Well the countdown to Christmas has begun and that warm festive feel has surrounded me this year. I’m enjoying every aspect of the silly season! I am blown away at how fast this year has disappeared, I simply can’t believe Christmas eve is tomorrow!

I feel pretty much on top of things but are surrounded by many lists! We are hosting our family Christmas for the very first time this year so have tried to get everything sorted so on the day we can relax with a drink and let it just happen :)  I am in my element as party planning is my thing! hehe

Over the past couple of weeks we have been pretty busy, Craig started his holiday last week so we have been enjoying having him around. Here’s a few pics from the last few weeks.

Baking all the Christmas goodies, Christmas cake, traditional plum puddings, mince pies, coconut truffles, chocolate baileys fudge and Christmas cookies.

A family tradition of stirring the Christmas cake and making a special wish… I remember always wishing to go to Disneyland when I was little with my Nana and it did come true. A tradition worth carrying on I think Of course you have to lick the spoon too!

We enjoyed decorating our home for the first Christmas here, and finally have a mantelpiece to decorate and hang stockings. More decorations have arrived since these photos

A fun day out at a work Christmas party and the chance to meet Santa but Grace was a little shy.

The good old Santa parade, but gosh was it long this year!

A couple of trips to the playground with Maddi.

We had a mini break to Port Levy where we hired a holiday home, it was a very “mini” break as I got bad hay fever (never had that before and it sucks!) and couldn’t sleep so only stayed one of the two nights we booked. It reminded me just how lovely home is though! :p

Then we had Christmas day part one with Craig’s family.

Grace has found a love of pavlova!

Having fun on her cousin’s Christmas pressie, a new bike. It was so cute to

see her ride it, I just can’t believe how much she is growing up!

  Summer bbq lunches!

We also got Grace’s photo taken with Santa, no smile but better than screaming hehe We went out to see the Christmas lights, man some people go mad with them!

As suspected I have fallen very behind with getting my December Daily album done, I have been keeping notes and photos however so soon as I get a spare moment I will get creative and put it together. I’ve so enjoyed having it as part of our Christmas experience that I will defiantly be up for December daily next year.

I hope you are all having an enjoyable silly season and that this wee post will keep you up to date with our family. Will try better to blog more often after Christmas.

I had a spare moment so thought I would upload the photos of my December Daily album. I have been doing my best to keep up with it and I’m really enjoying focusing on the little things that make Christmas so special each day. The only thing that holds me up is printing photos, I have to get my ideas together and get them printed once a week. I don’t print my own but it would be helpful

Cover page

Day 1

Day 2 & 3

Day 4

Day 5 

Day 6

   Day 7

Tomorrow it all begins! The first of December brings the first entry into my December Daily Album, I’m so excited to see how it all comes together. It will be a real challenge to stay on top of it and keep it up to date but I’m going to try my hardest. I love the idea of capturing the special things about the season for our family, the traditions we will continue and the new ones we will start.

I thought I would share a photo of the goodies I have collected for it, so many lovely Christmassy things. I’ve decided to decorate the chipboard album mainly with the new Making Memories Mistletoe range. I just love the reds and greens!

Here is the cover so far of my album. It’s made up of different shaped chipboard and acetate pages.

Let the creating begin

I’m proud to announce that I’m an auntie again! My wonderful sister gave birth to her baby daughter Georgia Rose (Maddi’s sister) early this morning at 8am. She decided on a home birth at the last minute and everything went smoothly. She however doesn’t recommend me having another baby as she said the pain was horrible! hehe  I LOVE the name they choose, so beautiful.

Yesterday was our third wedding anniversary. It feels like we’ve been married for much longer (in a good way :p).  I guess because next year we have been together 10 years.

I was woken in the morning with a card and NZ Gardener subscription,which I buy every month now I have a garden. For Craig I made him a card and Grace helped me make some heart shaped Belgium biscuits as those are Craig’s faves. Mum bought me a beautiful bunch of Peony Roses in the same variety as my wedding bouquet.

I had a lovely day taking Grace to baby times at the local library and then coffee group with some friends. In the afternoon I got some time out and headed along to the local scrapbook store to collect and cut bits for my December Daily album. We headed out in the evening with Fish and Chips over to a beach and had tea. I tried to get a photo of the three of use but no matter how I tried I couldn’t hold the camera right to get us all in… hehe

Since we moved into our new home I’ve wanted to get a vegetable garden started. A month or so ago we got some help and built these vegetable garden beds. They are all full now with summer vegetables and are really starting to take off so I thought it was about time to share some photos.

