A long break...

I usually have a bit of a break from my Christmas (and Halloween) blogs. As much as I love these holidays...I'm afraid if I have too much of it I'll get sick of it. The horror! LOL! I wouldn't want that. Usually in May I start getting the itch as it were for both these days. Today I'm more of the Christmas kinda mood so I'm writing in this blog for today. :)
With three kids my life is never dull with their school and church and other activites going on. May/June are usually very busy months for us here. I just had my parents anniversary, then mother's day, my older daughter's First Communion, my birthday was just a few days ago. Then my brother's birthday and my son's birthday is next week and of course the trips to the library for library programs and such.
My son't birthday is on the 25th which is Rudy day so I think I'll wait till the weekend to have my Rudy day. I will be going through my Christmas binder and see what is what and go from there to see what I need to to to start preparing for Christmas 2011! :)

Starting to get busy...

With parent/teacher interviews, skiing, skating, and this week will be the kids christmas concerts just having to deal with the kids school activites are keeping us busy. My son got to ski for the first time and despite sore feet when he came home he loved it and is looking forward to going out again.
Then there are getting the Christmas cards mailed, the gifts bought and will need to be wrapped I still have to go shopping for Vic's gifts without any kids around to help me be less stressful. :) I'll also have to keep in mind about my older daughter's birthday as it is one week after Christmas and will have to start planning for that as well.
I'm not sure how much baking I will be able to get done. I have two banana bread loaves done (one with chocolate chips one without) I'm hoping to make some more so I will be getting a list done up with more supplies I might need to do more baking.
Our elves are keeping the kids busy getting into the occasional mischief. Every morning they wake up and rush downstairs to see what they are up to.
The Santa's Gone Loonie day we had last week was okay. There were more tables with people selling things for kids to purchase...even had the "stuff a bear" thing there. Unfortunately we couldn't stay long as my 4 yr. old was not feeling well and so we had to go home.
The weather is cold and lots of snow on the ground. I'm hoping the pond nearby will be frozen enough for me to take the kids skating. The city usually shovels the snow off the ice which tells people when it's safe to go on it. I love skating and find it quite relaxing. Perhaps I will take the youngest out for her first time and see how she does. :D

A little Christmas...

Well, on Friday past, we had our Santa Clause parade. With lots of snow around and it was cold, those of us standing there watching did our best to keep warm. The parade wasn't very long though I think people would have preferred that though it wasn't as cold as it was last year. What mattered is the kids enjoyed it.
Unfortunately there were so many people that we couldn't enjoy the rest of the festivities. Long lines for hot chocolate, the hay rides and seeing live reindeer. There wasn't nearly as many last year as there was this year. It was crazy and stood in line that barely moved for 20 minutes. Our 3 kids were not enjoying themselves and they wanted to go home...they didn't want to wait an hour in the cold just for a hot chocolate when we had some at home.
So that is what we did...we headed home, made some hot chocolate and put on one of our Christmas movies which was probably more enjoyable than those that did decide to tough it out and stay out there for their turn. And I think the kids enjoyed it too. Sometimes doing something simple together at home can be better than heading out there trying to see the sights and sounds the city had to offer that evening.
What's in store for next weekend? Our annual "Santa's Gone Loonie" at the Civic Centre. The last two years were not very good and we had seriously thought of not going this year but after speaking with a friend of mine I heard it might be better. So we will go and see and hopefully help the kids find gifts to get for each other. :)

Catching up

Since my last post alot has happened and I've neglected to post on any of my blogs. I won't go into what has gone on but I will say that my spirits have been deflated. Here in Canada we had our Thanksgiving last month so seeing Christmas is starting to come out in full force and I'm already wishing it was over. Doesn't normally sound like me but there it is.
I've been going through the motions right now. We've decorated and put the tree up and the kids elves will be coming at the end of the month. They will arrive with Christmas socks for each of them. I'll have to work out what they will do for the month of December.
My oldest who is 10 has figured out about Santa so it will be interesting to see how his Christmas will be. I'm hoping that despite knowing the truth about Santa it will still be a magical time for him.
This Friday is the city's Santa Claus Parade with activities at the arena near my house. (only a block away) They will have hot dogs, hot chocolate, hay rides as well as Santa and his reindeer there too. (yes, they are real reindeer!)
I'm hoping that going through the motions and trying to get through this holiday season will help bring back some of the magic I would feel in years past. Here's to hoping!

