the art of clever gift giving.

I'm still trying to master this art. I love clever gifts. I love well thought out, one-of-a-kind , creative and super clever gifts. Usually this is a fairly easy task to tackle. But for husband this is a near impossible feat to accomplish. He's really hard to shop for, and he's not as appreciative of the one-of-a-kind cleverness that I am.

Our anniversary is coming up , as is Father's day. I'm mulling over a few ideas for both occasions and going to be checking them off my to-do list starting this weekend. But for our anniversary I'm still at a loss, trying to come up with cute ideas that he'll actually appreciate and show off.  I wanted to get tattoos together...he wasn't big on the idea. ha. I thought it'd be fun!

If anyone has any GREAT ideas for our 5th wedding anniversary {10yrs together} then shout them out! let me know, and send me links!! I love supporting handmade and I love items from all over the world! I got Husband awesome tshirts for Christmas, from an artisan in Australia! Love Etsy!!

So- send me your ideas!!

Test Message!

My last post was getting warnings plastered all over it,  I was kicked out of blogger because McAfee deemed it unsafe, I couldn't link it on my facebook...the whole shabam. What the heck was that all about, anyway?!!

So here is my test post- do you receive it well?

Enjoy the sunshine and remember to protect your littles from sunburn!  My next post will be natural ways to prevent sunburn , heatstroke, bug repellants, etc.

Prayers and thoughts, please

My little cousin, who is 17yrs old, was rushed to the hospital over the weekend with menengitis of the brain. Talk about scary. Though I'm not particularily close with his family, we are still family and it still worries me greatly when someone in my family falls ill. Having kids of my own, I actually know exactly what they're going through and how insanely scary it is. I've been there- not knowing what's going to happen, not knowing how your little one is going to recover, not knowing when your lives will return back to normal. That is terrifying stuff for anyone going through it, and you may feel like you're staring down a dark hole with no end in sight...but you're not. Everyday new developments will happen, everyday new signs of improvement will come about and you'll cheer for every independanty taken breath, blink of their eyes...every. little. thing.

So please, send your well wishes and prayers to my cousin who is at Sick Kids hospital in Toronto for a few weeks , getting stronger everyday. He had surgery and I'm not sure what's next for him, but just hold him in your thoughts.

:)

Ouchie wawa.

So here I sit, cursing to the wind about my knee. I have a bad habit of taking care of everyone else around me, and forgetting to take care of myself... or so it seems. By the time I get to a doctor, it's usually "too late" to do much about what's going on. I've been hospitalized for pneumonia, got a nasty kidney infection recently, had mastitis after my youngest was born , etc. I don't want to go to a doctor if I don't have to. If I don't really feel that I NEED a doctor...chances are I will google what's going on, and try to solve it on my own.

Well, my knee went completely numb early Monday- and I mean...completely numb, frozen, weird. I fell over, I've been in excruciating pain, etc. Everyone has been telling me to deal with it. "ya ya ya, I will when I get time" . Well, I have seen 2 doctors now, and am now going for xrays and to see a reumatologist. I've managed to stump those 2 doctors and they're both very intrigued and are anxious to find out what's going on. ...as am I, trust me. I can't even bend my knee anymore- I feel ridiculous.

I'm on Tylenol 3s right now, to attempt to release any of this pain...and it's not quite working that well. I'm still in pain and I'm still aching- but they have definitely gone to my head! I'm baking for the market with D , and I've turned into a maniac in the kitchen. Breaking eggs, dropping macaroons, chocolate chips all over the counter. Yes world...I'm a wild woman.

mmmmm.....cookies. {dairy,soy,nut,gluten,egg,refined sugar-free cookies to be exact!}

Jk is lurking around the corner!

So I took Madison to her Jk orientation this morning- so crazy that I'm going to have 2 kids in full time school come September. Absolutely insane. We went in the morning for her to see what the library is like and to participate in a few different activities while I sat and listened to the schpeel that I've already heard from Mason. This full time business is new to me so while it is welcomed, and exciting...I'm also a little bit nervous.

Madison fit in like a natural, gave me a peck and then went on her marry way, holding her friend C's hand. It was the cutest thing. She knows C from preschool so it's nice that she might have one kid in her class that she knows already. C's mum was pleased too, because C is generally very shy while Madison is very social and independant.

What a year this will be- I might cry buying school bags this year...I might.

Run the dog!!