There are three beds, around them looks scruffy as I’m yet to lay some shingle pathways but the vegetables grow regardless. All in good time

I’ve had a wee green fingered helper, she loves to get out in the dirt and dig about. Her Nana bought this wee watering can for her and now it’s one of her favourite things to do outside. She potters about filling it up and watering things but mainly herself hehe The other day she came in proud as punch with a snail she had come across.

Tomatoes, butter beans, runner beans, lettuces, snow peas, Italian parsley, rosemary and sage in this bed.

Broad beans, carrots, silver beet, lettuces, thyme, parsley and chives in this bed.

Brussel sprouts, red onions, iceberg lettuces, beetroot, radishes , spring onions and strawberries in this bed.

Will keep you updated on how things grow.

Mmm… Milo and vegemite on toast on a lazy Sunday morning at home. The past few Sundays have been rather busy with baby showers and housewarmings so we are making the most of the drizzly weather and having a PJ morning. Grace is happily watching Postman Pat(she loves him and dances to the theme song.. so cute!), Craig is pottering about and I thought I would catch up online.

We were mean to be picnicking with friends today but the weather is pretty dismal out there, seems all the nice weather got used yesterday with our 29C day. We escaped to the supermarket to stay cool.

I’ve been trying to decide on the right shade of paint to paint my scrapbook room and last night had narrowed it down to two shades of avocado green. This morning I’ve settled on Vermont by Resene. Will try and get it painted next weekend but it’s easy to put off.. hehe

This is the runner up, Hypnotic.

I also bought this cool armchair on Trademe for my scrap room, hoping a friend can help me recover it.

Anyhoo just a quick catch up, about to head off to the local school fair for a wee noisy despite the weather.

Over the past few months I have been wondering where to next for me and our family. Now we have our lovely home and are blessed with our wonderful and beautiful daughter Grace, life is good but I always like to move forward so I’ve been wondering what’s next for us? Something new to move towards and strive for… Our friends are all heading down the children road with there first and second kids but Craig and I are not ready to do that again. We love the age Grace is at now and she fills us with so much joy, we are happy.  I however like to have goals and plans. I’ve decided that this coming year is a year to get myself back on track, finally put some time into becoming the very best I can be.  I believe if I can get more balance in my life then I will become a better wife and mum.

I want to focus on my health predominantly, feel healthier, fitter and more full of energy. I’ve totally let things slide since I got pregnant with Grace and it’s time to make a change. I’m not talking major drastic changes, more gradual life changes that will hopefully stick long term. After the death of my Grandfather earlier in the year it made me realise I want to look back on my life and see a life lived fully just like he did. I feel like I’m always waiting for things to happen and miss out on the everyday blessings.

I came across this book awhile back, “You Sexy Mother”  and I’ve decided to read it. Last time I found it I never got around to reading it, i simply procrastinated and wasn’t ready to change. I’ve got it again and am making my way through it. It has a plan to help make over your life and become the best Mother/Person you can, it covers health, lifestyle, home, the way you present yourself. I’ll let you know how I get on, I’ve already been out for a walk today (part of the plan).  I also like the thinking behind “The Secret” (however I’m not so much into the money making side of the book)  and the laws of attraction. I was brought up with the idea of visualization and putting things out there and for me I find it works well, I just need to learn to harness it and to figure out what I ultimately want for our family’s life. Gosh! that all sounds very serious but it’s where my head is at at present.

The other thing I want it to focus my creative side, I want to learn how to tell the story of my family and also bring in the creative side without getting to caught up in having the perfect page. I came across Ali Edward’s December Daily album and I was inspired, oddly as I don’t normally like her style but I liked her idea of documenting Christmas. I also came across Jessica Sprague’s Christmas in Hand class that I’m trying to follow.

I’m not sure how our Christmas this year will go, due to my Grandfather’s passing and the condition of my Nana with Alzheimer’s. They have been such big part’s of all of our past Christmas’s and it will feel weird to not have them here in the usual way.  I feel this might be a nice way to keep the focus on family and traditions and making it a memorable, special  time. Our family is changing and I want to start to find the traditions we can carry on for our girls.

Anyhow I better catch up on these online classes, just wanted to share some stuff. Ciao xox

Last week I got to catch up with a friend to crop for a few hours, I didn’t get as much done as hoped but I just love what I did create. Firstly I whipped up these, a tissue box cover and card for my Nana’s birthday.