Christmas magazine

Well, I finally picked up my first Christmas magazine. As usual, with any holiday magazine, I don't just want a magazine with just recipes...I'm more of an idea girl and if there are a few recipes in the magazine all the better. I just might try them if they are decent. ;)
This magazine is about Christmas ideas. There are different ideas to decorate your home and if its not your style, there is a good chance there is something in here that might catch your attention. It will be on the shelf till the end of December so if it is on a shelf near you...you have time to pick one up if you wish. :)
One bit is on stockings that you don't have to hang by the fireplace. They have colour themes...like the silver, white and blue or the various shades of blue, orange and red, or a winterland green theme, or bold colours, snowflake theme, country, woodsy, a little Scandinavian, glitter, even vintage.
It also has several ideas for wreaths, table setting idea in red and white, gift topper ideas, and ideas to display your snowman collection.
I think after reading this magazine several more times I will keep the pages I like to put in my Christmas binder. :)

Christmas Tree Safety

Safety is always important, especially when there are children around. Being safe is important all year round, including during the holidays. Today I'm going to talk about Christmas tree safety. I'm sure if we all follow a few safety tips then our tree and home can stay intact.

* First...what kind of tree are you getting? If you purchase an artificial tree, be sure it is labeled as fire-retardant.

* If you have a real tree...try to keep live trees as moist as possible by giving them plenty of water daily.
* Do not purchase a tree that is dry or dropping needles. Check for fresh, green needles.
* Place your tree in a sturdy tree stand designed not to tip over.
* Make sure the tree is at least three feet (one meter) away from any heat source, such as fireplaces and radiators.
* Try to position the tree near an outlet so that cords are not running long distances.
* Do not place the tree where it may block exits.
* Safely dispose of the tree when it begins dropping needles. Dried-out trees are highly flammable and should not be left in a house or garage, or placed against the house.

* When it comes to lights, when decorating your tree, always use lights listed by a testing laboratory. Some lights are designed only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
* Connect no more than three strands of push-in bulbs and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs.
* Follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to use tree lights.
* Any string of lights with worn, frayed or broken cords or loose bulb connections should not be used.
* Always unplug Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.
* Bring outdoor electrical lights inside after the holidays to prevent hazards and extend their life.

* Of course one should never use lit candles to decorate the tree and make sure any lit candles in the room are placed well away from tree branches.

These are just a few ideas to help keep you and your loved ones and your home safe.

Being a good host or hostess

When the holidays arrive there are also guests that come to visit. This is no exception for Christmas. Having guests stay over the Christmas holidays is a wonderful pleasure but it does involve extra work and responsibility for the host/hostess who will want to make sure that their guests not only enjoy the hightlights of their stay but the quiet moments too.
Getting ready for Christmas can keep one busy enough as it is so it is good to prepare guest bedrooms well in advance. Make sure there are plenty of basic needs such as fluffy towels, tissues, guest soap, etc. If you plan ahead you can let them enjoy sticks of your own homemade scented soaps if you enjoy making such things. I'm sure they would appreciate such a luxury.
If you are able to...perhaps you could provide a coffe and tea-making set. Something that many enjoy using especially if they wake up at unsociably early hours. Arrange a tray with an electric kettle, a small cup and a jar of ground coffee (or instant coffee if it's easier) or different flavoured teas if they are more of a tea drinker like myself and a tea pot. :) Add wrapped sugar and a decorative tin o fbiscuits with milk and fresh fruit to be replinished daily. You would probably know your guest well enough to add other items they might like.
You could make a small selection of books and magazines for friends who like to travel light, and may not bring their own reading material. Check that the bulbs are in the reading lamps and prvide a flashlight or one of those plug in extra nightlights to help night-time navigation to the bathroom.
Flowers help to make a room more welcoming and can bring a breath of spring or summer to the guest rooms. Dried flower arrangements are another option that prevent the need for last-minute preparations.
When guest arrive, make sure to show them such essentials like light switches and plug sockets are and which cupboard space is available. These are just a few ideas and I'm sure your guests will enjoy the warmth of such hospitality.