Looking back...

What a whirlwind year it has been for me?!?!?!!

I am really sad to watch 2010 leave for many reasons, because it was a huge year for me in many aspects. I grew a better person this year, and I learnt more about myself this last year than I have in the last decade.

I am also really looking at next year with such great opportunity and growth... it is so nice to imagine going into a new year a changed person and changed soul, but most of all someone who really likes them self far more than last year.

I could go on, but last year I entered 2010 with a really limited ability to move my left arm, the worst shape, the highest scale weight, but I entered with the intentions to change me, change myself... and I stayed true. I stayed the course! I don't like to make resolutions, but if fixing ME was my biggest resolution I succeed and over achieved my expectations.

But the mission is never over, this I have learned! We are growing, loving and smart creatures... staying stagnate, not moving forward, towards our better selves daily if not yearly we aren't doing our loved ones, our neighbours or ourselves any favors.

I am looking forward to keep blogging and plan to do it more and more, continue to blog about growth and appreciation, the fun things that interest me, the events I am blessed to get to go to, and hopefully even more contests.

Thank you for following along... see you in the New Year!

Happy Birthday!!

Today I turn 30!!! I have never been this excited about a birthday... perhaps my sweet 16, but even that I am far more excited I think this time!!!

I am so excited I just want to share the birthday LOVE!!! And so for my birthday and the fact that my blog is and has been over a year old I am holding my first ever contest! What a better product that the Peace, Love and Juicy Couture perfume!

So from today til New Year's eve please follow the blog and tell me how you spent the best birthday you remember, tell me what was the best gift someone ever got you or how you spoiled yourself! I want to share in your fantastic memories while I make my own!!!

Good Luck to you all! And thank you Mom, because without you well..... I wouldn't be celebrating today would I!

***this is an image of the product on the Internet, I have the box in my possession fully wrapped and I have not opened it... not sure what is inside, but I believe this is what it will look like***

Sitting in the audience...

Sometimes I do fun things... sometimes I just stay home and clean out my cupboards, but on both occasions I get happy.

Today, I got to sit in the audience of Steven and Chris on CBC, this is not my first time sitting in the audience, in my early 20s I got to sit in the audience over at CityLine and even get called in for another show for a hair makeover. But this format was different and a lot of fun, the show is done pre-tapped, and it's amusing to see the slip-ups and honesty that comes from these guys.

I went to the show with my mom and my coumbara (Greek for my daughter's godmother); my mother had never done anything like this before, the whole time she glowed, with a perma-smile. It was really nice to see that coming from her. She has had a hard couple of years and she deserved to do something out of her box, best part is I think she is hooked, she wants to go again. **which I think is so absolutely cute and endearing**

I wish I had taken my camera, perhaps next time! During all the commercial sections of the show, the audience warm-up guy gave some great gifts, we played some fun games... it was really more fun than I can explain.

If you want to catch the episode I was sitting through it will be on at 2pm on December 15th, early birthday gift!

Cheers!~

The Art of.... Networking!

This last week I have gone to 2 separate networking events, I wouldn't say they are my forté or even something I have mastered but I might be able to give you a fun girl's guide to understanding it better than what some buttoned up shirt might tell you.

1. You are nothing less than your own personality. You have a lot to say, do you know this? What do you do? Where do you work? What do you plan on doing? And then if someone says something that you find intriguing, interesting or wish you could just ask them something else.... what are you waiting for this is a networking event, ASK! Be honest, of course your ON and people are seeing you in a light that you want to be deemed as a good sale, but be serious, if you can't share honesty, your lost right out of the gate.


2. Bring business cards... if NOT make sure you collect as many as you can. This is incredibly indispensable! Why, you ask? Well one, it will give you creative ideas of what you might want your card to look like, and second it will give you contact information no matter what.


3. Be fairly early... gives you a chance to mingle longer getting the best out of the event, hors d'oeuvres if you are hungry and a good spot to sit if needs be.


4. Ask around to see if anyone you know might be there? They don't need to be your closest friend but someone where if you bumped into them it would be instant conversation where you could then get into a personal groove to move on to more wonderful people.


5. Life is short... if you want to move up in the ladder of life, get on it, no one can push you there, and by this I say make the most out of the experience.

