Our Winter!

Christmas!
Our first Christmas as a family of three! It was an adventure. We usually combine our two families (much easier on us, and on Andre's parents since they don't have to cook), but this year Andre's parents decided they didn't want to travel. So I suggested that we go up and visit them for dinner on Christmas Eve. It ended up being a huge ordeal for us having to lug a bunch of crap for a half day there, but I felt is was important that Emilie get to experience her first Christmas with both of her grandparents.

Emilie and her Nana

Opening her new jammies!

Giving her Grandpa his present.

Santa visited our house!!

 The next morning we spent the first part of the morning together just as our little family. Listening to Christmas carols and opening presents. Emilie was a little overwhelmed by all the gifts though, so it ended up taking us the entire day to get everything opened.

Opening her stocking.

She loved her new activity table.

Opening more presents!

 After a nap in the morning we went over to my parents house to open even more presents!

Emilie and I going through our stockings.

Our day ended (after nap #2) with a turkey dinner at my parents house. I was a little nervous about how this was going to go down with a house full of people, and two active babies in my parents tiny house, but it all went really well, and Emilie did very well.

Swimming Lessons 
One thing that Andre and I felt was really important was to have Emilie get comfortable with the water, and one day be able to swim, so we started by enrolling her in a water babies swim program at the local recreation centre. The best part was that Emilie was in the same class as her cousin Joshua!

Yay, swimming lessons!

Learning the back float with Mama.

Playing with Papa.

Fun in the snow
You'd think that living in Canada that this would be an everyday occurrence, but this year, not so much at least where we live. We did however manage to get a few snapshots of Emilie having some fun in the snow with her cousin.

How can we forget...

More on the BIG ONE later!

A New Year

And hopefully a start to more regular blogging. To tell you the truth I have found having two blogs (this blog and the baby blog) to be a bit much to keep up along with work and home, and Emilie....you get the picture. But then I keep thinking about different blog post ideas, and then I think of how the people that read our baby blog may not be terribly interested in reviews of greener products, or recipe ideas, or my general rants about life in general. Sometimes it's nice to have a place that not everyone knows existed right?

I'm going to try to get back into doing little things for myself though. I really do want to get back to blogging, and back into scrapbooking as well. Two things that really do make me happy, but have fallen by the wayside first when Emilie was born, and then again when I went back to work in July. Just not enough hours in the day, and energy to get through those hours! But enough for the grumbling.

I really do want to catch you up on Christmas, what has been going on around here, the status of our marriage since I last posted about our transition into parenthood last year, and what we have been up to this winter. I also want to try out some new recipes (I found an awesome new Crock Pot recipe website!!), share with you some blogs that I love (maybe my readers will do the same?) and do a series on cloth diapering. My goal is to do a new blog entry every week, but I think a more realistic goal would be biweekly. We'll see how it goes!

I am an Auntie!

You may all call me Auntie Jenna.

My little nephew was born via emergency c-section on June 29th, 2011. My sister Carrie went into preterm labour at 33 weeks, and the medication they gave her to stop labour ended up causing her blood pressure to drop dangerously low, thus causing his heart rate to drop dangerously low. It was a very tense day, but little Joshua Joseph was born a full 7 weeks early at exactly 5lbs. He was small, but perfect.

He spent the next 2 and a half weeks in the NICU, and got to come home. It was a great day to finally get to see him, and hold him for the first time.

He has been thriving since he arrived home. At his last weigh in with the family doctor he was a whopping 6lbs, 8ozs. He gained a full pound in his first week home! He has been such a good little boy for his mommy and daddy (oh how jealous!) as well.

So blog land, here is my nephew Joshua Joseph:

A little collage I made for Carrie to celebrate Josh's 2 week birthday. It reads "What a difference two weeks makes. Joshua then and now."

Their brave little man, finally home!

My first snuggle time with Josh!

We call this one "Big and Little". Their first picture together.

Our Sunday morning in pictures

Morning load of diaper laundry

Some time in the garden. Look what bloomed!

Sleepy little girl napping.

The big update!

