our appliances!

*Refer to my post on our house process blog - here :)

december daily: day fifteen

Minus my Mat Leave last year, I have spent the past 5 years at Aritzia for the holidays. It's a time when we are the busiest, when I see my coworkers more than my own family and when customers are either jolly and blissful or irate and unmanageable. It doesn't even matter how many wonderful customers to encounter, it takes just one person to totally ruin your day. As much as I don't want to admit it, I'm not the kind of person that I want to be during the holidays at work because of being tired, overworked and anxious. It's no excuse, but it happens. Being pushed to work 10 hour days, almost 6 days a week ... it takes a toll on anyone!

On a bigger and brighter note, our holiday season windows definitely put a smile on my face, especially with catch phrases such as: "promise the moon" & "wish upon a star". I miss feeling like a kid for Christmas.

I was on the Ariztia website today & downloaded the "Happy Holidays" cd by YBB. Some of the tunes that keep me sane during my working days :)

finally, a day off from the maddness!

I have no idea how I'm going to be able to work full-time post graduation. Working FT for the past 4 weeks has been exhausting, mentally, emotionally and most of all physically. I'm making a New Years resolution, but keeping it to myself - you never know who's stalking your blog, :P

On the up side, finally got to check my Fall 2009 grades. GPA of 3.7, ain't to shabby :)

Three more classes & I'm finally done, finally. Highly anticipating, super exited, can't wait for what's next. 2010 will be BIG, I can feel it.

december daily: day eighteen

Some Christmas Favourites ...

Favourite Christmas songs:

Da: Jingle Bells

Mama: Grown-up Christmas List

A: Little Drummer Boy

Favourite Christmas treats:

Da: turkey

Mama: peppermint candy canes

A: anything mama & da will let him have!

Favourite Christmas tradition (even though we're still in the process of creating them!):

Da: getting together with fam for a feast!

Mama: making homemade gift tags

A: decorating the Christmas tree with Tita Chels

december daily: day seventeen

Every night that I tuck Aiden to bed (he doesn't fall asleep without someone in the bed with him yet) ... I always tell myself that I'm not going to fall asleep with him. But it's like he puts a spell on me and the next time I look at the clock it's 11pm. There goes my night of productivity.

I blame it on work. Society doesn't give the retail world enough credit, but it's definitely a demanding and tiring atmosphere - especially during the holidays. Totally loving helping out customers that are sincerely nice and genuine and loathing on customers who give too much attitude, bahumbug. Just lucky enough that I work with some pretty wicked ladies (and some gentlemen) that make the 10 hour days go by a little faster.

9 more days until the true mayhem.

december daily: day sixteen

Today started with a mini jam session with Ryan and Aiden. Aiden loves loves dancing along with our ipod blaring some of his fav tunes. He most loves the 'pa rum pum pum pum' part of Little Drummer Boy. Listening to classic tunes while A babes was in the womb totally shows in his personality!

Did a little Christmas shopping at Heartland today. Aiden felt the snow falling on his face & he giggled quite a bit. Post shopping, took Aiden to Chuck E Cheese. So much better when you go during a week day - more room, less kids & less of a headache. Aiden was in awe, as we thought he would be. Made a new friend, named Bob. Oh, & lollipops and pop rocks ... Aiden was spoiled, but what else is new?

december daily: day thirteen

Thankful for days when Ryan and I are off from work, even more thankful when we're productive on our days off. As much as I wanted to sleep in today, mos def wanted to take the time out of the morning to attend the Umbra Warehouse Sale at the exhibition grounds. My cousin has been biggin' up this sale for some time now, stating that prices are just slashing and obviously, as we're juts starting out ... we wanted to check it out! Kind of upsetting that it wasn't as great as I imagined it to be. (We did however, get to donate all the jarred baby food that we bought Aiden when he used to eat that stuff ... donating to a food bank or something like Toy Mountain is something that I definitely want to do more significantly, especially during the holidays). We purchased a bunch of photo frames (mainly as Marie's Christmas gift), some stuff for A's bathroom ... and this, which I don't have a home for yet in our home, but am in love with :)

december daily: day nine

Winter mornings are so dark & gloomy. Maybe that's why I move at a turtle's pace when I'm scheduled to work at 9am. By luck, I always seem to open the store the during the first snow fall of the year, by luck. My 25 minute commute became 90 minutes, was totally hating on those flying through on the 403 on the HOV lanes. It snows and then everyone forgets how to drive. I'm truly thinking that winter tired should be mandatory.

On a cooler note, it was Aiden's first time ever seeing the fluffy white stuff. Loving the fact that he's semi-understanding the mini joys December / winter / Christmas :)

december daily: day eight

Finally! Finished with this semester & only THREE more classes until I finish my undergrad degree! I’m finally so close ... but then what? ...

Love the days when there’s nothing big on the agenda but rather just hang out at home and maybe get a little scrapping done - if A let’s me. Today, you found your way to my little craft nook! I’m surprised you resisted the temptation to grab all the little nick nacks on my desk, what a nice boy!

december daily: day seven

Victory is so sweet.

How lucky was I that I only had ONE final this semester? & it happened to land on the first day of the exam period during the first time slot - which means, my Christmas vacation begins TODAY! Ok, well not really a vacation, more like slaving away at the Ritz. Super tough working retail during the holidays. You want it to be over fast but also want to be able to enjoy the moment.