So I will continue to hit the circuit, figuring out the next obvious path for myself... I think the tunnel with the light coming through is in my horizon, so I think I am getting close. Just have fun and maybe we'll be at the same event, and if so come and say Hi. I always say Hi back... LOL!! :)

Cheers!~

The Christmas Buzz...

I really am a shopping junkie, but I am a hardcore shopper... the one who can shuffle through a rack with pizazz, determination and the ability to dissect the objects very quickly.

I have to say I have only shopped online once.... not sure why, but my experience left me happy and pleasantly surprised. (thank you http://www.neimanmarcus.com/) and this has allowed be to become highly more opened to the idea of shopping online.

And then I am sitting a table having drinks when a old friend of mine tells me about http://www.ukamaku.com/--- never heard of it, but how appealing to be able to purchase Canadian made garments in a one stop. Doesn't help that I have a personal infatuation with Breeyn McCarney dresses.

And then I had heard that my favorite Internet window shopping site opened a boutique right here in Toronto, let the anxious giggles begin!! I love this Augustina Boutiques Ltd., with it's gold jewellery and it's adorable clutches like the evie envelope with it's massive bow on the front. But my anticipation and excitement will be if they have the vintage Babar prints the show in the Auggie section of the site which is the very adorably shown kids items.

So if you are interested in getting some shopping done, here are some great avenues to spoil yourself as well as others during the Holiday, I know I will!

PS. Did I mention that December is my birthday month... and I super excited to turn 30!! **hint, hint on the items I want**

How do you find a word that means Maria?

" How do you solve a problem like Maria?

How do you hold a moon beam in your hand?---"

There is not many Maria/Mary's in my life... and for those who know me so well, know of a Maria who has been part of my life for so long that I get all bubbly inside like the Julie Andrews character of Maria in the Sound of Music.

But there is a new Mary in my life... and I was and still get excited about the idea of seeing her or the pieces she creates, this being Mary Katrantzou.

I don't get excited much about fashion lately... as so much of it feels same old, same old! Let's repeat the decades of the 30s through to even the 90s on repeating stylish pieces giving them a slight redo, better material composition and perhaps call it anew. But there are times like when I happened to stumble upon Style.com's pictures from the runways (thank you from us minions who are sitting in the comfort of their couches who can appreciate what is happening across the globe) where I see something that astounds me.

As I am staring at each picture and imagining the imagery of architectural beauty that drew her to put art on the a material and create a beautiful dress... I dare not say more than I was FLOORED! And then the opportunity came to meet Mary (who I had exchanged a few words with on twitter previously) at the Room for the God Save the Queen event.

Even more personable than you can imagine, a humble person at best.... this is not the persona I would have ever expected from someone who got to show at London Fashion week; but here she is talking to MOI her biggest Canadian fan. Her pieces are as beautiful as they appear on the runway, and unfortunately this isn't always the reality. Some pieces slightly reminiscent of Marie Antoinette with details and accents more towards the hip over the shoulder. Her lampshade detailed skirt are really just more and more beautiful than you can imagine.

I really really want on of these pieces, this has gone high on my WANT list... so much so that I think I might NEED one!

Belle of the Ball!

I really do love my neighbourhood... most of the people I know know this about me!

It's always sad when a business closes in the ward that one lives in to be unsure that something just as great if not better opens! And then something does, and it brings a smile to your face and a beaming glow to the rest of the dwellers of said neighbourhood.

To this I attribute Bobbette & Belle that opened up on Queen St. E. I had the pleasure of going to the grand opening and even with my new health kick and need to lose weight for my 30th birthday I couldn't resist the delicacies that were sprawled out on the table. Beautifully decorated location with stunning cakes out on display... a grand kitchen in the back! This patisserie is gorgeous!

After having a conversation with one of the owners it was a pleasure to find out that she lives in my little neck of the woods neighbourhood... and what more can you ask but to support a neighbour as well as getting a great macaron just down the street!

I have to be honest I enjoyed a fresh chocolate marshmallow and a white macaron.... it was divine! The patisserie has Wi-Fi which may be too good to be true... as I would spend far to long noshing on way too yummy food. But they make a mean hot chocolate and have a very appealing and comfortable space that makes you feel as luxurious as it looks.

