Happy Mother's Day

Hope everyone's day is everything they want it to be, filled with extra squeezes, snuggles and lovins!

Adventures in Egg Dying

I picked up a little egg dying kit from Target weeks ago, on clearance - of course. Completely forgot about it until Saturday evening - of course. SO in a mad rush, we cleaned up after dinner and set about to colour some eggs. Oh man, was it messy. The kids had fun doing it but there was dye everywhere.

Anyway, we did it, it's been checked off the parental holiday to-do list. Good. A dollar and fifteen minutes later and we have happy childhood memories.

Here are a few pictures I managed to take of the babes and their eggs...

Ignore the laundry basket in the background, please.

Happy Easter... a few days late

Happy Easter! We were away for part of the long weekend so I'm a little late on my holiday greetings.

We spent Easter Sunday and Monday at Matt's parents. We had our egg hunt Sunday morning before we left for Little Harbour. The kids opened their baskets had a big breakfast, got their Sunday best on and went downstairs for another egg hunt, put on by our buildings super. E cleaned the place out, she had a full basket and had already eaten most of her chocolate by the time the big kids were finished.

Stoked for Minnie Mouse Play Doh

We came back home and opened some gifts sent up from the grandparents in Cape Breton and then it was time to hit the road. We made it to Little Harbour just in time for another egg hunt. The boys spent the rest of the day playing board games with Grampie and the Uncles while I got to sit, drink too much coffee and eat nothing but sugar with Grammie and the girls.

Why are gifts from Grandparents always more exciting?

Late night parties at the Brown's with lots of wine and cheese are what Holidays were made for. All the "big kids" stayed up waaaay past bedtime and had the silliest conversations with Matt providing some acoustic background music. Quick trips to Little Harbour are good for the soul, I have my theories.

Little help from the Aunties

The next day on our way home we stopped at a friend's place, she's actually the one who set Matt and I up all those years ago. She has a little gal around Max's age and a new little guy who lets me snuggle him. Its win win for everyone.

Once we got home it was a rush to get supper on the table, everything unpacked and to put two very sleepy little bunnies to bed. Then it was time for the adults to unwind with a new episode of Game of Thrones and pass out like we hadn't slept in weeks. Happy Easter indeed!

Happy Valentine's Day

We're celebrating by putting the babes early tonight and binge watching the new season of House of Cards. Oh, and lobster. You know, good ol' fashion romance.

Enjoy your day folks. Eat too much chocolate, spend too much on flowers, eat in a crowded restaurant and take advantage of all the extra snuggles, cuddles and lovins you get today.

Resolutions

With 2013 behind us I'm looking forward to making a few changes in the new year. It's a fresh start and I have big plans. With Matt working away, Ellie not on a proper sleep schedule and family coming to stay from out of town, life was hectic here. No routines were kept, not that I didn't try but it's so easy to slip up once and ruin the whole thing.

So, this is what I plan to do differently in 2014 :

+ Juice every morning - Matt and I got a juicer for Christmas from my Dad and I really want to use it everyday, not just to be healthier. I don't eat breakfast and I'm tired all the time. I'm hoping this will change things.

+ Plan weekly meals - I always struggle every single day at dinner time. I never know what to make or I haven't defrosted anything so it's noodles and butter again. I want to plan cook and freeze meals for the week ahead of time. I feel like this is why Martha has so much time to craft, she only cooks one day a week (or she pays people to cook for her).

+ Play school for Max - Max has one friend outside of his family and he only sees him once every few months. I figure a program or play school would be good for him, make some friends, learn to socialize (and share!) and learn new skills that I can't teach him. I didn't do this last year and I've been beating myself up over it. It's happening this time around.

+ Learn How to do one new thing - I bake moderately well. I have no other discernible skills. I'd like to have at least two things on my list. I'm thinking knitting? Maybe?

