Happy New Year For Those In Need

Happy New Year to all my readers, I hope your passage into 2011 was as lovely as ours was.  A casual party at friends' place around the corner and the kids almost made it to midnight. L was wide awake though and keen to see the fireworks, so we went home and watched them on TV.  They were spectacular as usual, the Sydney Harbour and it's world famous icons (the Bridge and the Opera House) make a fantastic backdrop for the fireworks as the above image shows.

We are still enjoying the boys holidays and the weather has been good to our summer holiday.  However, not everyone is enjoying the beginning of 2011 as we are.  Please spare a thought and maybe some cash for the victims of the Queensland floods.  We have just celebrated a time of year which is about peace and goodwill and of course gift giving. So if you can give go to your local major (Australian) bank or to www.qld.gov.au/floods for further information on how you can help.

Happy New Year.

All image: The Sydney Morning Herald

Warm Wishes

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I woke up this morning to a very quiet house as the boys stayed over at my mum's place last night. I've taken the time to catch up on my favourite blogs and revel in the joy spreading across the world in the countdown to Christmas.

Christmas is all about family in this household and it all begins for us on Christmas Eve as we head to my mum's place for a wonderful feast of Portuguese delights.  The next morning the boys will delight us in all the excitement of unwrapping the packages under the tree before we head to my husband's family lunch where seafood and a turkey and ham will be on the menu as well a few swims in the pool.

It has been quite a year for my family and while some of it hasn't been positive, it has on the whole been a wonderful happy year and I look forward to next year when my eldest begins the next important stage of his life, school and my youngest continues the wonderful progress his has made over the last few months.

I hope you and your families have a wonderful Christmas and I look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Week of Stillness and a Very Special Lady

A few Christmas scenes in my home

This week is pretty busy, some last minute stocking fillers need to be bought and the remainder of the gifts need to be wrapped in readiness for Xmas Eve night once the boys are in bed.  There is a bit of cooking to be done for Christmas Eve dinner which we celebrate with my side of the family (as is traditional in Portugal) and then Christmas lunch with F's family. Oh and the Chrissie cards are sent out on Monday.

Last week however was a different story.

One of the things I love about reading blogs are the traditions and ideas that many bloggers write about which touch something inside me. One such post, that I bookmarked, was last Christmas when Brooke from Inchmark spoke about taking a week to be calm amidst all the shenanigans in the lead up to the 25th December. Only last week Brooke wrote of how this new tradition in her family was working this year and it reminded me of how I wanted to implement this as part of our family Christmas tradition.

What a wonderful week, L spent three days at Cooking Club organised by his school and J and I just hung out together at home reading Christmas stories and playing with each other and then all three of us enjoyed the treats L brought home from his day of cooking. The late afternoons were spent paddling in the pool. Quiet nights in with F and simple meals of grilled fish and chicken with salad.

L's delicious gingerbread Christmas tree which he made

The only crazy event last week was on Friday with a trip with the boys into the city to visit Santa where we stood in a queue for almost 2 hours!!! Having said that we walked around the city and visited one of the city's many large Christmas trees, the Nativity scene, the David Jones (our department store) Christmas windows and our beautiful Hyde Park.  The boys were so excited with all the festive elements of our trip to the city that even the 2 hour wait for Santa wasn't so bad.

The week of stillness is a tradition sure to be repeated for many years in my household and I recommend it highly. Taking time to be with your family in a simple and intimate way is such a wonderful way to experience Christmas.

More Christmas vignettes

This time of year is also when we think about those who are going through a tough time and spare some time to help where you can.  One such person in need of our thoughts and prayers is Jane at My Pear Tree House who is facing a dark and difficult road in the coming months.  I only know Jane through her blog, but I hope she doesn't think me too presumptuous in saying I regard her as a friend. She is witty and intelligent and is one fantastic writer, plus she is a lawyer which in my book means you are a special person, a community minded person.   Her blog posts are always so thoughtfully written and I always learn something whether it be about food, art, design or just life in general.

