A little bit of soul searching ....

....has been going on by me, for a loooonnnggg time. but over the last year or so, I've been doing it a lot more than i used too. Perhaps it's because i have my nights alone 4 out of 5 weeks? or maybe because I am starting to feel like a "proper" grown up? probably both.

I've been thinking about what things mean to us and how we live our lives, and the values/virtues that i hold dear (and hope Jamie does too). I've been thinking a lot about what is important to us. So we are going to make a few changes in our lives

Sooo, in all my thinking and after chatting with Jamie, plus getting the all important OK from the children.......

deep breath.......

We have decided to give up Christmas....*cringe.....waiting for reactions....*

Phew...

Well ok, not give up exactly, but more like exchange it for something that is more meaningful to us.
 Christmas, especially now Jamie is FIFO, has always been just a date for us, one that now means more money for us, as no one else wants to work those days except him.  Neither Jamie or I have any religious beliefs about Christmas, and I have spent the majority of my life having multiple christmas' anyway, to be able to see everyone :) 

Sooo what does all this mean to you, my lovely family and friends...well not much really.
It DOESN'T mean, that if you send us a Christmas card we will post it back to you saying "no thanks"
it doesn't mean we won't wish you a Merry Christmas if we speak to you on the phone or via email.
It doesn't mean we will shun the shopping centres because they have Xmas decorations up.
It does mean, that we (seriously, i mean it) would not expect any gifts from anyone, but wouldn't deny you the pleasure of gifting.
Oh and it also doesn't mean we will give up the annual Santa photo - I like that, as it gives me a definite point in time to show how the children have changed over the year.
 It just means that we won't have stockings 'from Santa',
 won't have a big ol' fake tree covered in plastic baubles, even though they ARE so puurrrty :D
and it doesn't mean we won't have any special celebrations or special meals. who knows we might mark the changing of the seasons with some gifts and a special meal? we'll just do what works for us.
 The children are all 'cool' with the 'no santa' thing - though Lily did take it the hardest,(damn you Polar Express!!)  but she is good now.
I've never been fully comfortable with the whole Santa (and tooth fairy/easter bunny) thing anyway, but I admit, I have on numerous occasions used it to my advantage ;p.
We are trying to slow down our pace a little more, and pay more attention to ourselves as a family, I seriously need to give up or at least curb my internet addiction! that is a key goal of mine!!! and we want to cut out all the "junk" in our life. I've noticed the children (especially Samuel) are getting a bit caught up in the whole "I want, I need, gimmee gimmee" aspect of Christmas. Also, after nearly a year in suburbia, i have had my fill and want to 'go bush' obviously not so easy when we have 3am wake up calls and 7:30pm arrivals at the airport for Jamie ;D, but we are planning to move a little more rural. Like they say you don't know what you've got until it's gone :)

Birthdays have always been more important to Jamie and I anyway, so we intend on focusing on them as a start. We would like to start some family traditions of our own. And..... well i haven't got that far in my thoughts yet, but I just wanted to get it out there and let you know what we're thinking.....and give us plenty of time in case we change our mind ;P

So I'll leave you with my revelations for the night...one thing at a time huh ;p and will try post some photos next time.

Happy 100th Birthday for Monday (22nd) again Nanna, Sorry we couldn't be there :c

OX(OX)oxoxoxoxox
B(J)slkcs

PS. Just so you know, we aren't going to turn into a bunch of hippies dancing naked 'round the moon or anything!!  could you just imagine Jamie with dreadlocks and body paint!  *snort..BAAHAHAHAHAHaargh! thump!*
 sorry about that! I fell off my chair laughing!!!
no, we will still be completely normal and bathe regularly :D
LOL...body paint.. heh heh heh.