This Holiday Season - 2013

This holiday season was a bit of a blur.  But looking back, we managed to have a few sweet moments.  

I really tried to make time to enjoy a few Christmas-y things.  

Including shopping for a real Christmas tree, I insist on a real tree.  Also watching all kinds of Christmas movies, Christmas Vacation, Elf, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and a few other sappy ones on Netflix.  

  

Kea also had an amazing 2nd birthday, with an amazing doggy cake from Three Dog Bakery.  Kea absolutely loved it, and it lasted a few days, so she had some great dinners.  

Ashly treated me to a showing of The Nutcracker.  It was both my first time seeing it, as well as any ballet.  And I absolutely loved it! The cutest little kids played the cutest little mice!

I got in a bit of baking, including trying chocolate truffles for the first time.  My big sister is the master, and I hope I at least lived up to her fame.

The Bf and I had a good Christmas Day, just us and the dog.  We did miss our families, and skype had to suffice.  This was my families first Christmas in my Mom's new house.  I haven't been there yet, and so wanted to be there to help christen the new place.  

Hope you all had an amazing holiday,  what were some of your highlights?

merry christmas eve

Tonight I am full of Christmas spirit and am sending it out into the world.  I hope it reaches you, wherever you may be.  Hug your loved ones a little tighter, add an extra drop of rum into that eggnog, and laugh a little harder when you watch Clark Griswold go sledding down the hill and into the Walmart parking lot.

Merry Christmas from my family to yours.  

baby, it's cold outside

Wow, so the last two weeks just flew by.  Working retail during the holidays can sometimes take over your life, and it's barely December.  I have to admit though, I'm getting pretty excited for the holidays.  

This weekend I'm planning on decorating our apartment, picking out a tree (a real one, but a mini version about 3 feet tall), putting together my family's Christmas package (snailmail deadline is a comin'!). 

So, pretty much the funnest, most holiday filled weekend ever! 

Are you ready for the holidays? 

jacket: Forever 21

Sweater: Anthropologie

jeans: American Eagle

boots: Target

toque: Topshop

scarf and sunnies: H&M

Holiday Season in Review

Get ready for photo overload.  

I thought I'd catch you all up on my what I did over my holiday season.  We managed to keep up a lot of our family traditions and frankly I think we did rather well, considering. 

My sisters and I visited the Hudson's Bay at the Eaton Center, in downtown Toronto, to see the Christmas Window displays.  We used to go when we were kids every year and made a day of it, such a good tradition.  

We also did the job of picking out, putting up, and decorating the Christmas tree.  Picking a tree was pretty easy, seeing as we fell in love with the first tree we saw.  While decorating the tree, we decided to purge some of our old (read: broken/ugly) ornaments and decor.  Let's just say, it was a long awaited task.

I attended a friends annual gingerbread house making party.  Holy moly, these girls are good! A few ladies prepared for the task by researching ideas online, meanwhile some invested in professional grade tools to help with icing and such.  It was pretty competitive, but such a great night. 

And lastly, my sisters and I had a girls day and got our hair done, ate some sushi for lunch and walked around the Burlington Village Square.

Oh, and with the big day being my birthday as well, Mom got me my favourite cake.  An ice cream cake with Santa Claus on it.   

I was really proud of Mom, my sisters and I this holiday season.

Even though we missed Dad like crazy, we still managed to make each other laugh with silly gifts, enjoy good food together, and made some new memories.  

I may be a bit behind, but I hope nothing but the best for you all in this new year!

Christmas Market

This past weekend I was off from work, and filled it with all kinds of holiday fun!  On Saturday the Bf and I visited the Vancouver Christmas Market.  It is one of the top ten rated Christmas Markets in the world and is designed after the markets across Germany.  

