New Years Eve

 Have you ever had a good new years eve??? I don't think I can ever remember a good New Years Eve since I was in pig tails and dresses.  Honestly... This year we have no idea what were doing.  We know for sure that going out and about is out of the question, as that never turns out well for us.  There is a reason that Daniel and I don't go out to parties: one, it is WAY too expensive and two, we ALWAYS have a horrible time and get into a fight or some derivative there of.  Avoiding it is the better choice.... but how can one avoid New Years eve??  Especially when all our friends have the same thoughts that we do and are trying to pry their way into our home for the whole shaBANG.  As much as I love them I don't particularly want it to get to big or too... well to be honest... messy.  I hate cleaning up after a night of drinking... not one human being can manage to put away their empties and if I don't have that to deal with it is EVERY glass in my home being used.  Not to mention the snacking... I don't have enough funds to feed everyone on the planet and I don't have the patience to bite my tongue about it.  Especially after a couple beers/drinks etc... So this is what I think of New Year's Eve:

Enough said right?  What do you do to avoid the drama this even has to bring??


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My attempts at "art"

So you know that I have been talking lately about how I have been painting.  Yes that is right, the "writer" has started to become "artist," HA!  I could only dream to call myself those things and not laugh at some point in my life.  I have no idea what I am expecting to get out of this other than a new hobby that I love to do.  Guess that means I am on the right track?  Regardless of my reservations I wanted to take the time to share with you some of my doodles and other random pieces of work. 

Note that all of these are incomplete works of course lol!!  Other than maybe the ice cream or w/e.  Hope you like the little peak into my mini collection! 

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Our Christmas Photos

Today I am having a very inspirational day.   It is horribly rainy outside and gross and last night i spent a large portion of my evening painting washes onto paper with my watercolor paints.  I have to admit I am really enjoying myself but I still have yet to make anything concretely "artistic" so to speak.  I will admit that I will for sure be needing a lot more paints! ALOT, preferably in tubes larger than 5mL.  I also think that I want to get my hands on some watercolor pens/pencils.  I am slowly in the process of getting my hands on the supplies I need too such as an old toothbrush, white crayon that isn't washable but wax based etc.. etc...  It is all so very exciting, you know trying to be artistic in some way.  I dunno I thought it would be a good idea and it keeps my hands busy when I listen to my audiobooks.  Of course my photography seems to be falling behind, i think that is more the bad weather and the fact that I have no indoor camera gear and my camera kinda sucks inside.  Well it can suck more often lol!! My sister in law got herself a rebel camera and I am so jealous, what I wouldn't do for a camera of a professional caliber.  but alas, once again I have champagne dreams on a beer budget... one day I hope to get one... you know when they are 1000.00 cheaper... In the meantime you can enjoy some of our Christmas pictures from my current adequate camera. 

my PERFECT turkey, amazing soo juicy it was brilliant!

our tree after Santa came!

everyone too busy eating to look good for the camera, those plates were licked clean TWICE!

boys playing with their Christmas eve gift!

opening Aunties gifts since they INSISTED upon it lol!

so happy to be spoiled!

Aunties and the boys! 

soo happy to be together!

boys dancing to elvis!

my funny boys before the festivities!

playing angry birds the next morning with daddy, note the flying bird by the top left of his head there.

BAM!!! all in one shot!

I hope you had a lovely Christmas our boys were spoiled rotten!

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Man Candy Monday - Christmas Edition

So the Monday after Christmas has happened and I bet that most of you are all out and about shopping up a storm trampling old ladies for articles of clothing lol.  So to help give you that little extra boost I am going to give you a little more Chirstmas cheer!

I hope that all of you had a GREAT Christmas our boys got spoiled rotten and my house is still a disaster zone!!! How about you??

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Merry Chirstmas!

Merry Christmas everyone it is finally upon us!  All our work is almost over and completely forgotten; tonight we'll be making our Christmas dinner, were my gf and her little sister will be coming over to eat with us (you know Tigerlily that little teen that lived with us).  I have already gotten the first round of dishes done, just need to finish at least one more cup of coffee here and I can start putting them away and doing the rest.  Having only one sink a small amount of counter space really makes it hard to do all the needed dishes in one sitting.

The boys are buzzing with excitement and I can't wait to have them open our gifts tomorrow morning!!  I Have gotten them both tons of angry birds stuff; we know how much my eldest loves it well... we got him the board game it is freaking awesome and I can't wait to play it with him!  I got him sea monkies too off ebay for like 15.00 it is GREAT i have never had them before but I know I will love them!  Both our boys are being spoiled beyond recognition this year and that makes me so happy!  Things are tight as always but nothing like we were last year.  So many of you helped us last year with creating an amazing Christmas for my boys that this year I knew I had to continue to give back.  Without hubby knowing I sponsored a family, small family but 50.00 got them their Christmas dinner and that makes me happy.  Although i bet if I said i would drop everything off i would end up at a house bigger and nicer than my own... it is sad how ppl take advantage of the hearts and wallets of others.

