The early winter is one of my favourite times of the year- the snow is fluffy & light without the world being too cold, it's cozy enough to drink tea & read books all the time, and I can happily burrow into projects without feeling like I'm missing out on beautiful weather. It's perfect for me!
Last week was the start of some serious crazy in our lives- Jesse started the first of three trips between now and Christmas. I'm not usually very sentimental about the holidays, but because we knew this would be a stressful time we decided to start celebrating the holidays early so we could have more time at home together with an “almost Christmas” feeling. We put the tree & mistletoe up before US Thanksgiving, and now every morning when I make my way down the staircase to make tea & breakfast I get to walk by a fully lit tree.
I know that it's on a timer (thank you, husband) but there's something about not having to turn on the lights on your Christmas tree that makes it a lot more magical. Even if that magic is brought to me by a tiny, timer shaped robot.
So the early morning drives to the airport and solo puppy tending are starting for me, but I'm working on embracing having a little rush & hurriedness as part of the holidays- and the dogs are learning how to manage having me as their sole care giver (who likes to sleep in more than Jesse does).
Case & Point: Last week when Jesse was away on his first trip, Mal developed two new “Get Kyla Out Of Bed” strategies:
1) He would whine until I rolled over to check the time on my iPhone, and then dive onto my pillow where my head had been, flip onto his back, and then wiggle, yip & kick me in the neck so I couldn't put my head back down and fall asleep!
2) He would determine which pillow I was snuggling up to, and then burrow inside of its pillow case while wiggling around, yipping and wagging so I woke up to a pillow that was coming to life.
After hearing the stories of puppy badness, my mom dropped by the studio with something that might work even better than repeated kicks to the neck by a small dog…
An advent calendar aka. chocolate for breakfast!! And suddenly I'm completely fine with it almost being December…
LAST UPDATED ON: November 29th, 2011
CATEGORY: All Posts
hi. you’re cute.
Sometimes, Dutch will basically sit on my head if he’s ready to get up and I’m still sleeping. Sit. On my. HEAD. OK OK, I get it!! ;) These pups of ours, so funny!
Ohh I love this post. What a cute little muffin!! Sorry he keeps waking you up, though; rar!
I luv seeing Winnipeg photo’s in your posts :)
We just adopted a kitty..so learning it has been a fun getting to know you experience for all of us!
Haha your dog is TOO much! And I’m glad you’re celebrating early with Jesse and using the solo time for productivity/”me” time!
Bahaha, oh Mal. Too cute!
Oh my gosh I feel you with the puppy morning rituals. We have a 6-month-old Jack Russel that will jump in our bed in the morning and flop around like a 15-pound fish until we get out of bed. It is really cute but Oh so annoying!
LOL about the dogs!! One great thing about Chloe is she’s a good sleeper! When my brother was watching her she would sleep in until 11 with him and she doesn’t seem to be phased so far that some mornings I wake up at 5 and other I’m up at 7! Then again, she is crate trained right now so that might change once she’s sleeping on her dog bed in our room (hopefully in the next year!)
Webster on the other hand will come lay on my pillow and start licking my face as soon as my alarm goes off in the morning and there is any sign of me getting up. Sigh!
Love that scarf you have on in the first picture!
I love it – what a smart pup you have! :)
Our schipperke mix tends to whimper in the mornings or maybe give a little bark to say “hey, guys, seriously, BREAKFAST.”
I get an advent calendar for my boyfriend every year, too! They’re the best.
Oh, the chocolate advent calendars are the best…. they remind me of home :)
haha your puppers is smart in getting what he wants ;) i still don’t see the difference between children and dogs!
My mom gets me a chocolate advent calendar every year! Except this year, she got Justin and I each one, and then my cousin got me one too! I certainly don’t need all three!
Thanks for the reminder about the chocolate advent calendar! My mom always got that for me when I was a little girl so I should get one soon!
Mal sounds like quite the character :) Chloe loves to stay in bed – I have to push her off me to get up in the morning and she moans and groans and then finally staggers to her feet – only to burrow under the covers in my spot as soon as I get up!
We got an Advent calendar for Topher this year but I’m debating stealing his chocolate (I don’t want his baby teeth filled with cavities!) and replacing it with something healthy …
Oh man, kicks to the neck must be the worst, especially when first waking up! It’s good he’s making these trips now, instead of closer to the holidays and even into the new year. It’s good you’ll have Christmas together! :)
I can’t believe he gets inside the pillow case! That is seriously creative. :)
Hahaha I love chocolate for breakfast advent calendars! I can’t eat them now because they’re contaminated with wheat, but before celiac I totally was a 7 year old. Happy Holidays gorgeous!
You’re so pretty, Kyla!
I have trouble getting out of bed too. Especially when it’s cold. I’ve been setting my alarm for earlier and trying to get more time out of my morning before heading to work, but it’s much easier said than done.
What a smart mom you have! Love the advent calendar, and who can deny chocolate for breakfast?
My kitties do this to me too. Not the kicking in the neck part but the stealing my pillow part, so when I lay back down from hitting snooze I end up with a face full of fur. Gotta love pets :)
Haha … Cute story about your puppy’s attempts tp get you up. And such a great dog photo. Enjoy your chocolate. Now you have me craving some for breakfast too!
Loulou Downtown
I miss not having an advent calender when I’m here in Boston…we have this rad felt one my grandma made a long time ago that we hang up in the living room.
Love the Advent Calendar! I almost bought one for myself this weekend as well – I should have!
Wow, with all of Jesse’s travels, the month is going to be a whirlwind!! Also, I want to see pictures of your tree & decorations!!
I love Advent calendars! We’re spending the first few days of December in Utah, but as soon as we come back, I’m buying two calendars (one for him, and one for me) and digging in! It’s the best way to countdown to Christmas!
That reminds me, I need to get my advent calendar!
x
I completely love that you’re as bad at getting out of bed as me! If my husband didn’t come and get me out of bed with a cup of tea, I don’t know what would happen!