This Mama Feels Pretty: NYE Outfit & Link-Up

I am back!!!!  Well, I am slowly going to come back, but we can talk about that in another post.  I am joining Ada form Elegance and Mommyhood once again on her holiday series and we are talking NYE looks.  

I know that Christmas festivities might be wrapping up for some families but for us we are just gearing up for round two.   My sister and her family  arrive in a couple of days and we are all anxiously awaiting their arrival.  They don’t make it home over the holidays often so we are going to pack as much fun as we can in four days, sledding, skating outdoors, sugar cookie decorating, visiting, and throwing a  family friendly NYE bash.  Yep.  This year we are hosting and I am so excited! Make sure to tell me your favorite games, decorations or food ideas in the comments below (I have nothing planned as of yet).  When I was growing up NYE was our big holiday and when Santa arrived.  Since immigrating to Canada we’ve embraced Christmas but still like to do something special to say goodbye to the past year and welcome the New Year with hope, joy and love.  So with that said, even though it’s not going to be fancy-shmancy, I decided to take the opportunity to buy a new skirt and ring in the new year in style. 

 I knew exactly what I wanted when I stumbled upon this skirt on the RW & Co website (it's on sale).  I love the shimmery metallic, pink color of the skirt of this skirt.  I love that it has shimmer without being too much, giving me lots of opportunity to wear out on date nights and even to work events.   Initially I was going to style it with a blush pink top, with fluttery short sleeves,  but last minute I though I’d play with colors and textures and grabbed my vibrant, crimson red, velvet, long sleeved top.   I love how the contrast came together for a festive, elegant and chic outfit.  Since we are going to be indoors, I think I’ll keep my strappy black heels on, at least until we start dancing and singing around and my feet start to ache.
 

Tomorrow night we are having we are having an early NYE  with friends.  It’ll be casual with appetizers, ice skating, hot tubbing, and LOTS of kiddos.  I think I’ll wear the same top but pair it up with some black pants for a more casual and comfortable look. 

 

Regardless of what you are doing, or wearing, I want to wish you the very best in 2019!  Stay tuned for my 2018 goal recap and my goals for 2019.

Shop This Post:
Skirt (RW & Co; sale alert)
Velvet top (JustFab sold out; similar here and here )
H & B Vega Necklace (old; similar; or a fraction of the price here and here)

LINDA A Labour of Life "What I am not wearing this year for New Years Eve.

New Years is always glitz and glitter but also fur and warmth.  Adding my black fur helps make even the coldest of nights feel wonderful.  This year however I will be poolside in Orlando with my boys so I am sharing what I normally would be wearing not what I am actually wearing. (Only because it's hard to share a preview of what I will be wearing poolside, when there is so much snow around.) Happy New Year's Eve and wishing you all the best in 2019!"

MONICA Jersey Girl, Texan Heart "Ok, I'm going to be super blunt with y'all.  I will be staying in this year.  I posted a dress in yesterday's post, but let's be real, I will be relaxing and drinking my wine at home with my family and probably falling asleep before the ball drops, don't judge me haha!  I hope everyone has a happy new year!"

LAURA I Do deClaire "This fun top caught my eye on amazon a few weeks ago and I knew it would be perfect for NYE! My husband and I haven't gone out to celebrate NYE for years, but I still like to sparkle, even if it's at home! This top can be dressed up with a skirt or leather pants, but it's just as cute with black leggings or joggers if you are staying in. Hope you all have a safe and Happy New Year's!

ADA Elegance and Mommyhood " My plans for New Year's Eve this year are up in the air, but I might take my mom and my daughter out for dinner, to a nice restaurant. For sure I will be wearing some sparkle and some silver though. I love this ruffled-hem black+silver brocade dress I chose. With the right blush velvet shoes, a bow in my hair, a sequined clutch and crystal earrings, my dress is perfect for New Year's. Cheers to a Bright and Beautiful Two Thousand Nineteen!!"

ROXANNE Glass of Glam "I love any chance to wear sequins, so for this outfit I went all out with a long-sleeved sequin mini dress from Rent The Runway. I've had so many positive changes in my life this year that there is much cause to celebrate! To a successful 2018 and an even more successful 2019!"

BOJANA Bo's Bodacious Blog "It's Bojana from Bosbodaciousblog.  Even though we aren't going anywhere fancy for NYE, I am still planning on ringing in the New Year in style with this gorgeous, light pink, shimmery, pleated skirt and a crimson red velvet top.  Hop over to see the outfit details and read about our plans."

SHELBEE Shelbee on the Edge "I love the classic combination of black and white for special occasions and what is better than velvet, faux fur, and sequins for New Year’s Eve? I chose this black velvet burnout top from Foxcroft to pair with wide cuff cropped white denim for a comfortable but chic holiday outfit. My new black faux fur coat was a Christmas gift from my husband this year. I fell in love with this coat the moment it came into the consignment shop. And of course, sequined booties are perfect for ringing in the new year! Wishing you all a happy and blessed 2019!"

An InLinkz Link-up

Anya is 9: Reflecting on the Past Year

Dear Anya,  

How did you get to be 9 so quickly?  Each and every year this exact thought runs through my mind and I get sad that you are growing up so quickly, yet I am immensely proud of who you are becoming with each passing day, month, year.  Here are some of the tidbits, highlights and accomplishments from this past year. 

 

Adjectives:

Kind.  Energetic.  Lively.  Silly.  Witty.  Gentle.  Loving. Brave.  Dramatic.  Creative.  Goofy. 

Loves: 

Dance.  Sing. Acting. Art.  Oreo.  Lego.

 

BFF: 

Myalle

 

Birthday Party Theme: 

Movie Theater party was a HUGE success with 14 children!