+ Read more/ Watch less - This one isn't just for me, Max watches entirely too much T.V. it's ridiculous. He's on his way to learning to read now so he'll be able to read by himself, and I haven't read a full novel since the babes were born. Biographies, essays and short stories I can do. Anything with a long complicated (or even simple) plot with more than one character? I get distracted and don't pick it up again for weeks, then I've forgotten everything I've already read. Fixing that.

+ Be in more pictures with my kids - I have a zillion pictures of the babes (duh) and half as many with Matt and the babes... and maybe a dozen with me. I'm the one behind the camera usually or I don't look presentable enough to be in the picture or a million other excuses. I want to be able to look back at pictures of all of us, even if I don't look my best. Ever since reading this article it's completely changed my outlook. Get ready for more pictures of me, World.

I'm sure I'll add to the list every other day but this is it for now, I figure since they are pretty simple I should be able to do at least half for at least a couple of months. Baby Steps. I don't have big expectations but at least I made a list this year so that's progress.

Have any New Years resolutions of your own?

Good start. 

Happy New Year

Image via

Wahoo! We made it through another year. It was a fantastic one, personally speaking. Sure, Matt worked away for most of it and the littles are at that age, but still pretty awesome. Ellie turned one, Max can write his name, Matt's learning fiddle and I'm lucky to have them all.

We had a babysitter (thanks Gram!) so we celebrated, sans babies, with friends. The best kind of celebration, chinese food, wine and movies. The trifecta of New Years, round these parts. It was so refreshing to be out, just the two of us, to ring in a new year. First time in... four years? Not that we didn't miss the littles, I obsessively checked my phone every ten minutes until we came home. It's good to have a few moments here and there though, just us. I'm looking forward to a million more moments like those and two million more with the babes, this year.

Here's to 2014, bring it on, I'm ready.

Christmas in PEI (sort of)

PEI, Summer, 2013

The Plan was to head over to PEI for the big Brown family Christmas party. Matt's father is from there and almost all of his siblings and his parents still live there. Every year they throw a big family party on the first Sunday after Christmas. We didn't make it over last year, so we were pretty keen on making it this time. But, after two long trips, three illnesses, too many miles and gas fill up to count... it just didn't happen. We're all a little bummed about it. Everyone was looking forward to it but we just couldn't bring ourselves to get in the dang car.

Matt comes from a big family, I don't say that lightly, he's the oldest of ten. His Dad is also one of ten. To say there are a lot of Browns is an understatement. That's why the Christmas party is so important. Its the whole fam damily, including 50 grandkids and 30(?) great-grandkids. And these folks know how to party. Almost all of them are musically inclined - including Matt - and the aunts sure do know how to potluck. There are two new great gandbabies this year, just in time for the party. I was really hoping to snuggle them. Probably for the best though, that new baby smell is dangerous.

Great-Grammie and Granddaddy, they are the sweetest couple. In their nineties, married for 65 years,  but able to remember everyone's names and what they're all up to. I don't remember everyone, so I have no excuse. I must ask Grammie for some tips, gal is on the ball. We're planning on going sometime next month instead, it'll be a little easier to catch up and some space between trips is better for everyone's sanity.

PEI, a magical place, where my children play nicely with one another.

A Very Brown Family Christmas

*Warning: world's longest post*

Santa came to visit us, we took lots of pictures. Here are a bunch if you're interested...

The babes opened their presents from us and each other on Christmas Eve, first gift was their matching candy cane jams.

Santa left some elves behind to set up a very special present the kids, at 3 a.m. they had finished. Do elves get overtime?

Presents were left under the tree in the nursery for the babes, stockings were by the tree in the den along with Momma and Daddy's gifts.

