Next year...........my goals

Sparky: he starts preschool and turns 4 this year. Goals: to be dressing himself, doing the whole toilet thing himself from start to finish – i.e. he is toilet trained but still likes some assistance, eating a greater variety of food, doing some help in house, further along with school readiness, starting to learn to swim and maybe music. To be able to answer all the questions about God he has had recently! To sum up - greater confidence and independence.

Owl: his second year. Goals: to get some mummy time while Sparky not there, and learn all those huge second year things – words colours, shapes etc! To start his moral education. To sum up – to provide a good, secure, learning environment.

Me: to be more on top of the housework now I don’t have the baby excuse. To get some time out to myself. To have some couple time with my husband. To spend more time praying. To get a topic for doctorate. (see how time features heavily??). While looking after and teaching my kids, to make sure that they grasp the depth of love I have for them and God has for them and most of all, to enjoy the life I have been given everyday to the full.

piccie from here

Holiday mode

Sorry - I hadn't blogged for a couple of weeks - there was the mad Christmas rush, Christmas itself, and now I'm in holiday mode. We are holidaying at home, as it is cheaper, and going away with just walking Owl is not our idea of fun. So we plan to do some Sydney things - so far only been to Balmoral beach (in the rain to see old friends.....) and also we have hit the sales (I did a whole morning sans kids with my cousin, and have added necessary items to my wardrobe plus lots of Sparky clothes for next summer).

Other ideas we have are going to Sydney Wildlife world (smaller than Taronga zoo, so good for Owl's stage, and we have a voucher for it - we will go to Taronga later in the year) and stopping in at the chinese gardens while there if we feel up to it, going to the beach on a sunny day (!), seeing friends, and Bhaer and I plan to have 2 nights out - another advantage to staying at home is baby sitting is available - we are trying to decide a movie to see, since we haven't seen one since pre Owl - any suggestions?

I have put in websites as I went, but here's 2 others for people in our situation holidays with kids and travel for kids.

You may be wondering, did I finish the owl softies in time? yes I did! I promise piccies soon!!!

get free pictures like this one

Goats and pills

A cyber friend recently blogged about the ethics of those charity gift catalogues (such as the world's most useful gift catalogue) from which you can buy a gift for someone you know but in reality the gift goes to a person or community in need (eg goat, medical supplies)while the person just gets a card telling them money has been given on their behalf. These catalogues have proliferated recently, I guess because this is a chance of having some of the money that flows around at Christmas rather than all of it swelling the coffers of multinationals - and fair enough really, on their part. I wrote a lengthy comment and thought I would share it and also expand on it, as it has been something on my mind.

Here is my original comment:
"I have thought about this and I am ambivalent - so much so that I haven't done it. It strikes me that giving money that is NOT earmarked for someone else's gift is more charitable - money you would have spent on yourself. Giving the money you would have given to someone else anyway strikes me as wanting to have your cake and eat it to - to not sacrifice anything for yourself but still be seen as charitable. Perhaps then the card idea is better, though it still has the trumpeting your own goodness thing about it. On the other hand, I expect the people who got the much needed goat or medical supplies, really don't care how the money was given - so if this strategy means more money when it is needed, then maybe it is a good thing. I suspect the better way to do it might be to: tell people you want presents given to you to be charity ones OR to give money you have received as a present to charity (as long as the giver is happy with this). And then I think that it isn't wrong to get some nice gifts at Christmas either - God intended for us to enjoy his creation. So a hard question all told......"

In addition, I would like to say that what prevents me from getting all self righteous about this issue though is that this stategy does see money reach those who desperately need it. And I don't think I give enough to these people. So, when I start do that, maybe I can get self righteous about it! So if anyone does do this on my behalf, I will try to accept the gift humbly and with thanks for those who needed it more than me! though maybe not if it is an anniversary gift from my husband :).

The great dilemma

Sparky said to me as I tried to get him to focus on prayer tonight something like
" I don't want to do what I want to do." After a moment's thought to untangle this, I realised this sounded very like Paul the apostle when he said "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." (Romans 7 verse 15)
I asked Sparky whether this meant that though he wanted to be good, he found it hard to be so, becuase he also wanted to be naughty. He agreed. I admitted I found this myself. We sighed in our common frailty. I suggested praying to Jesus to help, because just like him, I needed help with this. But he wanted to pray later. I prayed anyway, after explaining better to not put it off, and then he said he wanted to take my words back from my mouth. In thinking about this, and based on other such incidences, I think he believes that if he doesn't tell God about being naughty, then God won't know. It's like when he has got in trouble and he begs me "don't tell Daddy!!". I would find this charming and naive.............. except that we as adults often do this too. We try to hide things from others, from ourselves, and from God. But of course, often we are only doing a good job fooling ourselves, and others have seen what we have tried to hide, and God has definitely seen it.

Owl walks!

On Friday Owl started walking (well one very tentative step). Very proud mum of my 10 month old. I have put up a photo from his dedication day of Sparky and owl dancing at Yum Cha (yummmmmmm - a real plus to working at a chinese church).

