Too Fricken Cute :)

The Mr: Lukas how did you get so adorable?

Lukas (after pausing to think for a minute): Well, first I was weally cute, and then I just gotted so adordabable.

This kid is going to cause us some serious trrouble in about 10-12 years.

Tonight's Quoteable Quotes

Lukas: "Dad were you still in the army before me, an Mikah, an mom, an Alek were even alive?"

Mikah: "I have super vision you know. That means my eyes are blue, but when I want to see through something like hills they turn green. Sometimes they are black. Remember, super vision."

Lukas (while MC Hammer's Can't Touch This was playing): " I'm not dancing; I'm just wiping my bum on your leg." 

Attack of the Concertina

You never know when safety might be an issue.

Vintage Score

Check out the sweet score that I scooped up today (for free).

A vintage rug in perfect condition! I'm hoping to bind it and use it for an area rug in the living room. The man I got it from said that it came from his parents house and he played on it as a boy. He was just hoping for someone to come along and appreciate it as much as he does; and boy do I! I can't wait to try it out tomorrow.

This Mammma Sure is Blessed

So, tonight while we are driving to the store for pizza, which the boys wanted and I decided to grant them, Mikah was talking about the truck that he is planning on buying when he grows up. Alek asked him why he wants a truck and Mikah said that he wants to have one just like his dad bought 60 years ago. Alek laughed, and said... "DAD isn't 60! He's way younger than 60. Mom might be 60 though."

Awesome. Thanks son #1 for bringing joy and sweet, sweet feelings to your mom's heart.

While they are enjoying their pizza, I may-or-may-not be hiding in the laundry room having a medicinal drink.

Andy Brown

I was lucky enough to happen across this amazing musician playing a set in the lounge of the hotel that I was staying at in Charlottetown PEI this last weekend. His voice was Amazing and his music drew a lot of us in immediately. Check him out and buy his CD (or his songs on iTunes), help support fantastic homegrown Canadian artists like Andy Brown.

The Santa Situation

I've been dreading the "conversation" for a couple of years now. Luckily my boys are still young enough that I'm not talking about the s.e.x. convo, but the s.a.n.t.a. one.

Last year we managed to hold Alek off with the brilliant comeback of, "Santa only brings gifts to those who believe. So we'll leave that decision up to you."

I've felt bad about that flippant response ever since. Why can't we be the types of parents that have their act together and have rehearsed these types of question and answer sessions well ahead of time? And why haven't I been able to come up with a better answer for my maturing boy in the last year???

Today I found out the reason why. I think that I had been waiting for this woman to figure it out for me. Hey, I'm not too proud to appreciate (and borrow) someone else's brilliance and eloquence. You have to check out the beautiful letter that she wrote to her daughter about the existence of Santa.

Yep. I cried. I don't even want to deny it because the letter is that good.

Go to Cozi and read Martha Brockenbrough's letter, The Truth About Santa.

All for the Love of a Bag

I've been on the hunt for a new purse/bag for quite awhile now. I think I've been unable to find one because my favorite is a cloth one theat I bought in Hong Kong, and it's hard to find an awesome cloth bag here that is not 1.fugly  2.a tote bag or  3.boring, boring, boring.

So, what else can I do except attempt to sew my own. I've been browsing online and have found quite a few bags that I like and now all that's left is to decide which one I should start with. Which one, which one, which one???

Novita's Reversible Bag

Laural's Pleated Tote

Alison's Wasp Bag

Elizabeth's Diana Hobo Bag

I have a stack of vintage material that has been waiting patiently to be repurposed and I'm hoping that some of it will do any of these bags justice.

Pillow Talk

Lukas: Dada, you love to lay down with me. But not Zombies too much. Right Daddy?

For Heather

You said to keep 'em coming...

Overheard from the Back of the Van

Mikah was basically talking to himself (I was the audience who's participation was minimal) in the van tonight on the way home from the Doctor.

Mikah: You know that when you're really old you DIE. And then they stick you in the ground. When I die I will be in the ground until they dig me up. And use one of those bringing-people-back-to-life guns on me. I don't know. That might not be so good. Cause then I'll just be a zombie. But don't worry mom, I won't eat you. I'll try not to, OK.
 

O.M.Gee

Well I know it's time to change what I complain about when I hear my 3 year old running around the backyard yelling:

"Oh my Gawd, I think I have heartburn!"

sigh.



Melodious Music

Here's a sampling of some music that has helped me get through the last few days.

