December 16, 2023 • 43 mins
Hello, darling listeners! The holiday season is upon us, and with it, the joy and anticipation of traditions new and old. With our guest, Alabee, we delve into our Christmas tree traditions, sharing our adventures of opting for a real tree this year. We even embark on a quest for a unique tree that breaks away from the conventional evergreen. So, gather 'round and get cozy as I share my holiday stories brimming with love and intention.
We're also serving up a delightful mix of winter activities and culinary traditions. From the excitement of taking a child ice skating for the first time to the happiness that fills our homes during our cooking and baking traditions, we're dishing all the warm and fuzzy details. We also touch on the importance of community during this time of the year. Join us as we light up the holiday season with activities like the Niagara Falls light drive-through and the "Let it Glow" events, besides sharing our running club experiences and local attractions visits.
And that's not all. We explore the cozy comfort of Saturday naps, my secret weapon against colds - clove tea, and a hunt for the perfect winter read. I also share my strange affection for uniforms, and the anticipation for the upcoming episode of our special 12 days of Podmas. This holiday season, we're all about being present and intentional and filling our homes with love and joy. So pull up a chair, get comfortable, and join me in this holiday journey. Let's get into the festive spirit together!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Hey cuties, welcome back to 12 days of Podmas.
What day are we on today?
Oh, my goodness, this is whereI need to start counting.
We're on day four.
Ah, which means it's Saturday.
Happy Saturday, cuties.
I just had the best Saturdaynap.
(00:28):
Who has a Saturday nap?
Anybody out there?
I'm such a napper and I lookforward to Saturday nap like
nothing else in my life.
Rowe doesn't nap at schoolanymore and she totally still
could.
So like I feel like everysingle day when I pick her up,
like 80% of the time she fallsasleep on the way home and every
(00:52):
so often she'll want to have anap after school, which is like
we try to avoid that because itpushes bedtime, it throws
everything off.
But sometimes she's just sotired and she'll end up having
like an hour nap and it's likeno.
But on Saturday I feel like shehas the most juicy, delicious,
like lovely nap because she'sjust like so excited and
(01:15):
exhausted from her week ofbusyness.
And I always participate aswell and I just love it.
But I always feel like I wake uplike so disoriented, especially
this time of year, like in thesummertime or the warmer months,
when we have that afternoon nap.
It's like you wake up, it'slike three o'clock.
You're so excited.
You have the rest of yourbeautiful day.
(01:35):
We'll like run out of me in thepool or we'll go to a park.
You still have so much timelike left in the day.
It almost feels like you'rerejuvenated for the rest of your
day, where I feel like thewinter nap.
It's like a mind switch atfirst and then once you embrace
it, you embrace it.
But it's like you wake up andyou're like it's so dark, it's
(01:55):
it's starting to get dark.
Oh, my gosh, like I'm soconfused.
What am I gonna do?
What's the rest of the dayahead?
But it's been so lovely nowthat I'm like switching my mind
over to that.
It's more like, okay, we'llhave a slow dinner on Saturday,
or oh, yeah, and Saturday.
Sorry, I just got so confusedfor a second.
(02:16):
I was like wait, but Saturdayor Sunday Trevor and Ro will and
will go to um wound up, goingand doing something in the
afternoon, usually after theweekend naps with some of the
neighbor kids and that's fun,and then I'm able to have some
of my own time.
So it's like when I wake upfrom the nap it's like oh, what
(02:36):
am I gonna do?
Am I gonna catch up on someshows.
Am I gonna record the podcast?
Get some work, whatever, Ireally am looking for a book to
read over this holiday time.
The last thing I read waslessons in chemistry and I think
it would be a nice afternoon towake up from your nap and just
enjoy a book by the fire.
(02:56):
Oh, and the Christmas tree,that would be so nice.
If anyone has any bookrecommendations, something light
, something fun um, I'verecently done a memoir and I've
done lessons in chemistry whichI guess would be considered like
a romance and so, yeah,something, something within that
.
Uh, I don't know if I maybe amemoir.
(03:17):
A memoir is always fun.
I do love a memoir.
I feel so educated after, butmaybe like a winter cozy, a
winter romance.
You, let me know, give me somebookrex.
I'm looking for something toread to keep me comfy in those
in those dark weekend afternoons.
But, that being said, that'sgonna lead to this week's
episode or this week.
Oh my gosh, it's not this week,it's this day, since we're
(03:39):
doing 12 episodes leading up toChristmas.
But that leads me into uh, Iguess the title of this episode
or like the theme is we aretalking all about the holiday
bucket list.
I always try and a bucket list,I feel like, is such a such a
big word and, um, it got popular.
(04:01):
I feel like wasn't there amovie called bucket list or
whatever?
And bucket list is kind of likeyour goals to do before you're
at life ends and like it's kindof like this huge thing.
But I kind of like to break itup if you've been a long time
follower, you know by season orlike time period of my life and
just so I can be moreintentional with my time.
(04:22):
So today we're going to talkabout what I'm being intentional
about and wanting to um,wanting to set forward and
complete or get done orparticipate in this holiday
season.
I'm also drinking somethingother than water.
Whoo, it's also kind of makingme really hot.
Hmm, I got a piece.
Okay, it's a clove.
(04:44):
I'm having clove tea.
So if you haven't had clove tea, hmm, you're missing out.
I actually saw a tick talk onit.
I'm gonna put this over here.
I actually saw a tick talk onit and it was someone saying how
clove tea is like the ultimatehealer of um I think, mainly
colds and stuff like that likeif you feel yourself getting
(05:05):
sick if you drink clove tea andthen after, um, what you do is
you chew on one of the clovesand then spit it out.
It like helps to I don't knowget your immune system working,
or whatever.
And, honestly, every time sincewe were so, we were all passing
back and forth all those coldsfor like an entire month.
I'm like so on the ball.
(05:26):
So the second I like feel mythroat drying or I wake up and
I'm like, oh, it's a little sore, whatever.
It's like middle of theafternoon I'm like, hmm, I like
make myself a clove tea and nowit's kind of just become.
It's actually so delicious, ittastes like kind of Christmas in
a cup.
I made it for Trevor todaybecause he said his throat was
hurting.
Send us positive vibes, cute,send us positive vibes.
(05:46):
But Trevor actually didn't getsick for the majority of us all
passing sicknesses, like I feellike he did at the very
beginning, but then he waspretty much feeling good the
entire time, which is likeamazing.
Um, but I really hope that hedoesn't get sick now and I
really hope it doesn't start awhole another pass it around.
So everyone send the positivevibes to Trevor.
But I did make him a clove tea.
(06:07):
I taught him how to make it andso basically all you do is six
cloves, which you just get wholecloves you can get them
anywhere at your grocery store,bulk bar and whatever and you
put five to six in a cup andthen you just put your boiling
water on top and you let itsteep for 15 minutes and then it
is just delicious.
(06:27):
You have it on your own, likewithout anything in it, and it's
, it's sweet, it tastes likeChristmas, it's, it's like a
spicy taste.
Trevor was uh, comparing it tohe was like oh, it's kind of
chai-esque, which I'm honestlynot a huge chai cutie, but maybe
I do like chai.
I don't know if I've ever hadlike true chai not that this
would be true chai, but truechai in the sense that it's like
not a syrup, it's like madewith the spices.
(06:53):
There is this tea shop that usedto be local to us but I feel
like it's only online now andI'm not sure like where they run
out of, but it's a run.
It's called the apothecary orsomething, and they have this
tea blend called a sticky chaiand it always sounds so
delicious, just like sticky chai, like it sounds like mmm, like
I don't know, just like a warmhug.
(07:14):
But like I've always beenhesitant because I'm not a big
chai cutie.
But now I'm like maybe I dolike chai, so I gotta give it a
try, but anyways.
So that's how you make clovetea and then when you get to the
end, you just take one of thecloves and you chew on it and
it's so spicy, like not like hotspicy, but like spicy, like
spices, cinnamon and stuff.
Um, a clove and uh, itdefinitely is like ooh, but it's
(07:36):
not that bad.
And the TikTok I said to chew onit for a minute.
I find that really hard becauseit like disintegrates.
So I just chew on it until Ireally can't chew on it anymore,
it actually, and then you justrinse out your mouth.
It actually leaves your mouthfeeling so fresh.
It's like I'm really not a gumgirl anymore.
I used to love gum and now Ireally don't like it.
Like there's something about ifI like am desperate to need
(07:59):
something or I need some salivaor something in my throat, like
then I'll have a piece of gum,but I always regret it, like I
really don't enjoy gum anymoreand so, um, this is almost like
10 times better, if you want,like a mouth freshener.
And I was reading through thecomments on that TikTok and
everyone was saying that clothesare like incredibly uh, good
(08:20):
for oral health and hygiene andlike, if you have like a
toothache or um, something likethat I don't know, like
obviously it's not a fix all,but it can be really helpful,
and so I do feel like that couldbe true.
And if you remember I'm notsure I think I've talked about
this a few times, but I nevergot my wisdom teeth out and I
have I think I only have threewisdom teeth, but the ones on
(08:43):
the bottom crow and so weird,they like uh, fused to my other
molars.
So now I have like this megajumbo molar and every um, it's
way less frequent now I'm goingto the dentist more and keeping
up with like good uh, mouthhygiene, which I feel like I
always have, oral hygiene, whichI feel like I always have.
(09:04):
But now I know how tospecifically like avoid the
flare ups, um, because it's likeif something gets stuck in the
back behind my molars.
Anyway, long story short isthat every now I'm going to say
it's every six months.
It used to be more frequentthan that, but every six months
or so I really get a bad acheand, um, it's at the point where
I can't really get my teeth, mywisdom teeth out because they
(09:26):
fused to my back molar.
So it's like a really big anddangerous surgery and it
involves like a whole bunch ofthings that like, if I could
avoid it, it's better.
That's what my dentist says.
So, anyways, I'm now like oohwhen I get those flare ups, like
I used to not, I used to justtake Advil and, um, lay low and
(09:48):
try to like work through thecouple days that I would have
that pain.
