Yes.. That Time of Year...

To Resolute or Not to Resolute that is the QUESTION

Should I make some New Year Resolutions?

I don't usually. I mean I'll just break them, so whats the point? I do usually have a little think over about some things that COULD be resolutions..... you know that's IF I made resolutions. Plus there are all those people that ask what your resolutions are. Honestly it could be the same list every year.


I have read on various blogs - of just using a word for the year. One Word to work on. Your focus can be big or small - thats the great thing about a one word resolution. Words like Change, Joy, Awareness... etc. I came across this Awesome Post on Resolutions at christine Kane and you should totally read it. Go there now and then come back :) Check out her list of words to choose from - there are some good ones. I am gravitating towards choosing ONE of the following:

Delight * Savor * Listen * Release

Christine states the reason most resolutions don’t work is that they address only one level of your life. The DO level. It’s the DO-HAVE-BE model. “I will DO this thing.” (i.e., Lose weight) “So I can HAVE this other thing” (Self-Esteem) and I can BE this thing. (Confident.)

The average New Year’s Resolution doesn’t address the core of the issue – the “BE” level.
The best order for creating positive changes in your life is the BE-DO-HAVE model.

Now... WHAT DO I WANT TO BE???

More food for thought, I just pulled out the family mission statement for closer perusal. The Beginning of the year is a good time for that too. Several years ago we made a family mission statement. We Chose ONE word, a Subheading and how to achieve both.

PEACE

Love at Home


Follow Christ * Humbly Pray * Actively Listen * Seek Knowledge

Encourage Others * Respect Self * Search Scriptures

Speak Softly * Have Fun * Find Humour
Seek Wisdom * Accept Responsiblity

Do Good * Speak Kindly


I just saw the date on the bottom of the laminate card and it said June 2000 - 10 years ago!! Perfect to resurrect for the year 2010!


Maybe choosing to Simplify my Resolutions will help me achieve more things.

If I can just Be - I can change

***

Here is the real *not simplified* list if I could be bothered :)

I could try to give up eating (highly doubt it)- I could try to lose weight (don't need to - lack of car has stripped me of 5kg) - I really need to tone up ( possible goal but babysitting support is negligible) - Every year I say I will read my lesson materials for Sundays (please one day will I do this?) - A study routine for Scripture reading (is another must) - Career prospects? (when the baby is grown) - A Cleaner house (nah, I'll never suffer from OCD and might as well face it) - More Dates with the MR (yes please) - Still waiting on that Pedicure ;) - A Skin Routine so I don't look like a raggedy bag lady with four kids (started that thanks to a lovely christmas present from Karyn) - Deep Self Analysis - More Sewing (I have 2 quilts needing to be finished)

Phew.. I think that is enough for a year!

Have Yourself A Merry Wet -y Christmas

Christmas This year has been all about being WET! It has rained nearly every day, but the sun still comes out thank goodness! We have been swimming with cousins rain and shine ( I think they swam for about 15 hours over two days) To the beach where a big black cloud threatened but turned into blue skies minutes later and today we had flooded gutters on the street.

Perhaps our novelty umbrella's were the best Christmas present of all?

Grandparents Christmas Dinner

Our special Christmas Tradition - Both sets of Grandparents over for a party.

The girls were excited all day - and wanted to eat all the treats all day too! It is so hard to say "DONT EAT ANYTHING IN THE FRIDGE... IT IS ALL FOR TONIGHT!

We love grandparents dinner even when the girls get so hyped it makes them misbehave, and that they didn't even eat the dinner! They just want the sparkling Grape and Apple Drink :)

But Thanks to The MR - US ADULTS enjoyed Rib Eye Fillet, Salmon Steaks, Marinated Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Asparagus, and thanks to me we enjoyed Potato Salad, Ambrosia Salad, Garden Salad and Cupakes with Warm Chocolate Sauce, Berry Jus and Vanilla Icecream

Was so full, I had to roll to bed :)

Thanks be to the grandparents who make it all worthwhile :)

Twelfth Day of Christmas - Sabbath

my true love gave to me

a reminder of the reason for the season.

