elf shenanigans and more...

Hello lovelies! Let's get down to brass tacks here shall we. This month has been super busy (isn't everyones December? Rhetorical question...) 

I've been mailing out Christmas cards, attending concerts, baking (yes me actually baking!) shopping, decorating, getting together with girlfriends...all the usual poosual stuff.  But it's that busyness in combo with my addiction love of my new iPhone that's made me dump my home computer completely- the computer I blog from. 

I guess thats my excuse for spotty blogging but allow me to share what we at Casa Del "D" have been up to...

Note, all pics in this post have been taken by my beloved iPhone. I always wondered why people would post janky phone pics to their blogs. Now I understand, it's so fast, easy and yes lazy. I'll go back to my Nikon DSLR, someday...

{Last weekend I drove Kid #1 to Medicine Hat to visit my bestie Dana from high school and her 2 adorable kidlets}

{Kid #1 and his brother from another mother, Carter- building the best gingerbread house around, so they say}

{Dana and Carly doing what we girls do best (after the kids are in bed), drinking plenty of vino}

{Behold! 2011s "real" Christmas tree. Yes its real, as in it once lived in the ground}

Unless you've been living under a rock, any parent around could tell you that this years hottest toy, 'The Elf on the Shelf' is an absolute God-send and Mama finally got her hands on one. As explained in the children's book its sold with, the elf has magical powers and is a representative of Santa. Each night he flies back to the North Pole to report back to Santa all he's observed while spending the day in your home. Were the kids naughty or nice, either way he'll let the big guy in red know...

{ok, so that's not his tag-line but it is according to me!}

He's a mischievous little elf and the kids wake up every morning to find him in a new spot in the house getting up to all sorts of shenanigans. His magic seems to be working, I love this elf!

Check out what he's been up to...

{Just hangin' in the plant...}

{Relaxing with a beverage...flying to the North Pole can make an elf thirsty}

My kids are in Christmas countdown mode to the baby Jesus' arrival and I'll admit I'm really looking forward to spending some downtime with family.

My shopping is finito and I'm feeling pretty good, not fried yet anyway...hope you're all feeling the same!

Mashed potatoes and iPhones....

Happy December dolls! Can you believe Christmas is only 24 days away? 

 Since I decided to be "on the ball" this year and start my Christmas shopping early (as in September) I really don't have many more things to buy. This has left me with time to enjoy all the stuff I'm diggin' right now...the little things that make my day a bit better. 

This time of year I am obsessed with Glade's scented candles. The apple cinnamon scent is heaven on earth. What could smell better than baked apple pie? -sweet, spicy, delicious. Hea-ven.

Well hallelujah, Mama has finally entered the modern age and got herself an iPhone 4S. Needless to say I'm completely addicted. I did love my good ol' Crackberry but it was time to upgrade...and Siri is just plain awesomeness.

3 words. Lobster Mashed Potatoes. Yeah they're that good. I thought nothing could top lobster mac n' cheese but this could be a contender. 

Butter? check.

Garlic? check.

Boursin cheese? check.

Lobster? check check check.

Roaaaar. I am completely in love with infinite leopard print scarves. A great scarf can elevate any outfit, even jeans and a t-shirt. Not a day goes by where I don't throw on a cozy scarf and head out the door. 

Dark(er) lips. Ok, so it's taken me forever to come around to this but I'm finally feeling comfortable moving away from nude lips.  A bolder red or mauve lip is perfect for this time of year and I'm not sure why I shied away from this so much in the past. I suppose I was afraid of an overdone look since I like a bolder (smokey) eye. Well not anymore, bring on the colour!

This list of faves could have gone on for days but I had to narrow it down...there are only so many hours in a day to read blogs, am I right?
What are your December loves? Share the good stuff with us! 

Tacky Christmas lights, fat little trees and purple sparkle

It's Christmas time all up in here! And while our outdoor Christmas lights are about as classy as the Griswolds, my kids think I'm an electrical engineering genius with this "display" of lights. 

Moving inside I"ll bore amaze you with our indoor decor. Honestly I'd like to do so much more with the house but Kid # 2 is at an age of pure destruction. He's just so excited by the lights and ornaments that he wants to touch (and break) everything. I'll give our poor tree a week before he pulls the whole thing down onto himself...

 That's one fat little tree, but he's real! 

On the weekend we got our drink on at a pre-Christmas house partay.  These pics were taken way later in the night after much wine/scotch/rum/vodka had been consumed...

 Green party cups mean drink up!

Mama in purple sequins

We love wine. As always.

 Since almost everyone at the party was Greek Canadian it quickly turned into a basement dance party. Who dances in a basement? We all do apparently...

Basement pole dance...

After shots of Ouzo, shirts were being unbutton. Husband decides to rock out on a pink guitar and it seemed awesomely cool at the time...  The picture obviously proves otherwise!