On another note I have been bombarded by guilt.  My father has been contacting me to get in touch with the boys for Christmas... but i find it hard to stay feeling horrible.  This man is so insignificant, he feels he has to bully me; sending messages about how i torture my children, how I'm a horrible person/parent.  He actually thinks he can say these things to me in passive aggressive messages/e-mails/texts and that I will acknowledge it and come screaming back begging forgiveness from a man I no longer want in my life.  I mean if you want to talk to me, see my kids or be apart of this incredible family you will need to play nice at all times, not just when you feel like it.  Why would i want you to be near my kids when all you do is say horrible things about their mother and father??! Honestly?!?!  How retarded are you, you want to see me?? you want us to give two fucks about you?!?! Get your head out of your ass: beg and plead the way you should not this half assed crap you've been dishing.   The worst part is I wouldn't mind having you around but when i think about it, all i think about is how nice it has been not having to deal with you, not having to put up with you, not having to wait for you on weekends, not being lead to feel guilty cause i wont spend every waking free moment with you.  I am enjoying my time not having to worry, or lend you money, hear you whining about the shitty life you've created for yourself.  So bullying me, guilt-tripping me isn't what you should be doing to get me out of my glorious comfort zone.  I will need more to leave this warm loving bed.  I know you're getting old, I know you wont be around forever... but seriously? You need to be more worried about that than me, if you so desperately want to see us you would think you could learn a thing or two and actually try.  I am so tired of you.  So sick of you.  Just let us go and let us have a good holiday cause the crappy one you're having is all your own doing; not mine, this is what life is like when all you do is spit venom at everyone.  Good job, here's a plate of pity for you. 

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Lost in the world of panem

So i have been absorbed in a different world.. one of which has been created by Suzanne Collins.  I can't stop reading The Hunger Games.  I have been stricken ill and my old friend suggested the series to me, the trilogy that I can no longer put down.  I can't even begin to describe them other than; amazing.  I do have to get the audiobooks cause there is no way that I could possibly manage to keep my attention to writing with such a loud home, and the audiobooks just let me sit back and become completely enveloped in the world of Panem and of district 12.

I need to highly suggest you read/listen to this trilogy; I am on book three and i'm on the fourth day of reading/listening lol.  I would get on it too before March 23 2012 cause they've managed a movie!!!  I can't wait but i love the books more than life right now.  In fact any of you crafty people out there that can manage to make me a "mockingjay" pin like that on the cover I would very much like to speak with you.  Katniss is my new hero even if she is completely clueless to love and men sometimes.  I very much love her. 

Anyways other than listening to my latest obsession I thought that I would remind you to go and enter my latest contest and ENTER ENTER ENTER!!! Thanks and hope you area all having a lovely week; I am finally on the mend and once I am done this third book I am sure i will be back here in no time. 

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Viking at heart....

We all know that I have been lucky enough to have been chosen to review a few family games this s Christmas season; and this game that I am about to tell you about it by FAR my fav!  I really really enjoyed it, even more than my friends did I think.. probably why all my photos were blurry and horrible lol!!  Regardless that isn't stopping me from being able to perform a wonderful review of a really cool game that straight up should be in every home.  I can't wait till both my boys are old enough to play it... currently eldest isn't keen on rules of games and youngest well... you'll see why youngest can't play it lol!!

The game Koob has an amazing history.  Filled with fire sides games between vikings all across many lands, can't help but feel a little like a Viking at heart when you're playing.  Brings out a very big personality too filled with fierce competition, like I said its AWESOME!

Our koob set!

Now Koob is a GREAT outdoor game, honestly it is really fun, but what I liked about it most?  Was the fact that it is PLAIN wood; you know what that means people?  You can paint it!  Wouldn't that be an incredible gift a koob set for the family and something to do together not only to get excercise but to make your own and completely unique.  I was even tempted to paint the whole thing glow in the dark so that I could play it at night!  Wouldn't that be a great way to spend an evening with friends??  Why should darkness stop you?!?!  It can't if you painted it glow in the dark!!!

So I will give you a look here at the pieces of the set so you can see them all more clearly, as well as a rough idea on how to set the game up.  Now since I am horrific at instructions or dictating them again I went out and found a great video to explain EXACTLY how to play it. 

your set... see how easy this would be to paint??? paint it all white and then BAM give everyone in your family a piece and you've got a completely unique game!

see how the king is in the center there?  the skinnier posts are used as an outline, and the square blocks are set up in a line on each end of your "field."

Now you have seen the pieces and the layout but how about we focus on how this game is played so I can show you just how much fun this game really can be.  Everyone we played it with just freaking loved it and they are all planning on getting a set... you know eventually lol; in the meantime I bet they will be harassing me to play all the time lol!.  I think that this GREAT game would be an amazing addition to your families Christmas!  Think you could make it the special gift for the one that finds the pickle in the tree!  That way technically it is for everyone lol!


