Just breathe...

I'm sorry, did someone say it was Christmas?

Life has gone by in a blur these past few weeks and it seems I have blinked and missed all the excitement leading up to Christmas Day...

I do however remember the lounge room floor covered in piles and piles and wrapping paper, boxes and packaging, the million wet beach towels and piles of discarded clothes littered around the pool, the 8 loads of washing, the rather embarrrassingly large collection of empty alcholic beverage bottles, the 2 fridges crammed full of food, desserts and condiments.
And of course I also remember the family times, the love, the laughter and the looks of delight on the little ones faces.

Now I am looking forward to taking a breath and just being...
No rushing, no time contraints, just doing whatever we please over the next 2 weeks. Reading magazines, catching up on blogs, reading the new Paulina Simmons book, watching a few movies, lazing by the pool or beach, sewing, shopping...ahhh.
   

All time Favourite Christmas Movies

Who doesn't love a good Christmas movie to warm the cockles of your heart?

Here are my Top 5 Christmas movies that I religiously watch every Christmas- in no particular order of course because that would require way too much decison making!

The Family Stone: funny, heartwarming, touching, crazy noisy family (a bit like ours), spunky males, too many fabulous cast members to list...

Love Actually: LOVE everything about this movie. Love the music, Love the interwoven stories and relationships, Love Colin Fristle, Love Hugh Grant as Prime Minister, Love Karl the spunky French office worker (just don't answer the phone girl!!!), Love Billy Mack ("I have spent most of my adult life with a chubby employee") I could go on and on....

The Holiday: maybe not really a Christmas movie but it is set around Christmas and new years so I count it in the list. The English cottage is just too beautiful, Jude Law is not too bad too and Jack Black is a riot as always, even though it is not a comedy role.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation: this is usually on tv every year but if not we will rent it and watch with my sisters and mum. This is one of those ugly laugh movies. You know, when you laugh so wholeheartedly that you have to cover your face because you look so ugly and you eventually laugh til you cry. Especially when you look over and your mother is literally peeing her pants with laughter.

Prancer: an absolute childhood favourite about a litle girl who finds a hurt reindeer she thinks is Prancer and nurses him back to health...tear

What's your favourite Christmas movie?

Fat Mum Slim Christmas Giveaway

Pop on over to Fat Mum Slim for your chance to enter Chantelle's Huge Christmas giveaway!

Amongst other fabulous items my Bits & Bubs vintage floral necklace is also up for grabs...what are you waiting for? Get clicking now!!!

image 1 via fatmumslim

Weekend Wishes

I forgot to mention how lovely our Christmas carol experience was last weekend.

We all arrived, set up camp, kiddies enjoyed carnival rides, mummy enjoyed her beveredges, clouds gathered, lightning started, thunder boomed, rain poured, feezing cold, kiddies cried, mummies shrieked, gathered stuff, everyone ran, soaking wet, started car, car bogged...

Thanks to the lovely passer-by for pulling us out of the sand!
Despite all this it was still fun and we stopped to watch the beach fireworks from the headland on the way home so it wasn't a total failure of a family outing.

Enjoy your weekend!


cute random image via audrey hepburn complex

2 weeks 'til Christmas

...and still not a scrap of shopping or preparation has been done.

I am the world's best procrastinator & leave to the last minuter...

image by Alicia Paulson via Pozy gets cozy

SATC2

Only 5 months until Sex & the City 2. I can't wait, how about you?
And what do you think about the poster? It's very bright and sparkly, I don't know about those aviators though...maybe she is wearing them so she doesn't get blinded by those city lights?

What the fudge?

Is anyone else having problems opening the new Lonny Mag?
Every link I click on and everytime I open the address it takes me to the launch issue.
HELP!!! I so wanted to have a peruse before I started work this morning...

A reason to smile...

The December issue of Lonny Mag is out tomorrow!