8 Years ago some friends came to our house, read The polar Express and gave us a beautiful homemade card with a red bow and a picture of the Saviour. They drew an analogy from the end of the polar express "Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe" ~ and they likened it to ones testimony of the Saviour. They asked if our belief and testimony still shone as bright today as it did when we first came to the knowledge of the truth. It must have spoken to me as I can still rememeber it, whilst I have forgotten other gifts.



Over the years I thought that our Christmas Tree didn't bear enough witness of what the whole meaning of Christmas is about. Apart from the star on top or a nativity set we didn't have much that was celebrating the birth of Jesus.


These ornaments are made from cutting out pictures of Jesus from years of Ensign Magazines and from Deseret Catalogues (perk of previously owning a LDS bookstore) Likewise you could just print a desired picture of your chosing from the internet. (I dont have a colour printer, so haven't been able to use this method.) I ususally mount on black card and white paper. Print a scripture on white paper, tape together, laminate and add a bow.

I have literally made 100's of these over the years (and only have 3 left!) to be given away at Relief Society Meetings and classes, added to Christmas baskets, accompaning The Nativity DVD , around the neck of a bottle of maison, attached as a bow on the outside of a present.

I hope to convey to my children the real meaning of Christmas, and that it is faith, hope and love in the Saviour that can bring peace to us ~ which is the greatest gift one can ever recieve

Sneek Peek

Each year it's all about the place settings. I have done painted terracotta pots - named with lollies inside, gold painted river rocks - named with black writing, 3D White card(as seen in the header above), Ferrero Rocher Trees, Cookie Trees.

This years idea came from Kids Craft Weekly - Cardboard Peg Trees. The kids could help make these and they were very easy. We painted carboard triangles green using our fingers (we have lost all our paintbrushes! I need to get to the shops one of these days) and glued on some sequins and punched stars. Add a wooden peg and write on name. They do stand up but fall over easily if bumped. I might use a little blu tac to keep them up or...


just lay it on the plate like this - still cute I think. The trees are about 10-15 cms tall.

This is what happens if you leave to go check on your baby you forgot about - minutes later miss G had completely covered arms and face :)

Eleventh Day of Christmas

my true love gave to me...

Christmas Luminaries

The Mr and I have a new addiction. Chilled bottled Cherries with Vanilla Yoghurt. Its divine! And this equals an overabundance of Jars that I can't bear to throw out!

So I thought it was time to use some up. This idea was sparked by the many Halloween glass jar luminaries I saw around the net.

Basically paint on a jar! The other way is gluing tissue paper on to jars (that was how the snowman and star one were made)

Be careful around small children once lit. The glass became very hot quite quickly. A looking at only - NO TOUCHY!!

We used ours as a table centre piece outside when we had friends over for dinner this week.

and I had to include this! Miss G about bent herself in circles to paint around the jar, it was funny. She was almost flat on the table at one stage. It was a good exercise in painting something that isnt flat on the table.

Perfect Christmas

I had another epiphany this week.

It came in the form of a Better Homes and Gardens Magazine Actually.*see at end*

We all want a perfect Christmas. And some times we can feel sad or upset with ourselves when it doesn't turn out that way. I know I have lists and ideas of different things and traditions I want to do with my girls. I know I feel discouraged sometimes.

***

I want to take gorgeous pictures of us decorating the tree - but it is REALLY hot in my house and all I end up with is pictures of sweaty, red faced us, with clothes optional on the kids.

I want to go carolling to friends and up and down my street, but alas I cannot sing (and don't even try the sure you can - all people can sing line... I REALLY CANNOT!)

I want to sit around a piano at home with my family belting out carols till our hearts content except no one plays an instrument here (though the girls are learning SLOWLY because they never practice) and the girls may have inherited my bad singing :)

I want a beautifully decored house, strung with lights and boughs of holly

I want Dinner parties with wonderful food and perfect place settings

I Love gorgeously wrapped boxes, and want to fill my house with presents

I want to bake decadent sweets and treats (still too hot to bake and too expensive for ingredients)

I want to be organised and send wonderful homemade cards to every friend and family

I want a christmas crockery set for 8 people

But as it came to me in the form of the editors letter in BHG

IT TIS BUT A DREAM

Because if a team of professionals with uneding budgets take over 6 months and still struggle to get it right........ Then who am I to be able to compete?

