Thankful Thursday

I am SUPER thankful to be able to stay home(during the day) and raise my girls.  Spending the day cuddling & watching them grow is THE BEST thing I could ever ask for! 

I am thankful that Wayne's tests came back clear.

I am Thankful for great friends that still believe in the old school barter & trade system...3 hair cuts for one cheesecake (and she even share it with us ...she ROCKS)

I am thankful that a dear friend of ours is doing much better now...after he scared the living crap out of all of us earlier in the week by going into Cardiac Arrest. I am also very thankful he was already at an appointment in the hospital when this happened, so there was minimal damage.

I am thankful to see the sun shine today and have my fingers crossed the the weather people have their forcast backwards and plan to remove 10-50cm's of snow tomorrow

I love Party Planning

It's that time of the year...I'm sick of winter and spring keeps teasing me by playing hard-to-get...So it must be time to start brainstorming for Ainsley's Birthday Party!

As much as I could NOT stand being a swollen  hippo pregnant lady during the entire summer of 2004, I have NEVER been so excited to celebrate birthdays in the beautiful weather (my siblings & I are ALL winter babies).  There are ENDLESS possibilities for summer celebrations! 


For the last few years when the "end of winter" blues hit Ainsley & I put our heads together and pick a theme (you HAVE to love a theme)  for her birthday (August 12th)....then we consult our best buddy Google.  

For her 4th birthday she was on a big Veggie Tales kick and their newest movie was The Pirates that Don't Do Anything...so we had a ~Buccaneer Bash~  at a local park (at the time we lived 15mins outside of town and people just didn't seem to like the drive for birthday 1yr & 2yr...we found this location for 3yr and it was a HUGE HIT...and minimal clean up)

Invitations in Root beer bottles

Ava my baby pirate

Cake

My mom gave her a Nemo pinata filled with
treasure...there was a sweet story that was
wrapped with it but as the planner/photographer
I didn't get my hands on it before someone
mistook it for trash :(

Treasure chests filled with even more loot

For her 5th birthday we had a new house and HUGE yard (in a more central area)  so we had a big Circus Party.

Thank you cards for the treat bags

we took pin the tail on the donkey and
changed it up.  I bought whipped cream & mini tart
pans to toss pies at the clown's face



cake...thanks Google LOL once she saw
this there was NO changing her mind

This was a HUGE hit!  I found this at Oriental Trading
and it was worth every penny  

For her 6th birthday we decided since water balloons had been such a BIG success at the last two parties that we would do an all water party *Backyard Water BlasT* ....unfortunately because of all the water we haven't got a single picture of that super fun day but we'll always have tons of memories!

This year for her 7th birthday she wants to go camping at Hartt's Island.  We were up there for Labour Day weekend and it was such an awesome time with their waterpark and playground.

So on this cold and dirty, not quite spring, day I am looking for ideas for cakes and treat bags. ( I have  Counting Coconuts post today to thank for the inspiration, her suggestion to use her Eye Spy bottles in goody bags has sparked me into a Google frenzy lol)

Mondays Music Moves Me - February Love Songs-

Mondays Music Moves Me theme for February has been ~Love Songs~ and for this week my choice is Daughtry's Life After You


I LOVE LOVE this song :)   The first time I heard it on the radio it stopped me in my tracks.  The lyrics hit so close to home for me.  I am thinking it may be a top contender for our wedding song.  My man and I have survived many tough challenges in our 10 years together and through thick & thin we have always been able share laughter...and there is no one I want to spend my life laughing with more than him.



