Her first picture When I first spotted her, just over eight years ago, she was playing with her water bowl. She was pouncing on it and knocking it about like it was prey. She was only about two months old but already feisty. I fell in love! The following week, that very same Salt & Pepper Miniature Schnauzer was in our home, our first dog and my husband and I named her Dakota. For the next four years it was just the three of us and she ruled our home and our hearts. Then one day we insulted her, she wouldn't look at us for days and all because we brought home our newborn daughter. Oh the insult! It seemed she wasn't fond of the baby, if we were downstairs, she would go upstairs. If we went into any room she was in, she would simply leave. Snuggled when kids were sick The day the baby gates went up was yet another insult. She couldn't escape anymore and so would just sit with her back to us! Fifteen months after our daughter arrived we brought home our newborn son. Yet again, she did not approve. Nap times and bedtimes became her favourite times, for she had us and the house all to herself, belly rubs, ear scratching, lounging on the couch with us and zero competition. It wasn't until our oldest was three that she came around...we found my daughter giving her a belly rub and Dakota purring like a kitten! Finally she would let them pet her, she would give them kisses and snuggle with them if they weren't feeling well. This year however our sweet Dakota started to have some issues, seizures and pancreatitis. Being a terrier her stubbornness and strength (plus some medicine) would help her push through and bounce right back. This weekend, sadly she couldn't push through. Our sweet little Dakota fell ill, went downhill fast and was left in state that I simply can't write about. We started the weekend with her sleeping at the foot of our bed but it did not end that way. Our sweet Dakota is gone. My heart is broken. Despite my attempt to explain this to the kids (three and four), they don't really understand and I am partly greatful for this. We loved her, we miss her terribly, even now as I write this I find myself in tears but I write this to honour her. She was with us for eight years, she was yappy, stubborn, a hand full but most of all she was loved. Thank-you Dakota, for your unconditional love and being a part of our family. Rest in peace my sweet girl (Dakota 2004-2012)
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My little boy is officially three years old. Where does the time go! With the end of summer here, my big girl saying good-bye to pre-school and prepping for Kindergarten and with my little man's party...it's been busy around here. Like many three year olds, my little one is a huge 'Cars' fan...he would probably watch that movie a thousand times if we let him. So what better theme for his party this year then Cars. I love to throw the kids their parties but as I have said before, I try to do it using what I have and without breaking the bank. My best deal found this time around was the large decal that covered almost the entire sliding door; found it in a little run down local party shop for $5! With a little time, some bargain shopping and creatively using existing items, I think the place looked pretty good.
The kids loved it, he especially got a huge kick when he woke up and found the house decorated with all things Cars! More importantly we were in the company of our amazing family, we celebrated another milestone and we made him smile...now isn't that really what it's all about? Alright, perhaps I am not FREAKING out but I am getting nervous excited. Why? Because my little girl, my 4 year old is getting ready to go to "big girl" school. She is finishing up the month in her pre-school and will officially be entering kindergarten in September. Thankfully she goes to an amazing pre-school and she is fully equipped with the skills and courage to start. At home, we've been talking about what to expect, what she'll need to do and what her schedule will be like. However, I have been dragging my feet on the tangible prepping, backpacks, lunch bags, drink container, etc, perhaps in an attempt to delay this reality. I know she'll be fine but I can't help but worry too. Crazy mommy I know! So two weeks ago I stopped dragging my feet and almost bought 5 different back packs, 5 different lunch bags, 5 different canteens, well you get the picture. However, in the end she doesn't want anything new...she is still partial to her Skip Hop Zoo Pack. She has had it for 2 years now and still loves it so I will be sending her to school with that and a new matching Skip Hop Zoo Lunchie. I'm adding to that a new Red Klean Kanteen and a Rubbermaid Lunch Blox Container Set which does all fit into the Lunchie when all the pieces are laid flat. So we are set and ready to go. How about you? Are you set? Any advice for a first timer like me or soothing words...I'd appreciate them :) We've always enjoyed Canada Day but since having the kids, it's so much fun to go all out for them. This year I was inspired by the Oh Canada post by Squirrely Minds to make Canada Day t-shirts with the kids. The original post did it a little different but since my children are only (almost) 3 and (barely) 4, I modified things a little bit to ensure I'd get pretty close to the desired result. So here is what I did and I think it worked out well. The next day, we hit the Canada Festivities and had a wonderful time. The kids were so good, they listened, they had fun, they walked over 4 miles (aprox 6.5 km) on their little feet (one took the stroller on the way there and switched on the way back) and we got so many compliments on their Canada Day gear most especially their shirts! It was a wonderful day and we can't wait to do it again next year! I hope all my fellow Canadian's had a wonderful Canada Day!
