Another Big Fat Greek Wedding...

Hey lovelies! Sorry for the lack of posting, we've been in Greece for about a week now on our annual summer vacation. The kids are finally over their jet-lag (thank God) because waking up at 4:30 am everyday for a whole week is less than awesome. We went to a huge wedding (almost 400 people) in the small town of Astros and had a great time with all our fam and friends. In fact almost 100 people came from Canada alone for the wedding...nothing like a 9 hour time change to bring home-town friends together!

 One of these kids is not like the others... Mama's too tall and in need of a tan!

 Up "the mountain" at the brides family home, starting off with some traditional dancing before heading down to the church for the ceremony

 The tradition of walking the bride to the church to meet her groom

 Arriving at the church

 Joining the rest of the guest waiting for the wedding to begin

 Inside the church during the ceremony

 Waiting for the couple to exit the church, not all the guest "fit" inside the church so they waited outside!

 The happy couple...they're married!

 The get-away (Smart) car

 At the reception dinner, traditional Greek desserts and candy coated Jordan almonds called" Boubounaries"

 Mama feeling good after a few glasses of wine

 The couple arrived to the party by boat!

 The reception was outside by the water..dinner for 400!

 The bride got the dancing started at around 1:00 am

The groom busted a move, dancing the traditional Zeibekiko dance

The wedding was a blast and of course we didn't make it back to our hotel until almost 6:00 am and the band was still playing...

More updates will be coming but our internet is a bit sketchy and I'm not sure how often I'll post... tho I'll try to keep you kids updated as much as possible!

Hope your July has been fun in the sun, where ever you are!

Dress Dilemma,,,

In July we're off to sunny, hot and financially floundering Greece.  I'm beyond looking forward to our annual summer in the sun. Mama needs a tan and a holiday beyond badly. We're a part of some special events while there including the baptism of our good friends daughter.  We're going to be her God-parents and for Greeks this is a super HUGE deal because God-parents (Koumbari) are like family forever.

Greek baptisms are a major production. A big event in a child's life that is celebrated with the same enthusiam as a wedding. Hundreds of guests and huge reception-dinner after parties are completely standard. Many people spare no expense and hire professional photographers, have lavish dinners, live music and bring in entertainers or clowns to keep the kids occupied so the adults can drink and dance the night away. It's a good time.

{after a baptism outside the church- balloons for the kids to take home}

{at a friends baptism in 2006}

{at the after party}

{At our boys 2009 outdoor baptism reception}

{My son's God-Mother and my sister-in-law at the reception}

But as the God-Mother (Nona) what am I going to wear?  A lot of the women in Greece are as fabulous as they are glamourous and I need to look great while still dressing appropriately for the church. I'm torn between 3 dresses that I have and honestly none of them really excite me.  My practical side says don't go too crazy and  that I should wear something sensible that will look good in photos 20 years from now. 

I'll pair the black dresses with black patent heels and the pink and grey dress with nude heels. And of course I'll accessorize (heavily) and have on enough makeup to pass for a drag queen for it to last all day in the heat. 

Which dress would you choose or should I go for something completely different? 

Help a sister out...I'm totally open to suggestions!

White, gold and tan OH MY!

After Husband's epic failure at remembering (and gifting) Mama properly for my birthday, it was pretty obvious that I was going to have to recognize my 30+ years of life by at the very least going shopping for myself. What else you gonna do? Here's what I picked up...

{Marc by Marc Jacobs Aviators in gold and white. Can you say summer?

{ Michael Kors Logo Jelly sandals - Browns Shoes}

{Pure by Alfred Sung white skinny jeans}

Is that Banana Boat suntan lotion I smell? I am seriously ready for summer! Bring on the gin and tonic's, BBQ's, trips the beach (when we're in Greece because I'm actually ridiculously landlocked) and good times with friends, family and of course my kidlets. While we're on holiday this summer I'll be wearing this, cuz I sure as hay won't have a chance to wear it where we live right now. So cold! 

