And so it begins.......

 

Well we had our 'tree decorating' party on Monday night. 

I had the pizza dough rising by the time the lil one came home from school and Sir Steve was under orders to come straight home from work - cause - tree decorating ya know!

I always get nostalgic when the ornaments come out.....

Here's one of my squirrel ornaments from my daughters - because you all know how much I love squirrels (NOT)

and there's the hand print snowman ornament the lil one made (with my help) for her dad four years ago.

One of the woven candy baskets we made a couple of years ago

A sentimental Hallmark style one I gave Sir Steve  

just so many memories.

Anyway.......... we got the tree decorated while the pizza cooked

Then we all curled up in front of the TV with our pizza and the movie "One Magic Christmas"

Christmas is a time for making memories......... and we do make memories !!

Old Traditions

 

 

Does anyone else remember the Sears Wish Book?? It used to arrive in the mail around the beginning of November.  My girls would pour over it for hours and hours..... eldest daughter used to circle everything she wanted in preparation for her letter to Santa. 

Our lil one doesn't really watch any TV - and certainly not commercial TV (usually movies on the Disney Channel when we do watch TV with her) AND of course no Sear's Wish book!  This lack of exposure to the commercial side of Christmas has it's pro's and con's.  Writing a letter to Santa has been difficult to put it mildly.  She had NO idea what she wanted for Christmas!!  No idea what the newest "must have" toys were.  Remember the cabbage doll craze?? I do - we had a helluva time getting them for each of our girls!!  

You'd think that would make Christmas a whole lot less stressful.  You'd be wrong!  cause how do you buy a lil one the BEST present EVER! if you don't know what the BEST present EVER is for her??!!

Yesterday a catalogue arrived in the mail......... a CHRISTMAS TOY catalogue from Amazon!!  I was SO excited! you'd think I was the kid!!

and better than the  Sear's catalogue - this one comes with activity pages and stickers and a place to write your list!! 

 Here's to updated Christmas traditions.

Don't Hate Me

 

 

By now everyone knows how much I love Christmas......... and how early I start planning and plotting the holidays.  This year is no exception.

I start pestering my family for their Christmas Wish lists in September. This year they ALL cooperated and I had my shopping list completed by the beginning of October.  YAY!!  I'm still shopping on line - mostly at Amazon.  (Truthfully I'm not sure I'll ever go back to shopping in the stores - even after covid is under control) I have ordered everyone's gifts..... and thank goodness I have! cause more than half of my orders are gonna take 4 - 6 weeks to get here.  I wonder if it is this supply chain problem we keep hearing about.   

This supply chain disruption is worrying....... not just for Christmas but everyday shortages worry me too.  So far I haven't had any troubles with my groceries or other necessities but it is a little worrying ya know.  I've made a list of the baking I want to do and a list of the supplies I need to do this baking.  Why I do that is simple...... I can now buy these ingredients as they go on sale (or as the case may be - as they are available) This makes it a little easier on the food budget.  

Lists are a HUGE part of my Christmas planning........ I love my lists!!  Thought I'd share this list of to do's......

 

Keeping Promises

So I saw the doctor yesterday -- it appears I have bronchitis and low levels of oxygen in my blood - which explains a whole lot of problems I've been having.  I was sent home with two prescriptions and a stern lecture about taking care of myself 

OR

I would land myself up in hospital.  I do not want to land up in hospital!  
I promised the doc and myself that I would take it easy for the next 10 days - take my meds and drink loads of water........ and in 10 days be back on my feet. 


BUT

I had made another promise ....... to the lil one.  and I intended to keep it... the Christmas tree was going to go up last night. 

Before leaving for the doctor's I had emptied the spot where the tree was going and found the new decorations we had made and purchased.  I had emptied the shelves in the hallway ........ All in preparation for the decorating. 

When Sir Steve got home he put the tree up -- our new 7 foot tree!! It is wonderful to have a full size tree again!! and he dragged all the bins of decorations up from the basement.

Then when the lil one got home we started decorating........ 
my job was to sit on the sofa and pull the decorations out of the bins/bags and direct the lil one and Sir Steve where to put them. 

