wishin' and hopin'...

Justin and I usually make sure to update our wish lists around this time of year (on amazon.ca...LOVE their universal wish list)...more so to have an idea handy for whatever family member has us that year to buy for....we "draw" names in our family with the adults (actually, I make a list and pair up people that were not paired up last year or the year before...small family ;) ). I usually will get one or two gifts off of the list and get something I found on my own...depending on the cost of things etc...we try to stay within a certain frame money wise. It can be hard not to go crazy getting things, because lets face it...it's fun to shop and even more fun to spoil (once in a while) the ones you love.

I thought I would share with you some of the things I added to my "wish list" for the Christmas season this year...i hope to get lucky and receive one or two things from it... ;)

(I am kind of boring because I keep the prices low(ish) and this year, again, I thought of transporting stuff overseas...as in, trying not to accumulate too much or too bulky things)

This cream is suppose to be AH-mazing! (I LOVE Lush stuff)

Who wouldn't want to smell like a honeycomb?

love me some sandalwood...

 

These gorgeous woolen socks are calling my name...

I always have trouble sleeping on and off, I think this would really help...and it fits nicely in a stocking ;)

Who couldn't use a little firming? ;)

LOVE how the Body Shop creams smell...this honey one smells lovely.

Found this adorable piece of embroidery art on Etsy and fell in love...it says "Off to see the world"...perfect to hang in our in apartment next year...and small enough to pack in a suitcase ;)

 

 

Gorgeous

Have you started a wish list?

Happy Thanksgiving...

...if you're located in Canada....if not, well, I hope you had an awesome weekend as well...

My niece turned two! today....so we celebrated her special day this past weekend and we also went to a local farm to celebrate the season and oogle the pumpkins ;)

I will never be a professional cake decorator, but at least it tasted damn good! 

I hope your weekend was lovely too...

Standing still...

I am a planner. I make lists and try to think ahead...all the time. It's annoying, exhausting...and quite helpful too ;) 

I realized this morning, as I was researching more day-cares in Switzerland, that I have come to a point in our planning for our move to Switzerland...the point where I am done....done for now. I cannot plan anymore...until I know where exactly we will be settling and where Justin will be working. I am relieved and frustrated at the same time...if that makes sense? 

Relieved because it has been a lot of work and frustrating because it has kept me busy and sane...now it's just a waiting game (more so). 

It is crazy to think that next month (next month!!!) Justin will be sending away his resumes and cover letters. They start to hire in January...we have no idea the timeline for that. Justin will be sending follow up emails at the beginning of January to make sure they received everything and to refresh their memory ;) We are not sure if they start interviews in February (our guess) and when they officially hire you (maybe May? I hope earlier). Most international teachers move in July to be there for the August beginning of the school year. This is all guess work on our part...we have read so many different accounts. 

...9 more months if everything goes as planned...fingers crossed!!!

Autumn's here...

We went apple picking this past weekend...

...to celebrate the "official" season change ;)

Apples, pumpkins, sweaters, layers, oranges, reds, yellows, browns, crisp air, colourful leafs, hot tea, apple crisp, apple pie, apple & pumpkin everything, hot chocolate on late evening walks, having the window open at night and being snug and warm under blankets, days getting shorter (feeling cozier), mushrooms, knits, apple picking, halloween, pumpkin picking, pumpkin carving, costumes, christmas planning (oh, yes!), cooler weather foods, extra warm blankets come out of hibernation, halloween candy, pumpkin bread, breaking out light knit scarves, hats & mittens...these are just a few things i absolutely LOVE about autumn....what's your season?

This moment...

Inspired by Soulemama

 . . . . . . . . . 

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . .

Gift giving on my mind...

Once the Autumn weather rolls around my mind immediately wanders to Christmas...yup...I am weird. I have always started thinking about Christmas gift giving in September. I think it is because I send gifts overseas, so I always have to have things organized early for that so they arrive in time (and I don't have to pay an arm and a leg for speedy shipping). 

This year Christmas will be even more special...Felix will be more aware of what is going on, it might be our last Christmas here for a little bit, and my brother and his fiancee are expecting a little boy in December!

