Sophie's 3rd Birthday Party

Last Friday night, while I was at the kitchen bench, surrounded by blue icing, trying to create Sophie's birthday cake, Paul walked past and remarked, "Why are you going to all this trouble for just six kids?"

I muttered something about him being a party pooper, that small simple gatherings were the best ones and that I wasn't going overboard anyway...  I had no reservations whatsoever that what we had planned would turn out perfectly...

Sophie's party was a lovely little celebration of close family and friends. There were decorations which the birthday girl herself helped make, old-style games (a treasure hunt, pass the parcel and musical statues), party bags for the children (Sophie potato stamped a fish design onto each one and helped choose treats like notepads and pens and stickers to fill them with) and of course, cake... crucial elements of a successful birthday party from a little one's perspective.

Come Sunday night, we all in agreed that keeping things low key had been easier to run and much more enjoyable and most importantly, our little three year old definitely loved her special day.

I've never been one for huge, over-the-top parties (and judging by the way Sophie gets overwhelmed by big crowds, I think she will take after her mama).  Less elaborate, more intimate get-togethers, celebrating the one day of the year that is purely about our loved ones, is in my eyes truly what counts...

Grace's 5th Birthday Party

I can still remember the excitement I had as a little girl surrounding my birthday parties each year. Choosing a cake for my Nanna to make from the Women's Weekly cookbook.  Coming up with party games with my Mum.  Helping to put together goodie bags.  It is perhaps due to all these fond memories that I get so much enjoyment now out of planning birthday celebrations for my own girls.

During my blogging free month in May, Grace turned five and we celebrated with a Saturday afternoon birthday party, her first party with school friends which turned out to be a lovely gathering with good old-fashioned party food, games and fortunately, plenty of beautiful sunshine.

As the guests arrived and gifts were unwrapped, the girls began working on a butterfly craft activity which they loved... sequins, sparkles, glitter glue and textas were all used to embellish butterfly cut-outs which they later took home. Party games involved a butterfly treasure hunt, musical statues, an egg and spoon style race (with bean bags on heads) and the traditional pass the parcel. In between, there was plenty of time for playing chasey around our backyard and for fun on Grace and Sophie's new swing set.  

I love that birthdays are another opportunity to create memories and form our own little traditions as a family. Hopefully one day, Grace and Sophie will look back on their parties with the same fondness that I have when I think back to my own childhood birthday celebrations...

Over the past few weeks, Grace has been making thank you notes for friends and family, something I feel is sadly a bit uncommon these days.

To me, it is a great opportunity to demonstrate gratitude to little ones, plus it provides a meaningful creative activity for art-loving Grace.

Our Christmas Tree (Take Two)

On the first day of December, we excitedly dragged our Christmas tree out of the garage, opened our box of ornaments and let the girls have free reign over the decorating task.  Two days ago, we did the same all over again, only this time, with a new tree.

The first year we were married, with Paul and I set to host Christmas night at our house, we went Christmas tree hunting one weekend, only to return home empty handed.  Every single department store we tried had literally sold out.  I ended up buying a set of red baubles and silver stars and we decorated the jasmine bush on our patio instead, which still looked impressive and which thankfully still served its purpose as the designated spot under which to place all our family's gifts.

Over the next few Christmases, we never bothered to even try buying a tree as there weren't any functions at our house and we figured there wasn't much point.  However, when Grace came along in 2009, I insisted a tree was vital (even though she was oblivious to all the festivities and hype) as I wanted to establish even at that early age what I felt was a very important family tradition.  I ended up buying a cheap, twenty dollar one from Coles (even more of a bargain when it scanned up as thirteen dollars at the checkout).  It did it's job, but has always looked rather bare and unimpressive.  And while structurally it was fine, the more Paul and I have looked at it over the past week, the more we've decided it was time for us to buy something a bit nicer for our family... something that showed we valued this season a bit more than it appeared.

On Wednesday, the girls and I picked up our 'forever Christmas tree'... it is actually smaller than our previous one (although when placed on a little table, it is still my height), but it is more of a realistic pine needle look, with fuller branches that look attractive even when undecorated.  It is not too bulky to store, is easy to set up and isn't too big or fancy (which wouldn't suit our humble little home anyway).

We returned from the shops after collecting our order and set about transferring our baubles and ornaments from the old tree to the new one with the girls ferrying pieces back and forth to me. "Mummy... I like this tree!" exclaimed Sophie as it began to take shape. We selected a nicer position where it can be enjoyed night after night as our fairy lights twinkle away and we are all much happier with our smaller but definitely lovelier little tree...

Our old tree-top star doesn't fit our new tree unfortunately... I'm hoping I can get Grace to craft something.  

Grace also insists we need some tinsel but I'm thinking we may decorate our patio with that instead... I rather like an 'uncluttered' look.

Now to finish wrapping the last of twenty or so presents waiting for me in our study and to get the girls to help me arrange them under the tree...

Our Advent Calendar And Slow December Days

I love Christmas and all the excitement and joy it brings.  However, the busy-ness, the crowds and the stress I'm not such a fan of.  Come December, I purposely try to keep our days as slow as I can. There are still catch-ups with friends, errands to run and food to buy and our calendar is definitely filled more than usual. But for the most-part we pass our days with time spent close to home enjoying Christmas activities and treats.

Last year, I put together a simple little Advent calendar for Grace and on Saturday night, I brought it out again and strung it up.  With my gift buying so close to being completed (just a few small 'finishing off touches' to pick up), I am looking forward to days spent baking Christmas biscuits, wrapping presents, crafting... and soaking up all the magic of this season, a season which feels all the more special when viewed through the eyes of little ones and enjoyed at their less hurried pace.

Each envelope on our Advent calendar contains a card with a special task for the day.  

Some are for Christmas crafts and cooking, others are for outings such as visiting Santa or the Christmas lights.  

A handful contain a small treat such as stickers, tree ornaments or a chocolate.