All aboard!

Our local Metrolink does a holiday train every year.  This is the first year we've been able to go.  I took Nick down last week to our local station and this is what we got to see.

He was so excited to see the trains all lit up......

And Rudolph, Ms. Claus, Frosty and the Polar Bear.......

And Santa!

This is going to be one of those things we do with him for a very long time.  When Santa finally came around, Nick ran up to him and said 'I'd really like a train for Christmas!' and then ran away.  This is the first year he's shown any 'fear' of Santa.

If I had the time

and money, I would totally do this to my house.

Spent the day crafting with a good friend....

and it was just what I needed to heal.  So much going on personally, professionally, emotionally.  I'll survive, I always do but I need to take time for my family and for myself.

I made the first layout in a long time and man, it felt good.  Very simple but I've had these papers for a while and not done anything with them.  It felt good to make a boy layout with boy papers.

And a few others..........

Of course, she inspires me.

Not really feeling it this year

I'm sure its everything going on around me and I'm trying, I really am.  I just can't get into Christmas this year.

Our house is turned upside down and I made the mistake to try and decorate.  I did it for Nick.  We have a tree and a few other things but thats all I can bring myself to do.

I do want to bake so I'm taking that as a sign that I have some soul left.  I'm not all Grinch this year.

I let him decorate the tree himself this year.  We found our Pug ornaments from last year and he was SO excited to hang 'Rascal' on the tree.  (No pugs were hurt in the decorating process this year).

Now our nights are filled with Christmas specials on every channel I can find them on.

I'm trying.

Whats your elf up too?

Ziggy (our Elf on the Shelf) is getting into everything this year!  Last year, he was sweet and kept his manners in check.  This year, he's out of control!

So far, he's raided the cereal box.....

Taken the Polar Express train for a ride.....

And raided Nicks underwear drawer.  That elf hung his underwear on the Christmas tree!  Nick was SO embarrassed this morning when he found his tighty whities hanging from the tree.

What a list of fun things for your elf to do this year?  Check these lists out

Elf Ideas 1
Elf Ideas 2
Elf Ideas 3

Welcome December

Wow its been a long year.  Packed with every emotion you can imagine.  But its almost over and I'm vowing now that 2012 is going to be a fantastic year.

2012 will have:

Our 10 year anniversary.  Married.  10 Years.  Wow.

Nick will be 5 years old.  Where did that time go?

A big trip is planned for the anniversary and maybe another trip later in the year.  I want to take Nick to NYC for Christmas and I'm determined to make it happen.

The Calgary Stampede in July.

More crafty time.

A new space to decorate and make our own.

.....................................................................................

We recently celebrated my aunt and uncle's 70th Birthdays with a big party.  My Uncle wanted to do something for my Aunt so he threw a surprise party.  He had no idea where to start so he turned  it over to his daughters (my cousins) and us.  My mom and I *love* coming up with party decoration ideas.

Behind my Uncles back, his daughters turned this into a party for him as well since his birthday was back in July and everyone was so busy we didn't do anything big for him.

So, almost 75 people showed up to celebrate including my Aunt Bea from New York.  My dad has 3 sisters.  One here in California and 2 living in New York.  They don't get together as often as they should but they try.  When they're all together - all 4 of them - the kids (there's 8 of us) joke that the entire brain is together.  That the four of them each share a portion of one brain.

One of my aunts was unable to make it because her son and daughter in law were expecting a baby any day.  She couldn't miss that!

So we have 3/4 of the brain there!

 Nick with Aunt Bea

 Nick with my mom

 My dad and his sister Bea

 Can you tell he was on the floor all night long?  He danced with anyone that would dance with him.

 And where. the. heck. did he learn THAT move?  He's got moves like.....Travolta?

 My dad with 2 of his sisters.  

And some of the decorations.

 Each table had a different set of pictures in the frame.  We emailed everyone and asked for pictures of them as kids.

 Original idea source

Original Source

And I never did get a picture of the invitations before I mailed them all out but they were inspired by this idea on Pinterest.