glitter

advent tree

Last year's advent calendar had been around the block a few times. I vowed there would be a new one this year. I hit up Pinterest. Which is dangerous. There are so many ace advent calendars you can copy take inspiration from. I took my inspiration from here. The budget is tight and I wanted to try and make a new calendar using only materials I already had at home, bar the treats inside. I am not a lolly shop.

My decade old twiggy sticks got a lick of paint, which was very therapeutic when you have carols playing through your headphones - and quick! I used one of those wide sponge paintbrushes (basically a sponge stuck on the end of a paintbrush handle), it was a breeze. I left a few inches unpainted at the bottom, both for ease of painting and also because I thought it looked pretty cool seeing the contrast of natural wood against the minty blue. Small treats were purchased (fruit bars, stickers, mini jelly beans, mini candy canes, chocolate coins, chocolate santas) and divided into regular brown paper sandwich bags, rolled into nice weeny parcels, tied up with pretty tape and string, and given a calendar date sticker. Parcels were hung all over the twiggy tree, at approximately 11.58pm on 30 November. Yep. I always have good intentions of being really organised, like making a new calendar in JULY. Good intentions are better than none at all.

As for the daily activities, this year I had a brainwave to put a bulk list on the fridge, instead of a separate activity in each parcel. Last year I felt disappointed when we couldn't manage the activity I had assigned.. some days called for the easiest of activities and we'd been handed the hardest. Not that the kids cared, that was all me. This year we can choose what we feel like doing for the day. And so far we have been nice and loose with our activities - if the kids have been happy without one, they usually want to make it up the next day and we end up doing two. Much better system I say!

Since the first of December, Ruby has been waking earlier.. she rushes in and asks permission to have their 'advent tree pocket'. She and Cole are taking turns, Eliot is only interested in the treat, not the unwrapping to GET the treat. Everyone is happy.

Do you have a more traditional advent calendar? Or did you make your own this year? Either way, I'd love a squiz, leave a link below for all to see.

weekend love

Our weekend began at great heights. With each passing hour it deteriorated. Tired bodies, tired minds, TIRED. Isn't that just life? Keepin it real? So you don't get too ahead of yourself? Solo parenting is exhausting enough when it's just your usual routine. Throw in Christmas, lists that are far too long, and a looming organisational deadline that will see us leave this bloody hot-cold-hot-colder-cold weather in our wake and head for the beach. With proper, constant, EVEN temperatures. Sunshine, swimming, family, relaxation.

I am expecting the wheels to fall off sometime around Thursday. I am praying I can make it to Sunday. I think I can, I think I can..

So I hope your weekend was far more enjoyable? Do tell.

Linking up with the lovely ladies here and here

*Despite the shitfulness of the weekend's events, I DID tick off my list and throw it in the bin. Albeit in the wee hours of this morning..
*DIY nativity scene found at Veronica's (who is having some archive trouble at the moment), from here
*Red and white pattern covered hair ties in Ruby's plaits gifted from beautiful friends, also from the lovely Veronica!