Is it just me or did these holidays just fly by? I couldn’t believe when it was December + now that the holidays are over, I can’t believe we’re in the New Year! Woah time, slow the heck down, pretty please.
And although our holidays flew by, they were magical! New traditions were started, movies were watched, books were read, gifts were wrapped and unwrapped (and wrapped again!), and we spent quality time with our closest family + friends. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Being with loved ones is really what the holidays are all about. That, and a stiff eggnog with rum and lifetime Christmas movies…
ANYWAY.
The highlights for me this holiday season was without a doubt, my girls day to the Nutcracker ballet with my bestie C (it was so magical and the time alone with my girl was so incredibly needed!) + Christmas morning–obviously. The look on George’s face when he saw the big yellow truck Santa brought him…there is nothing better. Hubs and I literally had to convince him to open up the other gifts! He is obsessed with it and so much so that we have had to park it beside his bed + daddy kisses them both goodnight. I mean, it’s the cutest freaking thing in the world.
Holidays really are the most incredible experience through the eyes of a child; the magic of it all is so very real.
We hosted a small friendmas and I’m pretty sure that hubs cooked the tastiest turkey I have ever had. It was hella-juicy + the stuffing we made was out of this world incredible (we used Happily Eva After’s Sausage and Thyme recipe!). We did have a slight mishap with the stuffing…we put it in a glass serving tray and placed it in the BBQ to cook. When hubs removed it, it shattered in a kajilion pieces SO we only had a little bit of untouched stuffing to serve to our guests. Ha. I still can’t believe that happened.
My mom came to visit and we ventured to the aquarium which was quite the experience. I think it will be even better in a year from now…let’s just say I was sweating like, woah, chasing after my enthusiastic + always happy toddler. Also, he totally smooched a little girl in front of the sting rays. His first kiss! Ugh, it was so adorable. Oh, and I felt terrible for the fish/sharks–I don’t think I’m a big fan of aquariums honestly. Grandma’s visit was short but sweet + we’re really looking forward to our next visit/reunion. Ottawa is just too far away when littles are in our lives!
The last few days of 2016 were filled with cleaning up the Christmas tornado in all rooms of the house + trying to organize the toys (new and old!). Oh, and I ate my body weight in cookies. Hey, they need to be out of the house asap…
We celebrated our New Years Eve at our friends home where GBB played with three very cute dogs, touched allllll the things that were not toddler-proofed, and ate a whole bunch of crackers. We left around 8:30pm so we could get George into bed (and not mess his sleep up too brutally!) + then hubs and I hung out and chatted while drinking some sparkling white wine.
With twenty minutes to the ball drop, hubs was snoring soundly on the couch while I edited photos and texted friends. I did wake him up for a New Years kiss though ;)
And now we are in 2017 and I can’t even begin to express how excited + inspired I am for this new year. I have some super big plans + I can’t wait to see it all unfold. I will be sharing my New Years resolutions/goals in my next post, promise.
Below are a few snaps of our holidays 2016! (PS #sorrynotsorry for some seriously grainy pics…but ya know, life.)
(^my sad attempt of a NYE picture with GBB! Hubs was like “uh, Hol, I don’t think it’s gonna happen”. Also, can 2017 be the year of no more postpartum bangs/weird hair shit kthanksbye).
ANYWAY.
HAPPY NEW YEAR to you, my darling friends! May 2017 be a year of happiness, health, and flourishing + prospering! I love you all to bits. Thank you again for following along with us this past year. HBXO would not be the same without you. 2017, we’re coming for ya!
