New hairdo!

Well, I had my hair done yesterday and it is a coppery brown colour. It is the darkest I've ever been. I quite like it - nice for a change. I think it is taking my husband a while to get used to it, he has only known me as a blonde!

Anyway, I've had a successful weekend of Christmas baking, a raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake, mini oreo baked cheesecakes and chocolate caramel slice - yummo! We had an early Christmas dinner with my husband's extended family tonight. It was at his cousin's place and they have their own woodfired pizza oven outside, so we put on our own toppings and cooked them all up. Delicious.

A new look!

Do you like my new photo and look of my blog? I decided it was time for a change. We are in summer in Australia and our Christmases are hot, not snowy. We go to the beach a lot, and have lots of barbecues outside. So, I thought it was fitting to make my blog look a little more like what we are used to now! I took the photo in my header in January this year when we were on holidays - this is in my state - isn't it magnificent?! My husband is on the very left and the rest of the people are friends of ours we went away with.

I'm having a bit of a change tomorrow too - I'm getting my hair done a bit differently. I've been blonde all my life, but I'm going to go slightly darker - not much - but a little. Hopefully it will look ok!

Today, I'm going to do some Christmas baking - the first thing on the list is a Raspberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake for a dinner tomorrow night - yum!

Friends

I just got home from my work Christmas lunch, it is our annual event that wraps up the year before a long holiday. I am so privileged to work with so many wonderful people. We shared a lovely meal and laughed about many funny things that have happened throughout the year. They organise humorous awards that get given to people for funny things they've said or done during the year.

So, I'm officially on holidays - and to be honest - it feels a little weird. Great, but weird. Another year is (almost) over and in a couple of weeks we will begin a new one. How time flies!

I just want to remind myself of how God has been good this year, how fortunate I am to be where I am right now - not looking behind me, and not worrying about the future, but being thankful and content now, this very moment. My work colleauges, who are my dear friends have been such a joy to me this year.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?" Ecclesiastes 4:9-11

Motivate me Monday

The last week has been a really busy one for me. Fortunately, it seems to be slowing down a little, before it starts to pick up again just before Christmas. It's funny how we can make ourselves so busy with "things" at Christmastime, when the true meaning of Christmas is to appreciate and celebrate the birth of Jesus. I'm speaking for myself when I say that my focus hasn't been on him quite as much as it should be. I want to make sure that I prepare my heart in the lead up to Christmas, so that I don't go through the 25th December, enjoying friends and family, opening presents, eating delicious food and that's it. Oh, how careful we must be to avoid that happening!

In regard to my devotions lately, I have been reading the book of Leviticus (in a read through the Bible plan). I've struggled a little, not wanting to skim over it or skip it altogether, because it is in the Bible for a reason, and it is the word of God. But it has shown me that at times when we struggle with our learning and understanding of scripture - not to give up, and also, to not be afraid to read other books of the Bible or to do things differently. Kristin Chesemore from Girltalk says of her dad, CJ Mahaney: "Growing up, Dad always encouraged us that the goal of the spiritual disciplines is to "make your soul happy in God" and to preach the gospel to yourself--not to finish a book. He wanted to make sure we didn't feel obligated to complete a book we had begun if it was not feeding our soul." I thought this was great advice. Now, in saying this, I intend to keep reading Leviticus, but I'm going to read other sections to keep my "soul happy in God" at the same time. I don't want to be discouraged or disheartened and give up my devotions because I'm stuck in a bit of a rut. I shouldn't really be surprised that we can find opposition to spending time with God in so many different ways, including this. I really liked this quote by John Owen.

"There is no duty we perform for God that sin does not oppose. And the more spirituality or holiness there is in what we do, the greater its enmity to it. Thus those who seek most for God experience the strongest opposition.”
John Owen, Sin and Temptation, edited by James Houston (Minneapolis, Minn: Bethany House Publications, 1996), 18.

I experience opposition in many different forms - but I'm determined to "throw off the sin, that so easily entangles" and seek the Lord. I hope you'll join me.

