just playing around...

...so photos are not necessarily in order, but I wanted to look at highlights from our year to date.

tis the season

It doesn't seem like long ago I was bemoaning the fact that I wasn't ready for the Christmas season to end.  And now it is just around the corner!

I have made my mix of Christmas songs for this year (some to be posted to friends on cd as Christmas cards ) and although I have a thing against using anything with snow at Christmas time I couldn't resist a couple of songs that mention sleighs and snow bells because Bette Midler has a great Christmas party voice.  And Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby remind me of my grandmother at Christmas time.

We will watch favourite movies with great Christmas scenes (all with snow!)  and this year I plan to watch all of It's A Wonderful Life.  I bought the kids Polar Express, which will be a fun family night (with treats). 
I have all but finished the advent calendar and am looking forward to making Margaret Foultons mince pies.  I'll watch Willie's Perfect Chocolate Christmas again because it is just so nice to see. 

And of course we will read all of the versions we have of the Nativity, with this one making a special appearance at church.

I love creating our own family traditions around this time of year!

loving these

very cute paper dolls from here.

...and loving that David has almost finished his assessment for uni and we can then throw ourselves into preparations for the comingChristmas Season !!

starlings fly

This is breathtaking.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Love of Literacy

A couple of weeks ago I bought this book for Nicholas and Audrey - based on the fact that my favourite children's book illustrator did the drawings.  When it arrived I firstly noticed the limited text.  As I looked at the illustrations the story played out before me.  I saw that it was set in an underprivileged area.  Two children find a book and escape to the backyard to read it.  Their imagination takes over and the message of the book is simply to look after books as they will take you places and can be read again and again and again.

Some time ago I came across these gorgeous videos  (I have shared one previously ).  As a bibliophile I was inspired by the idea of providing books where there are none and wished I could get involved with something like this from home.


Capucine for Edurelief in Mongolia from Capucha on Vimeo.

Today while at work I received two emails that reignited this desire.  I   am thrilled to see these initiatives close to Australia - I have visited both Papua New Guinea and East Timor.  I am aware of challenges in each country and am close to my counterparts there.



I am hoping to become more actively involved in the Buk Bilong Pikinini program. I actually need to be at the PNG High Commission over the next couple of weeks so will try and find out some more while I am there.  If interested, you can read an inspiring story about the program here.

The program reminded me of Mem Fox's visit to East Timor when one of her books was translated into Tetum. No sooner was I sharing this with colleagues when I received an email promoting the Alola Foundation 'Christmas Gift Certificates'. With a donation of $10 you can provide a pack of 8 readers to Timorese classrooms.



If you would like to support this (for only $10) visit here.