Hanging with my sweet little Valentine – she brings me so much joy!
Archive for the ‘Memories’ Category
{Girl Time with Lola}
February 12, 2010My Kids – Christmas 2009
December 30, 2009I have a post written up to go along with these pics of my children from Christmas. I will share it soon, but right now I’m unpacking so that has to come first 
It’s beginning to look alot like Christmas
December 22, 2009We have a new baby girl and still managed to decorate the house for the holidays! Yay for helpful husbands!! I’m super excited about our new tree this year, and a few special new ornaments for the tree (check out the yummy cupcake one from: GigiMinor on Etsy!)
Our tree is decked out in pink & red (with a hint of lime green here and there). It’s pretty and feminine, I’m crazy about it and so it Lola! The boys like the red parts of the tree, and think that the pink is tolerable. LOL!! Kidding, they don’t mind the pink at all.
Merry Christmas from our home to yours ~ Daria, Nathan, Dylan, Joshy, Brigs, Noah and Lola ~
Christmas Care Package
December 7, 2009When I was a little girl each year my Grandma S. (who lived in Saskatchewan) would send a big box in the mail to us a few weeks before Christmas. Inside would be all kinds of magical treasures that she had collected through the year (nothing expensive) necklaces and cheap jewelry, treats, holiday tea towels, fun dodads she’d snagged through the year and put it all into a box for us kids. It was the most exciting mail we ever received, I can remember Brett and Courtnee and I bouncing off the walls excited that Grandma had sent us her famous Christmas Care Package.
Grandma is now gone, but the tradition of her Christmas package lives on thanks to my own Mother. Today was Christmas Box day, it arrived in the mail on this cold blustery afternoon and my own children got to experience the sheer thrill of this tradition from my youth. True to Grandma’s formula my Mom filled it with salt water taffy, butterscotch candy, play dough, holiday tea towel, a battery operated candle, pens with the kids names on them, and the list goes on. It was a virtual treasure trove for my boys to enjoy and discover, and the best part is that it was all inexpensive and has no real rhyme or reason – it’s just stinkin’ fun!!!!!
Thank you Mom for carrying on one of my most cherished memories of my childhood for my own kids. I told them all about Grandma S. and the Christmas Packages we received when I was a little girl, and they thought it was so cool that Nan would do that for them too! It makes living in another city just a bit more bearable.
What Holiday Traditions do you cherish from your own childhood? I’d love for you all to share them here.
Happy Halloween 2009
October 31, 2009
This year we had a pretty low-key Halloween since Brigs exhibited flu symptoms earlier this week, we mostly hung out at home. They did get dressed and had candy, along with a family party – we watched The Wizard of Oz!!
Noah was his hero Buzz Lightyear, Brigs dressed in his “dream costume” as Sonic The Hedgehog (I ordered it to be specially made for him), and Joshy couldn’t decide until the day before that he wanted to be an Evil Wizard. Well as it turns out Joshua doesn’t like face paint, he wanted “his own face” for his costume. LOL! I thought they were pretty stinkin’ cute.
Happy Halloween to all of you – I hope it was safe and full of fun!
Holly Is A Hit!
September 21, 2009This just in! Last week Conor and Katie brought their baby girl Holly up to visit for the first time since her birth. Our family was lucky enough to get first glimpse of precious Niece/Cousin Holly since our city is first stop before Calgary. YAY us!
They arrived late at night when the boys were in bed, but that didn’t stop the three older ones for jumping up to meet her. Seeing our boys greet Holly was just pure sunshine, and made us all laugh thinking of how our own little baby girl will be spoiled by them when she arrives this December. It was a total KICK to see Conor and Katie as parents! I can now testify to the fact that Holly IS in fact real and no longer think she might be a stunt baby.
Brigs Reaction (the observer):
“She has a little nose, she has little eyes, she has little hands, she has little feet! Mommy look she has little hair!”
Joshy’s Reaction (the Play-by-Play):
“She’s sucking on her soother…she stopped sucking on her soother…….she is sucking on her soother again!”
Dylan’s Reaction (the baby whisperer):
Just scooped her right up like a pro, thinks she is adorable. Likes when she sticks her tongue out – LOL!!