You've read about Moose before in earlier posts. I've written about his antics and the medications we were trying for him. They didn't work. I then decided I was going to try a little experiment with him because really...he couldn't get any worse than he was behaving. So my experiment was simply, more exercise. I wanted to see if getting Moose to run more, spend more time out in the sunshine and more time integrated into our family unit would help calm his anxieties inside the home ,at all.

So far- it has, but it's also made him the complete velcro dog. His breed is known as the velcro dogs {he's a Hungarian Vizsla}. Since making a conscious effort to include him in our family activities and outings, he's been super attached to me, no matter what I'm doing. He's there, his nose to my knee. It's like he's just waiting. Waiting for what we're doing next, where we'll go...something. I'll take it though, over the super anxious, skiddish, nut job we had before. He's on no medications , I was seconds away from filling a script for human anti depressants for him. So with this discovery, it means I'll be hiring a dog walker for the colder months, or signing him up for doggy daycare a couple of days a week during the winter. Call me crazy but if getting him out in the public running around will make him a happier dog...then I'll do what it takes to get him there.

It's also incredible how great he looks these days- everyone who sees him thinks he's just a puppy and are floored when I tell them he's 6yrs old! There was a period of time where he was over weight but happy- {aren't they always that way?! } and we would get comments like "stop feeding your dog hamburgers" or my fave, from a true Hungarian, in his Hungarian accent " your dog is too fat. You Canadians feed your dogs TOO MUCH!" and that came from a random man, as I walked past him at the park. We switched Moose's food to a higher quality one than he was already on, {higher price tag too of course!} and I started running him more. Now he's a lean , sleek , young looking pup who is happy with himself. Finally.

He is a part of our family, he is my 5th child and it killed me to see him suffering from anxiety , depression and maybe even low self esteem. It was easy for me to tell him to get lost though when I was swamped with babies, daycare, etc. "Moose Go! " was a common phrase in this house, and even the kids were saying it. Poor guy- so it took the visits to the vet, the talk of medications and the research I did about the medications and his symptoms, to really show me what was going on.

So we have a handle on it for now, he's happy, healthy, and enjoying every moment with us. The kids are enjoying his company, and he now thinks that everytime I get my keys and the diaper bag that it's time for him to come with. Half the time, he manages to guilt me into bringing him along, even for just a car ride - which I never thought I would do!! haha.

Long weekends, and routines.

Long weekends are amazing. They rejunivate us after long dull work weeks, they reconnect us with our families and ourselves, they bring out our neighbours and friends, they bring out fireworks and sparklers, camp fires and smores!  My kids love long weekends, because it means they get to stay up later than usual, which can mean total chaos for husband and I .

So, we've learned over these few years in the parenting game, a few tricks to keep our sanity intact.

1. Don't stress over routines! Trying to be super diligent over your nap schedules, eating schedules and bed time routines will just drive everyone crazy. Try to stay within an hour or two of your usual routines, but if you don't- don't stress. Just get to the necessary events when you can. Your kids won't let you forget to feed them, if they're anything like mine- they want to eat all day long during long weekends, or so it seems!

2. Give your kids more selection and choice , if they're old enough. Let them decide what to eat for dinner, even if it seems ridiculous. It's the best time to have breakfast for dinner, or even eat your dessert first! I can't do the latter, because I know my kids would eat the dessert and then suddenly be 'full' which I know...would be typical of other kiddos. But let them make a fun dessert- have a build your own sundae night but take them topping shopping first!

3. Take lots of pictures! Capture those family moments you otherwise wouldn't. If your kid says or does something funny, write it down on the calendar or in a journal. And don't just keep those photos in your computer or on your memory card. PRINT THEM. Go out to the store and buy some frames and designate a wall for photos, your kids artwork, etc.

4. On the last day of the long weekend, get your kids to bed early. I like to get mine down for around 7pm the last night of a long weekend- that means they've eaten and bathed, before 6pm. It's hard to do on a regular night because it's still light out and they just want to play but after a weekend of playing, celebrating, and staying up late- their little bodies need the rest. Even if you have to get up a little bit earlier the next day, consider it a win.

5. Enjoy yourself and your partner. We always get so lost in the goings on of busy weeks , appointments, work schedules , kids, etc. Take a few minutes to remember why you fell in love in the first place, play and be goofy. Husband and I seem to always get into water gun fights {....I prefer the hose, and a really good hiding spot..haha} or water balloon fights, that sort of thing. The kids absolutely love it, we have lots of fun and we actually giggle. I love that.

making potions on the front lawn. {grass,dirt,water, chalk}

phew!

