Tuesday evening in a nutshell

6:30 pm --hubby helps clean up kitchen and kisses the kiddos goodbye.

he has a meeting and then straight to hockey (half an hour away).



6:32 pm --kiddos "help" mommy tidy the playroom.



6:36 pm --bubby hits his head on some toy his sister is swinging around in the air...ahem...

I mean, some toy she was tidying up --yeah.

drama ensues and out comes the boo boo bag.



6:37 pm --Drama dies down and we begin to tidy again.



6:38 pm --hubby calls in panic over leaving his hockey sticks behind. Asks in a nice voice if I can

drive them to his meeting 15 minutes away.

6:45 pm -- wifey calls hubby back to apologize for hanging up on him :)

OOOOPS!

p.s. I did take him his hockey sticks.

He was appreciative.

I ate a chocolate bar before bed.

*giggle*

Ode to Bob

I live in Canada.

Something I'm normally proud to say.

But alas,

It is a land lacking....

Oh yes,

we do have running water,

and hydro,

and vegitation....

But what we don't have is...

Bob Evans!

I know this may seem trivial to you.

But don't take it for granted if you have a Bob Evans in your town.

It saddens me to think that more and more people don't even realize the treasure they have sitting waiting to serve them.

To give them warm blueberry bread.

To order breakfast all day long.

To serve their children a child size meal big enough for 2 kiddos (for the price of one!)

Mainly,

There is gold in them thar' restaurant and it goes by the name of

Wildfire Sauce
mmmmmmmm.........

I'd run it through my veins if I could.

My mom brought us 10 bottles when she came at Christmas and we stood around deciding in the end whether it will be enough to get us through the winter.

This is my secret sauce.

Canadians can't get it.

They don't know about it.

They just think I have a fabulous sauce recipe!

(and I'll let them keep thinking it!)

YUM!

Today I used it as a dip for my grilled cheese.

Grilled cheese never tasted so good!

Do you have a store bought food source you can't live without?

thank you!

2 awards in 2 weeks!

Wow!

Thank you!

I'm feeling the love

-- and this week I needed it!

First an award from Tanya at Miller Racing Family

Tanya is one of my fave bloggers.

She comments here alot and makes my day with each one.

Her presence daily on my blog reminds me that someone is reading it!

Her recipes that she shares on her blog are amazing

--if you haven't been over there-- you better check it out!

She has something new on everyday!!

The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity & creativity
inspires others in the blogworld!

The rules for accepting this award are:

Post the logo on your blog -- done
Pass the award on to 10 bloggers-- done

Link the nominees within your post-- yep

Let the nominees know they received this award by commenting on their blog-- smile
Share the love and link to the person you received this award from--Thanks Tanya

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The second award comes from Emily at So Much for My Plans...

Emily's blog is one I discovered more recently but love it!

She's so creative!

and has a sensitive heart.

She's recently gotten herself involved with Craft Hope for Haiti

and bought the quilt I wanted! *giggle*

For this award, the rules are:

List 10 things that make you happy and try to do at least one of them today-- done

Tag 10 bloggers that brighten your day and link to those blogs-- done

Then link back to my blog-- thank you Emily

So 10 things that make me happy:

1. baking with my kiddos

2. my engagement ring

--it's beautiful! Hubby designed it and I still love it!

3. snuggling with pumpkin in the morning

4. watching old movies and musicals

5. eating

--come on you knew it would make the list!!

6. cards from my hubby just because

7. going to visit my mom

8. sewing--anything!

9. seeing my kids smile

10. SHOPPING!!!

----------------------------------------------------------

I nominate:

Blue is Bleu

Crafty Blossom

Curly Pops

Diamonds, Fur and Laundry

Felt Artistic

Joy's Hope

MaKC Creations

Might Be Crazy

No Big Dill

Noodlehead

All of these ladies are phenomenal!

and deserve both of these awards!

So I'll let them pick which one they'd like!

TA TA for NOW!

Remodel

Two years ago we bought a house and began to remodel it.

We were fortunate enough that the dates from our existing house overlapped so we could do the work while living in our old home.

My father was very ill and we were initially away when the work on the house began.

We were lucky to have a great husband and wife team on our side,

and we trusted them to get underway with out us.

The home was previously owned by the lady who built it with her husband 40 years earlier.

