We all know that Facebook has some crap applications, but this one along with Bejeweled Blitz are some really good ones. It auto generated this collage of some great photos of my year … my life in photos. Brilliant!
Happy Hogmanay! Be back in 2010 and thanks Facebook application creators!
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So, with Christmas ’09 behind us … sniff, sniff … and 2010 fast approaching … insert happy dance … it just seemed apt for me to pick Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing for my Musical Monday. Just a little guilty pleasure of mine! And, no I don’t watch Glee!!
A new year, a new decade, a new me — don’t stop believing!!
Enjoy!
A few of my favourite photographs from Christmas Day … had busy Christmas Eve, a lovely Christmas Day and a fantastically lazy Boxing Day! Now, bring on New Year’s Eve!
Being a new mum, while very rewarding can also be very isolating … couple that with moving to a new town and you can imagine how lonely for friendship I was during the first few months of my oldest son’s life in the new town we’d just moved to.
So, in search of friends for myself and my son, I pushed aside the worries of becoming a suburban, keeping up with the Joneses, bunko-loving, Stepford wife and joined the local mother’s group.
And. I. Never. Looked. Back.
I made the most wonderful group of friends through this little mom’s group I joined 13 years ago. And, our children are the same. Over the years we’ve watched them grow up together and counted our wrinkles and gray hairs!
For a few years now, the same group of friends, instead of exchanging gifts have been having our kids give back to charity specifically at Christmas time. This year, we organized for them to help out at the local soup kitchen.
A couple of Sundays ago I arrived with my two older boys armed with our food donations unsure exactly what to expect other than to know there would be many people in need. The food was being donated by a local Italian restaurant on that day so there would be no need for the kids to be peeling potatoes — it took a while, but they were all put to work.
And, how.
They worked hard and were so kind to everybody there … even the grumpy lady volunteer who didn’t like them helping her with her toiletry donation table! They helped set up, serve food, pour lemonade and clear the tables. They spoke to those sitting alone and gave encouraging smiles to everyone. We were all so very proud of each and every one of them.
It was very eye-opening for my boys to see that the homeless and needy are people just like you or me. I think what really touched them was to see the small children, sitting there, smiling and eating everything that was put before them without complaint. Needless to say, they came away from it all feeling very humbled and thankful … as did I.
What made me most proud was that on the way home, they asked if we could go back on a regular basis to help out. I think just hearing that was the best Christmas present this mum could hear.
So, I finally got a photograph of my little one with Father Christmas … true it’s just my friend’s blow-up Santa and he is bawling, screaming and clawing at me to get away from it, but still!
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Dear Santa,
I am writing to tell you that this year I’ve been a very good girl and to ask for the most amazing gift ever … for my three-year-old to be fully potty trained.
He goes wee on the toilet, but as for those stinky #2′s? Well, he refuses to sit on the toilet! I take that back — he went once and for some reason, it freaked him out so much that he will only poop in his bed-time nappies. I’ve tried being soothing and coaxing, stickers and prizes, hiding the nappies and done the happy poo-poo dance way too many times, but all to no avail.
Everything I’ve been told or read tells me to just wait it out, but yesterday, when he decided to show his dad how you do the poo-poo walk … that is, how to walk with po0py in your nappy so that it doesn’t squish everywhere … I thought it high time I send you my Christmas wish.
Thanks in advance.
Love,
Crunchie Mummy
P.S. If you are not able to grant this wish, then a Tiffany charm bracelet will gratefully be received too.
It’s a year today that my granny passed away and for this week’s Musical Monday … the last one before Christmas Day . . . I’ve chosen Keane’s cover of the classic White Christmas. It’s classy, understated and lovely just like she was. I really like the way it’s been produced to sound all crackly and vintagey.
So, for all those friends and family who are lucky enough to be celebrating a white Christmas this year … here you go. I’ve been hearing all about the snow, the sledging, the cold, the snowball fights, the fun and God willing, we will be doing the same next year.
Enjoy and may your Christmas be filled with peace, love and joy.
It was my middle son’s school Christmas band concert the other night and he was so excited to be playing the trombone to an audience for the first time. Not sure where he gets his nerves of steel from . . . his Dad shied away from doing any kind of performing and although I did participate in a couple of school plays, I was always so nervous I’d throw up!
We arrived at the alloted time and discovered the concert had drawn a sell-out crowd — the cafeteria was so packed that we had to sit all the way in the back! With a toddler always at my heels, I do tend to sit towards the back and close to an exit just in case he decides to act out anyway. Of course, this would be the night that he decided to sit as good as gold in my lap and watch (we could hardly see anything) listen to the show!
My son’s 5th Grade Band was second up so we didn’t have to wait very long to hear them. They did really well and I could hear the trombone section playing very clearly!! I think!
Next time, I’m getting there early and laying claim to the front row because this was the view I had of him . . . when I stood up and zoomed in with the camera!
Last weekend as part of my mum’s Christmas present I took her to a local dinner theatre that was putting on a Christmas show in the style of your typical British panto.
All right then, let me hear you all now –
“It’s behind you . . . oh no it’s not!!”
We met up at the theatre, both decked out in something sparkly and were seated in the largest dining room I think I’ve ever been in! We immediately noticed it was filled with a sea of red hats and shot each other a knowing look. We were sat at a table of six and soon struck up some light conversation with everyone there.
The drinks were flowing when they opened up the buffet and for as many people as were there we expected a stampede! A smack down or two at the jello station would have been fun to witness, but alas everyone got their food with very little ebb and flow.
And, the food?
Absolutely rubbish.
Which was a huge shame because the show was fantastic! Unfortunately, we were quite far from the stage, but still had a good view.
It was described as a British pantomime, but didn’t have any of the traditional audience participation that you expect with a panto. Strange, I know! And, believe me . . . Mum and I were ready to yell anything expected. No matter, the show was really good and we thoroughly enjoyed it, laughing and humming along to the Christmas songs almost the whole way through it!
Happy Chrimbo Mum — hope you had fun!!
What you said