Decked out for the holidays and ready to start baking

Decked out for the holidays and ready to start baking and introducing Christmas favourites to my baby boy. As soon as the American Thanksgiving was over, the Christmas tunes began.

I feel right on the ball this year with decorating and getting my act together. I took bebs to see Santa (and it went a lot better than I expected it to – yay!), and even mailed out most of our Christmas cards already. Speaking of Christmas cards, this is the first time that we’ve ever made/and mailed out as a family. So exciting. I’m adulting hard this year ;)

Since I tend to keep my decorating mainly in the kitchen (okay and obviously in our living area too, but I don’t really show that room, much online), I wanted to spruce it up for the holidays. Don’t let decorating for the holidays stress you out. Use what you have. Fresh greenery always works, and your local grocery store sells it. Or if you have a kind neighbour who has an olive tree next door, and he’s kind enough to let you snip some branches off, then go to it ahem. My neighbour has an amazing olive tree, obvs.

Fresh herbs in a cup also brings a bit of festive feels into the home. Plus, the aroma is amazing (I love rosemary, personally), and easy to grab to top off onto your tofurky/turkey, or chicken you’re cooking. As always I’m a fan of bringing the natural elements into the space you’re decorating. In this case, fresh greenery to give the space some holiday cheer. The rest is going to stay pretty neutral, at least in this room.

I’m no interior decorator but I do know what I like when it comes to Christmas and Holiday decor. Some of these pieces I’ve had since before we moved to the USA – yup, I carted it all the way from Canada with us. Some of the items are even from just the Bulls-eye spot at Target, and a few of the items is from Wayfair, too.

You may notice a new appliance there in the background. I finally scooped up a matte black KitchenAid mixer (from Wayfair!). Guys, I’ve always wanted one, so I bit the bullet and used my gift card on it. I love it, and can’t wait to use it more in the new year. Anyone have any ideas on what I should make in it? Gimmie all the ideas, please!

When do you start decorating for the Holidays/Christmas?

Shop the look: red christmas baubles, KitchenAid mixer, white basket, cylinder vase, red christmas baubles,

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9 months postpartum

So! What details can I fill you in on, this month with our bebs?

Well for one, the day goes by so much smoother if we’re outside the house more than inside! So I’ve taken a notice to that, and made sure we regularly take Alfie and bebs out for a walk, and we go to the library three times per week (some weeks, more!).

He now has 6 teeth. Madness. At this rate he’s gotten two teeth every month for the past few months.

Beb’s has started to show signs of possession in his 8th month. Whether it be a handful of grass he ripped from the ground, a piece of fluffy dust he’s found, or his toy for that matter – if you take it away from him, he will let you know he’s not pleased with you. It’s interesting seeing that developmental stage come through, since it was clearly never there before. Watching his personality is incredibly amazing to me. I can’t wait to head back to Canada (not sure when we’re going) for him to meet all of our families. He still has a set of grandparents to meet, and tons of cousins, aunts and uncles. I wonder if he’ll be in the stage of stranger-danger come then… I hope not!

I’m super happy one of his aunt’s has come down for a second time to visit our bebs. Although it was a super quick visit this time around, our little boy loved every moment spent with him bonding with her.

Baby visited his first pumpkin patch in month 8, along with dressing up as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (Michaelangelo!) for Halloween – I don’t know what I’d do without my amazing friend Nicole handing me down her two son’s clothing (the Halloween costume and 80% of his wardrobe is from her kiddos).

Month 8 he went to his second birthday party for one of his little Canadian buddy’s first birthday party. He’s starting to know his baby-friends so well, that he’s become quite an outgoing baby. I love seeing him take off scooting (not quite crawling) across the room, or on the picnic blanket, to go hang with his pals he’s known his entire life (lol). Most of us delivered at the same hospital, and have babies relatively close in age with one another.

I bought him some Puffin print pants. ‘Cause you know, gotta represent Newfoundland (it’s the official provincial bird for Newfoundland). Cute hey? They’re a bit too big for him now, but I bought them for him to grow into them.

Loves:

  • his teddy bear
  • any and all food
  • music and dancing
  • his “popsicles” (frozen fruit in a mesh feeder)
  • bath time and his rubber ducky
  • trying to get Alfie’s attention
  • popping onto his knees from a belly down position
  • plays in his crib and does the “downward dog”
  • making a hilarious girggling noise when tired

We’re still loving, and using California Baby products on him (I’m not paid to say this at all, genuinely love their stuff). I’m on my 3rd jar of super sensitive cream with him (not necessarily “super sensitive” for any reason, I just love the subtle natural scent to it). It’s the only cream that has touched his skin post-baths, and I always love to massage it in, and he keeps calm and still when getting his little massages. It’s so sweet. I keep talking about this specific cream in general, because it’s one of my favourite products that they make. Did you know that California Baby has a 100% plant-based lotion now? It recently happened, although was always the main goal of the owner when creating the products years ago. Congratulations to them!

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BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Lip Icing Glow Gloss Kit

Now Halloween is over I can finally talk about Holiday collections. Christmas collections! These BECCA Cosmetics lip glosses are a limited edition set, collaborated with the glowy (and hilarious) beauty herself, Chrissy Teigen. They’re minis, keep that in mind. Clutch-sized, even. You know, for all those holiday parties coming up. I personally love the pigment payoff, some more sheer than others. But they’re easy to wear, for folks like me who can’t figure out where their lip line ends or create a crisp line for those deep forever lasting lipsticks. It’s something you can’t mess up, these glosses. And I love’em.

Here’s the lowdown.

The formula isn’t sticky. Great!

These glosses are 4 brand new shades.

The cost? $29USD / $35CDN.

They are lightly scented of vanilla. I couldn’t tell, really. But I’m not looking for smelly glosses.

Creme Brulee is a sheer shade, the sheerest of them all. A pinky nude with an iridescent pearl.

Cinnamon Bun is more of a bronzey shade with a golden pearl.

Sugar Plum is a mauve with a golden pearl.

Candy Cane a gorgeous red with a white pearl.

Who will buy a set? You?

 

 

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