The lil one said more than once how this was the BEST night ever!!  
Once the tree was up and decorated and the rest of the house sporting its touches of Christmas I popped a bunch of chicken wings/potatoe skins and sausage rolls in the over for a 'buffet finger food' supper.  We all munched away while watching our first Christmas movie of the season "The Christmas Chronicles".

 Here's a couple of pics of our new decorations (fyi our theme this year is Christmas in Denmark)

Danish woven baskets the lil one made 

 straw ornaments from Denmark

Today I am on the sofa in my pjs resting and drinking water..... Sir Steve will take the lil one to the bus till the end of the week and a neighbour will pick her up and bring her home......... 

Life is good when you keep promises

Count the Trees

I don't remember ever having so many Christmas celebrations....... 
let's count the trees.......... 

ONE

Christmas Eve in Montreal -- the celebration where I brought all the food from here to there ...... and fed the masses .......... played some holiday games and we all opened presents before toddling off to bed............

TWO

on Christmas morning -- soooooooo many more presents you couldn't get to the tree !!!

THREE

After Christmas morning breakfast we headed home for more presents under our tree... repacking the suitcases ... quiet evening at home before heading off for the last tree............ 

FOUR

6+ hour drive to arrive at Sir Steve's parents house and the 4th and final Christmas celebration. 



We had a Christmas miracle of sorts -- each time we had to travel we managed to miss the storms (mostly freezing rain) and arrive with little to no stress.  By yesterday both Sir Steve and I were more than ready to come back to our lil home... to our bed... to our routines... to the peace and quiet that is our life.  Sir Steve spent some time in the lil one's room trying to find room for all the new toys -- like a dollhouse and a talking Olaf (can I shoot it??) -- her own portable DVD player -- books and more books -- and I have a pile of laundry of all new clothes that she received.

BUT

Life is good when Christmas is filled to over flowing with family ... laughter and love... 

X rated Christmas (part 3)

X rated Christmas (part 2)

X rated Christmas

(you can click on the pic to get a closer view - if you dare)

Day After.........

We have survived 2 separate Christmas celebrations - one on the 24th and of course the BIG one on the 25th after Santa had visited......... 

We were all spoiled -- very spoiled -- the lil one got everything on her Santa list and I got everything and more.  We feasted till we were ready to burst..... and then ate some more........ 

Then we stuffed everything into the car and came home........ we unpacked -- had a good night's sleep... and now we're packing up to head off to Sir Steve's parent's house for a few days ....... and more Christmas celebrations..

It does seem a bit too much ya know?!  I was sitting in the stillness of the very early morning and wondering if I asked the lil one what her favourite present was, if she could even think of one -- just one...... honestly she was a very spoiled lil girl this year.  (and it makes my heart happy)

I hope that you all had a happy celebration ..... with family, friends or strangers.... as long as it brought you some joy......... 

Merry Christmas

from Sir Steve and myself 

Wishing you all a happy loving Christmas........ 

The Excitement Peaks.....

Everything is wrapped and packed ... we just have to load it all in the car (dear god!  thank god Sir Steve has a huge van)

We're heading off in a few hours to celebrate Christmas Eve (and Christmas morning) with the youngest daughter and the family.  I won't be around much for the next week or so -- cause on the 26th we're on the road again driving 6 hours to spend a few days with Sir Steve's family........  

BUT 

for those of you who will actually still be roaming around blogland looking for some amusement -- I have some blogs scheduled to go up for the next few days......... 

Play nice everyone ......... I'll see you all in a week or so........ 

Snow and Dreams

We didn't get the forecasted freezing rain yesterday -- in fact it was so mild it felt like spring and the rain was soft and smelled good.  Sir Steve and I had consoled ourselves that it was most probably gonna be a green Christmas this year (seeing as there was virtually no snow in the forecast till the end of the month)

This morning we woke up to snow........... not a pretty Christmas card snow.......... 

BUT more like a blustery yucky typical Canadian snow storm.......... 

 Besides dreaming of a white Christmas -- I've been having some strange dreams since I started the drug withdrawal......... but last night's took the cake so to speak....... 

