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Post by duskymonkey on Dec 25, 2020 23:55:12 GMT -6
our couch is actually from Arhaus! I looove them but they are at the high end of my budget. But if I can’t find a decent dupe, I may just have to bite the bullet and add slowly. I will check out the link! Hopefully their delivery isn’t crazy expensive. Hah! yes their stuff is pretty good quality. We looked there but couldn't agree on what they had available. If they are on the top of our budget you do not want to look at ABC then lol! Have you looked at PB? They might have something you'd like and their pricing is not awful for good quality. My office desk which we got used is super solid and it's been 10 years and I know the previous owner said they bought it 6 years from PB. Our bureau is also PB and it's built to last. Eventhough I don't have a particular style I prefer more linear and simple designs with just a little twist. Like I absolutely love this style table link If it wasn't for Covid, I'd suggest checking out estate sales in affluent areas. |
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Post by duskymonkey on Dec 26, 2020 0:11:32 GMT -6
Merry Christmas! Despite this year, I hope everyone is able to find a slice of joy. We had a pretty good day. The boys were of course super excited when they woke up and we got up just a few minutes before they did to plug in the Christmas tree! Their favourites were the frogs and snow plough and backhoe Bruders. Frogs are all sleeping with them now lol! PDQ  |
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Post by duskymonkey on Dec 26, 2020 0:16:39 GMT -6
Merry Christmas O17! 🎄 The Barbie Dreamhouse was our big hit here. It is a huge plastic monstrosity that is almost 4ft tall but the girls haven’t stopped playing with it since they got up. They even skipped lunch to keep playing. I’m not sure where it’s going to go in the house eventually though 😬🤷♀️ It's almost a foot shorter than me then hehe! I love it for them! Lunch was also pretty much a flop here and obviously no nap but they had a good breakfast and I was surprised with how patient they were about not opening presents before breakfast because.... then no breakfast. |
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Post by duskymonkey on Dec 26, 2020 0:24:35 GMT -6
Merry Christmas ladies! Hope everyone is having a good one. We are super low key at my house. The kids are playing happily together with their new toys. I am about to start making Mexican food for dinner. One of the few things that everyone in my house agrees upon. I suppose we had some sort of south of the border flavours for our lunch too! I was lazy and noshed on loaded nachos, black bean, corn and bell pepper salad, veg and Guasacaca which I used for the nachos instead of Guac and a cheese plate. We had a family zoom call in the afternoon with hubs family and a portion of last nights feast for dinner. I was originally going to make fondue but decided to just make it tomorrow instead. Lil fella practically ate Guasacaca by the spoonfuls oy! |
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Post by duskymonkey on Dec 26, 2020 0:30:12 GMT -6
Taitai did you make it back! Sounds like you had a great break. I am sorry about the outbreak! Hopefully it isn't the new strain which the UK reported a couple of days ago that is like 50% more contagious which I can't imagine because the current one is already contagious. I truly am speechless at what we are all experiencing.
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Dec 26, 2020 7:52:44 GMT -6
Taitai did you make it back! Sounds like you had a great break. I am sorry about the outbreak! Hopefully it isn't the new strain which the UK reported a couple of days ago that is like 50% more contagious which I can't imagine because the current one is already contagious. I truly am speechless at what we are all experiencing. Yes - we did make it back in time! 2 provinces have turned red and locked down, and the capital city (where we live) is in the “orange zone,” but nothing has been closed down yet. Either way - glad we made it back. I ran around doing last minute shopping this week to get some supplies in case we end up in a lockdown after New Years. I feel they are holding off on closing everything for economic reasons, as 24 - 31 Dec is the peak week for the retail and hospitality sectors here. I don’t think it’s the UK strain that is causing this new outbreak. But yeah, I’ve read about that one, and what a bummer. The one thing I hear is that viruses generally tend to be less severe the more contagious they are. Hoping this new UK one is not as bad 🤞🤞 |
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Post by curmudgeon on Dec 26, 2020 9:45:20 GMT -6
H and I stayed up way too late last night reading horror movie trivia cards I got him. And drinking wine. Too much wine. And today I feel terrible. I really planned to clean up early today because some extended family wants to stop by for a house tour. They’ll just have to look past the clutter. I am not about to get off this couch yet.