For months I've been inspired by the people around me, both those I know physically and those that I may only know virtually. I have been watching these people as they take on challenges, embark on journeys and change their lifestyles completely. One wonderful lady I know has been working on quitting smoking, both a wonderful but difficult decision. She is making strides and although it's been a slow and bumpy road, she is happy about her progress. Another lady I meet online a few years ago, has been training to do a half marathon. I've read about her training, her improving pace times and not that long ago about her big victory day. An old friend from my single days, decided to change her lifestyle. She began eating smarter, committed to working out regularly and the changes have been obvious and fantastic. The list continues with a member of my extended family who is embracing her passion and starting her own business. The many that I have meet online and in the Etsy community working towards the success of their shops. To finally my old friend who after struggles and obstacles is now expecting her bundle of joy. These people, these women, are so inspiring. Rising to the challenges, overcoming the barriers, taking the small steps that lead to the large impacts...bravo ladies and keep up the fantastic work. You are not only changing your own lives but also the lives of your friends, co-workers, families and children. Bravo! Is was all these women (plus those that I didn't include here) that inspired this weeks print. Simple, straight forward and meant to remind us of why we set our goals and more importantly, that we will reach them. My goal? Lose these last 20 pounds of course success with my shop. What is your goal? What does that journey look like for you? This was a great weekend! We had wonderful, co-operative and happy children all weekend. This doesn't happen too often so we soaked up every moment of it. My husband, being the amazing man he is, took our happy kids out to run errands all morning the one day leaving me with the house to myself. I buckled down and did nothing but enjoy my coffee, the silence and a magazine. It was fantastic and so is my husband. The best result of this however is the absolute joy the kids get of having special quality time with daddy. They are over the moon when they get back, they talk of how much fun they had, the treats they scored and the places they went. They enjoy that time with him so much, he is a wonderful father and that makes my heart melt. That also got me thinking about my own father. I loved having that special time with my dad too. We use to hit the arcades, the ice cream shops, the comic book stores, he would ride the roller coasters with me and do just about anything for me. In fact this weekend my parents were over for a BBQ dinner when my father heard the ice cream truck...he looked at me a said "let's go!"....so here I am, a grown woman with my father running down the street to catch the ice cream truck! It was great. It really was a happy weekend and I am reminded of how blessed I am to have such a great father in my life and how blessed I am to have such a wonderful husband but even more so a great father for my own children. Although Father's day isn't here yet, I think they deserve to be celebrated early. So thank-you to my Father and my husband....you are great men and I love you both. The kids and I are now making our plans to spoil their daddy on Father's day....what are you plans? A while ago I was watching my children play dress up. My daughter was covered head to toe in pink, gold, purple, diamonds, pearls, clashing stripped leggings, sparkly shoes, heart shaped glasses and a wand. My son had a tie, vest, work gloves, hard hat and a shopping cart (quite a sight). They were having such a great time. I finally asked "who" they were pretending to be and their answer was the most amazing and inspiring answer...my daughter said they were themselves, they didn't like to be anyone else because they liked who they were, they were just a little different but that was ok! I know they are just toddlers but as a mother it was wonderful to hear. I certainly hope that I can that nurture that thought, that concept of loving who you are, of being yourself even if you are different. It was a small moment but certainly a wonderful moment. What was your recent moment of wonderful? Everyday I pick up the kids from their preschool and scramble about to make a meal that is semi healthy, sort of balanced and maybe even slightly tasty. This is challenging for me mostly because I don't enjoy cooking and quite frankly, I am not a great cook. My food isn't bad but my menu is limited and I have on occasion burnt a thing or two. There isn't too much that makes weekday cooking exciting for me but yesterday was different. I was making spaghetti with meat balls (which my daughter "looooves" unless it's made be me) and since the kids were playing so well with each other, I decided not to entertain myself by playing with them. Instead I checked my email while I stirred the pasta and what do I see in my inbox? I see that I had won a Blog giveaway! I truthfully don't participate in lot of these but I am particular fan of this site and her product. "Her" is Laura Clempson from www.cupcakesforclara.com and she makes the cutest paper dolls, awesome stationery, sewing kits and even toys. What I like about her line from a creative perspective is her branding, her humour and how she has successfully given her characters personalities. As a mother of a young and very girlie girl, I love the idea of paper dolls, the simplicity, the portability and the opportunity to have free, creative, unplugged play. I entered the giveaway more as a way to support a product that I like and plan to buy but then I also ended up winning! I didn't win the grand prize (it was a good one too) but I did win the Runners Up prize of her Colin Gift Set which you see above and can check out here in more detail. It'll be a few days before we get him but I am eager for my daughter to have some new old school fun. In the little burst of excitement of finding out I won, sending Laura some info and showing my daughter her whole line of dolls...I forgot what I was suppose to be doing, oops! So although my spaghetti was a little overcooked and the meatballs a little browner then intended, it still tasted pretty good - even my daughter ate all of it. Perhaps I was just in a good mood of winning something, perhaps my daughter was in a good mood from the promise of a new doll or maybe my cooking is getting better? Pretty sure it wasn't the latter but either way, it made cooking much more exciting for me.