Everytime I logged on to Google Reader, or even just went on Facebook for that matter, the thought would run through my head about how it had been a long time since I had blogged. Then I would immediately become distracted, or the thought would just disappear from my head all together (gotta love placenta brain) and then I would go on my merry way again. Then I actually checked when my last entry was yesterday. Wow, it's been a looooong time.

There's been a lot going on, but at the same time not very much to warrant an exciting blog entry you know? Andre and I have been busy with work, and preparing for the holidays, and for little Peanut. The belly continues to get bigger, as does Peanut. She is moving more and more, and is currently having a love affair with my right side. My right ribcage to be exact. Her little head is there as I type. I continue to check my blood sugar multiple times a day, as well as injecting myself with Insulin daily right before bedtime. I'm being monitored very closely, and both Peanut and I are very healthy. As a nice little bonus with the reduced carb diet I have lost around 12-15 pounds. I'm too lazy to actually figure out the exact number. Don't be worried though, I continue to meet with my dietitian (and midwife, and OB, and diabetic nurse, and Endocrinologist...) and along with eating a balanced diet, both Peanut and I are both very healthy.

Preparation for Peanut was pretty much on hold over the month of December. With work, and Christmas shopping, and all that jazz, we were both just too overwhelmed to add one more thing to the mix. This week since both of us were on vacation things have shifted into high gear and preparations have once again begun. Among the necessary minor renovations to free up the smallest spare room to make room for a nursery, we finally purchased the crib, crib mattress, and car seat. Thanks to some very generous family, friends, and clients of mine Peanut also has quite the collection of new and gently used clothes. She will be quite the stylin' little girl! I've also started to purchase a little stash of cloth diapers to try out as well, but I will save this for another post!

As a reward for all of you faithful readers that will read this entry, I will finish off this post with our latest ultrasound picture of Peanut from December 20th at 28wks, and a belly picture of me from December 24th at 28wks.

Good-Bye Summer...

...hello Fall!

Otherwise known as my favourite season of the entire year. There's just something about having to break out the sweaters, and jackets, the freshness in the air, and the rich colours all around. I love getting out the cozy blankets that can be snuggled under in the evenings, and warm duvets to curl up under all night.

Just this week I brought out a spicy vanilla candle and let the whole house smell super yummy. Today on the agenda was breaking out the duvet for the winter. I think it will still be a little too early for me at least since peanut seems to be keeping me fairly warm while sleeping at night. I'm sure Andre will appreciate the extra warmth though.

We're getting ready for Thanksgiving around here as well. Last year Andre and I were holiday-dinner-hosting-dynamos after hosting Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, but this year Thanksgiving will be the extent of our hosting duties. I'm not a fan of hosting Christmas dinner, and will never do this again, and I will be too busy with a newborn to host Easter dinner this year. My mom has agreed to take over the hosting reins once again for these holidays. We also got news that we will be having house guests this fall! My friend Laura and her little girl joined us for a few days this summer, and she asked if we would be willing to offer them our guestroom for a few days again this fall. We're looking forward to it!

We've also been busy researching and planning all the things that will need to be purchased for our little peanut! For updates on all things baby related you can visit our baby blog at: http://ourlittleonemcg.blogspot.com/

Stressful day, but a good ending

In my last blog post I was talking about how I have been on progesterone suppositories, but was going to run out before the weekend was over. The office in their letter to me had mentioned if this was the case, to call, and leave a message even though they wouldn't be in the office and someone would call in the prescription to the pharmacy they deal with. Well yesterday I called and left a message telling them I did need a refill.
I called the pharmacy around 11am, and no one had called in the progesterone yet. So I waited until the afternoon. At 2pm the pharmacy still hadn't received the order yet. So I waited some more. The entire time getting angrier and angrier, and more and more frustrated. I immediately went online to get some advice. After coming across someone on a message board that is a patient at the same clinic as I am (what are the chances?) she suggested calling up the pharmacy again. I called him up and explained the situation, and he agreed to give me a few to get through the weekend.
::Insert sigh of relief here::
I was so stressed out that missing the progesterone was going to cause a miscarriage. Man my imagination was not my friend today! In the end I came home with enough medication to get me through the weekend, and a little surprise.
Andre had been out, and knew how stressed out I was, so he bought me a bouquet of mini pink carnations. They were sitting in a vase in the diningroom when I got home this afternoon. He's such a sweetie. I think I'll keep him!

