2012: Year in Review

It wouldn't be NYE without the annual year in review blog post, that sums up the year via month by month blog highlights.

While I am thankful for the overall health and happiness of my family and friends, I can't say that I am totally upset to see 2012 come to a close. Its been a stressful year... balancing family and work life,  struggling to see the upside of Budget 2012, a few unexpected visits to the hospital, and overall financial challenges of raising our young family.  There have been highs and lows like any year, but in the end I am home with my three favourite people tonight and looking forward to everything 2013 has to offer.

As I ring in the new year I want to be better organized in all aspects of life, so I can inhale the little things in life... mainly just spending precious time with my boys, and being present in their lives while they are at such a fun and inspiring age.

As I look back on 2012, I am thankful for all of the little moments I have been able to share with you via this blog, and I am thankful that you continue to check up on me every once and a while (minus the crazy stalker types)!

So here is 2012 ... in review.

January
Here goes nothing (back to work)
Birthday Wrap-Up

February
Fun on the Rideau Canal
Dramatic First Haircut

March
So long preschool!

April
Truly Blessed
Mixed Emotions
24 Pounds of Trouble (H starts walking)

May
Best job in the world!
We have a soccer player!

June
130-O Reunion Weekend

July
Everything happens for a reason
Poolside

August
A couple of firsts
Va-cay!!!

September
E's First Day of School
Lucky Number Seven

October
Emery: Age 4
The birthday project for Mom

December
Hudson: Age 2
E's First Christmas Concert!
Merry Christmas!

So long 2012... and all the best to you and yours in 2013!

 

The birthday balloon tradition!

On E's birthday its tradition that we release a helium balloon into the sky as way to celebrate with those who are no longer with us here on earth, but to the many guardian angels that we know are celebrating with him.

This year was no different from past years, except that E's excitement to participate in this tradition was ten-fold. He was dancing around at the thought of letting the balloons go and even remarked 'I hope you guys are ready for this'!

We let the balloons go.... and while they may have got snagged on the neighbours tree for a couple a minutes, they were high in the sky in no time! I'm not sure how E truly felt but I know I had a warm feeling after they disappeared and the sentimental side of me was shedding a tear.

Thank you to all of our guardian angels up above for continuing to keep this little boy and his baby brother safe for another amazing year. We love you and miss you everyday.

 

Fun on the Rideau Canal!

This past weekend, we took advantage of some mild winter weather in the nation's capital and took in a day of skating on the Rideau Canal.

I have come to love this annual outing, and this year was especially fun because E was all geared up to skate by himself for the first time.  Last year, E had his skates on and we held him to get the hang of it, but the whole skating experience was short lived as he was extremely intimidated by the number of people on the canal and of course his abilities weren't quite there yet.

Fast forward one year later, add in a baker's dozen worth of skating lessons, and you have a little boy who actually gets excited by the thought of doing it on his own!

The day seriously could not have been more perfect weather wise, the canal conditions were excellent. The sun was shining and the smell of BeaverTails filled the air. This year we packed both boys into the bike trailer and they were nice and cozy enjoying just shy of a 10 km skate.

Midway through our 3.5 hour outing on the canal, both boys decided the conditions were ideal for a little snooze.  PC and I took advantage of the quiet time to maximize our skate to both ends of the canal. We exerted just enough energy to earn ourselves a couple of BeaverTails and a hot chocolate - and the wafting of cinnamon and sugar brought the boys around just in time the best part of the whole experience.

This was H's first time trying the famous Canadian BeaverTail, and he definitely gave it his royal seal of approval.  He was extremely happy to see his big brother had leftovers he was willing to share. For E, it seems the BeaverTail and a shot hot chocolate was all he needed to demand he was ready to skate... so PC and I found a quieter path on the canal and let him go for it.

H was nearing the end of his 'fun' rope by the time we got E suited up, but we did manage to entertain him long enough to let E have a good experience skating on the canal all. by. himself.  I was loving E's enthusiam for the whole experience... it was definitely a highlight for him and so glad we closed out the day on a high.

All in all, it was a GREAT day - I love these unexpected family outings that come together with little planning (they are rare for us), when the stars align and everyone is able to enjoy themselves - I get a little giddy! This was one of those awesome days that I will log in our family memory book for many years to come.

Here are a few pics from the day ...  and a short video of E doing his thing!

2011: A year in review

Its tradition around here to review the year via blog posts... and you know how much I love traditions, so this year will be no different!

2011 has been a fabulous year... a year I got spend with my boys at home being a Mom and only a Mom. I loved it so much so that I am dragging my feet into the New Year (but I know returning to work will remind me of my passions before I became a mother). I feel like 2011 was a blur and that's why I like to blog... to keep a quick memory of days gone by.

So let's review!

January
Things I've forgotten in two short years
Aww Sh#t
I remember when 30 was old

February
Baby Huddy
My LOVE for Keurig
A day on the Rideau Canal

March
Family photo that I love
You're in the right place
Three months: first quarter down
Packing lightly... with kids!

April
Mama Bear pushes back
Walking on sunshine
It's Easter

May
The royal wedding: where were you?
Not just any bowls
Love to my Mom
A little dose of tulips

June
Old MacDonald had a farm... (an Experimental one)!
New purchase... NOT a Mini van
Six months: Teeth, Fingers, Toes
Happy Father's Day... Dear Old Dad

July
Cottage Life
Its hot so why not paint!
It was a Wiggley good time

August
R & R

September
6 Years BABY
E CAN-SKATE!