These daily postings are getting hard to keep up with! I love this beautiful weather we're having, we spend every minute of every day outside and in the sunshine. The kids and dog are exhausted by dinner time, covered in dirt, ketchup, freezie stains on their chins,sunkissed skin and the smell of sunscreen. I look at them , eating dinner calmly, engrossed in the flavours, and racing to finish to see who will get their dessert first. I look around at each of them, with love in my heart and full of amazement...they're all mine. :) I love thinking about that. I really do, I love thinking about how blessed we are to have 4 beautiful children, who each have very different personalities than the other. I love recounting their day with each of them, asking their favourite part, and what they'd like to do tomorrow. I love remembering the funny things they said, or did that day, and getting a little chuckle to myself. I love it.

But its making these daily postings hard, because I'm so darn exhausted by the time the kids get to bed! We have impromptu dinner parties with our good friends who happen to be our next door neighbours, and we get lost in time as we laugh and share stories. These are the moments that matter so much- these are the moments our kids will remember for years to come- they're not going to remember how often I scrubbed the floors or vacuumed the carpets.

So sit back, and enjoy the ones you love. Enjoy every moment you have together, and make some beautiful summer memories!!!

Here we go to market

Today was my first day at our local farmer's market, selling my allergy friendly baked goods, handmade sewn items, and some of the cloth diapers , detergents, amber etc- that we carry in our cloth diapering boutique. I was amazed at the interest, need and intrigue at the market in Aurora!!! Yay to us, that was the greatest intro to the farmer's market ever, I realized I need to make...A LOT of cookies for next week {*gulp!!} as we sold out pretty quick, it was crazy. We litterally left with bits of crumbs, I handed them out as samples while D packed some of our stuff  up {...amazing woman!!} and I converted a lot of skeptics! Never tried sensitivity friendly sweets?! TRY MINE!!! :)

What the Whaaaaat?? {Greys Anatomy season finale}

I was going to blog about something else entirely, but I sat down to watch my pvr'd Greys Anatomy after spending the evening baking and getting ready for the farmer's market. But here I sit, on the edge of my seat gasping for air. What the whaaaat? Unbelievable, I am actually left speachless.
Tears are streaming down my face, my heart is in my throat and I almost want to turn it off. But I can't.look.away.

Go the F$%# to Sleep!!!!

Have you heard of the book? Check this link if you haven't. We have a little, who seems this book was written for.

Manning fights bedtime lately, so much! When I bring him up to his room for either nap or bedtime, suddenly he has to brush his teeth. Then he needs a drink. Then he needs to pee pee {he wears diapers and isn't fully training yet!} . Then he needs to brush his teeth again. Then he needs to look for the sun. Then he heard a noise. Then the light scared him. Then he needs blanket from downstairs....then he's hungry.....the list goes on, and on, and on. Bedtime with Manning is exhausting! Lets not forget there are 3 others that need to go to bed also, and that means other stories, teeth brushing, toilet visits, etc. Madison requests a few songs to be sung and we have a ritual of blowing kisses as I walk down the stairs. Not just blowing a little kiss...these kisses, knock you out. Madison smacks herself when she catches your kiss and falls over onto her bed- it's hilarious. I got her finally catching the kisses on her heart, instead of her face because she was smacking herself in her forehead and her cheeks all the time- figured her chest wouldn't be such a shock to her system haha. {she gets really into it!}

Tonight was no exception. Manning started getting ready for bedtime no problem, diaper, pjs, teeth brushed. I tucked him into bed, rubbed his back for a few minutes and left. He requests his light be left on, and door open so I obliged. I said goodnight, and asked him to stay in his bed so we can play outside tomorrow- then all he could talk about was outside. I came downstairs after getting everyone else in bed, and then we hear little footsteps coming down the stairs. He's so incredibly sweet, it's hard to get mad at him...even after the 5th time he sneeks out of his room at night. Sometimes I catch him playing in the playroom, quieter than a mouse, instead of in his bed where he should be.

After an hour and a half of battle, I finally got Manning to sleep and stay in his bed because I set up a playpen in his room and threatened he'd have to camp out in it tonight, if he didn't stay in his bed {Elmo toddler bed} . I also told him he wouldn't go outside tomorrow if he didn't sleep tonight because the birds only like to sing to boys who sleep. That was a solid reason for him , apparently.

So he finally, went the fuck to sleep, before I went to fucking crazytown.

Goodnight world!

