Merry Christmas

A couple of snap shots from Alexanders first Christmas

Christmas Eve

Christmas! Love my Santa Outfit from Grandma

Cooking my first Christmas Dinner

What a ladykiller

Mommy and Daddy

Resolutions and Goals

Its crazy to think that a year ago I started this blog! It is so fun to look back at my posts throughout my pregnancy and after having Al. Its almost like journaling but better because of the pictures! Anyway I have started to follow a few other blogs along the way and one that I follow had a recent post about goals. I think goals are so crucial to working for and achieving anything in life. They are also great indicators of success! I used goal planning as a way to reach (well almost reach) my pre-baby weight and am now using it to accomplish my running aspirations. Anyway along with goals I also have some resolutions for 2012 so I thought I would post them on here as a way to keep me accountable! My followers can hold me to my resolutions and encourage me to reach my goals! Anyway here they are:

2012 Goals:

125 pounds

Run a 5km race

Run a 10 km race

Run a half marathon

Run leg 1 of the Sinister 7

Do 3 consecutive chin ups

Meet my Baker family in Toronto

Donate Blood (along with a list of other good deeds)

Take more photography courses and start a small photography business

Update my AFLCA certification

Take another AFLCA course

Start a mom group/ play date group

Take a trip to Vegas (without baby)

Start an RESP for Alexander

Save minimum $5000

Go for a psychic reading

Attend Church

2012 Resolutions:

Floss my teeth everyday

Brush Bensons teeth everyday

Cuss less

Walk Chevy more than once a week

I may revisit this list of Goals and Resolutions but for now this is what I have to work towards! What are your resolutions for the new year?

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas everyone! This week has been a whirlwind. I cannot believe Christmas is here already! I have been doing a lot of reflecting on the past year and it is amazing how many blessings we have recieved. First and most importantly, Alexander. He is my sole purpose in life, I cannot imagine him not being a part of our family and lives. So many people find their calling in life when they discover their career but for me I know that I was supposed to be a mother! And I cannot even believe he will be 5 months on boxing day. The most amazing gifts we were given this year was definitely the gift of parenthood!  And speaking of the little guy, Santa stopped by to see the peanut! No tears from our brave guy he just snuggled up to Santa and tried to eat his beard! It was great. 

I have also had the blessing of reconnecting, or should I say connecting, with family I had not known before. Unfortunately the circumstances were not the ones you'd like to unite over but it is nice to hear from family that I have been curious about for a long time. Sadly on December 21, my Grandmother passed away from cancer. I am hoping that she is relieved from all pain and sufferings and has been welcomed into Heaven where she can watch over her family. Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.

In times of mourning and sorrow we are reminded of our appreciation for the family and friends we do have. Which leads me to my next thankful reflection, and that is my friends! They have been so good to me over the last year, through out my pregnancy and growing family! They are just the greatest!! I can't even find the words, I just love them so much! We are going to have so much fun in Mexico celebrating Kyla's wedding! So many big moments in our lives are happening and I am so grateful to share them with these fine ladies!

And of course family! I am so excited to share Al's first Christmas with all of our family. We are very lucky to have each other to celebrate the good times with and to lean on each other during the challenging times! A lot has changed in both of our families over the last year and I am so glad to say we are closer than ever! 

Anyway it is time to get the carrots cooking (my pot luck item for Christmas Eve dinner) and to get Al into his Christmas outfit! I hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas and remembers the reason for our celebrations

Matthew 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. 

New Shoes

My sparkle shoes are complete! And just in time for the holiday season. I am so excited about how they turned out. I of course found this idea on Pinterest and knew I had the perfect pair of shoes to try this on. I had an 8$ pair of flats from Walmart, just begging to be jazzed up! And look at em now, the rest of the shoes in the closet are going to be so jealous! Anyway it was super easy, I mixed sparkles with modge podge (which is my new favorite craft supply) and painted the mixture onto the shoes using a sponge brush. I did about 3 coats and they were razzle dazzled. Afterwards I got Sandy to spray them with a clear gloss finish to make sure the sparkles stayed put! They are fabulous and a super cheap way to brighten up a pair of boring flats. On Pinterest the tutorial used black multicolor glitter but I decided to use white, gold and purple sparkles. I think they could be fun in ANY color. Another fun idea I had was to sparkle the rubber parts on a pair of old converse shoes. Fun!

One word to the wise: don't paint your sparkle coats on too thick or they will dry chunky and uneven! 

Other than shoe making we have been recuperating from the flu which hit hard and fast last monday! I have not been that sick in over 10 years. Luckily my mom was able to find subs for her classes and come help me take care of Al. If she hadnt been there I don't know how I would have survived! We have a busy week this week with appointments, dinners and pre-christmas activities. Plus we are trying to pack for Mexico and get back on track with our running! But we are off to an appointment in a few minutes here so that will be all for today!

Some new and fun hair!

Rolo Cookie Recipe!

Here it is folks, the sought after rolo cookie recipe!

2 1/2 cups Flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup cocoa

1 cup butter (room temp)

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

6 rolo bars

sugar (for rolling cookies in)

Sift flour, baking soda, salt & cocoa. Set aside. With a mixer cream butter and sugars until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, next add vanilla. Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture and blend well. Take spoonful and wrap around one rolo candy. Roll into ball and roll through sugar. 

Bake for 7-10 minutes at 375

Kyla

Just a couple of photo collages from some of the wedding events we've been attending for Kyla's wedding coming up in January!

The Bridal Shower

The Stagette

Sandy's big 3-0

34 days until Mexico! I can't believe how fast it is coming. I remember being pregnant thinking about this trip and how it would be, it seems so surreal that it is almost, FINALLY, here! That being said we are getting closer to Christmas and my birthday too! We celebrated Sandy's 30th this weekend and had a great party to mark the milestone birthday. We had about 30 people to our place for the party. I LOVE hosting such events since it gives me an excuse to cook, decorate and socialize, all my favorite things! Friday night the girls came over to help me decorate and after they left I spent a few more hours cleaning. Well when I woke up Saturday morning I was surprised to find EVERY single one of the forty balloons I had filled with helium had deflated. I was not impressed. Anyway I had a quick pitstop to make before I continued getting things ready. Al had a sleep over at Grandma's so that Mommy and Daddy could have a night off parenting duty (which made hosting a party alot easier). After I dropped him off and got him settled at Grandmas I went to pick up Sandy's surprise birthday cake, which I think turned out great! It was really tasty too!

Next I had to finish the decorations and get food ready! We had everyone over around 7:00 and we didn't end up shutting things down until around 2:00. I was definitely tired Sunday morning but all in all it was a great night! And now onto Christmas! These next few weeks are going to be very busy!

Baking Baking Baking

Well back to pinterest again but this time for recipes! I've been baking baking baking these days! Which I will admit is making my weight-loss goals a little challenging! But regardless here are the tasty treats I've been creating:

The nutella cookies turned out a little drier than I had anticipated and are probably my least favourite of all the things I have made this week. The cookie dough balls (with no raw egg) are delicious but they too are lacking a bit of moisture. Still tasty though! The mint chocolate chip cookies are divine! These bad boys are really testing me this week! They are just so delicious! Sugar cookies, always a classic. I think we had more fun decorating than actually eating them. And lastly the rolo cookies, I die! They are a little bit of heaven packed into a cookie! Just so yummy! If you are looking for a cookie to knock the socks off friends of family, this is your go to cookie!