Gold star for me!

I got back into the groove today, and got my butt back on the treadmill. I had been doing so well since March, getting onto the treadmill at least three times a week even when sleeping in was waaaaaay more appealing. Then I got sick. Not just the sniffles, but up all night unable to breathe for 2 nights followed by up all night for 2 more nights because of coughing, sick. Then my asthma got involved. So it was no treadmill for me until I could get the asthma under control.

It's been a week of an increased dose of my inhalers and I finally felt like I was up to getting back on there. I still can't push myself (ie jog as long or as fast as I was doing), but I still managed to get on there, and now I feel much better about myself. The best surprise came when I weighed myself this morning. This I had not done since a few days before I got sick, so it had been 19 days. EEEEEEEK! I was so nervous.

But lo and behold I had lost .8kg since last time! I was shocked! I had noticed a decrease in my appetite lately, which I attributed to well feeling like shit and not wanting to eat, and being on Metformin for just over 3 months, and it's normal to feel a decrease in appetite on Metformin. So then I calculated my total weight loss since I started this whole exercising thing: -4.7kg. Which doesn't sound nearly as impressive as -10.3lbs!!

This makes me so happy because 10lbs was my first official goal in my head. I don't actually set goals since I am a self sabotager (is that even a word?) and would find some way to ruin it for myself, so I kept this goal to myself and I achieved it! I told Andre over breakfast this morning that I should give myself a gold star!

The Bachelorette

Hello my name is Jenna and I am a trash-tv-aholic. The Bachelor/ette in particular. I've watched every single season aside from the first original Bachelor, the infamous one where Trista was rejected, and ultimately started the Bachelorette franchise.

So for the next few weeks every Monday evening I will be glued to the tv seeing who she'll ultimately fall in love (lust) with. Even Andre watches it with me. He might not last the entire episode (two hours is a loooooong time) but always wanders back to watch the rose ceremony at the end. I didn't realize how much he liked this show until tonight.

I went out for ice cream with my mom, sister Carrie and my (step) niece Hailey. I got home and could hear familiar voices coming from the television. I walk into the living room, and to my amazement it's last weeks episode of the Bachelorette! Andre isn't even fazed. The first words out of his mouth when he's caught red-handed you ask? "We already saw this one."

He makes me smile. I love a man who is secure enough in his manhood to sit and watch the Bachelorette even when his wife isn't home.

More randomness from Andre

Sometimes I beloved husband comes up with the most random things ever, so if I will remember I will share them with you all.

This conversation happened on Friday as Andre picked me up from work, and we were walking to the car.

Andre: Jenna! ::he was very enthusiastic:: Today I had the most amazing, mind reviving thing today! Guess what it was!

Me: ::blank stare, who asks questions like this after a long day at work??:: A blow job? Who did you find to give you a blow job?

Andre: ha ha, very funny.

(I couldn't resist)

Andre: Limeade! Did you know that there was Limeade in the freezer?! Jenna you need to have some!

At this point I laughed pretty much the whole way home. You see my husband is really one of those men who stops to smell the roses. He notices those little things like how wonderful Limeade tastes on a hot summer day.

(This story was brought to you by my friend Mary Ann who left a can of Limeade in the freezer that we didn't consume mixed with alcohol on the last girls night.)

A little project

I know, like the office renovation isn't enough! This one has been in the works for a little while, and I have been stalking the Canada Post website waiting for confirmation of delivery before I would post pictures online! Canada Post has assured me it was delivered successfully yesterday at 1:20pm, so I can now post pictures! Yeah!

So I have a small group of girls that I have known forever. I'm talking before the problems with fertility, before the house, the wedding, before Andre and even before College. These girls knew me in High School!! As a tribute to these wonderful women and how much their friendship has meant to me over the years I have tried to do a little something extra for them on those big milestones in their lives. Mainly when they get married and have a baby. The scale of the gift has mainly depended on how much spare time I have at that given time. I've tried to do some sort of quilt for each milestone.