We went in the evening to watch all the twinkle lights and enjoy some carols.  We drank mulled wine, adored all the ornaments, and ate a lot of food.  We enjoyed pretzels with mustard, Bavarian sausages with onions and sauerkraut, and a Belgium waffle with  chocolate and whipped cream.  Needless to say, my belly was very happy! I definitely recommend a visit, the market goes till Christmas Eve!
I took a some photos on my phone.  Oh! and you can keep you mug...I mean, stein... for a small deposit!

the countdown begins

Just thought you all should know....46 days till Christmas!!

Technically the countdown started a week ago or so, but I wasn't allowed to verbalize it till now.

Pesky BF.

image via

Wolf Size

I came across this video the other day, I had completely forgotten about it. I think it's pretty much my favourite memory from the holidays. Its staring my sister and her dog (aka, my furry nephew), and you can hear most of my families voices in the background.

I just love watching his tail go back and forth. Such a spoiled dog.

Boxing Day

Is everyone still alive?? Did you survive yesterday?? And those of you that are brave enough to hit up all the crazy boxing day sales, I hope your well prepared!! As for me, this is my first Boxing Day not working in over 10 years!! and I'm not going anywhere near the mall. Well, most likely. I'll let you know about that.

I had an amazing Christmas day, as well as, an awesome Birthday. Thanks to everyone for the wonderful wishes, the best presents in the world, and sooo much love that got sent my way.

Well, I'm off to the cottage for the rest of the week and over New Years, so I'll be seeing all you lovelies next week! Have an super fun week and all the best in the New Year!!!

Love ya!

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heading home!!

I'm about to get on the plane to go home for the holidays!! I'm so excited to see my parents and spend some quality with my sisters. I've missed them soo much!! Here's to an amazing Ostler family Christmas!!

p.s. My feet are the tan ones, Julie's are the all black legs and feet, and Maggie's are the Jean legs, and black feet, oh and all of these feet are at Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia...I love feet photos...heehee...

12 days of christmas

Only 12 days till Christmas!!! The excitement is rising!!! I feel that 3 exclamation marks are necessary!!! Enjoy the winter wonderland that was the Sea to Sky Highway (photos from Vancouver's 1st snow fall)!!!

p.s. Today i'm busy packing for our trip home for the holidays, we leave tomorrow (Tuesday) morning!!!

Bright Nights

My bf and I shared our 2 year anniversary last week and he surprised me with a lovely little evening out. Bright Nights in Stanley Park. This winter wonderland is full of Christmas cheer, including a train ride! Its free admission, although the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund does accept a suggested donation of $2 (minimum). The train ride is less then $10, a nice cheap date! Tons of families and kids enjoying the lights all with a nice warm cup of apple cider. Oh, and make sure you go after dark, so you can take advantage of the lights and sights!

To find out more, check out the Vancouver Parks website....The festivities go till Jan 2nd.

And to learn more about the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund, visit their website.

The most wonderful time of the year

I'm a Christmas baby, through and through. It helps that my birthday is on Christmas Day, but I love everything to do with the season. I have a wide collection of classic Christmas movies which I watch every year. I simply can't wait till Starbucks puts out their Christmas cups. i can't resist the urge to make snowmen, and snow angels every time it snows (which you saw in my first post!), and as soon as December 1st hits, my preset radio stations switch around and Christmas carols take over the number 1 spot!

This year, things are a little different, seeing as I'm on the other side of the country. Vancouver did manage to have 1 snow fall so far (it was mayhem! 5 cm, oh my! I'm from Ontario, that's nothing people!), it lasted about a day and a half before it was melted by rain, so I squeezed in a little outdoor fun.

My family and I have a lot of traditions during this time of year. I can't wait to see them, we head home DEC 14th, and we'll be home for about 3 weeks. One of my favourite things is that we all still make Christmas lists....yes, I know Christmas isn't all about gifts and presents, but we like to spoil each other a little bit now and then. Its the thought that counts, and seeing their face and knowing you helped make their day is a great feeling.

Seeing that I've just moved across the country and still currently looking for work, I've had to make this year a little bit of a home-made Christmas. This just means a little more time and effort put into the gifts i give the ones i love. This thought, I like, it warms my heart.

Here's a sneak peek of a few things I'm working on.....