Yeah!

image via MA Belle

Weekend Wishes

Obviously I will be trying to get some organisation happening this weekend, but we will also be enjoying
Carols by candlelight on Saturday evening- rides and activities to keep the children amused, lolling around on a picnic rug, a delicious cheese platter,some white wine and a designated driver...sounds pretty good to me!

Enjoy your time off this weekend!

image via wehearit

3 Weeks 'til Christmas

The Christmas menu is planned, non perishables stored, presents bought and artfully wrapped, the tree dressed perfectly, new handmade decorations skillfully hung, family portrait Christmas cards mailed to friends and family and the daily to do list strictly adhered to...

The reality is the tree is only dressed on the top half only as I am sick of replacing and fixing the baubles, ribbons and garlands within Addison's reach- baubles lay scattered under the tree and around the living area- I may manage to collect them all and scoot them under the tree at the end of the day but thats all. I have bought a total of 1 present each for the girls (the lovely Tiny Concept dolls). I have at least bought the resources to make some new Christmas decorations- sadly they are still sitting in the filing cabinent with last years new Decorations that did not get completed. No menu has been planned and no food bought as yet and we are having Christmas Eve, Christmas breakfast and lunch at our house with around 20 guests, no Christmas cards have been sent- I never get around to it and the checklist is a waste of time as it is only causing me to have panic attacks looking at what still hasn't been done.

Please tell me I am not the only one that has all these grand plans that fall to the wayside every year?

all images via pointclickhome

Early Mid-life crisis?

Last weeks 2 possible indicators.

1. Went to a Britney Spears concert. Yes, I know, I am not a teenager. (it was a great concert though, even with the lip-synching).

2. Threw a party, overindulged in alcholic beveredges, swam in the pool all night and did not go to bed. Lots of fun during, not so fun the next day with a house to clean and 2 children to deal with thus no sleeping until the evening. I was so exhausted that I woke up last night with 1 chocolate truffle in my hand and 1 partly eaten truffle on my pillow. Explanation: I eat dessert in bed every night and obviously I was too tired to even finish chewing- how embarrassing.

image via weheartit

5 weeks 'til Christmas and Weekend Wishes

It's going to be a busy weekend...
The christmas tree is going up (heaven help me as to where it is going to go- we have a rather ,ahem, large tree), decorations to make, decorations to hang, a "quick" trip to ikea for Christmas supplies and a Christmas party to plan for next weekend. Oh, and Bing Crosby will definately be making an appearance on the ipod (don't you just love old time Christmas carols?).

Have a very merry weekend!

ps. Oh, and I am still on team Edward. New moon was a little slow as I thought it may be (it was my least favourite book out of the series) but fantastic anyway. The count down to Eclipse begins!


image via pointclickhome

Edward or Jacob?

We are off for a girls night out at the movies tonight- I have been waiting for this for a looong time. Yes, I am aware I am not a teenage girl but there is something about the Twilight saga that absolutely captivates me. I am sooo team Edward all the way, not a full blown Twi-hard (I didn't go to the mightnight screening or anything) but enough to be classed as a slight obsession.
Has anyone seen the movie yet???

LOVE Amy Butlers new range

I always love her fabric but I really love Amy Butlers new fabric range "LOVE".

Bright, girly, floral and absolutely delicious. My mind is going into overdrive of projects I could make...

All image via amybutler.com

Christmas Crafting with Paper

My Christmas Crafting inspirations made from paper...

paper wreath made from old books, music sheets etc

paper bird garland in red and white

paper cutout snowflakes (I make these every year, though not as intricate!)

paper doiley garlands (you can never have enough garlands!)

image 1- source unknown- oops!
image 2 via kiddley.com
image 3 via sweetfineday
image 4 via maminkagirlstudio

Make Me Smile Monday- Blue & White decor

Ahh, blue and white- always fresh, always lovely, forever classic...

image 1 &2 via decorpad
image 3 & 5 via brabourne farm
image 7 via marley & lockyer
image 4 via coastal living
image 6 via desire to inspire