Christmas

Christmas 2015 was amazing

Chistmas Days 1

 Its the holidays :)
Stopped by the library to get some Christmas books Tues Morning

The Market had a last Christmas opening before closing for another week so we went and got all our favorite treats. Samosas for a holiday lunch with the girls Wed Afternoon. Ginger Beef with Noodle and Chicken Souvlaki

Christmas Stickers who were 25 cents each, awesome. Reminds me I need to stock up on wrapping paper for next year this week when it goes on sale and a few Christmas items.

Christmas Eve

Traditional Cheese plate, kinda lacking this year but still done nonetheless 

Treats from a friend :) 

Avaia's Christmas Eve Box 

-Pajama's

- Christmas Coloring Pages with Crayons

- A new book (this year it was a Christmas Book)

- Smarties

* Next year she'll be older and Ill be able to do more:)

Homemade Pretzels and with a cheese sauce - Used Gouda, Sharp Cheddar and Guy.


**I don't usually do Christmas cards, just a reminder to myself to start the NY Cards

Birthdays in December

Birthday Breakfast :)

Victoria Secret Fashion Show with a couple friends :) 

and Christmas Nails 


* Cake not shown :P 

Storms and Power Outages

Countdown to the Holidays :)

BeesWax candles, which is one of my fav things, making an emerg kit because here the power goes out every time it storms. 

Basic Emergency Kit Items

Easy to carry
Think of ways that you can pack your emergency kit so that you and those on your emergency plan can easily take the items with you, if necessary

Water
Two litres of water per person per day (Include small bottles that can be carried easily in case of an evacuation order)

Food
That won't spoil, such as canned food, energy bars and dried foods (remember to replace the food and water once a year)

Manual can opener

Flashlight and batteries

Battery-powered or wind-up radio

Extra batteries

First aid kit

Special needs items
Prescription medications, infant formula or equipment for people with disabilities

Extra keys for your car and house

Cash
Include smaller bills, such as $10 bills (travelers cheques are also useful) and change for payphones

Emergency plan
Include a copy of it and ensure it contains in-town and out-of-town contact information

*** Things to do / heavy knitted blankets / Wireless charger for Cell Phones / Info on warm stations & town updates

The Box is sacred, it's all the letters between my husband and I when he was in Afghanistan for 7 months. I was going through it to see if anything can be put in his military scrapbook. 

 Making my own advent calendar for my daughter for next year. Just need to come up with ideas to fill the envelopes :)

Tea, Dessert and it's Monday

Afternoon Tea with my sister : Monday Madness 

Another reason I love the holidays; people stop by and drop off treats

Happy December 1st

It's Christmas Craft Time :)

I always buy things like this the year before when they're 75% off for the following year

Glitter & Nutcrackers 






Construction paper tree to decorate with my daughter  and making more Gingerbread Men to decorate during Breakfast & Playdate 

This Morning

The Milk Calendar - Love, so many awesome recipes and free, you can find them in local newspapers, with magazines of at your local store. They come out every year in November

Agendas just happen to be there lol

Today's Parent - Holiday Issue

Christmas Cookie Cutters ; Getting ready for cookie exchange and baking in general ( always go with the metal cookie cutter if your going to buy some, not the flimsy metal looking ones , these last longer and are easier to use)

Saturdays

It's free coffee week at McDonald's - Collect the stickers so you can get free coffee when its not going on :D

Christmas Stories for my daughter

Local Papers & Flyers - Be on a budget always, even when you don't have to be, plus it always has local events and holiday celebrations.

Starting the treats collection, I like having chocolates on the table for guests, right now peanut brittle and Cherry Choc.

Homemade Christmas - Inexpensive and fun things to do around the holidays

Homemade Home - Tons of homemade ideas for baby & home. Loveeee homemade curtains, I made my daughter's baby room curtains 
 

Some reading for myself - A stolen Life and Comeback Moms 

Tuesday in November

Today

Holiday Wreath - Make your own, buy the wreath itself plain and decorate it every year however you like. I'm going with white and sliver bows again this year, just need to replace a few. 

Newest issue of Chatelaine - Holiday issues are nice to have around

Treatment Plan for Auto Immune Disease , not sure when I want to start it, has to be soon

Itinerary for Military Kids Christmas Party - Always awesome, excited :)

Special ornaments from friends and family

Christmas Calendar - I love going through the newspaper and local event calendars to see what fun things we can do this year :)

Special Holiday Cheese Wraps - Handing out Cheese and Fruit to Friends

Time to get out the Christmas dishes and settings out, so far this is all I've found. 

Christmas Decor

Christmas Decorating Begins :) Favorite Things around this time

- Snow Globes

- Nutcrackers

- Organic Decor like Pine cones, Walnuts, Acorns, Christmas Flowers

-Gold & White & Sparkle :P

- Snowflakes

Nutcracker Army Set Up 1

November - Christmas is Coming

New Blue shirt find, so pretty but sporty

24K Glow Mask : Touch of Gold added 

Christmas Calendar ; It's a fun thing to start with my daughter, the good chocolate ones are $12.99 and I just can't do it lol I kinda want to do my own version of this, but with a variety of choc. and small toys.

