Celubuliant

A term coined by my Sister In-Law (as least I'm sure its not a real word. Actually?), this years Christmas was Celubuliant. Full of celebrations and jubilance! Wonderful!

Our little family made the trip to the sunny and beautiful Westcoast to join up with our big family. It was so wonderful to have everyone together. Just seriously missing our big sister who lives in London and also our Dad, who we celebrated with the week before.

The sun was shining without a cloud in the sky and everyone was in good spirits. I'm super thankful for the presents under the tree and how freakin' blessed we are to have a food coma later in the afternoon.

I hope your Christmas was merry and joyful, and for those in Christchurch I hope you had a wee break and received some peace from the quakes. I was there on Friday and was extremely glad to be leaving the following day.

I am in holiday mode. Its been fabulous to have Graeme around with Camilla in good spirits. I'm pretty sure those two are bonding like a raspberry and cream... or like... a beer and a cold glass. And I'm loving having no agenda with Graeme. We can talk about absolutely nothing and there are no to do lists. Bliss. Life is slower, the sun is shining, and my love cup is over flowing.

Camilla was mega spoilt by everyone on her first Christmas - poor girl wont even remember! She has been given soo many toys and outfits and love. Lucky duck.

Seriously. Ah. I can't get enough. It's paradise over here. Come and join us :)

Love & Peace,
Sophie

P.s - to my Christian parent readers - how to do you handle the Jesus / Santa Christmas celebration deal? I've heard some good ideas including a birthday cake for Jesus, reading the Christmas story before present time etc. What are some of your strategies or traditions?

Bullets

• We have a new system where everything that needs to be done is written down in a check list and is ticked off throughout the day. Lately, Graeme has been vaccuming, doing dishes, taking out rubbish and lots of other things - and I haven't even needed to ask him. It's amazing and has transformed my life.

• Its nearing Christmas and I have been doing some Christmas shopping and loving it. 

• We have our last Plunket Group this week - that's pretty much it for all the official baby stuff. After that I'm left to figure it out on my own. Not really. But kind of. It feels a little bit like Baby Graduation. 

• We moved our 3 bedroom apartment around. Without trying to be confusing, we now have a very small lounge (our old master bedroom), a dining and siting room (our old lounge), and we have moved bedrooms (now in the old study / spare room). Ta Da! Its working so far, but its only been a weekend.

• Camilla still has a bit of a funny digestive system. I've increased my water and fruit intake and trying to eat far more regularly. She's been regular this whole last week. Success!?

• I'm soooo looking forward to celebrating Christmas this year. I will have one Christmas on Christmas day. Not four. It will be fab.u.lous! 

• Next week I will have a whole series of reviews for nappies and wipes (not sponsored. Written all of my own accord). Regular readers - Sorry in advance for spamming your blog feeder. I hope that they will prove to be useful for beginner mums as I had no idea what I was shopping for. I hope that my trials, errors and opinions will help someone else :)

• My Macbook is in the shop being fixed. Can't wait to get it back all shiny and newww!

• I hope you are all having a wonderful festive season, are getting some sun and not going crazy inside a mall :)

Love x

In Celebration Mode

I feel as if I am in an eternal struggle to celebrate Christmas in a way that reflects how I feel about the season.

From 2010: You can read about Christmas day here. And the lead up to it with a similar commercial free post here. Our connect groups Christmas party here. And finally, decorating the In Laws Christmas tree here.

I love Christmas. Love love love it. I love the carols playing in malls since october (worship music in a mall!? Yes please!) I love the bright decorations, I love that most people get some time off and overall feel excited and relaxed, I love families coming together to celebrate, I love big cooked dinners, I love hot summer Christmas days in the sunshine with the barbeque, I love cold ham in the fridge for a week and I love mustard sauce. I love santa hats and reindeer antlers and I love a break from the routine of normal life to put up a tree, play some different music and see my family. I love extra celebrations at church, hearing the Christmas Story over and over and over again and I love giving at this time of year.

Thats what Christmas is to me and that's often what I struggle to celebrate because for many people Christmas is about the presents.

