bear & lion

here's a peek into the highs and woes of our life

christmas bucket list!

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christmas is a very fun n’ busy time of year. the boys, especially bear, keeps asking when december will get here, because that is when we start our holiday festivities at our house.

we hang up the large advent calender i made a couple of years ago, DH battles with the lights outside and gets them up on our front porch, and within the first week of december we get our christmas tree purchased and decorated.

to make sure we get everything done this season, i made this bucket list. i couldn’t fit everything on there that happens, as christmas is a very busy season!

 

packages 3

 

what’s on your christmas bucket list this year? anything new?

what are your x-mas traditions?

 

xo, mama lola

festive felt crafts!

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felt is such a wonderful material to work with.
here is a festive felt collection of crafts, which will add a colourful touch of colour and warmth to any holiday home.

 

felt ornaments from fantastic toys
 
 
christmas trees from natural suburbia
 
 
twisted felt garland from purl bee
 
 
another holly garland from megan nielsen
 
 
felt pinecone, felt good from honeysuckle
 
 
make your own mistletoe from stay-at-home artist
 
 
half eaten gingerbread man from elsie marley
 
 
i must say that half eaten gingerbread man is hilarious and such a good idea!
 
xo, mama lola

this moment : bear & lion part deux

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welcome! welcome! welcome!

i have brand new, shiny home for bear & lion!

it’s been a long, confusing, uphill, bumpy, grumpy  road to get here, but it’s been so worth it.

 

welcome 2

 

i have to thank my dear hubby as he’s the geek behind this new WP site. he has spent many, many hours tweaking and customizing this new space, all the while trying to make it what i want. even though he’s a master programmer, it’s been hard. so, thanks babe!!!

i’m still learning the ropes at my new home. all the shiny bells and whistles are a little overwhelming, but with time i’ll be jingling n’ angling all the right things, i hope!

WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

 

 

 

xo, mama lola

christmas crafts for kids!

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christmas crafts, kids christmas crafts, paper crafts, reindeer crafts, santa claus crafts
 
 
tis the season again to make all sorts of adorable christmas crafts with the kids. i know my kids are ready to get their x-mas craft ON!!! they have both chosen their favourite crafts from this collection! There is a craft that has been recommended to me by other parents and that’s hand casting! They’ve had their children put their hands together in a casting pot and had a 3D (realistic) model of their hands come out, I think that sounds amazing, plus not only is it a craft, it’s also a great gift for a parent or grandparent, before you start though you’ve got to check out some casting tips first to make sure it goes off without a hitch, safety first! I’m seriously considering getting it done as a surpise for the other half.
 
 
kids christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts
 
 
christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts
christmas tree craft from our crafts n’ things
 
 
christmas crafts, kids crafts, santa claus crafts, paper plate crafts
kids craft paperplate santa from family ever after blog
 
 
santa mask, santa claus craft, kids christmas craft
santa mask from education.com
 
 
reindeer craft, reindeer crown craft, christmas crown
handprint reindeer hat from putti’s world
 
 
kids christmas craft, christmas toilet paper roll craft, reindeer craft
toilet roll reindeer from happy hooligans
 
 
winter craft, snowflake craft, christmas craft
button snowflakes from handmade beginnings
 
candy cane craft, christmas craft, button craft

button candy canes from ramblings of a crazy woman

 
time to go gather up some buttons, brown construction paper and cotton balls!
HAPPY CRAFTING!
xo, mama lola

preschool is fun or is it?!

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my lion began preschool in september. he goes for three hours, twice a week. he started the year with great enthusiasm, excitement and joy, but that honeymoon period seems have come to an abrupt end.
i kinda thought it might.

lion is still eager to go, but it’s what i hear from his teachers that has me a tiny bit worried. apparently, he doesn’t talk very much and is very quiet, even with his peers. which, for a 3 year old isn’t unusual, but lion is a pretty chatty guy with the people he interacts with regularly. also, he is apparently sitting back a lot from activities, choosing to watch rather than participate. again, not really a big deal considering his age, but he says he feels sad and that’s why he’s not participating.
that kinda breaks my heart.


and, the fact that the teachers are bringing it up, worries me. 
i’ve tried chatting casually with lion about preschool. i have tried asking specific questions, but it is impossible to get any clear answers from him. he contradicts himself in a sincere way that only a small child can. 

a couple of weeks ago dear hubby and i spent a small portion of the morning at the preschool playing with the kids and chatting with the teachers. lion was happy to have us, as he showed us all sorts of wonderful toys he gets to play with.


as his mama, i want to do what’s best for him, without pushing him too much. finding that balance, knowing when to push and when not to, is such a tricky dance i seem to be doing all the time with the kids. as a mama, i want my kids to feel challenged, but supported. it’s ok for them to feel apprehensive about new situations and people, i just don’t want them to feel debilitated by those feelings of fear or anxiety causing them to choose not to participate in activities.


to help him feel more grounded, dear hubby has been sleeping on the bottom bunk with him for a couple of weeks. sometimes i think the kids need indirect support, care and love, which co-sleeping allows us to do. i remember going through phases in my childhood, where i would curl into my parents bed.

sometimes these things are phases, and sometimes these things are personality traits. either way, i just hope my lion feels supported at home.
i have such love and pride for him.




