Christmas Cards!

A few cards I put together.....I haven't made cards in forever, it felt so good to be creative in this way again! I tried out a few new (to me) technics that I was pretty happy with!

Putting my sewing machine to a non-traditional use....

Using an ink pad for extra texture and a more finished look....

Christmas Decorating

I thought of a brand new Christmas tradition yesterday that I'm very excited about starting!

I was looking around, and noticing that we really don't have a lot of Christmas decorations.  Which is kind of a problem, because I love having a lot of beautiful Christmas and winter decorations up. 

So my solution to this problem was to plan a new Christmas tradition for myself.  Every year, I want to make a new Christmas decoration for my home.  
I used to think "homemade" meant sub-par, lame, and poor quality.  I'm realizing that just the opposite is true.  Things that are handmade can be so much more beautiful and classy than what you can buy in a store.  Exceptions apply on both ends, of course, but homemade often means better!

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A few years ago, I made this snowman stack with the help of a good friend, and in the company of more good friends.  Unfortunately, that was also the year that my family lost our home in a fire, so I don't have my snowmen anymore.  But ever since then, I've been determined to re-create this adorable stack of snowmen!  Maybe this will be my project this year!

   

Or this one, a new favorite discovery from Pinterest!  I mean seriously, it's like a little piece of Narnia captured in a jar!  Now if I can just find where to buy a mini lamppost....

Glimpses of Christmas

There are so many things I like about this time of year, but one of my favorite things happened tonight as I was sitting on the couch, cuddling my baby girl.  

I glanced out the window, and to my absolute delight, I saw snow falling in the light of a street lamp almost directly outside my window!  It's amazing how quickly a peaceful feeling follows a sigh like that. I couldn't resist turning off all the lights in the room and just standing by the window, watching the falling snow.  It's one of the most peaceful things in the whole world.  That, and holding a sleeping baby, which I was. :)

I went out today with my two kidlets and experienced another side of this time of year that wasn't quite as peaceful. :P  Christmas shopping.  At least, that's what everyone else was doing.  I'm doing most of my shopping online this year, and it's so much more enjoyable!  I learned awhile ago that the whole fun of Christmas shopping, the excitement of finding the *perfect* gift, the meandering through shops while sipping a hot drink, the enjoyment of the streets and stores decorated for Christmas, can all be blighted by the enormous pressure that comes by needing to tick off as many items on your gift shopping list in a relatively short period of time, while trying not to get overrun by the other shoppers who have the same objective.  Stress can so quickly creep in and nearly ruin Christmas shopping.

I can't stand the over-commercialized, quantity over quality mindset that seems to be so prevalent in our culture.  I love bringing things back to simplicity, and quality, and really taking time to enjoy *the moment*.  I don't want to do things for no reason, I want to know why I do things, why my family does things, to live deliberately, and fully.

Three newly acquired decorations, I thought they were pretty adorable!

This is the only Christmas tree we have currently.  It's only about a foot and a half tall, but it's so cute, and it's better than nothing! 

My little Jasmine sleeps with her eyes buttoned up at night, it's so stinkin' cute!  (gold star to everyone who knows where the "buttoned eyes" reference comes from. :P)

On Moving

So obviously I haven't been blogging for a while.  But I have an excuse.  A really good one, actually.  We just moved.
So my life in the past several weeks has consisted of packing boxes, organizing, cleaning, getting rid of stuff, loading trucks (okay, just one truck), driving, unpacking boxes, hanging pictures, Christmas decorating, organizing, oh yeah, and looking after two pretty cute little kids!  So....that is why I haven't had much time for blogging!  However, I'm hoping to change that, as I tell you about our new home, and all the exciting things I'm beginning to tackle again as we get more and more settled!