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Post by curmudgeon on Dec 26, 2020 9:54:54 GMT -6
I hardly took any pictures yesterday. I bought cute Christmas PJs for the boys but they chose not to wear them. 😞   |
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Post by CoachTsWife on Dec 26, 2020 17:11:58 GMT -6
Merry Christmas 017!! We've had a decent holiday despite DH having covid. We did zoom Christmas with my family on christmas eve, and I have no idea when we'll see his family. Today he finally feels somewhat better and today is his last day of quarantine. I'm so tired of pulling most of the weight around here, I'm really tired and weary. Here are the boys the day we made cookies for Santa. PDQ  |
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Post by duskymonkey on Dec 27, 2020 0:45:47 GMT -6
Happy Kwanzaa and Boxing Day! curmudgeon , CoachTsWife your boys are heartbreakers! I am so so happy to hear your DH is recovering well. I was holding my breath there for a bit for you. You're strong and getting through it. Big hugs. Have a good cry if you need to. curmudgeon how are your boys leaving your mantle swag alone. I left mine off again this year because lil fella would surely be yanking at it, he's already ringing the bells I have draped on there. Taitai glad to hear you're home and safe and not stuck in a hotel. I know how strict they are with lock downs over there unlike here. Sigh...people here complain so much when they hear that they need to be in lock down ( hardly ) which I roll my eyes at because they have no bloody clue what that really means and really aren't restricted, just encouraged which is why we're in such a calamity and quandary. |
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Post by duskymonkey on Dec 27, 2020 1:01:42 GMT -6
So we tapped into hubs heritage and I made fondue for dinner tonight. It was a semi success for the kids. You'd think they'd be excited about cheese dipped everything which they were initially but it didn't last. Maybe they were tired, I know lil fella was because no nap again today. Ugh! Also I don't know why I thought it was a good idea to make fondue, it was just like how I remembered it tasting when I had it in Switzerland but oh boy is it rich! Hubs enjoyed it and even he commented that it was so rich. I am glad that we didn't have it last night since the previous night we had a heavy prime roast " beast" as they kids call it lol! Well share what did you ladies get? Santa got me a new pair of snow boots and this PJs which I am wearing now. It's so cozy and soft. Totally in love and its going to be my lounge wear. Much too warm to sleep in. Oh and the boots are kids sized lol! but it fits me perfectly for half the price of the adults. ![]()  |
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Post by Taitai on Dec 27, 2020 7:00:37 GMT -6
CoachTsWife duskymonkey curmudgeon Omg - your boys are so cuuute! I love the PJs CoachTsWife and @dusky, and I also appreciate the construction worker outfit @curnudgeon! We have the same one for our kids, and they love wearing those googles. CoachTsWife Glad to hear that your H is feeling better. Once he is totally done being sick, you seriously deserve to go on your own vacation somewhere and just relax for 2 weeks straight. You do so much work for your family (I remember your H’s surgeries too), and I really do think you deserve some time to yourself. You’ve been through a lot, with elder parent care/illness/loss on top of it. Hugs. Hoping 2021 is much better for you. curmudgeon Sorry about the hangover, but at least you had fun wine time! Hope your other visit went well. duskymonkey Oooooh - fondue. I love, love fondue! I haven’t had any really good stuff like that since I was in Zurich. I love that place, but it’s so friggin’ expensive too, lol. Our kids would call roast beef a “roast beast” too! Thank you Dr. Seuss!
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Dec 27, 2020 7:13:10 GMT -6
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Post by curmudgeon on Dec 27, 2020 7:38:06 GMT -6
duskymonkey DS2 broke one ornament on the tree and I think I shrieked so loud, he was scared to touch anything else after that. Honestly I was surprised he didn’t try to yank a stocking! we also have Christmas toys that are packed with the decorations, so I hand those boxes to the kids and they feel like they are helping and getting something really special and they don’t try to help with anything else.
