i know i said i would do my christmast 2012 posts in just three posts, but chaeli walked in while i was doing the ‘best of’ collages… and reminded me i had to do one for hobbes.
so here it goes for hobbes’ 2012 ‘best of’ christmas loot:
hobbes’ 2012 ‘best of’ loot
continuing from yesterday, i actually felt like christmas was happening on boxing day.
doug came home just after 8am as i started to do my workout. he had a busy day yesterday with two calls overnight. so while he had a nap, i ran out later on to get some mc d’s breakfast (too lazy to make anything).
we finally finished unwrapping the rest of our gifts. chaeli was very good – we saved half of santa’s loot (the ones mainly from doug and i) and each other’s presents for when doug came home. it was just something i felt would be nice – since opening the gifts together as a family is really the best part.
doug spent some time in the afternoon hooking up our new XBOX 360 and Kinect and we managed to test it out.
in the evening, we went over to my aunt’s and uncle’s for a traditional turkey feast.
and i must say – i’m getting old. i use to down much more turkey. i tried to this year and ended up feeling way too stuffed by the end of the night.
it was a very nice day, indeed. i got a chance to read more – especially two different yoga magazines santa (a.k.a. doug) bought me.
here’s my own ‘best of’ loot for 2012:
shy’s ‘best of’ loot
my dad and chaeli – sitting in the pumper truck
since this was doug’s first christmas away from home, my parents, chaeli and i decided to bring a little holiday cheer to his firestation.
it was also a good excuse to give my parents a tour. my dad was really excited to get a chance to sit in the firetruck – like a big boy with some new toys! and of course, he wanted nothing less than to pose with chaeli.
i brought one of our home made christmas cakes for the crew and even brought doug a couple of presents from santa to help kick-start his christmas.
and just like yesterday’s post, here’s chaeli’s ‘best of’ loot:
chaeli’s 2012 ‘best of’ loot
i am breaking my posts up to 3 posts – each for each of the 3 days we celebrated christmas. with doug working on christmas day, we basically decided to spread christmas out. and to be honest, with all that goes into preparing for this holiday, this was a nice change, being able to enjoy it a little longer.
it started on christmas eve. we went back to the church we got married – united church – for christmas mass. a first for chaeli. and while she was bored during some parts, she loved the singing. in the end, there was a closing candle lighting ceremony where every person on both sides of the aisle was given a thin, long candle and would then pass the flame down each aisle, which chaeli was more than happy to participate in.
the day leading up to the 7pm service and a little time spent afterwards, heavily took place in front of our christmas tree.
we spent a good time reading our books and listening to tunes. it was very relaxing.
after chaeli fell asleep for the night (we waited until midnight, just in case) doug and i tip-toed to the stockings and christmas tree to do santa’s deed. and of course, before chaeli got ready for bed, she left a letter to santa next to a glass of milk and a plate full of cookies – plus a carrot for rudolph (her specific instructions).
santa and family were extremely generous to us this year. and because of all the super generosity, i’ll showcase each of our ‘best of’ loot per day, starting with doug’s:
doug’s 2012 ‘best of’ loot
doug came back from yesterday’s 24-hr shift this morning – thus commencing our 2 days together as a family. it’s going to be a very busy week (mainly for the latter half of the week) so this is our chance to just hang out. just the four of us.
i just finished our yearly newsletter – a bit earlier this year. normally, i don’t get a chance to start it until after christmas and never completing it until the first week or two of the new year. but with doug working yesterday, i had some quiet time after chaeli went to bed, to compose some of the memories of 2012 into words.
it was, actually, a stressful year in many ways, but i’m glad i do this annual newsletter because it really helps remind me of all the great moments we’ve had – both individually and as a family.
i’ll admit i go into 2013 feeling quite unsettled. i think this occurs whenever i feel like there’s just too many loose ends left from the previous (current) year and i don’t know what that really means for 2013. this would be okay if i knew that 2012 was a transitional year but in many ways, i just don’t feel like it was one. or maybe it was but it seems that these past few years have been one transitional year after another.
i don’t have any formal resolutions to make for the upcoming year. all i can really hope for is to continue searching for inner peace – to find strength in blocking any external negative and evil energy that tries to penetrate my spirits and my soul. i will still be on that path of finding enlightenment and hoping to continue cleansing my soul in order to make room in my heart for those that matter in my life.
anyway – to anyone who is reading this, i wish you and your loved ones a very happy and safe holiday. all the best in 2013!
want to have breakfast out but on a tight budget?
ikea is the place to go!
read more from my lastest guilty shy post – guilty pleasures no. 54.
i have been really sporadic with my blog posts these past couple of months. i miss this place. it’s just been a little on the chaotic side. believe me, i have little thoughts and ideas popping up in my head about what i want to blog about. but by the time i actually get to it, i’ve forgotten some of the details or it just seems like old news. even for me.
so as a way to play catch-up, here’s another list of random updates:
i’m not oppose to advent calendars but really can do without more chocolate sinch we still have 80% of our loot left from halloween.
not to mention 50% of our loot left from the easter bunny and about 15% left from valentine’s day.
note to self: go through and chuck whatever might be on the staleness-side of things.
this year, we opted for lego’s city advent calendar. each day, chaeli will unfold a character or small lego vehicle to the city collection. we liked that this one had firefighters in it.
better than chocolate!
and the bonus? we had a scratch and save card – doug’s card was the maximum reward. a nice 50% off!
i just finished wrapping most of my in-law’s christmas gifts. there’s just two more items that i forgot to pick up – a calendar of chaeli photos i made for the grandparents and cat nip for my SIL’s two cats.
after wrapping 10 gifts, i’m done! it hurts me to think of how many more just with doug and chaeli alone. but it may not be so bad. i tend to use gift bags for at least a quarter of their presents. and with my side of the family, it’s all gift bags!
still, doug’s and especially chaeli’s, will take up the most time. all those little stocking stuffers are small items but they do sure add up!
as of today, i’ve completed my shopping for christmas presents. at least for family – both doug’s side and mine. which is, really, 98% of our list every year.
i always feel a sense of relief that they are done. especially as i was able to find pretty much everything on sale. black friday and cyber monday pretty much helped with the last group of items which i held off on because i was hoping for a price-reduction.
of course, now there’s the wonderful task of wrapping the presents.
i start this weekend for my in-laws. since they all have to be shipped north.
we also start baking this weekend too! which isn’t so bad – it means we get to sample what we bake! 
i had my first lazy sunday of 2012.
more importantly, it was the first lazy sunday in a very long time.
as i sat on the couch, listening to tunes and sipping coffee, i commented to doug, “you know, this is what i miss. we use to do this so much more often. especially before christmas – we would carve out some time once or twice a week where we would just sit here with the tree lights on, some christmas music and would either talk or read or just do nothing at all…”
this past sunday, i stayed in my pj’s and spent a majority of my time sitting on the couch reading comic books (buffy the vampire slayer, season 8). i did do the laundry but other than that, i was in complete pamper-mode.
i even dressed appropriately. i had on my large, navy blue, old navy t-shirt which is my favourite pj top, pj bottoms that are like lounging shorts, a big, purple, over-sized, v-neck sweater that i got a long time ago (so it’s very old and therefore very comfortable) from cotton ginny (i don’t think that store is even around anymore) and my blue, fuzzy socks (i have one pair in pink too).
it was the best lounging outfit. yes – lounging clothes makes a big difference. the art of picking what to wear can make or break one’s comfort and optimal laziness. i woke up with that goal and wasn’t going to give up the opportunity for my lazy-sunday.
i succeeded this past sunday.