So if you happen to come down to Leslieville it's a must see and a must taste experience!

Cheers!~

Walking Dead!

I hate... repeat it... I HATE HORROR MOVIES!

I always have I always will hate gross, dirty, Gorey horror films. Worst of all I live in a home with a man who loves these movies, enjoys them... and when he encourages me to watch them my blood churns at the thought. Don't get me wrong I am a good wife, I have tried and tried... Texas Chain Saw Massacre... gross! Saw... sheer DISGUST!

But then AMC, which has turned out to be my most new favorite station on television with ground breaking produced shows such as Mad Men and Breaking Bad throws me a wrench into the mix by creating this masterpiece they call "Walking Dead."

The show starts off following the situation that brings Police Officer Rick Grimes to understand a disease has possessed the population, he was left for dead and zombies roam the streets... while he searches for living folk, it almost is reminiscent of Will Smith's version of Hancock but so much better. This is a great story taken from another comic book series, but it's so lovingly executed... I really am excited about this storyline. I am mostly sad that there is only 6 episodes this season, I haven't heard if they are picking the series up for further episodes but they sure should.

So if you like GORE, but if you like great storyline this is a great show to watch! Trust me!

For those about to shop!

This year I am happy to say that I have met a great set of people, some in a personal manner, some through social media; all in all I have met some great friends.

One of these special people is the lovely Laura Connell, who is the author and creator to the website For Those about to Shop . On October 27th, she held a very nice and warm event in the lower area of Marben on Wellington in Toronto.

It was my first event post elections and I was looking to enjoy some good old conversation minus politics with perhaps a glass of wine in hand. There were great little hors d'oeuvres, cupcakes and a seriously nice bartender on hand. I bumped into some of my newer friends and we chatted about everything as we waited for a Tarot card reading from the reader who had a lineup of anticipating seekers of knowledge waiting for her. I luckily got the last reading that night... a lot of what I already knew about myself!

The swag bag was sooo nice, best part was the infinity scarf I got from Dara Dot Design, it's been a lot of fun trying to figure out the different ways to wear the scarf itself.

But some of you followed me over onto Mommydoings from my past fashion blog; while my blogging is fully diverse --- please take a moment to go and head over to Laura's blog, it really is a nice read and hey, she's a petite like me!

Sex pistols was not the theme! LOL!

But it sure was worthy of it's name.... I got to attend the ultimate exclusive 'God Save The Queen' event at the Room in the Bay. This was not your little spot of tea event... but there sure was some champers!

No detail was spared on this theme

I had never been to the, well that's a lie maybe over 13 years ago, when it was a dark whole bunch of stuffy... but wow--- the difference, the bright whiteness of this place glows, every piece shines in this room that has a fluidity that makes you want to roam and roam again through the same sections because it really is a fun space.

The Charlotte Olympia shoe is serious SEXY

But what a great feel for their much fun event that was bringing a bunch of London's best to Toronto. There was some of the usual London Fashion names to expect Mark Fast (who really has been doing the heavy promoting in Toronto for the last year), Erdem and Charlotte Olympia (can I say SOLID FANTASTIC shoes) but I was drawn to the show for someone whose designs left me speechless when I saw them walk down the runway online and followed up by a fantastic twitter conversation with the lovely Mary Katrantzou--- this woman deserves a post on it's own!

The intricately beautiful Mario Schwab

Where do I begin with the pieces that were on display, but to tell you the British are back and with bling in tow. Everyone wants some glitz and glam in their life... and these pieces don't disappoint when wanting to add a little sparkle in your everyday. From the slightly metallic strong colours on the beautiful brocade Erdem dresses, to full on rhinestone embellished Mario Schwab frocks that would make most ladies slightly jealous, to the intrinsically knitted into the dress jewels that Mark Fast added to his already show stopping skin baring pieces.

The Lula Pop-up shop

Ohhh and did anyone go by the next couple days after the event and see the Lula pop-up store? The very gamine looking Leith was ultimately pleasurable and those adorable Rodarte t-shirts are too cute, (OH husband are you reading this???)

The beautiful details in the Erdem pieces

It really was a fun night, from the gaggle of boys waiting outside with a London theme filled moment from the valet to the boys serving us cocktails all night, little bites of scrumptious and gift bags that were union jack appropriate. I had an extra fun night with my lovely gal on the town Melissa, it surely was one of the better events I've been to in a while!