"Life After You"Ten miles from town and I just broke down
Spittin' out smoke on the side of the road
I'm out here alone just tryin' to get home
To tell you I was wrong but you already know
Believe me I won't stop at nothin'
To see you so I've started runnin'

All that I'm after is a life full of laughter
As long as I'm laughing with you
I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after
After the life we've been through
'Cause I know there's no life after you

Last time we talked, the night that I walked
Burns like an iron in the back of my mind
I must've been high to say you and I
Weren't meant to be and just wasting my time
Oh, why did I ever doubt you?
You know I would die here without you

All that I'm after is a life full of laughter
As long as I'm laughing with you
I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after
After the life we've been through
'Cause I know there's no life after you

You and I, right or wrong, there's no other one
After this time I spent alone
It's hard to believe that a man with sight could be so blind
Thinkin' 'bout the better times, must've been outta my mind
So I'm runnin' back to tell you

All that I'm after is a life full of laughter
Without you God knows what I'd do

All that I'm after is a life full of laughter
As long as I'm laughing with you
I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after
After the life we've been through
'Cause I know there's no life after you

BIG THANKS to My Rays of Sunshine for awarding me The Versatile Blogger Award

                                                              Here are the Rules:

- Thank the person who gave you the award!

- Share 7 things about yourself

- Pass the award on to 10 other versatile bloggers.

- Let those other bloggers know that you gave them the award.

Thank you,Ashley for the award! Now, head on over to her blog!She is SUPER sweet!

1. I am an old soul, I think...I definitely don't seem to fit my generation
2. I am a list addict...I have my calender plastered with info and hundreds of random papers ...I try  hard to be organized as much as possible...I think I drive some absolutely crazy with my NEED for details.
3. I strive to be a thoughtful and supportive friend...I don't always have time to physically spend with my friends but I do try to make the time I  get quality ;)
4. I have a love hate relationship with cake ...I love doing them but hate being on a deadline.  I love to be creative & have fun but if I am not in the mood I hate having to complete the project...and I get ridiculously anxious that I'm going to ruin someones celebration :(
5. ...I guess you could say I might have a few insecurities to deal with ...
6. I love dogs but don't know if I have the heart to get another...I get way to attached and can't stand the thought of losing another.
7. I am a proud Canadian music fan!  I love The Tragically Hip, The Trews, Hedley, and Andrew Hunter & the Gathers....and even the Biebs lol (aka Justin Bieber)
   

   
   

Here are some favorites I spend a lot of my blogging time at!
http://loveiseverywhere.blogspot.com/
http://fineandfair.blogspot.com/
http://lovinangelseveryday.blogspot.com/
http://furlinedtoiletseats.blogspot.com/
http://nofiltermom.blogspot.com/
http://massholemommy.com/
http://closertolucy.blogspot.com/
http://preschoolbookclub.blogspot.com/
http://mrskarensclass.blogspot.com/
http://thenewxmasdolly.blogspot.com/

February has been a busy Cake month

February 13th

February 14th



February 14th



February 18th

February 19th

February 20th



Library Day ~February 17~

Another week of fun at Time for Tots!   Ava is singing her little heart out and fooling around with her friends and I love every second of it! Today they brought out the parachute to play Ring Around the Rosie and they had a BLAST!

This week's theme for the Family Drop In table is "Chocolate"

Noa and the girls are going to glue these together and add sprinkles afterschool

The craft was a sweet little felt donut with sprinkles and there were several cute books about chocolately treats.  Today we read :

• Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose - Julia Donaldson

This was a very cute rhyming story featuring several different animals and their dessert choices.

• Chocolate Chippo Hippo - Vincent Andriani

This story is about a hippo who is obsessed with eating chocolate chip cookies.

• Chocolatina - Erik Kraft

• Oh Ducky! A Chocolate Calamity - David Slonim

Oh Ducky had beautiful illustrations and a fun story with silly characters in a chocolate factory ...Ava really enjoyed this one

Ava's picks this week are Caillou and Rosie's Doll and Mouse's Tail

Ainsley's picks Eloise Has a Lesson and Eloise Breaks Some Eggs

Family picks are Oliver Has Something to Say and Mallory & the Power Boy

Mom's picks:  My Nest Isn't Empty It just has More Closet Space, Full Speed and Marriage by Design

Thankful Thursday

 I am thankful as always for my beautiful family....my hardworking man ...my thoughtful & caring little girl...and my sweet & funny "baby"girl
...I am thankful for this huge house to clean (even when it gets on my nerves)
I am thankful that we are both employed even when sometimes the money doesn't seem like enough it's much better than none...
...I am thankful that after tomorrow I will have only one payment left on my van ...and will be FOREVER THANKFUL if I can get just one more year out of it...
...I am thankful for the opportunity to stay home throughout the day to raise my girls, take care of the home and make meals for us each and everyday to sit and enjoy as a family (evenif the meal might be chicken strips & fries lol)....
I am thankful for great supportive friends...they are few and far between but the couple I have I would not trade for the masses

