Blogmas Day 6 - The Elf is Back

This is actually something that happened last week but I wanted to share. Our Elf on the Shelf Hollybell usually arrives around the same time as our Christmas tree and sure enough the morning after the tree went up there was Hollybell perched on our kitchen island. 

There she was sitting amongst my advent candle wreath and using a packet of M&M's had spelt out "I'm back" the girls were so delighted to see she had come back, as they remembered all the fun they had last year trying to find her each morning, last year there used to be tears if the other had found her first but this year so far it's all going very well (the difference a year makes)! 

For her return Hollybell also brought with her breakfast from the North Pole. 

Yummy custard filled donuts covered in powdered sugar. This was such a treat for the girls and made a change from the usual cereal.

Hollybell will be with us now until Christmas Eve and has already hid in a few funny places but we love looking for her and seeing what she has gotten up to while we sleep (once she is back from her nightly trip to santa) .

Karen

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Blogmas Day 5 - Saturday Night Hot Chocolate

We let the girls stay up a bit later on a Saturday to watch "Strictly Come Dancing", they both love it. It is a true family Saturday (and Sunday) night show and we all really enjoy watching it together.

For the last couple of weeks I make my extremely delicious Christmas Hot Chocolate! It is so yum and I urge you to try it, you won't regret it!

To make it you will need: (serves 2)

1 dsp of Nutella

2 cups of milk

Squeezey Cream

Mini marshmallows (not pictured)

Caramel sauce

Sprinkles, I used these little snowflakes but you can use anyones you like or maybe grated chocolate 

Put your Nutella and milk into a saucepan and whisk gently over a low heat until the Nutella has melted into the milk.

Once heated to desired temperature, pour into Christmas Cups (optional). Top with whipped cream, marshmallows, caramel sauce and sprinkles! 

Serve with your favourite biscuits, tonight we had Cadburys Festive Friends and ENJOY! 

Karen

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Blogmas Day 4 - Christmas Planning

I just love my Erin Condren life planner, I use it for everything, mine and my family's plans, to do lists, budgeting and I really enjoy the decorating aspect also, my guilty pleasure.

I do feel it can be an expensive hobby though. I normally order my weekly stickers kits from etsy and I have done so for December from my go to shop GlitzandGlamPlanning but they haven't arrived yet sad face so I decided today to something new which was to buy a pdf printable from etsy. 

I ordered these fab instant downloads from MissSabineElise. Unfortunately I didn't think it would be difficult to get sticker paper and after trying numerous shops and loosing hope I finally found a packet in Mr Price, they are not perfect as they are 2 labels per sheet but the results turned out really well. 

The next bit was the cutting, I was doing it with a scissors and I wasn't thrilled with my straight lines but once I stuck them down they looked really well.

This is my week planned before the pen and I'm very happy with how it turned out! 

If you would like to order a 2016 Erin Condren  you can get $10 off the cost with this referral code: https://www.erincondren.com/referral/invite/karenodonovan0822

If you would like more planner inspiration check out my planning IG luzamaiplans

Karen

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Blogmas Day 3 - Visiting Santa

Ok so it's only day 3 and I have already failed! Day 3's post was planned but I actually fell asleep on the couch last night before I got to write it!

I'm going to go ahead and post it anyway and still post today's one tonight....awakeness permitting!!!

So one of the BIG things to do at Christmas is to visit Santa and that's what we did yesterday, this year we decided to go to fotawish! We hadn't been before (it was fota Imagine last year and Believe the year before) and it was something I definitely wanted to go and experience.

Unfortunately we had booked to go on the day that Cork decided to have the WORST traffic situation it has ever had. We were travelling from the west to the FOTA island resort and a journey that would normally take 30 mins took almost 2 hours!!!! We were one hour late for our reservation which I was so stressed about but I have to say the staff were so nice and understanding and it didn't take away from the experience at all! 

Once we were there it all went so well, the kids just loved it, I would definitely recommend going at night as the woods are lit up beautifully (I felt like I was back at Disneyland). 

We went on a train ride, met Santa Clause and Mrs Clause (Miss 5 was so excited to meet her as she is playing her in her school play), and had some hot chocolate. 

Santa was so nice and I love the family photo we got taken with him in his log cabin! 

I'm not sure if it is still possible to book as we booked ours back in September but if you can I'd highly recommend it, such a lovely family Christmas experience

Karen

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Blogmas Day 2 - Decking the Halls

I just love decorating our house for Christmas and it takes me about a week as I do it room by room, we did the main tree and living room over the weekend and I did the hallway today!

We have an artificial tree (less mess) and we got a new slimline one last year as our old one was huge and took up half the room, add to that the Christmas Eve toy delivery and you have a tight squeeze....so I am much happier with our new slimline tree.

Anyone else with a toddler have this problem??? so sweet of him to let me decorate the tree EVERY night, although I'm sure the novelty will wear off! Ha ha!

I love this lit garland from Penneys which at this stage is very old but I still love it! It's the one thing I miss every year when I put away the decorations (because as much as I love to Christmas up the house I enjoy getting the house back to normal in January)

As soon as I saw this little guy in Carraigdonn last week I knew I had the perfect spot for him, I know he's not wearing the traditional red but I actually love the brown (and it goes better with my living room decor) 

Karen

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Blogmas Day 1 - Hello December

Yay December is here! The build up and the preparation for Christmas can sometimes be the best part of the holiday season. To add to the happiness I'm on a week off work and so I get to be a full time Mom for the week, I know being a SAHM isn't for everyone but that's definitely when I feel the happiest, I honestly feel every moment away from my kids is a moment wasted, I just love being with them, doing the school run, and making our home, cozy and tidy for when they get home.

So the first of December meant the arrival of the advent calendars, there was so much excitement this morning when they got to open the first door, well baby boy didn't really know what was going on but didn't care when he saw the chocolate sweet, then I had to explain it had to go back on the shelf until tomorrow, he was not impressed ha ha!

Miss 7 chose "Inside Out", for Miss 5 it was the Disney Princesses and for baby boy it had to be Peppa Pig (only slightly obsessed) - and there's Hollybell our Elf on the Shelf sitting amongst the calendars.

I also took a trip to Zara today and picked up another bits for the kids (of course, they are better dressed than me) my Black Friday haul also arrived today....I will probably do a haul post so stay posted!

See you tomorrow

Karen

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