Linking up with Kristen & Gretch today for their What’s New With You? link up.

I think I’ve always taken time off at Christmas while working, and I really enjoy the break at the end of the year. It’s a great chance to regroup, spend tons of time with family, and enjoy our children. Last year, we were SO sick all throughout Christmas and although we had a few little health blips this year over the holidays too, it was so nice to be happy, healthy, and together for almost 2 weeks straight at home.

BUT, for the purposes of a monthly recap, let’s start back at the beginning of December 🙂 On December 3, we left the kids with my in-laws and went to Brian’s work Christmas party at a hotel downtown. It’s always a fun event, and this year it was fantastic except that I had laryngitis and could NOT talk. I like to talk, so that was tough 🙂 By the next day, my voice was so strained that I couldn’t even get out a sound and it didn’t come back fully for about a week. Anyway, we really enjoyed the party and the date night out regardless of all of that.

I had a little day date with my favourite 5 year old on a day when she got out of school early. We did some Christmas shopping and got a treat. She was in heaven. haha. We also bought our tree!!! The girls were super excited 🙂

On December 6th, St. Nicholas visited the girls overnight and brought them some new books which they enjoyed throughout the holidays. This was a tradition for my family growing up, and I love the idea of it so we have continued it with our girls too 🙂

The following weekend, we took the girls to see Santa and went to my niece’s first birthday party.

I made this delicious giraffe cupcake cake for her party, which was a bit giraffe-themed:

My sister and her husband rented out their local community hall for the party and it was so nice – lots of space, a ball pit (belonging to them), Christmas decorations, and we put on Christmas/kids music too. It was a fun day and a nice chance to see some of their friends and family on my brother in law’s side. My niece enjoyed herself too! We had a bit of a super-cold snap around this time too, but it has mostly passed (for now) and all of the snow melted before Christmas.

In the middle of December, I went to a concert with my parents and aunt and uncle which featured the group Coig. They play Celtic music and they are SO upbeat and talented. They mostly played Christmas music from their album Carols, which I loved. It was a fun night out but I was sooo tired afterwards (didn’t get home until midnight – haha).

The following weekend, we gathered at my aunt’s house to see one of my cousins who went home to New Zealand for Christmas. Then we had a few more days of work/school and I was off from Dec 21-Jan 3. It was a nice break! We were able to see a lot of our family and friends. It was REALLY busy though. Busier than I expected. The girls were really overtired by the end of it, and I was sort of ready to come back to work too.

Magnetic blocks – a big hit!

Our house at 7 am on Christmas morning #bookworms

Christmas tree pancakes 🙂

Bring on January though! I’m sharing some of my goals and aspirations for the year tomorrow.