Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays, my friends!

It's December 27th, and it was back to work for me for a couple of days, before a little break to ring in the New Year. (Less than 2 weeks to go until I go on Mat Leave!) The Christmas vacation of the last 5 days has been wonderful. I didn't get my Christmas cards out. I ignored my blog. I didn't get my gifts wrapped all fancy and crafty-like. Actually, I didn't do much of anything. I took my doctor's and hubby's advice and just relaxed. Heck, I barely even picked up the camera.

Jonas took his turns in the kitchen too.
Here he is making is soon to be famous cranberry sauce.

I did make the stuffing, cram it in the bird and wack it all in the oven on Christmas morning. After that, I left just about everything to somebody else. I have to admit that it was sort of surreal at the beginning, but I could certainly get used to being waited on hand and foot. Of course, there's only a few weeks left until BGB's expected arrival, and that overwhelming feeling of never sitting down and never getting any sleep so I'm taking advantage of all the down-time I can get.

At almost 36 weeks now, BGB seems content in there. She's doing well. I'm getting stronger and more frequent braxton-hicks contractions but even though it seems she's trying to wiggle her way out sometimes, it looks like we've got a little while longer to wait before we meet her.

In the meanwhile, we've decided that the next week or so is going to be all about spending quality time with Jonas. Even though both Steve and I have to work, our schedules are pretty flexible, especially Steve's. The two of them have been spending gobs of time playing together and it's been pretty amazing to witness. They arrived home this afternoon, GT Snow Racer in tow, with HUGE smiles on their faces, and that couldn't have made me happier. Hopefully tomorrow, I can get out there and watch them go.

Cheers!

Christmas Groceries

Today is our annual Christmas potluck bagel buffet at work. We don't have a very big team but we sure can eat! As I shopped for my contribution, I couldn't help but think of my own Christmas grocery list. There are only 5 of us at our house this year, and my mom is doing most of the cooking. So, other than the turkey and stuffing for Christmas day and a ham for Boxing Day, I don't have very much shopping to do.

There are some things that are absolutely must haves in our house over the holidays. I think we might have a little 5 person riot on our hands if we left any of them house. Since I seem to be hungry every second of the day, I thought I'd share.

Cheers!

Gingerbread: We always make a gingerbread house on Christmas eve, but...
I got one of these soft gingerbread houses for the office so I picked up a second one for home.
I don't think it's possible to have too much gingerbread, is it?
YUM!

Steve's layered nacho dip

Our nod to the Blanchard family traditions: shrimp ring

Our nod to the Lillie family traditions: My mom's non-bake oatmeal patty cakes

 

A nod to Symonds family traditions: Cranberry gingerale punch

Mandarin oranges



A nod to Uncle Chris: Eggnog + vanilla icecream + the Magic Bullet = YUMMY milkshakes
(Hint: add a little kaluha for extra grown-up YUM!)

A nod to my dad and the Symonds family sweet tooth: Butter tarts

A nod to Steve's dad: Pancakes for Boxing Day breakfast.
This year we're going to try gingerbread pancakes.

Hot chocolate with mini marshmallows.
This year I think I'm going to make a batch in the crock pot and just keep it warm.

Homemade multi-grain bread for Steve's amazing left-over turkey sandwhiches

School Christmas Concert



Jonas all ready to rock the gynasium.


I had the pleasure of watching Jonas's school Christmas concert today and I must admit that I was a blubbering fool. Something about watching my little boy playing "The Little Drummer Boy" on his recorder with his class made me tear up. I could say it was because of how hard he's worked to learn the song. (He even used some of his piggy bank money to buy his own second (red) recorder so he could have one at school and at home.) Or I could claim that it was how confident he looked while doing it. In part it was because I kept flashing back to his kindergarten concerts, and thinking that we'll be doing that all over again in a few years with BGB.

The truth is, what made me cry was watching him look casually around the gym when he walked in, and then get huge smile on his face when he picked me out of the crowd. Just like almost every other kid who had a parent there, he started waving, and kept waving as I waved back and hepointed me out to his best buddy Kyah. (Kyah is a girl, by the way, and their teacher calls them "Frick and Frack" because they've bonded to well.) It made my heart melt and tears start to flow.

Cheers!

Wordless Wednesday: The Christmas Cat



Scruffy has decided the the Christmas tree is his new special place.
Here he is having a cat nap about halfway up.
(Honestly, I think that if the tree wasn't bolted to the wall, it would be in pieces on the floor.)



New Camping Goodies

Christmas seems a little anti-climactic this year. Not only has life been put into sharp perspective by the recent tradegy in Newtown, Connecticut, but I feel like we're in a holding pattern, waiting for BGB's safe arrival. This year the only thing that I truly want for Christmas is a healthy baby, in addition to our healthy family. That said, there are four presents under the tree that I'm especially looking forward to opening. I won't get a chance to use them for a while, but I'm REALLY looking forward to the day I do.

It's only December, she's not even born yet, but it seems I've already got cabin fever! As I've mentioned before, camping, hiking, canoing, etc. are things I love, especially when we do them as a family. In fact, I think they're some of the best times we have together as a family. I can't wait to get BGB out there and can only hope that she falls in love with it too. (WOW! I just has my first thought about one-on-one camping trips with her and it made my heart flutter a little bit.) My nesting instincts have kicked in big time over the past week or so, but since I can't get at her room just yet, I'm a little preoccupied with adjusting our camping gear for our new little one.

In case you don't know, I not only love camping, I'm also a little bit of an addict when it comes to camping gear. In a nicely timed twist of fate, I recently won some new goodies to add to the backpack. I'm a member of a group that runs seasonal camping contests, and even though I didn't sleep on the ground in this fall, I did get out and do some hiking and had two amazing weekends with both the Fish N Chix and our Scout group. I posted the pics and the stories and was surprised to win the fall contest. The prize pack is made up of some goodies that will be put to good use, once BGB is ready to hit the trail.

Cheers!


3-man Tarp Tipi
Jonas and I started moving towards tarp camping this year so this is a fabulous addition!

GSI kettle and an Esbit Stove
Esbit stoves are so easy to use and we've been looking for a good new kettle
since we destroyed ours a few years ago, trying to chase away a black bear.

Bacho Laplander Saw
LOVE folding saws and this one is top of the line.

BGB - 6 Weeks to Go!

It's week 34. My mom reminds me that I was born at 34 weeks, and also that 6 weeks early isn't as early as it was back then. My Mother-in-Law asked me on Saturday if we're ready in case BGB comes early.  I think we're as ready as we're going to be. A friend pondered where I'll be when my water breaks this time. I'm trying not to think too much about it.

She'll arrive when she's ready but I wonder.....

Cheers!

Wordless Wednesday: Playlist for My Daughter

Pregnancy hormones are running rampant this week.

We're making a playlist for her MP3 player and this one brought tears to my eyes.

Cheers!

"In My Daughter's Eyes" by Martina McBride