We had a pretty relaxed morning, babes slept in until 8, took us an hour and a half to open everything,  (we're a pokey bunch), a big brunch and a Christmas movie later and it was time to hit the road. Christmas dinner was at Grammie and Grampie Brown's house, along with more gifts. Everyone was there, even uncle Ben, who had been away working the last few months. It was a full house, fourteen of us altogether! The next morning, we were the first ones up so we soaked in the quiet and had our breakfast, just the four of us. Once the rest of the gang was up it was time to play Catan, as you do in the Brown house. Three hours and a few minor fights later, the men emerged from the sunporch.

Aunt Anna made Max a T.A.R.D.I.S. and a sonic screwdriver. They are amazing. So is she. He's pretty smitten, we couldn't fit it in the car so Grammie will have to deliver it or maybe it'll fly here on its own.

Even with all the travelling, sick babies, cramped car rides and grumpy toddlers, this was the best Christmas yet. I'm sure I say that every year. Hope you all had a lovely holiday too!

Merry Christmas

 Just checking in to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays etc. it's chaos here, so you'll forgive my absence today. Too much excitement and candy and all that.

Lots of love and joy from the Browns
xo

Christmas in Cape Breton

Matt started his vacation on the 18th (for the whole, freakin' rest of the year, can I get an "amen"?) and we headed straight to Cape Breton to celebrate Christmas with my family there. It was only 4 days, but it was a doozy. Essentially three different Christmas' on one tiny island. We stayed at my Grandparents, Nan and Pops, because they have the most room and they always seem to get first dibs on the littles.

We exchanged gifts with my grandparents, Nonna (great aunt) and Gram (my Mum), who's coming up to Halifax for a month right after the holiday to stay with us, but wanted them to open their presents while we were here, anyway. The littles got a snowman kit, so the boys made it their mission to make the best, most impressive snowman that ever was. Basically. I think it's the bees knees, but what do I know.

Next up was Christmas at Papa and B's (Dad and Stepmom). We rarely get to see them so when we do, it's extra special. AND I got to love on my smartypants sister, who has been away studying Criminology, puts me to shame! They gave us a juicer. I mean... What?! I have big plans for this juicer, I'm going to cleanse in the New Year. I'll be in the best shape of my life in 2014! Or, I'll drink way too much juice. Whatever, it'll get used, is the point.

Our plans were snowed on, both the day we were supposed to leave, and the day we planned on coming home. Also, E had a stomach bug and threw up for an entire day. Besides all that, it was so much fun, I wish we could do it more, but a five hour commute, with two kids is not my idea of a good time. If it's yours, then what's wrong with you tell me your secrets?


I'll do a second part to our trip to fill you in on details, a lot happened in a short amount of time and my brain is basically mush at this point. Oh, and we still have our own celebrations, Matts parents, and a trip to PEI to visit Great-Grammie and Granddaddy Brown. I hope Santa has lots of wine in that sack. I'm going to need it.

Lists

I'm a list maker, I always have a notebook full of them. Grocery, to-do, reminders, things I want to tell Matt when he calls. Max has noticed my lists and started making them too. He grabs a piece of construction paper and a pencil and walks around the house "writing" things down. He'll stop, pensively and put the pencil to his lips, or stick it behind his ear.

This picture has nothing to do with the post, but it's a baby selfie, so...

Last night he asked if we could make a list for Santa, but he wanted me to write it because he wanted to make sure the big man could read it. He talked about maybe listing off his favourite reindeer, in order. Or maybe, the things he wanted to see when he got to the North Pole (he's been talking about visiting the poles to see Santa in the North and penguins in the South). But he ultimately decided on a simple Christmas wish list. He even got Ellie in on the action and was asking her what she wanted. She's really good at miming so she had a few things added to the list and he improvised the rest.

This is their list:

"Max's Wish List

+ Hot Tub

+ Repulsor Rays

+ Bubblebath

+ A baby brother (with a curl in the middle of his forehead)

+ Wolverine Claws

Ellie's Wish List

+ Baby

+ Hat 

+ To be a cat 

+ Trampoline (Max's addition)

+ A Teensy Bike (also Max's addition)

He's going to sorely disappointed come Christmas morning, when none of those things are under the tree ha! What 3 year old asks for a hot tub? Only Max.