My blog has been very domestic recently! I will try to put in some more thinky pieces soon......I've been asked to write some theology stuff so that might help me get the brain in gear.

Another Christmas meme!

I had never done a meme, and now 2 within a week! Both on Christmas! So tag to Prue, Kristen and Kaylene. Look forward to seeing your answers. (Further note, 13/12: I was intially tagged by Nicole, if you want to check out her answers)

1.Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. Cheap. We have a mortgage…
2. Real tree or artificial? I grew up on artificial, but my husband has converted me to real. We go as a family to the farm to cut one down together.
3. When do you put up your tree? 2-3 weeks before.
4. When do you take the tree down? After epiphany. (so, Jan 7)
5. Do you like eggnog? Not sure I have ever had it! I like the idea of it…
6. Favourite gift received as a child? Dolls. If I was given one, it was always the favourite. Otherwise books.
7. Do you have a Nativity scene? Yes, on our wooden advent calendar. Plus another little Mexican pottery one that I can’t for the life of me find.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My grandmother. What do you need at almost 90?
9. Easiest person to buy for? My Dad. Books.
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Film for a camera I didn’t own.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Email.
12. Favorite Christmas movie? It’s a wonderful life. see the other meme
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I am increasingly more organised about this– so yes a few months before if I see something.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, I have to my shame, regifted.
15. Favorite things to eat at Christmas? I love getting the magazines and planning a whole menu with my mum. The more elaborate the better (I love cooking!). But you know, it isn’t Christmas without some choccies in my stocking.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? We have none. I am concerned about the use of energy, but also at the moment the possibility of just begun walking Owl pulling on the cord – as it is, the Tree is on the dining table this year.
17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night – seriously sublime.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Go to family in Sydney.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? No. Though hang on the song is now starting to play in my head and I can remember quite a few.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Either is good. Though angels always see,m to stay on better. This year we have an angel made by Sparky.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? On the day. Eve is just cheating.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Santa. Feeling guilty for allowing Sparky to know the truth after he worked it out at 2, and then annoyed that I feel guilty about this.
23. What is the "corniest" family tradition you do, or miss doing? I have been converted to the real tree – but I kinda miss the fun of working out how to construct the artificial one each year.
24. Ugliest Christmas Decoration ever invented? My family owned it. Someone gave us a plastic santa with a gold glitter suit, and then to add to this, santa’s face fell off, giving him a black hole instead – so it became the liberace as the undead santa. Actually amused my family no end one whole Christmas as we kept trying to top each other’s jokes…..
25. Which looks the best, theme trees or homey trees? I like themed trees – I am an aesthetic legalist, as some might know. Tinsel is not allowed within 100 metres of my tree. However, since having Sparky, I do put up the decorations he makes – in the midst of my otherwise tasteful red and white themed tree.
26. What does Christmas mean to you? Love came down at Christmas ( the title of the sermon I am currently writing!!! – see Philippians 2)

possum witchery and owl stitchery

Yes, Possum magic is a lovely book. No, we won't be reading it again anytime soon. Why? We have had a resident possum since Sunday morning. He makes a lot of noise in the evening (of course it could be a she, but its toilet habits suggest a boy to me ;) - see below), which is difficult enough with 2 small kids in the house, but what is starting to make me regret the possum's protected status is that it has discovered a vent we have in the kitchen ceiling is perfect for weeing through. Fortunately this does not target anything major (like the stove...) but unfortunately it is starting to leave a stain on our wood floor - I need to move a bucket under there - I had just had newspaper, but this possum seems to have a large bladder. Plus when the possum awoke early last night, while I was cooking dinner, I kept freaking out that it would wee on me as I moved about. We have booked in the possum removalist (expensive!!) but they can't come until next week....

But in happier animal news, I have started making the owl softie for Owl. Prue made me a gorgeous pattern, and it is starting to look good. Of course, Sparky wants me to make him one too. See here for the mini mock up Prue did, though mine is different colours and larger - you will have to wait and see.

Top Christmas movies meme

I have never participated in one of these before. But here goes. See the original post by John.
My top 4 Christmas movies (I have stretched the definition to allow Tv specials)

I hope these qualify as movies but I love the old rankin bass kid's ones - 2-4 are those:
4. the little drummer boy - always made me want to lay my gift before the king - in fact probably still has that effect!
3. santa claus is coming to town - who knew Santa started off as a cute red head Like the one below, both are about having open generous hearts.
2. It was a year without a santa claus - fantasticly camp music numbers
1. Its a wonderful Life Yes, it is sentimental but in the best of ways. Like the idea that each person can have an amazing difference in the lives of others.

Here are the rules:
Write down your four favorite Christmas movies in descending order.
Tag the first ten people who respond in your comment section saying they want to participate. (I doubt I will get ten!!!)
(Optional) Include a link to this post (John see above) and encourage others to place a link to their completed meme in the comments section of this post so we can keep track of the meme.