Tuesday

Back to basics.  Crayons and paper.  I am looking forward to having time with Maggie and enjoying the little things. 

Friday 15 January

Time is certainly marching on.  I have probably said it before, but it was particularly the case this year.  I had an essay due straight after Christmas and it just felt like I hadn't had a break.  It made thinking of the need for a birthday party around the corner exhausting!

What started as a couple of friends over for a playdate and cake, quickly became 6 friends, cake, chips, lollies, balloons and a party bag.  A party ;) Not  hard at all!

This girl is growing up so much.  I am looking forward to a year with  fewer commitments for me and more time to focus on home and family.

an hour with Maggie

Saturday

Now, 2016.  Our New Years was quiet.  To be honest, I think seeing the new year in quietly at home and then having a lazy New Years Day bbq  on 1 January has become more appealing to me.  Nevertheless, we took the kids, along with David's sister and her family, to the 9pm family friendly fireworks.  Then we walked into the City for ice cream.  Admittedly, by the time we walked back to our parked car and got home, it was 11:45PM.  We gave the kids a slushie as a new years treat and said Happy New Year.  They had their showers and went off to bed, and David and I sat down with a cheese plate to watch Downton Abbey.  I got season 6 for Christmas but we wanted to refresh our minds of how season 5 ended.

Anyway, I get ahead of myself - Christmas Day!  We had a lovely day,  very relaxed.  Great food, and kids having a wonderful time.  The way it should be.

memories.....

Wednesday

Just because...

This week I started (in spite of the need to catch up on not one, but FIVE weeks of university) Gloria Steinem's book 'My Life On the Road'.  I loved this little video clip and revisited my often reoccurring dream of living in a gorgeous New York apartment!



I will try and read from the book for just 15 minutes before bed, both to appease my guilt at not doing uni work, and because this is a nice way to finish the day.

Sunday

When I have some time (ha) I check a couple of my all time favourite blogs.  I get the feeling people don't read blogs as much these days, and although I often have the "I want to blog about this" moments, time escapes me and the thing I wanted to remember has since faded away or been overcrowded by the events that come with the season.

I have found Christmas over the past couple of years a bit stressful.  Work commitments, study (for either David or I) and the general season running about has left me feeling less than festive.  I am determined this year however that in spite of looming assessment dates, work commitments and the required shopping and cooking, to put the best into creating home as a fun, exciting and relaxed place to be as we anticipate the Christmas holidays and some desperately needed down time.

David is working until 18 December and I am working up to 22 December.

To kick the season off, we put the Christmas tree up the last weekend of November  and we let the kids have more freedom in putting up the decorations :)  Watching Maggie on her first Christmas that she is actively participating in, was gorgeous.

 

Can you tell which decorations Maggie put on the tree??

She concentrated so hard.

I made a quick Advent calendar (although I do have one with pockets I sewed up a couple of years ago) made from tea soaked tags and stamped numbers.  I must admit I do like a quick craft.  The next day I made a wreath, using some garden clippings and coathangers.

Now I have moved on to preparing the fruit mince for tarts to share with family over the next couple of weeks.

I must admit that for all of the Christmas magazines I keep stored away each year, I turn to the usual favourites.