At that time it was at the height of the decorating world,

however, not when we got it.

Old style out, new style in...

This is my kitchen the day we moved in...

It's huge and spacious and boasts a beautiful custom island.

We can easily fit 20 people in there for buffet and it doesn't feel crowded.
We feel so blessed.

Not that we're going to have 20 kids or anything,

but we are going to have more....hmmmmm.....

This is what it looked like the day we bought it.

ummm....yeah.

dated and empty...

(this pic was taken in a showroom--not my home--hence the price tags)

This is the table set that started it all!
the colours for the cabinetry and the island were derived from this little baby!

We had the cabinets sprayed and varnished by a very talented cabinet maker.

took out a cabinet to make way for a dishwasher.
put in a very durable peel and stick floor found at Home Depot.

My cabinet maker put dividers in for my baking sheets...
ahhhhh... love him!

bought new appliances for the first time!
it felt like Christmas!

this is the wine rack hubby designed with our cabinet maker to go over the refrigerator.

the cabinet that had been there had to be shortened due to the height of our fridge and this was a great answer!

The lighting was the designer's choice. I love it now.

the colour gets mixed reviews

but we love it!

My favourite thing is my backsplash!

So sparkly and shiny...

and easy to keep clean!

Come back tomorrow and I'll share our bathroom reno!

Isn't she a beaut?

We bought our pumpkin a sewing machine for Christmas.

She's 5 and has a real interest in craft and sewing.

She has been using my sewing machine off and on

with LOTS of supervision!!!

Not really for her safety, sadly,

but more for the safety of MY machine!

After reading this post

I was convinced that I too wanted my daughter to enjoy the creative journey

and craft and sew side by side.

This machine is seriously basic.

Just straight stitch and reverse.

but she's loving it!

So far she's made a drawstring bag

which she promptly took to school before I could get a pic....

now I'm stumped...

what's next?

Any good sewing project ideas for a 5 year old?

totally spying on my neighbour...

When I caught her doing this...

to her hubby's car...

She is so cute.
They've been married for 13 years and are so much in love, even now.

And sharing it with the neighbourhood.

They also happen to be the best neighbours, EVER!

*note*

--I should clarify the spying...

She is a working mom and is so fashion forward it kills me!

I always like to take a peek out my window to see what she's wearing that day

--I want to dress like her when I grow up!

Good to the last bowl

My father in law is a very smart man.

He's a thinker.

and he's WAAAAAAY too practical--it almost hurts!

But truly the man is a genius!

If you've got a problem--he's got the solution.

sometimes his solutions astound you and you think

"Hey, why didn't I think of that?!"

but you didn't.

He did.

Like breakfast cereal.

I love it.

mmmmm....Lucky Charms....mmmm

exept the last bowl.

seriously.

here's a close up on the crumbs that make up that last bowl of cereal.

I hate crumb-y cereal.

It makes you just want to open a new box.

But that would be a waste.

What does dad say?

Pull out a colander.

Pour crumb-y cereal into said colander/strainer.

(you'll be wanting to do this over a garbage can)

Now shake, shake, shake the crumb-ies out!

Seriously changed cereal for me forever.
I'm not exaggerating.

He's a keeper, my father in law.
A real innovator.

I told him he could market this concept.
Sell colanders for way more than they're worth...
He laughed.
Yep.
Love that man and all his practical answers to my cereal conundrums.

So it's just been one of those days...

yep.
ever had one?
Where everything you planned, didn't happen?
When you think you're on top of it...you're not?
when you put the clothes in the washer, add the soap and forget to press the start button....

4 hours later you realize you've done no laundry because you forgot to press START!
You make a special dinner and hubby's not home on time
so his is a bit dry and the kids aren't a fan of it
...again
your 2 year old son gives you a hassle at bedtime...
when all you really want is to snuggle him and enjoy the special time...
but instead he pulls your hair when you say you're done singing
and "no you may not have any more water"
and yes it's time for mommy to leave the room...
and as you walk out he says "I love you mommy"
and your heart melts so you go in and sing one more song anyway?

which results in a temper tantrum of
"another song! ANOTHER SONG!"
and then you're kicking yourself for giving in in the first place?

yeah,
one of those.
I know you're with me when I say
Tomorrow is another day...
and I thank the Lord that He keeps 'em comin'!