Breathe In, Breathe Out.

This is slowly becoming routine.

Wake up, throw food at the kids, clean (I know, I can't believe it either), get the kids dressed, play, laundry, play some more, or sometimes we have a playdate. Then 11:30 hits. Throw more food at the kids, especially Princess. Grab a snack, find her backpack. Noon. Load up the kids and take Princess to school. We're a bit early? Hit the park for a little. Line Princess up at the door, and say "au revoir" to her when the teacher comes. Head back home. Time for nap, Tobes! (Or at the very least, quiet time), unless it's Monday, in which case we snuggle on the couch until it's time for gymnastics. If he naps, I fiddle around on the computer, maybe send an e-mail or two or do some work, and before I know it, it's 3. Time to load Tobes up in the car and pick up Princess. Snacks await both, and we head back home, or sometimes run an errand. Princess is getting a lot better at remembering and telling me about how her day has gone (though usually the update is whether or not they got gym class, what they did at recess, and which boy accidentally walked into the girl's bathroom). If it's nice out, the kids will play in the yard while I start supper. Otherwise they take up camp in the kitchen or head downstairs to the playroom.We wait until Daddy gets home, and then if it's Tuesday or Wednesday Princess heads to either dance or church, otherwise I might have work or escape to Zumba, or Hubbyman might go to curling.


As I said in a text to a friend at the beginning of September, this is my life now. This is beginning to become routine. Sure, there are still days where it's a mad dash to pick-up/drop-off Princess because I lost track of time, and I totally miss pajama days (though I still slip back into my pajama pants during Tobe's naptime some days!) but all in all, this is working for us.

We just need to breathe.

Blessed.

This weekend I had the opportunity to celebrate all the amazing things God's blessed me with. My family, my friends, my beautiful home, and even my kicka$$ job (I picked up a shift yesterday). I have been blessed with so much, most of all my amazing husband and children.

To all my Canadian friends, Happy Thanksgiving. And to everyone reading this, I hope you have a moment to sit back and give thanks for all the awesome things in your life :)

Decisions, Decisions...

The countdown is nearing it's end! I have officially hit the week to finalize (most) things. The hotel (Grand Californian) was booked long ago, as were the flights, but a lot of the meals and experiences had to wait until 60 days before.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are nearing that time!!

What we've done so far:

• Book flights 
• Book hotel - upgraded room at Disney's Grand Californian!! We're not only staying IN the park, but the closest hotel to each park, with a private entrance to California Adventures.
• Book transportation
• Get "First Day" outfits together
• Get luggage for kids
• Get autograph books (they're 90% done, thanks to the crafting day on Sunday!)
• Hoard sunscreen (the count is at 2 kid sunscreens, 7 spray sunscreens, 1 sunscreen for my face. No, we probably won't take all of them, but this ginger doesn't take chances when it comes to sun protection!)
• Book Bippipi Bobbidi Boutique - Just did this this morning!!!

 What's left to do...

• Book our Character Breakfast. We're doing Goofy's Kitchen. Hubbyman and I went both times and LOVED it there. Can't wait to take the kids!!
• Book our World of Color experience. So far Wine Country Trattoria is winning out. While I would normally avoid a fancy place with 2 littles, they do have a great-looking kids menu, and the option for lunch, which is what we'd probably do. Now to figure out the most likely WOC schedule for December...
• Book lunch or dinner at Blue Bayou - we went on our honeymoon, and then the ride (and restaurant) were closed when we went back the next year. I'm excited for the kids to see it!!
• Get details and book the Disneyland Candlelight Ceremony. Christmas is my favorite time of year. Disneyland is my favorite place. There is no way we can't do this!!!
• Finish up schedule of events. No, I promise I'm not going to over-schedule the trip, but for the first few days it'd be nice to have a game-plan, especially when there's going to be SO MUCH we want to see and do (can't forget about all the special Christmas extras!)
• Finish packing list
• Pack
• Book/order/whatever a Disney photo pass package
• Decide how the heck we're going to tell the kids!! We *think* we're going to wake them up with the news the morning-of. It's going to be stupid-early, but probably the best option!
 

... I think that it? I can't believe we're now less than 2 months away from going! It seemed like just yesterday we were booking this trip!! The last 6 months have FLOWN by!!!

How I Got My Groove Back

Sneak peek!! These are the shirts I made for Princess and Tobes' first day in Disneyland!!

One of the biggest selling points of this house was the basement. The previous owner was a model-maker, and half of the basement was closed off (with a door) as his space. I walked into the space and my eyes grew wide... My craft room!!!!

Half the space was filled with remnant boxes from moving (mostly pictures and trinkets that we still needed to find homes for) and the rest was quickly taken over with paper and fabric and all sorts of crafty goodness, as well as a table, desk, and plenty of chairs for crafting dates. This was going to be my new home!

... Eventually. But life with 2 small children and a bazillion things on the go took priority. My craft room sat untouched, and unloved. Occasionally it would be raided for a "quick" card, or a craft supply to run upstairs. Sometimes I would sit at my sewing machine to fix a pocket, or whip up a quick Halloween costume. It was a far cry from the crafting days of yore.

Until yesterday, my friends!! As the countdown continues to Disneyland, my to-do list grows. There's shopping and packing, and booking to take care of, but there's also lists of things I want... Nay, NEED to craft. I have spent the last year pining on Pinterest all the awesome things I can do for Disneyland, but also for my home in general. I want to make scrapbook pages, I want to sew and decorate. I am a crafter at heart, with a serger, sewing machine, and 2 cricuts sitting downstairs, and enough supplies to choke a camel.

A good friend of mine is planning a Disneyland trip as well, leaving just over a month after ours, and her daughter is just a few months younger than Princess. She is a fellow crafter and we used to have amazing craft days together. We started to compare lists and saw all the things we needed/wanted to get done, and a craft day was born.

We bought supplies on our own to maximize craft time. I scoured stores for UNLINED coil-bound books for the autograph books (which are impossible to find, it seems. If you're on the hunt, Michael's. Go to Michael's.) and anything Disney-related to decorate them with. I found the shirts the kids will wear on their first full day in the park, and the fabric and paint to glam them out. I relished in the craft aisles, and pouring over embellishments, stickers, and papers. I dug out my cricut cartridges and planned. Sunday morning my friend arrived, sewing supplies in tow. We got set-up in the basement (christening it with it's first "craft day"). It was perfect. The table gave us more than enough room to sew and scrap all our projects. That afternoon the men-folk took the kids out of the house (it's hard to be super-secret when you've got inquisitive 5-year-olds around!) and we crafted!! We problem-solved, we made mistakes, and we had do-overs. We also had "ah-hah" moments, and relished in our genius. We cheered each other on, inspired each other, and created amazing things.

I want more!! The kids are finally old enough that we can play together, or at the very least they'd be happy hanging out in the rec room (right beside the craft room) while I play ;) I have a list of things I want to make (starting with a fall wreath, and a bunch of things for the kids to follow), and I am so excited to get started.

I'm back, baby!!

(pictures to follow of the results from yesterday soon, as soon as I'm done with the finishing touches)