Santa 2016

It's that time of year again, you know it... Santa Claus is coming to town! (This is now where my inner Elf is screaming, "SANTA! I Know him!"). We had a family weekend away and lucked out with the local mall putting on a special PJ party with Santa! I only wish it was socially acceptable for us adults to come to the mall in our pajamas... I mean not on a regular basis, but you know once in a while, that would be ok... right?!

It was lots of fun and a great way to kick of the Christmas season. We got a free picture with Santa and Rylee got to tell him what she wanted for Christmas (an art set). After seeing Santa the kids got to make ornaments, get their face painted (a reindeer, snow leopard, and snow tiger, aren't they cute?!), and waited ever so "patiently" for balloon hats.

The Countdown Is On / DIY Xmas Advent

Thanks to Patience Brewster, an artist/illustrator of books, greeting cards, and designer of Christmas ornaments and gifts,  I was inspired to share one of our favourite little traditions to help spread the excitement of the season that is upon us! Every December, since we (Sevio & I) were itty bitty kids we've started the month with a good ol' traditional advent calendar!

This year we are kicking the Christmas season off a little bit different! And I'm SO excited! Why we always cheap out with the plastic chocolate filled ones I don't know (because they're cheap!), but, it's not about the chocolate, its about the countdown! The excitement it brings for the holidays and Christmas is magic!

So as I said we're doing things differently, we still have an advent calendar, but this year and this December forth its made by yours truly! Thanks to the free printable from, Yellow Bliss Road, I was able to (with the help of my sister in law and Rylee) easily put together a new form of advent. Instead of gross chocolate we will have an experience or event to do together as a family! Given this takes a little planning, as some things need to coincide with work/school/regular life. So for the busier days we'll do something simple (like read a Chistmas Story or watch a classic Christmas movie), and on days off we can do something more exciting like Christmas markets, skating, or bake cookies for the neighbours.

It's so perfect and so family building! We have crazy lives with me working and Sevio a full time student so this is a great way for us to slow down and enjoy life with our kids. And bonus we can change it up every year and even make certain events traditions for our family, we can even focus on teaching our kids the true meaning of Christmas (the birth of Jesus), and/or we can focus on celebrating Christmas differently (like giving to those in need, rather than recieving). It's so fun and I said it before but I'm going to say it again, I'm SOOOO excited!

Here's a little glimpse of what it looks like! Conveniently our event for Dec.1st was to "decorate the house", which Rylee was so thrilled to help with! She picked her stocking and we realized we need to get one for Zach! She helped Sevio hang the lights and held my nails as I hung the string for the advent calendar. And then she proceeded to take out every christmas bulb from its packaging and use them as soccer balls.... this is the only time you'll hear me say this... thank goodness for plastic! Without a tree our decorations are minimal, but enough to change the atmosphere, and who knows maybe there's a day for "tree hunting" coming soon! (question is do we stick with the real deal... or invest in a fake? hard decision and I know, I know a very much first world problem!)

Day 2 (today) is to "Read a Christmas story with Daddy", because mommy is at work, but thanks to my mom getting us a "record a story" book a few years back I get to record my voice to read The Night Before Christmas...so it's almost like I'm there, almost...

The Christmas Tag

I thought it'd be fun to join in on the recent Christmas Tag post circulating around the blogging world.  And since I read this post originally over at Life, Set Sail I am officially tagged! So here goes, a little insight to what I love about Christmas...

What is your favourite Christmas film? 

Ohh I'm gonna choose two! My favorite Christmas classic is by far Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer, Bumble the abominable snow monster...how can you not love him! And then my favorite modern Christmas flick has got to be Elf! Just thinking about it makes me laugh! And hello without it we wouldn't have Zooey Deschanel's "She & Him" Christmas album...

What is your favourite festive colour?

I love that deep red color! It contrasts amazingly with the green of a Christmas tree, and to make it extra classy  add a little gold or silver! However, you won't really ever see me wearing this color...it's strictly for decorating purposes!

Do you open your gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

It's always been a tradition in my family to open one gift on Christmas eve, I think it was instituted to hold us off from the rest of the prezzies till Christmas morning. With Sevio (and now Rylee) we wait till Christmas morning.

What is your favourite winter fragrance?

I have no comment for this question, I honestly know nothing about the fragrance world seeing how I've never owned a perfume in my life! 

 What is your favourite Christmas scent?

The smell of homemade apple cider! That sweet apple mixed with cinnamon, and nutmeg... divine!

What is your favourite holiday drink?

Hah, after my last answer you would think apple cider...NOPE! Eggnog! Love it...I wait all year for it to come to stores, and don't even get me started on eggnog lattes... I'm sooo missing them this year!

Candy Canes or Gingerbread Men?

