Catching up!

EEk! It has been almost two months since I have written a blog post ! I'm in a never ending race against myself and time - and in this case time has taken a handsome lead -so many things have happened.  I feel anxious because I don't want to forget all the little things that go on. Blogging for me is so great in the way that when I am in the swing of it - taking lots of pictures and "documenting" - our life. As routine as it is -I actually start thinking that our lives are actually quite busy and I feel somewhat organized!

It is so easy to get out of that rhythem and that is quite frankly what I've done. But,  I am back at it - full steam ahead. What a great year it is going to be! 

Bring it 2012! 

        18 weeks along and feeling great! Finally have my appetite back - no more carbo loading - if I can help it - I love me some carbs! Potatoes, oodles of pasta, rice and don't forget good ol kraft dinner!

 But it is actually refreshing to not gag at the faintest scent of cucumber ( I know ...I never thought cucumber had much of an odour either until October!) and actually ingest something with some sort of nutritious value.

What I really can't wait for is Feb 4th - ultrasound and.... finding out if this little treasure is pink or blue! I will be happy with either honestly! It would be nice to have one of each, but it would also be nice for Charlotte to have a sister, and all of her adorable girly clothing can be worn all over again! We feel so lucky to be pregnant again, and we all cannot be happier.

Christmas Delivered !

Yes, Most of these presents were for the little miss!

We had to do gift opening in 2 parts! She was overwhelmed to 

say the least.

Nana and Papa Surridge were here for a visit.

And they brought GIFTS! Lots of em.

This was a hit! And, will be more so in the summer when she can

reach the pedals.

Nana and Papa Surridge!

It was nice to have some family in the province this year!

Days when sunshine is rare, and casts beautiful lights and shadows on the water. Days when we run out to heat our desperately deprived vitamin D bodies. Forgetting that it is bone chillingly cold.

Days when it's important to capture moments like this and freeze them. When Charlotte walks with ease with her Nana , meters away from her mom and dad and not a care in the world that she is!

Somehow knowing that these days are special and few and far between. Knowing that she needs to drink up every ounce of this bonding time because they live a plane ride away. And that the next time she sees them she will have to divide this time up with a sibling!

Family also means babysitters!

We got to go out for New Year's!

Great way to kick off the year!

Decking out!

Okay I admit it..much to Liam's and Lucy's shagrin I have began to decorate for Christmas.

"I don't want to even look!"

The "Main Event" a.k.a tree - has yet to make her yearly debut. In all honestly - it is a tad early to break that diva out. ,,,, maybe next weekend?? I cannot wait because then the seasons spirit can really get into full swing!

Bring it..... Eating, Entertaining, Family and Close friends!

Cheers to that!

We went to Potter's to check out their Christmas Fanfare...

I tell you that place is a DESTINATION to get you in the spirit - if you aren't already! It is a serious system overload of festive greatness! There is also a massive elephant statue from "The night at the Museum" there - Random!
So that was fun!
I decorated one of our mantles with mittens.

The whole little project cost me a whopping 11$ at the dollar store. And it helps to create a cozy and homey but festive feeling.

Charlotte is a little young still this year to understand the advent calendar concept. Next year these may be the perfect solution for putting little treasures in every day for her!

This treescape is on my front table. I got it from Ikea last year. I'm going to find some little forest dwelling critters to put in and around to make it more of an outdoorsy look.

For some reason this really reminds me of my childhood in Ontario. Having lived practically on a golf course lined with pine trees, we used to spend countlesss brisk but extremely sunny days days toboganning down the hills with neighbours and friends. The cold took a back seat and the fun of it all drove.

 One day I would love to take the fam back to relive it all again! One of the millions of joys of having children, is being able to relive some of your childhood memories with them.

For this year this 20$ Ikea paper tree decoration will have to do. This will be my little piece of Kincardine "Home" .

That is it for now but I will definately be doing more in the nap times to come!

We braved the extreme wind and ventured out on monday to get some Christmas books at the library. This girl can now say "SHANTAAAW" - translation "Santa" - like nobodies business!

The firetruck in the library may as well have been disneyland as far as she was concerned. Loved it!

It's snowing.. pillows!!

No not really but it did snow last night while, simultaneously, I hit the pillow jackpot at Homesense. I have been longing to find the perfect ones for our bedroom since wallpapering it about three months back. The paper is sort of like a hologram and depending on factors like the time of day,  natural or lamp lighting, the angle you are standing in the room - the colours are always different. So, to find permanent pillows that would look good all the time was not going to be easy. Last night I went out with one of my favfriends for a great girls night out, complete with a leisurely wander in Homesense and dinner at Cactus club to top it off.  I was about to pay for my other pillow treasures..Christmas ones... and I looked back and there in all their glory saying "do not leave the store without me... I'm made for you!!" 

 I was a little unsure about the navy floral at the store...the only reason being that it may be too busy on the eyes with the detailed wallpaper. But Honestly?

