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Christmas!!




Hope everyone out there in blogland had a wonderful Christmas. We were crazy this year and celebrated with our entire family - Paul's parents and sister and my parents and sister plus us and Nora. We were all very spoiled! Nora was a very lucky little girl. Grandma Barb and Grandpa Eldren bought her a sled/wagon combo - its awesome!!!!


And I may have dressed my child like an elf. One day she will hate me for it lol.


And me and my sis got Footie pjs!! They are so cozy and warm. I'll post more later but now it's time for bed-I'm exhausted. And the wedding is in 3 sleeps. Omg. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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Christmas Eve?? SERIOUSLY?




Christmas Eve?? Seriously?? WTF?  Where did you appear from?  I am so not ready for Christmas yet lol.  The craziness of family arrived yesterday - so both sets of parents are here, both sisters are here and Nora's napping and sleep schedule is already out of whack.  She was up 4 times last night, which she hasn't done in almost a month.  And all 4 times, she really just wanted to cuddle.  A bit frustrating for me at 3am and 5am especially when Paul doesn't hear her or wake up with her.  I have a couple of peaceful minutes right now because no one else is up and awake yet.  And his parents aren't actually staying at our house, they are staying at our friends house who live 5 doors down from us and are away for vacation :)  It's probably the best thing that could have happened to us.  It's great because it means that we don't have 8 adults and a baby staying in one house trying to get along and shower lol.  I'm trying not to hold onto stress and take things that are said with a grain of salt but it's hard especially because there is some HUGE negativity in the house.  But I'm working on it.  I'm trying to be more positive.  I swear I am. lol.
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Miscellany Monday




Miscellany Monday @ lowercase letters






1. Christmas is in 6 days.  AHHHHHHH.  I'm not panicking yet.  AHHHHHH.  Okay, so maybe I am panicking a little bit already but I'm trying really hard not too.  Our perfect plan for the week has gone out the window because now instead of a staggered arrival of guests (my parents, Danie, Paul's parents and his sister), they are all arriving on Friday.  AHHHHHHH.  And his sister wants to do coffee just the two of them on Friday night??  I don't think so.  There is not enough time for "alone" time unless it's for me and him lol.

2. That means that the WEDDING is in 9 days.  OMG.  So much to do.  So little time.  I dropped of the Bridesmaids gifts to be beautified today... I can't say much more about that until the time they receive them as my sister (and LOVELY Maid of Honour) reads my blog and I can't have her finding out EVERYTHING about her gifts lol.  But let's just say they are superfun, and I can't wait to give them to the wedding party.  Even the mean one. 

3. The Mean One.  I try to stay positive on my blog for a couple of reasons - mainly because if I focus on the yucky stuff I get into a funk - and because I don't know if certain family members read this blog or not.  And I don't want to get in "trouble" for the stuff I write because then I'm being the mean one.  I got in trouble for putting something on my facebook that didn't say ANYTHING about this particular person but they threw a HUGE fit and posted on theirs that "Friends come and go but Family is Forever".  Well if Family is Forever - start acting like it.  It's not your wedding day - it doesn't revolve around you, just be happy for us.  That's all we are asking.  And if you don't want to be here, and don't want to be a part of it - don't come.  And don't lay the guilt trip on us for it.  It's not our fault about anything that's going on in your life.  
*thanks for letting me vent*

4. I'm getting my nails done today - fake ones.  GEL nails.  I'm insanely excited for this.  I haven't had nails like that for about 2.5 years.  Since I moved out east actually.  And I'm getting them for the wedding.  And I'm beyond pumped for them.  

5. I still have a ton of Christmas shopping to do.  But Nora's gifts are bought.  And so are Paul's.  I just have a few stocking stuffers for Nora that I need to get and then it's just extended family gifts.  I have no clue what to get my Dad this year.  He buys the stuff he wants so he's very hard to shop for.  I was also planning on doing those handprint/footprint ornaments for everyone... but I'm nervous that Nora won't co-operate... we'll see lol.

6. The guest room is ready - the living is mostly clean - the basement is almost ready for Danie.... I can't wait for my family to arrive.  Paul's family is staying at a friends house - they live about 4 doors down from us and they are gone over Christmas so they were kind enough to let us "housesit" for them and to let our guests stay there.  I'm happy for that.  We could not fit 8 adults, 1 baby and 1 dog in our house comfortably.  I would probably end up hurting someone.  I may end up doing that anyways lol.  