Meaghan Smith - Here Comes Your Man


Angus & Julia Stone - Big Jet Plane
  I wanted to post the music video, but YouTube wouldn't let me...
  so, you're just going to have to watch it here. I think the girl is
  channelling my soul  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFTvbcNhEgc&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=AV4oVf-d_DwKAslvJyjclszx6VD_gc7Y_2


The Weepies - Be My Honeypie


Olin & the Moon - Not in Love

 

Lunch Prep

As many of you know we have been trying out a meal planning service called Make 5 Dinners in ONE Hour. I will admit that I have fallen off the meal prep wagon in the last couple of weeks. We have all been sick, our weekends haven't gone as planned, blah, blah, blah. But... I still believe in the plan and am reminded daily at supper time just how nice it was to have my meals waiting in the fridge for me. I've passed the word on about the plan and have a few other people loving it too.

Lunches are still a bone of contention though. I was just thinking the other day about how much I hate packing lunches and I only have 1 to pack. In a couple of years I will have to pack 3 lunches! Yikes!!! I know that there has to be a better easier way than how I do it right now, but I have seriously lacked the ambition to try and figure it out. Then today, TA-DA! I was checking out Michelle's blog, Make 5 Dinners in ONE Hour, and she had a couple of posts dedicated to lunch making. Thank you, thank you, thank you! She has some awesome ideas posted that will hopefully encourage me to do something similar.

Now, if only there was a trick for making your child actually eat his lunch and not stash it in his locker instead...

Aero Bubbles

Oh, Aero Peppermint Bubbles, I love you so much that I hate you.

Lex Land

I love music that is off the beaten path. Thanks to a new reader, Lilolu (Jackie), for leaving both a comment and the advise to check out Lex Land. I'm so glad that I did! Her voice is sultry and smooth and she makes me wish that I was enjoying her in a hot, smoky club somewhere.

I grabbed the link to her music player off of her website for you. I recommend that you give Could've Had Me a listen.

Overheard From the Back of the Van

The Mr. told me the funniest story about driving the boys home today.

They were driving along behind a truck and there was a burning oil smell...

Mikah:  Ew! what's that smell??? Is our van making that smell?
Mr:  I hope not
Mikah:  Did our van fart?
Lukas:  Our van doesn't even have a bum!
Mikah:  Yeah, but it has a gas hole!

This stuff can't even be made up.

Weekend To-Do List

I love to-do lists. Honestly don't know how I would have mede it through life without them. In the past few months though I think I've been so busy teaching my clients how to make them that I have fallen off the wagon myself. No wonder I never feel like I'm getting anything accomplished. I also tell them to share their to-do list, or post it somewhere visible around the house or office because this helps incerease acccountability. So, with that in mind, here is my weekend to-do list.

• Need to sew some of these toy bags for the little boy's toy room. Maybe this will help them keep their toys cleaned up. Doubt it, but a mother can dream right?



inspired by
http://www.made-by-rae.com/2011/02/guest-tutorial-toni-of-make-it-perfect.html

• Need to do a major toy sort after I get the bags made and a hanging bar installed
• Buy new toilets for the house
• Install new toilets??? Not too concerned with this right now. As long as we have them they can be installed whenever.
• Do some baking. Bake these things...



Easter bunny cupcakes
http://sweetsugarbelle.blogspot.com/2011/03/bunny-ear-cupcake-toppers.html



Inside-out carrot cake muffins
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2011/04/06/inside-out-carrot-cake-%e2%80%93-carrot-cake-muffins/





Easter sourcream sugar cookies


Laundry, laundry, laundry... sigh.

I have to get these things done because they have been on my 'mental list' for weeks now and have yet to be accomplished (except for the laundry, that is a never ending job)

BabyComfyNose

Ok, this post just may gross you out, and if it does then I'm sorry. But not sorry enough not to post this video. I came across this online tonight and I think that I MUST get one!

Lukas is sick again with a snotty congested nose. It is like clockwork for this poor little guy. For the last 3 years his cycle goes like this... get a runny nose, whine and cry for about 2 weeks because he isn't able to sleep (and neither are we BTW), start getting better for about a week, have 1-2 weeks of great health (yay! runny-nose-sleepless-nights-forgotten), get a runny nose again, whine and cry for about 2 weeks because he isn't able to sleep (and neither are we BTW), start getting better for about a week, have 1-2 weeks of great health (yay! runny-nose-sleepless-nights-forgotten)... and repeat, and repeat, and repeat.

How can you tell that we are currently in one of the sleepless night segments. Yep, and we're going on day 3 so we have a few more to go. And nothing helps him. Nothing. Believe me, we've tried it all. Oh yes, and most of the time he refuses to blow his nose. Yes, that's right Lukas, we are so trying to trick you. Such a smart boy to not give into our crazy ideas!

