bring it on....I'm ready!

Good morning and happy Christmas Eve day!  Our day started off a little shaky when someone started a vicious rumour that Santa had come last night in order to get Ava out of bed to play "super hero dress up club" with him.
Ava perked right up when she realized that it was her turn to open the LAST advent book (which have a big hit around here!)

our collection of christmas books.... should I keep these in the shelf all year?

Anthony is now doing everything with his "superhero fight gloves" on...spiderman socks!

Last night while wrapping gifts, Sri and I were talking about some of our most favourite Christmas gifts from when we were younger.  I thought I would compile a little list of my most memorable gifts.

BATON!!

Source: google.com via Krista on Pinterest

little professor

Source: datamath.org via Krista on Pinterest

see through phone

Source: google.com via Krista on Pinterest

crayola caddy

Source: imremembering.com via Krista on Pinterest

crimper

Source: google.com via Krista on Pinterest

swatch watch

Source: google.com via Krista on Pinterest

These are just a few...you can check out my blog board on Pinterest for the rest.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas full of family and friends!

rant

Just a little post to whine about my morning with the intention of making you feel sorry for me/ get a little much needed motivational parenting advice.

1. the kids and I started off this morning (9:00) waiting 45 min to renew Anthony's WAY overdue healthcard....not too bad right? How about Anthony yelling out "that man beside us stinks DISGUSTING"

 Limeridge mall::
1. Tommy Hillfiger-
was forced to wait in a huge line just to find out the total on my gift card was 1/4 of what I thought it was supposed to be
-the kids behaved so badly in said line that the woman in front of me turned around and said "don't worry, it will get easier"
- while i was looking for a watch (for a gift) I looked down to see anthony licking the cabinet glass... obviously i took the first watch I clapped eyes on
- ava had to be asked by staff (x2) to stop touching the sunglasses
- when we went to leave the alarm started to go off......of course Anthony was wearing one of their purses....OF COURSE

2. Kernels popcorn
-the kids took FOREVER to choose bags...ava chose one of the disgusting holiday mixtures and anthony went with double butter.  I asked for the SMALLEST size which the girl assured me was a small. While I was paying I heard the woman behind me ask for a snack size.....what???

3.  Shoppers drug mart-
I only had to buy gift cards....no problem.
I grabbed them and headed into a LONG line only to find once we got up to the counter that gift cards were not accepted at that register SOOOO we head to the back of that line.  While I was trying to stop Ava from requesting and touching every little product we stood by Anthony took a huge bite out of a kinder egg.  Just to top it all off, the lady in front of us had a return.

4.  Santa
The elf taking the picture was a mean and nasty elf....end of story!

The day did get better in the afternoon only because we All had mandatory nap time.  Now the kids are in their beds sleeping and look like little angels and I am sitting on the couch writing this while watching A Christmas Story.  Compared to this morning, right now I am living in paradise!

guest post

I know its been a little quiet in this space lately.  Hopefully later this week I will have a Christmas Present related post but for now I have a guest post to pass along.

The kids and I made these spiced christmas ornaments made from applesauce, cinnamon and craft glue.   Check out our tutorial over at Bunchland.

the calm

I woke up at 6am this morning just NEEDING to cut out a Christmas dress for Ava.  Krista, you ask, have you finished all of the gifts that you are supposed to make?  NO! but I do have a plan....an unrealistic plan but a plan non the less.
I have forgotten the benefits of waking before everyone else.  How productive you can be without little bodies following you around or little hands grabbing sharp scissors or pins.  How nice it is to know that if all goes down hill today and we end up in a crying, no nap, time-out mess for the majority of the day I know that at least I did something productive.
So my christmas present production plan will most definitely involve waking up earlier than the kids and starting my day off with a little calm (before the storm).

on my needles

It wasn't that long ago (before the kids were born) that I had a little knitting blog focused on knitting and my dog Ruby.  Back then I was totally into knitting....taking classes, finishing one project after another, taking on huge pieces at short notice,  buying expensive yarn and needles and carrying a project with me everywhere I went.
Oh how things have changed since having kids.  Although I still love the comfort of picking up my needles and click clacking away, I can't seem to find the time to dedicate to a complicated pattern.  I do however  always keep an easy project on my needles, one that I can pick up and put down after only a few minutes.  It also needs to be one that I am not too stressed if Anthony rips the needles out the stitches while trying to defend us from "crazy crocodiles"... he just can't resist pointy objects that resemble weapons.
I try to find time while the kids are busy playing or while I'm watching my nightly episode of Coronation Street.

