thoughtful gift giving...its 92 days till Christmas

Its already September and I can see Christmas decorations and items already in the shops.....where has this year gone?!?

Last year I saw many posts about the gift giving philosophy and really wanted to be wiser about gift giving this year.

I like to be organised and personally don't want to go any where near the shops in the month of December so I got on to shopping early this year!

I wanted to gifts to be thoughtful to avoid the clutter and the random items. With the boys being so similar in age I always need to be some what consistent in the amount for each but I can't just buy the same for each (they both have different likes and strengths)

So these are the items I have sorted this year

Something they want = Lego

Something to create = Watercolour paint and paint brushes / Paint brushes and apron

Something to read = books of interest 

Something to wear = t-shirt, shorts

Something they need = duvet covers

I find purchasing items over the year much less stressful. Of course the boys will always get socks and undies in their stockings as we stick with family traditions.

I am feeling so relieved that I don't need to go to the shops and feel stressed. And I may have purchased myself gifts, handed them to Mr B to wrap. It feels great to be done.

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5 years since september 4th

Its hard to believe its been 5 years since we woke at 4.35am 4th September 2010. 

I briefly posted about it here in June 2011.

My babies have grown so much over the past 5 years.

Lots of things have changed that have been beyond our control.

I am so thankful for the beautiful things I have created in the worst of times

and despite the city still being in chaos and construction mode my boys and family are safe and well.

We now have new opportunities to explore the ever changing landscape.

We are making the most of the new and exciting, creating memories along the way even when sometimes all you want to do in go back to bed and hide.

We have been capturing the small and possibly insignificant moments 

and enjoying the simple pleasures of home.

In some ways nothing feels the same as it was before all the earthquakes.

I'm making sure to capture it all. Every moment of it.

Sometimes through the worst of times it brings out our best and what's important and what we are capable of. 

A lot has changed over 5 years. This is now our new normal. And I'm okay with that.

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