{2010}

Well today is the last day of 2009. Wow hasn't it come round quick.

2009 has been a good year for me, got given the all clear on my illness, moved to a lovely bigger flat, attended one big retreat and a couple of more low key events!, enjoyed working at my job, lots of scrapbooking and crafting, had a weekend away with K, and of course finding out i was pregnant and decieding with K to take this next step with him.

I know already that 2010 is going to be filled with amazing things and new experinces. This year is gonna be a big change for me and I really cannot wait!!

Reading other peoples blogs over the past couple of days I gave been inspired by them to try and pick out some goals I want to achieve over the next year.

To continue to scrapbook our life together and to enjoy it. I can see how you can quite easily get caught up in the I must record babies first this and that and stress about it. I will not stress! I will enjoy the process knowing that with my hobby I will be able to record these moments of our childs life.

To take photographs, if not daily but at least weekly. And to learn to use dslr to it's full potential.

To continue on with other crafts as well. It sometimes nice for a break from the paper.

To become better with the whole hosuewide thing!! I'm getting there.

To have more belief in myself. I know I'm very self doubting a lot of the time. I need to be stronger.

To still make time for people and friends. And not let being a mummy take over me. Still be able to be Leanne.

I think that's it.

On jyc terms I'm still behind but journalling away. Only 6 more working days left then I'm on maternity leave. I'll catch up then.

Wishing you all a wonderful 2010.

P.s if anyone knows of any challenges etc going on for 2010 please let me know!!


Lx

{Christmas}

I am a few days behind with my journal, well actually making the pages. My guess is my page update will be after Christmas now. I have been doing my journalling daily all ready to put into the pages! Not only have i been busy with work and Christmas prep, I have also been sick and the weather - i.e snow and ice has led to delays round here. On Monday it took me 4.5 hours to drive home from work when usually it takes me 40 minutes!

So its nearly here the last few bits of shopping is done, presents are under the tree, turkey defrosting and the Christmas Yankee candles are burning! ( currently mistletoe and Christmas eve!)

I just wanted to stop by an wish everyone a merry Christmas, I hope you all get some lovely gifts and have a wonderful day of enjoying the season.

Right I'm off to rest as I seem to be having one active baby belly this evening!! Trying very hard to take it easy!!

Merry Christmas bloggers

xoxox

{JYC 09 days 14 - 19}

Like many other bloggers it seems we are all playing catch up! Guess it's the December curse! Were all busy and rushing here and there. I have been doing my jounalling daily, but I took some time today to sit down and get it on some pages. On top of it being a busy December I have also come down with a cold. Which is no fun at normal times, but really knocked me for six! Guessing the preganancy has lowered my immune system, plus it means I'm very limited on what I can take to help ease the pain!! So thursday and Friday spent a lot of the day sleeping. Today I'm starting to feel a bit better but still not 100%!

Back to my journal....

At work we do secret Santa. A little bit of fun and secrecry!! This year I got a little cute cupcake and muffin cookbook! Kevin was pleased too. I've had a read and there are some really nice reciepes. So thank you secret Santa!






This year we are not just being visitors at other peoples houses, we are opening up our house on boxing day to friends and family. I am little nervous about hosting a Christmas gathering but I'm sure it will go fine.






I love this time of year. It always seem to get people in the mood of reflecting back and looking at life. I am so grateful for so many things right now, to be healthly, to be pregnant, to be in the new flat, for my friends and family and for to have Kevin in my life.






I am pretty much sorted on the presents front. This year for both sets of parents we have put together hampers for them. I spent the afternoon packing them today. They are full with chocolates, tea, coffee and a few other bits too.






Food planning this year has been a little different due to impending guests on boxing day. My usual planning is to not buy too much as we won't be at home. Very different this year. My plan for boxing day is to cook a few dishes and people can help themselves. I am also planning on baking a few goodies over the next few days too.






My letter to Santa. I used to love sitting down and writing my letter to Santa. This year I've asked for a happy Christmas with friends and family, that they like there presents, and that I enjoy the last few weeks of my pregnancy and have a healthly happy baby. Not too much to ask me thinks!





That's me all caught up now. Off to nurse my cold and chill out on the sofa. We had a Chinese with friends this evening so have plenty left over for snacking on tomorrow.

Lx

{JYC 09 days 10 - 13}

A bit of a catch up today. I spent the afternoon with some friends scrapping, eating and enjoying the season of merriment!!

I have only just bought the wrapping paper and finished the Christmas shopping so my page is without a picture as I haven't actually wrapped any presents yet! Whoops! But we went very bright and funky this year - me like it alot!



The Christmas tree is an obvious stable element of the preparation. I love putting up the tree, and I really love the mix of decorations we now have. It's a growing collection and i'm pretty sure next year our decortions will grow a bit more with babys first Christmas decs!! I have seen some really adorable stuff out there, but I'm being good and not buying anything like that just yet!!



I also got thinking about my future Christmas instead of the past. I am so excited to be celebrating my first Christmas as mummy!! And I cannot wait to prepare for my little family Christmas - me, K and baby! I cannot even begin to imagine what next christmas will be like but I'm sure it will be alot more frantic, a lot more fuss and a lot more presents!!!



Finally I find music a big part of the christmas prep. As soon as I start to here the songs on the radio it makes me smile and the songs get stuck in my head! I will end up humming them all day!



Thanks so much for the comments on my previous posts about the advent reading books. It is definately something I will be looking into.