So when my friend Laura announced that she was pregnant, I knew that I wanted to do something for her to celebrate this. Her and her husband welcomed their beautiful little girl into the world in January and I finally completed her quilt a few weeks ago and shipped it out. For her I opted for a flannel rag quilt since they live in frosty Manitoba.

I am so happy with the final product, and it is the perfect size for them to snuggle with their little girl on those cool spring nights, and a great size for laying down for her to have a nice place to explore the world around her when she's a little older.

Here are the pictures:

A little close-up of my fabric choices.

For those that are sentimental, you will note the little white square, that is a little tag that I added to explain who the quilt was for, her birth date, and who made it for her.

The whole thing!

"Blankets wrap you in warmth, quilts wrap you in love."

~ Unknown.

What a difference a day makes

Yesterday was an abnormally mild day for February. It was a great day though. The sun was shining, the light dusting of snow that was on the ground was melting. I think almost everyone in my neighbourhood decided to get out of the house and go for a walk yesterday. I know we did! I also turned down the thermostat and opened the windows to air the house out. Andre loves the fresh air, so he was more than happy to open the windows. So was Mikey, he ran from one end of the house to another, then would jet up the stairs and do the same thing upstairs running from one bedroom to another. We decided he must have had an early case of spring fever!

Today was completely different on the other hand. I had the day off today so I decided I would make a trip downtown to renew my healthcard, and maybe do a little shopping at the only Cotton Ginny left in the city (they have fabulous organic cotton clothing). I checked the forecast and they were forecasting 5-10cm of snow. Not really a ton of snow, but I was really doubtful as we haven't really had that much snow this entire winter. For once they were right!

Thank goodness I was smart enough to wear my winter boots when I left this morning because the snow started around noon as I was waiting for my bus home. Here is what our backyard looks like now. Keep in mind when I left the house this morning all you could see was grass everywhere.

Even my tracks that I made a few hours ago are almost filled up. Mother nature makes no signs of stopping either. It's still snowing big fluffy snow flakes out there. It was so nice this afternoon to curl up under my big blanket and just relax in my warm house instead of being outside. Days like today also remind me of when we lived in the apartment. It was a basement apartment so there were no huge windows that showed what was going on outside. The biggest windows were in the front of the house, so when it snowed we would keep wandering to the bedroom checking out how much snow had fallen then wait for the plough to go down the street so we could rush outside and dig out the car that was parked on the street.

Now thankfully we're in the townhouse, and there is a company that comes to clear out the parking lot so we rarely have to shovel a flake. But just in case we always have a shovel waiting in the shed just beside our front door.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day turned out to be a fairly busy day. We had company over the night before so we both slept in and took our time getting ready for the day. Andre had decided that we were going to drive out to the Butterfly Conservatory in Niagara Falls, and have lunch to mark the special day. In the end we had lunch at a restaurant close to our house and then hopped on the highway from there for the drive to the conservatory.

We had first visited the conservatory right after we were engaged, so it's been about 5 years we last visited. We've only ever visited in the winter, but I think it would be a great place to visit in the spring/summer, so you could take advantage of the nice weather and take a walk through the Botanical Gardens that are in the same area. We've only ever seen everything covered in snow.

It's funny to see people, young and old, man and woman snapping picture after picture of the butterflies, and holding out their arms hoping one might land on them. It was especially funny to see the biker-type guy yesterday shout out to his friends that one had landed on his arm. The best part of this place is that it's nice and warm to accommodate all the butterflies. Here are some pictures:

When we got home Andre promptly banished me to the living room and told me that he had a "project" and I was not allowed to even peak into the kitchen. This immediately made me nervous, but I went along with it and went to play Super Mario for Wii in the living room.

Well after about 20 minutes of salivating from the smell of melted chocolate, and listening to Andre curse I went into the kitchen when he explained that his project was a big catastrophe. Yes, he used to word catastrophe. I went into the kitchen and found a recipe for black and white dipped chocolate covered strawberries and three bowls filled with various stages of burnt chocolate.