Wordless Wednesday

Ava's favourite place to be in the winter:
parked in front of the woodstove
with some lunch
watching Seasame Street

Tuesday is the new "lazy day" for me :)

For the last couple of weeks I have been so ridiculously busy on Mondays that Tuesday mornings I do not want to do a thing....and well I'm okay with that!
I have spent my morning snuggled up tight on my couch with Ava-Flava watching morning cartoons and dozing off.  It has been WONDERFUL!  Ava loves the cuddles and doesn't mind as long as I don't snore lol.
I am usually super anal retentive about my house work but I really don't care anymore.  Life is way too short to waste my day being exhausted and stressed out about the same old pile of dishes and laundry.  I would much ratehr accept the fact I'm tired and enjoy a nap with  my ever growing "baby"  before she heads off to school or talk to the few friends I have managed to hang on to in my adventures of parenting (and no longer partying).  I am getting the girls to a quick 10 minute clean up of all their areas so we can sit down and enjoy some time "doing" something this afternoon.  I have no idea what that will be but in the last couple weeks of  this miserable winter weather we haven't done much of anything besides drive each other nuts.  Maybe we will play a board game or do a craft.  Maybe we'll read or colour.  Maybe we'll go for a drive (because it's WAY too windy to walk) but whatever we decide we'll be doing it together.

Later when everyone is sleeping I will come home from work and fold the mountains of laundry while watching mindnumbing MTV before bed and tomorrow I will have to deem "Working my butt off Wednesday" lol so I can tackle the dishes and bathrooms

Mondays Music Moves Me ~more Love Songs~

 



February's them is Love Songs all month long....last week Aerosmith stole my heart ...but it got me too thinking what other songs haven't I heard in forever and this is what (slowly) can to mind...so this week's picks for

"MONDAY'S VALENTINE MUSIC MOVES ME!"   are

Library Thursday

Thursday was a bit hectic this week since I made plans without consulting my trusty calender (or using my brain)  BUT we made it to Time for Tots!  There were TONS of families so glad to see an above zero temperature day without snow theplace was packed.  Ava had a great time with her friends singing and dancing away.  Every week she gets even more enthused with the stories read.  I love sitting back and just watching her interact.  it really makes me smile inside and out.

Because I over booked myself for the day we had to rush out right after program so I could drop Ava off with my sister and I could make my chiropractor appointment.  We didn't have a chance to read the book selection left on the Family Drop In table but we did scoop up some supplies to do the Valentines craft....which we will do afterschool on Valentines Day for Daddy.  And we did have a chance to trade in our last set of books for new ones...thank goodness for their awesome online service too because Mommy had no time to search shelves for herself.

This weeks picks for the girls are:  OLIVIA goes to Venice -Ian Falconer, Hey Little Ant- Phillip and Hannah Hoose, Monsters vs Aliens Save San Francisco, Bully Trouble-Joanna Cole and Clementine Friend of the Week-Sara Pennypacker.
...and for Mommy :  The guy Not Taken- Jennifer Weiner and Wife for Hire- Janet Evanovich

The First Timers Cookbook by Chef Shawn Bucher c/o Media Guests

I cannot tell you just how excited I was to find Media Guests.  I am a HUGE book addict  fan and the thought of reading them then getting to tell you my thoughts on them makes me giddy (yeah "fan" might not be the word to describe lol)

So my first review ever with  Media Guests is for Chef Shawn Bucher's book called The First Timers Cookbook.  I LOVE cookbooks!  But this one is no ordinary "recipe"book, this book teaches you the basics and how to use your own mind when preparing food....food to suit YOU and YOUR family...no strict list of things you don't recognize....just basic skills to free you to use your imagine and create tasty food.

