Family on Tour

{this moment}

Following SouleMama's example

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 

Handmade presents Christmas 2011

I  haven't got good pictures for quite a few presents, but waiting for those pictures has held this post up for weeks, so I'll just dive straight in and hope that I get around to another post before Christmas 2012!

Rosie and Jim for Little Miss and Precious

Jim has proved more of a hit than Rosie - very funny!

The little rabbits that Posie knitted for Mini and Little Misses.

She worked for hours on these and her knitting really improved.

The Foxy Den,  made by the big boys for Piglet. The bright red fox is Fabulous Mrs Fox made by Posie for him. The big boys also made the furniture, this has proved a great success, just reward for the boys patient efforts.

A little tutu for Little Miss. I made two more for Jaquie's two girls as well. They went together suprisingly quickly, I followed the instructions in the Oliver and S book and was very happy with the result.

That's where my pictures run out, hopefully I'll do another post on the rest of the presents we made soon - we'll see!

I'm so glad.....

that I took the time to plant (??) these during the whirlwind of advent.

These so nearly weren't done, preparing for Christmas seemed so overwhelming at the time.

 

I've got a little procession waiting to come out as they are ready, a simple luxury - bliss.

Epiphany, part 3 - Christmas to New Year

We had a few days of lovely weather between Christmas and New Year, beautifully clear and bright -  if rather cold! We made the most of them to get out and about, having our cobwebs blown clean away.

Now, the house is bare of fairy lights and fripperies, the children visited the crib in mass this morning ,the last time for 11 months, carols are sung out, we've had a really lovely time; now the clear up begins, both of the buried pine needles and of our buried inclination to work.  Oh well it was good while it lasted.

Epiphany - part 2 : the decorations.

Our decorations would win no style awards, most are fairly old now, built up over the years, some are made new each year to be added to our old favourites.

Decorating, didn't go as planned this year, I ran out of steam before the finish line, but those we did get up brought joy and fun; here they are before they come down and I forget what Christmas 2011 looked like.

The advent calender finished at last.

The Jesse tree all hung up.

The advent wreath much depleted.

The paper chains in the children's rooms getting ever longer, more crumpled and more looked forward to as the years pass.

The cards hung differently this year. They're taking the place of the angels and stars, moved into the dining room.

Made by the big boys and myself when they were little, still such a favourite.

Prince's bauble made by Auntie Joanna for his first Christmas, still going strong.

The hearts down the hall were new this year, and brightened a particularly gloomy (weather wise) advent day. 

Piglet made this little robin this year, he's obviously taken on board my bletherings about waste reduction and recycling, bless him.

It's been hanging happily on the patio door handle, it's very tempting to keep him up!

The snow flakes were made during the only snow flurry we've had this year.

As ever our tree in the front porch has cheered up the gloomy darkness of winter.

And the big boys' angel of many moons ago has sat a-top as she always does.

And last but not least, our Nativity, which will stay out for few weeks yet.

There is a reassuring sameness about our Christmas, the years come and go, but the rhythms, patterns, smells and tastes remain if not exactly the same, then at least very recognisable. We've had a happy and very blessed Christmas.

Tomorrow - into the New Year.

Epiphany - part 1

Epiphany has been moved from today the twelfth day of Christmas to Sunday this year; we're making the most of it and giving ourselves three days to celebrate gently and bring the decorations down. This was our Christmas and New Year in three parts.  

Today -  decorating for Christmas and the Christmas celebrations.

We had such fun putting up the tree, Little Miss evidently didn't remember the tree from last year.

While the rest of us were happy to see our old favorites of the decorations again.

Little Miss put the angel on top this year, helped by Daddy.

And then did a celebratory dance of joy.

Christmas eve began with the most beautiful dawn sky.

It was a busy day, full of cooking, baking, preparing and tending to over excited little ones, but there were a few moments of calm.

There was the inevitable last minute wrapping, enjoyed mainly by the young!

Eventually the little ones were tucked up,  we enjoyed restful sleep and then at last, the day itself.

There was much ripping and unwrapping, playing and sharing.

 

A blessed interval of calm to go to mass, and then home again to play, read, eat and tidy up the chaos, (my second favourite part, my absolute favourite is the christmas pudding)

The picture taking petered out fairly early, we were too busy having fun together. We all went to bed tired, but happy. 

Tomorrow - the decorations.

{this moment}

Following SouleMama's example

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 

- well, I'm cheating a little, this was taken by Pumkin, such a lovely surprise when I downloaded my pictures today, I'm sure she had a little help though!

It's broken......

the stay put mechanism that is!

The tree has been such a temptation to her. She's been desperate to reach the pretty treasure.

Crawling may have thwarted her for now, but by gosh she can roll!

"And those strange green spikes need investigating too.

That's better, I've got them!"

Walking through the months - early January

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The changing world, month by month, through the eyes of the big boys as they walk around and about.

Gaudete

Rejoice!