 Jasmine was awesome the whole time we were moving!  She spent most of her time bundled up against the cold, in her car seat. :)

 Ian is a little obsessed with our new shower. :)  

 It's the little things in life...I really love our door handles! :P

A new decorating idea I stole from Pinterest. :) 

Stephen's family does a St. Nicholas day celebration on December 5, and it was the perfect excuse to go back and spend the night there!  Mom Casson had an amazing feast prepared, this is one of my favorite things about Christmas time - appetizers, finger food, and the fun times that nearly always accompany them!

We stopped in at Starbucks on the way home for a few minutes to give the kids (okay, it was mostly for me, I admit it!) a break from driving. :)  Jasmine has just started really smiling in the past few weeks, and it's pretty much the most adorable thing ever!

So that's all for now, I have 

24 Random Facts About Me

Since Thursday (November 17) was my birthday, I thought it would be fun to do a "list post" like I've seen a few others do.  I love reading them, and writing things like this are always fun!


1. I love going out for breakfast.


2. I don't like having to wear winter coats, and will avoid them as long as possible, loading on the scarves, hats and gloves instead, to keep warm.


3. One of my favorite ways to spend a few hours is going to a coffee shop, with a good book, or a good friend, or both, and enjoying a delicious coffee specialty drink.


4. I sometimes imagine things so vividly that if they're bad things, I actually start crying because it seems so real to me. 


5. I've never been a huge "baby person", however, I absolutely ADORE my own kidlets! :)


6. I have always wanted to be able to fly: really fly, I mean, without a parachute.  My own personal set of 
wings would be the best, but if I could find a way to fly without them, I would. :P


7. I love dancing in the rain, especially when it's absolutely pouring, and it's been a long day.


8. I really, really like staying up late, and I don't like getting up early.


9. I would love to ride an elephant someday.


10. Cinnamon rolls and coffee are one of my favorite "special" breakfasts.


11. I would love to travel to far away places someday, especially the British Isles, and Europe.


12. I love beauty, I love being surrounded by things that are both beautiful and practical.  I love creating 
beauty, and I love appreciating beauty with others.


13. I sometimes wish we could live in Europe for the lifestyle there, I have a lot of issues with "normal, North American" culture.  Although I use, and enjoy a lot of technology and conveniences, I really don't like it that so many people don't know what it's like to wait for quality, or be able to entertain themselves without some sort of media device.


14. I love cooking, and finding new, delicious recipes to try!


15. If I could be at an olympic level of anything, I would choose to be a gymnast.


16. I love acting, and would love to do it more seriously in the future.


17. Including our upcoming move next week, I will have moved 13 times in my life. 


18. I am very competitive.


19. I am planning to get my motorcycle licence as soon as I can.


20. My favorite animals are horses, elephants and tigers.


21. I want to go ski diving someday.


22. I love falling snow, trees, autumn leaves on the ground, lattes, the smell of rain, new clothes, reading, laughing, making people laugh, chocolate, funky earrings, my family, sports, organizing, singing, music, elves, imagination,


23. I think nose piercings are cute and classy with the right person, and the right jewel.


24. I have the best husband in the whole world. :)

Moving Tips

Since this is  the fourth time we've moved in two years, I've gotten pretty practiced at packing up, unpacking, organizing, and generally, not losing my mind in the process!  For fun, I thought I'd share with you some of things I do that make moving a fairly streamlined process.....usually. :)


1. The first thing I do is get rid of stuff.
I have to admit, this is probably my favorite part of the entire process!  There is something so freeing about de-cluttering!  As I go through my house, I look for things that we never use, things that are really just clutter (i.e. a little pillow with a picture of a nest on it that is supposed to hang on the wall - cute, but I know I'll never use it), clothes that don't fit, or are out of style, etc.  I have a bag ready to be filled with things that can be re-used, and sent to a second hand store.


2. I pack up things we won't need for a few months.
This includes toys (I pick a selection of toys to leave out, and pack the rest), cookbooks, kitchen things that I don't use very often, CDs, DVDs, seldom used cosmetics, etc.  I can pack these things well in advance, giving me more time later to clean and pack up the last minute things.