This is my friend Melissa (@Miss_Content) & me

Dream a little dream tonight!!!

I actually have been dying to blog recently... and I have a million post ideas in which to write about.

Now let's talk about the Elephant in the room... I ran my election as said before, and I was lovingly defeated and did not do as well as I had hoped to. But the process was so over the top fantastic and I was so happy to have done so, than to have not done it when I was fearing within myself about the process and the abilities I had.

I am so ever grateful to the most wonderful family members I have who came out and canvassed door to door with me. I am thankful to those who came out and supported me at my events and most of all I am thankful to my husband and my daughters who had to endure an upheaval of our household while I pursued a dream of mine!


Perhaps my loss is well a loss... but the greatness I have learnt and the pride I get to feel when I tell my children that if you want something you go out there and get it, don't let the inner voices of failure sway you, don't let others inabilities to persuade you and reach for the moon, because somewhere there you'll be up amongst the stars (that last bit I read somewhere unknown.)

(images courtesy of weheartit.com)

Out and About and all around!

I really do enjoy my outings, I really enjoy outings that feel worth getting dressed, getting a sitter and driving into the core of the sitting attempting to find parking and make enjoying the evening!

I really really have to give it to GotStyle for not just putting together a nice event, but getting a crowd that fill the room and make you want to stay there and not run for the Hills! While I brought my husband to the Naked Mens Boxer Briefs event at the new Got Style Location (60 Bathurst St.,) which may I add I am a fan of, we had already missed the fashion show.

(the wooden art piece in the middle of the store)

Don't get me wrong, I would have enjoyed to see the models peruse through the crowd of people, but this crowd was uplifting and social... talking, networking and making a Men's Event something worth talking about. Men's wear doesn't get the attention Female labels do... yet 50% of the population are males and they make an average median income that is far greater than their equal counterparts, women!

I love Men's Fashion, it is the hidden art of making a man more impactful, of adding a certain sense of self with the most accurate amounts of simplicity. Men's Wear couldn't handle the tsotchkies and severe changes, they couldn't handle the large shifts in their closets. It's in the simplicity of the details in which men's clothing makes a mark.

(husband with George Strombo)

Got Style did a fantastic job, we had fun... it also helped that George Strombolopoulos made an appearance, surely there wasn't a woman in the room who wasn't swooning.

(me and Strombolopoulos)

Ohhh September!

I just realised that I had only written 3 posts in the whole month of September, and really I am not remotely surprised.

September has been a good & bad month for me, with a bunch of personal firsts, a bunch of personal realities, social realities and just stuff... but all in all it's been a month with a lot of reflection which wasn't going to be something I was working on, as you know I like to take time to work on me as much on the other things I tend to do.

What I learnt so far in September:

Your friends will surprise you! Someone might take their time to be there, to be that support you so much wanted and needed... and friends who you know were your friends and somehow allowed far to much distance get between you, surprise you with the reality that well there has been that obvious connection that existed and you weren't crazy.

Ohhh and friends well... just aren't your friends. They talk about you, behind your back, push their personal gains ahead as they butcher your friendship... but somehow want to continue to pretend they are your friend. Which really the more I come to terms with it, are NOT my friends!

I can easily become demoralised... so easily can I get frustrated, when I believed my strength in this world is my conviction to things, but it wanes off and on, and I push and push to keep my convictions into motivations; because you can't let little things bring you down.

And for as much as I could bicker and complain (falling off someones porch slamming my face into their gas meter would be one of those issues) the universe keeps telling me I have good karma and the universe has good intentions headed for me. Like losing my purse in the middle of the city and a good citizen bringing it up to my street to try and find me, leaving it with my neighbour.

And I NEED social experiences, outings, conversations, banter and well just a good ol' girls day out at the spa getting a mani-pedi! Some like to dwell in their dwellings and can feel satisfied with many nights in front of the TV, reading a good book and just being them and their children, I am not that I need more to be satisfied.

So with some much internally fulfilled without pursuit... I am SO looking forward to what October has in stored for me, just hopefully less eventfully harmful!

