The difference between 3 & 4

The difference between age 3 & 4 at Christmas time. 

Audrey remembers last year and the rules that come with the season.

Today we went on our first Christmas outing. Choosing advent calendars 

Audrey's choice 

Any surprise that she chose frozen?

Beckhams choice 

This did surprise me because at this point he really doesn't know what hockey is...this will make his daddy proud though!

So we brought them home and Audrey was more then content to look at it and talk about it excitedly 

Beckham on the other hand thought the calendar started today 

He's feeling like it was a pretty cruel trick buying 'treats' and not being able to open and enjoy them right away.

Staying in my 20s

Haha 30 is coming.

Here is me in my 'anti-aging' mask...

Watcha think...27 forever?

Dates with Miss A-simple pleasures

When we were done our errands I asked Audrey what she wanted to do. 'I wanna go on a date and fill up the gas myself, and look at the Christmas things' 

I let her press all the buttons and even pay at the gas station-she was beyond thrilled.

Then we went to target and looked at all the wonderful Christmas stuff. When she was done looking I asked her if she wanted to buy beckham a Christmas present. Of course she did. She looked up all the aisles and talked about what kinda of things beckham likes and didn't like. 

She has such a thoughtful and kind heart. She is generous and kind. I'm so proud of my girl. 

#selftea #helovesme

Im not a coffee drinker but when the air gets cold my insides feel so cold and sad. There is nothing that warms my soul like a good cup of tea...well enjoying a cup of tea with a good friend. 

My husband started spoiling me (since we met) but spoiling me with tea once davids tea came to vancouver. I don't get out much (haha!) but with work he's out and about pretty often. He just picks me up sweet things from them once and awhile. It's just a wonderful surprise everytime.

He's made me a junkie, I'm not nearly as inclined to drink my 'non davids tea' now that I have the good stuff. 

I was telling him about the tea advent calendar, how I was thinking if buying it for myself (which is rare because I don't buy davids tea he does haha) anyways....I didn't realize it sells out in an hour in store AND online! What the heck?

Anyways I missed it (and he wouldn't have bought it for me because I said I was going to buy it)

Over dinner I casually mentioned how mega bummed I was.

Well fast forward. He left for work WAY early. It's not totally out of the norm but I felt bad for him.

He came home randomly (it was chaos) I was punishing Audrey for being naughty and everyone was cranky. I was venting to him and he kept smiling. He was so patient (I would have exploded if I was him and cut me off...I can't handle excitement like he can)

He handed me a bag, said 'I got you a surprise!'

I opened it...

BRENT

NO way!!!!

He craigslisted it. They were going for $100-$150 online (the boogers that hijack them to resell) 

WELL this was from last year!

Brand new!

He snagged it for $25

He drove 30+ mins

This is my love language all entwined into one!

Thoughtful

Listening to me

Going out of your way/effort

Frugal/deal

Tea

Not roses 

This is top 5 folks

My heart is so full.

Dare I say...one of the most romantic and meaningful moments of my life. For reals. This man knows me. He loves me. He cares about me. I'm so blessed and humbled. I don't know what I have done to deserve him...I certainly have been procrastinating folding his socks...and leaving my cloths on the ground...I for sure haven't earned his love. 

I'm so blessed he chose me.

So blessed 10 years ago (almost exactly) I asked him to my grad and we started this beautiful journey. Up and down, good and bad, fun and boring, exciting and challenging, smiles and tears. It's been full of everything. At the end of the day I'm so glad we both CHOOSE to love each other. 

Adventures in mommyhood

So today was rainy. We were gone most of the weekend. There wasn't much 'calm bonding time' as we floated from event to event. Today I opted to stay home with the monkeys and relish in this stage.

We made playdough.

Round 1 was a sticky messy kind. 

More of a sensory play.

The second we made was a traditional one. They helped with the mixing and adding but I did the 'cooking'

This is beckham pretty pumped about blue playdough!

Parenting preschoolers

'Mommy Audrey hit me'(B)

Audrey did you hit beckham?

'Well he hit me a little'(A)

Beckham did you hit Audrey?

'No no no didn't' (B)

Tell me the truth 

'I didn't' (B)

Audrey did beckham hit you?

'I don't think so' (A)

Beckham did Audrey hit you?

'I don't know?' Said as if he has no idea what I am talking about (B)

Do you guys wanna keep playing?

'Yaaaaaa!!!!' They both yell.

I have no idea what happened. I'm no detective apparently. I'll just take it as a win...and I'm happy to be confused if they are ready to go back to playing peacefully again haha.

How I got this for free part 2

So I'm grocery shopping with beckham and I notice some cereal is on sale $4.99 for a family size box isn't to shabby. I pick it up and notice the coupon on it! I love coupons on cereal boxes.

For every box of cereal you get $20 coupon towards hasbro (games and toys). I was leary about the $ amount. Last year they did the same thing but $5 and I used them to stock up on littlest pet shop and play dough. I gifted many friends these toys for birthday parties and I got them for free!

I bought two boxes because I wanted to inspect the fine print. 

I got home and there is a fine print. There is a limited amount. I read somewhere 20,000 coupons. Anyways I cut the box apart and put in my code to make sure there was still coupons available. There was! Golden!

I went box and bought 9 boxes. I know hoarder right?

He thing is that we will eat the cereal. The cereal is a good price! AND free games for our family and toys for birthday parties make this budget friendly mamas heart so happy!

This was a few of them, kinda annoying that I had to open and cut them all but they are all vacuum sealed so shouldn't go bad. I'm tempted to go back for more and gift all the free toys and games to the Christmas drive. 

Anyways I love free 

Free is a great price!

I'm looking forward to many game days with our family over the years!