December 24 {Thankful # 24}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Today I am thankful for.....

All the friends that stop by this year and left words of encouragement...

all the friends that stopped by and just looked.....

Have a wonderful Christmas  filled with peace, laughter, family and plenty of good food....

The tree is realising it's full potential now surrounded by gifts...the star is a little droopy, the train has run off it's tracks again!!!

All is good

However you are spending the next few days hope it is all that you had planned for.

We are heading off to celebrate the  tonight with our family and then continuing for the next couple of days......

Image source

December 23 {Thankful # 23}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Today I am thankful for ....

Frivolity ....

This Santa now graces our neighbourhood....too much fun!

A little more out and about  town...I wanted to photograph them in front of every Christmas tree we came across ...they didn't think that was a fun idea!

A walk around our neighbourhood to view the lights show.....

Well only two more sleeps to go.....hmmm better finish wrapping those presents that are being eagerly awaited on.

Oh I also reached my  milestone of 100 gym sessions today!!! WooHoo from a girl who had never stepped inside a gym before May.

December 19 {Thankful #19}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Today I am thankful for......

Well I have a confession to make first.....

We have a lovely collection of Christmas books that we have gathered over the years. We put them away with the Christmas decorations then bring them out ready to read on through December.

Well that was the plan....this year we have not actually read too many of them. Bed time reading in December  has really gone out the window this year.

I love reading and so do our kids but somehow the routine of reading just hasn't happened this year.....

So here is our collection of mostly unread Christmas books.....

This one being my favourite.....

Maybe because it was our first one and it belonged to Taylor as a little one....it is well read and one of my favourites to read at playgroup each year ( as with some of the others this year)

So my thankful today is for special books that bring back warm and happy memories of little ones  at Christmas.

December 17 {Thankful #17}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Thankful today
that it is starting to feel more like Christmas.....

Especially now most of the pressie shopping has been done...

and my house is a little cleaner!!!

December 16 {Thankful #16}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

I am thankful for "plans to guide you through a day"....

The Plan for today......

CLEAN HOUSE.......

OK KIDS WE ARE ALL CLEANING HOUSE!!!!

Hmmm lets see how we went.....

1. Visit the gym   - check
2. Drop hubby off at work - check
3. Do the weekly grocery shopping  - check
4. Finish writing and addressing Christmas cards - check
5. Post the said cards - check
6. Choose beautiful gifts for new nephew - check
7. A must visit and cuddle with new nephew - check
8. Pick hubby up from work - check
9. Make a meal for an unwell friend - check

Now lets see what have I forgotten.........

OH YEAH....CLEAN HOUSE !

ooops there is always tomorrow!:-)

I am a bit old fashioned when it comes to Christmas communication....

I don't give out cards to those I see on a daily or weekly basis.

I save my cards for those who I hardly see in a year  or those who live in far flung countries....

So I  begin by writing a letter of the year that was.....

snap a photo of the kids,

and no fancy homemade cards just a cute pre -printed one

and then off they go......

I love getting "newsy" cards and letters at Christmas time....I am a bit sad when it is just a "to from...."

So at least that is a job ticked off my to do list before the "big day"

Now about that Cleaning !!!!!!

December 15 {Thankful #15}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Today I am thankful for.....

Great work colleagues and a super nice work place....( well most of the time)

Some gifts I stitched up for the girls.....

and Rocky Road  for the guys.....

recipe found here.

Also...the little guy is thankful that daddy got to work and put up the Christmas lights in the front garden......

Maybe tomorrow night we will get on bikes and check out the neighbour's lights.

December 14 {Thankful #14}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Today I am thankful for...

Teacher gifts finished in the "nick of time" .......

 Thankful also for 

my children letting me get all sentimental about their last day of school....

Because of the age difference - 6 years....

This was the last day they will ever walk together... 
Meg off to high school next year going in the other direction....

So  thanks guys for indulging me and allowing me to walk the walk with you.

December 13 {Thankful #13}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Today I am thankful for......

• The eagerness of the little guy to get his Christmas cards done......I have been asking him for the last couple of weeks and he wasn't so keen.....until today!

I don't know why I am amazed by it but he was able to independently sit and write them all out....I just wrote out the names as he told me and then away he went.....

Amazing what can be done and ever so quickly once it became his idea.....

I just need to finish my Christmas letter tomorrow and print off this  year's photo and mine can almost be in the post too!

• We sneaked in another visit  too ...so cousins could meet cousin......

I found this photo on the camera....

I can only guess she was getting sentimental about the shoes she has worn to death and will be parting with after tomorrow!!!!

Teacher gifts are all done and ready for the last day of school tomorrow...phew  just in time!

December 11 {Thankful #11}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Today I am thankful for......

Some more Christmas crafting for yet more special people.......

it is all this simple stitching that calms the running mind and racing thoughts of to do lists.....

Every year our church hosts a Carols in the Park night...so together with a local real estate developer we put on a show for the community....

Tonight was that one night in the year........after the crazy weather we have been having and the forecast to come in the next couple of days ....tonight was perfect.....

My gaggle of kids church kids get to open the show with our band ......

it is not a polished performance or directed by any choir master...just kids having fun singing the songs they wait for all year....and on a little stage!

