Wordless Wednesday

Merry Christmas!

we're taking it slow around here as we wind up (or wind down?) to Christmas 2015. How is it that we are already celebrating Winter solstice tomorrow, and now the days will be getting longer and brighter? that Christmas is a handful of days away? That my oldest love is almost turning 4 years old? that my littlest love is almost 4 months old and i'm feeling glass half empty with only 8 months of mat leave left? (womp womp) WOW!!  

My days start off waking up sandwiched between my two heaters, aka babies- Max covering my back and Mikkel attached to my abdomen. These exothermic children are saving me money on heating overnight as they're literally attached to me while I/we sleep! Not always comfortable, but pretty cozy and I admit I kinda really love it!  Jingle All The Way is on perpetual play here as Max is obsessed with this movie. I'm sure it's because Turbo Man looks like Iron Man (action figures are his new thing), the kid and his toy interests are relatable, the movie is family friendly and is actually pretty funny thanks to the toy-frenzy relatable factor (but after so many plays it's at the point where I almost know the script, so not That funny). If I didn't take the kids out on a daily basis, or Max having a nap in the middle of the day; this movie would be played 3x/day ...booo! Mikkel on the other hand is her jolly old self, changing right before my eyes and waking up too early for my liking (7am). 

As for me, i'm thanking technology for the presence of online shopping. Anyone with 1 kid, let alone 2, knows that it's nearly impossible to 1) have a quick shopping trip and 2) keep surprises if they're tagging along with you like mine always do and 3) to have a cheap shopping trip during Christmas. So, with the mall just a quick trip away, I have a finite amount of time  to check things out ie. like what people are interested in or quality of an item. I price compare online, read an insane amount of reviews on Amazon, and order with the click of a button. 2 birds with 1 stone; I also love receiving parcels in the mail! The downside of online shopping though is that it's JUST.TOO.EASY to spend money.

I'm so thankful for what's going on right now, things just seem to be in the right place and going so well. What more can one ask for? (ok well, a White Christmas would be nice for once!)

May your holidays be overflowing with love and laughter!! 
From our home to yours, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! xoxo

Wordless Wednesday: Gingerbread House

last year's gingerbread house here 

this year's house from Costco!

Santa Baby!

we finally have a year where Max isn't scared and bawling his eyes out when near Santa! woot woot! Not sure what exactly I did (if anything) that lead to Max 1) even going near Santa 2) smiling  and 3) Sitting on Santa's lap, but the little guy surprised me with his courage and non-bribed initiative to sit with Santa sans parents. (This was Max last year at CandyTown).

Initiatives that I think helped:

• learned social skills at preschool
• going to the mall several times, looking at Santa from far away, and kids getting their pics done (just far enough though to NOT see that the cries we were hearing were coming from kids who were sitting on Santa vs. the usual visible babies where cries are the norm)
• setting a desired date in your head, and working up to that date with daily reminders, words, and tones of excitement
• dressing up
• getting a picture with parents first for comfort, and then just kids

So proud of you Max!

This year, Max introduced himself to St. Nick and told him that he wanted "Hot Wheels!" Mikkel on the other hand, had no tears, and was her regular content self who needed a diaper change right away (thank you for not staining Santa's suit girl!). 

^^ Gene didn't get the memo ha ^^

My Favorite Christmas Song's 2014

Big thanks to our local radio station 103.5 qm/fm for playing 24 hours 7 days a week Christmas music! (!!) 
perpetual joy from Nov 24-Dec 25! If anyone finds the work radio tuned to this station, I.WAS.THERE :op

this was my list in 2012, and in 2013. My Top 3 favourite songs this year that boosts me into another level of Christmas cheer whether a hint of a tear or complete holistic glee:

Whitney Houston- Do You Hear What I Hear?

because she is THE voice

Bon Jovi - I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas

because

Bryan Adams- Merry Christmas

did you know he was a North Van boy?

How are your holidays coming along? 

Want, Wear, Need, Read Gift Guide

Do you have a gift philosophy?

