Friday, December 30, 2011

These are a Few of My Favourite (Christmas) Things

I was spoiled again this Christmas. I admit, this is not unusual.

First off, at the top of my list, I received a plane ticket to Houston to spend a few days sharing some good times with 2 of my best girlfriends from highschool. I would holler out a huge "Woohoo!" right now but the girls are in bed so I'll have to settle for a very exaggerated "Woohoo" whisper, right fist pumping the air as quietly as possible. You catch my drift.

And then, the following:

I love chunky jewelry - this "Bittersweet" bracelet is a great addition to my collection...Thanks Vic!
Mama thought these boots from Le Chateau did the job of proving that a curvy girl can pull off skinny jeans!
  
I have had an angel tree for years but now I'm branching out (get it....ha! sorry...) and adding all winged things. Love my new owl :)


My first David's Tea - a gift from the hubby - including (in the middle) "Super Chocolate" mmmm!

The hubster said there was "no way" I was getting yet another purse. But he is powerless to stop the forces at work here. I don't know why he even bothers. Bwahahahahaha!


And what's Christmas without getting the stuff to scrapbook what happens all year-round?
What was your favourite gift this year?

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas!!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Wishing You Joy

The hubster and I were talking about how much we love Christmas. How it's exciting to see Sarah finally at an age where she's anticipating, counting down, losing sleep from the thrill of "Santa" arriving.

We talked about what Christmas meant to us, as children. For me, there was a lot of hussle and bussle. But it was good hussle and bussle.

There was hunting down a real Christmas tree, cutting it down, and dragging it through the snow to your basement, where it had to be left for a day or so to dry off. But it wasn't a nice tree, it always had a crook in the trunk, a few bare spots, or was tilted so far to one side that it had to be tied to the wall.

There was the school program, the "Old Fashioned Christmas Tree" at the recreation hall, and carols sung loudly at church and by carolers outside in the snow. There was the Town parade where we waited - often in the bitter cold - at the side of the road just to get a goodie bag with a package of potato chips, a can of pop, and a candy cane. It was the best gift a kid could ever get.

There were presents hidden in closets and under staircases, found, sometimes unwrapped and quietly wrapped up again. Very. Carefully. And then you showed your younger siblings and friends how to do it successfully.

There were visits from family, from neighbours, and from people you saw at your house only once a year. Visitors didn't call. They just showed up. And if they were dressed as mummers, they didn't take off their snowy boots. And they felt welcome to do so.

There were family dinners - with turkey and all the trimmings - in Nan's house, which was far too tiny to possibly hold everyone.

There were chocolates and candies you'd never see at other times of the year.

There were lights and tinsel and garlands hung from one corner of the ceiling to the other.

To me, it was magical. It was pure joy.

But something has happened. We have fake trees and fake money buying way too many gifts, and are far too busy for our family or anyone else. (and yes, I'm guilty of all that!) Now, we can't help but hear it over and over again.

"I hate Christmas!"
"Nothin' but a grab for money."
"Too crazy..."

I wonder if the people who say these things have happy memories of Christmas? Do they know what Christmas really means? Do they know that Christmas is about giving, whether it's a hot meal, a warm hug, or a gift wrapped in a bow? Do they know about the baby Jesus, Mary & Joseph, the shining star, the angels, and the shepherds?

They must not know. Otherwise, they would know the joy that is Christmas. Wouldn't they?

And so to you, my dear blog readers, I wish you Christmas joy. I wish you the joy the season can bring. I wish you the joy you once knew but have now lost. I wish you joy found for the first time.

Most of all, I wish you joy that lasts the whole year round. Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Sarah + Justin

Remember earlier this year when Sarah discovered HIM.

The imaginary relationship continued throughout the year although she still has moments when she cannot pronounce his name. She even made him a cake on his birthday. I have no idea when his actual birthday is.

Imagine my surprise, after such a short "courtship", to learn that an elopement was in the works.

She was in the bakery mixing up a cake, from scratch. She's got that all figured out. She mixed and poured it into a pan and baked it. She went in search of a cake topper and found an old school heart-shape with a bride and groom standing inside. She then proceeded to tell me that I was enlisted to decorate hers and Justin's wedding cake, complete with Christmas-coloured sprinkles, and Justin's name written in pink icing.

When Mom asked Sarah why she was marrying Justin, the response was, "he's so cute!" Oh my!

