of christmasy things

As christmas rolls around this year I'm feeling good about things. The kids are home, happy that school is finished, and enjoying all the anticipation that is the build up to christmas. The tree, which now has it's lights turned on. is highly exciting for our littlest one, and I admit that it brings me back to that glittery, fantasy land of childhood with their vivid imaginations.

The kids made their first, and my first ever, gingerbread house. I know I go on about making things from scratch, but this house wasn't. Not this year anyway. For the grand price of six dollars in the local Aldi. We made up the icing which went in the new piping bag (that cost far more than the cake itself, thus making it not quite so economical afterall) and I let the kids put the whole thing together. It wasn't so scary and perhaps next year we will attempt our own, from scratch.  We joked that it looked like our old house, a little A-Frame. Perhaps I will show you some pictures one day.

I received some lovely mail (beautifully wrapped too, I might add) in the form my second ornament from the swap. A beautiful rustic rose dusted with what I can describe as a "frosting" and backed onto red crochet. Traveling over the ocean and lovingly made by Christina of From the Hearth Room. Thank you Christina! It will adorn our tree for many years to come.

As I prepare to make some grocery lists, and conjure up some last minute gift ideas (while letting go of other ideas for perhaps another year), I'm feeling more happy and relaxed than I have in the past few weeks. I'm hoping to hold onto that feeling as other preparations are made, guests come and go and we are all together, uninterrupted by the usual demands of work and school. We can only hope!



Hoping that your preparations are going well for you.