Christmas Day!

Spent Christmas morning just the three of us...opening presents, having a big ol' breakfast and relaxing in our jammies.

Nona and Bapa arrived just before lunch and we had another present opening session. After a couple of drinks Mimi and Opa arrived and we had our THIRD Christmas, phew. Exhausting for all of us.

It was very enjoyable to have everyone all together. Dinner in the late afternoon: I made the potatoes, Mimi brought brussel sprouts an dessert and Nona brought the gravy and turkey. It was a real team effort.

We skyped with my sister and her family in Alberta so they could watch Daphne open the gifts they sent. This was one of the gifts, Violet, and Daphne LOOOOVES her. 

Hope you all had an excellent holiday! 

Christmas Fail Excuses

So I probably shouldn't have so openly announced my baking plans...it feels like I jinxed myself by doing that.

Of course....OF COURSE...I came down with a really shitter of a cold. 12 days before Christmas. And man, oh man, does this thing not want to let go. It's always those damn coughs that hold on the longest.

So of course my grand baking plans have gone out the window. I'm not even going to try to get it all done because I would be rushing and not enjoying myself.

I did, however, get my cheater truffles done the day before this cold hit me really hard.

I'm pretty happy with them.

Now wish me luck shaking this cough off before the big day. Thankfully the hubz is always at the ready with tea and meds for me. And my mother-in-law came in today to play with Daphne for a couple hours so I'm using this time to get this post up and have a wee rest.

Christmas Baking

So Christmas is closing in quickly...like really quickly and I haven't got any baking done yet. I'm hoping over the next week to get the majority done.

Here is what I hope to be able to make:

• Truffles
• Shortbread cookies topped with caramel and chocolate
• Kahlua fudge
• Peanut Butter fudge

Doesn't seem like a lot but I will need a whole day to get it done and some help from the hubz. I was also hoping to do some chocolate chip cookies...but they aren't really as seasonal so I'll do them if I have the time. Other than the shortbread everything is no bake which makes life a little easier.

We always had peppermint squares and nanaimo bars when I was growing up. I wish I had the time to make those as well...fingers crossed Nona whipped up some peppermint squares that we can mooch off of her.

Guess I will be throwing on some Bubble Guppies so I can make the list and sending Will out after work to pickup the goods.

How are there only two weekends left until Christmas!?

Fuzzy Chairs, New Ride and a dinosaur attack

My hubz has just made me a cuppa and I'm sitting here reflecting on the last week or so. Seems like we have been so busy! I mean, we are always pretty busy with Daphne. She is very active and demanding but soooo dang adorable.

Daphne did get to spend an evening with Nona and Bapa, which I know she really enjoys. I miss her but it gives me a chance to clean the house and myself.

We also had a lovely visit from Mimi and Opa. They brought over some cake and we had a cup of tea and chatted for a couple of hours. They also brought Will's telescope and his old rocking horse.

Oh and a few boxes of (mostly) crap but we found a few gems. Some hockey cards, this magnificent tyrannosaurus and lots of pictures from his childhood.

Will took Monday off for...well no reason really...so we could have a long weekend. We got lots of shopping done. Made our way into toys'r'us and found this really soft chair for MacGuffin Daphne. 

She has taken to pushing it all over the house and putting it in the MOST convenient (can you feeeeel the sarcasm?) spots. No no I can't imagine I would need to get into the freezer while making dinner. You just relax right there, little lady.

Found this AWESOME wrapping paper while picking up a few groceries at Walmart...and with that my Christmas theme has been decided! At least for the presents. I have a few other ideas swimming around this big ol' head of mine for the house and tree.

And last but not least a sneak preview of the new addition to our family. Her name is  Zelda and she is awesome. I will reveal all her glory in a later post. To be honest it's just too dark out to take any pictures of her right now. 

I hope you all have a great week! 

Christmas Decorations!

A few of the things I did around the house for Christmas this year. I didn't get to do as much as I wanted to. Velcro baby and all. But I was very happy with my tree and the ornaments on my banister.

It was the first year I hosted my parents for x-mas eve and day so I wanted to have a well decorated house. It gave me lots of ideas for other things I would like to do for next year!

Every morning Daphne and I would mark off how many days are left until Christmas. A great tradition to start early. :)

We forgot to take a picture of the tree with all the presents under neither but I was very happy with the colour of the paper I used. Very classy.

Will's mother taught us how to make origami stars. They turned out really nice and I think I will make 7-10 with some Christmas paper and hang them with some string across my front window next year. 

I also have a grand idea for a rustic Merry Christmas sign made with burlap coloured paper and painted wood letters. 

I also want to make my kitchen tree a Halloween theme...because I'm a big Halloween fan. The kitchen tree is not pictured due to catastrophic feline related devastation. Shelley (lady cat) knocked it over and broke 85% of my HANDMADE ornaments. I am still bitter about it.

Otherwise I am pretty happy with how I was able to Christmas up the house with a 4 month old attached to me at all times.

--Siobhan xo

New Exersaucer!

Daphne doesn’t LOVE too many things. She really seems to love crying (hah) and being held by mom. But one thing she certainly likes is her Exersaucer.

  

We got one for free through a mommy group I am a part of on Facebook. She loves bouncing around in it watching whoever is around. So for a late Christmas present we went and got her a new high tech fangled Exersaucer. 

TADA! It’s much quieter than its 10 year old predecessor and has many more toys. Lots of songs and sounds and lights. Really blows her mind. We got it during a boxing week sale so we got about $70 off. Good deal.

Our first full day having it she was probably in it a totally of 2 hours (in 30 minute spurts). That was four 30 minute breaks where mom was able to clean bottles, dust tables, and have lunch. Great investment. And the old one we got for free gets a new home at Nona and Bapa's. 

--Siobhan xo

Daphne's First Christmas!

OMG Daphne's first Christmas!!! It was so much fun and so exciting for all of us!

Everything goes on the head.

Daddy's little hockey player.

Took him a while but this is the moment he realized he got an executive golf membership for Christmas. Hashtag spoiled.

She really got the hang of grabbing and ripping the paper in only a few minutes.

Her haul. Lot's of clothes and noisy toys!

Had some yummy rice cereal for lunch. She's still getting the hang of it. Most of it ended up on Nona's hand and lap...and Shelley licked up the rest.

Tuckered after a long busy morning!

Daphne helping out with dinner. She was on the edge by this point.

So tired. She was a trooper during the day but put up quite a fuss right before sleepy time.

But we all had a super day!

--Siobhan xo