har smakar?
I wonder what this one will taste like?

Svenskt julfirande i finska hallen
Swedish Christmas Celebrations at the Finish hall

I helgen var vi pa svensk julfest for barnen arrangerad av svenska skolan i finska hallen. Vi dansade kring granen och det var svettigt varre. Det var ca +33 grader utomhus men trots luftkonditionering sa blev man svettig. Det saldes lussebullar, pepparkakor, glogg och lottades ut korgar med svenska delikatesser. Fanken att man inte vann nagot. Layla tyckte att det var kul att dansa kring granen men tomten ar hon radd for. Hon forstar ju inte an att man far presenter av den dar otacka, skaggiga mannen.

I sondags var vi till Moorychydore och latade oss pa stranden. Det var molnigt tack och lov for det var varmt som det var. Smetade in en massa solskyddsfaktor pa oss alla och ingen brande sig vilket var bra. Solen ar ju otackt stark har.

Imorgon har jag min forsta patient som ska horas i hogsta domstolen. Det ska bli intressant.

Ha en bra vecka. Kramar, Agneta

Hello,

Went to a Swedish Christmas celebration at the Finish hall organised by the Swedish school on Saturday. We danced around the Christmas tree and ate lots of yummy Swedish Christmas food. It was rather hot dancing around that tree as it was about +33 degrees outside. Despite the aircon I was glad I hadn't fogotten my deodorant that day. Layla thought it was so much fun dancing around the tree. She was not as pleased about seeing Santa that turned up. She is so scared of this bearded man. I guess she hasn't yet realised that you get presents from him.

On Sunday we went to Moorychydore to spend the day on the beach and to watch Greg and Brett surf. Luckily it was a bit cloudy as it was hot as it was anyway.

Have a great week. Love, Agneta X

Layla gillar sin nya gunghast. Hon kan klattra upp och gunga pa den sjalv.
Layla likes her new rocking horse. She can climb up and rock on it by herself.

Morgonpigg
I am wide awake!

Layla ar inte radd for dammsugaren langre
Layla is no longer scared of the vacuum

Greg provar Laylas julklapp
Greg is trying Laylas Christmas present

En riktig Viking
A true Viking

Sankta Lucia...Mumsiga pepparkakor
The kids as St Lucy and friends

Man fick faktiskt lite julkanslor
I actually felt a bit Chrismassy

Tomten hade kommit anda ifran Sverige
Santa had come all the way from Sweden

Han var poppis bland barnen (minus Layla)
He was a popular man amongs the kids (minus Layla)

Beach baby

Surf baby

Layla konstnaren...Nej det ar inte ett spoke hon ar insmetat i Zink pasta
Layla the artist...no it is not a ghost...it is Zink paste

Fjantiga killar
Silly boys

Oj, snart ar det jul...
Oh dear, it is almost Christmas

Kan knappt fatta att det snart ar jul. I lordags stadade jag och tog fram lite julgrejer sa nu kanns det lite juligare i alla fall...trots varmen. Har i Australien sa tar man fram julgranen i borjan av december. Har tankt ta fram den till helgen for hellre har jag den framme lite langre innan jul an efter. I helgen sa handlade vi nastan fardigt alla julklappar. Det kanns skont och nu ar det bara nagra smagrejer kvar.

Ha en bra vecka. Kramar, Agneta

I can't belive that it is almost Christmas. On Saturday I finally brought some Christmas things out to make it feel a little bit more festive. Will bring out the Chrissy tree this weekend as well which will be interesting. I wonder if it will be left standing for very long. At least we have almost finished our Christmas shopping. Greg has been really good and has done some during the weeks. There are only a few little things to get yet which is not too bad.

Have a great week. Love, Agneta X

Flytta pa dig...har ska jag sitta
Move it...This is my chair and not some type of pillow!

Luca med roda mulen...sa himla sot!
Luca the red nose raindeer...

I fredags var vi pa julfest pa Laylas dagis. De hade ett mini zoo, disco, kuddmys, sagostund och bjod pa en massa godsaker. Men det var sakert 150 barn dar och livat varre. Sa har ser i alla fall Laylas avdelning ut dar hon gar.
On Friday we went to Layla's daycare's Christmas party. They had a mini-zoo, a disco, big pillows, book readings etc and there was plenty of yummy stuff to eat. But there must have been 150+ kids there so it was a bit manic to say the least. This is where Layla goes anyway...the Butterflies.