Thank God for Date Night! (The Town)

Seldom do date nights exist! Rarity where the girls go to my mom's for an over night trip where that night and the next am there isn't something largely construed by someone other than me and that I can do whatever I just feel like it, do what I want, play how I want, wake up when I want.

But we got a date night here, and was it one that has kept me smiling!

We went to go see The Town! Ohhhh THE TOWN! This date night turned into a movie review that had to happen. So with a ton of promotion, a star filled cast and some much hype the Directorial project of Ben Affleck's The Town was the movie that won when deciding what movie be watching this evening. We chose over Easy A, Residential Evil 3D and Wall Street and the Town... husband has a crush on Blake Lively and I had heard the buzz!

The movie starts right from the start with a robbery, if you saw a preview you knew it was about robberies, I have not spoiled the plot for you! LOL But it goes into the grimy parts of Boston (let me add I had never known there to be seedy parts of Boston, but we all learn from movies don't we) Ben Affleck crooked, Blake Lively fantastically Trashy... honestly it's believable!

The movie goes through twists and turns about how criminals and victims can become intertwined, how the good guys want to catch the bad guys and the obvious there is the good bad guys and the BAD bad guys! The movie delves into the obvious of what conditions it takes to produce such characters, it really is a perfection in human belief, circumstances that brought them there and decisions we are faced with everyday.

The scenes are believable... husband refuses to see another car chase where cars do like 4 - 360s just to land on it's tire just to drive off. The visuals are beautiful and the homage to Boston is sincere and lovely! It shows that there is love for the town which the movie was filmed in. The story obvious plot... but the movie gritty and good.

To be honest, wasn't a fan of Hamm's performance, maybe because he came off to dirty and grimy and I see him as Don Dapper way too much!

The end was suspenseful and chilling, gross and honest... I left the theater uberly satisfied. It was outstanding. If I had to grade it, for me it would a 4.5 stars out of 5. Truly brilliant! I think this might have possibilities during award seasons, FOR SURE for Directorial! And don't think that is all Ben Affleck succeeded at, his acting was stellar, and his body (physical body I am referring to here, not his body of work) is to die for, would make most men jealous and obviously women paying attention to him. I believe this movie will be the resurrection of his dwindling career!

Just Brilliant! Catch the preview.

(Husband feels that this trailer doesn't even do ths movie any justice, this is a movie you are just going to have to go see.)

I got scented!

I have been so crazy busy around here lately... truly like a chicken with her head cut off! With 2 weddings, 2 toddlers in a odd behavioural age and a campaign --- Momma needed an outing!

And was it ever easy to do so, when you get invited to figure out what scent you are!

The lovely Jen booked me and some lovely ladies out for a nice little experience in the world of scents at Aromachology. It was a fun meet in the pop-up store in the Four Season's Hotel during the hustle and bustle of Toronto International Film Festival with recent sitings of Scott Speedman and Gene Simmons.

Me and the lovely bloggers @luckypennydaily and @karmacakedotca

I was greeted and was handed a lovely questionnaire with different descriptors I see myself in, one even made me laugh... but I like to laugh about how I perceive myself. I was a mix of 2 different scents, but Sophisticated and Sensual- floral won out! But then you can keep going... pushing through with more adjective named scents to add to your base to create a scent that is just right for you.

Now I am not a daily perfume girl... don't tend to wear one, but when it's about getting pretty wearing something stunning, putting on makeup, nails done, stilettos on, you need the scent... because you want to be a all senses kind of experience for your boyfriend, husband or hopeful new suitor. And please... mommy needs to feel sexy too!

The scent note bar

But what a joy to add hints of Open-minded, creative and spontaneous to the scent mix.

I had a blast doing this little experiment, it truly was a fun distraction from the last while. Please do check them out online, or stop by the Bay in Yorkdale Toronto... or Henri Bendell's NYC; make it a girls day--- you'll thank me!

Cheers!~

M.I.A

Missing in Action... what a true statement that is for me. I have been missing from my nice and humble abode of blogging, with my uber friendly bloggers making me feel so wonderful. But I have abandon ship for a short time. But I will be back, I have a ton to share.

But in the meantime I know I have told you all I am running for city council here in Toronto, for my ward of 30. I great little adventure it has already turned out to be and I plan to keep enjoying the ride.