I was sitting at a table and someone put a plate of snowballs in front of me....... the snowballs were imprinted with a pattern that made these snow balls look like baseballs.......... and I was supposed to paint the lacing on each of the balls to make them really look like baseballs....... le sigh........ do ya think maybe I have been doing a wee bit too much decorating of Christmas cookies???

BUT we're down to 3 days till Christmas Eve and 99% of the food is ready..... tomorrow I will make the casseroles to take to youngest daughter's for the big family dinner........ Today I will do some laundry and clean the house (hopefully I won't have to do another major cleaning until the end of the holidays)....... Best thing of all -- Sir Steve came home at 3:30 yesterday and is home for 2 weeks........ see me doing the happy dance?

 

Winding down

'

As I sat on the sofa last evening I realized everything was winding down.  I did go out yesterday and found the cute lil fuzzy toy for the top of the lil one's stocking.  Believe it or not it is a 6 inch platypus.  For some reason this year the lil one is obsessed with platypuses so I am expecting much awe and excitement that Santa found a platypus!!  Stopped at a couple of other stores and picked up last minute stuff and headed home. 

Before I had to meet the school bus I managed to get some chocolate/coffee cookies baked and dipped in more chocolate.  Then dragged out the decorating kit and made icing so everything would be ready for the great decorating adventure...... turning gingerbread men into reindeer.

I was pleasantly surprised how well our reindeer turned out ... how cute they are.... 

Today is tying up the last few details (which yes means more cookie decorating) .... Sir Steve comes home at 4:30 and then I will be saying "Let the holidays begin"  

 

Decisions... decisions

Today I had planned to decorate all the cookies -- and do the reindeer cookies after school with the lil one ('cause I'm a sucker for punishment)

BUT
the other day I bought this cute lil pomsie ....

and I was so excited about it ...... then last night Sir Steve and the lil one were cleaning out her room to make room for all the new toys arriving........ and lo and behold I found a pomsie in her toy bucket....apparently she got it for her birthday (I forgot) and she really hasn't played with it (or I would remember it) 

le sigh

So I decided to give this cute lil pomsie to another lil one who will be spending Christmas Eve with us...... which means I don't have a cute fuzzy toy for the top of lil one's stocking........ 

le sigh

I didn't sleep last night fussing over this lack of fuzzy (yeah I know I am 'nuts') 
Then this morning I heard that we will be hit with freezing rain starting tonite into tomorrow........ and I had this brain wave.  I'll go out this morning and see if I can find a cute lil fuzzy for the top of the stocking........ and the majority of the cookie decorating can be done tomorrow when I am stuck inside....... well except for the reindeer cookies which I will do with the lil one after school as promised.

The road to Christmas this year sure has some bumps in it... and a couple of detours.

Roller Coaster

I have survived (physically) the 4th month of withdrawal symptoms.  Only this time my emotions don't seem to be evening out.....it kind of feels like a roller coaster ride.

In one day I can go from feeling euphorically happy to down - low as a snake's belly.  Oh and the fun bit -- I cry over every thing...... and I do mean everything.  

Christmas can make me emotional at the best of times ...........but this year sappy commercials make me cry -- sappy love stories make me cry -- hells bells even baby videos on FB make me cry.  All these emotions are exhausting ya know?!   

All I can do is hope these emotions settle down soon.......... and in the mean time paste a smile on my face and repeat "everything's fine everything's fine"......

And Because

And because I didn't have enough to do .......... 

The other evening my daughters and I were chatting on FB and somehow the conversation came around to more company coming for Christmas Eve.  I had bought the small ones lil gifts to open........ but I hadn't really thought about the adults.  

Yesterday I had an appointment to get my hair trimmed for Christmas - not really a hair dresser appointment - didn't have time for that -- just a quick trim.  When I was done - as I started the car to head home I decided to run to the mall and see if i could find a small gift for the adults.......... because I love shopping ya know.... love it even more during the Christmas rush!