But now I'm like ooh, next timethat happens I'm going to try
chewing on a clove to see whathappens, like I'd make a clove
tea and just see if it helps,because I'm interested, I'm
intrigued, but anyways, I amdrinking a delicious clove tea
in my Christmas mug.
Mmm and Alibi's joined us today.
(10:10):
Hi, al Aw, you kind of can'tsee her, cause I'm wearing my
uniform, my black leggings andred shirt or red sweater, but
I'll be sitting here on our lapIf you're watching on YouTube.
Such a cutie.
You were having cozy vibestoday.
But I have just had a really,really lovely day and I can't
wait to get into it because Ifeel like a lot of the bucket
(10:32):
list items we've been checkingoff this weekend and I'm excited
to talk on them, but also totalk about what I'm looking
forward to um, for the rest ofthe season.
Okay, I gotta put this tea downor else I'm going to be boiling
Boiling Now that I have a hotdog on me.
Hot dog, hot dog, hot, big, big,big.
What's that?
(10:55):
The Mickey Mouse Club?
I, I haven't watched the MickeyMouse Club in so long because
that is oh, I guess it's onDisney plus.
I was trying to think like, butI don't know if it was a big
Mickey Mouse Club girly.
Anyways, the holiday bucketlist.
My holiday bucket list numberone item we actually just did
(11:16):
this morning and it was solovely and it was our first year
doing it as a family of three,but even me and Trevor and
haven't done it for our place.
We did it once before for mymom's house, like long ago, but
we have not done it for us.
We've always gone the artificialroute and I guess you can guess
what that is it's cut down atree.
(11:37):
So we have always had anartificial tree when we were in
the condo, because I don't thinkyou're allowed to have at least
our condo a real tree,firehouse fire has it probably.
And also I wonder how.
Actually I don't even know ifthat's the main reason.
I'm just thinking now.
I wonder how they would discardof fake or real trees because
(11:58):
here, like, if you're in a house, you can just put it out at
your curb for whatever.
Like the couple of garbage dayspast Christmas they usually
have like specific Christmaspick up, christmas tree pick up.
But yeah, in a condo I don'tthink they want a Christmas tree
in the garbage room.
There's not really like a placeto put it and that would be
annoying to have to like takeall the Christmas trees out.
(12:19):
That's probably the reason isthey don't want to have to worry
about the discarding of it,because I feel like there's lots
more things that are firehazards for condos that aren't
Christmas trees, like candlesAnyways.
So we've always had anartificial Christmas tree.
We moved to this house with ourartificial Christmas tree that I
still have the like price onthe box.
It was like $30 or something.
It was not expensive and it wasgreat for our condo.
(12:42):
And once we got to the house itwas like I knew I wanted a
little bit bigger not a hugeChristmas tree and our spaces
and like our living spaces andthat much more extravagant in
the sense of height or anything.
But I just knew that the treefelt a little small.
I'll be sorry if you're looking, I just knew that the tree felt
a little bit small.
(13:02):
And so our first year here I waslike, oh, I'm going to look
into what kind of trees thereare.
And I was like humbled quicklybut I realized how expensive
they are.
Oh, our dog visitors wanting toleave Bye, bye, bye, sis.
But yeah, I was like, oh mygosh, I don't want to spend like
300 plus dollars on a Christmastree and I just feel like I'm
(13:24):
not in the right place to evencommit to that.
And what if I want to get areal tree down the line?
Because we always had fake andreal trees growing up, I feel
like we had fake for a long time.
And then I put forward that weshould start getting real trees.
And then we would.
We had real trees for likeyears.
(13:45):
And then I think I went away toschool and my mom got a fake
tree because that was justeasier for her.
So I was like, oh gosh, I justspilled tea on my foot.
I went to put my cup down and Iwas like, oh no, something just
fell on me.
And then it was like, oh, I'msorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm
sorry, I just fell on me.
And then it was like, oh, it'shot water, but anyways.
(14:06):
So I was like I'm just not inthe mood to commit to this much
to a tree, blah, blah, blah,blah.
I also didn't know where I wantthe tree in our house to be,
like, I assume, the living room,because that's like our main
floor.
You can, we'd see it most times.
But I also thought there was agood spot in our, like rec room,
which isn't the basement.
It was just a whole thing and Iwas not ready.
That's the way we've just beenusing our tree from our condo,
(14:29):
which worked out perfectly fine.
And then last year we put it upand I was kind of like you know
what?
Next year we're getting a realtree.
Like.
I just want to get a real tree,experience it once at least.
We'll see if we like it andthen we can move forward.
We still have our fake tree.
It's somewhere, it's in theshed or whatever.
So this year was the year wewent to get our real tree and so
(14:52):
every time I've had a real treein the past I've always had
just like a normal real tree.
I don't know what normal means,but like it looks the same,
it's like a classic Christmastree, like a triangle shape,
classic dark green, evergreen Idon't know the names of all the
trees, but just classic.
And I kind of had this ideathat, like I was like I want
something different, I wantsomething unique and interesting
(15:14):
, like not necessarily CharlieBrown, like small and like sad
looking, but like something alittle different.
So we went to go look forChristmas trees and Christmas
tree farms and it's like, oh,there's like no Christmas tree
farms around us or they're allsold out, like there's like some
Christmas tree shortage thisyear or something.
Anyways, trevor ended upbooking in at this place where
(15:35):
you could do hourly like youcould book an hour trunk and you
only can get one Christmas treeand they all cost the same
amount of money.
So we didn't know what toexpect, but anyways, so we went
and it was so lovely and I feellike it is 100% like now,
ingrained in our traditions,moving forward.
(15:58):
Like I loved that experience, Ialso.
We haven't decorated the treeyet it's just downstairs.
We put it up and now it's justresting because I want it to
come up to room temp and getacclimated before we start
decorating it.
But I love it.
I love that we got somethingunique.
I have no idea what it is, thefur of some sort.
We tried to look it up usingGoogle or some app that we
(16:21):
downloaded to take a picture ofit, but, like it said that it
was like so many different typesof fur.
So I was like, okay, it's forsure a fur, but it's so fun
looking, it's so different andit definitely is a real treat,
like it just looks like a realtree and I'm just so excited
about it.
So if this season of tree goeswell, if I'm able to keep it
(16:42):
alive until Christmas and I'mnot annoyed by it, it's not
falling down.
We got a good.
We got like a very sturdy treestand.
We had a big debate.
There was like one for $50 thatseemed to be like the best one,
and then there was ones thatwere like $10 cheaper, all the
way down to like $20 or $15.
And I was like you know what Ithink we should.
(17:02):
Just I thought really hard thatit shouldn't just go into the
side of the tree.
You should screw something intothe tree and then put it in the
base.
And that's what we went for andI was like we might as well
just spend a little bit morethis year than have to like come
back by more stands or whatever.
So, anyways, hopefully all isgroovy and this can become part
of a tradition.
But I'm so excited.
(17:23):
We had such a great experienceand apparently this place is
like a hobbyist farm totally.
It's just a family and theirproperty and they I think they
said they plant 1,000 trees ayear and they're only open for
two weekends and they just dotime slots where everyone can
come and get, like each family'slove to come and have one tree.
They're all the same price.
There's like so many differentsizes.
(17:46):
There's huge trees, there'stiny trees, there's every type
of different tree.
They're all just like around onthis front lawn of like this,
obviously like farm typeproperty.
So it's a big front lawn andyou get your tree and then you
pop it in your car.
We brought, we bought bungeesbecause we weren't sure if we'd
need to put it on top of our car, but we were able to fit it in
our car so we put it in our caron a tarp and then they have a
(18:08):
little hot chocolate shack andyou grab a hot chocolate and a
candy cane and it's like allincluded in the price of this
tree and you sit by the fire.
It's so lovely.
They had a little toy basketfor Ro to pick out a treat Like.
It was just so lovely.
You could tell it was just likea family family doing family
business in their like yard.
It was amazing.
I absolutely loved it.
(18:28):
And this was the last weekend.
So I said to Starve, I was likewe need to mark down in our
calendar like these two weekends, or at least the previous
weekend, so we look into it anddon't miss the opportunity
because it was just all over,like it just felt good.
It was so good.
And every tree farm I've everbeen to growing up or with
Trevor, that one time we wentlike they're quite a business,
(18:52):
like they you go and it's busyand it's like definitely like
there's like the, the farm store.
You know like classic.
You go, there's the farm storewith the ornaments.
There's all the different trees, every rose, a different price,
every size, a different price.
They they'll stand it for youthere.
They'll stick it through themachine that wraps it up, and
(19:14):
then you can like go and enjoyhot chocolate, if you want to
buy that, or whatever, and likethere's tractor rides.
It's like a whole experience,right, but it's busy and it's
expensive.
Like this was $80, I think, forwhatever tree size you want it.
So and they had huge trees.
I was saying to Trevor, hisparents used to always get a
really huge, real tree, but it'salways been like kind of a
(19:35):
habit of keeping it up, it fallsover and whatever.
So they they don't get that biganymore.
But I was saying, if yourparents want to get a big, big
tree, they should definitelycome here because it's
definitely worth your pennies.
But it just felt like such agood experience, especially with
little kids, well, little row,and it just felt like good.
(19:55):
I really liked it, I reallyenjoyed myself.
So, anyways, my first holidaybucket list is to cut down a
tree, and I just had to sharethat story since we did it today
.
Anyways.
My second is to cook and bakefor joy.
Like I feel like I've alwaysobviously cooked and baked for
joy.
That's been such a big part ofmy heart and soul my entire life
(20:15):
.
But now that I've moved intohaving it as a career and doing
it on social media and gettingto share my home cooking that
way.
It's been so amazing.
