Happy Christmas Eve

I'm not a grinch - I love Christmas. I love the summer holiday feeling in the air and the excitement as kids finish school for the year and parents take much needed breaks from work. I love the food and the time spent with family and friends. I love extra days at the beach.

What I do not love is the whole present fiasco. I am calling for an international embargo on gift giving at Christmas (except from Santa for children). The thing is, I love buying and giving gifts and like everyone I enjoy receiving presents but I just think it's so un-necessary. Let's save the gifts for birthdays when it's all about that one person on that day and the pressure to shop for 10, 20, 30 people is eliminated.

I personally don't find it particularly stressful and I had all my gifts purchased and wrapped by mid December ( I know what a show off!!). I've had a lovely relaxing week and met up with friends and been to the zoo and that to me is the spirit of Christmas.

All around me I've seen people pushing, shoving, stressed out at the point of break down trying to get their shopping done. It's a standard greeting in these final weeks 'Hi, How are you? Are you ready for Christmas? Have you done all your shopping?' All this fuss for one crazy day. There's no love in half of the gifts given anyway - it was a matter of people racing to find something, anything for that next person on the list. Then on the day half of the time is spent handing the bloody things out and unwrapping them. For god's sake people we could be so much smarter about this.

If I was the leader of the free world this would be high on my agenda - Christmas can stay but the presents have to go.

Around our place...........

There's gates to open....

Holes to explore....

Things to Climb....

Places to Balance.....

....And Hills to Run Down

We have been having such lovely family times over the last couple of weeks. The weather has been divine and we have been getting to the beach by about 8am both days on the weekends. One fantastic day out was to the Christmas Tree Farm to select our tree. It was such a fun afternoon out and we have a stunning tree that touches the ceiling.

Hi Ho Hi Ho........

Finally the perfect tree was cut down

Noah putting the angel on top

Looking like such a big boy on our way to Aunty Jacqui's 30th B'day

Another relaxing morning at The Fig

Smell the Roses

I'm sitting here and across the hall I can here my sweet boy putting himself to sleep. It's been going on for half an hour - some little whimpers, some of his new chit chat, some singing (of sorts) and just general mumbling. It feels like only yesterday that Rob and I took turns pacing the house - all the lights off, total silence - trying to get him to sleep at night. Now we just put him to bed say goodnight and he does all the hard work himself. It all changes so fast and every now and then I'm reminded to stop getting caught in the mundane routines of the day but rather to notice all the special moments in between.