The Cocoa Cakery

I'm writing a random review of Christina McKenzie's gorgeous cakes, at The Cocoa Cakery. She made a last minute cake for husband's birthday this past weekend, and it was amazing. I had a vision- and I started rambling ideas {as I tend to do} and she actually saw what I saw, and ran with it. What she came out with was perfect. She made a wine bottle {red wine for us!} with a personalized label, that said "aged to perfection c.1978" and how perfect, as I sliced up the cake and handed it out to everyone, we looked at husband's slice and it just said " perfection". And that summed it up , it really was , perfection !

I've tried her cake pops and seen her other creations and she is always on the ball, always amazing. I have a major appreciation for those with creative souls who make it work for their families and she is certainly one of those souls. We are very similar in the way we think- if Christina and I sat in a room together and brainstormed...we'd cause a hurricane of creativity.

I highly recomend her cakes to anyone looking, in the GTA ! I will upload a pic so you can see for yourselves, I just got a blurry phone pic .

Easy...I'm sensitive.

I'm talking about treats, not people. I just spent the better part of the evening making {and experimenting with} allergy-friendly treats! Gluten, dairy,soy,nut, refined sugar -free oatmeal chocolate chip cookies = DELICIOUS. I tried the same recipe using potato flour instead of brown rice....ick. I actually spat them out...not a good idea. I had my trusty helper with me, D, who can't bake if her life depended on it. But she's trying, and she's learning! She's really great at stirring, and cleaning which is ok by me. We experimented a bit with ingredients and combinations and I got really excited to make my own guimauves - organic, refined-sugar free. They look unlike your typical store bought marshmallow because they're not bleached white and perfectly fluffy but I think they'll be really good!! Tomorrow is going to be the deciding factor, as they're chilling overnight in the fridge.

On the agenda for the rest of this week: ginger molasses cookies {I make THE BEST ones out there}, carrot cake, sugar-free  date squares, brownies, gluten-free rice crispy treats! Why am I baking so much?? Well, somehow I got signed up for a baked goods table at our local market which I don't mind, I actually see it as a great challenge, but this week is going to be pretty crazy. Good thing my Kitchen Aid bowl lift stand mixer arrived in store Saturday- it makes baking so much easier!

Stay tuned for more in the adventures of sensitive deliciousness happening over here!

Happy Mother's Day....you're alright!

If you ever doubt your abilities or impact as a mother, wait until your child who goes to daycare, preschool, or elementary school comes home bearing gifts. I was looking forward to sleeping in today- I surprised husband with another night out last night, and we didn't get home until 3am. Missed the last GO bus, ended up taking a cab...a very expensive cab, but it was a great night so well worth the heafty babysitting bill and cab bill {along with the rest of the bills haha}. So I was hoping t osleep till maybe 9, but no. I woke up at 7:30am to a very excited, very proud, Mason at my bedside. I opened my eyes with a big smile on my face- I love how excited they get to give me things they've made for me. He handed me a brightly coloured manilla envelope, and told me to open it. I examined the envelope to find the right place to open it, since it's a piece of art in itself. Inside there were many things. Mason wrote me books, drew me pictures, cut out a poem, and made me a paperclip necklace. He put the necklace on my neck with such pride- and stood back and admired it. It's the best necklace I'ever ever owned. Who knew, a paperclip could look like an angel! He ran downstairs and told me to wait until he called me- so I bathed Mia and got ready for the day. I hear Mason calling to me, so I came downstairs and he was standing there practically jumping up and down excited. " I made you something mummy! it's outside!" ..."wow, ok what did you make me?" ....." I made you breakfast mummy!" I proceeded to go outback, and see a spot at our dew-covered patio table, Hello Kitty plate, a knife and fork on either side- and my waffle , with syrup. He walked me to the table and sat me down, and watched me cut into the waffle as though he had crafted the recipe himself. It was the best Eggo waffle I've ever eaten in my life- cold, on a wet table, and full of love.

This is going to be an amazing day.

Happy Mother's Day to everyone, don't take any of the little things for granted !

Your homework.

Instead of a big long post today, I'm going to leave you a few links to browse. This weekend is full of birthday surprises for my love, and maybe even some mother's day surprises for me tomorrow ;-)

So, check out these people- people who's work I love, and you should too. These links are facebook links.

The Cocoa Cakery https://www.facebook.com/#!/thecocoacakery

Little Nurslings https://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Nurslings/238214611436?ref=ts

Em's Creations https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ems-Creations/285779711453825


And when you check out their pages- tell them I sent you :)


Love the ones you're with. <3

Not going to do it.

Remember earlier how I mentioned I was going to give my response to that Time magazine cover photo and article? Well...I changed my mind. I changed my mind because it's getting way too much coverage, and media attention- and it doesn't deserve it.