But it also adds that layer oflike work and so I really want
to focus this holiday season,which is why we're doing the
recipe of the day, which I knowlike seems like oh, now that I'm
saying that it's for work, buthonestly it doesn't feel like it
(20:37):
, because the recipe of the dayis literally just me sharing
things that have come into mylife, that have been a big part
of my holiday traditions andholiday seasons, that I've
learned from family members andfriends alike, that I've taken
like each year of my life andthat I get to share with you,
which really does feel like joyand it fills our home with so
(20:59):
much warmth and delicious smellsand deliciousness and honestly,
I wouldn't cook as much asthese 12 recipes I wouldn't cook
them all this in one year if Iwasn't sharing them for online
and it gives me the opportunityto just share more with
neighbors and people who weintermingle with and roast
school teachers Like I just feellike it's definitely opening my
(21:22):
heart to more joy this season.
So definitely cooking andbaking for joy and I hope that
you find something beautiful inour recipes of the day as well
that you try out.
And there's nothing like slowingdown and being in the kitchen.
It is one of my absolutefavorite activities and I
personally, like this is myhappy place is when I clean the
(21:43):
kitchen.
First, I love to have a nice,clean kitchen and then I'm
always a cooker and cleaner.
I never like a big mess after,so I like to take my time in
between each task if I have like, if something's in the oven or
something needs to rest, and Itake that time to load up the
dishwasher, wipe down thecounter whatever it is, wash a
hand dish, so that at the endit's not like I'm overwhelmed
(22:05):
with dishes and it just is.
That's immaculate to me, likehaving a clean kitchen space
that I'm using and loving andcaring for, while also creating
something delicious to sharewith my family and friends.
Like I really, really love thatyou can put on the Christmas
music or listen to a podcast andit just fills the house with
(22:25):
warmth and we put our tree in aplace where I can see it from
the kitchen.
This year, which is so excitingI had a big debate where we were
gonna put our tree.
Normally we put it in a cornerthat you could see from the
kitchen.
If you were like all the way onthe one end, which is not where
I cook in the kitchen, it'swould only be a very specific
place.
But I actually we have that newlike old desk that we got
(22:48):
gifted from a Family friend whois moving and not bringing it
with her, and so that's there,and I was like, oh, I want to
try it kind of on the other sideof our living room and then I
can see it from the kitchen whenI'm really cooking.
And I do spend a lot of my timein my kitchen and it is so
dreamy, like it really does justbring so much magic and warmth
into my line of sight while I'mthere so cooking and baking for
(23:12):
joy, and I'm trying to, once aday, just like make something
that is purely for joy, like ithas nothing to do necessarily
with what we're gonna have fordinner, lunch, breakfast, snack,
whatever, like obviously we'regonna eat it, but it's not, it's
just a fun thing to make andit's bringing me so much
Happiness it really, really isNext up on the list.
(23:37):
I want to take row for Stutteredhard there for her first ice
skating.
We don't have outdoor ringshere, I don't think, unless it's
like on a pond or the lake whenit gets really cold, which
won't be now.
Honestly, has been so hotrecently like it was like 14
yesterday.
It was wild.
(23:59):
It was like wait what.
I thought it was winter time.
So funny.
I wanted snow so bad for theweekend to go cut down our tree
and end up being, I Feel, likealmost better because we didn't
get snow.
If it was gonna have to be cold, I would have wanted snow, but
wasn't cold, so it was so nicewe didn't have to wear coats,
like perfect.
That's one or the other is goodfor me.
But anyways, what I was gonnasay Was I want to take row for
(24:23):
her first ice skate.
She's never been on skatesbefore and I always.
I almost bought her a pair likeyou can get cheapy pairs for
$30, 20 bucks, something likethat at Canadian Tire, and I
almost bought her a pair lastwinter because I'm not sure how
the rentals work here and Iactually myself was enjoying
going skating, like just forrecreational purposes.
(24:44):
I was like, oh, maybe it'll beworth it if we just go skating
once a week or whatever, but Ididn't end up doing it.
Life got busy, I don't remember.
But this year I'm like, oh, wegot to go skating.
And since Trevor usuallydoesn't take holidays off around
Christmas time he never takeshis holidays then because Except
for, obviously, like theholidays that are given because
(25:05):
I feel like that's like a lifehack if you work in office life
it's not worth it to takeChristmas the days before after
Christmas off, because they'realways so quiet anyways.
And if I mean, like, if youwork from home, obviously if you
have to go into the office,that's more annoying.
But if you work from home andit's like now there's not much
to do, like don't waste yourholidays on that.
(25:26):
But anyways, because he's in anew job now they actually have
set Holiday hours, like they'reclosed for a week around
Christmas time, nobody's working, so he's gonna be off.
So it's like, oh, we should allgo ice skating together.
That would be so fun and it'dbe fun to see row, try out ice
skating for the first time, andI think that's just such a
classic thing, that was such anintegral part of my childhood.
(25:47):
But in Toronto there's so manyoutdoor skating rinks like I
could just think of three thatwere close by to me and Growing
up and we would go skating allthe time.
That was such a big part ofFriday nights and Saturdays
Growing up and just walk it overto the ice rink and hitting up
(26:07):
the Going on skates with yourfriends, like all the way into
high school, like we would dothat.
I loved going skating.
I wish that that was more here,because there's something
different about an indoor rinkthan an outdoor rink like he has
.
An Outdoor rink doesn't get tobe open all the time and it
probably wouldn't be open nowbecause it's so warm out.
But an indoor rink, I guess, isalso nice because it's open
(26:30):
year-round.
But there is a difference.
There's something magical aboutoutdoor skating, I guess, an
indoor, when you also don't getlike freezing cold, which is
nice.
You know what?
I'm happy to be in an indoorrink, it's okay, life's gonna be
okay.
But on that, I also really wantto go skiing.
So me and Trevor are skiers.
We haven't been skiing sinceFor four years, like it was.
(26:51):
It's been a long time becausewe didn't go skiing the winter.
That row was born of 2020because I was very pregnant, so
we wouldn't have gone skiingthat winter and then we haven't
gone skiing ever since then,mainly because we moved further
away from the ski hills that areclose by or that were close by.
(27:13):
We used to always go to blueBecause when we live in Toronto
it was just like an hour drive,but now it would be like a whole
nother.
Actually, it's almost likethree hours to get to
Collingwood from here.
It's a long, it's a long track,but we do live closer to now
Ellicottville, which is justover the border.
So we need to get real passport, which we finally did last year
and we're all set.
(27:34):
And Rose I got that prime age togo skiing and she really wants
to go like last year we went toCollingwood to visit friends at
the end of the winter and it wasa snowy day and we went over to
the hill to get beaver tailsyum, the best thing ever.
Um, I.
And when we're eating ourbeaver tails we were watching
all the skiers come down and rowis like, so invested she wanted
to go, so bad and I said, oh,next Christmas we can go.
(27:57):
And now she always calls likeif you say Christmas, she thinks
of skiing.
So she really wants to go.
So I don't now be, now thatit's so warm.
It's like I don't know if we'regonna go over Christmas break.
I really hope it cools downbecause I'd love to go, if not
over Christmas break, them forsure.
Hopefully A weekend in January.
I would really, really, reallylove to go.
(28:18):
Also, it's just fun, like forme and Trev, and it'll be so fun
to see row hit the hills.
Oh, we can bring my mom so wecan take breaks if she wants to
and hang out in the ski lounge.
Also, the ski lounge is so funat Ellicottville.
So Ellicottville is in Buffalo,so it's in the US and it's so.
It's such a different vibebecause everyone like brings
(28:39):
their own food.
Like when me and Trevor Wentthere last time, it would have
been February of 2019, so longago.
We took Trevor sisters onfamily day, we went skiing and
we had such a blast.
But everyone goes to the skilodge and brings their crockpots
.
Like everyone has someone who'slike Guarding their table and
they drop off all their stuffand they plug in their crockpots
(29:01):
and they have their bottles ofwine.
They be yo Be.
Like they bring their own booze.
I like that is so foreign tohow Ski life is, at least that I
have ever experienced here.
Definitely not bring your ownbooze, that is not allowed and I
have never really seen anyonebring out a crockpot in the
lounge.
So I'm just like so excited forthat life, like I keep saying
(29:21):
to drive around like I just wantto be the ski mom With her
crockpot and her bottle of wine,like and my mom would love that
too Like it just sounds likethe type of life that I want to
live.
So, anyways, that's somethingI'm really looking forward to.
And then, honestly, my list isnot huge because, as you know,
(29:42):
I'm trying to just reallyembrace the slowdown, and so one
of the biggest things that Ilove doing is Doing all the free
, fun things that your communityhas to offer, which is amazing,
like I, especially here.
Ever since we moved to Niagara,I feel like there's always free
, fun stuff going on, and we'reso lucky because we live so
(30:04):
close to Niagara Falls, which isamazing because one you can get
funnel cakes whenever you want,which is just like my favorite
thing ever.
You can also, like I, there'ssomething so fun about Niagara
Falls, like I feel like somepeople are like, oh, niagara
Falls, but I guess, when youlive close to it because you can
just like drop by and driveover whenever you want, like
there's no pressure and youdon't need to do everything.
(30:26):
But if you like, all of asudden you're like, hey, I want
to play arcade games and or Iwant to go go carding, or I just
want to like Do what do you?
What is it?
Haunted houses, like thingslike.
Or go find a ride, like it'sall so close.
I just think that's so fun, andso those things cost money.
But what I was gonna say wasthat Niagara Falls itself has
(30:47):
the lights drive-through.
They always decorate in frontof the falls so beautifully.
And then there's the littlelight drive-through which is
donation based.
It is free, but like it's goodto give your donation, and so I
love doing that and we it's.
I love doing it on a weeknightbecause then it's not busy and
we just like one day we'll havedinner and we'll be like, hey,
why don't we drive over to thefalls and go do the the
(31:08):
drive-through?
And now they're actually doingfireworks at 8 pm On the
weekends, on Friday and Saturday, I think.
I'm not.
I'm not sure about Sunday, butfor the Week of Christmas I'm
pretty sure they're doing itevery night, so that's always
something fun.
You would just have to pay forparking, finds and parking and
then you can go see thefireworks and do the lights and
(31:28):
you can actually get out of yourcar and walk through the lights
as well.
You don't have to Sit, and thenthey always have.
I feel like Coca-Cola last yearbrought Santa, so there's
always like a Santa boothsomewhere and it's just fun,
free activities.
