tis the season

you might have seen the images from our family christmas here.

i also wanted to share some of my favourite images from the festivities

and events that led up to december 25th.

parades, gingerbread house building, decorating the tree, 

and family gatherings helped us get into the christmas spirit!

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we had a wonderful time celebrating christmas with the people we love! 

 

wishing you lots of love and memories in 2013!

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(thanks to jude and christine for contributing a few of these images)

christmas 2012

we had a lovely christmas at our house this year.

upon return from an amazing meal at auntie beth's on christmas eve,

we put on our new jammies and set out treats for santa.

 those treats disappeared very quickly... 

i guess barley (our dog), didn't want santa to over do it this year...

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 the christmas morning excitement began at 6am.

by 6:30 we were all downstairs 

digging into our stockings 

and then opening gifts one at a time.

we each enjoyed a santa kit kat from our stockings for breakfast (yum!)

and had a great day of playing with new toys and games, 

taking it easy and then a walk after dinner to 

see the lights at waterloo park.

it was the perfect day.  

merry christmas everyone and all the best in the new year ahead...

design project donation

a huge thank you to all those who participated in my 

christmas design project this year.

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i decided to put the funds raised towards stocking a health clinic in Uganda

(our sponsor child, Peace, lives in Uganda).

"when you stock a clinic you'll help provide life-saving 

medicines for an entire community"

-world vision

our donation of $100 multiplies to $1400 worth of supplies...

thanks for helping to make this happen!

if you're looking for meaningful gifts under your tree this year

here are two great places to start:

world vision

mennonite central committee

lollipop class

the other day selah had her lollipop (or last) class for gymnastics

(they get a lollipop at the end of each 12 week session).

it is also be selah's final class, at least for a little while. 

she goes in waves of loving her activities and wanting to take it easy!

while watching her on this day,

i was surprised she wanted a break from gymnastics...

she was having a fantastic time!

 after her last class we decided it was time to get into the christmas spirit 

by enjoying the festive special at swiss chalet!  

with gymnastics done and swimming ending this week,

 she's hoping to give irish dancing a try

(as a result of encouragement from our favourite dance teacher).

registration opens for one spot in the class on monday - wish me luck!

christmas design project - year two

so i mentioned a week or two ago that i was going to do my design project again, 

but i didn't give many details...

that's because i had not decided who will receive the funds that are raised.

we've always embraced the gift catalogues that MCC and World Vision organize each year,

but i would love to hear other suggestions of other places to give to...

(i'll let you know what i decide)

since i've designed 6 cards already, I have $60 to donate.

and even though it is almost december - i could still do a few more designs...

in fact, i would love to!

it's $30 for a design with $10 going to charity.

you send me your photos, i'll work them into a 4x6 or 5x7 design
(your choice).

i'll save it as a jpeg and send it to you to proof.

once you love it, the design is yours to print 

as many as you like through your local photo printer.

you can send payment by cheque or email transfer.

sound good?

fun.

here is a design from last year:

(sorry, no sneak peaks this year!)

i would love to get the total up to $100 this year!

that means 4 more designs...

big thanks to those who have already contributed to this goal!

(if you have ordered a custom bamboo christmas card
you have contributed as well)

so please leave a comment and link below with your suggestion(s)

of who you'd like to see receive these funds.  

twin day

it was twin day at school on friday.

my girls were panda twins, 

with matching necklaces, feathers and tattoos...

i just love that they chose to do be twins with each other!  

super cute...

linking up here today:

design project - year two

do you remember my christmas card design project from last year?

i have been busy this fall with my new photography business,

but the family sessions are winding down now.

this will allow me to do something similar this year!

please stay tuned...

if you already know you're interested in a christmas card design for this year

(and you've just been waiting for me to offer!)

leave a comment below or email me:

cheryl (at) bamboolifephotography (dot) com

more details on this year's project to come.

home for a day...

selah was home 'sick' today.

she woke up with a ton of boogies

(but some how i did not see even one the rest of the day).

she stayed home to avoid sharing the germs.

~

here's a few snapshots from our day together:

 these were taken during her 'nutrition break'

(i packed her lunch this morning out of habit).

 while eating blackberries and raspberries

(some were sour, or spicy as selah would say)...

 barley let us know that the mail lady had stopped by.

selah wished that there would be something for her.

i told her she needs to write letters, to receive them...

 turns out,

 i was wrong!

someone remembered when she had shared 

this hope for mail a few weeks ago.

selah got a postcard from grandma today!

 she was so excited and couldn't wait to tell emery that she got mail!

with so much free time today, she decided to write a few cards.

one of them was for grandma!

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i'm so glad i had my camera handy today...