JULY-JANUARY RECAP

HEY!!! How was your summer? Did you get a good tan? I did! 

Yes, I understand it's January, but doesn't this summery picture of me make you happy?
That was back in the day when I actually made an effort to write here...

How the heck did I manage to withdraw for so long? I've been busy, but that's not a good excuse. I am no busier now than I was back in March when I lived and breathed this place.



I've been around. Chatting on Facebook, posting status updates and pictures on Instagram. I just haven't been writing here- which is a shame. I should have been writing about many things. Often, I would think to myself -I could write a really good blog post about this. But I never did.

So as a little recap, I have decided to make a list of highlights from the past five months of my life. Then you can use your imagination about what kind of post I WOULD HAVE written about it. Sound fair?

OK, here goes!

KATE'S LIFE: JULY - JANUARY 

(1) Our family went home to Nova Scotia for a weekend for Hubby's family reunion. It was full of typical family reunion stuff. Yummy food, good conversation, and of course a healthy dose of drama. It was well rounded and well needed for us. We never get a chance to see people anymore unless events are planned. This was a nice little ending to a summer road trip home.

(3) We went "home" again to take Bear to Theatre Camp for a week. It was the same theatre camp that I had attended all throughout my youth in my hometown. My mother insisted on enrollment and I didn't argue. While she attended that I had a great time catching up with old home friends and spending time with my family.

(4) I took Bear for a haircut at my Uncle's hair salon while we were home. This doesn't sound super entertaining, but it was for me. I had been threatening this child with a mushroom cut for months, so this was the day when she finally found out if I was serious or not. The suspense was hilarious! Of course I didn't do that to my dear Bear, but boys-o-boys do I ever despise tangles!

(5) We took a 'walk-on' trip across the ferry with eighteen suitcases and two children. I left my mom on the other side, and I cried quite a bit leaving her after spending a week at her house. My Bear had no trouble cheering me up with reminders about our plans for smores during a camping trip the next day. 

(6) We went camping with my sister and her Hubby. Went to a water park and made some seriously yummy campfire treats! I even had the honor of stumbling upon some picnic table humpers while scavenging for wood! AHHHH!! It was hilarious!

(7) BABY #3 was conceived! Of course I didn't know that it was happening at the time, but I love that I know now, and I remember it. Anyway, probably too much information. Moving on.

(8) I had a mental breakdown (which I now recognize as a pregnancy hormone shift) and spontaneously ran away from home. Hubby made me do it. I only went for one night to see my dearest friend and her new little bundle of cuteness. It turned me right back around.

(9) HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY HUBBY! My sister and her kids, and my parents came to our house for the weekend! It was a blast! We did crafts, cooked, did tarot cards, drank wine (I didn't know I was pregnant at this point so don't judge me) and we gave Hubby his HUGE bucket list gift of a road trip to Boston to watch his NFL team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers! He was shocked. It was awesome and I got a vacation out of it too! Good times all around.

(10) Day trip to Halifax to get passports for trip.

(11) Back to school shopping. BLAH. 

(12) Took Pregnancy TEST: POSITIVE!EEEEEEEKKKKKK!!!!! SO exciting!

(13) Bear went back to school and Pumpkin pretended that she was going too!

(14) Another trip to Halifax. Hubby's Dad got re-married in a beautiful little ceremony. Hubby wore a tux and got schmammered, I was the DD and Bear stayed up until 2am. Grand time. This is the only picture that I got of Hubby in his tux. Lame, I know.

(15) Hubby interviewed for a new job (BACK HOME). He got the job, but had to turn it down because it was a pay-cut and we have to consider the new mouth to feed in the spring and probably a new car. You remember how badly I miss home, right? I was devastated.

(16) We went on that amazing vacation to Boston! Oh-Em-Gee did we ever have a fabulous time! My mother and step-father were awesome travel companions too! We toured downtown Boston; we ate at fabulous restaurants; we shopped 'til we dropped; we went to museums and we didn't have any children to take care of for five whole days. It was bliss and our first vacation since July 2010 when I was also pregnant with Pumpkin. This time I was quite sick, but it was nothing a bagel and a row of saltines couldn't remedy. Hubby was like a little kid at Christmas for the majority of the trip. The look on his face at the football game was priceless. Best. Vacation. Ever.

(17) Pumpkin Pie turned the big THREE years old. We had a wonderful Cupcake themed birthday filled will all her favorite things like cupcakes, movies, pizza, and all of the attention. And also some new things like a corn maze, scarecrows, and a brand new toddler bed! Nanny and Grandpa spent a couple nights with us too! It was a fabulous time!

(18) Then all of a sudden it was Thanksgiving weekend and we had no guests this year, so I woke up early and prepared a meal fit for royalty for my own little family. This day was super special for us, because we told the kids about having a new brother or sister during dinner. While taking turns saying what we were thankful for, I slipped in "I am also thankful for the new baby in my belly" and the kids went crazy! I cried and cried and hugged my girls in thanksgiving for the fact that they weren't upset, but happy for our family. I have the most amazing children.

(19) Bear had a four day weekend in mid-October, in which we spent almost two whole days scouring the province for her "most-perfect" Halloween costume. Pumpkins costume was easy. A witch. Done. Bear on the other hand was not so easy to please. In the end, we found the most perfect Bat Girl costume at the (what I like to call) 'high-end' costume store for a whopping $45 terrifying dollars! I told her she has to be Bat Girl until she is 15. She agreed.

(20) We traveled to Nova Scotia for Remembrance Day weekend. Bear and I escorted my 89 year old grandfather, who is a veteran, to the ceremony being held at the school. It was an amazing service and it made both Bear and I miss living there. We also spent this weekend celebrating my mother's birthday. I made her my famous (well not really) black forest cake, which I will brag about because it might be the most amazing thing I have ever baked. 

(21) We found out the gender of the new baby!! .... ITS A GIRL!!! We are all over the moon with joy! Ultrasound picture coming soon!!

(22) Then in the blink of an eye, it was CHRISTMAS! We traveled home to Nova Scotia for two weeks of a much needed vacation with the family. The first leg of the trip was in my hometown where we spent the majority of the time storm-stayed in the house, but it was still great! There were lots of Christmas movies (and cookies) and my children had a great time re-connecting with their aunts, uncles, grandparents and great-grandparents. The second leg of the trip was to Hubby's hometown and where we used to live, Halifax. We stayed with Hubby's mother and sister and got lots of great quality time with our long-lost friends. As we drove home we all declared that this was the Best Christmas Ever. 

(23) Also, during our trip to Halifax we celebrated NEW YEAR'S EVE and our 3rd Wedding Anniversary. We enjoyed an afternoon of shopping and hand-holding (kid-free thanks to my mother-in-law). We headed home for a quick wardrobe change and then onto an evening spent consuming the city's best Greek cuisine and a night out on the town with my sissy and her husband to see my cousins band play. We were tired and felt quite old by 1 am, but that took nothing away  from the awesomeness of the Anniversary spent with my Hubby. Oh, and earlier in the day I caught him singing the song that I walked down the isle to. It was probably the sweetest moment in our marriage, thus far. God, I'm still SO madly in love with this man!! 

So I guess that pretty much brings us up to present day. Today is Sunday. I am planning on having a semi-productive day today. Hopefully the Christmas tree will finally make its way out of the living room. Its needles are taking over the house. Although, I do love the smell and beauty it gives our house. Isn't this a beautiful tree?!

My fingers and heart are happy again. Thanks for visiting me!

Happy New Year!

Love,

Kate