Sarah's creation for Justin
Perhaps I'll tweet the pics to the real Justin. I think he may get a good chuckle out of his little 4-year old fan.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Array the Corridors = ?

I'm in love with word games, puzzles, cryptograms that make my brain scream, "Ouch!"

Last night we had the church ladies (and their husbands) in for their annual Christmas supper at the Chocolate Moose. The Pastor's wife had some fun games to play, and although I was supposed to be behind the scenes in the kitchen, cleaning up after supper, I couldn't help but ask if I could join (and try to win, of course!) this game.

"Can you Name the Christmas Song?"

Example: Array the Corridors = "Deck the Halls"

Awesome, right?

Okay, here goes...

1. The lad is a diminutive percussionist
2. Nocturnal Noiselessness
3. A B C D E F G H I J K M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
4. Arrive time 2400 hours - weather cloudless
5. Delight of the planet
6. Do you perceive the same longitudinal pressure which stimulates my auditory sense organs?
7. Far off in a feeder
8. Leave and broadcast from a pinnacle
9. The dozen festive 24 hour intervals
10. Behold! I envisioned a trio of nautical vessels
11. Listen, the winged heavenly messengers are proclaiming tunefully
12. As the guardians of the little wooly animals protected their charges in the shadows of the earth.
13. Frozen precipitation commence
14. Monarchial triad
15. Righteous darkness
16. Oh small Israel urban center
17. Our fervent hope is that you thoroughly enjoy your holiday season
18. May the deity bestow an absence of fatigue to happy male humans
19. Loyal followers advance
20. Query regarding identity of descendant

Soooo....how many did you get? Be honest! In the time limit we had, about 10 minutes, I got 15 out of 20. Not bad, not bad.

#3 Totally stumped me. I'm impressed if you get it, although you'll kick yourself afterwards when you realize how simple it is.

Have fun!

(Answers in comments....no cheating!)

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Sad but True

Came across THIS webpage.

And then came across this...


I particularly like how the dad's got the "hold on a sec, I'm checking my email" finger up.

Funniest, most relevant, Christmas card, like, EV-ER!

Thursday, December 08, 2011

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia

I have a lot of hair. Like, a lot!! It's long and thick and curly. Often, it is big and bushy and fuzzy and out of control.

When I do finally go to the salon to get it cut, it takes about 2 hours. The stylist always comments on how heavy, how an extra sink is needed to wash it, how cutting covers her entire salon floor with blondish clippings and takes 20 minutes to sweep up. Blah blah blah.

What can I say, I can't help genetics. I have terrible skin, not so great teeth, and I've gained 50 lbs since highschool. So, I embrace the hair as awesome! I fear, like Absalom, that my vanity over my locks may be the death of me one day.

Or perhaps the death of the hubster....

We were sitting on the couch, snuggled up, watching tv, as is our evening custom when the kidlets are in bed and we have a few precious moments to ourselves.

I was in my comfy pj's. My hair was twirled up into an unsightly bun/twist thingy.

I have to rewind a smidge. After Charlotte was born, I started to lose my hair. A lot of hair. Did I mention a lot?! It was coming out in clumps, bunches of hair clogging the drain, and making our vacuum cleaner get all tangled (honest to goodness!). After a few months it started to grow back with a vengeance of curly baby hair sticking out all around the perimeter of my face, like my very own mini white girl 'fro.

So, there we were. Couch. Chillin'. The hubster and I, and my hair.

He says, pointing, "Why is your hair doing that? Why doesn't it lay flat?" (attempting to pat it down) "You look like a chia pet!"


I whip my head around and give him the evil glare, brows pulled down, "I can't help it!"

Apparantly my big fuzzy head was getting in the way of the hubster's optimal television viewing. Well, don't I just feel terrible about that!

Cruel, I tell ya, totally cruel!

But it was honestly so funny that he called me a chia pet, all I could do was get up and go post his comment as my facebook status and give everyone a good chuckle.

"Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia"...it's been stuck in my head for 2 days now. It's time to pass it on.

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Happy Girls

I went to St. John's last week.
I went here.
I got properly fitted (which I highly recommend).
I purchased a $167 bra.
I almost killed the hubster. (he quickly approved when he saw said bra)
The girls are very happy.

The end.

Feel free to comment on how crazy I am to spend $167 on a bra (I failed to mention the $42 on the matching undies).