And a very frustrated Andre. He told me that it wasn't fair, I had made chocolate covered strawberries and they had turned out great, and nothing was working for him. So I tried to salvage as much as I could. I carefully peeled off the globs of chocolate he managed to get onto the strawberries and got him to gently pat the water off the strawberries (problem #1, the strawberries need to be dry). Then instead of melting the chocolate in the microwave, I used the stove ("Jenna, it said to use the microwave."). After constant stirring and some added water we managed to get the chocolate melted and smooth. Then I let him dip the strawberries.

He really wanted to add the melted white chocolate like the recipe said, so I melted down some white chocolate (Jenna, it's not going to work, I already tried.") and left him alone so he could finish up the last few steps on his own. In the end it ended up being more of dual project, but I think he did really well.

It's the thought that counts right?

After dinner we collapsed on the couch and ended up watching The Great Sperm Race on Discovery (which we both found very entertaining). And then we both almost fell asleep watching Olympic pairs figure skating.

A year ago today....

....Andre and I were finishing up the first week in our new home. The house was a mess of boxes, boxes, and more boxes. The living room floor was still old stained parquet wood flooring, the dining room was old stained threadbare carpeting littered with little bits of wallpaper from the walls. We still had a washer and dryer in the laundry room that was older than I am, and our "guest room" was more like a cemetery for boxes of stuff we had no home for.
Fast forward one year. We have hosted one Easter dinner, one Thanksgiving dinner, and one Christmas dinner (and to answer your question, we will not be hosting that many family dinners this year!). We've had our share of fights over who's way is the right way to paint a wall (the answer is my way). We've (okay I've) had a major breakdown over how to use the previously mentioned washing machine, then another breakdown when my brand new dryer cord doesn't reach the plug on the laundry room wall.
We've hosted countless friends, had our first (second, third...) BBQ in our own backyard, using our own BBQ! Opened our doors to family and friends who have needed a place to rest their weary head overnight. Best of all we have transformed a very outdated place that housed our belongings into our HOME. It has been an incredible ride filled with shouting and tears, and smiles and laughter. I have no clue what the next year holds but I know that together Andre and I will conquer it together.

"A house is made of walls and beams;

a home is built with love and dreams."

~Source Unknown

Randomness from Andre

Last night Andre decided that he would cuddle up with me while I was watching Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice, otherwise known in our house as "so-help-me-if-you-talk-to-me-anytime-other-than-a-commercial-I-will-kill-you". Here is a snapshot of two of the random thoughts that came out of his mouth:

::Andre staring at me::
Andre: Jenna how much does it cost to get your hair dyed at the hair dressers?
ME:
::sigh:: Why? Don't you like my hair?
Andre: Well....You're too young to have all that grey.

In all fairness I have been letting my roots grow in a lot the last 6 months, and have been putting off buying a box colour until I get it cut. Sometimes it is odd to have a husband who is more concerned with your grey hair than you are.

This one is the best:

(Still watching Grey's Anatomy, this gem was saved for a commercial break)
Andre: Jenna have you ever wondered whatever happened to Richard Greico?
:: insert my patented What-the-eff face here::
Andre: You know the guy from 21 Jump Street...
ME: Umm, yeah I know who he is, my question is why are you wondering whatever happened to him?
Andre: I don't know I just wondered.

I will never, ever figure out the male brain and how it can jump from grey hair to Richard Greico.

Interesting article

I was at a family dinner on New Years Day and I was reminded of an article while listening to my Aunt. My aunt is a very unhappy woman. She's mentioned to me (and other family members) about the dismal state of her marriage, and talks non-stop about how she hates the whole mundane routine of working, taking care of her house, and her children (I would like to mention that her children are not "children", they are 23, 20 and 17). If you give her the chance she will go on and on about how horrible it is to have to work all day, come home, make dinner and clean after her family. On New Years day, she went on for at least a half an hour. So long in fact that my other "aunt" who is in her 70's got up and left the table because she was just so sick of listening to the ranting.


