Australia Day 1: It's Christmas Eve...or...Christmas?!

(Hello everyone to the first of many daily Australia trip posts. I am a little late. I needed a little time to get my bearings but it is full steam ahead for the next week.)

Today's the day. Let's rewind back to the moment we boarded our first plane from Dallas to Sydney.  A 16 hour flight sounded a little daunting since the longest previous flight I had taken was about 12 hours but surprisingly, we fared well. I originally had an aisle seat which I swapped with my sick brother. I was prepared to be miserable in the middle seat but then the crew told me that I could stretch out on a two seater since there were 120 empty seats. The first four hours were a drag. I listened to the Serial Podcasts to stay entertained. Then the next ten hours consisting of on and off sleeping, readjusting my sleeping position a dozen times and listening to more podcasts. Then I watched Frozen for the first time.

When we got off the plane I saw my cousins, their parents and our grandpa at the airport. It was so nice to see them, some for the first time ever. Once we got home, we opened presents. I will just list off everything I got.

Kikki.K. Sentence A Day Stationary Journal
The Body Shop Gift Set
Junk Gypsy White Cardigan and Belt
Watermelon Beach Towel
Baby Story Tea Cannister

We ate Christmas lunch consisting of lamb, chicken, mashed potatoes and so much more. We played soccer at the park and at home we played games. Then we got to get to know all of our family. Adelaide isn’t a big tourist city so we will mostly be spending time with family. We still have a little jet lag so I fell asleep at 9pm. Great start to our ten day trip in Adelaide.

A Sentence A Day (Three Year Challenge)

One of my Christmas gifts was a sentence a day journal. On each day there is a question and three spaces which I then realized was for the respective year which means the journal is meant to last for three years. Questions include What’s your New Year’s Resolution to What’s the next book you’re going to read. It’s awesome to do it for three years because you can see how you evolve throughout the years. I thought it would be cool to issue this challenge to all my blog followers. I would write down my sentence a day and preview the next question, which would be answered tomorrow. Since it’s New Years Eve I haven’t officially started yet but I will answer the New Year’s Eve question so you can see the format of these daily challenge posts. Because it is only one sentence, I also want to take a couple of sentences to deconstruct my sentence. (Disclaimer: It is actually New Years in Australia but it's NYE morning in the US.)

December 31, 2014

How are you going to make the next year your best year yet?

I will live each day to the fullest.

The meaning of this sentence is that I want every day to be important. Not just a “wake up, eat, watch tv, sleep” boring routine. Whether it’s doing a nice workout, studying, reading a book or crafting, I want each day to be significant.

Next question: What’s your New Year’s Resolution?

There you have it everyone. I haven’t made a blogging commitment but I guess that’s why there are New Year’s Resolutions. I hope I can keep it going for the next 3x365 days. It is pretty low commitment and quick. I will also make an extended New Year’s Resolution post because I have so many.

Countdown to Christmas: Last Minute Gift Shopping

December 15, 2014
It's hard to believe it is a mere ten days until Christmas. And as much as we all hate to admit it, this is when we start or finish buying gifts for our friends and family.  I am here with a little advice to find (or make) meaningful gifts so you don't look like the ungrateful sod who gave your mom a gift card for Christmas.

1. Assorted Sweets in a Basket
This one is super easy. You can buy everything at a convenience store like Walgreens or Target. Be warned, it relies on A LOT of presentation. So buy a nice basket and dress it up with ribbon, tissue paper, fake snow etc. Fill it up with some Christmas themed chocolates, candy canes, maybe throw in some instant hot cocoa packets. Top it off with a cute little stuffed animal like a polar bear and you're good to go.

2. Bath & Body Works Set
This is probably the only prepackaged gift set that I would accept because they are so darn cute. Sure people would think that you didn't put a lot of time and effort into getting it for them but you can add some extra by throwing in a candle (not literally) and cozy socks that Bath and Body Works sells to amp it up. Throw in a gift card for good measure. You know they'll use it!

3. Mason Jar Baking Mixes
These are all the rage on pinterest and perfect for the baker in your family. Also super inexpensive since you can buy mason jars for pretty cheap and all you need to do is add dry ingredients like sugar and flour. I would say make a couple different mixes (four is a good number) and dress it up with some ribbon and don't forget a recipe tag!

4. DIY Coffee Mugs
Also another pinterest favorite.  Sure coffee mugs are already a practical gift, but you can add a sentimental touch my customizing it with some sharpie art. Buy mugs from Goodwill (cheap ones are better because they have thinner glaze which helps the sharpie stay on) and decorate it with black,  gold or christmas colored sharpies and bake it in the oven. Polka dots, hearts, quotes, etc. are great ways to customize mugs for that special person in your life. Either give a set of four or fill one/two with coffee goods.

5. Manicure Kit
Another beauty idea. Girls can't get enough beauty products. Probably best to go higher end to compensate for the last-minuteness of your gift. A mini-set or a pair of full size Essie polishes for less than $20. Then throw in nail dividers, cotton pads, emery boards and nail polish remover to tie it all together.

So there are a few ideas to stay in good graces with your loved ones. And with all of them, take the time to hand-make your own Christmas card.  It will convey the feeling that you spent a lot of time in making said-gift. Plus, they are a lot more sentimental. Go to a craft store and buy paper, stickers and other add ons. Write a meaningful message from the heart.