We shall have to be happy

with love

with family

with hot sticky summer nights

with things made from meager budgets

with mismatched wonkily wrapped presents

with bad singing

and simple meals

Sounds like a PERFECT CHRISTMAS to me

*Paraphrased Editors Letter from December Better Homes and Gardens*

You know of course that we begin our Christmas planning somewhere in July to have everything ready for you when gorgeous old Christmas comes around for real.

Then comes the cover. Take a look at our exquisite christmas Tree. Each lovely decoration has to earn its place in relation to shape and colour with its neighbour. Half an hour or more is spent on getting EACH bow tied just right around the gifts. But you know each year someone plays up. And this year it was the cheeky butterfly in the red circle. It just refused to hang correctly. It took 3 HOURS to get him right.

It takes a week or more to get our words just right, to say what we need to tell you as warmly as we can. We had 26 variations (of the magazine) this time. Then, we finally begin to think it's our best offering, we print it!

Holidays

Sleeping Under the Christmas Tree; watching too much TV; Let the Holidays Begin

Tenth Day of Christmas

My true love gave to me...

peg doll angels for me..

Easy... and loved by little girls. Take some wooden pegs (the round head doll variety) and draw a face on. Hot glue gun a square of fabric around. Glue on some hair. Tie a knot in some tule, glue on the back. Perfect for little ones to carry around, or as I have done stand them up on the Christmas tree between their 'legs'

Ninth Day of Christmas

my true love gave to me ....

a photo card worthy of hanging....

or this more realistic one :)

I am the Queen of Christmas Photo Shoot Epic Fails.

I CAN NOT seem to get all my kids to smile at the same time.

I love those christmas Card Post Cards that you can order with warm christmas message to send to all your friends and family.

But being the do-it-myself kind of gal I am (*cough cough* CHEAP) I have wanted to make some myself.

Design a card and print them off at the photo booth for 14 cents each. Last year I did a few designs - But never got around to printing them. So friends and family had to do with the email version.

This year I have actually printed some, but have yet to send... So all of you wishing for a card from me.. keep holding your breath.. but perhaps if you are lucky.. your dreams MIGHT come true this year ;)

If you dont get one - Consider this your Christmas card :D

I saw this idea on the net months ago as a Fathers day photoshoot. All the grandchildren were rounded up and held up one letter each and they spelt out Grandad. It twas adorable.

So I picked out a font I liked, printed the letters N,L,O,V,E very large and traced them onto some cardboard (thick, from a box) I Cut them out and painted them red.

I got each child to pose with all the letters one at a time and then I went through all the photos, to find the best ones of each child.

Open photo in photoshop or an editing program. Make 2 layers of the same photo. Convert the top photo/layer to black and white. Use the eraser icon to 'rub out' the photo where you want the colour to show through. Arrange photos in order to spell words. I chose NOEL and LOVE as they had four letters.

Send in the mail as a postcard or included with your family Christmas letter/card.

Just because she is the best/quietest model in the house :)

go here to see just some of the 100's of photo fails I have done over the years Christmas Photo Bloopers

Never Stop Playing

Last night we had a dinner party with some 6 friends. Friends that didn't have any children. As I was preparing the girls for the evening (warning/begging/pleading for them to behave)

I had this actual conversation with Miss A

A: Why do adults like to talk so much?

Me: We just do

A: Why? Why do you like to talk

Me: Well there comes a time when you prefer to talk to your friends rather than just play with them

A: I will NEVER stop playing

A: You never want to play mummy

Me: Sure I do

A: Some people play tennis

Me: I don't have a tennis racquet or a court

A: Well just go to one

Me: alright


so ok busted I dont like to play with my kids - and now I have a baby to feed every 3 hours it seems like I am merely a spectator these days. There has been WAAAAYYYYY too much tv watching and being on the computer (can I help it if I am talented enough to be able to breastfeed and type on the computer at the same time - Might as well do two things at once, no?)



I want to get them to the age where we can do things together without too much disaster.

But that would mean playing with them now, so they might actually want to be with me later.

Now.. don't get me wrong.. I am silly... I like to muck around....I read and sing to my kids every night... but I am going to have to make a more structured goal to play with my children more.


Should be easy since School Holidays start next week.


6 LONG WEEKS of playing



Tennis anyone?



