Christmas!

 Amazingly between feeds, changes and naps, we've also managed to get our house decorated for Christmas. This is always something of a highlight for me.

My in-laws always buy me decorations so the collection is ever growing. This year I had totally forgotten the big snowman from last Christmas. I love it!

The growing collection fits nicely into the house. I feel like we're getting more rooms into the spirit.

Another highlight this year is that Isabella gets it. She's been so excited with advent and Nikolaus and she loved helping to decorate the tree. I think it turned out quite well considering how high a two-year-old can reach.

Advent!

 For obvious reasons we were a little late setting up for Advent this year but yesterday, I finally got around to it. Like last year Isabella has a daily and weekly calendars.

She also has a chocolate one from family.

Here in Germany it's tradition to put something other than chocolate in there which I love. (Although she will be disappointed by the time January gets here...) Since she's old enough to get it, I found her a 24-piece jigsaw. Some pieces barely fit but she's so excited already.

For the weekly one I got her a couple of little figures, a car and a mini-torch. Can't wait to see her face when she opens them.

Make it Monday - November Birthday Cards

This was my first attempt with new card stock and stamps. I kept it fairly simple which I liked but the names made each one individual.

I like the new neutral stock and I have since made our Christmas cards with it too. Amazon had some great offers on card stock this month so I was in luck.

Weekly Wisdom

Winter is for home and hibernation.

The Saturday Update

We had a life changing week here. After a weekend of walks and visiting the local Christmas market, Dad left on Monday morning.

By evening I was in labour and Joshua was born in the early hours of Tuesday. It was a quick labour in the end and he is like Isabella in so many ways but much louder!

We came home on Thursday and we're still finding our feet but it's getting a bit better. I'm so grateful that Nico is home with us and that Isabella is taking the changes in her stride.

We had our first visitors yesterday. Joshua barely noticed - he's a real Mummy's boy, but Isabella loves having family here.

More settling into the new routine and getting ready for Christmas next week.

Links!

Might need this soon.

Love these.

Glad I'm out of this for a while!

How different some of these films might have been.

I've learned this lately!

Sweet.

Going to try this.

Continuing the Christmas theme. (It is December now...)

December Goals

Here are my plans for this month:

• Find our groove as a family of four.
• Celebrate our first Christmas at home.

And that's it! This year has been manic and wonderful and I feel we deserve some time for ourselves to recharge the batteries and find our way into a brand new stage.