3. I label all my boxes.
I'm sure everyone does this, but I have a specific method that works really well.  I label the top of the box with all the contents, and I label the sides of the box with its destination.  


4. I get free boxes.
Grocery stores and liquor stores are two great places to start!  One note on this, you may want to head to the grocery stores earlier in the day rather than later.  The main place I was planning to get boxes on our last move were very efficient at getting their boxes out of there once they unpacked the contents.


4. I save good boxes.  
Two moves ago, some friends procured some really sturdy boxes for me that were the perfect size for moving.  I have reused them in each consecutive move.  If you have some really awesome boxes, and have the space, save them, you won't regret it!


5. In the last week, I plan out my menus to the letter, so I know exactly what dishes I'll need, and what I can pack.
By doing this, you'll end up with a very few items in your "last minute" boxes.


6. The "last minute, essential" boxes become the "first to unpack" boxes.
These ones usually contain a few dishes/plates/pots etc. that are absolutely necessary.  They will also contain dish soap, cleaning supplies, rags; things that you will be very glad to have without looking too hard!


So those are my two bits, I hope you find them helpful, or at the very least, interesting! :)

Life, as I Now Know It

I've been wanting to sit down and write here for ages now, but the timing has never quite been right.  Mostly because with two little munchkins in my life, I don't have as much time to sit down and thoughtfully write out a blog post. :)   

It's been a crazy whirlwind of ups and downs adjusting to life with two little ones.  Mostly good, but there have definitely been a few, okay, a lot of times when I've felt like a complete failure as a mom, as I lose my patience yet again with my little one year old, and collapse gratefully on the couch when they're both napping.  I can see a lot of personal growth happening as my children grow up. :P  

It's amazing how things change when you have children.  I say children, plural, because when you have just one, it really doesn't slow you down all that much.  There are slight adjustments to be made, of course, but nothing too huge.  At least, I didn't find it that way.  However, two children, when one is a little baby, and the other is just gaining confidence to walk, is another story.  

For instance, a few days ago, I decided to go grocery shopping (first time with two babies!).  I made my decision to go in the morning, thinking that would work better for my day....two and a half hours later, we were all walking/being carried out the door!  There are so many little things, extra laundry, nursing, snacks, diapers to change, floors to wash and sweep repeatedly, dishes to wash....all things that are involved in being a mom.  And honestly, I really love it!  Not all the time, but there are so many times that I take a step back, look at my two darlings, and am just so grateful that I can be at home with them, instead of being compelled by circumstances to work away from home, and spend significantly less time with them!  

I also have a lot of times of wondering, "Does my life count?  Am I really doing something that is good, and useful?  Should I be doing more?"  Self doubting seems to come so naturally, especially as I begin to think deeper about things, and question why I do what I do, and why I think what I think.  Part of me wants to just turn off the questions, and relax back into comfortable, blissful ignorance.  But another part of me cannot let that happen.  I'm so desperate to really live life!  I want to fill my life up with things that matter, things that will last, that will count for something!  Not everything feels significant in and of itself, but I feel like I'm very gradually grasping an idea of what counts, and what doesn't.  

I don't always have the time to sit and just really deeply think about issues.  There are so many "practical, every day" things that need to be done on a consistent basis.  I have a really bad habit of separating my spiritual life from my physical life, and then getting discouraged when I have an extremely busy day, just looking after my family and my home, and don't have the time, energy or brain space to sit down and study my Bible.  Not that that is an excuse to not read and study, but I'm learning that this is a season in my life where I'm busier with babies than I will be later on, and sometimes you just have to snatch moments as they become available, rather than having a set time for "quiet time" and then never actually doing it, because you were too busy changing diapers or doing laundry.  

I'm trying to think of a cohesive way to finish this off, but it would seem that my brain has moved on to other things, so I will just say....until next time!  Thanks for reading! :)