I found a Christmasy sort of gift........... BUT I found the cutest stuffed animal thingy for the lil one's stocking.  I was remembering how I used to top off my girls stockings with a special stuffed toy...... and how the best Christmas ever for me was the one where Santa left a small doll in a knitted dress in the top of my stocking - how could I not get it??!!   AND AND if you push it's nose it talks and it's eyes change colours and sparkle !!!  AND AND best of all -- it was more than 50% off ..... yay !!!  

Life is good when you survive a 'week before Christmas' trip to the mall.......... 

More Baking

Because I need my head examined
and because I don't have enough to do already for Christmas
and because we couldn't decide on a gift for the teacher
and because I promised the lil one she could bake with me...... 

Yesterday (late afternoon) she and I made Scotch Shortbread for the teacher in a fancy cookie mold I have.  She had a blast ......... and that's all that really counts right???

Sir Steve took pity on me (I had really REALLY over done it yesterday) so he ordered pizza for supper and we all ate in front of the TV watching the Muppet Christmas Movie - Letters to Santa.

After supper and the movie -- and before she toddled off to bed -- she packed the cookies in a Christmas tin....... all set to go to school on Friday........

Life is good even when you're so tired you could just sit down and cry......  

It's a Wonderful Life

It was a wonderful weekend !!  

On Sunday Sir Steve helped me make a couple of batches of Christmas cookies... I honestly couldn't believe it!  Never in my life have I ever had any help baking for Christmas -- never mind having the man in my life helping!!  

And damn he was good!  not just standing around with one arm as long as the other -- but actually cutting out exactly the holiday dipped chocolate shortbread -- helping me dip them in chocolate and cover in crushed candy canes........... 

And he cut out all the gingerbread boys...... that with any luck and some artistic talent will be magically turned into reindeer cookies... 

what they should look like when they are done.............. 

And if that wasn't enough --  we had some sexy loving time ........ have I said how damn good he is??? if not -- trust me He is THAT good !  I purred for the rest of the day........ and in exactly 3 3/4 days I will have this man home full time for 2 weeks...... oh my - be still my beating heart !!

My life is really a 'wonderful life' ........ 

Moose Milk and More Memories

Another fond memory from when I was young was visiting people....... neighbours friends and family.... before the holidays.  We would bring small Christmas gifts or holiday treats and visit for awhile....... the visit usually involved tea/coffee and sweets.

One neighbour I remember visiting - always served homemade chocolates and something called 'Moose Milk'.  We kids weren't allowed to even taste it..... we got chocolate milk instead. 

And of course folks would drop in at my parent's house ....... I remember one Christmas Eve lying in my bed and hearing the doorbell ring over and over.. people were dropping by and I was in bed ..... it so wasn't fair!!!  I discovered if I moved to the end of my bed and twisted so I was almost falling off I could just see the people coming in carrying sparkling Christmas presents.  I have no idea how my father discovered I was still awake and watching...... but he came and stood in my doorway and told me I was supposed to be asleep!!  Then instead of getting cross with me... he made me squiggle round and move over...... he tucked the blankets in tight around me ............ 

AND

he laid down beside me.  I will never forget the feeling of drifting off to sleep all snuggled in tight with my father lying beside me.......

These memories came pouring back this weekend because Sir Steve and I went visiting......... (we've had a postal strike here and didn't even bother mailing Christmas cards or invites to the party we're holding on New Year's Day)  We surprised folks... shared coffee and laughs and moved on to the next house..... I had such warm fuzzy feelings....... it was just like the 'good old days'.  It made me realize how much the electronic world has taken away from us......... how good it is for the soul to sit and talk and visit face to face........ 

Life is good when old memories are new again........

~~~~~~~~~~~

And in case anyone is interested...... here is the recipe for Moose Milk -- no wonder we kids weren't allowed even a taste

Ingredients

• 1 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
• 1 gallon milk
• 4 3/4 cups dark rum

• 4 3/4 cups coffee-flavored liqueur (such as Kahlua(R))
• 4 3/4 cups vodka
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg, or to taste (optional)

Directions

1. Whisk vanilla ice cream, milk, rum, coffee liqueur, and vodka in a large punch bowl until frothy and liquid; garnish with nutmeg. Ladle into punch mugs.

Sunday Sentiments