it sounded great when in the last week of november i decided to buy us a new christmas tree. we have wanted a new one for ages but the price oh my god the price. it always turned me off. anyway enter ebay. and this lovely 650 tip 6foot christmas tree $26! i love it. its not quite as bushy as i would of really liked but then i didnt want to spend upwards of $300 to get bushy because lets face it thats a waste of money and a little silly. but the kids love this big tree..:) forgive the bad santa! topper somehwere in two moves this year i lost our lovely star

some present tags i made

Advent Calendar

though i would share the activities in our advent calendar for this year.
in each of the pockets we have a small piece of paper with a christmas activity for the countdown to christmas. some of the pockets also have a chocolate treat...i think there r only 5 chocolate treat ones.
here r our activities

1. Put up the christmas tree
2. Visit Santa
3. Go gift shopping
4. Make wrapping paper
5. Draw christmas pictures
6. Watch a christmas movie (the old ones i watched when i was little, u know the animated ones with rudolph saving the day)
7. Listen to christmas stories and then draw a picture of the story
8. Donate a gift to the wishing tree
9. write christmas cards
10. Email santa
11. Play christmas games on the computer (see links below)
12. carols by candlelight
13. christmas concert
14. listen to carols
15. make a christmas decoration
16. make the christmas cake
17. make christmas coookies
18. christmas window art
19. Make grandparent presents
20. make a hand and feet reindeer
21. make christmas gift tags
22. wrap christmas presents
23. make a christmas table centrepiece
24. share the story of christmas, track santa on santa tracker (maybe midnight mass, still up for discussion)
25. share the joy of christmas

we like having activities in our advent calendar, builds nice excitment for the day and helps us teach the kids about giving and not just recieveing and we r starting to teach them this year about christmas and the purpose of the celebration.

here r some christmas links to great websites

http://www.thekoala.com/christmas.htm (games, gift tags, recipes, australian christmas site)

http://www.northpole.com/Village.html (email santa, santa tracker, stories, games, recipes)

none of this really cost me any money. we have a cloth reusable advent calendar, there r plenty of colouring in pages on the internet. the only money i have spent is the repositional paint for the window decorating and i bought the old christmas movies. but for the most part free activities for us to do each day. mostly from free internet sites. if the two above dont suit your needs try a search it brings up plenty! including countless sites of colouring in pages and stories.

ive used the above two before, including in a school situation.

enjoy

jingle mouse

how cute is he

i made two

u will find the tutorial to make him here

http://pimpstitch.typepad.com/blog/2008/11/tutorial-monday-jingle-mouse-ornament.html

jingle mouse was very easy, and quick.

we r looking forward to putting them on the tree of which we will be getting a new tree....a big tree woohoo...ive always wanted one! its my tuesday job

my camera we heard back...the lense can be repaired woohoo...at a cost of course but a cheaper one than a new lense....sooon!! until then its the trusty mobile phone photos, im so sorry!

i have some cards to share with u all over the weekend made for the dec dare at aussie dares and some sewing. some pj's for lilly and pj pants for me

ornament swap

just thought i would share what ive been up too this week

ive been taking part in a christmas ornament swap

and this is what i made to send to my partner. actually everything that was in the i have to post u basket went this morning. woohoo!!!!

the ideas for everything came from martha stewart website, i would love to give a link...but i dont think i could find some of it again if my life depended on it, i know i was on the site for ages looking around at her crafts for christmas section. lots of clever things.

i also made the box. makes everything look so cute

i visit daily this site

http://www.oneprettything.com/ its a link to all sorts of handmade craft instructions. its a must visit site! this is where i found the box link.

whatelse

lots of rain, lots of trying to keep the kids entertained in the last 48 hours. the rain is good but.

my vegies r loving it all

i have some awards to give out

thanks to those that awarded me

i will get onto it tomorrow i promise