Sparkle!

Mama and Husband are going out to our first holiday party of the season on Saturday night.  It's going to be fairly casual because it's at a friends house. But I'm so dying to throw on some sequins so I can get my sparkle on, but without looking like Rupaul in drag....know what I'm saying?

{this is nice, but no}

So I think I'll try to incorporate a bit of sequin shine while keeping things simple

{Ricki's draped sequin sweater}

{ok so my black pumps are not YSL like these, but the look is almost the same}

I'm thinking that since I can't go too bold on my outfit (no one wants to stand out as overdressed girl at the party), I might as well do a bit more with my makeup. I've just discovered that purple shadows are great for brown eyes. (This is not groundbreaking news but I was a bit scared of purple eyeshadows before.)

 purple smokey eyes are divine!

Do you have any Christmas parties coming up? Are they formal or casual and what will you be wearing?

And more importantly, will you be you rockin' some sequin sparkle?

Just like Olivia Newton John, let's get Physical....ok?

I haven't spent much time talking about the ongoing "Massive Weight Loss 2010."  As always, "massive" is a huge misnomer but I'd like to think that big titles will equal big results?!  I got my starve on before we left for Greece this summer but after that I've kinda been in a holding pattern as far as working out and eating really "clean" are concerned. Well no more friends. It's time to get crack-a-lackin' (again) and get my derriere back to the gym (consistently, no, once a week isn't good enough.)
 Turkey fest Thanksgiving, and candy binge Halloween are behind us and there's honestly not a lot going on in November so what better time then now to work on my fitness? My pre-New Years resolution is to do my darnedest to not gain a mountain of el-bees over the Christmas season.  And if anything, by creating a buffer of sorts now (fitness and weight-wise) then I can deal with the inevitable indulgences (read: chocolate, cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, egg-nog) that are coming my way next month while still fitting into any dresses I may want to wear to Christmas parties. (Currently my calendar is open and I'm accepting party invites, feel free to send them my way...)

Lets talk strategy...

{80's aerobics? No, no leotards necessary. I'm talking about working out at the gym 3+ times a week}

+

{Salads salads and more salads. Insert fork here}

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{No devil foods}

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{Things I'd like to wear for the many many parties I'll be attending. Cuz I'm popular like that...?}

What are your plans/stategy for handling the deliciousness and  indulgence that comes with the Holiday season??

We're coming to America!

That's right, in the words of the great Neil Diamond (err, maybe "great" is too bold)...in the words of Neil Diamond, husband and I are "coming to America". We've got two trips planned in January to head down to see our patriotic neighbors to the south.  We're off to Vegas on January 7th for 4 days and then to Hawaii on the 31st for 12 days.  That's right 12 glorious, sun-filled days. Can you say Aloha?   ALOHA BITCHES!   I'm excited.

As for Las Vegas,  well it's nothing more than a self-indulgent, commercialized, hedonistic mecca for consumerism, vice and debauchery. 
And I'm Soooooo looking forward!   One word. Shopping.  
Screw the gambling, it's all about shopping. That is ALL that matters.

Now in Canada we are fortunate enough to have been invaded  graced by many of America's bountiful retail chains.
(Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Crate and Barrel, Restoration Hardware, and most major clothing stores etc.) but there are some unfortunate omissions to the Canadian retail landscape.

Target- or as we always call it in Canada (Tar-jay). Don't laugh. Sure it's a discount department store...but it has soo many deals. LURVE it!

Macy's- A department store with so much MORE.

Las Vegas Premium outlets- GAHHHH. 'nough said.

Las Vegas Fashion Show Mall.   (  ~True Nirvana~)

Dillards, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Ave,  Neiman Marcus, White House/Black Market, Victoria's Secret ....the list goes on!

Honestly, I'm most excited about the large department stores. So much under one roof.  The brands we don't have in Canada at slightly lower prices. Hopefully there'll be some kick-ass post-Christmas sales.

* Question, why is there no name for the day after Christmas in the U.S.?    

It's called Boxing Day.  There, adopt that America. 

We have Boxing Day sales, in fact,  Boxing "week" sales that go on for weeks and weeks. Gotta blow out all the Christmas stock.

There must be a name to describe the incredible deals available after Christmas.  TELL me you actually have fabulous sales America!??? 

Like these girls,(on Boxing Day) cleaning up on bags!   

Merry Christmas

 I'm off for Christmas with the bambinos, husband and the rest of the fam! I'm also cooking Christmas dinner this year....gonna rock the Kasbah with a festive feast!  Enjoy this time of year, it's definately a special one. Here's some of my all time fave Christmas songs (reminds me of being a very little kid). Pure Cheezzze but I love 'em!    (pause my iPod player on the lower right side for the full Wham! Christmas experience)