For a few weeks I worked in a mall in the lead up to the season and I was horrified. Children screamed about presents, men fretted in shops with lists their wives had given then that they had to come home with. I wanted nothing to do with that thankyouverymuch!

This experience inspired a commercial free Christmas for Graeme and myself. There's not time like the present to start new learning and traditions.

It was a success. Christmas day for me was all about Jesus and Family. We were still given a few presents by our families, but we had no expectations and no demands.

This year, we have decided to do little presents for each other. Not because we feel pressured to or that we have to but because we want to. Graeme and I have been through a lot this year and our love has grown for each other, and we are glad for an opportunity to express that. We have expectations, have given each other little lists of ideas and the gifts must be wrapped. We have also started implementing traditions that we hope will teach Camilla about the season of giving. Last year we baked and delivered goodies to all of our neighbours - this year we are throwing a carpark party (and dinner) for all of the people who live in our apartment complex (some 60+ people).

I really hope Camilla grows up and learns that this is a season for giving and connecting, and celebrating our Lords amazing history.

Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations Lotti!

Leonie is an awesome reader of my blog, I'm so stoked she won - and she might actually wear it! Double yay! :)

You know how sometimes you get really inspired by things? You come up with an idea, it works wonderfully, you have all this inspiration and ideas. Well, that happens often with me, and all the times it works out and everything goes well.

Well, that didn't happen for this sale. Honestly, my heart wasn't in it. I knew it would flop. I put hardly any time or effort into it. And. It shows. In the past when I have done these types of things I have been so inspired and everything sells really well and theres heaps of interest. This time, I just wasn't feeling it. You know?

So, I'm actually really excited about most of these things not selling. It means I can keep some for myself and use some to give away to dear people who compliment them. I've had a few compliments on my brooches I wear and I keep thinking "I'd love to give one to them!" But then I think "No, I'm saving them to sell". Bah. It's only a couple of dollars. No point being pathetic right. I would rather be generous.

I dont often do these types of honest posts. Not try to trick you into buying anything really. It's not about making money (because its only a few dollars). It's about creating things and going through the whole process and getting such a thrill out of it. And its about being generous.

:)

Counting The Blessings

Just before I read a status of a friend of a friend on Facebook. It was short and to the point. She has cancer and has about a month left to live. She has a family and is planning to renew her marriage vows at the end of the month to celebrate their life and love.

What an appreciation for life.

With an eternal perspective everything changes. The small day to day trivia is no longer relevant, a "must do by 30" (or whatever) list probably doesn't matter any more. I have never had a life threatening illness but I presume in the last weeks the only things that matter is family and friends and a whole lotta love. 

I have questioned my life this year and had it flash before my eyes while alone in a voilent earthquake. The only things I thought of was my husband, baby and My Maker. 

I guess day to day we can't live in this perspective constantly. Its really inward focussed and doesn't pay the bills...

But it does pay to daily count your blessings and remember whats important during your day. 

My Saturday is almost over and it has been wonderful. I have joyfully cleaned, cooked and looked after our family. Everyday stuff, but with a smile and a glad heart. I also enjoyed a lunch time picnic under beautiful trees with 2 babies, a toddler and good friends. My life is short and one day it will end here on earth and continue elsewhere. For now, while I have My Loves around me I am enjoying what I have been gifted.

Isn't it wonderful?

My heart goes out to my friends friend. I'm sure there are many people around the world coming to terms with the same situation. Life is precious.

Creative Monsters

I've been making these little monsters over the last few weeks! Eee. So cute!! (And SCARY!!)

They are crocheted (How do you spell that??) and it was my first attempt at doing any sort of Amigurumi. Stoked with how they turned out! I attached little swivel key rings on top so they can be used for so many things.

Likey?

I happen to be selling them for 5 pingas each. Check out this post to see them all, and comment to enter the giveaway! I'm also selling some of the brooches you saw in my last Creative Space :)

Got the tutorial for these little bad asses here.

Other creative things here.

[So many links!!!]