These thoughts made me think of a fantastic post by BEV about Avoiding Motherhood
Who would do such a thing?? Oh thats right.. ME ..... go read it :)

Sabbath

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith
~ Galatians 5:22

Eighth Day of Christmas

my true love gave to me

A pinata for Smashing

We love pinata's. But this is the first one I have made for Christmas. I saw this idea at the beginning of the year and have been hanging onto it ever since.

We did the basic ~ cover a balloon with newspaper strips and clag glue ~

Then I painted it gold. Then I used a hot glue gun to glue Tinsel all over. I basically used a continuous string of tinsel just going up down/ back forth. Add a ribbon to the top ~

It is meant to look like a Christmas bauble??? Was I successful?

We will fill it with small plastic toys and lollies and looking forward to smashing it open with our cousins on Christmas Day.

Talents to Share

I know you all think I am awesome - but I am not really.

I can't sew things that aren't square/rectangle in shape

I love to cook, but only half the time and not at all now that my house is a furnace

I cut corners in most crafts and then achieve a less than desirable outcome

I don't workout

I Can't do makeup/hair

I Talk too much so I'm not really a good listener

and I have to convince my children to try most of the crafts I put on here - they would much rather watch tv/play computer (I'm a failure.. I know)



When I went to the class for the pink rag quilt, the instructor (also a friend) said her father gave her this piece of advice


Choose ONE hobby and do it well - that it will become a talent which you can share with others


This would have to be the absolute opposite of me ~ Jack of all Trades, Master of None


Can I help it if I like - Photography, painting, sewing, dancing, jewellery making, cooking, eating, dreaming of decorating, (my house is like the least decorated in the world!! we don't even have family photos up!)


I have had that thought going around my head ever since. IT really spoke to me, and I realised that is what I had been doing Wrong all these years! NO Focus!


I had piano lessons as a child, but gave up
I love to dance, but don't do it near enough (*cough* if ever these days)
I sew things from scraps but am not willing to invest the needed $$ to become good at sewing
Was good at art at school but havent produced a painting in years


Whilst I can do wellish at most things I put my hand to I do not have a talent that I could teach others. I am good at copying things, but to stand out on my own - I don't think so.


So I thought which things do I want to improve on/practice so it can become my talent


At this moment in my life this blog is all the talent I have to show (and that may be questionable)


Two people who I know IRL (in real life) commented yesterday that they really liked my blog. I didn't even know they were readers.


That made me Happy. Very Happy.


So my talent to share with you is ..... this blog.


Your life is changed isn't it :)

HA HA HA HA HA HA

Seventh Day of Christmas

My true love gave to me...

Books for reading nightly..

I suppose this is another sort of Advent/countdown calendar. We started this tradition last year and it was one of the girls most favourite. Maybe it is the excitement of opening a 'present' each night, or just reading Christmas stories but it is a lovely tradition that we enjoy.

Each year I buy another Christmas book or two (usually when very cheap on sale) Some of these have also been gifts from other people over the years. I don't have 24 yet, so we sometimes add christmas books borrowed from the library. Also I sometimes rewrap some of the books, and add them back to the pile, so we have enough to go for 24 days.

Some of our favourites are:

Santasaurus - in a house full of dinosaur lovers this one is a hit, I also LOVE the whimsical drawings in this one. The house and city are so colourful and imaginative

Why I love Christmas - This one has the Southern Hemisphere in mind as one of the pages says "I love Christmas because its HOT outside" and also has pictures of kangaroos and koalas decorating trees with flowers and natural items.

Once there was a Christmas Tree - This has a squishy tree on the front page filled with glitter! The Girls love it. I LOVE the story. About a bear family whose Christmas Tree is too big for their house so they cut it in half and give to the fox family. Who then cut it in half to give to Old MR rabbit, who cuts it in half again to give to the mouse family. Very good story about giving and the spirit of Christmas. "We had a tree and made it two - one half for us one half for you"

The Night before Christmas - This one was given to us by some dear friends. The girls love to read the inscription mentioning their friend who has since moved far away. Who doesn't love The night before Christmas?

Most of the other books are religious ones and we love to see the Nativity story in many different ways! There are also a few books about Christmas Carols that came with CD's and we play them while reading.