Instead I am going to reiterate what I've said in previous posts. Children don't come with manuals. They don't arrive in your lap, with a booklet telling you what you should do, and how you should do it. Its up to us as the parents {I'm talking mums , dads, whatever!} to figure it out and give our children the very best start we can. Whether that means breastfeeding , or formula feeding in infancy- is beside the point. I have some fairly strong opinions on extended breastfeeding past the age of 2yrs, but I will just note here, that it's not for me. I plan to make it to 1yr with Mia and no more.

I know so many wonderful parents. I don't associate with mediocre parents, or "so-so parents". I only associate with parents {and people in general} whose values I believe in, whose opinions I trust and whos practices I support. I don't jump on bandwagons, I never follow 'the curve'. I remember reading ALL the parenting books that were available, when I was pregnant with my first, Mason. I read them all cover-to-cover as though they were the most important things I would ever study. All about pregnancy, all about nutrition, all about breastfeeding, all about sleep, all about ...everything. You name it, I read it. Do I conform to the lessons found in those pages? I certainly do not. I do what works for me, my baby, my family. C'est tout. I don't care if your brother Bob's , friend's sister said that her baby liked it better swaddled. I don't care that your mother's neighbour's son's baby couldn't sleep with a window open. We as parents, adapt. Our babies and children adapt. Once you figure out your family's groove- go with it. Move with it, and flourish. I always had the babies that slept through the night before they were even 2 months old, and they were breastfed. { *ducks and hides*} While I say "slept through the night" at 2 months, that was 5hrs. Not too shabby though- considering my other friends would be up every 2-3hrs with their newborns up until toddlerhood. Mia took the longest to sleep through the night, at 6 weeks. {..I know...right? ;-)  }

Here's a good rule of thumb, for those people you're associating with: If you wouldn't trust them to watch your child {babysit} then you shouldn't be wasting your time with them.

So..... are you mom enough? I certainly am.

Bravado photo shoot. Me nursing Manning at 8 weeks old.

*grumble grumble!!* you can be so frustrating!!!

You probably have guessed who I'm talking about. The Husband. It's his birthday tomorrow so I've been working like a mad woman trying to keep plans secret. He thinks nothing is happening for his birthday {don't worry, he doesn't read blogs...*insert eye roll here* } but I have a LOT planned. The festivities are starting tonight, and I'm throwing a birthday party for his family tonight- so I've been working like a crazy woman getting groceries, beer, doing yardwork {with baby attached to my front no less!} cleaning the house, manning the kids, all of it. I'm also making burgers, cake, the whole enchelada.

Why is he frustrating , I can sense you wondering. Well- because he doesn't know anything is happening, he is making these itty bitty remarks that make me want toss him out of the upstairs window. I had told him we were just going for dinner tomorrow night, at the Keg. Not one of his favourite venues for a Sat night because the line up is ridiculous. I'm talking...waiting 2hrs just to get a table, and nothing available in the bar area. It's not even that it's an amaaaaazing restaurant, but they do make a good steak and it's the only chain that is somewhat "dressy"....you wear your nice jeans, instead of the ripped ones. Sometimes I even put my heels on, instead of my flip flops ;-) {kidding...I always put my heels instead of flip flops on when going for dinner!!} But yes, so it's not his idea of a great bday event. That's why....we're not actually doing that. But I can't just tell him that we're not doing that- I'm just letting him annoy the crap out of me and attempt to let it roll off my shoulders. He even told me he didn't care about his bday and doesn't even like them. *insert new eye roll here*. Though he's had a countdown on his bbm status for the past 2 weeks..to his birthday. haha.

So anyway, I'm rambling because I'm so incredibly busy today but I wanted to post so you didn't all think I had left the country without checking in first. ;-)


Stay tuned for my response to Time's article "Are you Mom Enough" . You can only imagine what's on this blogger's mind about THAT one....  I can't even pull up the article, when I google the topic everyone's response comes up. And you can image...it's got quite the response already. Mine will follow shortly.

Until then- I am off to bake some cupcakes for an undeserving soon-to-be 34yr old ;-) ...cause even though he drives me batty, I still love him to bits.

Enjoy the sunshine everyone!

getting ready to cut the lawn with our push mower!

Good deed...gone wrong.

Three weeks ago, while at the park in the early morning, we came across a pink scooter. The park is right behind an elementary school, so I assumed it belonged to a kid who played at the park first then ran to get to class {which seems to be the succession of events there.}

So.. We played for 2hrs, and saw nobody come for said scooter. I wheeled the scooter home, and told the kids we were going to make signs, and put them up so that whoever owned the scooter would see them, and come and get it back.  ...Then it rained. It poured, for a good 2 days. The scooter was in the garage and I was reminded daily about making signs. "yes , yes we're going to make them- how about tomorrow?" . This went on for days. The scooter is still in my garage...3 weeks later.