I love the witty way Shawn connects with the readers, as if you were chatting over coffee, and the pictures are gorgeous as well as helpful.  He walks you through things Menu planning & table set-up, knives & knife skills, How to cook Beef, Lamb, Pork, Chicken, Fish and Vegetables.  He also provides LOTS of safety tips, that some might not realize, and shopping tips like how to choose your meat cuts and produce.

About Book

The First Timers Cookbook is the basic
cookbook that anyone who has never
stepped into a kitchen, or lived in a kitchen,
can use. It contains simple techniques and
easy step-by-step instructions that truly
teach you the basics to cooking almost
anything. This book will show you how to
cook, not just what to cook.

About Author

Chef Shawn Bucher holds business degrees and a culinary certificate and has worked in the food service industry for over 12 years. Having been involved in most aspects of the industry “from grocery stores to restaurants, hotels, schools to corporate training and development,” he brings a unique and overall perspective to cooking and the food service industry.

Buy The Book HERE ! 
 I personally think everyone should have one even just for reference...it makes a great gift idea for students college bound, wedding showers, birthdays etc

PLAYFUL PLANET ~Storyland Yoga DVD~

I have been looking for awhile for a local yoga class for Ainsley & I to do together. It seems though that any place that teaches/trains yoga has the same class times....maybe if I had researched better I could find some tie to  the 7 o'clock class time...every class is either at 7am or 7pm and neither is a good time for us :(

However, I happened to stumble upon  a product review site offering Story Land Yoga DVDs by  Playful Planet .  I just about did a cartwheel (well maybe not in the shape I'm in ...but maybe after a few sessions with my kids and this SUPER CUTE DVD!) it's exactly what I have been looking for and it's even age appropriate for Ava to join us as well.

I applied but was originally denied (because I'm still a newbie to the blogsphere my numbers aren't as high as some companies would prefer).  However I HAD to get my hands on this DVD so I sent a rebuttal letter....and I'm glad I did because they decided to pick me :)
I was so excited when I got the email!  I could not wait for the package to arrive!  I knew my girls and I were going to LOVE this!

So we just received it the other day as the girls were walking out the door to go to Nanny's for the weekend...they were so stoked about watching it they HAD to take it with them.  By the time they got home they couldn't wait to show me all their new moves but unfortunately I can't seem to get the disc to work in any of my DVD players.

I'm going to post this for now because I think that it's an excellent product and my girls REALLY enjoyed themselves! And hopefully I can figure out what the glitch is and be able to post pictures of just how much my beauties LOVE it!
In the meantime you should head over to Playful Planet and check out the previews they have posted...or just take Ainsley & Ava's word for it and head straight to Amazon.com to purchase it for your own little cuties.

I also can't wait to see their upcoming projects!

Coming Soon to Playful Planet...

We're excited to announce that Katie Cavuto Boyle joins forces with Playful Planet's next release Storyland Cooking ... a Farm-To-Plate program that inspires kids to eat healthy!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Monday's Music Moves Me ~Love Songs~

This week's theme for Mondays Music Moves Me is ~Love Songs~

My picks for this week are my all time FAVOURITE Aerosmith tunes !

One LONG week...

As you might have noticed I have been pretty quiet this week....
The weather has been wearing me down.  Between a touch of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and the added stress of having a seasonal income I just haven't had anything positive to say.
BUT this weekend was a great one :)
Last night Wayne & I celebrated our birthdays (his Jan 14th & mine Feb 7th) with some really great friends and it was just what I needed after a very LONG week of stress.  Then today my mom brought my girls home with an armload of pizza and a DQ cake (with Tink ~my fav lil Disney girl) so I got to celebrate again before heading to work....fast forward 3hours and I got to come home and see the tail end of the Super Bowl while eating yummy taco dip {Congrats Green Bay...although I would have rather the Steelers steal the game like I thought they were going to} and waiting for Glee!

I must say that I think I have kicked the SAD in the butt for now because I been smiling with a brain full of happy spring thoughts all day.  I am looking forward to getting up tomorrow and preparing my FAVOURITE supper ever and baking my birthday cake so I can celebrate again with my family,my best friend & her beautiful daughter.