December 22 { Thankful #22}

{ 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....

Really lovely friends who I have met in "blogland"

One such person is Michelle from Midge and Judy

I just loved following along  a few months ago as she and her family took themselves and their caravan for a 3 month driving holiday around half of Australia...(unfortunately not the best half..LOL)

She took some amazing snaps of their adventures and made some amazing memories as a family....

Well today when I arrived home to a full letterbox...lots of Christmas cards from far away friends,

a magazine subscription and a PARCEL!

Who doesn't love a parcel?

Michelle had sent me a my very own Yarn Bombing kit!

Yarn bombing, yarnbombing, yarnstorming, guerrilla knitting, or graffiti knitting is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted cloth rather than paint or chalk.

In my kit was ..... 

now to find an unsuspecting public place to brighten up!!!!

Also this beautifully made yarn bomb bag complete with yarn......

Even though Perth wasn't on the itinerary  this souvenir table linen was repurposed into my very own Yarn Bomb bag....

Perfect for having at the ready should the need arrive to "pretty" somewhere up...

There is even a little fancy doily pocket inside for my needles or hooks.....

Go and check out Michelle's Yarn Bombing fun that she had here.....

While you are their check out her other beautiful creations she cleverly whips up.

More Yarn fun here .

Thanks Michelle.....I squealed with delight.

December 21 {Thankful #21}

{ 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 ...

Special memories and reminders ...

As I travel around "blogland"  and also meet people in my every day life this Christmas, I have been reminded that so many people are trying to find ways of remembering someone special who isn't around any longer...

It is a tricky time of the year with the demands to prepare , be ready , shop , socialise ,cook and then gather with those we cherish the most. When there is a nagging sadness that lingers and hangs around in the background it requires some extra effort to do all the expected things of the season.

This is our 7th Christmas without Taylor and it is still extremely tricky moving through this time of the year.....feelings of desperately wishing that she was here to share all the fun and excitement in the house......

We were only two months out from Christmas when we lost her...that Christmas we struggled through...finding the need to be around family but at the same time withdraw....

I remember we sat and each wrote a letter to her that we then tucked away.....

Each year we have got a little better at maneuvering the emotions....

we hang her ornaments on the tree.....

remember when they were made....

We hang her stocking up with the rest of ours.....

and when we gather for family lunch,  her Grandad always offers a toast and a "cheers to Taylor"

We still shed tears together and on our own..... I watch the kids open gifts and advent calenders and still try to picture her in the midst of them.

There are so many different ways to" do " this time of the year without those special people....

I think the key for us is to acknowledge that we are still sad and then put out the reminders, even if they are confronting......

I think she would be rolling around laughing at her little brothers antics and the fact that this was  what is sitting in the tree next to her ornaments......

December 20 {Thankful #20}

{ 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 my crafting of pressies is done.....most if not all of the present buying is done......

Most of the pre Christmas dining is done......

So I found myself hunting for my sticks...

knitting needles

nothing to taxing or tricky - I'm not that accomplished 

but just some rhythmic clicking  away is what I was feeling like...

Yeah for a little space to do something a little slower.

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 18 {Thankful # 18}

{ 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 end of a week of graduations.....

It began on Monday and ended today at church.

In my role as the Children's Pastor, today I had the privilege of graduating Meg from our kids Church  into our Youth Ministry......

I had the opportunity of praising what a lovely young lady she has become....encouraging her to continue to seek out what God has planned for her and to stand strong and be a leader among her peers.

Another milestone reached for us as a family......phew what a week!

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 12 {Thankful #12}

{ 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.......

So many things .....

A Young lady that graduated from Year 7 today...... 

I was slightly emotional as  we saw the students enter and take their place.......

Wow ...where has all the time gone.....

Meg has done us proud with her work ethic and friends she has chosen along the way......

After the formalities it was home to prepare for the dinner /dance in the evening.....

nails, hair, dresses a little makeup......

They all looked stunning and oh were they excited!

They danced the evening away ....

and created some lasting memories to tuck away  of friends ,teachers and fun times.....

and we did it all without too many dramas and melt downs......

Funny hearing them say how much their "high heels" were making their feet hurt after all that dancing....

I am also very thankful for......

A new nephew born in amongst the midst of all the glamour and ceremonies.......

We are so pleased to welcome...

Flynn Thomas Owens into our family 

My baby sister did an awesome job! 

Baby number five for her...the other 4 babies were with us for the short wait.

And now this is one tired mumma and auntie who needs to say goodnight. xxx

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!