Wrapping up 2010 with a Little Fun

 

New Years! by byBecky featuring amrita singh jewelry

Today, I thought I would play along with Danimezza's Polly Dolly and show you what I would love to be wearing tonight, along with a messy pony tail and some glam make up, for New Year's Eve. Now, if you know me you're probably having a 'What the?' moment, because I don't do glam. I don't do dresses. Other than a slap on of make up I don't do much of anything. And since having kids I've been known just throw my hair in a band without so much as running a brush through it. Sometimes, we just have days like that.

However, since my first 'Shopping for Oprah' experience my attitude has started to change. While searching for the perfect outfit I found myself looking at clothes I would not normally. I found myself trying on pieces in colours other than black. I've rarely worn anything other than black since I was a teen. Possibly because I once heard it was slimming. 

I found myself obsessing about shoes. Whatever would I wear? I took heed of the advice to go for comfortable shoes (well, at least until the day) and didn't buy any of the high heels, pumps or boots I found myself eyeing off.  Now, when I glance at my collection (if you can call a maximum of 4 pairs a collection) of sneakers and thongs I feel somewhat wistful. I don't want to go crazy and become shoe mad, but I would like one (or two) pairs of something just a little sexy.

It seems 2010 has been the year to make me aware of  appearance in one way or another. If you've been following along with my 52 Weeks Project then you would know I am not one who likes having photographs taken of me. Normally, I am the one behind the camera. However, I saw this project as a way to record myself for my children, grow my photography skills, be creative in a different way, knock off one of my 101 in 1001 (one more month and I will have) and maybe just find a little of myself. And with 25 weeks down I am happily still going along.

 Christmas Pic

NYE 2010 Pic

I have big plans for my project in 2011, plans that are part of my way to ward off my PND and help me feel better about myself. Things like wearing bright, happy colours like I have in today's photo (which, by the way, was taken on my iPhone and I added a filter in Instagram - if you don't have it you should, I am loving it!) - a simple move that keeps me feeling light and happy.

2010 has had many highs and lows for us, the best thing being the birth of our gorgeous baby boy, Jasper, of course. It's funny (though not in a haha way) how such a wonderful event can lead to some very dark days. This month I've tried to keep my mind on the positives and find five things I'm grateful for daily. Some days it's easy to rattle off many things I am grateful for. Other days it's a struggle to even remember to breathe let alone see the good things through the frustration, exhaustion and tribulations. 

This year has also been a big year in terms of beckyandjames.com as this is the first year I have treated it as a blog as apposed to a 'journal' and it's the first time I have really stepped out from my little space here into the wider blogosphere to find friendship and support. It's the first time I have felt and understood the 'community' that can grow from a blog and I am so glad to have. 

Alright, I suppose it's time to sign off for 2010. See you in the new year!

Christmas Highlights

I have been writing this post for three nights now. Night three and I've finally got a sentence. There's this Little Man who simply hasn't let me have any time to blog - or much of anything - without him attached to me.

I was going to write a lovely post about our beautiful Christmas full of early mornings, good food, family, laser dancing, Peppermint Bark and gifts... however, now I am over it and too tired to remember the words I had chosen to describe our holiday. So, instead I am going to post some piccies.

Our Christmas spans many days and a few different locations. Christmas morning was hosted by James and I for my Mum + two youngest brothers, Uncle Max and Uncle Caleb.

 Our Santa for the day came with a deep Christmas message

 

Strange gifts (undies)

Our Santa also won an Oscar for his 'surprise' at the gift I gave him

Since Christmas Day was our first hot day in ages the girls HAD to drink from the tank

After a hearty brekkie of bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast and croissants and some time spent enjoying our gifts James and I packed up the children and whisked them off to Grandma's;

 For more food + pressies

 Cuddles with chicks

 And some Scrappy time

Once we were suitably stuffed we piled back in the car, did a quick pack and whisked up to Great Nan and Great Grandpa's two hours away for Christmas dinner, which we didn't eat until after 9pm (our stomachs probably were relieved with the delay). Then James, Uncle Max, Aunty Case and I took Ellie light looking.

 Where Ellie got special treatment and was allowed to ride Santa's slay for some photos

 And we danced in the laser lights

 Boxing Day is traditionally when my mum's family gather for Christmas, so that's what we did.

 It was quite tiring for some of us

 Welcome to the Ellie + Case cooking show

where Peppermint Bark was on the menu

 

After being taunted by the pile of pressie under the tree for hours, we sat for the giving, which is always opened with my grandfather doing a round up of the year and giving us a theme for the next. As he was telling us next year's motto of "Look toward Heaven in twenty-eleven" Kahlei decided she'd had enough of the talking and stood in the middle of the room demanding 'pwesents', stamping her foot and folding her arms. It was funny and mortifying all at the same time!

