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!

Halloween hangover...

Halloween was fun fun fun this year! I swear I'll never outgrow it. Never. Here's some pics from last weekend. We went out Saturday nite for a drink or 6 and then on Monday night I took my little monsters out trick or treating. My sugar binge is finally over. I think my skinny jeans are crying right now.

{Avast ye matey! This pirate likes a party...argggg.}

{my God-daughter is the cutest cupcake, AND bunny around}

{super fun Halloween party at "Craft", love the John Cusack's character from Say Anything holding up the stereo over his head-with fake arms of course.  The Madhatter made her own costume including the hat, she won best costume of the night!}

______________________________________________________________________________

Onto the kiddos, I took them trick or treating in my parents neighborhood first...let's just say they made off with toys, full-size candy bars and left feeling like Halloween kings! (There's almost no kids in my parents neighborhood so our kids were treated extra special!)

Then of course we headed back home to raid our own neighborhood and then dove into the sugar stash they collected...

{Halloween extravaganza in my parents neighborhood...}

Hope you all had a fabulous Halloween, I'm looking forward to next year already!

Planning only the most amazing baby shower ever...

So my best girlfriend in the whole wide world surprisingly found herself preggers last October and after 9 quick months (I can say that because I wasn't the pregnant one), her precious little girl "Miss" London arrived this past July. I had the honor of acting as her birthing partner/coach and you better believe I sweet talked that little girl out into this world. What an experience...but that's a story for another time!

It's only logical that since I cut the umbilical cord I should also be the one to throw her a fabulous "welcome to this world" celebration in the form of a baby shower.  

{Custom Pink Lollipop Invitation from Red Letter Design}

I'm beyond excited and have a million party ideas. The theme is a pink and green candy shop full of lollipops, gum-balls, sweethearts, cotton candy, macaroons and cupcakes. Considering that my own sweet tooth is absolutely non-existent I think I'm being mighty creative!  

But of course because Mama is hosting this party there will be plenty of fruity sangria, sparkling pink champagne and boat-loads of spiked punch.

Here's what I've pulled together/plan on having so far...

{Custom Party Blooms from whimsypie}

{Via Hostess with the Mostess}

{party accessories via letsPARTYon}

Good Lord how cute is this stuff!? I can barely handle it. I'm so impressed by the creativity of these ladies...and myself -what what!

It's going to be challenging pulling it all together and I'll have to channel my inner Colin Cowie, Mindy Weiss and Martha Stewart - but I'm up for it.
I'm so excited to shower this sweet little girl with all the love, attention and gifts that she and her mommy deserve. It's not taking place till the last week of September but I'll be sure to update you with mountains of pics. 
Can't hardly wait y'all! 

So what else should I do to make this party special, throw me some more ideas girls!
What would you do to make a baby shower fun or original?

Can school start tomorrow please?!

We are back home to Canada finally! After a great summer in Europe I'm beyond happy to be home and back to reality.  School starts on the first of September and Kid #1 is starting grade one and Kid #2 is starting pre-school. I'd by lying if I said I wasn't totally pumped to see them heading out the door. This summer has been fun but they have been driving me bat-shit crazy.  Potty training our little guy has been a bit of a poop-filled nightmare (read: total fail) and if I have to hear them fight over one more game of Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja I'm going to lose my mind. (Though games are obviously a great babysitter. Fact.)

{little gifts from above..}

Traveling with children is never easy and when it involves long flights (9 hours to Germany and 3 more to Athens) it's guaranteed to test your patience.  To be fair to the kids we're the ones that are hauling them over to the other side of the world for weeks on end. They're just kids being kids. And if they act out, cry, fight and generally make our lives miserable difficult it's because that's just how boys can be.

{Typical facial expression of Kid #2...a total sweetie}

 I try to remember that but when I see two little girls (sisters the same age as my boys) sitting one row behind us on our 9 hour flight home, who were quietly colouring, playing on their iPad and with their Barbies for the entire flight, it kinda makes me wish that my kids weren't total hooligans. The mother of these girls was able to watch movies, slept and basically looked like she was having no problem passing the hours. Meanwhile our kids are fighting, crying, asking to go the bathroom 16 times, throwing crayons and play-dough balls down the isle -while demanding we entertain them like freaking clowns. 

It was exhausting and redonkulous all at the same time.  

Sometimes I seriously wish I had little girls...yeah I just said that.

Alright rant over. Now I'll suppose you'll tell me how girls aren't all sunshine and rainbows but I'll never believe it. Girls are amazing. Boys make me lose my mind. 

End of story.

images via google

Beyond busy times!

Hey dolls! It's been such a busy last few weeks that unfortunately my posting has been mighty sparse, however I thought I'd share a few pics of some of the stuff we've been up to (though if I'd remember to bring my camera even half of the time, I'd have mountains more worthwhile pictures to share.) 

We've been to baptisms, soccer tournaments, end of year school plays, trips to the water park, had busy days playing outside and even celebrated Canada Day on July 1st... Happy B-day Canada!

FACT: Summer is finally here and it's about damn time.

{Cheers to good friends and lot's of Vino}

{Kid #1 at our friends daughters baptism}

{Husband inhaling some tasty Greek food at the after-party}

{Kids # 1 and 2 busting a move with their "girlfriend". Opa!}

{A star is born! Kid #1's Kindergarten end of the year class "rainforest" play}

{Mama's favorite "anteater" posing with his teacher}

{Receiving his kindergarten graduation diploma. They celebrate everything these days?!}

{Future David Beckham?}

{Feeling like a number one}

{Kid #2 wanted his brother's medal BADLY}

{5 busy (and LOUD) boys in the backyard...}

{ Slip sliding away...}

{It's Canada day, so don't all goats wear bandanas?}

{Petting Zoo at the Canada Day celebration}

{Pigs and sheep and kids. It's wild in there...}

{"Mom can we take these pigs home?"...  "Not unless you live in a barn little buddy."...."So is that a no Mom?"
"You could say that..."}


 I have to admit that I've been loving our fabulous warm weather and having the kids home on summer holidays. What what?!...I can't believe I just said that.

We're done classes and after-school activities so no more pencils, no more books, no more teachers dirty looks....cuz it's summer time and the living is easy peasy! 

Why I love the weekend....

Weekends are obviously the best time of the week. Husband is home (at least for a few hours), the kids are relaxed while they take a break from the weekly routine and Mama gets to drink a glass or three of wine (and maybe go out with the girls.) I love getting together with friends for BBQ's and house parties, going to weddings and baptisms (there seems like there is always at least one on the weekends.) And on Sunday nights sitting on the couch with Husband watching movies and DVR'd shows (missed during the week)...

the best weekends include...

 Going out for a glass of vino

House parties...

Lounging on a Saturday in our jammies

Trying new recipes- Lobster Mac n Cheese with Truffle oil never tasted so good....

Movies movies and more movies....

What's your favorite thing about the weekend...besides not working!