Anyway, here's the video, and if it works well for us (when I manage to get one that is) and you are expecting a baby you had better just deal with the fact that there will beno cute sleepers for you, but instead a snot sucking contraption. Oh yes. A snot sucking contraption.

Mini Rant

Ok, here is a mini rant, but it bothers me everyday on my drive to and from work...

Why do city bus drivers think that the posted 30km/hr signs in school zones does not apply to them? This pisses me off every. single. day.

It's bad enough that my drive takes me over the sight where a child was killed this year by a bus, but being passed by city buses while I'm doing the requisite 30km (or slower) in the school zone is really just too much!

Wordless Wednesday

Sharpie Free Zone

Here are my two youngest angels



Was your eye drawn to the "artwork" on the door behind them?

The calm part of our conversation went like this:

Me: Mikah, why did you do this???

Mikah: I was just trying to write signs on the doors.

Me: Why??? What do they say?

Mikah: (looks at me like I'm crazy) I don't know! I can't really read yet you know.

I really hate that my kids are so funny. It was hard to still be mad after that reasoning.

Noshing on Gnocchi

Have you ever heard of Donal Skehan? If you have, then you are well ahead of me you lucky bugger! I just found him and his delicious website Bringing Cooking Back Home the other day. Here are the important things that you need to know...

1. His food looks and sounds Amazing (notice the capital A)
2. He's Irish (yum)
3. He has two cookbooks out that I must buy (this should tell you something because the Web has helped me give up my cookbook addiction)
4. I made his recipe for Mozzarella, tomato and gnocchi bake Saturday night, and it was seriously worthy of an Italian Pasta Restaurant.



You can see why I needed to bake this right?
(This is Donal's version BTW)



And... here's my version. Once again let me just say that
I am no photographer, but it still looks yummy right???
And it was. So good!

If you even enjoy food a little bit, you have to check Donal out. And, just to temp you more... here's what I am already planning to make this weekend


Mussels in Irish Cider

 p.s. you may have noticed that I have my camera back, and you may have also noticed that I should maybe look into learning how to use it. Don't worry, I've noticed that too ;)

You know it's gonna be alright...

when you leave the house in the morning and the sun is shining, the snow is already melting, the kids climb in the van by themselves with no fighting, yelling or pushing, and when you start the van (yes, I said van) this man's beautiful voice greets you.  Have a super Friday!

I'd Tell You But...

So last night at supper we were sitting around discussing Zombies (obviously, right) and how some good friends of ours were laughing because they realized that they had a Zombie contingency plan, but not a fire escape plan. At first Alek thought that the two plans would be similar, until the Mr pointed out that one plan involved nailing the door of the house shut - with you inside, so maybe a different plan would be better in case of a fire. Ah, yes.

Alek was VERY into this conversation (of course) and was wondering what kinds of other things were in their plan. We we told him that we didn't know for sure but it probably involved stockpiling various supplies in a hidden room. So, we were busy discussing the kinds of supplies that would be needed, but Alek was still stuck on the "secret room" idea. "Do they really have a secret room," "where is the secret room," what's in the secret room," etc.  Then being the awesome mom that I am said, "well, I would tell you truth, but then I would have to kill you."

Oh Lord, the look on that poor child's face! I swear that he almost started to cry. How was I to know that he had never come across the saying "well, I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you," before? Seriously, the kid seems to know everything else that there is to know.

Looking back though, it probably didn't help that the Mr and I started laughing like crazy people at the horrified look on his face. I guess that's our motto - laugh first and then comfort and reassure.

Yep, we're super parent material for sure.

Barenaked Ladies

If you have been unlucky so far and have never heard of the Barenaked Ladies - your luck is about to change! They are an amazing Canadian group that has been around since, well, a long time. But, I'm not going to wax poetic about their more popular works (feel free to check those out yourselves), I'm going to give you a little preview of the children's album that they put out awhile ago. I've been meaning to post about it forever, but you know how things are.

The boys (and I) lurve these songs! They are inventive, and catchy, and just downright fun to listen to. Yes, I sing them in the car, even when I'm by myself.

Enjoy!

Fabulous Fotos

OMG! Check out the amazing work by photographer Irina Werning. I lurve this idea of taking a childhood photo and then re-creating it as an adult. The pictures are both hilarious and super sweet.

Here are a couple of her photos to tease you, but please go and check out the others on her site... http://www.irinawerning.com/

Make 5 Dinners in 1 Hour

My name is Barb, and I can not put together a meal plan to save my life.

I have tried so many times and it never lasts. If I could manage to make it through one week that would be a miracle! I would always get sidetracked looking for fabulous recipes, because really, who wants to eat the same thing over and over again. Blech!