So, in the madness of this Christmas week I want Jane to know that while I can't be there for her in person as she lives in Melbourne and I live in Sydney, I am there in spirit and she is in my thoughts and my heart all the way through her forthcoming journey.  Much love to you Jane.

Holidays Are Here

We're off and running on our end of year fun. 

The boys have finished school for the year, L starts kindergarten next year which means 5 days a week for him, wow big school and J continues 2 days next year at preschool.  This means that for the first time in almost 6 years I will have child free days.  I can't tell you how excited I am that I get to spend 2 days next year doing anything I want without a child asking me for my attention. Yeah!

In the meantime we started our Christmas celebrations last week with school concerts and school carols night.  Our Xmas street party was on Saturday in our corner park and then F and I went to friends' Xmas drinks on Saturday night.

It is so warm and sunny at the moment, so both days were spent swimming and eating lost of salads and fruit.

Ah Christmas in Australia, I don't think there is a better way to celebrate it than enjoying parties on balmy nights and days by the water.

I hope your end of year celebrations are being enjoyed as much as we are.

Have a happy day.

Dear Santa ...

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I have been pretty good this year and have almost completed my gift buying and have begun the wrapping stage as well.

I am often inspired by Gift Lists in magazines and now of course in blogs,.  In fact a few lucky people in my life will be the recipients of gifts found on blogs as far away as Paris and New York.

I thought I would do something a bit different and put together a list for you, the wonderful woman that you are.

I have listed things that are predominantly Australian as there are plenty of overseas blogs that have other nations covered (my faves this year are Simple Lovely, A Cup of Jo and Design Sponge) and my apologies to non-Sydneysiders, there are a few things found only here, but you can find similar things in your neck of the woods.

So herewith my Chrissie list and happy shopping!

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You are a mum, nan, sister, girlfriend, no matter who this lady deserves some special stuff

Like a bit of silver and classic pearls

This calfskin shopper

An annual subscription to one of these companies

Some delicate smalls

This beautiful silk linen jumper

A degustation here or any other excellent restaurant

A day spa in the country

A subscription to your favourite magazines

Special letterpress stationery (not Australian, but Suann ships to Australia and I think this is the most beautiful stationery I have seen and deserves to be on my list)

And finally, my favourite way to be spoiled, a sleep in and brekkie in bed - pure bliss*

No matter what you receive ladies, I hope that it makes you feel special.

Have a happy day.

* Image from here

His & Hers

Alli of Hooray & Brooke of Pure and Noble have recently started a weekly challenge of posting his & hers photos, such a fun idea and they have challenged their readers to join in on the fun, so this is my contribution for this week.

I thought it would be fun to show you how different our bedside tables are despite being so similar.

His is the techno version of a stack of books (on the Kindle) and a digital alarm clock.

Mine is the traditional stack of books and a traditional wind up alarm clock.

I wonder what Alli and Brooke have come up with this week.

Have a happy day.

And the Countdown Begins

So its the beginning of Summer here which means the final countdown till the Big Guy arrives down our chimney.

We like to start decorating on the 1st December so I have made a start on a few baubles and trims.  The tree will go up next week as I have to fit it in between birthday parties and BBQs on the weekend plus L is super keen to help trim the tree.

I do have our Advent Calendar up, which the boys love, probably because it has a sweet or two in it, OK it has quite a few sweets in it, after all it is Christmas and I rarely give them junk food throughout the year.

I had planned to make our Calendar this year, but time got ahead of me plus I stumbled across this beauty above at our local Op-Shop for $5.00.
Despite my find I still did a quick scout around the Internet and found some great ideas for Advent Calendars:

Cute and how it can be used

A fun creative version

I'm doing this with my boys this year

A paper bag one

You can buy these here, but I think you could easily make them using these found at your local $2 Dollar shop

 A simple DIY version 

 A beautiful homemade felt version

A beautiful linen calendar

A printable version

For the typography lover

So how do you like to countdown to Christmas?

Have a happy day.