Last year I felt a bit guilty in the waste of all the wrapping paper so this year we used Newspaper as well. I covered half in decorated newspaper and half in wrapping paper. We used cookie cutters and paint to decorate.

Place books in a box or basket under the tree and enjoy reading each night. You could even number the books if you wanted it more Advent style.

Sixth Day of Christmas - Edited

my true love gave to me

glittery playdough for everybody!

I saw this idea a year ago on One Crafty Mumma and thought it would make good class gifts. I have just seen another idea where you cut the dough into a large star shape and then wrap it - If I find a cookie cutter big enough I think I will do that! I am making red glittery dough for girls and green glittery dough for boys.

Last year's class gifts were These Felt Pencil Toppers as I have a personal DISLIKE for Candy Canes (well dislike for the mess my kids make with those things.. and they get bucketloads of them over the holidays!) I thought I would be a kind mother and try to find something else to give to the girls class mates! Well maybe they won't think I am so kind when their kids leave playdough on the carpet ;)



I used this recipe on the back of the cream of tartar jar to make my dough...

10 down... 40 more to go :)What have I got myself into :)




*** Post Edit ***

We ended up cutting them into star shapes. This way I got more out of my batches of dough and it looked much cuter! Only took the girls a couple of hours to make and write out for each kid in their class.

Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful

Blowing dandelions ( or correctly as I just learnt from Wiki - 'parachute' balls ) is the ultimate spring activity.

I think I have photographed every flower that can be found along any of the walks I take.
The latest obsession has been dandelions. There is just something so whimsical and childhood envoking about dandelion heads. I wish we had been on a soft rug, lying in the shade in a field having a picnic...

but it was in an empty house lot on a busy road on our way home from school we picked and blew dandelions till our hearts content. Not all the girls were interested as it was pretty hot, if we could have picked them and taken them home we would have, but they were just too fragile.

So soft and fluffy waiting to float away on the wind.


Am I a dandelion head barely keeping it together? With one blow from the winds of change do I scatter into a hundred pieces and fall apart? Am I that fragile?

OR

Am I a hundred little pieces floating on the wind carrying love and care to those I touch? Able to go and do many things at once. Able to embrace the challenges that push us in many directions.

Able to float and flutter and sail happily along

Willing to accept the change from bright flower to scattered pappus (the hairlike parachutes) Change is unavoidable... we just become different versions of ourselves. Hopefully stronger, better, more. As the parachutes of the dandelion create more flowers - hopefully I create more too.

More love, more living, more passion, more kindness, more charity, more patience, more tenderness, more laughter. MORE and MORE.

Are Dandelions weeds? Or a thing of beauty? Reminds me of the New Era Poster - Be your own kind of beautiful. I had that poster on my bedroom wall as a teenager. Hopefully I can teach my girls that. There are many types of beauty. There are behaviours that makes one more beautiful. We are all a bunch of mixed flowers, each with their individual beauty.

Be your own kind of weed (of the plant variety not the drug :)

Today..... I am a dandelion

* oh and did you know Dandelions are edible in their entirety? *

Sabbath

But GROW in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ~ 2 Peter 3:18

Fifth Day of Christmas

my true love gave to me...

a wreath for decorating...

I saw this easy craft hanging up in the after school care room at my daughters school last Chrismtas. All year it has been hanging there and I always think... gonna make one of those this year. So we did!

Take a coat hanger and bend into a circular shape

Wrap tinsel around and around and around (kids might need a little help so they don't get tangled)

Add bow, decorations, whatever your hearts desire.. Ours is a little plain :)

We did this for a family home evening activity and talked about the meaning behind wreaths

Here is some info I gleaned from the internet and shared with the girls.

Much symbolism can be attributed to the Christmas wreath. The shape of a circle has no beginning and no ending. This may represent the eternal nature of a god's love, or the circle of life. Evergreens are used to represent immortality and the victory of life through darkness and challenge. The fact that evergreens live through winter signifies the strength of life. Holly branches have thorns when used in wreaths they can serve to remind us of the crown of thorns used at Jesus Crucifixion.

Favourites

I don't do favourites

....Nope not one .....