But also, like in our closercommunity, they have this thing
called let it go glow going on.
That they've been doing forlike the past three winters I
think, and it's so fun.
They have light booths all overthe place and they have
(31:51):
different activities ondifferent nights going on and
you can just go and walk around.
And we went and did that lastnight, especially on that warm
night.
It was like literally no jacketwalking around, what, looking
at the Christmas lights, it wasvery like what, what's going on.
But it was the perfect night todo it and it was so fun.
And it's just fun when you canhave that magic and Obviously
(32:13):
not have to spend the money,because the holidays can be very
much Expensive.
They can add up when you, whenyou get into wanting to do lots
of different types of things.
But yeah, so just like reallyLooking into community events
and seeing what's going on.
That so fun.
And I did an update for you, asI did say in a couple episodes
(32:34):
go that I had joined a runningclub and Joined because I think
it's like more of a drop-inthing, I don't know, like you're
not signing up for it and youdon't have to run.
I walk, I feel like I'm one ofthe only people who walks.
But I did go this weekend and Isaid I hadn't been for a while
and me and Ro went this weekend.
We had a wonderful time and itwas in Welland, which I don't
(32:54):
think I've ever actually been inWelland before, like I've
definitely driven through andstopped, maybe at a plaza here
or there, but I don't know ifI've ever been like in downtown
Welland.
And it was such a lovely trailalong the water and it was
really nice.
And we stopped at the blacksheep cafe, which I've had black
sheep coffee it's very popularin Niagara because it's brewed
or roasted here, but it was sucha lovely place and they had
(33:16):
board games and coffee andDonuts and Ro loved it, so it
was quite the vibe.
But yeah, just doing more thingslike that, and why I brought
that up is that is another freeactivity.
So look for those things inyour neighborhood, look for the
free activities and the skating,the free skates, all of that
stuff.
So that's that's a lot of whatwe're gonna do, especially now
(33:37):
leading into Ro's gonna be onholiday soon, which means that I
I get to be on full mom mode,which I love.
Full mom mode I always call itcamp mom when I'm, when Rose on
holiday from school and we justlike go hard and do things hard,
but like we go out and about,we wake up and we get out of the
house and we go do Stuff.
(33:58):
That's fun and find funadventure.
Last year we did lots ofNiagara fall things like I took
her to the bird aviary, which issuch a fun one, and I took her
to the butterfly conservatory,which I actually think I have a
coupon for the butterflyconservatory thinking about that
and that's a really good winterone Because it's so hot.
I find in the summer it's justlike too hot because it's like
hot in the bird conservatory,but, like in the winter it's
(34:20):
perfect because it's just like anice little warm Spot to be.
So yeah, we'll have to go seethe butterflies, but I need to
plan things for that, but that'salways fun and finding what's
going on around the community.
And Then, last but never least,is filling my house with love
and intention.
I'm really trying to focus onbeing present and just being
(34:44):
really intentional with our timeand and that doesn't mean like
doing lots of stuff or Makingsure that I'm always like, aware
of, like, of being productiveor anything like that.
It means like if I'm being andlike Slowing down and sitting
and enjoying the fire andsipping a tea, like that is, I'm
(35:05):
being intentional in that I'msitting and I'm embracing and
I'm thinking and I'm beinggrateful in that moment.
And it's been so warm, it'smade our house feel so much more
warm for me and, yeah, I'mreally trying to Just focus on
that and and bring a lot to joyand have dance parties and
Tickle fights and just likebring the love in.
(35:25):
You know, the good vibes, thegood spirits.
So that's my holiday bucketlist, which I am just so excited
.
And my holiday bucket list isreally a winter bucket list.
It continues on, but this islike the start for me in setting
those intentions for this timeof year when it can be really
dark and and Dreary and, as Isaid, like waking up from a nap
(35:47):
at 3 pm and and being like wait,is it night time now?
And knowing that I'm gonnaleave this studio and it's gonna
be like 4 30 and I'm gonna belike wait, hey, hey, hey, it is
pitch black outside, but it'snot.
It's not like oh no, it's theend of my day.
It's like okay, like let's getdinner cooking, let's set the
mood with some music and let'sjust really enjoy this like slow
(36:13):
down period and I would love tosit and read a book.
Will I do that?
So please give me your bookrecommendations and I'd also
love to know what your holidaybucket list is this year.
And is anyone else?
If you have tips on ski, askiing?
Well, if you have tips onskiing with a Child I wanted to
(36:33):
call her taller.
She's not taller with athree-year-old for the first
time, let me know.
And but I was gonna say skating.
I really don't know much aboutskating.
I guess you get those littlerods that they hold on to.
I'm just excited to see how shetakes to it and what it feels
like for her Row.
So fun when it comes to.
I mean, I think all kids arewhen it comes to trying
something fun, are new.
(36:54):
And I remember scootering.
Our neighbors gave us their oldscooter and it's like she
didn't get it.
She didn't get it and then shewould just practice, practice,
practice the novice.
And she got in.
She was like Ups, like now shetries to do all these little fun
tricks and things.
It's so cute.
But like I just love watchingthe progression and I love that
she like never gives up, evenwhen it's a little frustrating.
(37:18):
We have a saying we say nevergive up, which I know some
people I had said that tosomeone and they were like
that's such a bad saying, likeyou should know when to give in.
And I'm like okay, like yeah,you should.
You should know whatever makesyou feel comfortable, whatever
you should do, whatever worksfor you.
But I say it to row because herand Trevor were racing one day
in the summertime and she wasgetting so frustrated because
(37:40):
every time Trevor got a littlebit faster she would just like
totally, she would just drop tothe ground and, like salt, she
was like I'm never gonna win andthen we would just chant like
never give up, never give up,because I just want to Her to
learn that it's okay If you'rebehind, it's okay as long as you
keep trying and you keepparticipating.
Like that is where yourCompetition lies, it's between
yourself, it's not anybody else.
(38:01):
Like, don't feel like you'rebehind if you're physically
behind someone, but don't justdrop to the ground and fully
give up.
And then she would stand, andthen we would say never give up.
And then she would getfrustrated, she would fall and
she would Cry and we'd say nevergive up, never give up, and she
would stand up and it's likeshe would brush herself off and
she would run.
She'd be like never give up,never give up, and when she gets
(38:22):
the end she feels so proud inherself.
So, yeah, that's one of our funthings and that was where we
taught her that.
But now it's one of thosethings that so beautiful.
For Lots of different times inour life when she's feeling
frustrated and that's a phrasethat she knows in her head, that
means like I can do it.
It might take me a little bitlonger, I'm just learning, it's
okay and I got this.
(38:44):
So, yeah, never give up.
But I am just so excited.
I'm in a very holiday spirittoday, especially with the new
Christmas tree.
Yeah, I can't wait to decorateit.
We also got two littleornaments to add on that row
picked out.
One was a little Porky pine,which is or like hedgehog thing,
which is like favorite, that'slike a favorite for me.
(39:05):
That's a special animal in mylife, and then a foxy.
She loves fox things, so shegot this little fox.
It's so cute.
Oh, and we got these littlebutterfly clips to put on too so
cute.
So I can't wait to decorate thetree.
But let's get into our recipe ofthe day.
Hey, yeah, cute.
This is one of my favoriterecipes is actually a tasty
(39:27):
recipe.
Do you remember?
Tasty, like those videos thatused to play on Facebook.
I Think my mom had sent it tome, or maybe I saw it and I sent
it to my mom.
I don't know, but either way,we I made it for the first time
I was living at home, so I must.
I feel like it was like when Iwas like 20, or I feel like it
was when I was 20, so maybe like10 years ago.
(39:48):
This is like a classic,delicious recipe and it is such
a Encompassment of likesomething that our family like,
love so much, so it is calledbangers and mash in a blanket.
I don't actually know if thatwas what the title of it was,
but I'm gonna call it that.
But it's basically like Sausage, mashed potatoes or smashed
(40:10):
potatoes, because you will champtechnically.
So you like have the greenonion, whatever.
I'm gonna show you the recipe,don't worry, cute.
But so it's champ, which islike mashed potatoes but with a
little bit more Sausage, andit's like all rolled into puff
pastry.
It is so friggin good and youcan make gravy if you want, but
we are like an HP sauce Love, sowe dip it in HP sauce.
(40:34):
But oh my gosh, and I'm soexcited to share this recipe.
It's super simple, it's so fun.
I feel like it's such a classic.
We usually make it on ChristmasEve and it's just one of those
things that has carried us likeliterally and I don't know how
to tell.
I actually looked at, Iactually got Facebook memory the
other day with it in it and Iwas like, oh, yes, that's the
(40:55):
recipe and I clicked on itbecause I was like, oh, I want
to see who the the person whomade it was.
So I can give them credit.
But it didn't say it, just saidtasty.
So I don't actually know how tolook up who.
I guess when you work for tasty, you make it through tasty, I
don't know, but anyways, itwould just be fun to see, like,
where that person is now.
But, yeah, so it is sodelicious.
(41:17):
Go check out a TikTok,instagram, whatever I'll post it
everywhere.
It'll be on YouTube as well.
Five years time podcast and it'ssuper simple, I promise it's
such a good one.
It's even just fun to make likefor Middle of the afternoon
weekend activity.
It honestly doesn't even takethat long, but it's so good.
So we are having bangers andmash in a blanket and I'd love
(41:39):
to know if you have champ inyour life, if you know what
champ is, because the champcutie should unite.
That was such a big part of mychildhood, having a dad from
Northern Ireland, so we lovewhen we have champ whenever it
happens.
But yeah, I'm so excited.
Okay, so that is today'sepisode.
Thank you so much for beinghere.
(41:59):
I can't believe we're alreadyon day Four.
I'm like which day are we on,for?
It feels so Long and so shortat the same time, like it's like
what?
Four episodes already and thefact that there's an episode up
on a Saturday.
I'm just getting so thrown off,but I'm having so much fun
doing it.
I've put on this uniform after Iwoke up for my nap.
(42:21):
I'm calling it my uniform.