October
Emery: Age 3
Look at these kids!
Halloween Memories

November
Shop til you drop
Munchkin Music Graduation Day

December
2011: A visit with Santa (@Carlingwood Mall)
Hudson first birthday party: kinda a big deal
A letter to Hudson: Happy First Birthday
Baking Christmas Cookies
Have a holly jolly Christmas

There you have it.... 2011 was a good one at From the Desk of Sara! Thanks to all of my faithful readers and even my steady lurkers for stopping by every now and again.  I hope you enjoy your last night of 2011 and I wish each of you good health and happiness as 2012 greets us.

Cheers!

Countdown to Christmas

As a little girl there were always things to me that signified Christmas was drawing near - whether it was baking cookies with my Mom, lighting the advent candles every Sunday with my Dad, gobbling up the chocolate of my daily advent calendar, or hunting for the perfect tree (pine not spruce).

I loved Christmas as a child and so naturally I want to have some Christmas countdown traditions with my own boys that I hope they will look forward to each year and maybe someday take forward to their own families (one day, far far away)!

The advent calendars are a given... I had them, loved them, and this year the boys each got one from my parents, and again from PC's parents - which is fabulous as PC and I get a little piece of chocolate heaven everyday too!

I also found a fun non-chocolate, non-expensive countdown to do through the fabulous world of Pinterest. Thanks to Inviting Printables it was a free .jpg download of a bare Santa's beard, and it looked easy fun, so I thought we'd give it a try. 

 

E has been absolutely loving this one... all it requires is the 8 x10 print, some cotton balls, and some scrap-booking tape squares (or a glue stick would work just as well).  E likes it because its easy for him to do and its an awesome visual for him to see Ho-Ho's beard filling up as we get closer to Christmas. 

I also have another fun surprise filled countdown going on at our house too... its a bit more time consuming, and requires a bit of thought, but the excitement level for E is high, and I have to admit I'm having just as much fun with it.

Each day since December 1st, I have a spot upstairs with numbered pouches.... inside there is a clue that leads E to the special surprise.  Some days its just a sweet treat or small book, other nights its something pretty good like a puzzle or a little game. We usually do it before bedtime (unless its candy) and it gives E something to do first thing the next morning when I am still sleepy-eyed.  One of the surprises a week ago was our gingerbread kit... E was pretty pumped about it, and H loved displaying his brother's hard work!

I have made it my mission to have the clues rhyme, and some nights its a challenge, but 22 days in, I am on roll lately! This is one that I don't know if I can keep up with every year, but I will do my best! Next year, H will be able to participate too, so that will mean double the surprises (or perhaps alternating will be better).  This one can be a little pricey, but I had bought stocking stuffers for the boys and when I realized I wasn't going to need a lot of them (as the Grandma's spoil them with stockings) I decided to turn it into a surprise countdown. I have a feeling the only downfall to this one will be ... December 26th when its over!

One other little activity that has also be fun as we lead up to Christmas is Elf on the Shelf. Our elf is named Elvis (chosen by E who is a huge fan of Fireman Sam and friends). I wasn't sure if E would be into the concept, but let me tell you, he is all about Elvis and his whereabouts.

The first night we got it,  we watched the little story that goes along with it, and then read the book.  We named him, he got his magic, and the next morning when E woke up he was in tears as Elvis wasn't where we left him. I had to laugh! As I re-explained the concept to him, he was quick to catch on, and from that point forward its been a huge highlight of the day discovering where Elvis is lurking. He seems to like the light fixtures at our house!

 
All of the countdown to Christmas activities has been fun so far...  but they wouldn't be half as fun without the excitement and curiosity of a 3 and 1 year old. I think one of the exciting things about having children is reinventing the magic of the season when it comes to Christmas. It some much fun... and in a sense it renews my beliefs in the spirit of Christmas.

The Birthday Balloon Tradition

You may recall for E's first birthday, I created a little balloon tradition that I wanted to do every year on his birthday. We have managed to do it for the last two years, and this year did not disappoint.

This was the first year that I could really explain to E why I like to do this with him, and have him ask me questions about it.

E: "Where are da peoples that love me? Where they live Mommy?"

I tell him every year that we let the balloons go high in the sky as a way to say thank you to all of the people up above us who are watching over us and who love us - AND who I know are wishing him a happy birthday in their own special way.

As much as this is a tradition for E, its a way for me to connect with my grandparents who have passed on... and for me to share a special moment with my little boy and them (as I know how much joy they would have taken from being around him).

This tradition has been fun from the first time we did it, and each year it seems to bring more and more smiles for both of us.

Thanks to all of the special individuals who have passed before us... who watch out for E and who are constantly acting as our guardian angels! If our balloons have reached you... (and I know they have) please know how much we love you!
 

2009: A visit with Santa!

It was a successful trip to see Santa this year! E did not seem to mind the white beard and all the red jazz! Santa himself may have been a bit intoxicated (by the looks of the picture) but nonetheless I think this photo captures E's personality so well - he loves people, even Santa Claus!