Because Felix will be more aware of everything this year, Justin and I had to finally figure out exactly what kind of traditions we want our family to continue and create for ourselves. I grew up with Christmas on the 24th and we have done that always together as well, but we wanted to include Santa in there too! When I was younger, nothing was decorated for Christmas in the house and we had no tree until the night of the 24th....when we got back from church or a long walk, the "Christ Angel" or "Santa" had come and decorated, brought the tree and left gifts (he is very productive indeed!). Justin grew up with the waking up on the 25th to a mountain of gifts. 

We debated at one point at not making Santa part of it all...we didn't like the idea of essentially writing a list of things you wanted to someone and getting them based on being "good" or "bad"...it seemed greedy and weird...we were feeling especially dramatic that day ;) 

Then we thought "F it"...we can do what we want....so picked all the things we liked about the traditions we grew up with, got rid of the stuff we didn't like or didn't suit us....and this is what we came up with...

:: every Sunday in December we are going to light a candle on an advent wreath (4 total) and spend some time telling Christmas stories & poems and things we are happy about etc...

:: Keep an advent calendar and open a window every day of December.

:: December 6th we will leave Felix's boots out for Saint Nicholas to fill with nuts, clementines, chocolates and a Christmas book.

:: December 24th is about spending the day with family, playing games, watching a Christmas movie, eating an amazing meal and opening gifts from each other. We want to keep gift giving to a minimum...quality over quantity.

:: December 25th Santa will have come overnight and brought Felix a special gift (which I hope to wrap elaborately to make it look really special and magical).

I think we came up with good ideas and we hope to add to the traditions every year :)

Last week we actually bought our Christmas gifts for Felix....Thomas the train toys...they were 20% off so we thought we would take advantage for Christmas and bought him two engines that he doesn't have yet. Yesterday I placed an amazon.ca order for the rest of his gifts....

These are the ones that he is getting from us on the 24th...

This book has been on my wishlist for Felix for a while now...

Can't beat 20% off! ;)

We are mostly trying to collect all the main eight engines for Felix, but he has a Thomas movie with this character in it that he loves :)

We still have to get a couple of things for his stocking (toothbrush, PJ's, a chocolate Santa and a small book or puzzle)....and that is it...Felix is done! :)

This is his big special Santa gift that he will get on the 25th....

 

He has been obsessed with Curious George lately...I plan on wrapping all three things together for one big special gift.

For Saint Nicholas day his boots will get filled with nuts, clementines, chocolate (and lebkuchen once we are in Europe) and a couple of Christmas books. I ordered the two above books from amazon.ca for this year...I think he will love them. :)

I also bought my one nieces Christmas gift last night....

 I found the above adorable felt finger puppets on Etsy...I think they will be a big hit :)

Have you started thinking about the holiday season yet? What are your special traditions?

Going a little nuts...

I have literally wasted my day off away...

Last night we found out that everyone's water will be shut off in our neighbourhood (major construction has been going on...new water lines are being put in everywhere due to the huge new housing developments in our little area) from 9am until 5pm. Grrrrrrrreeeeeeaaaaaat. My one day off a week (without anyone at home, under foot). The day everything gets shiny and clean in the morning so I can spend the rest of the day feeling guilt free and "relaxing" (I put quotes because I have truly forgotten how to relax...it's sad really). I don't handle sudden change well when I have a certain script in my head already. There might have been some swearing....ahem. So, I got up early to have a shower and eat breakfast (and do the dishes at least before the water disappeared) and then apparently spent the rest of the day (it's two now) withering (a *bit* dramatic) away in front of the computer (eating nutella covered frozen waffles (don't worry! they were organic! ;) ....and our sons) and having a 2 hour nap. Mission: Not-So-Much-Accomplished. 

My hours in front of the computer today resulted in my going a bit nuts thinking about the big (hopeful) move to Europe. I am soooo anxious!!! Not anxious as in going to throw up....but anxious as in "I want to goooooo....right nooooooow!!!!". Sighhhhhhhhh.....I am not a very patient person sometimes. My other great accomplishment was adding more things on my amazon wishlist....at least I am not spending money....it's like window shopping! ;)

I hope you have accomplished more then me today?