HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

Our 2012 wish 

Peace, Love and Happiness

for you all.

Happy Christmas!

Or should it be Merry Christmas, or Season's Greetings, or Happy Holidays? Whichever, whatever ... Peace on earth and goodwill to all men.

I am posting these greetings now because I have NO IDEA of when my life will return to normal! It's chaos in my household. The builders finished on Monday which was my granddaughter's birthday which was two days after my grandson's birthday ... and now it will soon be Christmas. I do have most of the presents bought and some are wrapped! The house is half-way to being decorated but is in need of greenery and fresh flowers [to be honest, the decorations' boxes are still all over everywhere!]. My advice to anyone would be DON'T have babies in December - birthdays distract ...

Ignoring all my chaos, I saw a new blog today via Postcards & Pretties that I'd not come across before - Sweet Something Design. 

This little chap was 6, two days after my granddaughter was 2 and four days after my grandson was 5. The blog belongs to his Mum. There's definitely an affinity there! 

The images on Postcards & Pretties today from Sweet Something Design were very seasonal. Hope you like them, they're so festive. I might even be found looking for a tartan rug tomorrow - just for the final touch!

I somehow doubt I will be blogging again until the New Year [I've already made 1 resolution - to be a better more regular, blogger] but until then ...

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND 

A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Great ways to give 2

THIS WEEK, THERE'S A VERY SPECIAL CHARITY GIVING OPPORTUNITY. 

The BIG GIVE have their Christmas Challenge. For every amount you donate to one of their registered charities, they will match it. It probably isn't quite that simple - I'm sure the charities themselves have had to do a lot of work to be included in the challenge but for the likes of you and I,  who often feel our small contribution may not make much difference, here's a chance to double it!

I support Action Medical Research as all the money they raise helps to make a difference - their strap line is for children, for life; the charity saving and changing children's lives and that certainly sums them up.

There are too many babies and children who suffer from medical problems and you can be assured that Action will be trying to help.

Right now donations are £4,100 so that means £8,200 will arrive with Action. The challenge is paused at the moment but will re-open at 10.00am [UK time] on Wednesday. Even philanthropic donors have finite funds!

PLEASE help - every amount [up to £5,000] is worth twice as much plus gift aid if you're a UK tax payer! If you're not, you donation will still be doubled and will help. And it's really important to realize that if a problem is solved in the UK,  IT IS SOLVED EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD!

Oh ... have you seen their truck out and about?

 Let us know when and where, we have a bottle of Ice Cuvee for the first response and also one for the response furthest from Brown's home location in Bicker, Lincolnshire

Don't forget - £1 donation would become £2 and would be added to make an amazing final total.

Thank you, it means such a lot

Pennie 

Winter, Snow and Weddings

The post I've just done led me to thinking about weddings in the winter. So there's a theme. The images, all from our favourite photographers listed to the side, include some engagement session photography as well as actual weddings - they're all pretty inspirational.

Do let me know your thoughts. 

Guess that's the groom, steering at the back!

Driving home for Christmas - sort of.

I wasn't REALLY driving home for Christmas, it just felt like it. The snow came during the night - my neighbour said it had come to say "Hi" before I left. The amount of time I spend there in the snow is a mystery to most of the locals. I can't help buy LOVE it and would have stayed but I was coming home for my granddaughter's birthday party. Two of my kids have been particularly silly - they have children born within 2 days of each other, the week before Christmas! HOW is anyone supposed to deal with that. Dear Santa, Can you help with Grandchildren's birthday presents? I have been good, well, at least I can explain. Love Pennie. Fortunately, the one living in England is having her party this coming weekend which should give us time to recover for Christmas [well, in theory that should be the case.]

SO, I am driving down to the city having left late because I had to clear snow from the drive and the car but at least it had stopped snowing. I take a route along Airport Road - a very long road that goes from Collingwood through to Lester Pearson Airport in Toronto. It's straight, hilly and very scenic. The sun was shining so the road had dried after the overnight snowfall and there was enough snow to twinkle. I pass at least four christmas tree farms with quite a few more just a little way off the main road. Get the scene? What comes on the radio - "Driving home for Christmas" and I haven't been able to get it out of my head since!!! Mind you, it did suit the journey but not as much as a few years back when I did the journey on a Saturday and all the city folk were collecting their trees and it was snowing - big fluffy snowflakes, so beautiful.

Couldn't resist some photos. Think cosy clothes and hot white chocolate. Enjoy.

Early morning

Even the trash got a covering

I straightened it before I left!

The trash adds to the scenery, don't you think?

Not quite as clear as the one across the road, but clear enough to get out!