Well in about a week is my first fundraiser and I would love for if you live in Toronto, or at least work or play in the day downtown that you can come out and support the event. If you are on Facebook and want details to the event go HERE but if you just want the details and read a bit more about my campaign please go HERE

Cheers!~

I did it... I was convinced...

This mint coloured perfection you see at the top of this post... is what some would call this a Green Monster.

Now I have never heard of this particular item before, until I read one of my more favorite blogs from a fellow mommy over at http://www.fabbrunette.com/ ; my monster was slightly different than the one she posted... mine didn't have flax seed.

It turned out fairly good, I drank almost every bit of it! There was a little left and I got busy with the girls and somehow forgot it on the side of the table. So look at that a surge of Potassium, Calcium and Iron all in one shot. I will not complain...

I keep getting fitter and healthier!

We keep pushing through with internal change...

But in case you thought I was about to get all metaphysical on don't worry, I am just talking about the changes and renos we are doing to the house where and when we can.

Having to fix things in the house with 2 toddlers is challenge enough, having very distinctive tastes from one and other (the husband and I). But we brought home 2 faucets and the one won over the other. I lied, it didn't win in a democratic kind of vote; I picked with all of us sitting in the bathroom.

Best part the longer it sits there, everyone has begun to agree with me. Do you like my new faucet?

Where have I been?

I have been busy enjoying the summer as I had informed you earlier... but in a huge faith in myself, my ability and my knowledge I finally decided to do something I had been thinking about for over a year.

I am running for city council here in my city of Toronto. Pretty crazy if you ask me... having a hard time taking in the scope of what this means. I am not a title kind of girl, but I wear mother proud even though I don't think I am the picture in the encyclopedia in which would best describe one. I am a wife, but also not a fitting title either.... but don't misconstrued my words. But my husband and I coexist in our relationship, I don't beckon to his needs, and he doesn't do for me... we just are together. Wife being part of the situation... but not what defines me!

But today, I had to come to terms with me being... oh God I have to say it, a Politician! I prepared my facebook campaign page and I had to provide a description and Politician was the only one that fit well into what I needed my page to describe.

But I don't know if I can begin to believe I am that person... I want to be a councilor, I want to defend the neighbourhood I grew up in, that I go to the gym, dinners, coffees, bars, walks, parks and pools. My favorite location in all of Toronto is in my ward..., how else could I do it all justice but to stand up for it and be more than just some person who wants to gain a political career.

So while I begin to go through the motions perhaps I will find it inside of me to be OK with this particular title... but it will be interesting to get there.

Is this wrong?

Is it wrong that I want to see this movie... not sure why?!?!?!? Actually it's probably for my love of Jason Statham, not sure why but I think this guy reads total sex appeal.



But this is on the list of movies I would like to see... you guys seeing any good movies this summer???

Don't you love it...

You know that feeling, when you are working out and you are really starting to notice the difference in your body.

I am seriously suffering from some serious workout HIGHS! Yeah you read that... it's almost become addictive. Here I am killing myself for an hour, sweating to death... come home and all I want to do is keep stretching, keep lifting, squatting, lunging!

I think I have an illness... but it's because come next week, for some reason the weights become hard to lift again, the muscles sore and tender! And you want to kick yourself that you are sore all over again because you didn't kill yourself working out all weekend.

But weekends are for family around here, I kill myself physically during the week.... but my weekends are for events (friendly ones, you know birthday parties, showers and such) or shopping excursions for silly things like clothing and food for us in the house.

But til then... another workout day tomorrow... a hard core muscle conditioning class.

Cheers!~

Busy is the bee who collects honey all day....

I feel like every once and a while I am posting an "I'm sorry" post because days will go by with nothing new added and then I am dying to find something so wonderfully interesting to share.... but I am stagnate.

But I have been busy.... have a million little posts that I have coming and some that have come and gone and weren't added because the images that are to go along with them have somehow disappeared.

Disappeared! No my camera/laptop have not wiped away the beautiful images that I am referring to... I have daughters with sticky fingers. Not sure which, but guessing my youngest child was tinkering with my digital camera as they have been permitted to do so; ( I own this cute but seriously dense Kodak camera that is so perfect, great little zoom capability and truly withstands my children) but it came to take the memory card out of it put it on my computer and upload series of photos that had been taken. It is not there... not sure where it has disappeared to but it is amiss!

