holiday rewind

since i didn't post a single blog entry for December i thought i should rewind and share some of my instagram images with you here. i happen to be obsessed with this iphone app...it's inadvertently taken over my facebook, twitter, and blog :S but no excuses...here are my holiday photos

David actually woke me up so I could snap this beauty as he's well aware of my trigger happy tendencies

Home sweet home. greetings from the TTC

Little cousin Ashleigh being all Lisa Simpson :) 

my cute mom!

me and cousin Michael, the masterminds behind Lumber Jack Christmas :)

I love my fams!!! we did the whole ugly sweater party but this year we wanted a change...PLAID and thanks to my fashionable cousin Michael we were able to round up the rest of the fams to join our cause

And it's all for the Man himself...Happy Birthday Jesus!

the gift of giving

1 month later and i'm in Toronto, done partying and back on the grind. to catch ya'll up to date i arrived here dec 15th and spent lots of time with the fams and stuffing my face. and as per usual i wait till the final hour to figure out what gifts i'll be giving to my 6 cousins and brother. then it hits me...my cousins gifts were archival photos from the 80's of their childhood blown up to 5x7' with vintage frames (i'll post photos of that later) and inspirational quotes printed on neon paper and framed with black dollar store frames. I suggest everyone cover their walls especially their bedroom walls with inspirational quotes. it really puts you in a good headspace at the crack of dawn.
i didn't end up giving this to anyone. could be offence but it's oh so true :) quote from Socrates

"the opposite of courage is not cowardice it is conformity"- Earl Nightingale

"what lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us"- Ralph Waldo Emerson

speaking of gifts me and my hubby got the funniest gift from one of my aunts. it's funny because she's filipino...i'm not sure it would be funny if she were say...black. oh i love my family :) p.s. Ainsley has got some great receipts!