I put this on after I woke upfor my nap and I was like, oh, I
do like, love a uniform I wishI had.
I never went to private schoolor anything like that, so I
never had a school uniform orCatholic school, but it's like I
feel like I would have vibedwith that.
Just add a little bit somethingfun, if you want to, but other
than that and I'll have to thinkabout what you're gonna wear
every day I Feel like I wouldhave vibed with that.
(42:43):
But any hoose, okay, cute, I'llsee you all tomorrow.
We'll come back for a reallyfun episode on our first Sunday
of 12 days of Pardoness.
Love you, love you, love you,thank you.
Hey cuties, welcome back to 12 days of Podmas.
What day are we on today?
Oh, my goodness, this is whereI need to start counting.
We're on day four.
Ah, which means it's Saturday.
Happy Saturday, cuties.
I just had the best Saturdaynap.
(00:28):
Who has a Saturday nap?
Anybody out there?
I'm such a napper and I lookforward to Saturday nap like
nothing else in my life.
Rowe doesn't nap at schoolanymore and she totally still
could.
So like I feel like everysingle day when I pick her up,
like 80% of the time she fallsasleep on the way home and every
(00:52):
so often she'll want to have anap after school, which is like
we try to avoid that because itpushes bedtime, it throws
everything off.
But sometimes she's just sotired and she'll end up having
like an hour nap and it's likeno.
But on Saturday I feel like shehas the most juicy, delicious,
like lovely nap because she'sjust like so excited and
(01:15):
exhausted from her week ofbusyness.
And I always participate aswell and I just love it.
But I always feel like I wake uplike so disoriented, especially
this time of year, like in thesummertime or the warmer months,
when we have that afternoon nap.
It's like you wake up, it'slike three o'clock.
You're so excited.
You have the rest of yourbeautiful day.
(01:35):
We'll like run out of me in thepool or we'll go to a park.
You still have so much timelike left in the day.
It almost feels like you'rerejuvenated for the rest of your
day, where I feel like thewinter nap.
It's like a mind switch atfirst and then once you embrace
it, you embrace it.
But it's like you wake up andyou're like it's so dark, it's
(01:55):
it's starting to get dark.
Oh, my gosh, like I'm soconfused.
What am I gonna do?
What's the rest of the dayahead?
But it's been so lovely nowthat I'm like switching my mind
over to that.
It's more like, okay, we'llhave a slow dinner on Saturday,
or oh, yeah, and Saturday.
Sorry, I just got so confusedfor a second.
(02:16):
I was like wait, but Saturdayor Sunday Trevor and Ro will and
will go to um wound up, goingand doing something in the
afternoon, usually after theweekend naps with some of the
neighbor kids and that's fun,and then I'm able to have some
of my own time.
So it's like when I wake upfrom the nap it's like oh, what
(02:36):
am I gonna do?
Am I gonna catch up on someshows.
Am I gonna record the podcast?
Get some work, whatever, Ireally am looking for a book to
read over this holiday time.
The last thing I read waslessons in chemistry and I think
it would be a nice afternoon towake up from your nap and just
enjoy a book by the fire.
(02:56):
Oh, and the Christmas tree,that would be so nice.
If anyone has any bookrecommendations, something light
, something fun um, I'verecently done a memoir and I've
done lessons in chemistry whichI guess would be considered like
a romance and so, yeah,something, something within that
.
Uh, I don't know if I maybe amemoir.
(03:17):
A memoir is always fun.
I do love a memoir.
I feel so educated after, butmaybe like a winter cozy, a
winter romance.
You, let me know, give me somebookrex.
I'm looking for something toread to keep me comfy in those
in those dark weekend afternoons.
But, that being said, that'sgonna lead to this week's
episode or this week.
Oh my gosh, it's not this week,it's this day, since we're
(03:39):
doing 12 episodes leading up toChristmas.
But that leads me into uh, Iguess the title of this episode
or like the theme is we aretalking all about the holiday
bucket list.
I always try and a bucket list,I feel like, is such a such a
big word and, um, it got popular.
(04:01):
I feel like wasn't there amovie called bucket list or
whatever?
And bucket list is kind of likeyour goals to do before you're
at life ends and like it's kindof like this huge thing.
But I kind of like to break itup if you've been a long time
follower, you know by season orlike time period of my life and
just so I can be moreintentional with my time.
(04:22):
So today we're going to talkabout what I'm being intentional
about and wanting to um,wanting to set forward and
complete or get done orparticipate in this holiday
season.
I'm also drinking somethingother than water.
Whoo, it's also kind of makingme really hot.
Hmm, I got a piece.
Okay, it's a clove.
(04:44):
I'm having clove tea.
So if you haven't had clove tea, hmm, you're missing out.
I actually saw a tick talk onit.
I'm gonna put this over here.
I actually saw a tick talk onit and it was someone saying how
clove tea is like the ultimatehealer of um I think, mainly
colds and stuff like that likeif you feel yourself getting
(05:05):
sick if you drink clove tea andthen after, um, what you do is
you chew on one of the clovesand then spit it out.
It like helps to I don't knowget your immune system working,
or whatever.
And, honestly, every time sincewe were so, we were all passing
back and forth all those coldsfor like an entire month.
I'm like so on the ball.
(05:26):
So the second I like feel mythroat drying or I wake up and
I'm like, oh, it's a little sore, whatever.
It's like middle of theafternoon I'm like, hmm, I like
make myself a clove tea and nowit's kind of just become.
It's actually so delicious, ittastes like kind of Christmas in
a cup.
I made it for Trevor todaybecause he said his throat was
hurting.
Send us positive vibes, cute,send us positive vibes.
(05:46):
But Trevor actually didn't getsick for the majority of us all
passing sicknesses, like I feellike he did at the very
beginning, but then he waspretty much feeling good the
entire time, which is likeamazing.
Um, but I really hope that hedoesn't get sick now and I
really hope it doesn't start awhole another pass it around.
So everyone send the positivevibes to Trevor.
But I did make him a clove tea.
(06:07):
I taught him how to make it andso basically all you do is six
cloves, which you just get wholecloves you can get them
anywhere at your grocery store,bulk bar and whatever and you
put five to six in a cup andthen you just put your boiling
water on top and you let itsteep for 15 minutes and then it
is just delicious.
(06:27):
You have it on your own, likewithout anything in it, and it's
, it's sweet, it tastes likeChristmas, it's, it's like a
spicy taste.
Trevor was uh, comparing it tohe was like oh, it's kind of
chai-esque, which I'm honestlynot a huge chai cutie, but maybe
I do like chai.
I don't know if I've ever hadlike true chai not that this
would be true chai, but truechai in the sense that it's like
not a syrup, it's like madewith the spices.
(06:53):
There is this tea shop that usedto be local to us but I feel
like it's only online now andI'm not sure like where they run
out of, but it's a run.
It's called the apothecary orsomething, and they have this
tea blend called a sticky chaiand it always sounds so
delicious, just like sticky chai, like it sounds like mmm, like
I don't know, just like a warmhug.
(07:14):
But like I've always beenhesitant because I'm not a big
chai cutie.
But now I'm like maybe I dolike chai, so I gotta give it a
try, but anyways.
So that's how you make clovetea and then when you get to the
end, you just take one of thecloves and you chew on it and
it's so spicy, like not like hotspicy, but like spicy, like
spices, cinnamon and stuff.
Um, a clove and uh, itdefinitely is like ooh, but it's
(07:36):
not that bad.
And the TikTok I said to chew onit for a minute.
I find that really hard becauseit like disintegrates.
So I just chew on it until Ireally can't chew on it anymore,
it actually, and then you justrinse out your mouth.
It actually leaves your mouthfeeling so fresh.
It's like I'm really not a gumgirl anymore.
I used to love gum and now Ireally don't like it.
Like there's something about ifI like am desperate to need
(07:59):
something or I need some salivaor something in my throat, like
then I'll have a piece of gum,but I always regret it, like I
really don't enjoy gum anymoreand so, um, this is almost like
10 times better, if you want,like a mouth freshener.
And I was reading through thecomments on that TikTok and
everyone was saying that clothesare like incredibly uh, good
(08:20):
for oral health and hygiene andlike, if you have like a
toothache or um, something likethat I don't know, like
obviously it's not a fix all,but it can be really helpful,
and so I do feel like that couldbe true.
And if you remember I'm notsure I think I've talked about
this a few times, but I nevergot my wisdom teeth out and I
have I think I only have threewisdom teeth, but the ones on
(08:43):
the bottom crow and so weird,they like uh, fused to my other
molars.
So now I have like this megajumbo molar and every um, it's
way less frequent now I'm goingto the dentist more and keeping
up with like good uh, mouthhygiene, which I feel like I
always have, oral hygiene, whichI feel like I always have.
(09:04):
But now I know how tospecifically like avoid the
flare ups, um, because it's likeif something gets stuck in the
back behind my molars.
Anyway, long story short isthat every now I'm going to say
it's every six months.
It used to be more frequentthan that, but every six months
or so I really get a bad acheand, um, it's at the point where
I can't really get my teeth, mywisdom teeth out because they
(09:26):
fused to my back molar.
So it's like a really big anddangerous surgery and it
involves like a whole bunch ofthings that like, if I could
avoid it, it's better.
That's what my dentist says.
So, anyways, I'm now like oohwhen I get those flare ups, like
I used to not, I used to justtake Advil and, um, lay low and
(09:48):
try to like work through thecouple days that I would have
that pain.
But now I'm like ooh, next timethat happens I'm going to try
chewing on a clove to see whathappens, like I'd make a clove
tea and just see if it helps,because I'm interested, I'm
intrigued, but anyways, I amdrinking a delicious clove tea
in my Christmas mug.
Mmm and Alibi's joined us today.
(10:10):
Hi, al Aw, you kind of can'tsee her, cause I'm wearing my
uniform, my black leggings andred shirt or red sweater, but
I'll be sitting here on our lapIf you're watching on YouTube.
Such a cutie.
You were having cozy vibestoday.