Good deed....FAIL. My kids remind me everytime I open that garage door, that the scooter that doesn't belong to us, is still there. How on earth did I just fail that lesson, I was trying to teach my children? Well...all is not lost, I am dropping the scooter off at the school tonight, with a note that says "found in park" and it will find its owner {whether intended, or new} soon.

Do you have a 'thing' ?

You know...a hobby, interest, extra-curricular? I've always had interests outside of my everyday life. As a kid I participated in different sports {horse back riding, figure skating, soccer, volleyball} and I was on a lot of committees in highschool {I was the class president in grade 12, I was on the semi-formal comittee , the prom comittee, yearbook, I ran the fashion show one year, I participated in fashion shows otherwise, I was in the drama club, in band {yaaa clarinet! Holla....haha} I dabbled in choir, I submitted works of art blah blah blah blah blah} It continued through university, always a random collection of interests , sports, hobbies. Never anything "related" always a mash of everything. Those who know me now- know that I am still that person. I love a lot of things, fashion, art, music, sports, food, wine, travel, languages..... so I try to do something that I love everyday for ME. I love all the time I spend with my family, my children are my biggest fans and I just love every bit of them. I was laying with Madison tonight, in her bed and I put my ear to her chest and just listened. A tear welled in the corner of my eye and I hugged her tight- she asked what I was listening for, and I told her I was listening to her heart. She listened to mine and told me she loved me. Just melted my heart...I could listen to that heartbeat all night. " I made that, you know" I said to her. " you can make people, mummy?!" she said , wide eyed and amazed. "yep, I made you, Mason, Manning and Mia. Your nose, your toes, your thumpity thump heart, all of it" .... " thanks mummy. for makin' us" she said to me, with a tiny little twinkle in her eye and that amazingly adorable smile on her face.      Bliss.

So, outside that beautiful existence of mine, I have other things I enjoy doing. I keep trying to tell husband he needs something to unwind outside these walls. Running, reading, ....heck..bird watching, anything. My friend was telling me, he gets lost in the magic of Harry Potter. Loved the books and is now collecting cool 'things' from the stories. He's a ....hm....40 something { right, J ?} man with a beautiful little girl {D} and is surrounded by all things pink, princess, and diva everyday. While that DOES fit in with his personality {hardy har har} he still has an outlet that he can disappear into whenever he wants to. Everyone needs that!! Even if it's as simple as reading a book that takes you away into dream land.

So the seach is on- lets find my husband something he'd enjoy doing. We're doing a wine group in the fall which he'll enjoy, but he needs something now. Give me some suggestions!!

Photos

Do you take a lot of photos? What do you do with all the photos that you do take?

I love taking photos. I love photography, having hard copy photographs to admire and cherish. I love picture frames and fun little photo holders. I used to develop my own film when I was in university, that was such an amazing time- I would disappear into the dark room lab for hours, sometimes an entire day, developing my photos - starting with just a roll, and ending with beautiful prints.

In this digital age, we take it all for granted. I know that I do , anyway. I have so many photos of my children. They always say that with each child you have, you take less and less photos of each subsiquent child. I think I take just as many of them all, as I did Mason in the beginning. As they get older, it's harder for me to capture those moments, they hardly ever stay still for long enough to snap my DSLR or even my smartphone or the screw up their faces , scrunch their nose, close their eyes, the whole bit. While I love capturing those goofy moments, I want some photos with the appearance, of normal children. ;-) 

Well, recently my laptop crashed. The hard drive fried and it just died on us. I'm not upset about the computer, they are replaceable {I'm typing on it's replacement right now!} but I lost, all of my children's photos. From birth until now, for 4 beautiful children. I didn't print enough of them...and I kicked myself when the computer crashed- why on earth didn't I print more?! Why on earth didn't I back up?!! We're going to be taking the computer to some computer geeky person who *hopefully* can recover our files and save them to an external ...and then I will print, and make albums!

Someone , please tell me they'll be able to recover my photos and that I have nothing to worry about...please!

Nurturing friendships.

