Champomy

So, yes, I suck at updates. My apologies. I don't make New Years Resolutions but I did say to myself long before New Year's eve that I would at least try and regularly update this thing as well as my other little goals for 2010. I'll not list them as so many of you lovely people have done as they are more personal to my health, happiness and well being but they're all good things. Trust me!

Christmas was spent in the UK seeing my lovely family. I really missed not having the boy with us but I still managed to make the most of it surrounded by the family's love and lwarmth. Seeing my niece really made it feel like Christmas so that was great. I took plenty of pictures but with my film SLR so I'll post real snowey white Christmas pictures as soon as they're developed. I have decided a handy little compact digital camera is on my wish list this year. I love my film photos as the depth of colour is just worlds apart from digital. Plus, I just love the excitement of seeing what the photos will actually look like! I also love holding them. Not sure why but freshly developed photos make me happy.

So, the title of my blog. Champomy! An alcohol free kid's version of champagne. In reality it's sparking apple juice in a bottle shaped like a champagne bottle but it was great! New Year's eve was spent with the boys' sister and partner and a good friend and it was a relaxed but very enjoyable evening. I am one of the few in my new circle of friends here in the Netherlands and although this is a good thing as I made a decision to cut down on my drinking habits a long time ago, it still at times feels a little strange and I qorry about, if I have a glass of wine etc when they're round, is that an issue. I don't think so and I know they all have other friends who really drink but I don't know, it's a little offsetting. So, it was really cool to have a a silly glass of apple juice with exceptionally good company and feel like a real New Year. Plus, everyone was super happy to watch Jools Hootananny so that made me super happy. Havewatched it every year for the last 5 years or so. Glad it will now appear to be a regular New Years tradition here too. :D

We had tons of fun with sparklers and watching fireworks. There's something about acting like children and waving sparklers as if they are fireworks tht really fulfills the inner child in me.

In other news, we have had snow. Plenty of it! But still not enough to be able to honestly call into work and say the weather prevents travel. :( Gutted, especially as friends in the UK have been posting photos of their fun in the snow when their respective employers or the national transport system has advised them to stay home. I can only wish. At least it's not had the chaotic effect here as it has in the UK so that's something to be thankful for.

The boy and I had a fabulous day off yesterday and spent this relaxing with a duvet and movies and also by taking the furry child to the park. His new obsession is chasing snowballs since I threw one a few days ago. I've never seen a dog tear apart a snowball so quickly and literally smile afterwards about his achievement! He is such a litle light in my life. He still has his warm winter coat I bought in the UK and it's been the first year he's really had to use it. My favourite thing is watching people's experessions as we walk past and they realise it is actually a dog version of a human coat. I've seen grown, very burly men reduced to whimpering simpletons over the cuteness!

Other than these wonderous things I have been sewing!

I have made a scotty dog from the pattern as seen here: http://allsorts.typepad.com/allsorts/2006/05/softie_scotty_d.html

The owl as seen here: http://www.qdpatooties.com/bluehowlaiiptrn.jpg

Elephant as seen here: http://www.karensvariety.com/NEWSLETTER/Patterns/Elephant.htm although I was most proud when I figured out how to use what I'd learnt on the Scotty dog pattern to make the elephant a standing one!

I am currently working on a mouse that I downloaded the pattern of but don't seem to have a link for where it came from. This makes me feel bad as it's lovely pattern. Maybe I'll find some type of signature on the pattern download. I'll update if I find something.

I have decided that I really want one of these:

The stories crack me up and part of the money for each purchase goes to a good cause so it's good things all round!

I also love how this couple live and think, http://somethingshidinginhere.typepad.com/my_weblog/ .I read their updates with a happy hear. They have such a great mental attitude to things and they seem like pretty funky people. I love her hand tattoos, GIVE and TAKE. Something for us all to live by I think, don't you?