No favourite ~

colour

food

movie star

band

music

dessert

place

TV Show

hobby

brand

purfume

Am I bland, boring, scared to have an opinion ~ or just not ready to commit for fear I might offend? (all of the above I think)

...Like I am sorry Pink.. but Blue is just my favourite!

I was thinking on these things after seeing that Australian cleaning Guru Peter Walsh on Oprah when he said :

If you value everything you really value nothing

He was talking to people that had hoarding issues - that needed to hang onto things, and whilst my house is sometimes messy.. I am definately not a hoarder.

So....

Maybe I just have enough love in my life for most things, without having to narrow it down. I'll go where my mood takes me. As long as the food is good - I'll like it, the colour suits me today - its cool, smells good? - I'll wear it, Makes me laugh - I'll watch/read it

I honestly freaked out in like Grade 3 when they were asking all the children what they wanted to be when they grew up ~ I pretty much had sweaty palms worried about my turn ~ why? Because I had no answer.. I didn't even have a favourite dream job! ~ Lucky I haven't had to worry about that one for a while!

I remember some game we played when we were first married at an activity. The questions were all about your spouse including their 'favourite shampoo' I laughed... If I don't have a favourite food or music.. I certainly don't have a favourite shampoo...

I told the MR 'if we are ever in one of those competions about your significant others 'favourites' that his answer should be:

She doesn't have any favourites.

(but then when I am on the spot, doing one of those scarey questionaires... I desperately try to come up with some favourites so people don't think I am weird, so what will the MR do then?? Besides look stupid for answering that his wife has no favourites.)

So in the hope of not wanting my valued things to mean nothing - I better get me some favourite things.

Any suggestions?

*Breaks into song * "........these are a few of my favourite things........."

Fourth Day of Christmas

My true love gave to me..

An Advent Calendar full of lollies..

So we all know about my documented hate for those shop bought Advent Calendars. I dont like the characters on them, who knows how old the chocolate is, have to have one for each child...and they just plain irk me.

I saw this wonderful calendar idea at Filth Wizardry. Go check hers out - it is MUCH PRETTIER! I made this one going from memory of that one I saw months ago. All I had in my head was little cups glued on cardboard. I just refound the link and saw how cute hers was.. I should have copied it!

I got my little cups from a party shop. They are very light plastic shot glasses. The other blog mentions condiment cups. I think they are more papery. If you find these good - if not try shot glasses!


Basically glue small little cups on some heavy cardboard (I cut up a box) the cups look big in the photo but they are only about 4cm tall really. Fill with lollies/charms/small decorations/trinkets. Cut circles of tissue paper a little larger than the cups. Write numbers 1-25 on circles with permanent pen. Using a paint brush paint glue (I used PVA glue) on the lip of the cups. Stick circles on top of cups. Allow to dry.


Enjoy the little thrill of poking fingers through the paper..


I know we will!


Other fantastic Advent Calanders can be found here:

Advent Ideas

Best Advent Calendars Ever

I scream for Ice cream

This recipe is great! 3 ingredients and the kids can make it!

Condensed Milk Icecream

6oo mls cream

1 can condensed milk

1 tbs vanilla

Whip cream, condensed milk and vanilla until thick.

Pour into a foil/cling wrap lined tray. Freeze.

You can add anything into the icecream - crushed chocoalte bars, top and fill caramel, fruit etc before freezing for added fun!

Was a yummy Sunday Treat when we felt like Icecream but had none in the house!

Sabbath

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people ~ 1 Peter 2:9

Third Day of Christmas

My True love gave to me...

Christmas pillowcases for dreaming..

OK, so I posted this craft last year too. At first I thought we could just use the same pillowcases from last year as they are in perfect condition - but wheres the fun in that? - its all about the process and not the end product (I figure once I accumlate years worth of Christmas pillow cases we can recycle them into some other Christmas thing - it just a way to store material really)

Firstly we did our 'special date for christmas material' where they were allowed to choose whichever material they wanted (while I madly steered them towards the 'CHEAPER' christmas fabric :)

Then each girl sat with me and sewed their pillowcase. Miss K could almost do it herself (she just needs a little help keeping the material straight) Miss G even did it this year. She loved sitting on my lap pushing the material through.

Go to last years post for instructions on how to sew a pillowcase, I eyeballed it this year and made a mistake!! LOL

Have many lovely Christmas dreams!