New Drinking Cups ; Switching it up and these ones are easier to clean, plus they have cute penguins on them

Potty ; Getting a game plan started :D 

PC baby snacks/food ; I find if she wont eat certain things, baby food is an easy way to get her to eat the nutrients she needs. With a cheaper price, comparing for the most part are the same as brand name, always check Sodium though

It may seem like a lot of teething toys, however I have learned that they all work in different ways depending on what teeth are growing in.

1. The pacifier ones are great for the beginning of teething, when she would still take a pacifier, although they don't stay cold for long so I have a couple to take and replace when she still needed relief. 

2. The Monkey, Butterfly and Purse are more for when she had the coordination to lift, use both hands and place the toy where it hurt. They are a bit heavier but stay frozen the longest

3. The stars are awesome and I wished I had froze them earlier, they can hit parts of the mouth the others can't so that is where she is now (16months) Plus  they're light so you could use them at the beginning of teething. They stay cold longer than the pacifiers but not as long as the Monkey, Butterfly and Purse

Appointments and Cupcakes

I believe in having a book on your table at all times, I kinda go with the seasons, or text's that are neat :P

Christmas Centre Piece

Coconut Cupcakes me and Avaia made today, baking should be done often during the holidays. 

Free samples , because I use em :P

Paperwork from specialist appointment today, I have an auto immune disease and I think I'm finally on the right path to managing it better. Plus health folders, it's beneficial to have one or two...










Some of the Holiday stuff I bought at
75% off after Christmas. I try to do that
with everything cards, wrapping paper, 
bags, baking stuff, nutcrackers lol, snow globes. I put it away and most
of the time I forget I even have it so it's
fun getting the Christmas stuff out each year.        





Baking with Bebe  

Sunday Love

Sunday Love; We would all end back up in that small town. On Sundays, with Love

The  picture doesn't need to be explained but it's everything I love about the Holiday Season.

My Babies Christmas Gift

Different kinds of cheese for annual Cheese tradition... Try it 

Starbucks Coffee - Because I was at Chapter's and I had to buy a couple gifts there anyway :P

Chocolate from the Choc. Store - Yummo NSA

November Love

November Love 

Christmas Catalog Time !!! They're fun, admit it

ToysRus gives away WishList Kits every year and I think it's awesome !! Hallmark stickers, crayons and Christmas fun. :D

Tables

Christmas Center piece - Present from a friend last year, yes its before Nov 11th but it's the only decor I have out and I know how important Remembrance Day is, esp to my family.

Items to make something awesome :P I do not want to disclose until I have it ready lol

I'm making Applesauce & Oatmeal , delicious, 

2 sliced apples, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, pinch salt in the bottom of the crock pot.

Pour in 2 cups of oatmeal, 2 cups of milk and 2 cups water.

Do NOT stir.

Cook overnight for 8 – 9 hours on low.

Coffee & Fertility Journal - Yes, I am planning my second child, I have to because I deal with infertility. 

Household Record Book - Everyone should have one of these in their home, just like a family Calendar. It includes literally everything from important phone numbers to dates for home repairs, upcoming annual events or when appliances were bought. Keep it with the good ole fashioned phone book. 

Skin Care Samples - Because I'm cheap and enjoy anything free, plus I'm getting old and need to take better care of my skin.

Reward Chart - My daughter may not be old enough this year, but next year it's on !!

Monday's

Stickers & Supplies to make Avaia a Routine Calendar :)

Homemade PillowCases my Mother in Law made for me, look closely they're pretty cute :) If that doesn't inspire you I have no idea what will

Remembrance Day Craft for Daddy :)

Christmas Cards - Starting lists for buying & sending, Holiday baking and events

McDonald's Coffee Cup - Literally everywhere that sells Coffee has their Christmas designs out

Holiday Issue of Chatelaine 

Baked Acorns, going to glitter them tonight

HALLOWEEN

OCTOBER 31ST ! HAPPY HALLOWEEN 

Table is filled with Halloween fun and now having a daughter, the kid inside me is even worse :P

Her Costume = Cuteness and I only paid $20, which Ill probably sell for $5 like I did her costumes from last year. yes costume(s) lmao

Glow in the Dark Patches - So cute and a way to keep safe, I would have to say driving around town on Halloween is the worst.

Bags of Candy - I buy candy I don't like so I don't eat it because if I bought boxes of choc. bars, I would've had to replace it 3 times by now. No I didn't buy candy no one likes, just stuff I wouldn't get into lol

Lists - I make lists for literally everything, these are our Halloween plans. In the morning were going to the Northside Market to Trick or Treat, after lunch were going to a Bakery to decorate cookies (free and fun) and then were going around our neighborhood trick or treating. Always look up local events in your area and I'm sure you'll be surprised at all the fun and free activities to do around holiday seasons. 