When asked if they'd been good (for a 'bonus' present) Kahlei promptly forgot her previous 'pressie tanty'

Conveniently
 

The day after Boxing Day we played cards before going home, I had a 'helper':

How was your Christmas?

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, lovely readers. I hope you have a wonderful holiday with friends and family, sharing laughs, love, good food and priceless memories.

Be safe.

Today I am grateful for:

1. The ability to get out and do our Christmas food shopping
2. Finally getting our decorations up - yes, I waited until Christmas Eve. Slack as
3. Friendly, helpful strangers who helped me get my trolley and three children safely to the car, which was parked half a world away
4. James saying yes (more on this AS SOON as I'm allowed)
5. Christmas!!

Check Her Out

For today's Wordless Wednesday I thought I would share photos of my new baby! I am trying to find an appropriate name, I was thinking something that means 'freedom' (thanks for the idea, Virginia) since having a car will make a big difference in my life and enable me to be a little less isolated. Which I really need right now.

Any suggestions?

Play along with Wordless Wednesday.

WHAT a day!

Today I am grateful for:

1. My car - which we bought at Auction yesterday and picked up today. She's beautiful and exactly what I needed
2. Leanne @ Springwood Commonwealth Bank, who FINALLY actually helped us and gave us the customer service nobody else could be bothered to give with our 'same day' loan after 11 days...
3. Surviving driving in the city alone with the kids. Had a panic attack, nearly had a meltdown and felt claustrophobic but managed to get through it without going mental
4. Today being over - it was long and stressful
5. My bed, which is calling my name right now

Night night!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mean Mumma

After our recent visit to Santa and the reaction the girls had, I became convinced I would never ever have a Santa photo with any of my children. Especially when the mere mention of him had Ellie on edge.

So, when we found ourselves on numerous shopping trips with only one child and walking past Santa quite often I had a brilliant idea. We were shopping with the only child not afraid of the Jolly Man. What a perfect opportunity. When I relayed my wonderful plan to James he looked at me like I was some type of monster.

I explained my position that Jasper wasn't afraid because he was too young to know he should be, making this possibly the only chance I would ever have to get a Santa snap and the best part was that we could take our own.

We debated over the weekend about whether or not having our 5 week old baby sit on a strange man's lap was really a good idea or not. It was practically a battle to the death. I wanted that photo like you wouldn't believe and James was certain I was being terrible by merely contemplating the idea.

Late yesterday afternoon, after what was to be our last dash to the shops before we head home I decided to go for it. James had to actually take the photos since he wasn't willing to go near to hand over the bub. Admittedly, I felt quite nervous myself and I suppose now would be the time to disclose that I've only had a Santa photo once in my life - with my great grandfather, who I watched dress in his suit and I still freaked...

Still, I handed over my slumbering Little Man.

And I will treasure my one Santa photo always!

Playing along with Fat Mum Slim's Point and Shoot and Scissors Paper Rock's Week-a-Boo.

Today I am grateful for:

1. My brother being back in Australia, safe and sound
2. My lovely husband winning a car at auction for me today
3. Finding James a Christmas present - he knows what it is, but this year I will simply have to deal with that and be happy that Christmas morning wont see him with nothing...
4. Offers
5. Alone time with Kahlei, shopping for James's pressie
6. Kahlei being 'freed' from the bedroom where she locked herself in, instead of sleeping earlier this evening

Is There Such a Thing?

Could it be possible to spend too much time blogging, building your blog's community, reading other blogs and generally floating around the blogosphere? I would have said no until tonight...

... When my dad received a Christmas gift from BeckyandJames.com!

Do you spend too much time in blogland?

Today I am grateful for:

1. Nearing the end of our Christmas shopping. In fact we have an idea of what to get everyone, which is a step in the right direction

2. Jasper being too young to realise he should be scared of Santa, so that I could get a photo of him with the man
3. Meeting Jo - My dad's friend who makes him so happy
4. Books
5. Being an adult who has no problem logging off in this Social Networking, constantly connected world (even if it is only for a little while)

Today I am Grateful for Pink Fingernails

This has been one crazy busy week. Amazing. Enlightening. Just wow.