Remember how easy it was to make friends when you were a kid? You notice a kid wearing the same shirt as you *bam* instant best friend. 'Hey look! that kid likes playing ball too!' ta daaa....new friend , etc. When you get older, out of school and in the real world, your friend making skills are put to the test. When you move , start a new job, have a baby... you have to make new groups of friends and put yourself "on the friend market" again. It's a daunting task. Having kids who are old enough to interact with other kids on their own, makes it a bit easier..but sometimes, their friends parents....are as thrilling as talking to a goldfish.

So ...what do you do when you find friends you really enjoy having around and doing things with? Nurture that friendship! Take the time to let your friends know what they mean to you, ask them how they're doing. Actively listen to them and let them know you care. Ok..I know..lame.

New spin- If you don't take the time to nurture the friendships you really truly value, you're going to end up with back stabbing bitches, or  annoyingly clingy saps who constantly think you're mad at them. Take it from someone who knows...both those options are WAY.TOO.MUCH.DRAMA. Nobody needs that much drama in their life- as a mother I've got enough drama in a day-to-day existance than some people can handle. The drama I want to deal with, is Madison wanting to wear her bathingsuit with her winter boots, not brushing her hair, Mason wanting to wear pjs to school, Manning wanting to "do self!!" ... that's the only kind of drama I am willing to accept and live with...and embrace. I'm a busy woman, as are many women and mothers. We are busy- plain and simple. Sometimes I don't have time to call a friend, or text message everyday. Heck...not sometimes, I just don't. Days go by without a peep from me, sometimes longer. But I've got friends who are the same- I don't hear from them for weeks, soemtimes months even but I know that is what they need for whatever reason and that they'll touch base when they've got the time and energy. Those friends I love, I cherish , and I nurture our friendship. I love that we can chat after months of not- and it seems like it was only yesterday that we saw each other. Those girls know who I'm talking about- and just know..I love you! I love that we're friends, and I love that our kids are friends as well. Love love love it. I can't explain how much gratitude I have for these girls, they give me sanity in an otherwise chaotic existence.

If you're dealing with drama mamas...rid your life! You'll feel so amazing once you get rid of the burden of whiney bitches.

Here we go to the market...

Well it's officially farmer's market time! We went to check out our location, and we're coming up with some great plans. Starting May 19th , I will be at the Aurora Farmer's Market every Saturday with my biz partner and great friend, Deanna , selling delicious allergy friendly baked goods, sewn items {aprons, snack bags, etc} and some great all natural baby products !!!

Come check us out!! Wells + Mosely streets , Aurora. 8am-1pm every Saturday!

The boys with the rainbow nails

Having a house of both boys and girls, there are bound to be some interesting things happening over here. I am a firm believer in letting children choose what they like, and what they don't. My kids love having tutu tea parties all together, and they love pretending to be dinosaurs {it's really funny, when they combine the two haha} . The boys like bright colours, and Madison loves doing things that are usually "boy" centred, while she still loves being a princess. I love that my kids have such open minds. My boys breastfeed their babies {with their belly buttons, usually} , when they play house sometimes Mason is the mum, and Madison is the dad- and sometimes they change it up and Madison plays the mummy, and Mason the daddy. Manning usually ends up the dog.

Yesterday I went to Toronto with my mum and sister and we ate at Biff's Bistro and saw   Yann Tiersen in concert . It was a great time! I didn't come home until tonight around dinner time and I brought the kids little presents from my trip away. I brought the boys jelly bean pooping animals {...haha} and Madison I bought an assorted pack of nail polish colours- and they are scented, and smell like different things! Of course Madison wanted the poop jelly beans, the boys wanted the polish...that's usually the way it goes. So I set up the nail salon. Everyone lined up, and waited to have their nails painted. Madison got every colour {hot pink, blue, green, yellow, and light pink} on her hands- alternating a colour each finger. Then, it was Mason's turn. I asked him if he wanted the yellow, green and blue. I shouldn't have done that- and I do know better. But of course, he didn't want just those colours, he wanted the pinks, too. Ok- bubble gum fingers it is!! Manning's turn follows and I let him tell me what colours he wanted- blue, green yellow . So I paint them on, and start packing up...he then wants the pinks. Oy. So Manning has some version of a french manicure, with bright fun colours.

I love how comfortable my boys are with themselves. They're confident, happy, intelligent little boys. They know what they want, and what they don't. Mason takes Barbie themed juice boxes to school as opposed to the Hot Wheels version {....they are lucky dad did the shopping that day hah} because it tastes better. I asked him if the kids made fun of him bringing barbie things, or dora bags, or whatever to school. He said ..." no. I just like these better, that's why I bring them" and that's ok with me. He started SK , with a full mani/pedi - and he showed them off proudly.

