Only 125 days till Christmas!!!!!

Yes you have read the title correctly...this isn't a post from 2008.I have decided this year that I am going to be totally organised in the presents department for Christmas 2009.

5 years ago Before Kids (B.K.) I would have my Christmas shopping done by October. I would have scoped out some really cool stuff throughout the year and stockpiled till Christmas. Each year I usually find a new "thing" that I love and buy 4 of them so I have plenty to share around (and usually one for myself!) and would also have a few "Emergency Presents" for those unexpected circumstances. Actually I still do have Emergency Presents all through the year, but mostly kids presents. And I have done all the Christmas Toy shopping in the July Toy sales.

But the thing is that now I do have kids and life is a little bit more hectic I see things I like, think who I can buy them for, and then promptly forget and then 2 weeks before Christmas I am asking myself "now what was that cool thing I was going to get for ....". So today while I was food shopping I bought myself a small note book that I will now carry round for the sole purpose of noting good Christmas presents, where I saw them and who they would be good for.

I love finding things that are slightly different, or a twist on an old favourite. My favourite thing that I have found this year is this:

Isn't it gorgeous! Looks like a silver necklace with faux diamonds but it is in fact:



A 4GB USB Thumb Drive!!!!

They were advertised in a parenting magazine for $59.95 but I couldn't justify the amount so managed to find them on EBay and got them from Hong Kong for half that price!!! So now I have to be on the look out for something else that makes me say "ohhh I just gotta have one of those!!!"

What your favourite "thing" this year?

My Favourite Things - Mini Spatulas

They don't look so mini in the picture but these gorgeous mini spatulas are only 20cm long. They are one of my favourite thing in my kitchen at the moment. I bought them about a year ago because I thought they were cute (?) but didn't really use them till about 4 months ago. That is a burn mark at the bottom of the one closest in the picture - not food!!

I would probably use these everyday now. My favourite use for them is for emptying jars or containers of stir in sauces, baby food, canned stuff or tomato paste. I can get every drop of sauce out of the jar with these little babies. They are also good for icing cupcakes, spreading fillings on sandwiches or spreading other things like potato on shepherds pie or meringue on lemon meringue pie.

Because of the wooden handle they don't go in the dishwasher, their only downfall, but I still love these little babies!!

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Before I sign off my blog on my favourite things I just want to say how sad I am that my friend Mary-Jane, for personal reasons, has stopped writing her blog. Her blog was funny, topical and very honest and she is one of the most inspirational mothers I know. I will miss her blog and hope she comes back soon. She inspired me to start my own blog and so if you get a chance, stop by and have a read at her wonderful blog at http://whatsthemattermary-jane.blogspot.com/