It Begins...

Is it just me, or does Christmas seem to start earlier and earlier each year?

I swear that my local supermarket took the 'back to school' signs down at the end of the September school holidays and put the Christmas items straight up. Gah!

December is yet to start, but last night we had 'Carols by Torchlight' at school,

on the weekend we made a gingerbread house

and two weekends ago we went to a Christmas carnival.

That being said...Yay for Christmas!

Apart from the fact it comes to Queensland right in the middle of our (disgustingly sticky and uncomfortable) summer, it's my favourite 'season'.

As per family tradition, our tree will go up tomorrow without fail (though the decorations may not appear until the weekend!) and the shopping (online, of course - I do work full-time) is in full swing.

I am so excited that Christmas day falls on a Sunday this year - I will have all of Christmas Eve to get organised for the family visit and lunch. Oh happy day! *twirl*

Hope all your preparations are going along smoothly, and that you are enjoying every moment!

P.S.      “For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” Anon

Charity Begins at Home...

Hi All! (See, I am trying to post more regularly.)

For the past few years I have been participating in 'Operation Christmas Child' through our local primary school chaplain. (Check it out here if you've not heard of it before!) It's a great reminder to the kids during the festive season that not everyone is as fortunate as they are, and a chance to give a little something to a child who has very little.

This year though, I'll be adding a new charity to my Christmas list. 

A link sent by a friend of a friend introduced me to an amazing woman - Despina - who has started a home-grown organization that collects donated goods and puts together backpacks for kids who are taken suddenly into foster care. Often kids are taken from their homes by police or DOCS with only the clothes they are wearing and Backpacks 4 Aussie Kids wants to provide backpacks to these children so they have some essential and personal items that will travel with them from home to home, and just belongs to them.

While donations are not yet tax deductable (they are working on it),  I promise it will give you a feeling of well-being...and I think we could all use a bit of that.

P.S. “Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance.” 

St Francis of Assisi

The Confessional...

Forgive me readers, for I have sinned. 

It's been 5 months since my last post.

Yikes! How did that happen? I felt that it had been a while, but not quite that long. It's not as if I haven't been doing anything. Life has just gotten in the way of reflection time again...that and lots of reading.

 I have managed to do a few blog-worthy things in those months...

Took the youngest one to the model train show at the RNA back in May...

and made two toy snails for him.

Did some sewing etc. at the Esk craft Retreat in June

Attended two school sports days also in June...

 Sewed a padded case for my new laptop in July...

Made 2 birthday cakes and celebrated the birthday of the 8-year-old in August ...

 (for school)

(at home)

Went to the Ekka...

 Went to Hervey Bay to visit the MIL for a weekend in September and had dinner on Fraser lsland...

Took the small one to the zoo...

Celebrated the middle one's birthday with another coconut cheesecake - double digits!

And I won Deb's giveaway of lovely little overseas goodies ...

 September was a big month! 

This month we have had the middle one at music camp, the big one getting a sports award at high school (go figure!) and some pretty gifts for World Teachers Day...

I made flags using the canning labels on the HP site here.

I have also read all seven of the novels (so far) in the 'Outlander' series by Diana Gabaldon, amongst lots of other things (don't get me started talking about The Slap - grrr). BTW, the next Outlander comes out at the end of November, so there's my Christmas reading sorted!

All things considered, not much to show for 5 whole months. But this blog was always meant to be a journal, and I guess it will be as full of holes as my memory is.

I promise to be more diligent in the lead-up to Christmas - now only two months away!

P.S. “Like the wind crying endlessly through the universe, Time carries away the names and the deeds of conquerors and commoners alike. And all that we are, all that remains, is in the memories of those who cared we came this way for a brief moment.”

Harlan Ellison