December, also known as 'The Blur'

Sorry for the lack of posts. I know Christmas and New Years have come and gone. But I hope you are happy and healthy so far this year!

Seriously, December is pretty much a write-off for our family. Jacob's birthday, the boys' birthday, Christmas parties, Christmas, New Years. It's madness.

So here is the crazy chaos that is December...

Our Playcentre Christmas Party/Teddy Bear Picnic

Little men following the big kids on a hike.

The Cool Santa sporting Ray Ban Sunnies, of course.

Uncle Jeremy - I mean - Santa giving Wim his gift.

Back at home - we slowly welcomed Summer and the Holiday Season

The boys learning some proper gardening skills

Making Xmas Cards

Star biscuits!!

  The Wellington Multiple Births Christmas Party

H & J checking out another Santa.

More gifts from Santa!

The serious business of meeting Santa!

The boys had their second birthday as well! Jacob did an amazing job baking both cakes and cooking up a storm on the BBQ! It was a very small party, but thankfully fairly chilled out compared to their first birthdays!

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday season! 

Speaking of holidays...

December is a HUGE month for us. Jacob's birthday, the boys' birthday, Christmas, New Years, friends and family visiting, the parties and BBQs that happen almost every single weekend... Huge.

I'm starting early. Sort of. I started making bows - last year! But I have a list a mile long of everything else I need to do... How about you?

And speaking of chaos...

Have a great Monday!!

xx

School holidays... Again.

It can be really hard to deal with school holidays and two crazy boys. But we manage. Playdough, drawing, outings to the dog beach, reading, playdates, baking. It's exhausting. There are those days when you want just five minutes to yourself, and it never seems to come. 

A key thing I've discovered the last couple of weeks though, it goes back to the early days when the boys were just born. The rule of - sleep when they sleep. Yep. That's me. With the new skills of playing for a bit of time on their own, I can do a bit of tidying. When they are running after each other down the hallway, I try and prep dinner. When they nap, so do I. Well, for about 15 minutes if I can. It's heavenly.

Faery crowns and playdough on demand.

Handsome Jake hanging with the boys this week. Great fun!

We've been all about routine for a long time. And now that routine is changing slightly. Time for a bit of change. I don't think I'm quite ready for that!
xx

Boy-Made Wrapping Paper {Kid Crafts}

We are all about exploiting our children for cheap labour. Willem has taken on the role Lead Laundry Assistant. Most mornings after breakfast, he can be found pulling laundry from the hamper and putting it into the washing machine. He has to have some training in wools vs cotton and darks vs lights, but with time, no problem. Hendrik is now the Lower Dishdrawer Project Manager. If it is clean, those dishes come flying into my hands for putting away faster than anything. He even locks it when it's empty. 

So, it's no surprise that when it comes to crafting time, it's easy to get some good work out of them. Heheheee, ok seriously though. I think some of the best gifts are wrapped with love. Homemade wrapping. Scribbles and paint globs that you can't bear to throw away! And all of those doodles get sent to friends and family with pride and love..

We will be starting our Christmas wrapping paper soon and will keep you posted on that, but here is some that the boys made for their cousin..

Super cute. Super sweet.

Merry Merry Christmas one and all!

What a lovely holiday we have had here in Wellington! Christmas Eve day was spent waiting for Jacob to finish a short work day, listening to christmas songs, and reading The Night Before Christmas!

Christmas Eve was pretty icky weather, rainy most of the day, gusting winds, but Jacob being a brave cook, headed out to the BBQ for some tandoori chicken and an oven roasted terakihi for the fam. Odd combo, but so yummy!

Our first whole fish! Love it! And I think we'll be seeing more of them! The rest of the evening was getting ready for a lovely Christmas... Washing hand-me-down wooden blocks, decorating chalkboard toy boxes that Jacob built, drinking wine and snacking on mince pies.

So, the next morning...

Then off to Auntie Lisa's for an amazing day of feasting, beautiful weather, and warm family fuzzies...

Santa Etta

Silas opening a rather important gift from Opa

Monkeys all around!

Hendrik loves his monkey!

Timmy may be a bit over Christmas...

Cheese of the addictive variety

Etta's Adventures in Cheese Appreciation

Opa and Silas

Yes. Turducken.

Layer upon layer upon layer....

Thank you Lisa, Paul and Jeremy for an amazing meal!

And somehow I ended up on the wrong side of the camera. A rare sight.

A little playtime before...

... an beautiful Christmas dessert!

We hope everyone has had an amazing holiday filled with joy, love, family and the warmth of summer!

xo

 

Happy ______________!

Halloween, Samhain, Celtic New Year...

via For The Vintage Fashionista

Wednesday's Wish List - Rustic Holidays

Let the holiday festivities begin!

1 & 2.  kellystreetvintage
3. sejoe
4. PatinaPosh
5. NestaHome
6. Bluebirdlane

*yay!! new buttons on Etsy!!

I must say... I had a blast making these. I sat at my desk in my office, decided to blast some good tunes (I was having a Jeremy Enigk/The Fire Theft/Sunny Day Real Estate kind of day.(not long until i get to see them play!!! :) and just went to it. Ahhh liberating!

Anyway. There are still a few more I have to put up in the next day or so. And a few new photographic prints as well... Can you tell I'm loving my holiday???

Go check out Etsy for more buttons and photos... :)

xo