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Post by duskymonkey on Dec 27, 2020 17:55:28 GMT -6
curmudgeon lol....that would be me too! The "elf" strategically placed all our breakable ornaments out of reach waayyy at the top of our tree along with the glittered ones lol! I think DS did break one a few years ago when he was a threenager I am sure and couldn't keep his hands off the tree and pulled stockings and the swag I had on the mantle hence it's not put up there until such time. Lil fella surprisingly is quite deft and careful about taking the stockings off the hooks and putting them back on.
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Post by duskymonkey on Dec 27, 2020 18:03:15 GMT -6
Taitai I'll have to check out all your links but I've used some of the Innisfree masks and love them and gifted so many of them. Fondue is so good when it's cold out but boy is it heavy. It's really super easy and used my BFF's basic recipe - she's French but lived in Switzerland for over a decade. I used a 2:1 cheese ratio of Gruyere and mix of fontina and emmental. David Lebovitz has a good write up along with recipe and looks very similar. I didn't use kirsch because of the kids and added a bit of lemon instead. No minced garlic but rubbed garlic in the pot. My PJs I think look too nice for sleeping lol! so lounge wear it is. Yours looks perfect for warm weather slumbers. I totally forgot about Uniqlo. I'll need to go on there to find some PJs for hubs. So hard to find clothes for him, most American brands are too big on him.
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Post by duskymonkey on Dec 27, 2020 18:10:25 GMT -6
The kids finally got to decorate their first gingerbread house! I finally got motivated to bake and built them last night. I am even more stoked, the template I made used up every bit of dough from my batch of gingerbread recipe and makes 2 houses. Now they get to smash and eat it! lol!  |
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Post by Taitai on Dec 28, 2020 9:06:49 GMT -6
That gingerbread house looks amazing duskymonkey! Please tell me you helped a bit / the icing icicles are done so well! My 5 and 3 year old putting together a house would be a disaster. Icing EVERYWHERE. And yes, the Uniqlo PJs are awesome - they’re rayon - super breathable and perfect foe Southeast Asia weather. They bring me joy for sure. Thank you for the fondue recipe as well! My boys looooove gruyere cheese - might have to try that one out in the rice cooker! |
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Post by curmudgeon on Dec 28, 2020 14:00:27 GMT -6
We were hosting both sets of grandparents for Christmas Eve but that’s been cancelled now. My mom is sick but says she’s not. Sounds like flu symptoms and I don’t want to risk getting anything so I told my dad to stay home with her also.. ☹️ Then H’s parents said they would just see us Christmas Day. So quiet evening for us tomorrow. On the bright side we can change our BBQ catering order to sushi. And I don’t have to squeeze in a house cleaning after I work a half day. Quoting myself because my sister in law tested positive for covid. She visited my parents the weekend before Christmas (while feeling sick!) and I’m so glad we didn’t go over there. And I feel less bad about telling my dad to stay home. My parents got tested this morning and are waiting on results. I’m hoping they’re negative, but so glad they decided to not attend any family gatherings over Christmas. Still trying to understand why my brother and his family would visit knowing one or all had been feeling sick prior. What is wrong with people. |
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Post by duskymonkey on Dec 28, 2020 22:59:31 GMT -6
curmudgeon ugh...hoping it's just typical seasonal crud for your mom. How is your dad doing? This entire situation everyone is experiencing is already stressful, I also don't understand why would anyone want to make it even more stressful for them and everyone else. Hang tight, we have a vaccine and just need to hold out a while more and it will be worth it.
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Post by duskymonkey on Dec 28, 2020 23:17:02 GMT -6
Taitai GF hah! of course I did work on it with them otherwise disasterous in every way imaginable. They were given very strict instructions of what to do and not which worked about 50% lol! but still better than none. I also learned to prep everything before getting them started and to give them just enough to work with. I told them they could choose several pieces of candy to have after they were finished and only if they followed directions and behaved if not no more decorating and they would be sad. I already know the outcome of them handling the bag of icing so I handled that and dotted the icing and they stuck on where I dotted it. The royal icing dries really fast so you can really only work on a very small portion at a time. I also built the structure the night before to have it set up. I fixed the m&ms on the roof when they stuck it on out of place  The icicles are really easy to do and that was the last thing I did whilst lil fella and DS sat on my lap watching me and eating their "prize" for doing a great job and trying to behave. I was surprised that they only snuck in a few pieces of candy while decorating. Maybe me being stern in the beginning helped. I didn't post a pic of the snow boots but I got a kid sized Sorel Joan of Artic so it's very utilitarian so nothing very stylish but functional and necessary to chase kids in without slipping and breaking my hip lol. I am actually exchanging it for a size smaller  My old boots threads are basically non existent. Fondue in rice cooker could work on keep warm setting, same with a crock pot. We don't have a special fondue pot. We have an induction portable unit and just used a cast enamel pot to keep the cheese hot and mashmallow roasting fork lol. Keeping it classy here. 