I have been working on these socks for myself, made from Patons Classic Wool from my  goto sock pattern book, since March 2011....see what I mean S-L-O-W!
I am hoping to finish the socks and wrap them up for myself for Christmas....I had better get knitting.  Not like I have a list of 17 or more gifts I am still convinced that I am going to get done.......no problem!

2012: the year of order

I love everything to do with organization.  I spend a lot of time on Pinterest (no big surprise) looking at how people have organized their kitchens, basements and craft rooms.  I am slowly getting my house to a point of some form of order... it is a real struggle because by nature I am not an organized person.

2012 is going to be my year to figure out a system by which I can get and stay on top of things i.e., cleaning, deadlines, school activities, finances, blog schedules and the list goes on and on and on.  I have gladly been researching a method to simplify and plan this type of massive mission.  I have come up with a few ideas:

Source: laureldenise.com via Krista on Pinterest

1.  This 2012 planner by Laurel Denise that I bought from Mixed Media.  I love the way it is set up, but I think it may be a bit small for me to actually write legibly in... only because I have disgustingly huge hand writing!  This is something I should have considered before my costly purchase but I fell in love with this planner and there was no talking me out of it... believe me, Sri tried!

Source: iheartorganizing.blogspot.com via Krista on Pinterest

2.  This household binder.  I love the idea of everything being in one place plus I do love the geekiness of a binder.  I am thinking Finder Binder with a horse on the front!!!!!

Source: lifes-a-journal.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: lifes-a-journal.com via Krista on Pinterest

3.  These free planning pages caught my attention.  I can see myself sitting down at the end of the day  (or week) to start planning for the next day (or week).... right?

I am not the type of person to plan things.  I kind of just see what the day brings and go from there.  Currently that type of attitude (while fun) has caused a lot of problems with actually getting anything done.  I LOVE making lists but always leave them at home and very rarely get to cross anything off of them.  I am hoping that if I can find a system of organization that works for us, our family will be much happier and productive (and Ava will not miss anymore pizza days at school...oops!)
If you have any tips on how to keep EVERYTHING organized please share..... I really want 2012: the year of order to be successful.

another "BO-WING" event in the Rao household

This year I decided that I was going to put a lot of effort into advent calendars for the kids.  By effort I mean searching pinterest for amazing ideas and delightful products.  I originally decided on this dinosaur playmobil advent calendar.  I love all things playmobil!

Source: amazon.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

I was quickly reminded by my ever so supportive husband that I have tried that route in the past and was sent insane by trying to keep track of ALL of the minute pieces PLUS the fighting between the kids over every detail would be exhausting.

After many more hours of searching (I love pinterest research!) I found this Christmas Book Advent Calendar idea by Dana of MADE fame.  I got to work right away!  My favourite kind of work....trolling Value Village for Christmas themed books.  I wrapped and numbered them, making sure that the Night Before Christmas was the 24th (smart eh?).  Because I was able to find a few bags of Christmas books the entire project cost me $6.04....YAY!!!!

I was so excited for the kids to get up this morning and open their first advent package.  Anthony took one look at the wrapped book and declared the event "BO-WING"... there is no pleasing him unless I had wrapped a very sharp sword, then he would be interested.
Ava complained about  the lack of chocolate involved and Sri was just shooting I told you so looks in my direction.  I am well aware that kids like chocolate and toys but BOOKS...come on!  I would LOVE to receive a different book for 24 days and as Sri says "that is the difference between an adult and a child".... oh be quiet!

As soon as I took the camera out Ava threw a smile on her face and began posing.
Here are her fraudulent pics::

Next year....dollar store advent calendars for the kids and books for me!