07 January 2011

more IKEA love & Christmas is really over now . . .

Greetings all,
Wow, just as the last of the 10 lucky IKEA Beloved book winners was emailing her details yesterday, a courier rocked up to my door with this IKEA 10kg meatball box of excitement, as a thank you to me.  Little old me!!  All super handy things . . . photo frames, candles, tea lights, thermos, bowls, cannisters, loopy hanger, bag clips, scrubbers, napkins, paper plates . . . even a floor mat.  Trust me IKEA, it was a pleasure to do the store tour in Sydney & present the giveaway.
 I knew where i wanted the floor mat to go, i love stripes & i love this mix of red, navy & natural wood in my son's room, it had to be his!!  I'm someone who can see a room decorated before we even move into a house (we move often) & i am pretty sure in my teens i imagined i'd have a son with a bedroom which looked something like this.
 My son is turning into the mathematician i am, i adore this abacus & it's one of his favourite toys.  We're learning together how to use it properly. 
 I lit some tea lights - they smell like fruits, ahhhh.  The girls disappeared into their rooms with the containers & cannisters for . . . girls' stuff. 
 Of course when i thought 'bowls' my son thought 'robot helmet'. 
 The IKEA goodies were a lovely surprise to my day, a little glum after taking down all the Christmas decorations on the traditional 6th January - just as my mother taught me.  Sigh, packing them away for another 11 months, sob.  The tree will go to the green waste down the road (when the family car is back from what is proving to be an expensive service) & our lounge room just won't smell the same. 
 Just couldn't bare to hide the hearts i collected for the tree, so i looped some of them together & hung them where a Christmas garland once was.  Couldn't resist at least one giant jingle bell which rings out with the breeze.
 As always . . . the worst job is removing the fairy lights.  So complicated no matter how easily my tall husband effortlessly loops them on.  I'm only 5'6" so i always end up tangled in the lights as i unwind them from the tree.  He'd help but watching me doing it is far more entertaining.
So we cuddled up last night without the backdrop of a flashing coloured light show or a woody pine forest smell, just the sweet glow from tea lights & scent of fresh flowers.  
Christmas is a time of year i really like to drag out for as long as possible, it's happiness, sunshine, family, swimming & holidays, visiting our elderly parents & extended families, especially this one just past - my handsome soldier was home.  He's about to move back to Qld for 2 years (of a 3 year posting) . . . i have a big couple of years ahead of me of solo parenting!!  It's technically called 'dual solo' parenting, honestly, it's the parent on the ground who is doing the heavy lifting thanks, anything my husband tries to offer from thousands of kilometres away, really, in the heat of the moment, it's not particularly helpful.  Ha ha, he's going to retire in his early 40s when we have 3 teenage girls in the house.  Anyway, he will 'move back in' with us in January 2013, how sad does that sound??  He has an incredibly busy 2 years all over the place, so it wouldn't matter where we lived, he wouldn't be 'home'.  But 2013 is our year, building our homestead!!  Have lovely weekends everyone, love Posie

19 comments:

Queen Of The Armchair aka Dzintra Stitcheries said...

Hi Jennie...it's still Christmas here!!! I tend to drag it out a bit!!! Wow, 2 years and then you can start to build...bet you can't wait...Have a great 2011...Love Dzintra♥x

Just Martha said...

I treated myself to some sale decorations so I will be excited when I open them at the end of the year. 2 years huh? Not moving too?

Anonymous said...

How nice to get a surprise! I love surprises in the mail!!

Sarah B said...

What a lovely pressie from Ikea. I'm still very excited to be receiving a book :)
Wow, two years. That must be so difficult. I cannot imagine. Wont it be fabuous when he finally retires?

Kylie said...

Christmas is sadly over here too. Hope that you enjoy your last few days with you handsome soldier. If he needs a hot
meal let him know the door is always open. We pack up again at the end of this year and may just head your way. Must say Brisbane has not been my favorite posting.

Makeminemidcentury said...

Fabulous box from Ikea ... and nothing to construct!

There is a bit of a post-Christmas let down, isn't there? Don't worry, it'll be Christmas before you know it!

Christy said...

Two years without your man? You are a strong woman Jen. I certainly couldn't do it with my young lot. At least your kids can get themselves dressed and brush their own teeth (my current struggle!)

Maxabella said...

I loved this post, Posie. All the Ikea goodies and your new windchime!

I can't believe that you are so stoic about the Jan 2013 thing. I know an army wife gets used to these things, but I know your heart is breaking and I want you to know that we are all here for you. x

Leah said...

It's always sad to pack up Christmas. I love how you've got a plan to look forward to.

Kerry said...

My heart did a little sinking thing when I read about your man heading off again so soon. But I know how amazingly optimistic you are and I'm sure those two years will fly by :) You know where I am if you need a hand; any time. Just yell x

Tina said...

WOW, I bet it felt like Christmas receiving your gorgeous IKEA parcel yesterday! Fabulous package and I just love the robot helmet :) I know that two years is such a long time, but I bet it flies by now that you have a high schooler, busy at work, all those building plans and inspiration folders to work on:) We will be here to 'help you out' in spirit and if I still lived in Canberra, I would be there in person:) Enjoy the weekend with your beautiful family and thank you so so so much again for my IKEA book...I just cannot tell you how excited I am to be able to get an IKEA fix, even if it is only on paper:D Huge hugs lovely ~ Txx

Tania McCartney said...

Love it! How much fun did you have opening that box!? And bugger - missed the IKEA book giveaway... x

Penny said...

Wow that's tough not having him around but so much to look forward to in 2013. Great that you enjoyed Christmas so much!
Love that bok from Ikea! Lucky you : )

Kellie Collis said...

Lovely gifts! What a beautiful way to start the year! Enjoy the weekend, Kellie xx

Naturally Carol said...

What a wonderful box of surprises! And just as I finished reading about your surprises I got one myself...just a little smaller...a nice big mug of Gloria Jeans coffee delivered straight into my hands by my thoughtful husband!

MultipleMum said...

Goodies! Love it. Good ol' IKEA. Those Swedes know how to show us a good time. I took down my Xmas decs this week (Sister B reminded me it was a day early - only 11 days of Christmas in this household which I thought was fitting for 2011? I digress...).

Cindy said...

Aw lovely post. Sorry to hear you will be parenting solo here and there, wouldn't be easy with a big family. Wouldn't be easy full stop. Thanks for stopping by.
Cin x

My MummaMoments said...

Behind every great man is an AMAZING woman! Can't be easy with 4 kids, but the lessons they are learning from their parents will be lifelong. Many thanks to families like yours who sacrifice so much for us to live our chosen lifestyles in this amazing country. I am married to a uniform too, albeit a different colour. Much love to your family xxx

Photography said...

Nice parcel!! Hopefully the two years will pass nicely and your homestead dream will be here! It sounds perfect.