But I have just had a really,really lovely day and I can't
wait to get into it because Ifeel like a lot of the bucket
(10:32):
list items we've been checkingoff this weekend and I'm excited
to talk on them, but also totalk about what I'm looking
forward to um, for the rest ofthe season.
Okay, I gotta put this tea downor else I'm going to be boiling
Boiling Now that I have a hotdog on me.
Hot dog, hot dog, hot, big, big,big.
What's that?
(10:55):
The Mickey Mouse Club?
I, I haven't watched the MickeyMouse Club in so long because
that is oh, I guess it's onDisney plus.
I was trying to think like, butI don't know if it was a big
Mickey Mouse Club girly.
Anyways, the holiday bucketlist.
My holiday bucket list numberone item we actually just did
(11:16):
this morning and it was solovely and it was our first year
doing it as a family of three,but even me and Trevor and
haven't done it for our place.
We did it once before for mymom's house, like long ago, but
we have not done it for us.
We've always gone the artificialroute and I guess you can guess
what that is it's cut down atree.
(11:37):
So we have always had anartificial tree when we were in
the condo, because I don't thinkyou're allowed to have at least
our condo a real tree,firehouse fire has it probably.
And also I wonder how.
Actually I don't even know ifthat's the main reason.
I'm just thinking now.
I wonder how they would discardof fake or real trees because
(11:58):
here, like, if you're in a house, you can just put it out at
your curb for whatever.
Like the couple of garbage dayspast Christmas they usually
have like specific Christmaspick up, christmas tree pick up.
But yeah, in a condo I don'tthink they want a Christmas tree
in the garbage room.
There's not really like a placeto put it and that would be
annoying to have to like takeall the Christmas trees out.
(12:19):
That's probably the reason isthey don't want to have to worry
about the discarding of it,because I feel like there's lots
more things that are firehazards for condos that aren't
Christmas trees, like candlesAnyways.
So we've always had anartificial Christmas tree.
We moved to this house with ourartificial Christmas tree that I
still have the like price onthe box.
It was like $30 or something.
It was not expensive and it wasgreat for our condo.
(12:42):
And once we got to the house itwas like I knew I wanted a
little bit bigger not a hugeChristmas tree and our spaces
and like our living spaces andthat much more extravagant in
the sense of height or anything.
But I just knew that the treefelt a little small.
I'll be sorry if you're looking, I just knew that the tree felt
a little bit small.
(13:02):
And so our first year here I waslike, oh, I'm going to look
into what kind of trees thereare.
And I was like humbled quicklybut I realized how expensive
they are.
Oh, our dog visitors wanting toleave Bye, bye, bye, sis.
But yeah, I was like, oh mygosh, I don't want to spend like
300 plus dollars on a Christmastree and I just feel like I'm
(13:24):
not in the right place to evencommit to that.
And what if I want to get areal tree down the line?
Because we always had fake andreal trees growing up, I feel
like we had fake for a long time.
And then I put forward that weshould start getting real trees.
And then we would.
We had real trees for likeyears.
(13:45):
And then I think I went away toschool and my mom got a fake
tree because that was justeasier for her.
So I was like, oh gosh, I justspilled tea on my foot.
I went to put my cup down and Iwas like, oh no, something just
fell on me.
And then it was like, oh, I'msorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm
sorry, I just fell on me.
And then it was like, oh, it'shot water, but anyways.
(14:06):
So I was like I'm just not inthe mood to commit to this much
to a tree, blah, blah, blah,blah.
I also didn't know where I wantthe tree in our house to be,
like, I assume, the living room,because that's like our main
floor.
You can, we'd see it most times.
But I also thought there was agood spot in our, like rec room,
which isn't the basement.
It was just a whole thing and Iwas not ready.
That's the way we've just beenusing our tree from our condo,
(14:29):
which worked out perfectly fine.
And then last year we put it upand I was kind of like you know
what?
Next year we're getting a realtree.
Like.
I just want to get a real tree,experience it once at least.
We'll see if we like it andthen we can move forward.
We still have our fake tree.
It's somewhere, it's in theshed or whatever.
So this year was the year wewent to get our real tree and so
(14:52):
every time I've had a real treein the past I've always had
just like a normal real tree.
I don't know what normal means,but like it looks the same,
it's like a classic Christmastree, like a triangle shape,
classic dark green, evergreen Idon't know the names of all the
trees, but just classic.
And I kind of had this ideathat, like I was like I want
something different, I wantsomething unique and interesting
(15:14):
, like not necessarily CharlieBrown, like small and like sad
looking, but like something alittle different.
So we went to go look forChristmas trees and Christmas
tree farms and it's like, oh,there's like no Christmas tree
farms around us or they're allsold out, like there's like some
Christmas tree shortage thisyear or something.
Anyways, trevor ended upbooking in at this place where
(15:35):
you could do hourly like youcould book an hour trunk and you
only can get one Christmas treeand they all cost the same
amount of money.
So we didn't know what toexpect, but anyways, so we went
and it was so lovely and I feellike it is 100% like now,
ingrained in our traditions,moving forward.
(15:58):
Like I loved that experience, Ialso.
We haven't decorated the treeyet it's just downstairs.
We put it up and now it's justresting because I want it to
come up to room temp and getacclimated before we start
decorating it.
But I love it.
I love that we got somethingunique.
I have no idea what it is, thefur of some sort.
We tried to look it up usingGoogle or some app that we
(16:21):
downloaded to take a picture ofit, but, like it said that it
was like so many different typesof fur.
So I was like, okay, it's forsure a fur, but it's so fun
looking, it's so different andit definitely is a real treat,
like it just looks like a realtree and I'm just so excited
about it.
So if this season of tree goeswell, if I'm able to keep it
(16:42):
alive until Christmas and I'mnot annoyed by it, it's not
falling down.
We got a good.
We got like a very sturdy treestand.
We had a big debate.
There was like one for $50 thatseemed to be like the best one,
and then there was ones thatwere like $10 cheaper, all the
way down to like $20 or $15.
And I was like you know what Ithink we should.
(17:02):
Just I thought really hard thatit shouldn't just go into the
side of the tree.
You should screw something intothe tree and then put it in the
base.
And that's what we went for andI was like we might as well
just spend a little bit morethis year than have to like come
back by more stands or whatever.
So, anyways, hopefully all isgroovy and this can become part
of a tradition.
But I'm so excited.
(17:23):
We had such a great experienceand apparently this place is
like a hobbyist farm totally.
It's just a family and theirproperty and they I think they
said they plant 1,000 trees ayear and they're only open for
two weekends and they just dotime slots where everyone can
come and get, like each family'slove to come and have one tree.
They're all the same price.
There's like so many differentsizes.
(17:46):
There's huge trees, there'stiny trees, there's every type
of different tree.
They're all just like around onthis front lawn of like this,
obviously like farm typeproperty.
So it's a big front lawn andyou get your tree and then you
pop it in your car.
We brought, we bought bungeesbecause we weren't sure if we'd
need to put it on top of our car, but we were able to fit it in
our car so we put it in our caron a tarp and then they have a
(18:08):
little hot chocolate shack andyou grab a hot chocolate and a
candy cane and it's like allincluded in the price of this
tree and you sit by the fire.
It's so lovely.
They had a little toy basketfor Ro to pick out a treat Like.
It was just so lovely.
You could tell it was just likea family family doing family
business in their like yard.
It was amazing.
I absolutely loved it.
(18:28):
And this was the last weekend.
So I said to Starve, I was likewe need to mark down in our
calendar like these two weekends, or at least the previous
weekend, so we look into it anddon't miss the opportunity
because it was just all over,like it just felt good.
It was so good.
And every tree farm I've everbeen to growing up or with
Trevor, that one time we wentlike they're quite a business,
(18:52):
like they you go and it's busyand it's like definitely like
there's like the, the farm store.
You know like classic.
You go, there's the farm storewith the ornaments.
There's all the different trees, every rose, a different price,
every size, a different price.
They they'll stand it for youthere.
They'll stick it through themachine that wraps it up, and
(19:14):
then you can like go and enjoyhot chocolate, if you want to
buy that, or whatever, and likethere's tractor rides.
It's like a whole experience,right, but it's busy and it's
expensive.
Like this was $80, I think, forwhatever tree size you want it.
So and they had huge trees.
I was saying to Trevor, hisparents used to always get a
really huge, real tree, but it'salways been like kind of a
(19:35):
habit of keeping it up, it fallsover and whatever.
So they they don't get that biganymore.
But I was saying, if yourparents want to get a big, big
tree, they should definitelycome here because it's
definitely worth your pennies.
But it just felt like such agood experience, especially with
little kids, well, little row,and it just felt like good.
(19:55):
I really liked it, I reallyenjoyed myself.
So, anyways, my first holidaybucket list is to cut down a
tree, and I just had to sharethat story since we did it today
.
Anyways.
My second is to cook and bakefor joy.
Like I feel like I've alwaysobviously cooked and baked for
joy.
That's been such a big part ofmy heart and soul my entire life
(20:15):
.
But now that I've moved intohaving it as a career and doing
it on social media and gettingto share my home cooking that
way.
It's been so amazing.
But it also adds that layer oflike work and so I really want
to focus this holiday season,which is why we're doing the
recipe of the day, which I knowlike seems like oh, now that I'm
saying that it's for work, buthonestly it doesn't feel like it
(20:37):
, because the recipe of the dayis literally just me sharing
things that have come into mylife, that have been a big part
of my holiday traditions andholiday seasons, that I've
learned from family members andfriends alike, that I've taken
like each year of my life andthat I get to share with you,
which really does feel like joyand it fills our home with so
(20:59):
much warmth and delicious smellsand deliciousness and honestly,
I wouldn't cook as much asthese 12 recipes I wouldn't cook
them all this in one year if Iwasn't sharing them for online
and it gives me the opportunityto just share more with
neighbors and people who weintermingle with and roast
school teachers Like I just feellike it's definitely opening my
(21:22):
heart to more joy this season.
So definitely cooking andbaking for joy and I hope that
you find something beautiful inour recipes of the day as well
that you try out.