Something seems to be missing. The navy in the pillow seems to have a way of tying it all together for some weird reason? Makes it look all rich and and lusty.

I think they are ALL keepers.

I also got these.

Candy Canes Anyone??

So it snowed here yesterday..Does that mean I can decorate now?

I loved it, They were ginormous, freezing cotton balls,so quiet delicate and soft. And the best part it didn't start to stick untill we were all finished! So no slippery drive home!

A day at the Beach

Hard to believe this was November 10th.

Leah had a hard time believing it too. She made herself mighty comfy on the damp cold verging on muddy "cushion" like it was July and her landing was sugary, dry and warm.

Now Hudson, he came prepared! All decked out in a full waterproof rain suit. Good thinking Susan!

The sun was welcoming and rejuvenating and when the breeze was still, it could have been any month really, except November.

I love these days and am so thankful to live so close to such beauty....

These two are special side kicks and could really and honestly play forever together.

This was a pre shot before things got dirty. The shovel went a little astray and it's gritty sloppy muddy contents had quite a deliberate and abrupt landing on coat, face and hair. Right before we were about to leave, of course. Charlotte didn't seem to mind one tiny little bit. She was about to do a repeat performance before I intervened. When does that change I wonder? For now I am happy that she relishes in play and lives in the moment and gets such joy out of the small things.

Virtual Vacay!

I don't know what it is.... but I think it's because it is November, and I can't quite kick the Christmas thing into high gear quite yet....

 but I want to plan a trip...I want to go somewhere exotic. Somewhere fun and completely different from here.

I think also that two people very close to me went off Jetsetting recently.

Vanessa went to Turkey, Istanbul to be exact.

I was shocked to learn that it isn't warm there this time of year which is surprising.

And Leslie, while she is always off and away somewhere.

I pick Greece, an island far off.

I did not know that there is over 6000 islands that make up Greece!

Get this ...

only 227 are inhabited.

I'll take one of your hands.

And spend countless hours frolicking and rolling here.

Our boat would be at our service so we can come and go as we please.

So we can go into civilization and have a leisurely breakfast, full of people watching and conversation.

Peruse a local market and get some dinner complete with
fresh seafood - crispy sink your teeth into calamari,  vegetables and fresh feta.

Then journey back to the temporary homestead.

To watch this...

One day!!

Daddy day and mom go play!

I went to the West coast Women's show earlier this month.

 Chelsea's husband Ben called me and said " Chelsea needs a break so do you want to go with her

for the day to Abbostsford to this Women's show thing?

I thought hey not sure what a "thing" is but if it means that I have a day away from the everyday

I was GAME.

It was lovely and leisurely and needed.We had an uninterupted drive there free of me not having a repetitive strain kink in my back from contorting my body in a rather unusual way in order to to pick up a plastic horse ( or insert anyother random object here) that was purposely thrown. In order to stop the accelerated sing songy question like "uhoh?" that quickly evolves in to the more demanding"uh-u-huh-EEEEEE!"

We arrived after one little wrong turn... and it was seriously massive!

And oooooooh the Estrogen in that room!

Hi Chelsea!

And I couldn't resist this I am not a Young and the Restless fan but did get caught up in the

swooning of this actor from that show. I thought I can't pass up the opportunity to take a picture of  a real live star as blurry as it is!

We spent at least a couple hours there, we neandered through and time was on our side. As if it said you can stay here as long as you like...so we stopped to fill in all the give away trips. I have yet to gather up my winnings yet...they must be holding off till closer to Christmas till they let me know (: Charlotte is loving baking with me the last month

I found the perfect little cupcake apron!

Serious cuteness!

And I picked up these little gems from Boske kids!

Irresistable Legwarmers!

It was awesome and filled the void of changing it up a little.
We even went to East Side Mario's for dinner.
Oh yeah it was a serious day away kind of day and I milked it for what it was worth!
It was that much more refreshing to come home to start the week off right!

11680 Days

As of Oct 20th that is how many days I have been on this earth,that is how many sunsets, sleeps and daybreaks I have witnessed.

When I was a little girl I never ever thought me being 32 years old would ever come. I mean inevitably it would come, but at the time it seemed such a far, far off number into the land of adulthood.

I remember playing barbies in my basement and the "much older" , pant wearing, less makeup, much much more mature barbie that was in the mix was" in her 30's". Frankly,the reality was that chick wore pants which made her the "square"

But she was the "chosen one", the one who refrained from going out to the dances, or the parties, the married one and she always stayed home.

Because of course she was "that much older".

Now that I am 32

I truly don't stray too far from what I believed when I was 6.

I love to stay home

I love to wear pants

yoga, or leggings preferably.

Most days,I don't put on makeup - save a skif of mascara or gloss.

 Odd party I am game, but not if I don't know all the "w's"

But I don't feel 32.

But honestly?

I don't feel square and could not be happier!

Happy Birthday to me!