Noah’s Reaction (the tentative lovey):
“Can I kiss her????” then slowly goes in trying to get just the right spot to smooch her on because she was wiggling.
(sorry I missed getting a pic of Noah with her)
On Sunday we were all able to be together for Holly’s Baby Blessing. It was a really special day to have the entire family together in one place. As I said to Conor yesterday “Thank you for procreating so we could all get together!” We sure love you little Holly-Bo-Bolly!
How Seger Captures His Prey! 4 Easy Steps
August 17, 2009First little Seger gets you in his sights
Then he engages his kissy lips
Finally he uses a Vulcan Mind Trick to make you pucker up too!
BINGO, now he just reels you in!
Time to Plan Holidays
January 30, 2009Nathan and I are feeling the rush to plan our holidays with the kids this year. We had the most amazing experience last summer traveling to Palm Desert and also spending time at Disneyland and Newport Beach. Our kids ask me daily when we can go back there again. Their favorite thing was the pool at our hotel, it was just amazing and exclusively theirs most of the time. If you’re faint of heart, I don’t recommend going to the desert in August like we did – it was sweltering hot! But slap on the sunscreen, grab a hat, and tote TONS of water and you’re ready to play.
I must say that making those memories with my kids has been one of the greatest highlights for me over the past several years. In all honesty, it was our first BIG trip anywhere with the kids. Our typical holidays are usually spent at family’s homes and reunions. So going somewhere just us, on a plane was a real adventure and treat. No matter what you do, it’s magical to get away with your children and get to know them in a whole new way, and it’s fun for them to see Mom and Dad unhook and party it up with them too.
I’m so looking forward to a fun summer with our four boys + our new little girl! Now that’s going to be an adventure just traveling with them all! LOL!
** So tell me, what are YOUR plans this summer? Are you going somewhere special or are you adventuring in your own home town? I’d love to know!
Nephew Babies – Christmas Reflections
January 4, 2009I HAD to get these shots of my two baby nephew’s over Christmas! Finn and Seger were awesome participants in my little project and I love seeing their reflections in the Christmas balls on the tree, especially with those cute little hands! Oh my, how precious are those little boys! I love love love being an Auntie!!
Oh, and me of course in my housecoat!! LOL!!
Christmas and Little Miss
December 29, 2008
My apologies for not blogging more over Christmas, it seems like life was just so full that we had to grasp and live it rather than write about it. This however presents me with the dubious task of trying to convey after the fact how utterly blessed I feel about things in my life right now. First on the list is Little Miss who we have been able to spend almost every day with since coming home for the holidays. She has latched onto me in a serious way, I can feel her immense love for me already and she makes it known that she really is my girl! What could be a greater Christmas gift than that? The fact that our transition time is going so well and she is fitting in without major trauma is a real blessing. In fact, she looks out the window for us to come now each day and is eager to come along in the car with us for our dates. I loved the first time I was able to put her hair into little pigtails – oh how I love her curly little hair!! She also will allow me to comfort and lay her down for naps. We’ve cuddled up together with her snuggled right in for naptime, and she grins with glee when she wakes up and sees that I’m still there. The boys are loving her and I’m peppered with questions from them about when she will be in our family forever, when she will sleep over, when can she come to live with us…etc. I’m so encouraged and know that once she’s finally in our home 24/7 that’s when the True Magic of bonding will fully take effect. But for now, our short lovely visits and time with her is joyful and I’m loving each moment of it.
Our Christmas has been full of family time with all of our amazing extended family on both sides of the coin. It’s so nice to be home and to be around those who know you so well (and still seem to love us anyway). Christmas Eve was our traditional event at my parents home with amazing food, attending the Nativity Pageant, and a white elephant gift exchange. The Christmas morning was with Nathan’s parents in their home, also joined by Conor and Katie who iChatted in and were able to share a bit of Christmas morning with our boys. It was fun to hear their voices and see their faces on Christmas since they are so far away. Christmas dinner was UNREAL – delicious beyond words. In fact, I’m hungry again just thinking about the amazing spread of serious holiday fare. Yummy!
I’ll write a more detailed breakdown of Christmas later, complete with cute kid stories and reactions. But for now I’m off to bed to rest, I need a good nights sleep at some point – my sleep has been lacking to say the least. Merry Christmas to all! – Daria