Today I am grateful for:

1. The Saturday Grateful link up which the lovely Maxabella hosts. I love the out pouring of gratitude which floods the blogosphere. There are so many incredible bloggers out there who inspire me with their positive outlooks.
2. Pink fingernails. I painted Ellie's nails on Monday and every time I catch a glimpse of them I can't help but smile. They're soo cute and she just loves them
3. Band aids for my blisters as we've spent HOURS shopping today
4. The reason I have Oprah Blisters. They may hurt, but when they do I remember why, how and when I got them and feel all tingly
5. Funny moments, like today when Ellie picked up a sexy hot pink bra in the shop and held it up to her chest, as if to see if it would fit. Funny Munchkin

Tell me, what are you grateful for today?

P.S. Have you read my post about going to Oprah? You know you want to ;)

{52 Weeks} Week 23: The Oprah Show

This week I decided to cheat and use a photo taken earlier in the week, rather than one taken today. Only because I thought a photo of mum and I in line for Oprah would be a great idea for this week's {52 Week} portrait.

The day - amazing. The show - amazing. The woman - amazing.

We may have walked 6 blocks in uncomfortable shoes from Martin Place to Circular Quay due to changed traffic conditions, creating blisters which I now refer to as my Oprah Blisters, but at the end of those six blocks was this banner and while there were hundreds through out the city, this one gave me goose bumps. We were so close. I could feel it.

We may have stood in our uncomfortable shoes on our Oprah Blisters in a sea of thousands of people, which magnified the heat for an hour or more, but at the end of the line we were ushered into a tent with metal detectors, bag searchers. The excitement was building in my chest and I knew we were almost there.

Much more almost there than the people behind us.

And then we were there. In section C3, our view of the stage was not so great and the sun decided to come out in full force as we waited on our not-so-comfortable seats which were definitely placed too close to each other, but we were there. I could barely sit still, the thrill was taking hold. The crowd was being warmed up. We were cheering, dancing, being told Bono would be there, screaming.

I took this photo just before we were told to turn off phones and put away cameras. There were so many times I saw people around me blatantly disregarding the rule of no photos during shooting and, I admit there were moments where I had such a clear view that I wanted nothing more than to snap a pic, however I felt there was an important level of respect that I should uphold. Oprah herself will never know that I didn't snap any photos, only my mum and I will know, that's enough though.

And then she was there. I teared up, I was completely unprepared for the surge of emotion that grabbed at my chest as the back of the set opened to reveal Oprah. She may have been a miniature person, often hidden by other people's big heads, from where I was sitting, but she was beautiful. Gorgeous. Powerful.

It was as if the whole Harbour was suddenly filled with her presence.

I was mesmerised. The crowd was mesmerised. Well - possibly with the exception of the lady sitting next to me who did not smile, clap, get excited or show an ounce of interest. I took a moment to wonder why she had bothered to come and then was swept up in the atmosphere that included everyone except her. Of course, now that I am not in the midst of such a raw, honest, amazing experience I realise she was probably one of those people who were simply there for stuff. She may have gone home with something, but by being closed to what was going on around her she truly missed out.

I wont go into Bono talking about hanging up his glasses, Hugh Jackman's black eye, being there to witness Oprah trying Vegemite or the amazing star-studded finale, you'll see them when you watch in January (you will be watching, right? Just in case you see me? I'll be the one in blue...) .

What I do want to share is the moments between, during the ad breaks when Oprah sat on her stage and addressed US, a crowd of 6000, as if we were friends. Best friends (I'm pretty sure she and I are actually BFF ;). She thanked us all for making the effort to travel to Sydney to see her, for buying new outfits even though she would never know they were, for purchasing new shoes and making ourselves up.

When Hugh Jackman got down from his harness, Oprah went over to him, gave him a kiss and said "Hi, baby." A beautiful moment we were able to bare witness to. And in one ad break a man with a ladder to check the light after the incident to "make sure it doesn't fall", to which Oprah replied, in that special Oprah way "I would love you to make sure it doesn't fall on me."

She shared with us, after getting her eye lashes fixed, how it takes a village to dress her. It also takes a village to get her TV on. The talk show Queen is hilarious, personable and simply a normal person while being an extraordinary human being.

We may have been gifted a gorgeous diamond necklace, in the shape of an 'O' but what she really gave was herself, leaving us with memories, moments and once the cameras were switched off for the last time her advice to live a life of purpose. To live a life of love. To reach out to others.

And I intend to try and follow her advice. Not because she's Oprah, but because what she spoke of rang true with me, she spoke directly to me and connected with my heart.

To have shared such a day with my mum, after the year we've had, was the best thing!

Today I am grateful for:

1. The memories created this week
2. FINALLY hearing about our loan so that we can start organising a car for me
3. Getting our Christmas shopping started (yes, I said started...)
4. Smiles from my Little Man :) Too cute
5. Clarity