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Post by duskymonkey on Dec 28, 2020 23:49:59 GMT -6
Well the gingerbread house was enthusiastically smashed and is partially eaten now . August Blooms did you make tamales? You're making me want to make some but they're so much work to me. Hubs took off this week but he had to work a few hours today which turned into a whole day and now into tomorrow too...his team encountered issues. I was hoping to take it a little easy this week aaahhh. Anyone have any plans for the NY? Hubs and I were discussing to maybe do a take out to give me a break and something different for him and the kids. We have not gotten a single takeout since March so I am weary but we are also really anxious about it. Anyways since Taitai brought up the discussion of warm beverages. Just for funsies, here's a quiz for finding out what your Dosha(s) is for anyone interested. link
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Dec 29, 2020 0:10:04 GMT -6
We were hosting both sets of grandparents for Christmas Eve but that’s been cancelled now. My mom is sick but says she’s not. Sounds like flu symptoms and I don’t want to risk getting anything so I told my dad to stay home with her also.. ☹️ Then H’s parents said they would just see us Christmas Day. So quiet evening for us tomorrow. On the bright side we can change our BBQ catering order to sushi. And I don’t have to squeeze in a house cleaning after I work a half day. Quoting myself because my sister in law tested positive for covid. She visited my parents the weekend before Christmas (while feeling sick!) and I’m so glad we didn’t go over there. And I feel less bad about telling my dad to stay home. My parents got tested this morning and are waiting on results. I’m hoping they’re negative, but so glad they decided to not attend any family gatherings over Christmas. Still trying to understand why my brother and his family would visit knowing one or all had been feeling sick prior. What is wrong with people. Many people are selfish and suck - even your friends and family members. I’ve unfortunately learned that lesson from the pandemic. I hope that your mom and dad test negative, and hopefully this incident will teach your SIL a lesson that she shouldn’t be visiting others (or around anyone else, really) while sick during a fucking pandemic. This kind of behavior infuriates me. Knowing people who pull this shit, however, I am sure she won’t learn her lesson and won’t think she did anything wrong. A good friend of ours over here tried to bring her kids to my place for a play date yesterday. Right before she was supposed to leave to come over, she said that her youngest currently had a runny nose, and the oldest was super tired and lethargic the day prior, but was it still okay for them to come? I was like. NO. WTF is wrong with people!?! We are in the middle of a COVID resurgence - the province next to us is already locked down, and in our city they are shutting massage places, stadiums, playgrounds, and schools. Why TF would you think it’s okay to bring your sick kids over to my house for a play date? Thank goodness she didn’t bring them here and then have me observe the runny nose and send them home. She pulled this with me earlier this year (bringing her youngest over with a runny nose right before an impending lockdown), and I think she remembered how unhappy I was about that, so I hope that is why she asked this time around. She is a really nice friend too! I just think she puts her own kids and family above everyone else - which is selfish and unfortunate. Hoping your parents get well soon curmudgeon |
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Post by Taitai on Dec 29, 2020 0:13:47 GMT -6
duskymonkey I love those boots! Sorels are my fav. I have the very basic ones for when we go to cold weather places - yours are so much cuter! Mine don’t even have fur on them. I like yours a lot! Your feet must be tiny if you needed to go down a size. I also would have done the same thing when it came to the gingerbread house decorating, but unlike your kids, I don’t know if mine would have behaved as well, lol. In the end, it all goes in their tummies, and yours looked so pretty while it lasted!! Will try the fondue in the rice cooker on the warm setting and let you know how it goes! We also do not have fondue utensils. Will probably use chopsticks 😂🤣
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Post by curmudgeon on Dec 29, 2020 7:17:02 GMT -6
Taitai your first paragraph is spot on. I haven’t spoken to my brother or his wife in a year because of how self centered they are. I don’t want to be around it and I don’t want my kids to be around it. My dad is feeling fine. He has no symptoms. My mom is not getting worse or any better. Her symptoms don’t sound too much like covid, but they are lasting a lot longer than I’d have expected for anything else.