Now while listening to her tirade I was reminded of this article, talking about this book. I had read this article after it was posted on a forum I read. In it the "Superior Wife" is described. In the article they talk about how this over-achieving wife takes over all aspects of keeping the house and family running that eventually they are resentful, and miserable. This I think describes my aunt perfectly. Her house, always immaculate. She complains about having to do all the housework around the house, yet she she still makes the bed, does the laundry, and prepares lunches for her two adult, and one teen aged child. Hello! How about you take a step back and let them take care of themselves for a change?

As I've listened to other family members and friends describe situations with their husbands I am reminded of this article more and more. Hell, I hate to admit it, but I find myself doing the same thing occasionally.

I was at lunch with my friend Pam a couple months ago, and she was going on and on about how her husband "can't do this, can't do that". I looked her right in the eye, and told her that every task she was describing was indeed something that he could do, but she wouldn't let him do them. They were all simple things like putting her daughter to bed, cook dinner, pack a box when they were moving, etc. She was so adamant that he couldn't do these things she actually banged her fist on the table and yelled "no he can't do them!" I told her calmly that yes he could do these things, but she was a control freak, and he wouldn't do them her way, so she didn't want him to do these tasks. She just looked at me for a second and admitted that yes, this was the case.

Please note that only a fellow control freak could call a friend a control freak and get away with it!

I wonder quite often how many of us do this same thing. Just sit back complaining about our husbands, and how useless they are when in reality it is us that is creating this chain of events. Would we want to do a task when every time we go to complete it we are told we're not doing it right? I'm guessing no. So why do we do the same thing to our husbands?

Christmas Rundown

Christmas Eve already! Thankfully I booked yesterday and today off work to get the last minute things done.

This was all that we had to do, and what we still need to do in order to be ready to host dinner tomorrow:

• clean out upstairs hallway of all paint and reno supplies
• clean up main floor of all the misc crap that we've been collecting this week
• clean up the master bedroom to store coats tomorrow
• make belgian cookies for dessert Christmas day
• make dough for cinnamon rolls for breakfast Christmas morning
• clean out fridge to make room for yummy leftovers
• quickly wash kitchen and diningroom floor
• place all the wrapped Christmas presents under the tree

Saved for tomorrow before company arrives:

• vacuum carpet in the upstairs hallway and master bedroom
• clean bathrooms, and clear personal items off of counter
• make up guest bedroom for in-laws arrival
• close office door so our company can't see the mess that is this room
• sometime in there save a couple minutes to just enjoy the day with Andre before the craziness of company begins.

It doesn't seem so daunting now that I have it all written down!

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas, and enjoys this precious time with their families and friends!

And we wait some more

Well I finished the dreaded two weeks of Provera. Overall not a horrible experience. I ended up spotting all but three days of the two weeks, but didn't experience any terrible side effects aside from the PMS and cramps from hell the last week.

I knew by the second week that I would be getting a period. There was no way my body could hurt that badly if I wasn't going to get a period. And sure enough the last day of the course of Provera the period to end all periods arrived. I was happy that my body achieved the desired result at least.

So now we wait. I am to now wait a month to see if the Provera will kick start my cycles. I don't have terribly high hopes, but my mother tells me to be optimistic. We have also decided that regardless of what happens, that I am not going back on the pill. Instead we are going to try for a baby. A huge step, and one that we are both on the same page about. It took some discussing. Andre, bless him, was hesitant because he thought that I would get pregnant right away. Once I explained that with my track record of one ovulation per year, this would be next to impossible to happen right away without the help of a miracle, he was more relaxed.

It's funny, but lately it seems like he's talking about children and babies more often. Even last night we were in church at their annual Christmas Candlelight Service and there was a young couple seated behind us with a newborn. At one point Andre turned to me and whispered that I had to turn around, there was a baby that was brand new behind us and he was so cute with a little Santa hat on. I thought it was the sweetest thing.

Who knows, maybe next Christmas we'll be busy planning for our own little baby on the way. One can only hope.

Childless=Lazy

I'm afraid that this appears to be the opinion of one of my closest friends, or should I say "friends". This friend is actually my best friend, one of my closest, and longest friends. She has always come out with snippy comments as long as I've known her, but lately they have really been getting on my nerves.