I've never been a fan of that overwhelming peppermint flavour in candy canes so definitely gingerbread men, and especially so if they are fresh out of the oven!

What is your favourite Christmas song?

O Holy Night, always has been. So beautiful but so impossible to sing, at least for my vocal chords!

Have you ever made a snowman?

Um yes! We may not get a lot of snow on the West Coast of Canada, but with the little that we do you can bet your booty I'll be out there making one! 

What is the most important thing to you about Christmas?

Apart from remembering the true meaning of Christmas, family comes in close second. Being married we have a lot of family to spend Christmas with, it can be exhausting jumping from house to house, but we do love it! And Now that we have a growing family of our own it's going to be even more special creating our own traditions and sharing in old ones when we can with the grandparents/aunts and uncles/and cousins. 

I tag everyone that reads this post to join in the fun. And let me know if you do, I would love to read all of your answers!

Check out this months feature sponsor:

Dancing Elves!

Have any of you come across the iphone/ipad app called "JibJab"? 

If you haven't you should check it out, I assure you it'll give you a laugh! You can upload up to five pictures of yourself, friends, family, pets, whatever and turn them into dancing elves! Check out the video I made of our family!

Check Out This Months Feature Sponsor:

Twenty Four Sleeps!

It's December 1st! The countdown is on, 24 more sleeps until Christmas!

This year we as a family are going to have a totally different experience when it comes to Christmas. Being overseas away from close friends and family during this time is hard and homesickness is definitely kicking in.

Sevio and I were talking the other day and both couldn't believe December was almost here, we feel like we're in a bit of a seasonal culture shock. We're still experiencing Summer while you've all gone through Fall and are beginning to see the signs of Winter! We miss the feeling of cold.

Apart from the desire to see the first snowfall, drink eggnog, see the cities twinkle with Christmas lights, and most of all spend time with family, there have been moments where Thailand surprises us! Like when we're walking through a mall and come across a ginormous Christmas tree and through all the hustle and bustle you can hear carols playing, there in that moment my heart swells three sizes! Or when we're going about our regular business grocery shopping and SURPRISE! Right in front of us are candy canes and chocolate advent calendars! 

This year we're not going to have a tree, stockings, or much form of presents. We won't have turkey and all the fixings. No ugly christmas sweater parties. And lets just forget the idea of waking up to a white Christmas! Christmas day will be like no other we've had together and most likely spent in a van on our way to Laos for another visa run. 

This Christmas will be stripped of all form of tradition, but that's ok! We can still make it special with the little things we find, like the candy canes and advents, and get excited when we see a Christmas tree or find the classic Rudolph movie on Youtube! It's ok because I think we have a unique opportunity to teach our daughter (and remind ourselves) to value Christmas more than a day about Santa and presents. That this magical day, 24 sleeps from now, is a day to remember and celebrate the first Christmas some 2000 years ago! 

Christmas #1

I feel like I'm playing catch up but I don't mind looking back on all our holiday fun! Here's some pictures of our first Christmas with Sevio's family....

 

Rylee's joining the dog-pile with her cousins (right). Hanging out with Daddy (left).

Opening her first present (Monster popsicle molds!!)

 Opening her BIG present (a shopping cart!).

Reading her new book about baby Jesus from Great-Grandma.

 Looking cute in her pigtails (yay for longer hair!)

 Playing with her crazy Papa!

Christmas with Sevio's family was wonderful! We celebrated a little differently this year by doing it all the weekend before, definitely better than jam packing 4 Christmas' into one! And it was especially great because Rylee got to play with both her cousins, they are all at such a great age! 

 

Rylee even got into unwrapping her presents which I was quite surprised about, I didn't think she'd figure it out. She ended up getting a shopping cart (fruit & veggies included), a new baby doll, mrs.potato head, monster popsicle molds (can't wait to use them!), clothes, a book, blanket, and I think that's it! She's one blessed little girl! 

 

Thanks Severn family for all the fun :)

Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

As I was driving around today I realized its beginning to look an awful like Christmas around town. With candy canes and trees hanging from lamp posts, lights on houses, and festive displays in storefront windows. Not to mention the jumbo sized snowflakes, gift boxes, and Christmas trees in the mall

We also ran into somebody today, Rylee's met him once before ...but this time she wasn't too fond of him and needed mommy nearby. With the help of some kind women they nearly got a smile out of her....they definitely got a smile out of me, a little bit too much of smile haha.

All of it makes me happy, I love Christmas, this time of year makes me feel all warm and bubbly inside. It's important, it holds so much meaning (apart from the outrageous consumer mentality), and I look forward to sharing the true meaning of Christmas with Rylee one day and starting our own family traditions ...like sitting in the dark with the lights glowing in the windows sipping hot chocolate, watching old Christmas classics over and over again (Rudolph is my personal fave), and much much more!