 

Sports/Activities: 

Skating is still your number one.   

You tried soccer last spring and we you were really good at it.  We’ve love to see you pursue this a little more. 

You started dance, ballet & jazz, but you’ve quickly realized that its not for you. 

You successfully got up on the wakeboard when you were 8.5 years old and blew us away. 

 

Reading: 

You’ve ventured into the chapter book world but you still haven’t found any one series that you just love to read.  You try whatever is in front of you.  I think your favorites are still picture books or when we read to you.  

 

 

Watching: 

There are lots of shows you are watching these days such as Free Rein, Fuller Huse , reruns of Jessie, and I really like when you introduced me to Nailed It (cooking show). 

 

Playing: 

Lego, dolls, crafts, board games (Harry Potter Clue). 

Traveling & Firsts: 

You went on two trips this year without mama and tata. 

 You took your first plane ride alone, just you and your sister to Victoria, BC.  You spent five days with your aunt Tiki, uncle Sasa, and cousin Alen .  Mama and tata drove out and then we traveled back through BC, Alberta and home to Saskatchewan.  You got to hold an kangaroo, visit the Enchanted Forest, went on a 20km  bike ride on the old Kettle Valley railway in Myra Canyon Park, visited the Calgary zoo and more. 

You also traveled with your grandparents to Washington, DC for a family wedding!!!  You didn’t enjoy all of the sight-seeing activities but you did enjoy swimming in the hotel pool, going out to dinner and being with family.  Unfortunately you got sick the night of the wedding.  

What else is New? 

A new school for you this year.    At first you were missed  your old school, teachers and most of all friends.  But you've adjusted and made some great  friends that live right in our neigborhood.  

 

Also new this year, was Oreo!  It really was you that pushed us to welcome a new puppy into our home.  You two are a perfect match. 

Something Scary: 

You had your tonsils and adenoids removed.  You were extremely anxious prior to the surgery but you put on a brave face.  You were a trooper throughout the recovery phase though it bothered you, it gave you excruciating pain at times, and you had to miss a couple of weeks of school.  You also had a complication that landed you back in the ER.  Let’s just say that the trip to the ER was VERY dramatic and has lent itself to many stories to be told and retold for years to come.  The ENT even thought you have a bright future in acting.   

 

I wonder what this year has in store for you.  I know it's going to be an adventure, as you always keep up us on our toes.  I love you to the moon and back.  

xoxo, Mama

The Not So Stylish Christmas Home Tour 2018

Last year I focused on getting a few new pieces for outdoors.  I still want to add some details but it'll have to wait until next year.  

A new post, FINALLY.  You may have noticed, or maybe not, but it's been a good two plus weeks since I've posted anything.  Truthfully, I've had a break from IG, Facebook, texting, blogging, etc.  Why?  No it wasn't a technology cleanse.  It wasn't to see if my life would transform in some way if I spent less time on my phone.  It was.....LIFE!  Yep, that's it.  Life happened and I just decided that I just couldn't juggle it all.  Some of you follow me on IG and you might have seen that my youngest had a tonsillectomy.  The procedure was successful and recovery was as hard as they said it would be.  We didn't sleep much for 2 weeks, work was insane, I joined a running challenge, birthday planning, Christmas was upon us, and LIFE.  I just gave myself permission to step away and survive.  I survived and now I feel happy to re-enter and re-engage.  I feel energized and thankful that I have so many things to share with both my family in the right here and now, but also with all of you.  

I want to share my home with you all.  I was going to do a home tour with my friend Ada from Elegence and Mommyhood but it just didn't happen.  My home is not a show home.  Rather its lived in.  It has touches of modern and decor but mostly it's lived in.  My tree is not one that you will find on display, but it holds a mix of delicate ornaments that some may worry will be broken by little hands, but not me.  It's the ones that can't be replaced that I most worry about, the ones that my children made with their little hands that are crocked, uneven, missing a googly eye, somewhat misplaced on a pretty tree. 

Our tree is full of mismatched ornaments but we love it just the way it is. 

Halie's first Christmas ornament.

Anya's first Christmas ornament.

Reading our favorite holiday picture book is one of our traditions.  The Gingerbread Baby, Polar Express, The Christmas Wish, and many more.

My home has a few modern decor touches such as the decorative tray in the middle of our coffee table.  Not far sits this old and unique looking Santa Clause that was gifted to us years ago by a family we knew for a short time, but nevertheless each and every year when I unpack this Santa they come to my mind and I think of them with warmth and joy.  Right by him sit the gingerbread creations that have become tradition for our family.  They've become more sophisticated and less sloppy as the girls themselves have grown up and their artistic skills, not to mention their attention span, has grown.

Fresh flowers are my absolute favorite hostess gift.  Give me all the flowers!

But my favorite is the wall and the booklets of Christmas pasts that display the pictures of our friends and family.  This year I decided to print pictures from each of the Christmas since our oldest was born to now. I am compiling them into an old school photo album (not completed yet) to treasure and look back upon to see how we have all changed, grown and to remind myself  to PAUSE.  As I write this, music gently playing, the cracking of the fake youtube fireplace in the background, a warm cup of tea beside me, tears sting my eyes.  They are happy ones because I am so grateful for this home.  This perfectly imperfect home, with a perfectly imperfect family.  So my wish for everyone is to be happy with exactly where you are and know how to embrace the changes as they occur.  

Booklets full of Christmas cards from years past.  I love looking through them and watching our friends grow and change in front of my eyes.  It truly does warm my heart.

Halie and Tanner, Christmas 2018.

Anya & Oreo, Christmas 2018

XOXO, sweet friends.