Happy Tuesday everyone and don't forget to enter our game giveaway for the holidays!
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Man Candy Monday - George Clooney

Today I wanted to go for a classic.  Someone debonair so to speak and full of class.  George Clooney is all those things and more.

damn...

proof that men only improve with age :)

omg... dunno if I can say much more than that! lol!! Anyhoo; don't forget that I have an awesome contest going on right now, so check it out and make sure to enter or re-tweet for your daily entry!!!

Have a happy monday!
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A Winter Carnival!

Yesterday I went off to a winter carnival in downtown Vancouver. I was pretty unimpressed... i think we managed to stay there during the carnivals complete lull. Anyways I got few cute pictures that I have to show you all!!

good times!!! hope you're all having a great weekend too!!!

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sponsor love!

I have been harboring a secret!  I have a new sponsor, vista print!  They are a great little company that has lovely asked me for advertising space, and I just love them! 
They have everything for your printing needs all the way down to Christmas cards, you know if you are super behind and haven't managed to get your dog to take a good photo.  Or you have tried so many times to get a family photo with your kids that you have now given up and gone the; I-am-just-going-to-use-old-edited-photos route.
Maybe you want to make a good stand point with your blog and have some business cards made to show just how serious you are about your blog to other possible business partners.  I mean we all want to take that first GREAT step and having a well presented personal brand I think is key.  Vista print makes it so easy to do something, quickly, beautifully, and afford-ably.  What on earth more do you people want out of a company?!?! Well how about the wonderful feeling of knowing that this company has been named "best place to work" since 2007!  That is a great thing, I love working equality and always impressed when the company takes genuine care of their employees.  Those aren't the only awards that vista print has managed to wrangle for themselves either!  They are pretty impressive. 
The coolest thing they have recently started doing???  They have made it possible to get custom embroidery, that is right you heard me CUSTOM EMBROIDERY!  You can find those things HERE.  

So why not get your last minutes gifts here withe their "get there for Christmas" shipping options! 

Please don't forget to take the time to enter my contest from yesterday!  It needs the entries and the prizes are AWESOME!! You need to jump on it!

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Lumps of Coal for Christmas

You would actually think that getting coal for Christmas would be a horrible thing... but you are wrong, this year you can get them coal guilt free!  How do you ask??  Thru board games.  Need a great new holiday game to play with the family I have a GREAT couple games that one are fast paced, and two great for opening discussion within your family!  A great way to help open up at the dinner table or over coffee and desert after a HUGE Christmas feast.  Not to mention some amazing stocking stuffers that are affordable and fun for everyone!  

What games am I speaking of this year?? Lumps, and Family Talk 2 people.  Some great games that everyone again can enjoy, Family Talk 2 is great cause it has a really broad age range starting at 3years!  My daycare kids really enjoyed it, though some of the questions are a little older, you can always rephrase them to get some funny answers out of the kidlets.  For example one of the three year old friendly questions was "what makes you angry?"  and my Eldest shouted out "not having cookies!!!!!"  It was hilarious I almost peed myself.  There are even more thought provoking questions to help see the insight your young teens and tweens have on important issues.  What better way to broaden the mind and encourage healthy dinner conversation??

That question above was really great for our little family cause we finally got to tell eldest who he was named after and why.  I wont divulge the details here it is a sad story that isn't holiday spirited. 

Now Lumps is a GREAT game, fast paced and lots of fun!!  Something you could do in the morning after you unstuff your stocking or over a few drinks with a group of friends; even something simple like family game night.  "The Goal of the game is to score the most point in three rolls.  Score points by rolling pairs.  Roll a pair of 3s, you score 3 points... a pair of 10s, scores you 10 points...."  As you can see by the photo all the dice are very different making getting all those pairs a lot more challenging than you would think.  Unless you are my hubby so seems to poop horseshoes lol.  He kept schooling me getting pair after pair.

A great fast paced dice rolling game!  "Getting coal in your stocking was never so much fun!"  Lumps, the Elf Coal game, is even available at Hallmark Gold Crown stores, Books-A-Million, Go! Games and 100s of specialty toy stores in the US!

Now the wonderful people at Continuum Games wants to give you the chance to win these games too!  How are you going to do that?? By going to www.continuumgames.com and telling me what you like most about their games and which one you want to try!  Follow the rules below and enter to win!

Mandatory Entries

(leave a comment for every entry WITH your e-mail address!)

1.  You must be a follower of Mumfection via GFC and like us on Facebook. (2 entries)

2.  You have to visit www.continuumgames.com and tell me what you love best about em! (1 entry)

Additional Entries

1. Follow me on Twitter. (1 entry)

2. Tweet this contest!  (i.e. great holiday giveaway with @continuumgames and @Eschelle enter to win! http://www.mumfection.com/2011/12/lumps-of-coal-for-christmas.html #giveaways) (once daily, comment for EVERY time.)

3. Like Continuum games on Facebook! (1 entry)

4. Follow #ContinuumGames on Twitter (1 entry)

Good luck to all that enter the contest will end Dec. 24th @ 10pm [PST]

winner will be selected by random.org!


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