Of course, I do draw the line- I don't just go all willy nilly with letting the boys do the "girlie" things, I don't do their makeup, or put pink bows in their hair. But they all {Madison included and soon enough Mia too} love to put on my high heels and hear them clackity clack. They love pretending to put blush on with makeup brushes {I have a set just for the kids !} and they love anything glittery. Who dosen't though?? Why can't they make more things for boys that have glitter??? Seriously, I know my boys are not the only boys to love sparkly glitter. So until that becomes the norm in boys clothing, or general things...my little men, will celebrate their youth, with bright fun nail polish!

You are a good mother.

This is a little post I'm sending out to someone, and I'm sure she'll know who she is when she reads it.
As you are in your early stages of motherhood, you're learning all the time. You're learning how to change diapers, you're learning sleep patterns {of you and your baby!}, you're learning how beautiful the smallest things can be {tiny little baby breaths on your chest, a little baby scratch , how intoxicating the smell of a newborn's head is!!} you're learning how to read your baby's sounds, you're learning about feeding your baby, and how your body works. But...you have to remember, you're also recovering from the biggest event in your life. You sustained an injury {mummy who this is intended for!} bringing that beautiful baby into this world, and baby appreciates that. Baby knows the ordeal, because baby went through it too- but it's only the two of you, who truly get what you're feeling and what you're going through. Breastfeeding is a wonderful thing, and it's worth the fight if you're able and willing to fight for it- but if you're not...don't think it makes you a bad mother. It doesn't mean you're choosing the easy way out, it doesn't mean you're not giving your baby the best that he deserves. I'm not writing this post to tell you how to feed your baby- I'm writing this post for all the new mothers out there, to tell you all that nobody can tell you the perfect way to nourish your baby. The only person who can tell you how exactly you need to feed your baby, is you. Listen to your heart, listen to your body, listen to yourself. Become best friends with yourself, if you aren't already, and listen to her! SHE is the only friend who can tell you what to do in this time. If you want to give breastfeeding a shot- do it. Try it out, pump some milk, see how it pans out for you. If you're finding you really want to continue but just can't figure ________________ out, then seek the help of a lactation consultant. They make housecalls even! But I warn....make sure your lactation consultant, has an open mind. I found, in my many journies into breastfeeding that the support systems were sort of skewed. As long as I was breastfeeding, the local LLL leader was amazingly supportive, friendly, kind and full of advice. When I needed to switch to formula {for my 3rd, this was } I felt unwelcomed , thrown to the curb, and made to feel guilty. I didn't deserve , nor did I need to feel guilty. And because it was my 3rd, I didn't feel guilty. I didn't justify- I just, did what I needed to do in order to make my child healthy. When I ran into similar problems with my older two, {the switchign from breast to formula} I had similar experiences with the LLL {they are very supportive and a great resource to those who ARE breastfeeding, currently} but I felt so guilty, I felt ashamed, I felt worthless, when giving my baby a bottle of formula. I felt even when I had breastmilk in a bottle- I had to justify why it was in a bottle, and that it was infact breastmilk. But...... WHO CARES?!! your baby cares that he/she is fed. Plain and simple. The only time someone can rightfully make you feel like a bad ,inadequate mother...is if you're feeding your baby vodka and potato chips, for breakfast. {...or..well...at any time ! ha} So if you're not doing that, and you're either feeding your baby breastmilk, from the breast or in a bottle- or you're feeding your baby formula, don't feel bad.

Hang in- these first weeks of motherhood are exhausting. They are a challenge on relationships, you have to figure out your whole dynamic with your husband once again, you have to really listen to yourself or learn to, and you have to take care of yourself and that sweet, precious little being that came out of your vagina.

*grin*

now, cut yourself some slack, go take a nap, and just know- that you are an amazing mother, you're doing an amazing job, and that your baby is very lucky to have been born, to you.

Do not disturb....

I feel like I should get a sticker that says this, to stick on the front of my laptop. Why you may ask? Well....have you heard about The Fifty Shades of Grey ? If you are over the age of 18, you need to read them. I downloaded the triology today, to my Kobo reader {on my laptop!} and so far I haven't been able to put the first book down. I might finish reading it tonight . I haven't gotten hooked on a series of books in a long time...or..wait...maybe ever. The last book I couldn't put down, was P.S I love you and I read the entire thing on our honeymoon. What a great beach read that was! {when you're 3 months pregnant at an all inclusive resort...you have to bring some forms of entertainment!}

So... I'm going to leave you, to either go get the books or to download them on your e-reader- I'm getting back to mine, now!

hahaha....I love this sign..