Hmmmm...perhaps this can be the start of a new trend, Colin today...lottery tomorrow! Hellooo personal chef! What is the last thing you won and what would you outsource? I hope all the mothers out there had a great Mothers Day weekend. It was so great to see families out on walks or bike rides, fathers with kids buying flowers and patio's filled with mom's getting a break from cooking. I too was spoiled this weekend, starting with sleeping in...that alone was wonderful (funny how extra sleep is like winning the lottery)! We had so much fun over the weekend and I felt so appreciated. Spent some time with my own mother too which is always great and yummy (she's such a good cook).
Amongst all this fun, we also had some tears, battles and tantrums...my kids are 4 and almost 3, so that just seems to be a norm for us right now. Although I sometimes want to hide in the closet...I am blessed to have them and blessed to have an amazing husband. Parenthood isn't easy but the wonderful moments are what fill my heart and my memories. So thank-you to my husband and kids for a great weekend and for all the wonderful new memories. Today however, I have a sick and cranky boy on my hands so if you can't find me...just look in the closet ;) What are your new memories from this weekend or are you hiding in the closet too? Last night my friend and I ventured out to the 'One of a Kind Sprint Show & Sale' in Toronto. We visited during the 'Spring Fever Late Night Shopping' which meant the doors were open until 11PM. This was a great time to go. I had the kids start their dinner and soon after my hubby came home from work, I picked up my friend and headed downtown. Parking was free after 5:00pm, we snagged prime underground parking, there were no line ups, they had cocktails in the centre court, door crashers every hour and a DJ pumping tunes all night. This was by far, for us, the best time to visit the show. No major crowds, time to really explore the booths and to talk to the artisans. Speaking of artisans, we visited with some familiar ones and some new ones. We visited with Richard Fisher Pottery. He is a genuinely nice fellow with lovely pieces. My friend is a fan of his compost pots, casserole and butter dishes. This visit she purchased another coffee mug and for me one of his new short wine cups. She likes to add one of his pieces to her collection every visit; a sort of mini tradition. Later we were we lured in by the smell of pies from Fresh Country Market. Their sample of Strawberry Rhubarb was yummy but what sealed the deal was that they were super cute, easy to carry mini pies and all at a great price. We went home with three! I took home the Dutch Apple pie and as you can see we have already taken a nibble. Being the mother to a very "girly" 3 year old, I simply had to stop at the Tiny Modernist. She truly has "stylish clothing just for girls". We weren't the only ones drawn in by her selection and at 50% off some of her items, we simply couldn't resist this little number. My daughter will be wearing this for Easter mass next weekend. It's perfect. Last but not least I fell in love with Beebop and Wally. The clothes have a wonderful "Madmen" feel to them and I was drawn to them right away. Problem was it was in the first aisle when we arrived so I walked away without anything, just in case I saw something else that really caught my fancy. Something almost did too, a wonderful burnt orange rainjacket from a booth for which I lost the biz card to, so sad. But I did return to Beebop and Wally and purchased a killer dress. Love the collar but I think I'll save showing you the rest of it for another time. Overall, I really enjoyed the 'One of a Kind Spring Show & Sale' and really enjoyed the late night shopping.
The only complaint I have, is that now I'll have to skip the pie if I am going to continue fitting in the new dress! |
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