TWENTY TWENTY FIVE.....2025

Well hello 2025...... We have had a wonderful time since Christmas! We had a quiet Christmas day with my Mum and Dad, Robbie and Emma and Bruce and myself...In the evening Will and Cill joined us when Will finished work... Boxing day we headed to Robbies place at Buderim where Alanah and family and Cassie and family met us....

These 3 still play up when they get together hahahaha Lots of swimming with the grandkids, trip to the beach and just spending time togeather making memories...

Such a good start to the year with some off the kids.....Then it was out to Gundy to spend time with Jessica and family..You know you have had a good time when you are busy and forget to take photos. I really am the worst at picture taking as I get caught up in the moment....

After Gundy we headed to Brisbane to spend time with Alanah and Shane in there new house....All up we did 1220 kms since boxing day.... It was a time to rest, swim, read, walk and laugh lots of laughter.....

It is always good to be home though....We are looking forward to this year aheadI hope you are too... Mandy

CHRISTMAS SOAP MAKING

Hello and welcome.... The last week has found me elbow deep in Christmas, yes I know it early but I have had lots to for the markets and soap orders as well....

For last Sundays market in Toowoomba I made Christmas hand towels and dishclothes which were a real hit. Also Christmas candles and soaps.

With the soap I have made the grandchildren {all 14 of them} there names, I am sure they will enjoy those....So many A and Es to make though,all done now.

As I only had 4 moulds it took a little while to get all the letters but all part of the fun. I have made a few Christmas orders for soap as well..

The above one is activated charcoal to get the black colour with peppermint and eucalyptus it smells amazing...I decorated it with gum nuts and leaves from the garden....

This was a order to use egg yolks in the soap with no colour or scent, I must say I wasn't to sure but it turned out OK...It came totrace very quickly so was hard to work with...It also took longer to cure. But the customer is happy so that is good...

This order was for Christmas soap and the customer has children so I had some fun....The block soap I tried to makelook like candy canes but it looks more like peppermint fudge hahahaha....Also made soap with christmas trees..

All orders are done now and we have 3 more markets befor Christmas then we will have a break untill February..... As I write this it has been raining all night and day which is such a blessing, the garden is loving it.... Untill next time.... Mandy

New Year Ramblings........

Hello and Welcome

I hope you had a blessed Christmas and New Year...

Christmas 2021

was time for the family to have Christmas here at home...

For 12 months I panicked, cried and gave up any hope of us all being together..

 

Me & My Girls Cassie,Jess, Alanah,Chloe.

But we were...

I am thankful that my God is bigger than my fears and all that is going on in the world and all were able to come home...

My Boys..William,David, Robertson.

Memories were made, so many hugs and kisses...

Watching and just being with my children and grandchildren was the best present I could have wished for. 

Grand daughters

I know so many were not able to be with their families and my heart went out to them.

What will 2022 bring..

I don't think I can even begin to guess because who thought we would be a fearful nation the way we are now. 

For us  we will continue the life we have been blessed with.

 

Planting food, working our farm, cooking our meals from scratch.

To some this may seem boring, but over the last 2 years I have seen people struggle to make ends meet with the rising costs of living, which is only continuing to rise.

we are thankful we are able to go out and pick fresh strawberries, a salad, milk the goats and make cheese as this is what we have worked towards.

Enjoying family and friends..

But now family has returned home safely, soon every one will be back to work and a new year has begun to unfold....

I know I can't change the world or even my kids lives and beliefs but I know one thing for sure....

I have a faith that has seen me through some dark times, a faith that has seen me through the happiest of times a faith I am thank full to have and cherish..

 So in this new year I will keep my faith, Bruce and I will continue to work as a team sustaining the life we have worked so hard to have.....If lock downs come again we are ready.....if they don't well we are ready for that too ( the caravan is packed and ready lol )

May 2022 be a better healthier blessed year for everyone...

Christmas 2017

Wow 2017 is nearly gone.....

