365 Project - Week 49

Leo's school fair and a big difference from last year.  He hated the pony ride then but this year he asked to have a go and really enjoyed it.

Louka, surprisingly loves the reindeer antlers and keeps trying to put them on at every opportunity.

Leo trying to teach Louka 'Yiamas' / 'Cheers'

Not sure if Leo is being affectionate or trying to stop him from doing something!

Dusk over Varosha, taken from our balcony

'Anything interesting happening down there?'

Time for a rest Louka?

Our Cyprus Christmases - Flashback Friday

Four years ago Aaron, Leo and I were settling into to our new home, having been in Cyprus for almost 2 weeks. Christmas was coming and we'd hardly finished unpacking before the decorations went up in our apartment. It was a strange Christmas that year, we'd left all our family and friends and were yet to meet many people here, it was Leo's first Christmas but of course he had no idea what was going on and we'd just left a country where Christmas was in full swing to arrive in one where it appeared to be non-existent. 

2009, Leo's first Christmas

Despite that we did have a nice time, and looking back I like the fact that our first family Christmas was together and simple, I was not worried about how it went, I think I was still in a state of shock at the fact I was now living in Cyprus!

How did Santa find us in Cyprus?

 

In 2010, I was not feeling very festive, I spent most of December feeling that something was missing and even the decorations looked strange to me! For someone who loves Christmas as much as me it was very odd that it took me until the 21st to feel festive according to this blog post! I'd even considered not having a tree!

Christmas 2010

I've always said that 'Christmas is not just a day, it's a season'  (partly to wind Aaron up, and partly because it says so in the song) and I felt that there was no build up, I'm wondering now if there was but I just missed it somehow! We did have a lovely day though, with dinner at our friends (the first time I've ever been somewhere other than home for Christmas day) and Boxing day spent with them too. 

Leo, Christmas 2010

2011 saw the arrival of my parents in March so I guess that made Christmas feel a bit more 'like it used to' although I had just found out I was pregnant and spent most of the time in shock, whilst watching everyone else drink the booze I'd just stocked up on before finding out!

Waving to Santa in 2011

Last year, I feel it all started to change though.

Loukas had arrived, Leo was 3 and there suddenly seemed a lot more happening in Cyprus, or more likely it was that Leo appreciated the events a little more.  From the lights switch on in Agia Napa, to his school fete, Christmas show, trips to see Santa and the Christmas Avenue there was plenty to keep us busy and in a festive mood. 

Christmas 2012

This year when we went to see the Agia Napa lights, I had a real moment where I realised a big change had occurred.  As we approached the square with the music playing and crowds of people, I turned to my Dad and said 'Yep, NOW its Christmas' 

Four years of doing the same thing each year, with Aaron, Leo and now Loukas and my parents and that moment it seemed to me that Christmas had begun. 

Christmas in the sun?  No longer a problem!

Linking up to Flashback Friday

The Gallery - Morning

I never used to consider myself a morning person, when I started work at 17 in my local Safeways I often used to have 6am starts and they killed me. My Dad worked shift work and was often coming home as I was leaving and was always annoying cheerful whilst I would mumble a reply and leave the house.

These days due to the incredible non-sleeping child, and the fact that his brother was not much better mornings start much much earlier than I would have once imagined.

After more than four years of very early starts and forced early nights as I cannot deal with being tired, the morning is not such a bad thing to me,  (the broken sleep preceding it is the bit I don't like!)

Many times I am rudely awoken and dragged out of bed by a screaming toddler - he has not once woken up happy in his 16 months, but for most of the year there is a sight that always cheers me up.

It's much harder to be annoyed at the early alarm call when you step onto the balcony and see this

When you time it just right, and in summer it's usually about 5:30am, the sunrise is glorious, and no matter how many I've seen (and it's a lot!) I can't help but reach for my camera.

It makes me stop and marvel at the fact I live here, that this is my home.

Linking up to The Gallery

Instajunction Poster and Mini photo book review - plus discount code

Although I'm not the best photographer in the world one of my greatest loves is my rather large collection of photos. Since going digital several years ago now I've gradually been taking more and more, and since getting a decent phone last year and joining instagram I've been even worse!

The problem with digital though is printing them out, it's so easy to leave them hiding on your phone or laptop unlike the old days of trudging down the high street to pick up your little envelope. Here in Cyprus it's even worse as many of the online photo printing sites do not deliver here, or they charge extortionate fees for doing so. 

So I was really excited to discover Instajunction, a great website which enables you to get your long forgotten instagram photos printed on a range of fantastic products. 

After much debate I chose a large poster (£19.99) and mini photo book, 

I absolutely love the poster, I chose the large size which is A1 size and uses 70 photos.  The printing and the paper is very good - 200gsm Satingloss poster paper.  Once we frame it, it will have pride of place in our front room. 

The mini book of 50 photos is cute - £7.99 for the small one (8.5cm by 6cm) and printed on 350gsm Gloss heavyweight card.  It's a great size to carry around and a perfect little gift for Grandparents. I'm actually giving mine to Leo, putting it in his stocking at Christmas as he loves to look at photos like I always did and I'm sure he'll love the fact that they are all of him and his little brother. 

The ordering process was very simple, using your Instagram login details you simply select the photos from your instagram feed you wish to use, no editing needed - they know that you've already done that on instagram in the first place, the photos appear already square and using the filters you used at the time. 