{Just call me Goldmember because "I love gooold..."}

Nothing says summer like white and gold with a tan...

Summer Jet Set by nikosmommy featuring Nine West shoes
    

{Now if I could only get started on that tan....}

Aloha Bitches!

We're off for 11 days of FUN-IN-THE-SUN!   There will be multiple fruity drinks consumed and plenty of seafood and fruit. Bring it on Hawaii! 

I'll be bloggin' as soon as we're back.... 
Miss me!

 

Ooooh the Humanity!!

Today was Spray Tan Day or as I call it, STD.

(It's as bad as it sounds.)

I showered, exfoliated, shaved and went deordorant-less in prep for the tan. Wore baggy cotton clothing, removed my jewellery, put my hair in a pony-tail, and left the house sans make-up.

Right there that is WAY too much going on before I've even had the damn spray.

You'd think that after years of annual physicals, birthing 2 babies naturally, and being over the age of 30, that by now I'd be comfortable with someone seeing all of my naked-ness.  Apparently not.
A spray tan requires you to stand without clothes, (save for a small disposable pair of string bikini bottoms, which are AWFUL but necessary to avoid unsightly tan lines) while a "technician" sprays you with a high powered air brush/liquid tan gun. Besides being totally awkward and revealing....it's cold as balls.

(What, you wouldn't be embarrased standing buck while some stranger scrutinizes your every angle for optimum tan application?)  Every cellulite covered angle.

Just thinking about it again makes me cringe. I am a secure person but it was way beyond uncool.

Usually, like a 'normal' person, before I go on a sun-filled vay-cay I go tanning to get a base...which is really just an attempt not to fry on Day 1 of the holiday, thereby averting massive pain/frustration/lobster-like hue, and resentment towards the all powerful soleil.

{ouch}

This year there just wasn't time so plan B was to spray.

Yes yes, I know tanning beds are awfullll but in it's defense I live in CANADA where there is nothing but cold and winter desolation for 7+ months of the year.  Mama's kravin' Vitamin D something fierce, and may just have a touch of the winter crazies. (No, not SAD... but if you were covered head to toe in fleece for months on end, you'd be crying for the sun too.)

But this time the only obvious pre-holiday game plan was to channel my inner Guidette and get me some sunless spray tan. Snookie would approve. (Guidette, is this ser-i-ously a word, for realsss?!) 

{Tomorrow all will be revealed post-shower. Fingers crossed I'll look like a sun-kissed goddess.}

{And not an Oompa-loompa that dropped $85 on this sh!t....}

{no offense to the Oompa's but unless I'm living in a Choco Factory it's just not right}

To B-ikini or Not to B-ikini...???

So, the countdown to Hawaii is on like Donkey Kong... 

Husband, kid # 1, 2 and Mama are flying off  to the middle of the pacific for some serious it's February so winter-can-suck-it escapism.

We're staying at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Waikiki Beach for 12 sun-filled days. Cool yeah?

Sorta. What's not cool is that we're leaving in 11 days and I am still fat-ish and pastey-white.

Massive Weight Loss 2010 (continuation of 2008, 2009) is in full effect and believe-you-me, Mama is workin' extra hard to try and fit into pre-baby #2 summer clothes.

My "Hawaiian Action Plan 2010", henceforth to be called HAP 2010 (abbreviations are a way of life for me)... is as follows:

 "Beatings beating beatings"...  in front of the T.V. with Jillain every nite.

+

A spray tan.    WTF??!.... ok there's always a first for everything.

=

Wearing a bikini....maybe-possibly-perhaps??? 

 ( the one I have is very similar to this,,,nothing krazy, modest, mom-appropriate fo-sho!)

Sooo, my issue is that I'm not sure if I have ANY business whatsoever wearing a bikini at this stage in the game. I've worked hard to get most of my kid #2 pregancy fat off. (Still have 10lbs to go, but I'm tall, 5'10 and can carry a surprising amount of poundage on this frame).