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Friday 5




Friday 5 - brought to you by the letter F lol.  (can you tell Nora and I have been watching Sesame Street lately??? lol)

1.  My hairdresser.  I know that sounds cheesy but I'm thankful for a good hairdresser.  I can go in and say make it look nice and she does a great job and I don't have to worry.  I had my trial for my wedding hair today and it looks AMAZING!!  It makes me excited for the wedding.

2.  Beautiful weather.  I did complain a little bit yesterday because it was +10 Celsius and raining.  And then I realized - it's not snowing and it's not freezing outside.  I should be happy and thankful for this weather.  Yes it's not snowy so we won't have a white Christmas but it's beautiful out!

3.  Paul - yup I'm gonna get all cheesy on you - I am so thankful for him.  And for him sticking up for me in wedding decisions and for him loving me for who I am.  He is one of the best things in my life (and well he helped make the other best thing in my life too - Nora)

4.  A house and food - at Christmas time I reflect on how thankful I am that we are fortunate enough to have shelter and food at our fingertips.  So many people do not have this luxury and for that I am thankful and feel very blessed.

5.  Nora.  Every day she learns something new and she is growing so fast.  I am still so thankful for my little bundle of joy.  She amazes me every day.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend preparing for Christmas!!!
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MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!




I participated in my FIRST ever blog swap recently and I had SO much fun.  



Thanks so much to Laura at Between the Lines and L'il Woman at Little Woman, Little Home for hosting us!!

My swap partner was Sarah H. over at Life is What You Make It (Hi Sarah!!!!).  And I have to admit - she did not disappoint!!


This is our very first Christmas with Little Nora and it also happens to be the very first Christmas we are actually spending at our house.  And she sent us some BEAUTIFUL ornaments for our tree!!  They are absolutely gorgeous and so fitting.  Nora loved them - she wanted to eat them.  And Paul was so touched that a "stranger" would send something so nice to us - so THANK YOU so much!!!!


Now for the pictures :)


I totally spaced on the "envelope"/package picture... but I got the goods inside so that's the important part :)



 She sent three ornaments - a Poppa Reindeer (Paul), a Momma Reindeer (me), and Baby Reindeer (Nora).  SO ADORABLE.

And here they are, hanging on our tree!!  Thanks again Sarah!!!
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Monday Monday




Miscellany Monday @ lowercase letters
I'm linking up for Miscellany Monday.... and I have no idea if I'm doing it right lol.


{one} 
Our Christmas tree is up and decorated but I feel as though it's missing something and that makes me sad.  I don't know what to add to it though.

{two}
We had our first "Christmas" party of the season yesterday.  It was with our prenatal class.  And I can't wait to put the pictures of the babes on my computer.  They were SO cute all dressed up in their Holiday Best.  And they were all so well behaved too!

{three}
I'm trying to find wedding hairstyles.  Failing miserably.  Is it wrong that I don't really care how my hair looks???

{four}
Nora is feeling better!! YAY!  No ear infection for her, she's just got a cold.  And a build up of wax in her ears.  And she's teething and it's common to grab their ears when they are teething.  Never knew that.

{five}
I've never linked up before.  I'm nervous yet excited.  I hope that I do this right.
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Friday 5




It has been a rough week in the Otter Household.  And no, our last name is not Otter but since Paul is in Otter Sqn at the college - that's what I like to call our household lol.  Hopefully I can come up with 5 things today because my brain is shot.

1.  Canadian Health Care - Nora is sick.  It started off as a stuffed up nose on Tuesday, moved to her throat on Wednesday and by yesterday my little 5 month old was grabbing her left ear like crazy.  So we called our doctor's office at 4:55pm (they close at 5pm) and we have an appointment for her today at 1:45pm.  I'm happy that they were able to fit us in so quickly and I'm thankful that we don't have to pay for her to see a Doctor.

2.  Christmas Cookies - Every year I try to organize a Christmas cookie exchange.  We had it last night - 8 people signed up and only one person dropped out last minute (for a pretty good reason too).  So all the girls came by and we exchanged our cookies and I now have 8 dozen different types of delicious cookies/sweets.  I almost wish I had waited until closer to when our company gets here for Christmas because I don't know if these will all last that long lol.  I'm thankful that I have so many friends that are willing to participate in my crazy things and thankful that I was able to have an evening of good times :) 

3.  Friends - this week was a rough week sleep wise, brain wise and emotion wise.  And I am so thankful for the great friends that I have here, they definitely helped keep me sane and made me feel better even when I was stressed out and worried about things.  