Trick or Treating Bags - I have a million of them, I used to use pillow cases as a kid but heres a bag with a pumpkin on it so whatever

Pumpkin Bucket - is filled with pumpkin carving kits I've kept over the years, I have at least 6 complete sets. I don't throw things out lol

Glowing Stuff - Bracelets, Rings and Necklaces 

Fruit is getting low


Highlights of Halloween

Cookie Decorating - Tiara & Wand prize not shown :P

Homemade Applesauce from a friend :)

Something about Wednesdays

Crisp air brings new beginnings

Footprint Art - Little pumpkins - bigger pic underneath - honestly how does any parent get a good print with a toddler, I don't know how they do it lol, I got 5 decent ones out of 20

DAYYYYYCAREEEEE FORMSSSS - I'm lucky to be a stay at home mom, while a lot of mothers have to go back to work, I am fortunate enough to not worry. With that, someone once said "sometimes it's harder to stay home and raise the children" esp since this month I've seen my husband for 4 days total. In order to start new fertility treatments/keep my sanity I need to put her in daycare some of the time.

BABIES AT THE LIBRARY -  My daughter just finished the fall edition of the program :) #BabyGoals,  We will be joining the next toddler program at the library, its free and a place to interact with others her age and other mamas for me.

Kleenex - I literally havent been sick in almost 3 years, I am now

Harvest for the Hungry - Every Halloween the Food Bank collects food donations

Usual Fall Centerpiece

478 Pages

I don't talk too much about myself, life story blah.. boring I find, I'd rather show you my life through photos, it is how it is but I've worked hard to create this piece on my path through infertility to fertility.

     478 Pages and I still find myself at the beginning of my memoir, I read and reread, I need to move on. Notes that need to be applied, A little more shine needed. 

One Woman's Farm

Thus shall you think of all this fleeting world:

A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;

A flash of lightening in a summer cloud,

A flickering lamp, a phantom and a dream

How to Never Feel Poor

Hope is a Garden

It Was Wednesday

It's Wednesday, I prefer to fill it with things I love and a couple cups of coffee, and a rockstar ( no sugar so there)


New books for Avaia, obv Halloween ones :D Celebrate the seasons in every way

Lately I've been having a strict skin care routine and I think it's important, esp with getting older, it makes me feel so refreshed - pictured is Palmetto Derma collagen booster & restoration serum - Vitamin C & E / GOTA KOLA Extract

New Magazines are in, - I think it's just an added treat kinda thing, distraction, relaxation - whatever really. Today's Parent and Chatelaine came in last week.  Cheaper than buying in store that is for sure and I love having them around for guests to look at and they do...

Babies at the Library Sheets (Week 5) - This is our second time, she was only 9 months when we went the first time so it's a whole different experience. I love getting her out and seeing her interact with other babies :)

ONE WOMAN FARM - New read from Library, I'll just say it's awesome and show some of her pages.

SUGAR SMART EXPRESS - I'm only 3 chapters in but as a diabetic, sugar has always had an effect on my life ( actually the past couple mornings I've noticed numbness in my legs) anyway moral of the story Sugar affects all of us, and we need to have a better understanding of this "silent killer"

Autumn Centerpiece - Always have something on your table

Tattoos - Gold, Glitter , Sliver and a Sister = Fun 

He's Home

My Husband came home from course for the weekend, my table right now

Mostly all his stuff ahaha but some seeds and freshly planted succulent - I LOVE nature inside the home, it makes it refreshing. Starting to re grow the inside veggies :)

Laundry - that I need to keep up on because hes leaving again

Local Post - Important , get involved in your community, you can't attend things if you don't know whats going on. 

Fridays are for making Applesauce

My Table This Morning 7am

7 Apples
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar - I've put less and still tasted great
1/2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
3/4 Cup Water
1 TBSP Cinnamon
* Add Peaches, Banana's or even Veggies 
Also I love Debbie Travis Biography, even if you dont have kids its a light, humorous book about balancing life as a woman.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving !

A little FLARE-November 2015

Halloween photo album - I feel like you should add a couple pictures of each year's costume and bring it out each Halloween :)

Agendas & Workbooks - Not a busy week this week, but need to follow new clean eating & training plan

 Hungry Girl's Cookbook 200 desserts under 200 cal,

Better Homes 52 Weekend Projects - I really really want to redesign my home and it's fun to have projects

Potty Training book - Because I need to get prepared lol

Flash cards

 Blank Paper

 An Army Jacket - My husband is leaving for 4 weeks fyi

Girlfriends are Forever Lifestyle Cookbook - I'm realizing now more then ever that friendships are valuable and just as important as the love of your life.

Vase of Caramels & Mini Choc. Pumpkins

Brown Bags for apple picking

Bowl of fruit

Another apple bag

Honey Bee Comb

Around the World Coasters

Find MOMO - a play on wheres waldo and its awesome because you search for a Dog lol

Cup of Coffee

Cell