Today's episode is courtesy of a message she left on our voicemail this morning inviting us over for tea to see their new house. Sounds harmless enough right? Wrong!

Now Andre and I love to sleep as much as the next person. Lately especially Andre because he rises long before the sun to get to work on time. My friend left the following message on our voicemail at 9:16 this morning:

"Hi guys it's *** calling! It's about 9:15 in the morning. I was just calling to see if you wanted to come over this morning for tea to see the new house. I know it's really early in the morning and you're probably asleep..." It goes on from there about how they're up early because of the "baby". Normally I try not to let this sort of thing bother me, but today it did. Maybe I can blame it on the artificial hormone induced PMS that I am no doubt experiencing for the first time in about 7 months. Yeah, we'll go with that.

It's her tone when she leaves messages like this on the phone. And for the record, this is not the first time she has left a message like this on our voicemail, every time we don't answer the phone when she calls on a Saturday morning the message begins with "Oh, you're probably sleeping..." in the tone. She might as well just say "It's 9:00 and you're not answering the phone?! How can you let the whole day pass you by like that?! We were up so early this morning with the baby. We are just so busy because of the baby" For the record the baby is almost a year and a half. More like toddler, than screaming infant.

The worst part is that I feel like justifying myself to her! When she leaves a message like that I feel like I have to tell her everything that I did that morning. "Oh I'm so sorry I couldn't answer! I was having a shower/cleaning the bathroom/vacuuming" I know, so glamorous! Today I couldn't answer because I was already at work. At my career. Something she wouldn't know about because she's never had a career. As much as I would love to tell her this, I know it would hurt her feelings, so I would never do that.

For now I think the next time she calls I'm going to respond with "I'm so sorry we couldn't come to the phone, we were having people over for brunch/hosting overnight guests/out shopping/at work/having fabulous sex in different rooms of the house or yes, sleeping, because you can still be busy and be child free!

*Disclaimer: I in no way intended to offend any mothers, working or stay-at-home with this rant. It is related to one specific person, and in no way describes my feelings about parenthood, otherwise Andre and I would not be trying to become parents.*

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas......

At least in our livingroom that is! Since we went from a small one bedroom apartment to a house, our decorations are limited. We really only have enough for some decorations on the table in the diningroom and in the livingroom. I was so happy this Christmas because I was finally able to have a 'grown up' tree! We had a pre-lit 4 foot tree that we had put out in the apartment, but I wanted a full sized tree.

Andre and I scowered through flyers, looked at the beautiful (but expensive!) trees at Costco, and were at a loss. I wanted pre-lit. After being spoiled by our little one, I was not willing to go back. I also wanted a nice looking tree. All this meant lots of $$. Something I wasn't really wanting to spend! I had almost given up hope when I was at a Card making Workshop and the host of the workshop mentioned that she was selling a 7 foot pre-lit tree. It was two years old, but it was too big for her space. They had bought it for $200, but she was willing to sell it for $60. Needless to say it didn't take me long to accept her offer! The only catch was that it was multi coloured lights, and I'm partial to white, but for $60 I was willing to live with it for a couple years.

So here is our bargain basement tree all decorated and lit up in our living room!

I'm from the school that your tree should be a collection of all the things that remind you of the season, or mean something to you rather than something that is out of the pages of a magazine (not that there is anything wrong with that!). You will notice that in the picture. Every year I also pick out a Hallmark Collectable ornament. I'm hoping to find one that I like when I go Christmas shopping this coming Monday.

One other thing in our living room is my little Christmas Village. My grandmother decided to start buying me pieces for a village a couple years ago. I think she did this mainly because she loves them, and has always wanted one for herself. To be completely honest I was less than thrilled when I started receiving them. I think my exact words to my mother (when my grandmother was out of earshot of course) was "what the hell does she want me to do with these?". This because we had NO space for things like this in the apartment. Now that we do have the space, I am more than happy to put stuff like this on display.

So there is a little bit of the decorating that we have done for the holidays. I have a little DIY that I had done, but I haven't taken a picture, so that will just have to wait!