December Round up!

December was a very busy month for us so I want to take this opportunity and reflect back a bit on some of our holiday traditions.

Every year my girlfriends and I have a "girls only" x-mas party with a secret Santa gift swap. This year we choose a restaurant to carryout the festivities. We all look forward to this annual event and  I know this tradition will last a lifetime!

Another tradition is "spa day" with my kiddos and my very good friend. We started this a while back in lieu of gifts to one another. A few days before x-mas we visit our local aesthetics school for manicures and pedicures. We make a memory and give the gift of time and togetherness to one another.

Our x-mas eve and Christmas were amazing. We spent the night before stuffing our bellies with Chinese food and sweets with family. This year we decided to cut the grownup gifts out and instead give back to the community. I cannot even begin to tell you how great this feels and the stress seemed to almost vanish that is sometimes associated with gift giving.  It is hard to even imagine spending money on "stuff" when there are so many people without the "essentials". I loved including my kids in the actions that we took to give back and help others.

It has been a great year and a very special holiday. Here are a few randoms.

Good times, great friends and wonderful memories. What more could you ask for?

xoAngela

DIY Soothing Bath Gift

I recently gave this gift to a very special and dear friend of mine. It was super easy to make and I just happened to have all these ingredients on hand.

The "Soothing Momma"bath kit contains lavender bath salts, coconut body butter and a bar of Kiss My Face olive oil soap.

For the bath salts I used Epsom salts and a few drops of lavender oil. I mixed it all up and put it into a nice jar.

The body butter is made with coconut oil mixed with a bit of Aveda's Beautifying Oil. (I used this on my growing baby belly when I carried both my little ones and was left with no stretch marks at all, BONUS!)

The olive oil soap is a staple in our home. I believe the ingredients are olive oil, water and salt. Pretty simple, just how I like it (wink). My kids and I have used this for years.

Our bodies absorb 70% of what we put on our skin so it is important to be aware of what ingredients are in the products we use. I know I am consciously reaching for more "healthy" products for me and my family. Why not give the gift of safe handmade bath products?

SEVEN more days to go! Are you ready?

xoAngela  
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Quartermain House B&B Baby Shower

Very good friends of ours came to visit last week. They left to head back to PEI on Monday (sob). We had a wonderful visit as usual. My bestie is very pregnant (woohoo) and expecting her second child in February.

This past week we celebrated Christmas as well as had a baby shower for her while they were here. Let's just be honest and say we stuffed ourselves silly with all the festivities. Pregnant friends are so much fun to be around for this reason (wink).

The baby shower is actually the reason for this post. It was amazing! Like none I have every attended. She choose to have it at a beautiful heritage B&B over looking the picturesque Saint John river. We had full access to two lovely sitting rooms as well as a dining room where the lunch was provided. One word to describe it would be stunning. The owner's have it all decked out for the holidays so no need for any decorations here.

These are some of the bedrooms used for the guests of the B&B. Now that is a bathroom I think I could live with (wink).
I want to also take this opportunity to congratulate the proud parents to be. Judging by how well you have raised your first I know the new baby is going to be welcomed into a very loving and caring family.

We wish you all the best with gift number two! 

xoAngela
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Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

Every month or so we plan a girls night out. Sometimes it's at a restaurant, other times it's at one of our houses. Where we end up doesn't really matter, what matters is we are together. It's a night that I always look forward to. This is a great group of gals that I have known for what feels like forever. They are the type of friends that no matter how much time spans between our visits we always pick up right where we left off.

This past weekend the girls get together was at my place. We wined and dined ourselves silly. I feel so lucky to have these girls in my life and I know that they will always be there no matter what. We may be at different stages in our lives but we are bound by a friendship that is strong enough to last a lifetime. You girls are the best! (including those that could not make it) Love yas!

Here are some picks from the evening:

Here we are trying out the holiday Bite re-mix lip crayons I posted earlier.

Moral of the story......always make time for your girlfriends!

xoAngela

A Hard (but short) Goodbye

My oldest daughter has become really good friends with a neighbor of ours. She jumps at any and all opportunities to play with her. When they are not playing she is busy making her pictures and telling me stories about what the two of them did and what they plan on doing next. My daughter has become slightly obsessed and totally engrossed with that fact that she has a BFF.

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Now that it is summer, the two of them have been playing outside lots. They spend most days running back and forth from house to house. It's pretty sweet!

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The other day, my daughters friend told us that she was going away for a few days. Although she was excited, she was still sad to leave my daughter. Before coming back into the house for the night the two of them exchanged sobs and hugs and said they would miss each other. I then brought my daughter into the house to comfort her and to help talk her though these emotions. She started to feel better when I suggested we make her a "surprise" craft while she was away.

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I can remember when I was young how difficult it was to say goodbye to someone you cared a lot about, even if it was only for a few days.  Even now I often have a hard time saying goodbye to friends and family whom I won't see for a while. Like mother, like daughter I guess.

It is so rewarding  (and maybe a little selfishly sad) )to see my little "big" girl spreading her wings and forming relationships and becoming the sensitive, loving, caring and kind girl I hope and pray for.

I will never ever forget my first real BFF. It was my first day of kindergarten and the bus driver encouraged me to sit with her. I remember looking over at her sitting alone, her feet dangling back and forth as she waved me over. We were like two peas in a pod from then on. When I look at my daughter and her friend I am reminded of that friendship. It was a pretty special time in my life, and I can see the same in my daughters too.

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Aren't BFF's the greatest?
Sending lots of love to all my Best'ies!
xoAngela

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