SOOOOOOOO FUNNY!

Just copy and paste to your search then enjoy the You Tube magic, this will get rid of all those Christmas shopping grumps! Only the guy in the middle is real! http://youtube/5ivV8ifvjGc

We are fine!

To all those lovely people who have txt, emailed and called we are fine. The poor people in Christchurch though! How aweful so close to Christmas to have yet more bad earthquakes. Please keep these amazingly resilient people in your thoughts and prayers over the Christmas break and thank you for your good wishes to us. Big hugs Isobial in Kiwiland xxoo

Validation challenge

Well if you watched at least some of the clip below you will have an idea of what I'm going on about. I have been trying whilst we are out and about to validate people we are coming into contact with. Now I'm not as good as the guy on the clip but I have found some interesting reactions can occur from doing this. It really is funny watching peoples expressions change and their self esteem takes a good boost from something that is almost effortless on our parts. I guess the trick is to be truthful, find something you really do think is positive don't just put it on! The other weird thing I've found is ever since I started this experiement people keep giving me free stuff, not a bad thing but interesting development, will keep you all posted. Other things I'm working on whilst enjoying my lovely holidays over here are the usual, pre-new years resolutions. I'd love to hear if anyone has some interesting one's, my are way boring as usual. Other than that,I have just secured three new books to read whilst away so looking forward to heading up to the Bay of Islands tomorrow for some beach time and chillaxin. Hope you're all gearing up for the big day and starting to hit holiday mode, not long now...... God Bless Isobial xxoo

Home Again

Well I can say with out a shadow of a doubt you can go home again! Flying into Auckland Airport and seeing the lights over the city had tears welling in both myself and hubby's eyes; we are home. It is funny how much familiarity and weird little things like the smell of a place can make you feel instantly relaxed and at home. We don't have to think two or three words ahead to make sure the people we are speaking to will understand and we know where we are going which is a huge bonus! More than that though the joy of seeing loved ones we haved pined for all year bouncing and cheering on the other side of the barrier was so sweet! All those in jokes and casual conversations slip back into play with an effortless ease and you know for that very short period of a holiday, you truly are home again. I hope where ever you are for Christmas, you travel safe and feel the joy of share such an amazing time of year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, from one very happy kiwi girl! Isobial xxoo

Validation

Christmas..Christmas...Christmas

Yes I am one of those crazy people that absolutely LOVE Christmas! An the count down is on in our house. It's genetic so I can honestly say I had no choice in the matter, but who cares when it is such a cool time of year! I have to admit the last few weeks my writing has struggled to compete with the growing excitement of decorating the tree and covering my house in tinsel and lights! I love everything about Christmas, the shopping, the decorating, the cooking and especially the holidays! This year we will be going home in the very true sense of the word and the whole house is buzzing with four very excited Kiwi's! I know a lot of people spout stuff about Christmas being just about presents and spending money and yeah I get that some people look at it that way but in my family we have always done the most amazing family things at Christmas; often travelling oversea's to visit rellies or spending the day as a family doing stuff we all enjoyed so for me the presents are just a nice side issue. My other favorite memories have always come from spending Christmas in church, now people can spout all they want at me about Christians taking over Christmas but HELLO get a clue people the whole reason for Christmas is the celebration of Jesus being born...you know the ultimate gift! If you have that part confused get yourselves a Bible, check out the New testament it's pretty basic stuff! I can't tell you how awesome it is to watch little kids perform the story or standing in candle light singing the carols, absolutely love it! This year heading back over the ditch to our nearest and dearest will be the best present we could ask for; but our absolute best present ever is knowing God loved us enough to send his son as a tiny baby, watch him grow and eventually let him make the ultimate sacrifice on the cross instead of us just so he could take our sin away and we, if we believe in him could have eternal life! Big WOW! Now no one can argue that's the most amazing gift we could ever receive so why shouldn't Christmas be my favorite time of the year? It's the beginning of the most important story mankind has ever heard. Not fiction either, a true story written down by those closest to him and accounted in many other historical texts thus it has continued to be told and read for so long. I hope where ever you are and what ever you do to celebrate, the real reason for Christmas celebrations doesn't slip past you this year! God Bless! Isobial xxoo