To read more posts for Motivate Me Monday, visit Sarah Mae's blog.

What a week it has been!

Well, this week has been a busy one - no time for blogging. Today I enjoyed a bit of a sleep in and then when out for breakfast with my husband. It was a very nice morning.

Today I finished off a present for my 10 month old niece. I have made a sign to hang on her wall in her bedroom for Christmas. I bought a canvas, covered it with a pink and light green fabric , painted it with mod podge and then painted her name on it. I'm not sure whether to paint a flower on it aswell.

I also offered to make her a dress for Christmas day. Because it is summer here, it should be nice and cool for her. I'll make sure I take a photo of her in it.

Anyway, I'm off to finish watching a Christmas movie on TV. Have a great weekend.

Everyday Unwrapped

Emily, over at chatting at the sky has been talking about treasuring the everyday moments, particularly as we, "...celebrate what is, while anticipating what is to come." I know I have been insanely busy the last couple of weeks and my to do list is only increasing as we approach Christmas and New Year. It is easy to get hung up in the rush, and not really appreciate the small things. Here are a few photos that explain my week, and why I really should acknowledge the little everyday things, and be appreciative. Thanks for the reminder Emily!

Lots of exam papers to mark....but thankful for being a teacher to so many great students

A lovely husband who stayed up until 11.30pm making gingerbread with me on Monday night

So many ideas and unfinished projects, but lots of loved ones to make things for

Spending time putting Christmas decorations up and talking to my husband about the year that was on December 1st

Stopping and looking at the little things and appreciating how well my mother knows me to buy me this decoration!


Trying to remember how quickly this goes, and not to rush things but to know that to everything there is a season.

Cherishing a family

Knowing that despite all things, I can find rest here.

Christmas tags & the giveaway winner...

Yesterday I spent an hour making little gift tags for our Christmas presents. I cut out bauble shapes from white card (I just traced around a glass and added the top part) and then using my trusty Cuttlebug and alphabet, I cut out initials. One of the letters I raised. I'll punch a hole in the top and thread them through ribbon and attach to the presents.

And, the winner of my first giveaway goes to (drum roll)......JULIE!! Congratulations Julie, your name was drawn out of the hat! Please email me your address at: choosingtofollow@gmail.com

Thanks to everyone who participated and stay tuned, I'll do another one of these later on.

The Gingerbread House Event

Well last night I had eight friends over - with one main aim - to decorate gingerbread houses. It was such a fun night, we ate as we decorated, we laughed (and almost cried when Hayley's house collapsed!) They all left with beautifully decorated and wrapped houses. Everyone loved their aprons, I think they turned out quite nicely! All in all, a great night, I highly recommend organising one. I intend to do the same next year.

The construction site

Oh no! Hayley's collapsed - she used a different recipe and it turned out a little heavy!

My creation - I made a small one

See the aprons - each had a Christmas fabric frill at the bottom

The wrapping station (we're renovating, hence the patches on the wall & ceiling)

Aren't they beautiful?!

Two little houses, don't you just love the roof tiles?!

Works in progress...

That's my pink and yellow house at the bottom

My friend Camille, posing with her creation

Photos

I love these photos so much. They were taken a couple of years ago - we were attempting (poor attempt I know - they are lousy quality - I think there was something wrong with the camera) to get a "nice" photo to frame for some family members for Christmas.

Regardless of their poor quality I love them because they seem to capture something more real. Have you ever taken a photo that was technically bad but you love it anyway?

By the way, we have since bought a new camera....a nice digital SLR, no blurry photos anymore. :)

The Gingerbread Construction Party is on its way!

Well ladies, the gingerbread is made, the aprons are finished, the Christmas tree is up, the new tablecloth is made and put on the table and only 7 hours to go until we start decorating those delicious little houses. Stay tuned for some photos!

A great idea...

Just quickly - have a look at this post from Dana about creating a Jesse Tree which is a great way to teach little ones about Christmas.