And there's nothing like slowingdown and being in the kitchen.
It is one of my absolutefavorite activities and I
personally, like this is myhappy place is when I clean the
(21:43):
kitchen.
First, I love to have a nice,clean kitchen and then I'm
always a cooker and cleaner.
I never like a big mess after,so I like to take my time in
between each task if I have like, if something's in the oven or
something needs to rest, and Itake that time to load up the
dishwasher, wipe down thecounter whatever it is, wash a
hand dish, so that at the endit's not like I'm overwhelmed
(22:05):
with dishes and it just is.
That's immaculate to me, likehaving a clean kitchen space
that I'm using and loving andcaring for, while also creating
something delicious to sharewith my family and friends.
Like I really, really love thatyou can put on the Christmas
music or listen to a podcast andit just fills the house with
(22:25):
warmth and we put our tree in aplace where I can see it from
the kitchen.
This year, which is so excitingI had a big debate where we were
gonna put our tree.
Normally we put it in a cornerthat you could see from the
kitchen.
If you were like all the way onthe one end, which is not where
I cook in the kitchen, it'swould only be a very specific
place.
But I actually we have that newlike old desk that we got
(22:48):
gifted from a Family friend whois moving and not bringing it
with her, and so that's there,and I was like, oh, I want to
try it kind of on the other sideof our living room and then I
can see it from the kitchen whenI'm really cooking.
And I do spend a lot of my timein my kitchen and it is so
dreamy, like it really does justbring so much magic and warmth
into my line of sight while I'mthere so cooking and baking for
(23:12):
joy, and I'm trying to, once aday, just like make something
that is purely for joy, like ithas nothing to do necessarily
with what we're gonna have fordinner, lunch, breakfast, snack,
whatever, like obviously we'regonna eat it, but it's not, it's
just a fun thing to make andit's bringing me so much
Happiness it really, really isNext up on the list.
(23:37):
I want to take row for Stutteredhard there for her first ice
skating.
We don't have outdoor ringshere, I don't think, unless it's
like on a pond or the lake whenit gets really cold, which
won't be now.
Honestly, has been so hotrecently like it was like 14
yesterday.
It was wild.
(23:59):
It was like wait what.
I thought it was winter time.
So funny.
I wanted snow so bad for theweekend to go cut down our tree
and end up being, I Feel, likealmost better because we didn't
get snow.
If it was gonna have to be cold, I would have wanted snow, but
wasn't cold, so it was so nicewe didn't have to wear coats,
like perfect.
That's one or the other is goodfor me.
But anyways, what I was gonnasay Was I want to take row for
(24:23):
her first ice skate.
She's never been on skatesbefore and I always.
I almost bought her a pair likeyou can get cheapy pairs for
$30, 20 bucks, something likethat at Canadian Tire, and I
almost bought her a pair lastwinter because I'm not sure how
the rentals work here and Iactually myself was enjoying
going skating, like just forrecreational purposes.
(24:44):
I was like, oh, maybe it'll beworth it if we just go skating
once a week or whatever, but Ididn't end up doing it.
Life got busy, I don't remember.
But this year I'm like, oh, wegot to go skating.
And since Trevor usuallydoesn't take holidays off around
Christmas time he never takeshis holidays then because Except
for, obviously, like theholidays that are given because
(25:05):
I feel like that's like a lifehack if you work in office life
it's not worth it to takeChristmas the days before after
Christmas off, because they'realways so quiet anyways.
And if I mean, like, if youwork from home, obviously if you
have to go into the office,that's more annoying.
But if you work from home andit's like now there's not much
to do, like don't waste yourholidays on that.
(25:26):
But anyways, because he's in anew job now they actually have
set Holiday hours, like they'reclosed for a week around
Christmas time, nobody's working, so he's gonna be off.
So it's like, oh, we should allgo ice skating together.
That would be so fun and it'dbe fun to see row, try out ice
skating for the first time, andI think that's just such a
classic thing, that was such anintegral part of my childhood.
(25:47):
But in Toronto there's so manyoutdoor skating rinks like I
could just think of three thatwere close by to me and Growing
up and we would go skating allthe time.
That was such a big part ofFriday nights and Saturdays
Growing up and just walk it overto the ice rink and hitting up
(26:07):
the Going on skates with yourfriends, like all the way into
high school, like we would dothat.
I loved going skating.
I wish that that was more here,because there's something
different about an indoor rinkthan an outdoor rink like he has
.
An Outdoor rink doesn't get tobe open all the time and it
probably wouldn't be open nowbecause it's so warm out.
But an indoor rink, I guess, isalso nice because it's open
(26:30):
year-round.
But there is a difference.
There's something magical aboutoutdoor skating, I guess, an
indoor, when you also don't getlike freezing cold, which is
nice.
You know what?
I'm happy to be in an indoorrink, it's okay, life's gonna be
okay.
But on that, I also really wantto go skiing.
So me and Trevor are skiers.
We haven't been skiing sinceFor four years, like it was.
(26:51):
It's been a long time becausewe didn't go skiing the winter.
That row was born of 2020because I was very pregnant, so
we wouldn't have gone skiingthat winter and then we haven't
gone skiing ever since then,mainly because we moved further
away from the ski hills that areclose by or that were close by.
(27:13):
We used to always go to blueBecause when we live in Toronto
it was just like an hour drive,but now it would be like a whole
nother.
Actually, it's almost likethree hours to get to
Collingwood from here.
It's a long, it's a long track,but we do live closer to now
Ellicottville, which is justover the border.
So we need to get real passport, which we finally did last year
and we're all set.
(27:34):
And Rose I got that prime age togo skiing and she really wants
to go like last year we went toCollingwood to visit friends at
the end of the winter and it wasa snowy day and we went over to
the hill to get beaver tailsyum, the best thing ever.
Um, I.
And when we're eating ourbeaver tails we were watching
all the skiers come down and rowis like, so invested she wanted
to go, so bad and I said, oh,next Christmas we can go.
(27:57):
And now she always calls likeif you say Christmas, she thinks
of skiing.
So she really wants to go.
So I don't now be, now thatit's so warm.
It's like I don't know if we'regonna go over Christmas break.
I really hope it cools downbecause I'd love to go, if not
over Christmas break, them forsure.
Hopefully A weekend in January.
I would really, really, reallylove to go.
(28:18):
Also, it's just fun, like forme and Trev, and it'll be so fun
to see row hit the hills.
Oh, we can bring my mom so wecan take breaks if she wants to
and hang out in the ski lounge.
Also, the ski lounge is so funat Ellicottville.
So Ellicottville is in Buffalo,so it's in the US and it's so.
It's such a different vibebecause everyone like brings
(28:39):
their own food.
Like when me and Trevor Wentthere last time, it would have
been February of 2019, so longago.
We took Trevor sisters onfamily day, we went skiing and
we had such a blast.
But everyone goes to the skilodge and brings their crockpots
.
Like everyone has someone who'slike Guarding their table and
they drop off all their stuffand they plug in their crockpots
(29:01):
and they have their bottles ofwine.
They be yo Be.
Like they bring their own booze.
I like that is so foreign tohow Ski life is, at least that I
have ever experienced here.
Definitely not bring your ownbooze, that is not allowed and I
have never really seen anyonebring out a crockpot in the
lounge.
So I'm just like so excited forthat life, like I keep saying
(29:21):
to drive around like I just wantto be the ski mom With her
crockpot and her bottle of wine,like and my mom would love that
too Like it just sounds likethe type of life that I want to
live.
So, anyways, that's somethingI'm really looking forward to.
And then, honestly, my list isnot huge because, as you know,
(29:42):
I'm trying to just reallyembrace the slowdown, and so one
of the biggest things that Ilove doing is Doing all the free
, fun things that your communityhas to offer, which is amazing,
like I, especially here.
Ever since we moved to Niagara,I feel like there's always free
, fun stuff going on, and we'reso lucky because we live so
(30:04):
close to Niagara Falls, which isamazing because one you can get
funnel cakes whenever you want,which is just like my favorite
thing ever.
You can also, like I, there'ssomething so fun about Niagara
Falls, like I feel like somepeople are like, oh, niagara
Falls, but I guess, when youlive close to it because you can
just like drop by and driveover whenever you want, like
there's no pressure and youdon't need to do everything.
(30:26):
But if you like, all of asudden you're like, hey, I want
to play arcade games and or Iwant to go go carding, or I just
want to like Do what do you?
What is it?
Haunted houses, like thingslike.
Or go find a ride, like it'sall so close.
I just think that's so fun, andso those things cost money.
But what I was gonna say wasthat Niagara Falls itself has
(30:47):
the lights drive-through.
They always decorate in frontof the falls so beautifully.
And then there's the littlelight drive-through which is
donation based.
It is free, but like it's goodto give your donation, and so I
love doing that and we it's.
I love doing it on a weeknightbecause then it's not busy and
we just like one day we'll havedinner and we'll be like, hey,
why don't we drive over to thefalls and go do the the
(31:08):
drive-through?
And now they're actually doingfireworks at 8 pm On the
weekends, on Friday and Saturday, I think.
I'm not.
I'm not sure about Sunday, butfor the Week of Christmas I'm
pretty sure they're doing itevery night, so that's always
something fun.
You would just have to pay forparking, finds and parking and
then you can go see thefireworks and do the lights and
(31:28):
you can actually get out of yourcar and walk through the lights
as well.
You don't have to Sit, and thenthey always have.
I feel like Coca-Cola last yearbrought Santa, so there's
always like a Santa boothsomewhere and it's just fun,
free activities.
But also, like in our closercommunity, they have this thing
called let it go glow going on.
That they've been doing forlike the past three winters I
think, and it's so fun.
They have light booths all overthe place and they have
(31:51):
different activities ondifferent nights going on and
you can just go and walk around.
And we went and did that lastnight, especially on that warm
night.
It was like literally no jacketwalking around, what, looking
at the Christmas lights, it wasvery like what, what's going on.
But it was the perfect night todo it and it was so fun.
And it's just fun when you canhave that magic and Obviously
(32:13):
not have to spend the money,because the holidays can be very
much Expensive.