And let's be honest you aren't blog reading like you were months ago, not because I am not posting more frequently... but because it's summer, it's beautiful--- you are at the park, the beach, the pond, the pool! And you should be! Especially if you live somewhere near me... where winter comes and stays FAR too long. So get out there people, go have fun with your families, your friends, your high heel stilettos, your colourful eyeshadow.... rock it people! Make sure you get those toes done, the shave on, the waxing and have one too many drinks.

Until you return from the fun in August.... I will spend all my time spending it with girls who are getting married, we have 2 next month, but bachelorette events, shower, dress fittings and so on. But I will be sharing....

Cheers!~

and for fun that's my eldest having fun with me and the camera.... she really is a HAM!

Ceiling ENVY!

Not sure where I found this image... so if I swiped it from you or your blog... I am sorry. But I stole it as some much needed inspiration.

I am dying to do this to my living room ceiling... think it won't cost too much. And since we are doing all the renos in our home I don't think this would be too hard to accomplish on our own. Probably helps that ironically I am a math/measurement nerd and my artist husband has worked in woodworking for years.

Love this moulding covered ceilings!

Mama got a new set of Wheels!

Laugh all you want... but these 3 wheels made me smile like a spoiled little rich girl! I have 2 kids, with barely a year apart in age... so most people would probably assume we had a double stroller. But last year when we thought about getting a double stroller we couldn't decide on which style.

Then someone donated a stroller to us that was side-by-side. It was good for a while but it had seen it's glory days and wouldn't be able to withstand the expectations I had set in my head

And then Epiphany started, life changing revolution that I am in... some kind of Metamorphosis! This girl is going to lose weight, this girl is going to be healthy, athletic, social (again) and entrepreneurial (also again) like I envision for myself.

So what else would a mommy like that want... what would make this mommy happy. Well, this mommy is dying to find a reason to go for a walk or perhaps those walk/jogs that I have mentioned before. I bought a BabyTrend Expedition Double Jogger- Sonic.... and I AM in LOVE! I took her for her first test drive today, both girls in, hills and a huge down hill--- would not recommend wearing flip-flops--- went to the mall the manoeuvring of this little machine (yes it's a machine, a beautiful machine) was so easy, fits through doors easily, and people tend to open the doors for you as well when you walk around with this beauty. So while my neighbours walk around with their uberly over priced stroller that only fits one child, I can plug my Ipod into my speaker dock that is built into my stroller and I can go for a jog! Take that!

Simple things make me HAPPY!

ON A SIDE NOTE!

Bought my husband a gift that actually fit into a box this year... really nothing beats the flying lessons he got 2 years ago. But I bought wrapping paper... bows and everything, came home and couldn`t find scissors or tape. So with very little products around the house... I put together this gift put together with an exacto knife and painter`s tape. Mommy`s are the most savvy people in the world...

Happy Anniversary!

While I would love to say this is my anniversary in this blog.... not as of yet, but this is a really special day for me and my husband!

It's our 6 year Marriage Anniversary!

I can't believe that long has come and gone, that our unity as a couple to do things together, have babies, grow old, mend buttons, bruises, broken body parts and be there for things we both think are contrived for the other... without a protest, without a glitch!

I will not try and preach to you that me and my husband live in some uncomprehensive world of utopia... au contraire my dear blog friends... we suffer from serious realism. Days have sun and clouds, moons, stars and darkness; our relationship is no different. We need to regroup on occasions.... we need a moment to ourselves, we need to argue or protest the others opinion... but most of all we need to hug and love each other at the end of the day because we understand that we are each others it person.

It's been over 13 years that we have been in each others lives... and I can honestly say this has been our best year thus far. Thanks for letting me share!

Cheers!~

Working backwards!

I think a lot about my place in the universe, the foot print I leave in a people's lives and my own life.

Sometimes I look at how ambitious, how driven and focused I was to be in the industry I wanted to be in... and then I made the decision that worked for me, I had my babies. Right when things were starting off for me... something made me regroup and decided it would have to wait I need to start having my family NOW! Anyone in the fashion industry (in which I dabble my little pinkie toe lately) would stare in disbelief when I told them I was pregnant... how do you give up something sooo fantastic, how do you NOT go to NYC to pursue the paid internship in PR... come on.

