Things I'm Loving: A new niece, Bible App for Kids, Nativity Fun, Cronuts and Twinkling Lights

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something you can be thankful for..no matter how simple it is.

The best early Christmas present ever

Last Monday we welcomed our new niece Maia into the world. It's the best early Christmas present we could have asked for - the first child for my brother Nic and sister-in-law Kim in Melbourne, the first girl grand-baby for my mum and dad, our first niece and a first younger cousin for our boys - they only have one other cousin full-stop! So celebrations all round. My mum and dad had timed their visit to Melbourne perfectly being able to spend 3 days with the new little family getting to know their wee treasure. We enjoyed a lovely Skype with them last week and enjoyed the tiny yawns, poking out of tongue, superman stretches and scrunched up facials immensely!

Nature's own stage

We had one sunset last week that was particularly impressive, and unbeknownst to me I managed to capture the reflection of the sunset from one window in another window of our bedroom. It really does look like the sky has its own stage in this shot.

Bible app for Kids

The Holy Bible App has recently launched a kids version bible app - it has about six well-known stories of the Bible brought to life through interactive story-telling - definitely one worth getting the kids to sit down and listen to as well as play with the interactive storyboards - i.e. in the Creation story you can click on all the animals and they come to life. To download from the App Store, go here.

Nativity play

This year the kids at Sunday School and creche have filmed our own little nativity story - not quite in the same league as those famous St Pauls productions in Auckland, but cute nonetheless because they're our own kids. Here's a little taster for you of the fun we had at the big film shoot last weekend.

Noah is pretty obvious as Joseph but you get bonus points if you can spot Mylo on stage!

Kirkcaldies Christmas

Going to see the Kirkcaldies windows displays (and Santa who is in residence) is an annual tradition at our place. I thought that this year the window displays were potentially the best I've seen with a great Kiwiana theme running through the 4 dressed windows. This year there were elves who got lost on their way from the North Pole, who ended up riding on a taniwha and meeting lots of helpful native birds who helped them on their way to meet up with Santa just in time as his sleigh passed by Kirkcaldies and Stains.

Santa was AWFULLY chatty this year - so much so that I started to think we might never get away from the man - clearly he was a little bored at 4pm on a Wednesday and wanted some company!

Christmas lights that sparkle

For the last few years we've had static white lights which although lovely have always been a little muted and understated once on the tree. Last year I oohed and aahed over Mum's 4 colour set of lights that went through an 8 phase sequence and beautifully lit up the room. I'd been hunting high and low for something similar and getting very frustrated when all I could find was big and gaudy bauble lights or icicle hanging lights and had pretty much given up when I finally found what I wanted at The Warehouse - $11 on special - ba-boom!

Before

After

Cholestorol filled Cronut

I had been wondering whether all the hoopla over the cronut is justified. Hubby treated me to one the night we went to watch Catching Fire. What is a cronut I hear you ask? It's a custard filled donut but with a croissant texture and then covered in cinnamon sugar like a donut would be. All that adds up to heart attack material I tell you and I really only should have eaten half but I got distracted by the movie and the next thing you know I'd caned the whole lot - Miss Piggy! I'm glad I know what all the fuss was about but I won't be having another one anytime soon!

Wherever you are up to this weekend (and if you're like us it will going something like this: a mad dash from one place to the next: Mylo football - Noah swimming - groceries - a birthday party - BBQ at a friends - and that's Saturday done - then taking creche - another birthday party - Mylo swimming - a meal out with friends on Sunday), I hope it's a good one and hopefully not quite as manic!

Here's how you can join in this week:

Link up below with your blog post telling us what you're loving, and grab the Things I'm Loving button below for your post too. Don't forget to share the love by visiting all the other lovelies who have joined in - the linky is open till same time next week!

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13 December 2013