A Letter to Santa

I helped Max write a letter to Santa on behalf of he and Ellie. He was so sweet, dictating exactly what he wanted me to write, reading it back to him as he nodded his head in approval. He drew a picture to include but it was for Santa's eyes only. We addressed it to the North Pole, and Max assured me that the elves would deliver it directly to Santa.

In case you can't read my chicken scratch,

"Dear Santa,

My name is Max, I am almost 4 years old. I have a little sister named Eloise. We have both been very good this year. 

My favorite reindeer is Rudolph, Eloise's is Comet. I like Star Wars, do you have a favorite character?

For Christmas this year, I would like a web shooter, just like Spiderman. Eloise would like mittens and a hat.

Mommy is going to help us bake cookies for you. There will be milk, if you're thirsty.

Merry Christmas Santa

Love

Max & Eloise Brown"

O Christmas Tree

We put our Christmas tree up already, we're now those people. I also have all of my shopping finished, Christmas cards addressed and started some wrapping. I am on. the. ball. this year. Yes!

I grew up with fake trees every year, my mother was convinced I was allergic to Christmas trees, so we had a phoney one. Matt's family had a real tree, dragged from the woods behind their house. Luxury. So, our first Christmas together, we had this teeny little apartment and a four foot, fake tree. We used the same tree the next year. Jump to two years later, with a baby and a new place, we got a real one. A big, glorious, bushy, REAL tree! Oh man, I had no idea, they are a game changer. It was the most beautiful tree I'd even laid eyes on. We went to a cute little Christmas tree farm and the old men that worked there must've been elves because they picked it out and they did good.

Then, we moved again. To a new city, into an apartment building that didn't allow real trees. So we put up old faithful (the four footer) and my Mom gave us hers, a six foot, relic from my childhood. It felt wrong to go back after that one magical year with a real, live tree. This one was sparse and old and looked like a poser. So, this year we got a new one. It's pre-lit (hurrah) and seven and a half feet. Definitely an upgrade from last year, but still not quite right.

Anyway, once we bought it the kids immediately wanted it up, hence why it's up in November. Matt worked in the city for a few days this rotation, it was like heaven, let me to you. The littles and I put the tree up while he was at work one day, and impatiently waited for him to get home to decorate it. It's a bit top heavy since E is into everything. We never had that problem with Max, he knows he's allowed to touch the decorations with one finger. That's it. Ellie doesn't follow rules though, so no ornaments on the bottom half it is!

Best part of Christmas, for me, is the tree (and the food). Here's our tree...isn't she majestic?

More pictures, after the jump...

Our Weekend 002

We had such a good week, which is why I didn't post anything, Matt was home so we ran errands, snuggled in our jams and saved our energy for the weekend. Grampies birthday is today (Happy Birthday!) so he and Grammie were in the city for a couple of days. We met them for lunch on Saturday, along with Matt's sister and enjoyed way too much coffee and breakfast-for-lunch. We sat in the restaurant for an absurdly long time just chatting. It was the perfect way to celebrate Grampie, sitting around the dinner table, just catching up. That evening we had a delicious dinner with friends, busy Saturday, the best kind of Saturday if you ask me.

The next day, we bundled up, albeit under dressed, and went to Citadel Hill for a Victorian Christmas. It was freezing and totally worth it, the boys got a big kick out of it, soaking in the fortress and everything in it. They had lots of little things to do, carol singing, displays and a children's parade with Father Christmas, which we told Max was Santa's great-grandfather. He bought it. It wasn't structured, everything happened every fifteen minutes so we didn't miss out on anything if we lingered too long inside to defrost a bit. Best way to spend a chilly Sunday, wandering around a fortress in blankets.

More pictures, after the jump...