A great night had by all...fantastic crowd of families out for the festive spirit and enjoy each other company.....

and we were treated to the most fantastic sunset  to top it all off........

Being cheeky and joining in with Sunday Snippets here.

December 10 {Thankful #10}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Today I am thankful for......

• Finishing off some more thank you gifts to give out tomorrow.... 

I have seen this idea both here  and here and thought they were so cute and a fun, novel gift to give.

Also thankful for

• a fairly laid back day in which to head out and find treasure. Something we haven't done as a family for a little while.

There is always new finds in our local area that pop up and need discovering....

and while out and about we discovered this sign at a local popular drinking establishment....

Hmmm marketing has reached new heights!

December 9 {Thankful # 9}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Today I am thankful for.....

Our two kids having a great finish ( well almost) to the end of the school year....

Today Fraser received a Principals Award for 

Excellent Attendance!!!

There were about six students in the whole school that managed a near perfect attendance record and he was one of them.......WooHoo we say although it wasn't something we have consciously thought about...isn't that what you are supposed to do when you are in Grade One? 

He was super proud when we explained what the award had been given for.....

Meg was also recognised as 1 of three Year seven students who were successful to gain entry into the Creative Arts -Dance Drama Specialist programme for Year eight next year...

Only 22 students in the surrounding local schools gained a place.....WooHoo we say again!

My afternoon was spent making a new Christmas stocking for Meg......

This is the sorry looking one she has had for 12 years ( sadly her first Christmas was a time where we had heaps going on with our eldest)

anyway she said she didn't mind but it was a talking point each year...

So now she has a brand new "mummy made" one.....

I used the template from here

Only a little quilting as a feature with some of my lovely doilies....

These are our stocking that belong to myself and the hubby....I made these for our first Christmas as a married couple...23 years ago!!!

And Fraser has  a lovely "not mummy made" one that grandparents brought for him on his first Christmas.....

and this one always hangs right next to the others .....

Growing up we just used a pillowcase from the linen cupboard that sat on the end of our bed...

Come Christmas Eve our stockings will "magically" have goodies land in them too.

December 8 {Thankful # 8}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Today I am thankful for......

Sunshine!

Our second and final playgroup Christmas party was today and after Tuesday's effort I am so thankful.......

The bouncy castle went up and all had a great time.

I feel like it is all neatly tied up and popped in the cupboard for the next 7 weeks....

ahhhh  time for a little rest....well maybe!

• Also thankful that Meg has the opportunity to go with her Indonesian class to put their learnt language into practice and hopefully know enough not to go hungry.

• I am not so thankful that Meg managed to duck back into the house after  something forgotten and left the spare key inside...with my house keys because we were just walking her to the school!!! Arrrgggg

• I am thankful that my sister has a spare house key and could come to our rescue.

December 7 {Thankful # 7}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Today I am Thankful for......

• A little guy who although is tired  still heads off to school with a detailed

"Sccoby Doo Christmas" picture that he drew for a friend.

• Easy Vegemite and Cheese scrolls whipped up for the little guys class Christmas party.

• Family traditions in the form of Advent Calenders.....

 I was contemplating taking some inspiration from around the web and making a handmade Advent Calender.....I ran out of time and I am kind of glad I did.....

The kids were very keen to get out the one we use each year...

It doesn't require me to fill it with lollies or gifts, or think up 25 different activities.

The kids just need to decide who is "odd" and who is "even" and away they go hanging a little ornament on the shelf each day......

When our eldest was about two I did hand make an advent calender that we used for a couple of years......I just wasn't very good at filling it with things small enough other than lollies....hmmmmm

I do have the Advent Calender that I grew up with....no lollies , no fun activities to do each day.....just simply find the number and open the window....we used it year after year....

With three of us it was always a gamble who got to open the coveted "number 24 window"...

It is very fragile now  but still has it's sparkle and little bit of magic for me!

December 6 {Thankful #6}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Today I am thankful for......

• The rain!!!!

Oh OK I am a lot little unthankful for the rain. It was the first of our two playgroup Christmas parties today.

The bouncy castle was going to be so much fun......well that was until we had a huge storm front come through dropping huge amounts of rain and bringing thunder and lightening like we haven't seen in a while.

What's with that after the heat wave we have been having......

• So OK the party continued inside and from all accounts a great time was had by all......

pressies well received.....

• and the face painter was a huge success.....

So I am also thankful today for .....

•  a lovely meal out this evening with my small group who I have met with all year....
• and a lovely responsible babysitter to "child sit" (not babysit apparently)  our darlings!

December 5 {Thankful #5}

{ Blog 25 days of being Thankful..... this as a way of staying focused on the good , happy and pleasing moments....
it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.}

Today I am thankful for......

• this photo I have of me on Santa's knee...I think I am maybe three....

I have not had children that liked the whole sitting on Santa's knee, so there not many to show....in fact Fraser has refused for 6 years..

Do you insist on the yearly photo?

also thankful for......

• The final preparations for our playgroup finale to be held tomorrow and Thursday......

Hope none of my playgroup mummies are reading.....

• I actually made myself something today using my lovely doilies

There are plenty of others blogging daily here