You can upload from your computer, but photos will automatically be re sized, cropped and centered to squares.

Although the ordering process was beautifully simple, I found it quite frustrating in the way I could only scroll through my photos from most recent backwards, as I wanted to make both products using the oldest photos first it was a bit annoying to have to scroll all the way to the end in order to do this. The only other disappointing thing was that when choosing my pictures only 10 photos were shown at once, it would have been much easier if it could have shown more especially if you are as indecisive as I am!

However, although those things may have caused a lot of muttering at the time as a whole the process was very easy, checkout as simple and delivery was fast.  

Standard UK delivery is £2.95,  Europe is a very reasonable €3.95 and the rest of the world is only €4.95 and my order arrived in just a week which I was very pleased with. UK delivery is just 1 to 2 days. 

If you are looking to make some lovely gifts, or even treating yourself Instajunction are offering 25% on any orders placed up until 8th December 2013, just enter the code FRIEND25FJ

I was offered a voucher to use the website and purchase my products, the opinions are all my own. 

365 Project - Week 48

Sleepy boy

Another beach path walk, it's a great time of year for it.

Leo's first visit to Santa where I haven't had to sit with him, He loved talking to him and getting his present but looked all sad when we came out, I asked him why and he said but Santa didn't give me what I'd asked for?   So cute!  He was quite relived when I explained that he doesn't bring the proper presents until Christmas.

Christmas lights switch on in Agia Napa, I love that the festive season starts now - not October or early November, no huge over commercialized run up here!

 

365 Project - Week 47

Cuddles with Nana and Grandad

My little business goes live!  Santa's Cyprus Postbox is up and running this week.

Leo makes cakes as 'Child of the week' for all his class at school. He also takes in some toys, a book and a DVD to share with them for the week, and some photos to tell them about.  

A spot of bear wrestling!

A proper night out on Thursday with the girls, and a surprise cake for our friend's birthday.  I wore proper heels for the first time in about 4 years, drank far to much, and generally had a very good time!

Chocolate!

Leo's first Pantomime, he was a bit restless during it but at the end he said he loved every minute!

 

Santa's letters come to Cyprus

I am a huge fan of Christmas, I always have been but since having kids I love it even more.

I've always said that Christmas is a 'Season' not just one day - well it says so in the song 'Tis the Season to be jolly'!  and most of the enjoyment for me comes from the run up to the actual day.

Christmas in Cyprus is a lot more low key than in England, and that combined with the usual blue skies and sunshine means that I like to work a bit harder to create the 'Christmas magic'

This year though I'm not just creating the magic for my boys,

With the launch of 'Santa's Cyprus Postbox' any child in Cyprus can receive their very own letter from the man himself.

Personalised with information provided when ordering, Santa tells the recipient he is busy preparing for Christmas Eve and lets them know how proud he is of their achievements this year.

He knows what present they are hoping for, where they live and also mentions a couple of their friends that he will also be visiting.

He even requests which drink and snack he'd like them to leave out for him on Christmas Eve!

Also available are 'Baby's First Christmas' letters, where Santa introduces himself and wishes the little one a magical first Christmas,  and 'Good Behaviour' certificates to commemorate the child's place on his 2013 Christmas list.

The letters are €3 for 'Baby's first Christmas' and €4 for the standard letter.   There are two versions of the standard letter - that way siblings can have slightly different letters to enhance the personal touch from the man himself.


Payments are made via paypal (account not needed as they now accept card payments)  and the price includes postage in a printed envelope, complete with North Pole 'postmark'

To place an order visit 'Santa's Cyprus Postbox' on facebook

You can also follow us on twitter @cyprussanta  or email us at santascypruspostbox@hotmail.com

We will also be sharing Christmas ideas, crafts and other festive fun in the run up to Christmas too, so pop over and give us a like wherever you are!

365 Project - Week 46

No piles of autumn leaves to play with but these crunchy petals were just as fun!

Big boys lunch time!

Leo brought this home from school, they could choose what to paint so this is Leo and I in the park with flowers and butterflies.

Trying to grab my phone as usual!

Leo wrote his first ever letter to Santa

I was surprised to see Leo come out of school carrying this rather large Barney on Friday!   It turns out he was chosen as 'Child of the Week' and has to take Barney home for the weekend, on Monday he he takes him back and tells the class what they did together at the weekend.

Our first proper day out as a family of four, we went to the Camel park, Leo and Louka had a great time, although Leo didn't like the camels much!

 

The change of season

It's been a very long time since the four of us went out for a walk together but last week Aaron and I took the boys down to the beach path for a long awaited family stroll.

Starting at the 'Fig Tree Bay' end of the path in Protaras meant we only had a short distance before arriving at the small play area. I'd only realised it was there at the end of last year after seeing a friends photos on facebook and asking her where it was as we'd never walked that far along before but we now often start at that end instead.

For the first time Louka loudly demanded to get out of the buggy as soon as we arrived and Leo ran ahead to play,  he's so much more advanced in walking and climbing than Leo was at the same age which is good but often ends in tears as he thinks he can follow his brother everywhere.

Leaving the play area we continued along the path commenting on the difference now the season has come to an end.  There were a surprising amount of people on the beach and in the sea but nowhere near the amount of just a few weeks ago, in fact there were large stretches of beaches looking very empty.

As it was late afternoon, as we walked back the light was changing, and as always I couldn't resist taking a few sky photos