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Post by August Blooms on Dec 29, 2020 14:32:42 GMT -6
I haven’t been here in awhile for no particular reason. danvers We got the dream house too, we use a spare bedroom as a playroom and it’s taking up so much space but the girls love it. CoachTsWife I’m so sorry about COVID hitting your family, hopefully your DH is recovered by now. curmudgeon Sorry covid has hit your family too. Taitai Glad you guys got to enjoy your vacation before Covid ruined things again. Hopefully they can get things under control. Does your country have any confirmed cases of the new strain yet? duskymonkey Unfortunately I wasn’t able to. I may make them next week. Last week was a shit show, my husband has one of his supervisors isolating and had to work 16 hour days all week. Your gingerbread house looks great! My kids definitely were way more random with their decor. I got winter boots for Christmas too! Those Sorels are nice! I have the Carnivals but I got a size too big and don’t find they are very warm so they were replaced with a Canadian brands knockoff of the Ugg Adirondacks. |
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Post by August Blooms on Dec 29, 2020 14:56:50 GMT -6
We had a quiet Christmas, my mom and step father came over for brunch and a short visit. I did not want to see anyone but my mom has been really sad lately and I felt bad. The girls got spoiled and enjoyed the day. Our province is back in lockdown and the first week back to school after holiday’s is virtual. They said it’s only one week but it will probably be longer.
My area has the distinction of being the first in Canada with they new UK strain. They lied to public health (originally stated they had no contact with anyone who had traveled) who was contract tracing then finally came clean and said that they had been in contact and that person broke quarantine to visit with them. It’s probably been here for awhile prior to this discovery but it makes me angry to think that people aren’t following the 14 day mandatory quarantine period after traveling.
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Post by curmudgeon on Dec 29, 2020 15:57:33 GMT -6
Dad is negative for covid. Mom is positive. Thankful no severe symptoms and hopeful it stays that way.
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Post by August Blooms on Dec 29, 2020 16:09:27 GMT -6
Dad is negative for covid. Mom is positive. Thankful no severe symptoms and hopeful it stays that way. Sorry to see this update, I hope they have mild symptoms and a quick recovery. |
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Dec 30, 2020 8:24:29 GMT -6
August Blooms I’m glad you had a nice Christmas and that your kids got to see your mon and step-dad. In times like these, I think there’s got to be some give and take when it comes to mental health vs strict social distancing decisions. If I was in your situation, I would have let my mom come over too (as long as nobody was sick). So far, our country hasn’t reported a case of the new UK strain, but I feel like it’s only a matter of time. More and more provinces are locking down. Today there were 240 local cases in the country (again, a drop in the bucket compared to the USA), BUT they don’t really test that much in our country, so I’m sure the numbers of infected people are far higher by now. The city where I live is not yet on lockdown and pretty much everything is open, all of the neighboring provinces are experiencing spikes/super spreader cases and locking down. People here are trying to stay home and nobody is getting together for New Years, as there’s a big desire to get the virus back under control. I hope our country can do it again. 🤞🤞 Also, total bummer about those people who broke quarantine and then lied to contact tracers. Again, selfish people ruining it for everyone. I’m so sick of it. I really am. curmudgeon Sorry to hear that your mom is positive. I hope your dad stays healthy, and I’ll be wishing them a speedy recovery!
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The icicles are really easy to do and that was the last thing I did whilst lil fella and DS sat on my lap watching me and eating their "prize" for doing a great job and trying to behave. I was surprised that they only snuck in a few pieces of candy while decorating. Maybe me being stern in the beginning helped.
My old boots threads are basically non existent. Fondue in rice cooker could work on keep warm setting, same with a crock pot. We don't have a special fondue pot. We have an induction portable unit and just used a cast enamel pot to keep the cheese hot and mashmallow roasting fork lol. Keeping it classy here.