Back when it was Max's first Christmas, and had no idea what to give him (because really, can you top the gift of LIFE?! lol), my baby group gave me the idea of the "want, wear, need, and read" concept of gift giving. I love that it keeps gifting balanced! If your personal budget can't get all four gifts, then how about letting other's cover an aspect of the philosophy? Someone knows someone who always asks, "what should I get a _____ year old?"

If you need some gift ideas, here's our very own gift reveal (i'm glad Max isn't allowed to surf the net just yet!). Happy shopping!!

want:

Because Max is IN LOVE with monster trucks, Monster Jam, and random Monster truck channels on youtube. we got him a mini remote control monster truck, named "MAX-D" (really pronounced like maxed but i love that it is also his name!). I highly recommend getting a remote control car without a fishline antenna for kids this age. If your kid is anything like Max, they will be pulling and wrecking the antenna which would deem the toy relatively useless after it's damaged.

wear: 

Bloch

i'm still on the thrifting hunt for these gems, but TAP Dance classes are going to happen in January 2015! His first dance recital? Be still my heart!

need:
Nothing. However, we will be donating some new toys to children and purging some of his under played toys as well. We're giving back with Max this year for as he puts it, "the kids are sad because they don't have any toys to play with." Altruism starts at home.

read:

amazon

we love Oliver Jeffers! Max's favourite book is THIS, we seriously read it every.single.night and he even pretends to bite the book too (lol). This year I got him, Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffer's best seller- The Day the Crayon's Quit. So charming and inspiring when the moral of the story finally hits you.

and as an added bonus...

how cute and nostalgic is this Charlie Brown MUSICAL tree? You can get your own at Home Depot!!

North Van Christmas'ing (and Flash Giveaway)

Holler Lower Mainland citizens, North Vancouver has some activities for you and your families to take part in and enjoy!

---> on DECEMBER 14 (today!) Capilano Mall is hosting the first annual Jingle Off Carolling  Competition from 1pm-6pm, as a fundraiser fro the North Shore Community Resources.

 The public is encouraged to register to participate in the Jingle Off online at www.capilanomall.com/events or in person at the North Shore Community Resources office at Capilano Mall in one of three categories: business/community, children’s, or school choir. Once registered, each group will be assigned a timeslot where they will be invited to sing three of their favourite Christmas carols. Groups can be of any size – soloists, duets, and trios are welcome.    Registration fees are as follows:

Children’s category                  $30

Community/Business Category $50

Prizes will be awarded in each category, including up to $1500 in gift cards to Capilano Mall as well as a $1000 grant for the winning secondary school and a $500 grant for the winning elementary school to help fund future choral initiatives. Additional prizes will also be handed out for Best Costume, Best Holiday Spirit, Most “GLEE”-ful, and many more. Celebrity judges for the competition will include BC based singer-songwriters Shawn Hook (www.shawnhook.com) and Katie Rox (www.katieroxmusic.com).  Martin Millership, editor at the North Shore News and Janet Warren, recipient of the British Columbia Music Educator’s Professional Music Education Award will also be present. 

There are only 4 spots left in each category!
The current schedule of the day is as follows:

1pm - 2pm          Adam Woodall and friends perform a Holiday Carol Sing-a-Long
2pm - 4pm          Children's Category performances
4pm - 5:30pm     Community Business Category performances

Be there or be square!

---> from November 29 - December 31st 6pm - 9pm nightly, Park and Tilford is lighting up the season with their annual Holiday Hi-Light Festival. 

The event will feature the North Shore’s most majestic festival of lights with over 50,000 lights on display. The opening night Light Up festivities will take place Friday, November 29th beginning at 6:30pm, where hot chocolate, carols, and a Light Up countdown will be enjoyed by all! North Vancouver City Mayor Darrell Mussatto will also be in attendance to help kick off the event. The Hi-Light festival is a charitable event for the North Vancouver firefighters, with all proceeds going to various appointed charities. The firefighters themselves have decorated an area of the garden and will be accepting donations as guests pass through.