Parade of Lights

You'll just have to take my word for it, it was beautiful. I have no pictures, not a single one, because my phone died while I was on the bus. But, I'll get to that in a moment.

Every year, the Chronicle Herald puts on a Christmas Parade of Lights in downtown Halifax, it's big and beautiful and signals the HRM that, yes, it's okay to start decorating/shopping for Christmas. Yes, local businesses, put out all of your Christmas loot (if they haven't already) and blast Jingle Bells non-stop until January 1st. So, that happened last night, I decided to take the littles on my own because Matt was working away. I didn't want them to miss out on ringing in the Christmas spirit! We took the bus (my favourite) which was uneventful, made it downtown, grabbed some food and ate it picnic style while we waited.

My sister in law joined us once the parade started and it was nice to have company, then I tried to take a few pictures, my phone was dead. D E A D. I was downtown, in a crowd, with no phone. If Beth hadn't been there, I may have thrown up. But, she had hers (because who doesn't carry a phone anymore?) and so that was reassuring enough to enjoy the rest of the parade.

The bus home was easy, walk five minutes to the terminal, get on, get off right outside my front door. Super simple, fool proof even. Except, we waited and waited and waited and it never came. Well, maybe it did, but everyone in Dartmouth had come out for the parade and so Metro Transit authority thought it best to shuttle them all back home first, turning my super simple bus into a Dartmouth ferry bus. Twice. After an hour, and with no one left at the terminal except us and the homeless, I took a different bus, it was supposed to take me close to home, the driver would call us a cab and we wouldn't get kidnapped. Basically. It was also 9:30 at this point.

On the new bus, we had the pleasure of sitting next to a inebriated, older gentleman who was having a hard time keeping his Saturday night celebrations down. Fun. Then the bus driver tells me, "Lady with the kids that needs a cab...get out here, I'll call one." She lets us out in a terrible neighbourhood, and either never called a cab OR the cab just didn't show up. I waited half an hour either way. So I walked home, with the littles, at 10 p.m. in a bad neighbourhood.

I don't want to seem like I'm complaining but, come on. What have I done in my life that the universe had turned on me like that? We made it home, littles fell asleep in the stroller on the walk, we weren't  kidnapped, so not a terrible night. Just not a very good one.

Happy Halloween

Pumpkin family

I love being scared, when I was little, I'd stay up late with my Dad watching horror movies, and it was one of my favourite things to do with my Grandfather as well. He liked the old black and white classics. But Halloween has never been my favourite. I always hated my costumes, not a chocolate fan and the idea of traipsing around in the cold at night to beg for food I don't like is low on my priority list. But, now that I have kids, well it's kinda fun.

We did all the usual Halloween type things, decorated pumpkins, baked cookies (that didn't last long enough to take pictures of!) and made costumes. And by "we", I mean me. I made costumes. I don't sew so I got resourceful and glued costumes...seriously. I did the same thing last year and the littles are too young to notice the difference, but I may eventually have to learn to sew. Maybe I'll put up a quick tutorial next week.

Batman and Robin 2012

Luke and Leia 2013

Aunt Katie came to help take the littles out, because of course, Matt was working. It was so much fun, Max said "Trick or treat? Thank you and Happy Halloween" at every door, all in one breath. So cute. Ellie was happy to cruise around in the wagon, occasionally she'd wave goodbye to someone. Stone cold, that gal.

The Millennium Falcon has been downgraded due to budget cuts.

They came home with one small bag full of treats, which they dumped on the floor immediately. We sorted through the pile, picked out what they liked and put the rest aside for the Halloween Fairy. Oh, you've never heard of the Halloween Fairy? That's because it's me. I'm her. I stole half my kids candy BUT they love the idea of collecting candy for a little fairy and they don't eat treats regularly so they we're overwhelmed with the amount they got anyway. Oh, whatever, I ate their candy, deal with it.

Hope you all had a spooky night, Happy Halloween from the Campbell-Browns!