Right after my 8am HR final, I headed to work for a cash support shift. Ryan and I met Wayne & I at Square One to get A's Santa photo taken.

With all the bright lights and the Christmas ornament decorations surrounding Santa's centre, it didn't seem like you were nervous for the visit. Tons of little kids were in line as well & you simply adore the company .. so, so far, so good. Totally knew that you wasn't going to be up for sitting on Santa's lap, so I thought how they took the picture was quite brilliant. They gave you two green lollipops as a teaser and distraction and as we tried to make you smile / giggle / laugh ... Santa popped out behind the curtains for what they labelled on our ticket order as a "peek-a-boo Santa" photo! How cute! How much character does this photo have?! Excited about how it turned out, esp. for paying $13 for one 5x7 photograph. (Except, Santa looks a little extra creepy this year, yes?) Aiden, you're so adorable. You're so much bigger than you were last Christmas, but in this photo, in this chair, you look like such a baby boy!

december daily: day six

Definitely an uneventful that led to such an eventful evening!

All week, I've been contemplating whether or not Ryan and I would end up attending Aritzia's Holiday Bash. Normally, I would be all pumped to go, but it just so happened that my only exam of the semester happens to land on the day after the party ... at 8am. I also had a 10 page paper to finish for my Internship class (only semi-beneficial, definitely not worth the same price as a course like financial accounting). I knew that if I didn't end up going, I would be sad about it, so after my paper was finished & an attempt was done to study, we got all dolled up & partied, Aritzia style.

*Maro on Liberty Street, mini burgers, french fries & drinks, Your Boy Brian pumping good tunes - old school mixes, photos galore & the company of some beauties :)

for photos click here .

december daily: day five

A bit on the busy end today.

Went through leaps and bounds in attempts to get this weekend off from work!

It was Aiden's second time attending Lola's work Christmas party for kids. This Christmas is definitely much different than last. Aiden's so full of curiousity and manages to get his hands on every thing. In fact, he's actually a big baby bully, attempting to steal all the animal balloons from all the kids while they were watching the puppet show! But how do you get mad at such a sweet baby boy face, hehehe.

Lunch was the usual, chicken fingers, pizza, french fries, juice & chocolate milk. Aiden had developed a huge fancy for french fries, ate nothing but them for lunch! & tons of sugar cookies for dessert.

Santa is definitely a huge challenge this year. He's super scared of being around him. I don't think that we'll even be able to get him to take a photo this year! Is Santa really that scary?

The evening was much more quiet. After Aiden went to bed, I spent most of my evening trying to finish a 10 page paper for my Internship class due Monday at midnight. I also have an 8am HR final on Monday morning and work right after. Truly contemplating whether I should even attend Aritzia's Holiday festivities this year ...

december daily: day four

It's definitely a wonderful bonus that the hubs cooks. Actually, it's more than wonderful (except for the fact that I'm still struggling to loose the baby weight!) - just love love food. Although sometimes a daily struggle, it's so much nicer when Ryan & I 'do the mornings' together.

december daily: day three

Took a shopping trip to Erin Mills yesterday with my boys & surprisingly, we were able to cross off 3 more names off our list. Marrying Ryan meant that I acquired 11 nieces and nephews!

Here's our 2009 Christmas list:

• Ma, making memories tools
• Dad
• Wayne, magic mouse
• William
• Chelsea, tna sweater
• Nanay, cashmere wrap sweater
• Christen, gap kids striped henley, hannah montana books
• Miguel, spiderman playdoh
• Kianna, gap kids striped henley, hannah montana books
• Nanay
• Mom, kitchen aid mixer
• Dad, swiss wallet
• Miguel, h&m plaid button up
• Christopher, magic kit, card kit
• Annie, gap kids striped henley
• Mat
• Marie, umbra photo frames
• Justin, the kingdom of fantasy, pokemon cards
• Dylan, super mario & luigi toys & tobogan
• Owen, tonka rumble cars, toy broom (LOL)
• Kayla, ae cardigan
• Syd, hollister wrap cardigan
• Riley, pokemon cards
• Hannah
• Emma, dora moracas

And all the titas & titos will be getting chocolate chip banana bread :)

Looks like we're in pretty good shape!

december daily: day two

We finally took the plunge! & bought a Mac!

Happy faces all around :)

Ryan & I have been wanting to make the investment, but we had to definitely think in terms of practicality. Luckily, Apple introduced a new design of their MacBook & they priced it rather attractively - & we did it! So excited to start creating, storing and documenting with my (I mean, OUR) new toy! It's definitely posing as a HUG distraction as I attempt to study for my one final this semester. After Monday, I will be free from school ... but will become Aritzia's slave :(

december daily: day one

I think this is the way that I'll start my DD's for the rest of my documenting life :)

Here's my day one:

*There's also a back page for day one with photos of this excursion. Although this event didn't happen on December 1st, I thought it was a rather festive way to start the album!

(Journaling)

Ryan & Aiden, all bundled up, ready to board the Santa Claus Express!

Working retail the holiday season sucks. Totally missed Aiden's first train ride, but by the looks from all the photos ... seems like everyone had a great time!

Truly love the magic and glee on people's faces during the Christmas season. Hoping that through this documentation, Aiden will be able to remember all the joy of the season.