I had some more challenges I wanted to enter so picked the Shabby Chic challenge over at Scrappin Patch. I still find Shabby chic doesn’t come naturally and I really have to work hard at this style but seem to always love what turns out.

I simply adore this layout made with my new FAVE papers, Bo Bunny’s Love Bandit range. They are just so cute, I think I almost bought one of each in the range and that NEVER happens! hehe

In other scrappy news I was lucky enough to win second in last months Scrap the girl’s challenge with this page. I was rather chuffed to get that email!

We headed out to see the big public display of fireworks on Guy Fawkes with Nessa etc and had a great night, Grace enjoyed every minute of staying up late and seeing the fireworks. Was so much fun!

For us lucky Cantabrians it was Show weekend this past weekend! Which meant a public holiday here in Christchurch on Friday. Craig and I think 3 day weekends are the best idea.. a day for housework and chores, a day for socialising and a day to relax at home. Brilliant and quite honestly I’m hanging out for the next one lol

We spent the day relaxing on Friday except for a trip to the supermarket which wasn’t so great due to the usual dopes! hehe  Finally got to see Night at the Museum 2 (I’m a big fan of kid’s movies) but dozed off for the last 1/2 hour, oops! We took Grace out for a drive and found a playground and she had great fun exploring. A nice day just to hang out together.

We then spent Saturday getting sorted for our Housewarming party which was held on Sunday. It turned out to be great weather and we thoroughly enjoyed catching up with our friends and family over great food and some fun. We’re looking forward to the next catch up already. Our home has become a great place to entertain, which Craig and I both love.

Last weekend I hosted a baby shower for my sister, who is due in OMG a 11 days! I can’t believe I could be an Aunt again any day. We had a lovely day for it and some of her friends came over for afternoon tea, a few shower games and lot’s of chatting. I made her a nappy cake full of bits and bobs for the arrival of my new niece.

Also a few weeks back we attended one of my friend’s daughter’s 5th birthday,  I whipped up this letter for her bedroom.I love the bright colours on it and may just have to get one done for Grace. Check out the Lilly lettering with shadow done with my new Slice Mistletoe design card! Can’t wait to start using it more. I’m hoping to do a December daily album, care of Ali Edward’s blog and have also signed up for Jessica Sprague’s Holiday’s in Hand online class.

I love this family photo of us so just had to share. The wee cape and headband that Grace is wearing were from the Lilly’s party in the park, such a cute idea. This was also the weekend Grace stayed at her Grandparent’s place for the night, HUGE step for me. I was bawling my eye’s out when I left but Craig and I enjoyed dinner and coffee out in the evening and it was lovely to have dedicated us time which is very rare these days. We did realise how much Grace brings to our lives each and every moment and missed her like crazy! She is at such a great age and lights our lives up daily!

From me until next time… Ciao!

Although we did pack a fair bit in to the long weekend, it does feel like it disappeared all to soon.

We visited with Craig’s grandparents for morning tea on Saturday and came away with lot’s of inspiration and some plants for our garden. So we spent Saturday afternoon slogging it out in the garden and got the place looking very tidy! We planted some more veges and pulled out a few things here and there. Craig and I are enjoying the time together in the garden, having a common interest is fun. Many many more ideas to come.

Then yesterday as I mentioned we popped over to Orton Bradley park for their Spring Fair. There were heaps of people there and the weather was perfect for the event. We packed a picnic lunch and my sister and family and some friends tagged along. We shared a lovely day out in the sun and it was just lovely. I spent some more time in the garden yesterday afternoon tying up my sweet peas and planting the Gladioli’s that I got from Craig’s grandparents. I have no idea how to grow them but I figure I will learn and they are so pretty.

Today saw us take a drive to Sumner and get some fresh air and a walk in the sun. We were expecting to have to stay inside as TV weather had been predicting all sorts of nasty weather all week but it was nice today. Go figure! Then it was fish and chips for lunch at Rapaki bay and home for naps.

I’ve spent the last hour trying to get this layout to come together for a challenge over at Scrappin patch and I’ve finally got it sorted. I’m not to happy with it but it got some more photo’s scrapped. They are of an award ceremony earlier in the year where my father got presented with an OBE (older but exceptional) award from Age Concern for charity work he has done over the years for the community.

Better go and cook some dinner, I hope you all had a lovely relaxing weekend too!