The Holiday Hi-Light Festival will also feature Santa himself, who will be visiting from 6pm to 9pm on Friday and Saturday evenings until Christmas. In addition, Family Friday Nights until Christmas will include live entertainment by local artist Adam Woodall and friends and the Catching Art Contemporary Ballet Theatre, plus strolling characters and carol singers, cookie decorating, face painting, and balloon twisting.

“The holiday spirit that we’re able to capture through the Holiday Hi-Light Festival is great,” said Maria Walker, Property Manager at Park & Tilford, “But having families, friends, and the community coming together to share that spirit is even better – that’s what the holidays are all about.”

This year’s Holiday Hi-Light Festival marks the 25^th anniversary of the re-opening of the gardens and the opening of Park & Tilford.

This event is nearly as old as I am! Don't miss this North Shore tradition!

---> As an added bonus, Capilano Mall is giving away an Active Baby gift card! All you need to do is visit the Capilano Mall website and leave a comment on this blog post about who would be in your Carolling group and what song you would sing! Winner will notified by next Friday, Good luck!

Christmas'ing With a Toddler

You might remember my post last year on starting a Christmas ornament gift tradition for Max. This year, Max's ornament looks like this

The one with Max's picture was a gift from my mom a long time ago, the snowflake is a 1970 sterling Gorham ornament from ebay (in case you're wondering). Each year there's a different design and i just absolutely L-O-V-E them and can't wait to have many more. Every time i look at one I think of Max's adulthood and his own tree …whether a charlie brown or a full fledged real tree, i hope these ornaments are hung with special memories attached to them.

speaking of trees, we hoisted ours up on december 1st…well we, as in my husband only because he's so picky about where the ornaments go. he bought all the ornaments, he had all the ornaments since before we met, and heck some of them are even older than me (like 30+ years old). he's got this way of organizing them where it's supposed to look spread out and full. the shapes of the ornament dictate where on the tree they're to be hung. oh and he hates it when the tree branches aren't all spread out and 'fluffed' out. my OCD tendencies do not target the tree at all…I'm more on the WHATEVER WHEREVER side, so each year since even before Max was born, I'm given a date where i would head out and come home to a completed tree and a husband feeling accomplished. 

I'm currently on vacation now till sometime near new years. in the pre-baby days i would consider this almost way too much time to be off and would look forward to OT calls that I want to snatch. however at this point, i don't have my Christmas shopping done and I'm not even in a state where i know what I'm going to be getting people. Our days at the mall are pre-planned where i know where to go and what to buy….but most importantly, what route to take to avoid distractions that would cause some lengthy delays during our excursion. all Max needs to see are those kids rides, escalators, elevator buttons, that blue car in that cellphone shop, a toy store and there we have it…delay delay delay! I'm getting some windows of acceptance for the ERGO again but man is the kid heavy and I'm barely able to carry stuff plus kid nowadays. phew! so, our shopping days are stretched out over a few weeks and because of this now seemingly chronic activity, Max now says "Max shopping!" or "Max shopping?" or "mama shopping?" a brewing shopaholic oh no! 

life lately

On December 24th we had our family dinner at my parents' house, the main courses were prime rib, honey ham, AND turkey! i think we all lost a notch on our belts after that night.  On the 25th, if was off to church and then our annual leftover foods brunch again at my parents where my mom this time fries up her ham in the glaze, as well as a dozen or so eggs, and fresh buns are flying across the table. On the 26th, even though we're not mad enough to hit the shops early for boxing day, we still make a trip out to good ol' metrotown just to experience the madness (it took us 1 minute from the moment we arrived to find prime parking)! Furhermore, as my parents and I were at metro town, Gene took down the tree and decor (this is our earliest in history), we lost some real estate in our apartment post Christmas gift opening! It's truly been a wonderful season, we are so blessed! Thank you to all who made this year extra special for Maxwell!

finally a family picture

getting a kiss from his cousin

he's really digging this car! In this pic, he's making car sounds as he's steering the wheel

my boxing day best buy of all time- Dansko clogs for WORK..

my last ones (which were white and dirty) were stolen taken from me without permission.