But I'm still not sure I can pull off the big "B".  This body has definately got some 'battle scars' from two babies... mummy tummy, etc.

I just don't like tankini's that much. They are definately a wonderful invention, and they are SOOOO much better than a one-piece (ick) but I do think that sometimes they can be a bit matronly and make you look even bigger because there is so much fabric to them! (as pointed out by my sister-in-law,,,in a loving way of course).  Sometimes less is more...strictly talking numbers on the scale and swimwear here!

Mama's torn....not sure what to do??

Um-hum yeah, I know what y'all are thinking. If I'm questioning it, then I already know the answer. It's a big fat NO. (no puns here)...

*sigh*

Tankini it is....

Fan of the Tan

So just about this time every year my tan is pretty much a distant memory.  Living in Canada, by mid-winter most people are near-albino, even my friend who is Punjabi is looking a little pastey and heads to Cancun for her yearly pilgrimage.
My tan is about a million miles away *sniff*and -20C is sooo lame-ass.  But I'll dry my tears because my consolation is our plans for our yearly summer vay-cay to Greece.

Exhibit A- without Tan.   Pale,  meh.

Exhibit B- with tan.  Glorious, golden sun-kissed fabulousity

*Note, this is an authentic Mediterranean-summer tan, not some Jersey Shore nasty-fake-stuff

Each year we go to our summer house in Greece for  4-6 weeks. Husband is from Athens originally and we have a place just outside of the city on the sea.  Greece truely is a great destination to holi-dayyy. Yeah, believe the hype. The islands are gorgeous, it's smokin' hot and the beaches are super fab.  What a culture to marry in to! Sure beats having to head back to some rual nightmare like Saskatchewan to visit the in-laws.  (sorry peeps from Sask, admit it, it does kinda suck....)

"Kid #1,  pass Mama her iced coffee please...."

But nothing good comes easy. I'd be lying if I said that my journey to become a "good" Greek wife has been a simple one. I met Husband when I was 21 and I figure that I was too young and dumb to realize how challenging entering into a new culture can be. And by entering I mean, more like total dunk-style immersion.  All of Husbands friends were Greek (not as in Greek-Canadian, but as in they came from Greece di-rectly.) Even though husband came to Canada as a teenager, he's always preferred authentic Greeks, straight from the motha-land.
They spoke all the time in Greek, joked, laughed and smoked. (yeah, all Greeks smoke). Greek Greek Greek.
AND what an eff'n, freakin', f*ckin' hard language to learn! (I'd put the brain-boggeling level above learning Russian or Portugese and but slightly below Arabic and Mandarin.) Seriously.
I've been studying the language for years...still not fluent. (I am not a dumb person, honestly!)

Greeks live and love out LOUD.  Tell it like it is, speak their minds and don't hold back on anything..... "oh sweetie, your dress is nice, but you've gained weight." (They're not asking, they're telling you.)

But they're also loyal, caring, honest and hard working people (they all own resturants, pubs and bars).  And they totally know what really matters in life, family and friends!
And of course they always have to stop to drink coffee and have a smoke (never mind that the coffee break lasts 2 hours...no one rushes coffee. It's like a religion.)

My life has definately been rich and colourful since meeting Husband. Love him to death and his 'krazy' culture.

Summer 2009 in Greece- note glorious tans

Greek food = awesome
Greek islands = awesome
Greek parties = awesome
Greek language = complicated, multi-syllabic nightmare.   
(My last name has 14 letters.)
WTF!?!?!?     FOURTEEN LETTERS.     Our kids will be spelling their names by grade 6 (if they're lucky).

But honestly single girls out there...go find yourself and nice Greek guy, you'll be happy you did! What could be better than summer holidays in Greece?!!...  nope, not Saskatchewan.