 


xo, mama lola

holiday garlands!

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i  {LOVE}  garlands.
i love how you can make them out of everything and anything. you can decorate a plain wall, a festive table, a banister or a window. i love the combinations of textures, colours and patterns garlands can hold, and i love the simplicity of the garlands included in this collection.

 
 
felt ball garland from oh happy day
 
snowflake garland from nifty thrifty things
 
 
red and green DIY paper garland from so i don’t forget
 
recycled paper origami garland from home workshop.com
 
 
holiday holly garland from library of thoughts
 
 
i love all of these garlands so much! 
they are simple, but eye catching and fun to make!
which one is your favourite?
xo, mama lola

vegetarian thanksgiving menu!

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don’t be fooled that thanksgiving is just for meat eaters, because there are lots of wonderful, interesting and delicious vegetarian menu options out there!

 

 
below i have compiled recipes that look appetizing and will get your mouth watering!
i love all the textures and colours; you can almost smell the scent of the yummy foods wafting in the air.


:: COMPLETE VEGGIE THANKSGIVING MENU ::

 
thanksgiving menu from oh veggies
 
 
:: POTATOES ::
 
 
from gourmande in the kitchen
 
roasted garlic mashed potatoes from steamy kitchen
 
 
:: STUFFING ::
 
 
vegan stuffing from novel eats
 

 

:: INSTEAD OF TURKEY ::

 

 
 
 
 
:: GRAVY ::
 
 
vegetarian gravy from two lazy gourmets

 

YUMMY!!!!

i deliberately did not include salads, cranberry sauce, roasted veggies or beans, or any squash recipes as they kinda speak for themselves as being veggie! i did make a squash round-up at the beginning of the season, which you can check-out HERE.

which recipe will you try?
i have pinned a few of these with christmas in mind!

happy cooking!

xo, mama lola

halloween fun!

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we had a fantastic halloween this year! the kids were so psyched and everything seemed to fall into place perfectly!

lion decided he wanted to be a robot. so, he and i made him a simple costume out of a some vent-tube stuff from home depot, a cardboard box, a cereal box, spray paint, and various odds n’ ends we found at home. he loved his costume and i was so pleased with the way it turned out. 

bear wanted to be an astronaut. i had seen on pinterest several posts about how to make the jet pack out of empty pop bottles, but i wasn’t really sure how the rest of his costume was going to look like. but, thanks to a quick trip to the local thrift shop at the end of a dae night,  it too came together swimmingly! we found a super shiny vest and short set, which were perfect!



the boys had their own halloween parties at their school’s. that meant i had to do some creative back-n-forth driving to participate in both, but it all worked out, and i was so happy to join the fun!

after dinner it was time for the main event to get started : TRICK OR TREATING! with their boots on and their thrift store pum’kin buckets in hand, we headed on out. 

it was a dark and stormy night… no, for real. the downpour was ghastly, but making it worse was the incredible winds! i was holding onto the brolly with all my might and still it tried to fli inside out on me! but, the kids didn’t even notice that they were getting soggy!

once back home in our warm home, we all quickly changed into our pajama’s, made some tea and then checked out the mountain of candy. the kids received an enormous amount! maybe people were extra generous due to the weather, or maybe t’s cu they were just so darn cute, but whatever the reason the boys were delighted!

 


how was your halloween?

xo, mama lola

welcome, november.

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a view  up at the trees and the sky from my backyard.


we are shockingly now into the eleventh month of this year. 
a year filled with so much change but also sameness, a year with new habits, but with the old ones still clinging on. 
it has been a year of re-connection, of resurfacing. 

i have been feeling a little retrospective, nostalgic and sentimental as of late. last november was a particularly difficult time for me and my family (i will not get into any details). i know there are people around us who are holding their breath to see how we fare as we reach this new unremarkable, but painful anniversary.

and for anyone who might be wondering…
we are just fine. better than fine, in fact.
DH and i are splendid. just recently he brought home a lovely bouquet of fall flowers; a small token from his big, loving heart. sure, we have our ups and downs like all couples, but nothing we cannot handle.
our boys are better than splendid. they are growing and learning so much; all i want to do is push the pause button so i can drink up more of their childhood before it’s too late. 
time moves so quickly.

but, i welcome november with strong, open arms.
bring it on, i say.
i’m ready.

xo, mama lola
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