4.  Family Recipes - I am thankful that my family has recipes that it hands down through the generations - my shortbread recipe, our tortiere recipe, our stuffing recipe.  It makes me happy and I am so thankful that I am able to follow the recipes too lol.  Because the tortiere recipe says - add seasoning til it tastes right - no measurements, just until it tastes right lol.

5.  Snow - it snowed overnight here.  FINALLY.  I still can't believe that it's December 9 and we just had snow.  It's only about an inch of snow but still, the ground is covered in white :)  It will probably all melt later this weekend though because the temperature is going back up above freezing.  But it's nice for a little bit.

Well I'm off to get lunch ready and then to take Nora to the Doctors office, hopefully everything goes well.  Hope everyone else has a wonderful Friday!!

~*~ K ~*~
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Friday 5




I am starting a new "tradition" for Fridays.  I've found lately that I've been focusing on so many negative things in my life right now and all the things that are stressing me out, so Fridays are going to be "5 Things I'm Thankful For Fridays".

So here we go!

1.  My Health - I'm thankful that I'm healthy and that I'm able to wake up every morning feel great (well maybe tired but great nonetheless).  I'm thankful that I have access to doctor's and medicine.  I'm thankful that I live in Canada where I don't have to pay for my healthcare and that if something is wrong, I can go to the Doctor and it doesn't cost me anything.

2.  Maternity Leave - I am BEYOND thankful that where we live, maternity leave is one year long.  I get a whole year with NoraBear.  An entire year to watch her grow and to love her to pieces before I even have to think about going back to work.  And while I'm sad that my year is almost half over - I am so thankful that I get to snuggle with her every morning and play with her in the afternoons and get to spend so much time with her.

3.  Holidays - I am very thankful that this year our entire family will be spending Christmas at our house.  It's our first time to host it and it's NoraBear's first Christmas.  So I'm excited and thankful for it.

4.  Great friends - I've always been really lucky and have had some great friends.  But since we moved out here, it was hard to fit in at first.  I was the only one who didn't have a baby and I was younger.  But now that I've had Nora, I'm lucky to have met some great girls who were in my prenatal class.  We get together on a regular basis (at least once a month) and we meet up for Stars and Strollers.  I also have a great group of girls with the Otter Wives from Paul's year at the school.  They are there to help with everything, they keep me sane with wedding planning and so many other things.  I'm very thankful for them.

5.  My sister.  Danie and I haven't always been this close - in fact I'm pretty sure we went through a period of time where we hated each other.  But she's honestly one of my best friends (second to Nora lol oh and Paul too I guess lol - they all tie for first place in my life lol).  And I miss her SO much on a regular basis.  But at least she's always only a skype call away.  And I'm so happy that she's going to be such a big part of my little girl's life - she is the Awesome Aunt :)


So that's it - my Friday 5.  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!
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Good Intentions




So I made myself a little blogging schedule.  I had good intentions of following it.  But then I realized that I made Thursdays for food posts.  And I have nothing.  Nada.  Zilch.  Zero.  I have not done any baking recently - and I haven't done anything exciting food wise sooooo there goes that. 

BUT never fear!  I do have stuff to post about lol.

Today is December 1st.  That means only 24 days til Christmas.  and 28 days until our wedding.  YIKES.  So much to do, so little time.  I am insanely excited for Christmas though.  It's honestly one of my most favourite times of the year.  With my ex, he hated Christmas.  With a passion.  I think of the 4 years we were together I had a Christmas tree once.  Our tree is up in the house now.  Paul loves Christmas too (or maybe he's just humouring me lol, who knows?)  And I'm even more excited because it's Nora's first Christmas.  I have big plans for decorations and fun things to do.  I haven't made our advent calendar yet.... but I plan on doing that tomorrow during the day.  If I can stay away from my laptop and the devil that is pinterest.  That sucks away so much of my time.  And it's awful because I have the app on my iPhone too... so I can pinterest ANYWHERE.  

Happy Thursday to everyone, hope your Friday flies by!!!
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