Christmas has been and gone, the children have all packed up and gone..

We had a wonderful Christmas, wish I had more photos to share but I was having too much fun and forgot to take many photos. I know my girls took heaps so I will have to wait until they send them too me.

It was so lovely to have all my children and grandchildren here together for the first time in a very long time.

The outdoor bathroom got a real work out and is now a great addition to the farm here.

As you can see the tub fits 7!

Christmas day was very hot so lunch was set up inside.

23 adults

and 11 children

Now the house is too quiet with every one gone...

I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas with family and friends.....

Mandy

Happy New Year.....

Welcome to the New Year.....

2016

The month before Christmas has been go go go...here for us. We have had

Lots of markets to do as well as the shop before Christmas.

Christmas was here before we knew it.

Bruce and I took 

Harry, Mason and Will to the Christmas lights.

Was so much fun with these three ratbags.

They loved all the lights and displays.

Charlie our little Christmas elf...

All of the children and grandchildren were home this Christmas.

7 grandchildren to celebrate Chrissy with.....so much noise woops I mean mess....no no fun hahah

Christmas lunch was in the new Shed where 22 people sat very 

comfortably.

 Cassie got engaged over Christmas and here she is showing off her bling.

She will be marrying a wonderful young Christian man, that is just right for her.

With Christmas over we saw the new year in celebrating Robertson's 18th.

He isn't 18 until the 7th but with all the family home we had his party early.

A very late night was had by all....

The birthday cake was candle licking good as well.

So as you can see things have been busy.....

This week I am spending time in my garden unwinding and looking forward to the new year.

I have spent a couple of days cleaning and rearranging the shop at

The Old Dairy which reopens this Friday.

I have so enjoyed the year of 2015.....It has been a good busy year.

2016

This year will see us slowing down somewhat...We will continue to do

markets and have the shop....Bruce will continue his plumbing business and now has Robbie on board so things will be easier for him...

Are you looking forward to this new year?

I am getting a cup of tea and off to see how you are all going....

Blessings

Mandy

A Christmas Round up....

Well Christmas has been and gone for another year.
Lots of presents were had by all.
We had a very quiet Christmas this year as most of the family were away with there in-laws.
I am still having trouble with blogger.
It is adding all the photos in some weird format that I don't understand.Also not letting me write between the
photos. Has any one else had this problem at all. Makes blogging hard when you can't see the photos.....

I have used the quietness of Christmas to learn to crochet and do lots of sewing. I have made a few differant pillows, my faverite is the trees.

Enjoy your new years eve.
We are staying home and then going for a drive New Years Day.

Blessings to all
Mandy

Merry Christmas.

Hi All I am having a lot of trouble with blogger I have tried so many times to blog over the last weeks and I continue to loose every thing. Merry Christmas from all of us here at the Storey household.... Blessings Mandy

Reclaiming My Space.....

Happy Monday and 1st December

Yeahhhhh December is here!!!!!!!!!

  The Christmas Decorations are up.

Sadly there was only Robbie and I putting them up, but we enjoyed it.

OK so I did most of it and Robbie took photos.

We had our Market Day again on Saturday, more stalls and 

lots more people. I am so enjoying the atmosphere of them O  and the selling as well.

Mind you the kitchen has looked like a candle making factory.

I admit it is a messy business but fun.

 So I decided (well Bruce said so really, sick of a messy house)

to reclaim my Old Dairy.

Yesterday afternoon I made a couple batches of soap and when I finished

I came back to my clean house.

 Zena helped me as well.

The best part is I just unload everything in here until the next market

and it is all together.
I have often toyed with the thought of having a shop here at The Old Dairy.
The problem is it is set back of the road and I don't know how that would go.
For now though I am happy doing markets.

I am only using one room and there is still a guest

room that is nice and tidy, so still room for when the kids come home.

Hmm just went to check my blog and realized I didn't publish it

So technically it's Happy Tuesday....whoops