O Christmas Tree

I just realized that last year I did not write a Christmas post! How sad, our first Christmas in our own home and everything. So this year you get two for the price of one, how's that for luck? 

For the past two years we've gone the cheapo route and bought trees from Home Depot. Last year our tree was great quality and lasted forever but this year I feel as though it's drying out quicker. Either way, I got a kick out of comparing pictures - taken exactly one year apart. How the time flies! 

Picking out the perfect tree! Look at how M looks exactly the same but Little m is so different.

 

Securing it onto the car.

And the best part, decorating.

 

This year Little m was SO extremely excited to help her daddy with the star. Days later she would tell anyone who was visiting how she put the star on "all my self". She also loved placing the ornaments on the tree, every single one onto the same branch, of course! She's also a great water girl, reminding and helping me fill up the stand every morning. Even now, 21 days since it's been up, as we come down the stairs every morning, she is awed by the glowing Christmas lights. "Wowwww, yights!"

Oh I just love this girl and Christmas is a million times better with her around. 

My Wish List

Christmas is coming soon! My birthday is sooner! All I'm really wishing for is a full night's sleep but that's likely impossible. It's hard to think of things I want or need but using the wishpot website makes it easier and when an idea comes to mind I try to record it before I forget. Look at my full list here.

1. I already have a necklace from The Vintage Pearl with mine and husband's initials and now I'd like another M charm for the little one.

(source)

2. I enjoy reading Mama Pea's blog and would love a copy of her new cookbook!

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3. I'm not sure if there are any donut recipes in that cookbook but I've seen a few on the internet that I've been wanting to try, but alas, I don't have a donut pan. If someone buys me this I promise to make them donuts!

(source)

4. I also wouldn't mind a tea infuser mug of some sort. I recently bought of bunch of different teas to try and this would be perfect to test them out in.

(source)

5. M's friend from high school has a new album out called Hibernation Nation. I first heard Andrea sing a few years ago when we traveled to Colombia for a wedding. Her voice is heavenly and I'd love a copy of her CD.

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I also added a few things that Little m's wishing for, but they're mostly practical (boring) items like bibs and diaper cream! Poor girl.

Her daddy would cringe at this but I think she'd look super cute wearing some babylegs leg warmers, and they're still on sale from Cyber Monday:

(source)

What's #1 on your wish list this year?

A Look Back

Looking back at old photos kills me. It's hilarious to look at how people change over the years.

Every year (minus one or two?) since I was in Grade 10 (I think?) my group of friends have a Christmas party get-together. Back in the day we would dance around, exchange presents, and take wacky photos. Now that we're older, it's mostly about eating and catching up with each other!

Here's our group photo from 2010, including the genius cardboard cutout addition of our friend Double D in British Columbia. I can call her that because I know she doesn't read this blog.

Below, the group shot from 2008. Lookin good girls, lookin good. This was the last year before babies came into the picture.

Going back to 2002, here we are... hiding in curtains? Yeah, that's pretty normal for us.

And this is from our second annual party in 1998. Ohhh, the good ole days!

I love having these pictures to look back at and remember how weird we were and still are. Actually, I should say thanks Alison, I hope you don't mind that I stole these pictures from you :)

I'm pretty sure I got all of the dates down correctly, but I had to ask my husband what grade I was in in 1998, so I can't make any guarantees.

Putting Christmas Gifts to Work

So sorry Bama, I apologize.

Christmas was a month ago and I haven't done a single recap about my favourite holiday or the glorious two weeks I had off work!

Unfortunately M and I weren't able to visit his family this year so they mailed us some gifts. We gathered round the tree to open the pretty packages.

Underoath CD for the boy!

Oven mitts for me! Silicone on the outside but comfy padding on the inside. Love them.

M with his most favourite movie in the whole world :)

Operation Beautiful book. Good read.

And even a bone for the Bamster. He finished that sucker off in 5 minutes flat.

Our main gift from M's parents was a KitchenAid ice cream attachment! Wahoo!

M is a lover of ice cream and a few weekends ago we finally had a chance to put the ice cream maker to use. We followed the french vanilla recipe that came with the mixer, but used skim milk instead of half and half and added cherries for nutrition :)

It turned out.. hrrmm.. okay. The cherries weren't as delicious as I imagined and because we used real rather than artificial vanilla, the taste was a bit strong. That's okay though, we'll still polish it off eventually. I think the next batch will involve oreos. How can you go wrong with oreos?

Open wide...