Our computer is still sick but I'm hoping to get some answers about what is wrong with it tomorrow! Fingers crossed.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

Lx

{JYC 09 days 8 & 9}

I love christmas

No I really do!! And I love the run up to christmas when you start seeing all the little signs that christmas is on it's way!! Like the red cups and gingerbread lattes at starbucks, tins of sweets on special offer!!, the Christmas songs on the radio (like right now I'm listening to Mariah Carey all I want or christmas!!), the coca cola advert on the tele and of course JYC starting up again!! I love this season!!


We as a couple don't have very concrete traditions! There's things we do like opening out presents at home in the morning, seeing family and having the tree with the same decorations. But overall were pretty flexible over the season. Next year I'm hoping to introduce new traditions for my little family. I was talking to k about this last night and I really want to make Christmas magical for my little one. It's something I remember from my childhood the magic of the season, leaving food out for Santa and believing in him!! I want to start getting ideas on traditions to bring in, any suggestions?! I've read on a couple of blogs about advent chiristmas books. Opening up a book each day with a new Christmas story- I really love this idea but baby will only be about 10 months or so next Christmas do you think this is too young???



In other news our desktop pc has decieded to get sick!! We can't login and everytime we do it just logs us out again automatically- any ideas on how we can fix our poorly pc!! These things always happen at this time of year I guess!!

That's me time to go to work now!! Oh well at least it's Friday x

{JYC 09 day 7}

Why is it December has a sneaking way of creeping up on you?? All of sudden Christmas is just a few weekends away and there's still a few things I need to do. A few presents left to buy, presents needed to be wrapped and I have a few reciepes I want to bake. Do you have any fave Christmas reciepes? Please do share with me!!




Speaking of time speading up I will soon be going on my maternity leave, in 4 weeks actually!! It's all getting a bit scary now!!! Baby is extremly active and we have discovered a lover of some Motown music!! Lol!! Good taste!!

Have a nice evening, I'm off to snuggle on sofa and carry on making squares for babys blanket!!

Lx

{JYC 09 days 4, 5 & 6}

Had a busy old weekend here! Friday night was dinner with the crop ladies. We went to themed restaurant called Smith &Weston, which was fun! Huge portians and sparkly cowboy hats!!!! Saturday saw a bit of Christmas shopping and a belated thanksgiving dinner with friends. This year I am thankful for my health, to be in the new flat and to be pregnant. Today was a bit of tidying, putting up the Christmas tree (yay!!), movie watching and a little JYC catch up for me!

The subject of a perfect Christmas for me was an easy one. As much as I love all the christmas trimming of the tree, the music, the food and presents! My perfect christmas is getting to spend the day with K. This will be our last christmas as just me and him, then my perfect christmas will be me, K and baby! So excited!!



In regards to how I count down to christmas, well we no longer have the chocolate advent calenders I had as a child ( though my guess is that they will make a return to our household next year!) for the past few Christmas I count down to Christmas by taking part in an advent swap parcel with my crop ladies. This year so far I've had some letters, chipboard, bling!! It's good fun. My other main count down is the Christmas journal. I love the taking time out to think about a different aspect of Christmas each day!



Today we were prompted to think about christmas pasts. My childhood christmases were happy affiars. I remember the excitment, being unable to sleep, waking up early, the wrapping paper and the love for the day. I hope that next year and for years to come I will be able to bring the same excitment and joy to babys christmases. I really cannot wait for next year already!!



Apologies for the long post. Right off to cook dinner and watch x factor- who do you want in the final?

Lx

{JYC 09 Day 3}

Last Christmas I had high hopes of making all my christmas cards. But this time last year I was lying in a hospital bed, about to be given a lumbar puncher! So Christmas cards where not exactly top of my list!!

I think that's why this year I tried so hard to get my cards made! As previously posts of how i put my cards together so I won't go into that again!! But I Am really pleased to put one of my cards I my album for years to come!



Right must go cook some dinner and catch up on america's next top model!! Lol!!



Lx

{JYC 09 day 2}

Today I'm ahead of the game, I have a midwife appointment today so had a little extra time this morning to put my page together!!

I would love to experience a white Christmas like in movies! When it snowed back in feburary it was so pretty and cosy being able to wrap up warm.

It has gotten cold all of a sudden, very chilly! It's a bit of shock as our new place is bigger than the last so it seems to be more cold than usual. My current routine when I get in from work is put heating on, cook dinner, make a hot water bottle and wrap on the sofa with a blanket. It's so comforting.

Here's my page 2 for today with some snowy pics I took back in the febuary snow day we had.





Enjoy your day people and wrap up warm- it's rainy here!! Oh well.


Lx

{JYC day 1}

Today marked the start of the holiday season for me! Journal your Christmas prompt in my inbox means Christmas is on the way!!

So I opened up at work and wrote my journalling! That I thought would be me for the day, and I was not going to worry about this. If all manage to do each day is te journalling or take a picture then so be it- the pages can come later. I have learned that this approach is better for me. I learnt this last year, as mentioned in my previous post I was sick last year but I still managed to do my journal up until boxing day. I think that was quite impressive if you ask me?! Lol. This year I will just take my time and enjoy the process of creating!

But to my suprise I had the time to put my page together this evening. I'm using a real mix of stash- ok the pages may not be the best in the world, the important thing to me is to record the memories.

This year I decieded to do an 8x8 album. In the past I have done a 6x12 and 8.5x11. And I love both of them!!!

Here it is page 1 of the album done and dusted (my album is till undecorated?! Oh well)



Thanks for the comments on the last post, let me know if you bake those cookies would love to see the pictures and here about it! I'm on a real creating Christmas bug! Seen a reciepe for some chocolate shards too- real simple, melted chocolate and you sprinkle with toppings I.e dry fruit, nuts or cake decorations! And leave to go hard then you break up!! Will let you know the outcome!

Over and out bloggers! Mwah!


Lx