They can add up when you, whenyou get into wanting to do lots
of different types of things.
But yeah, so just like reallyLooking into community events
and seeing what's going on.
That so fun.
And I did an update for you, asI did say in a couple episodes
(32:34):
go that I had joined a runningclub and Joined because I think
it's like more of a drop-inthing, I don't know, like you're
not signing up for it and youdon't have to run.
I walk, I feel like I'm one ofthe only people who walks.
But I did go this weekend and Isaid I hadn't been for a while
and me and Ro went this weekend.
We had a wonderful time and itwas in Welland, which I don't
(32:54):
think I've ever actually been inWelland before, like I've
definitely driven through andstopped, maybe at a plaza here
or there, but I don't know ifI've ever been like in downtown
Welland.
And it was such a lovely trailalong the water and it was
really nice.
And we stopped at the blacksheep cafe, which I've had black
sheep coffee it's very popularin Niagara because it's brewed
or roasted here, but it was sucha lovely place and they had
(33:16):
board games and coffee andDonuts and Ro loved it, so it
was quite the vibe.
But yeah, just doing more thingslike that, and why I brought
that up is that is another freeactivity.
So look for those things inyour neighborhood, look for the
free activities and the skating,the free skates, all of that
stuff.
So that's that's a lot of whatwe're gonna do, especially now
(33:37):
leading into Ro's gonna be onholiday soon, which means that I
I get to be on full mom mode,which I love.
Full mom mode I always call itcamp mom when I'm, when Rose on
holiday from school and we justlike go hard and do things hard,
but like we go out and about,we wake up and we get out of the
house and we go do Stuff.
(33:58):
That's fun and find funadventure.
Last year we did lots ofNiagara fall things like I took
her to the bird aviary, which issuch a fun one, and I took her
to the butterfly conservatory,which I actually think I have a
coupon for the butterflyconservatory thinking about that
and that's a really good winterone Because it's so hot.
I find in the summer it's justlike too hot because it's like
hot in the bird conservatory,but, like in the winter it's
(34:20):
perfect because it's just like anice little warm Spot to be.
So yeah, we'll have to go seethe butterflies, but I need to
plan things for that, but that'salways fun and finding what's
going on around the community.
And Then, last but never least,is filling my house with love
and intention.
I'm really trying to focus onbeing present and just being
(34:44):
really intentional with our timeand and that doesn't mean like
doing lots of stuff or Makingsure that I'm always like, aware
of, like, of being productiveor anything like that.
It means like if I'm being andlike Slowing down and sitting
and enjoying the fire andsipping a tea, like that is, I'm
(35:05):
being intentional in that I'msitting and I'm embracing and
I'm thinking and I'm beinggrateful in that moment.
And it's been so warm, it'smade our house feel so much more
warm for me and, yeah, I'mreally trying to Just focus on
that and and bring a lot to joyand have dance parties and
Tickle fights and just likebring the love in.
(35:25):
You know, the good vibes, thegood spirits.
So that's my holiday bucketlist, which I am just so excited
.
And my holiday bucket list isreally a winter bucket list.
It continues on, but this islike the start for me in setting
those intentions for this timeof year when it can be really
dark and and Dreary and, as Isaid, like waking up from a nap
(35:47):
at 3 pm and and being like wait,is it night time now?
And knowing that I'm gonnaleave this studio and it's gonna
be like 4 30 and I'm gonna belike wait, hey, hey, hey, it is
pitch black outside, but it'snot.
It's not like oh no, it's theend of my day.
It's like okay, like let's getdinner cooking, let's set the
mood with some music and let'sjust really enjoy this like slow
(36:13):
down period and I would love tosit and read a book.
Will I do that?
So please give me your bookrecommendations and I'd also
love to know what your holidaybucket list is this year.
And is anyone else?
If you have tips on ski, askiing?
Well, if you have tips onskiing with a Child I wanted to
(36:33):
call her taller.
She's not taller with athree-year-old for the first
time, let me know.
And but I was gonna say skating.
I really don't know much aboutskating.
I guess you get those littlerods that they hold on to.
I'm just excited to see how shetakes to it and what it feels
like for her Row.
So fun when it comes to.
I mean, I think all kids arewhen it comes to trying
something fun, are new.
(36:54):
And I remember scootering.
Our neighbors gave us their oldscooter and it's like she
didn't get it.
She didn't get it and then shewould just practice, practice,
practice the novice.
And she got in.
She was like Ups, like now shetries to do all these little fun
tricks and things.
It's so cute.
But like I just love watchingthe progression and I love that
she like never gives up, evenwhen it's a little frustrating.
(37:18):
We have a saying we say nevergive up, which I know some
people I had said that tosomeone and they were like
that's such a bad saying, likeyou should know when to give in.
And I'm like okay, like yeah,you should.
You should know whatever makesyou feel comfortable, whatever
you should do, whatever worksfor you.
But I say it to row because herand Trevor were racing one day
in the summertime and she wasgetting so frustrated because
(37:40):
every time Trevor got a littlebit faster she would just like
totally, she would just drop tothe ground and, like salt, she
was like I'm never gonna win andthen we would just chant like
never give up, never give up,because I just want to Her to
learn that it's okay If you'rebehind, it's okay as long as you
keep trying and you keepparticipating.
Like that is where yourCompetition lies, it's between
yourself, it's not anybody else.
(38:01):
Like, don't feel like you'rebehind if you're physically
behind someone, but don't justdrop to the ground and fully
give up.
And then she would stand, andthen we would say never give up.
And then she would getfrustrated, she would fall and
she would Cry and we'd say nevergive up, never give up, and she
would stand up and it's likeshe would brush herself off and
she would run.
She'd be like never give up,never give up, and when she gets
(38:22):
the end she feels so proud inherself.
So, yeah, that's one of our funthings and that was where we
taught her that.
But now it's one of thosethings that so beautiful.
For Lots of different times inour life when she's feeling
frustrated and that's a phrasethat she knows in her head, that
means like I can do it.
It might take me a little bitlonger, I'm just learning, it's
okay and I got this.
(38:44):
So, yeah, never give up.
But I am just so excited.
I'm in a very holiday spirittoday, especially with the new
Christmas tree.
Yeah, I can't wait to decorateit.
We also got two littleornaments to add on that row
picked out.
One was a little Porky pine,which is or like hedgehog thing,
which is like favorite, that'slike a favorite for me.
(39:05):
That's a special animal in mylife, and then a foxy.
She loves fox things, so shegot this little fox.
It's so cute.
Oh, and we got these littlebutterfly clips to put on too so
cute.
So I can't wait to decorate thetree.
But let's get into our recipe ofthe day.
Hey, yeah, cute.
This is one of my favoriterecipes is actually a tasty
(39:27):
recipe.
Do you remember?
Tasty, like those videos thatused to play on Facebook.
I Think my mom had sent it tome, or maybe I saw it and I sent
it to my mom.
I don't know, but either way,we I made it for the first time
I was living at home, so I must.
I feel like it was like when Iwas like 20, or I feel like it
was when I was 20, so maybe like10 years ago.
(39:48):
This is like a classic,delicious recipe and it is such
a Encompassment of likesomething that our family like,
love so much, so it is calledbangers and mash in a blanket.
I don't actually know if thatwas what the title of it was,
but I'm gonna call it that.
But it's basically like Sausage, mashed potatoes or smashed
(40:10):
potatoes, because you will champtechnically.
So you like have the greenonion, whatever.
I'm gonna show you the recipe,don't worry, cute.
But so it's champ, which islike mashed potatoes but with a
little bit more Sausage, andit's like all rolled into puff
pastry.
It is so friggin good and youcan make gravy if you want, but
we are like an HP sauce Love, sowe dip it in HP sauce.
(40:34):
But oh my gosh, and I'm soexcited to share this recipe.
It's super simple, it's so fun.
I feel like it's such a classic.
We usually make it on ChristmasEve and it's just one of those
things that has carried us likeliterally and I don't know how
to tell.
I actually looked at, Iactually got Facebook memory the
other day with it in it and Iwas like, oh, yes, that's the
(40:55):
recipe and I clicked on itbecause I was like, oh, I want
to see who the the person whomade it was.
So I can give them credit.
But it didn't say it, just saidtasty.
So I don't actually know how tolook up who.
I guess when you work for tasty, you make it through tasty, I
don't know, but anyways, itwould just be fun to see, like,
where that person is now.
But, yeah, so it is sodelicious.
(41:17):
Go check out a TikTok,instagram, whatever I'll post it
everywhere.
It'll be on YouTube as well.
Five years time podcast and it'ssuper simple, I promise it's
such a good one.
It's even just fun to make likefor Middle of the afternoon
weekend activity.
It honestly doesn't even takethat long, but it's so good.
So we are having bangers andmash in a blanket and I'd love
(41:39):
to know if you have champ inyour life, if you know what
champ is, because the champcutie should unite.
That was such a big part of mychildhood, having a dad from
Northern Ireland, so we lovewhen we have champ whenever it
happens.
But yeah, I'm so excited.
Okay, so that is today'sepisode.
Thank you so much for beinghere.
(41:59):
I can't believe we're alreadyon day Four.
I'm like which day are we on,for?
It feels so Long and so shortat the same time, like it's like
what?
Four episodes already and thefact that there's an episode up
on a Saturday.
I'm just getting so thrown off,but I'm having so much fun
doing it.
I've put on this uniform after Iwoke up for my nap.
(42:21):
I'm calling it my uniform.
I put this on after I woke upfor my nap and I was like, oh, I
do like, love a uniform I wishI had.
I never went to private schoolor anything like that, so I
never had a school uniform orCatholic school, but it's like I
feel like I would have vibedwith that.
Just add a little bit somethingfun, if you want to, but other
than that and I'll have to thinkabout what you're gonna wear
every day I Feel like I wouldhave vibed with that.
(42:43):
But any hoose, okay, cute, I'llsee you all tomorrow.
We'll come back for a reallyfun episode on our first Sunday
of 12 days of Pardoness.
Love you, love you, love you,thank you.
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