My Wishlist

Tis the season to start thinking about my birthday (and Christmas) wish list! Using wishpot.com has been oh so helpful because if I see something while browsing the internet I can add it to my wish list right away before I forget all about it. Then when people ask me what I want, I can easily send them a link to my list!

Here's what I am wishin' and hopin' for this year!

1) Yogitoes skidless yoga towel (in pink for breast cancer awareness). Pair this with a gift certificate for CorePower yoga and I'd be one happy camper.

2) A necklush from etsy. I promise to wear clothes with mine.

3) A kitchen apron from etsy. Either this one or this one, I can't decide.

4) KitchenAid ice cream attachment.

5) Sound of Music blu-ray. Don't laugh. I love me some Julie Andrews.

Have you thought about your wish list yet? Or are you trying to finish off your Halloween candy first?!

On the 2nd Day Before Christmas

On the 2nd day before Christmas my true love gave to me... my husband arriving home safely and the best late b-day present ever!

Today was a bit stressful! Chicago is currently experiencing a bit of an ice storm and husband's flight was scheduled for 5:30pm. What do you do in this situation? Wait and see if your flight is delayed or cancelled? Create a plan B? He went to work this morning and everyone was urging him to switch to an earlier flight, just to be safe. This made things crazy because he's in the process of moving things from his hotel room to his new place, plus trying to pack his bags for coming home. Lots of loose ends to tie up, as well as work to finish, before leaving. Anyway, things were a bit rushed for him, but he made it to the airport in time for a noon flight and is now home! Yay!

And with him he brought a birthday gift for moi! Oh my...

(Mom - it's a Coach purse.)

Isn't she purty?? And she's all mine! I'm in love. I can't wait to strut around with this sucker. Thank you, darling husband. I must say, Christmastime is much nicer when you're partner is there to share it with you!

On The 3rd Day Before Christmas

On the 3rd day before Christmas my true love gave to me... the greatest hits of two thousand and nine, in the mail!

Our friends in British Columbia started a tradition last year of mailing out a CD filled with music they enjoyed throughout the year. I love this idea! It has a nice personal touch and is a good way to learn new artists and songs. Every day lately I was checking the mail hoping it would come. And it did!

Here is Perception of Sound 2009:
I don't know many of the songs this year - or maybe I do know some, just not by name.

They also include a list that explains why they chose each song, where it's from, etc.

Love it!

On The 4th Day Before Christmas

On the 4th day before Christmas my true love gave to me... a bunch of holiday cards and nowhere to hang them up.

I love getting Christmas cards in the mail! I swear, next year I will send out cards, I will, I will! Especially since we'll be in Chicago. The problem is - what do you do with all of your cards? Do you display them? Put them in a pile? Save them forever? Chuck them on January 1st?

As a kid I remember hanging my parents' cards up around door frames, which everyone else (my brothers mostly) used to complain about. Why? I liked it!

Right now, mine are sitting here:
And these ones are hanging on the fridge:
After a while I usually:
1) Save any sentimental ones or ones with pictures
2) Cut off and save the side with the pretty pictures (for art projects at school)
3) Recycle :( It saddens me to do this, but there is no room in a condo to store them.

I love when people take the time to write messages inside their cards. Here are my faves from the kids at school this year:

What do you do with your cards to display them? Then when they are done being displayed??

On The 5th Day Before Christmas

On the 5th day before Christmas my true love gave to me... window displays at the Bay and my top five favourite movies.

Today I was walking around downtown and passed the Christmas displays at the Bay. I did not take pictures because there was too much glare. So.... let's just pretend we're in NYC and look at some pictures of the Macy's window.

Fancy Schmancy! (picture source)

Tonight I am staying in, wrapped in my snuggie. Oh yes, M gave me a bubblegum pink one on my birthday. And I'm going to watch my 2nd favourite Christmas movie:

Here's my list of must see (every year if possible) Christmas movies:
1) Home Alone
2) Love Actually
3) Elf
4) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
5) A Christmas Story

Am I missing one of your faves?

On The 7th... Errr... 6th Day Before Christmas

Apparently I can't count. Why didn't anyone tell me?!

On the 6th day before Christmas my true love gave to me... zoo lights at Lincoln Park and ice sculpting galore!

Today's Christmas activity comes from Chicago. M's hotel is across from Lincoln Park, which has a free lights exhibit in the zoo at this time of the year. It looks pretty cool from the pictures. WAY better than the trail I paid to walk through a few nights ago!

Here are some pics he took:

So pretty!