Oh Christmas Tree

So today was THE day that we were going to get our Christmas tree… well, mission unsuccessful. I’m a fan of real trees, there’s something about the smell that they leave in your home, and also… we always had a real tree growing up. It was difficult to persuade even me to spend R175 on the last tree left at our local Spar, it was a little pathetic. (And now that I type that I almost feel sorry for it, kind of like the last puppy left in the litter, I mean, that Christmas tree I’m sure has potential with a bit of tinsel and lights, and now it’s probably still sitting, waiting to be picked. So, the hunt for the right Christmas tree continues…

From Happy Together

Would love a tree like this from Remodelista

 

Image and tutorial from Crate Paper Blog

From Tumblr

 

 

Pine cones from Giverslog

So have you put your Christmas tree up?

Dear Santa…

I’ve been a very good girl this year…I’ve been nice to my husband, I’ve cooked some decent meals, I even tidied up one of the cupboards last night! These are the things I’d most like to find in my stocking this year…

I’ve blogged about these before, but I do just love the bright and chunkyness of these chew bead necklaces. I don’t wear much jewellery and probably none (except my wedding rings) since my monkey was born as it just seems too much of a temptation to get ripped off! I do love these though, especially the fact that they are 100% silicone and safe for babies to put in their mouths.

I’ve been craving an iPhone for months now. (ps – as much as I love this wooden toy phone, FYI – I’d quite like the real thing. This one would be great for my monkey though if you feel like throwing it in as well)

Moving on…. do your elves make things that are as cute as Macaroon? I imagine Macaroon’s studio to be more lovelier than your workshop at times… seriously – I mean no disrespect to the work you do up in the North Pole, but you’ve got to agree that the stationery from Macaroon is simply delicious… Perhaps they’ll do some business cards for you and Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolf.

ok… and then there’s this leather Jeankelly baby bag from Shooshoos… I have no words to describe how badly I would love one of these and how much it would up my cred with the moms in my hood..

Anyway, if you all haven’t got your letters off to Santa yet, then feel free to download this template for the letter and envelope from Molly Moo

Thanks Santa, safe travels for you on the 24th…

Yours in goodness

Jude

 

Nativity Scenes

My sister still has the nativity scene that our Gran knitted back when we were kids – the nativity scene gets pride of place amongst the hundred other Christmas decorations that she has in their home. For many reasons, nativity scenes are special ‘decorations’ in our house at Christmas time, with special memories of where they’ve come from (we’ve got a few!) as well as a reminder of what we are actually celebrating at Christmas.

Here are some that I found across the web that I thought you might enjoy!

(From Katherine Marie Photography)

Love this for a different take on a nativity scene – available from Etsy

Nativity biscuits from A Dozen Eggs

Is it too early?

For this kind of post? I just don’t know, but I’m getting kind of excited for Christmas and couldn’t stop myself posting these Christmas cards available here.

Tra la la la – bear with me this week, the blog is getting a mini make-over and so taking up some of my blogging time…

Advent Calendars

I’ve said before that I want to start our own family traditions, and I’m thinking that an Advent calendar could be a great one to begin with. Obviously my monkey is a little young still to fully appreciate this, but as they say in the classics never a better time to start than now… or something like that…

I do like the idea of an activities advent calendar of things to do each day as apposed to some chocolates.. ok, the chocs will be included as well!

Here’s our list:

• Play Boney M as loud as you want, for as long as you want
• Make a decoration for the tree

Here’s what we’re going to make (might even make some for the Grandparents, cute keep sake for all of us)

(Tutorial over at By Stephanie Lynn)

• Decorate your tree
• Send handwritten Christmas cards
• Go Christmas shopping for Gladys (our amazing nanny) and her family
• Unwrap a book to read
• Pretend it’s snowing with a can of whipped cream
• Bake biscuits to drop off with your neighbours
• Take photos of Layla wearing a Santa hat
• Open a special ornament and put in on your tree
• Make a craft with Mom
• Have ice cream for breakfast
• Write a letter to Santa
• Send a food bucket home with Glad for her to give to someone who really needs it in her community.
• Go to Christmas Carols
• Time out: Don’t get overwhelmed with everything. Breathe – remember what Christmas is actually all about.
• Have a Christmas lunch with friends
• Go to a nativity play
• Make a Christmas gift
• Get a photo taken with Santa
• Choose a special treat
• Have lunch at a special restaurant with the family
• Wear new jammie’s to bed
• Decorate cookies
• Read the story about the birth of Jesus

Here are some advent calendars that I found, some that I can only be in awe of, like this one from Craft Berry Bush that must have taken a year just to make!

