advent

I had wonderful plans to craft a new advent calendar this Christmas. Don't you love wonderful plans? That's why they're wonderful. Not so wonderful is the reality that you have no time to craft. Sigh. This one has been running for two years and I am going to force myself to make a new one in no-Christmas-spirit-left-January when hubby will be home on holidays and I will be able to manage some time at my sewing machine and/or sitting on my derriere with needle and Perle 8 in hand. Then I won't end up sitting here typing the same post on 30 November next year..

The idea was thieved from the talented Christie. In previous years I had just put a little treat in each pocket for R&C, but this year I decided to put a Christmasy activity in each pocket as well, seeing as they love their craft. Leslie helped me fill in a few more. It's not important how many more. I will also be pilfering ridiculously-creative-Dana's idea of the advent book calendar. I had seen this done around blogland last year but was too sick and pregnant to put it into action. Unfortunately our Christmas repertoire is about as lengthy as Dana's originally was too. I think we read The Night Before Christmas about 22 of the 24 nights leading up to the big day last year. Ruby knows it by heart and we read it throughout the year too (she's also still singing at the top of her lungs, and dancing to carols in her bedroom daily until about March, which peters out to about once a week and then builds force again in November - Bruce Springsteen's version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town is her weapon of choice). I need to pull my finger out because I have enough books to get us to next Tuesday.

Have you had time to craft a new advent calendar this festive season?

in love

With my husband, yes. Oh how I love him. But a while ago, another man stole a little piece of my heart. The little piece that loves and adores beautifully raw, natural, stunningly candid photography. Enter Mr Coulson. Holy shit what this man can do with a lens.

I first found him over at The Beetle Shack capturing Emily's gorgeous family. Then I found him at Jodi's and Beth's and Tessa's and this beautiful redhead.. the list goes on. And on. Because he is so freakin awesome. Who doesn't want to be snapped in his beautifully gifted style? I know the bandwagon has been on the road for quite some time, but I have said before I am a little slow on the uptake sometimes.. I'm jumping on. And saving our pennies to have Tim come and capture the love and {semi-organised}chaos that reigns at Chateau P. If you haven't made a visit to his blog, do yourself a favour. Even a nine month old knows it's good advice.

save the date

The date has been set. The bride and groom-to-be are in full planning, booking, deposit-paying mode. Remember she's anally retentive so things must be just so. They had another style of save-the-date planned, but time was running out and it required some props and a little photo shoot in a paddock out the back of our place. The weekends were slipping away.. I believe slight panic was evident. {Relax Aunty CC, I said slight}

Enter fabulous stylist-designer-photographer extraordinaire. She's pretty pricey, in high demand. Lucky she happened to be in the building to save the day. And waived her big fat fee. Ha. Again, Mr & Mrs in waiting were suitably chuffed. Fabulous stylist-designer-photographer extraordinaire also suitably chuffed when opening mail to find how profesh it all looked. What a clever cookie she is.

weekend love

No weekend love would be more apt. Hubby had to work most of it so I didn't really click into weekend mode until about 1pm on Sunday. And Mr E thought he would surprise mummy with 5.40am and 5.20am wake up calls. The boy has NEVER risen that early. I am blaming his new pegs.

Anyway, even though there was very little time for recharge, it was a good one all the same with some early Saturday morning ALONE {baking and Christmas supplies} shopping. What a treat. Seriously, I could have been in one of those walking {who are they kidding? running} marathons I was pushing my dodgy-wheeled-trolley so fast. I just needed a headband and shorty shorts. Could have had something to do with the hot, strong latte in hand and no pram to push, filling my trolley with all sorts of lovely. Even running to the car in the deluge with umbrella was enjoyable, seeing as I was basking in my smugness that I was leaving the shops at the same time hoards were turning up to fight each other to the registers. I never go to the shops on a weekend - why would I when I can go on an early morning weekday when all is quiet? And if attendance is completely unavoidable, like this weekend, I go when some shops are still closed, and others are just rolling up their security doors. Yep, totally smug.

Saturday was a write-off for Melbournians with all the rain, lucky we had planned some kid craft, and baking for our mothers group Christmas gathering for Sunday morning. A lovely morning was had at the park, and the afternoon saw some Christmas spirit enter Chateau P with The Tree going up. Lush. Oh how I love Christmas. The Tree is only modelling 500 sparkly fairy lights at present, no time for decorations yet.. maybe tomorrow.

I hope your weekend played you some infectious Christmas carols like mine (with more on the way including this {squeal of excitement}. Told you I looooooooooove Christmas). Four year old backing/louder-than-lead vocals and dancing also very enjoyable.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

Linking up with the ever-inspiring SouleMama.

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hansel and gretel

No doubt Hansel & Gretel would have had a good go at this one. Lucky for them, the residents (or builders and decorators as it were) would prefer a nice pasta dish, or a steak, than a house special of plump-sugar-fed child.

Last Christmas was my first attempt at a gingerbread house after watching Fast Ed make it look pretty easy (though I think that is in his job description). And I must say, it was. He reckons you can do it in a day, but I don't like to be rushed. Especially when you're nearly eight months pregnant. I did it over three days - made dough to leave in fridge overnight, bake the house pieces the next day, and (the best part) decorate the following day. Baking and construction I can take full credit for (and it was bloody delicious!), decorating was a group family effort. We all spent Christmas on the Goldie last year with my parents, so it was a really lovely way to start the holiday together. I really wanted to bake it so the kids could decorate it, they love to help in the kitchen whenever they can. Though I think it went something like one for the GB house, two for the little mouth. Just the way it should be this time of year. Everyone high on sugar or eggnog or ham or pudding or mince pies or aunty's wickedly awful {in the true sense of the word} trifle or whatever the hell else you stuff in your face in celebration of Jesus' birth and/or the big jolly guy coming down your chimney.

My little sis was Director of Letterbox Construction & Design. Who doesn't love a hundreds and thousands letterbox?

The kids really had a ball (perhaps the big ones even more) so we have stamped it as family tradition from hereon in. And I think a competition is brewing as we are all spread out this year. Nothing like a bit of healthy sibling rivalry. It is that time, to begin the planning phase of GBH2. Of course I head here for some inspiration (and a lot of time wasting).

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 awesome

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I love the shape of this one but all white is too boring for me (and the kids)

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The King - no I will not be making my own sweets.. cause I just have SO much time on my hands

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the shape, the snow, the piping

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will not be attempting, just HOLY COW for the detail and perfection!

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kidlets would enjoy this addition 

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we will be enjoying these on Christmas morning, and on Boxing Day

when we celebrate again with my sis and nearly-bro-in-law

So, are you crafting a gingerbread house this Christmas? May the sugar gods be with you.

happy

Happy Thursday friends.

hug a tree

Look what hubby pulled out of the mailbox this evening..

Christmas sale brochures. 25 of them. I counted. And then threw out placed 80% of them in the recycle bin. If you look closely, I'm circling the little bikes for the Middle. Seeing as he can ride his sister's 16 inch hot pink wheels, we need to pimp his ride. Well, Santa does. Currently he commutes on the Fast Lane.

This used to be Ruby's, which I picked up on eBay for $14 in mint condition. This beauty will see Eliot through to his first big boy bike too. How I love eBay.

I'm no greenie, just your average recycler, doing our little bit for this big, beautiful earth. Go hug a tree. I feel sorry for them this time of year.