When I returned from my trip to California I was refreshed, renewed, rejuvenated. Between work-related trips and fun-filled get-aways (such as the California one) I get the heck out of dodge a whole lot more than many Moms seem to do. And also, a whole lot more than my husband ever does.

My hubby, in all of his wonderfulness, takes care of our three kids on the many weekends that I go away with nary a complaint. OK, fine. He teases me a bit. My response upon returning from California was that he needed to book a trip. Correction. He was ORDERED to take a trip.

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Last February my husband and I brought our three kids to their grandparents’ house and spent a week in Mexico. Together. With no children. It was the first time we had both been away from them for longer than one night and amazing does not even begin to describe it. Towards the end of the week we talked about returning in a year or two with the kids and taking a family vacation in order to give us all a break from the long, cold winter.

Try as we might to find a good deal for the five of us to travel, we could not seem to do so.  Even with a decent price, once you multiply it by five it gets to be in the “ridiculous” range. It seemed a little extravagant to spend that sum of money in light of the economy. My husband and I were open to taking another jaunt that consisted of just the two of us but there is that issue of three small children who needed to be, you know, taken care of in our absence.

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I used Random.org to choose the winner and here was the result:

Miranda Allan is the winner of the LuxeLink.  Congratulations!

I know, I KNOW. It is still January.  Let’s just pretend I’m like Costco who pulls out their Christmas crap in August (Seriously, though. What is the deal with that?)

Before I get to the giveaway part I thought that I would tell you my thoughts on Valentine’s Day. I have not really participated in all of the “festivities” since, oh, elementary school.  No offense to those who embrace this “holiday” with all of your being; I just hated being a single girl without a Valentine to call my own. I also felt like the commercialism of it all was a bit overdone (Anyone remember The Simpsons “Love Day” episode? Classic.)

When Matthew and I met and married I discovered that he was not too keen on Valentine’s Day either. Being the smug newlyweds we were, we just told everyone that we did not need a special day to show love to each other. Every day was Valentine’s Day at our house.  Riiiiiiiiight.

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New Year’s Eve is considered to be one of the biggest date nights of the year.  You get dressed up in your finest duds and make plans to attend The Party Of All Parties.  If you are single, you want to make sure you manoeuvre yourself into a position to (hopefully) be kissed by That Hot Guy when the clock strikes midnight.  If you are married, you already have That Hot Guy to kiss at any time, but it’s good to know you won’t be standing alone at the stroke of twelve.

If you have kids, New Year’s Eve gets even more pricey due to the fact that babysitters try to build their College fund in the course of one evening’s gig. Then there are tickets, or dinner, or whatever else you deem necessary to ring in the New Year.

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A year after we were married, my husband and I left the big city of Vancouver and moved back to the small town where he had graduated from high school (and where his parents still lived).  My family is spread out all over Canada and are not big on getting together (Or at least they tell me.  It is entirely possible that I am just not invited), so we spend Christmas with my husband’s side of the family.

The routine for my family of five is to wake up at our house and open presents from each other and from my side of the extended family.  We would then drive over to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, exchange presents with that side, eat dinner, etc. This all changed last year.

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Dear American friends:

Please do not hate me that I mention Christmas before you have dealt with Thanksgiving. Us Canadians had Thanksgiving a month ago, which means that Christmas is FAIR GAME here in Canada.

Love, Angella.

My husband and I left our three kids with my brother for the better part of Saturday and headed to the nearest Big City in order to get a head start on our Christmas shopping.  After a mere four hours of shopping we had crossed nearly everyone (Brothers! Sisters! Nieces! Nephews!) off of our list.

Please don’t hate me.

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