Det har ar Laylas dagiskort som sitter pa vaggen dar man gar in. Det maste hon peka pa varje gang vi gar forbi.
Here is Layla's photo that sits on the wall where you walk in. Layla likes to point at it before we go in.

Kathryn, Luca, Layla & jag/I at the party/pa festen

I vantan pa upptradande
Waiting for the singing performances

Igar var jag och Layla pa luciafirande pa svenska kyrkan. Hann se litegrann innan Layla borjade jogga omkring. Sedan var det fika och de bjod pa lussebullar....mums!
Yesterday Layla and I went to see Swedish Lucia celebration at the Swedish church. Afterwards you got yummy Swedish saffron buns.

Sjuka igen...Ar det mojligt!
Sick yet again....What!

Det ar harliga tider det har nar ens barn borjar ga pa dagis. Man ar standigt sjuk. Fast den har gangen blev vi nog inte smittade fran Layla. Efter att ha trott att Greg blivit matforgiftad av en varrulle i fredags visade det sig att han hade magsjuka nar jag ocksa blev sjuk. Jisses vad dalig jag var. Har nog inte varit sa magsjuk pa flera ar (plus att det var +35 grader har den dagen). Medan Greg fick den utdragna varianten (sjuk i lordags och madde till slut bra igen idag pa dagen) sa fick jag den intensiva varianten. I ca 7 timmar var jag sa otroligt dalig. Pa slutet var jag tvungen att ropa pa hjalp fran Greg nar jag inte hade tillrackligt med ork med att hanga pa hinken pa toaletten. Lyckades slapa mig till sangen dar jag till slut somnade helt utslagen. Nar jag val vaknade kande jag mig ratt ok. Men vi var anda hemma allihopa igar. Kunde inte direkt skicka Layla till dagis heller for da hade val hon smittat ner varenda unge dar aven om hon sjalv inte blev sjuk.

Det ar ocksa jobbigt att vara sjuk nar man har smabarn for da kan man ju liksom inte vara helt sjuk heller. Greg och jag lyckades tima det sa bra att vi inte var pa toa samtidigt. Det var bara ren tur att det blev sa. Naval, nu mar vi bra igen tack och lov.

I sondags var jag pa Ikea med mina svenska kompisar och deras barn. Tyvarr sa var jag da smittsam och stackars Mia lyckades fa magsjukan ocksa. Jag har haft sa daligt samvete for hon ar ju gravid ocksa. Men hon var snall och sa att hon kande andra som ocksa hade haft magsjuka och att det kunde likaval varit de som smittade.

Ha en bra vecka. Kramar, Agneta (en numera glad icke-krakare).

There are great times when your child starts childcare. You are more or less guaranteed to get sick. Even though this time the source was not Layla, we got really sick on the weekend (in the +35 degree heat). At first we thought Greg had eaten a bad spring-roll when he felt unwell on Saturday night. So off I went to Ikea with my Swedish friends, spreading the germs around. Later when I got home I started feeling really nauseous and yep, it was a full-blown stomach bug that Greg had caught. Jeeee, I got so sick! While Greg got the stretched out version, I managed to get the short, very intense one. After having emptied my stomach content in various ways (to keep it interesting) I eventually to so weak that Greg had to help me drag myself back to bed. I didn't even have the strength left to hold myself up on the bucket in the loo. Crashed back in bed and woke up feeling pretty ok. Still stayed home on Monday as I didn't feel like sharing the great germs with any other people. Also couldn't send Layla to daycare as she might have given the bug to all those kids there.

It is so much harder being sick when you have little ones. You just can't be fully sick. Luckily Greg and I somehow managed to take turns with times in the toilet which was good.

Have a great week. If you are well, please appreciate it.

Love, Agneta (a no longer very happy non-vomiting lady).

Ett litet troll
A tiny troll

Layla gillar hattar
Layla likes hats

Smaskens spagetti
Yummy spagetti

Lady och Lufsen Layla
Cute spagetti face