Here’s one that’s more doable / realistic in my world…

(Image from Sunday in Bed)

Or wonder what to do with the odd um, red and green, baby socks you have lying around…  How cute would this look hanging up in your lounge! (From Martha Stewart)

Also like this idea for a different advent calendar (From bhg.com)

Think this is count down to Christmas is also cute! You can see how they’ve done this over here

Best get cracking with the advent calenders ready to start 1st December (or just make sure you’ve picked up the cool Hello Kitty one that I’ve seen in Woolworths)

Gender Reveal Party

I’ve never been to one myself, but I’ve heard great feedback from friends who have. I guess it’s a very personal choice – either finding out the sex of your unborn child or not. We decided not to find out and for us it was the loveliest of suprises when the doctor told us our monkey was a girl… The moment is so massive that it still takes a while to sink in, especially as I did think we were having a boy! I’m sure this would be true for when ever you find out – at the doctors rooms, a reveal party or at the birth…

I reckon if I could throw another stork party soon, I’d quite like to throw a gender reveal for someone else Some of these ideas were for the parents revealing the gender to their familes, and some where revealing the gender to the parents themselves. ie – get your doctor to write down the sex of the baby and put it in an envelope, not to be peaked at and handed over to the party organizer!

How about some of these for cool ideas….

I guess this couple where having a …….. boy!

(Image and ideas from The Cake Blog)

(Image from Volume 25)

Or imagine cutting into the cake to reveal the gender for yourself… Oh the suspense, not sure I could cope!

You can find the recipes over at Babble

Have any of you hosted or been on the receiving end of a gender reveal party?

 

Cake Smash

It’s the Dad of this Family’s birthday today and I’m wondering whether he’s too old for a Cake Smash… I could use the cake that he left behind this morning when he walks in the door this evening. ha ha.. Love ya Gav

Anyway, I’ve been noticing the term ‘Cake Smash’ quite a bit recently, and I know for sure it’s certainly not a new concept (I have photos taken of me 33 years ago to prove this), but I do love the way families are capturing the moment more now…

Here are some photos I’ve found recently for some ideas… nothing cuter than seeing the birthday babies getting stuck into a cake like only they know how!

I just LOVE this picture from Jasonangelini.com

Photo from www.sarahwilkesphotography.co.uk

Photo from Kelly Decoteau Photography

Photo from Katie Baldi Photography

Love this montage from Karen Halbert Photography

I could go on and on posting pics cause they really are the cutest and there are just so many different ideas. I would love to know if any of you have done a Cake Smash?

Happy Birthday my Gav… thanks for being the bestest Husband and Daddy in the whole world. For taking care of our family, for protecting us, for loving us, for making us laugh SO much, for everything you do… Wishing you so much happiness in this next year.   Love Me and your Monkey x

Find their magic

So a friend of mine recently told me of a parenting talk she went to where the presenter encouraged the parents to celebrate their child’s magic on a daily basis. This ‘magic’ doesn’t have to be exceptional achievements – we’re not all going to be the top of the class, or the Victrix ludorum, but what we can do is to find our child’s magic and celebrate it. Whether it’s how they care for their friends at school, or have a special love for  animals. They may love drawing,  this could be their magic, or perhaps the way they sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in their tiny little voices, singing words that only half sound like the real words, flicking their hands to ‘Twinkle’! I reckon they’ll start becoming exceptional in many many areas when we started acknowledging it.

So my little monkey… Your magic that I see now is your smile and your friendly, open nature. It’s the way you smile at other children, grannies and grampa’s standing in the queue at the Supermarket, high fiving the ladies at the tills. It’s brave…. I know it is cause I can be the shyest mamma around sometime, and so I know it can be magic to be open and smiley to so many people out there.  Thank you for your magic, and thank you for letting us be a special part of it every single day!

(Image Source: Pinterest)

(Image from Tumblr)

Image from Ontobaby.com

(Image from Life’s a journal)

What are your family traditions?

I can’t remember having many family traditions growing up, but then again, perhaps a family tradition is something that is something so inbuild that you don’t see it as a tradition, but rather just a part of your life. For some families it’s putting apples into their Christmas stockings, for others perhaps family holidays at the same venue year after year. I’m very aware that I ‘want’ to start building on our own family traditions, but I have to be honest, I’m a little stuck as to where to start.

Anyway – I would love to hear what family traditions you hold close to your heart, and in the meanwhile I came across this beautiful post / idea today and couldn’t wait another day to share it with you. Please pop over to this blog for the full post…

Their tradition is done the night before Easter, but I reckon it could be done at any time of the year – I’m thinking the first day of Spring could be a perfect day for it as well!!!

First you plant some ‘magic jelly beans’ the night before

And then the next morning…..you go out to see what has grown…

Oh, I just love this! I’m going to do this every year for Spring day…. watch me. Someone please remind me next year

Seriously – I would LOVE to hear about any family traditions that you celebrated growing up, or with your families today.

Happy Spring Day!

Yay!!! Spring is here, I think it’s official now that it’s the 1st of September (sorry Northern Hemisphere…)

(Image from The Smile Collective)

Maybe time for a picnic, or a ride on a bicycle

(Image from French by Design)

(Or give someone a bunch of flowers, how stunning are these!)

 

(Image from I heart face)