I've tried the whole Freezer Cooking idea, but who has time to get all of that ready? Not me.

Then the other day, out in Blogland, this sign appeared before me

and before I knew it I had signed up to have 3 months of meal plans emailed to me! Hey, 3 months of meals plans for $15; hard to go wrong. On top of that, the premise is that you should be able to assemble a weeks worth of meals (5 suppers) and have them packaged and waiting in the fridge in under an hour. Sounds great, right? Sounds almost too good to be true? Well, after completing my second week of meals - I can say that it's not too good to be true - it's fabulous! The first weeks meal assembly took me 35 minutes to assemble! This weeks meals took 47 minutes and the meals are all happily marinating in the fridge waiting for their day to be cooked.

Yay me! I would have taken a picture, but you know me, the camera is not working :)

The meals have been great so far; even the little ones approve and they don't seem to like anything right now except for veggies and dip. This week we are having... Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches; Oven Roasted Chicken & Veggies; Sausage and Perogies; Slow Cooked Sweet & Sour Meatballs; and Slow Cooked Tex-Mex Roast. Now, I did make a few changes but they were quick and easy, substituting perogies for potatoes and a roast for pork chops. Hopefully Michelle won't mind ;)

And maybe the best thing of all - last week I only went to the grocery store one time during the week and that was just to pick up milk and diapers! It usually feels as though we are there everyday normally. Let's just say our bank account is certainly thankful for Make 5 Dinners in 1 Hour!

You should check out Michelle's Make Five Dinners in One Hour. Hopefully you'll be just as happy that you did as I am.

Pinterest

I have a new love in my life. A much needed inspirational love. Have you checked out Pinterest yet? I signed up about a month ago and have been loving every second! If you are like me, and your favorites list goes on and on and on, Pinterest may be just what you were looking for.

Basically, Pinterest allows you to quickly and effortlessly add a visual bookmark onto a virtual bulletin board so that you can quickly find just the thing that you were looking for. I was able to create pinboards for the categories that are my go-to inspiration....

food

craft inspiration

 

home decorating ideas

diy projects

objects I would love to have 

printables

and with the ease of snapping my fingers, quickly link visual images from the internet onto the correct inspiration board using the Pinterest tool on my toolbar.

Genius I say!

Now I just have to go back through my favorites and either change them to Pinterest and/or delete them. Why would I want to guess about what is listed in my favorites when I could simply see that things that I have found???

Check me out on Pinterest!

Overheard From the Back of the Van

Today, while waiting for the Mr to leave the happiness that is OTV (computer store), I heard this gem...

Mikah:  Ya know, Lukas was just telling me how much he misses the old days.



Spring Road Trip

While blog hopping today I came across an amazing idea that I just have to steal.

Find a destination; make a list of thrift stores between your starting point and your destination;

add some fab music to your iPod; grab some great gals; don some hip glasses; jump into a cleansed-of-all-children car; and hit the road!

Imagine the treasures to be found, and the simple joy of an open road treasure hunt with your besties!

This idea has given me something to cling to while waiting the spring thaw.

Whose in????

Straight Lines

So, I'm busy trying to rip straight lines of material for a lampshade refashion and am listening to this beautiful song while I do it.

I think I'm in love with my new lampshades and Dawn Landes.

Overheard From the Back of the Van

While driving Alek's friend home this morning...


Alek:  Which would you rather have when you get older, a mustache or 6 o'clock shadow?

Zak: 6 o'clock shadow. Definately.

Alek: No doubt. I mean, you never know what's in a mustache.


Word.

Gah!

I have so many projects to brag about on here, but am once again down a camera. And it's pretty darn hard to brag myself up without the photographic evidence you know.

For once I haven't lost my camera, but my battery charger. I haven't been able to find it since we moved in August. Yikes.  To be fair though, it wasn't until the end of November that I managed to accomplish anything even remotely blog worthy in the house. Heck, there are still some rooms full of boxes. Sad, sad, sad.

Even sadder is the fact that I'm too darn cheap to run out and buy a new charger. History has taught me that the missing one will reappear the day after I drop big bucks on a new one.

I take being camera challenged to a whole new level. Seriously.  This is likely my fifth post full of missing camera woes - and I'm too embarrassed to post every time.

Conversations with a Future Cop

Lukas : I'm going to be a policeman when I grow up.
Me: Really?
Lukas: Yes, and I'm going to throw you in jail.
Me: Why? That's so mean!
Lukas (says comfortingly to me): Don't worry, I'll take all the bears out before I put you in there.


Yep, it's comforting to know that my boys will always have my best interests at heart.