But I did it, and I use to perhaps rehash the thoughts over and over again until I heard this woman speak... Carolina Herrera! If you don't know the name it's synonymous with socialite elite fashion, the dresser of Renee Zellweger--- to me it's role model material. Someone might ask people who do you look up to? I didn't have an answer for that question til just recently... and now I heard her talk and I have one. Why her? She said the only thing that rang true in my life... "you can have children and come back and have a successful career when you are ready..." don't quote it... but it goes something like that. She had her kids, she fully raised her kids and then she followed her dreams.

She didn't believe the hype, that age dismisses you... that being a certain age stifles your inner fashionista... please people--- those barking fashionisms down your throat are not young and ripe any longer but old and pruned... they bring a sophistication and a class but Karl Lagerfeld no ones baby, Anna Wintour not spring chicken either... so who says that someone with age can't be reverent, they can't play in the field of FASHION.

So perhaps others see me going backwards... career, marriage and then children... but I like the fact that I have my babies, I like the fact that they inspire me to follow my dreams... and I can go forward only being more certain in the things that I want and not in a naive post teen kind of a way, but a mature sophisticated (OK only slightly sophisticated) manner.

I can't take the heat!

I can't take this heat we are dealing with here in Toronto... I am sure some people have it far worse than we do and I hate to complain but:

1. I have NO A/C in my house, I didn't need it all year last year and didn't think we would ever need one since we grin and bared it for a whole summer.


2. I do NOT live close to a salt water beach. We have beaches so don't get me wrong... I love, did I say LOVE, I truly love the beaches we have here in the city but swimming in them is slightly scary and I don't get the same kind of swim in a lake that I adore getting from salt water.


3. So relief might be to get in the car and go somewhere but even the car doesn't have A/C.


4. I refuse to cook in this heat, so I haven't eaten anything substantial in the last couple of days (far too many sandwiches from Subway)


5. My hair, has been up and has not come down in days... showering to make myself pretty for a cute outfit not going to happen, it's too hot to turn on the blow dryer.. so my hair well looks like ASS!

But I have had a couple of nice days with my girls taking in the warmth with 3 visits to a pool of some sort, visits to their yiayia's house so they can be in an air cooled room and I have even gotten 2 extreme workouts in...

otherwise I am melting away... to hot to handle and would rather sit around and be naked daily and do nothing. Guess that wouldn't be highly productive of myself. Are you in a heat wave? Are you enjoying the heat? Or how are you coping?

Cheers!~

MMmmmm Pine!

They are here!

I had bought myself solid wood pine doors for my upstairs rooms... all 4 doors. Matching unstained highly beautiful pine doors; but they had been at my dad's workshop for over a year. Broken arm and all... the doors are back, the doors will be going up this month. Still don't know if we are painting or are we staining them??? Who knows... all I know is my girls will have a door for their bedroom (they don't have one)-- we have a cheesy plywood door on our room. We have a very old house with huge 7 in. mouldings... so we needed real doors.

I am soooo excited. I will share the progress as it comes along.

Cheers!~

I am a SIZE DOWN!

WOOOHOOO!!!

Took a very very long time in my liking... but I am a whole friggin size down! OK! I am sooo stoked about this. ( I can't believe I just used that darn word)--- but this feels huge to me.

This has been a busy couple of days you'd think the weekend just started but the weekend is a few days away. The husband and I went to an event yesterday night and it was fun and boring all at the same time. Fun because we were laughing our heads off at our own little jokes, and 2 Indian sisters had taken a liking to my husband and were giggling up a storm with him

It was Canada Day today... and well we had a garden cleaning day followed by a real great dinner with my dad on the Danforth. Love when we get to hang out with him, it's so great for the girls. And he's the only person who dedicates to speak to them in other than English. It's hard to speak to my girls in all the languages that I speak... but sorry tangent.

But I am really enjoy the small but noticeable transformation I am seeing... and enjoying! So hope your weekend is as great as my day is today--- ENJOY people!


Cheers!~

Tuesday Farming!

Had a little jaunt to the farm which is actually right in the middle of the city... always a fun, highly inexpensive outing for me and the girls. On Tuesday they have a farmer's market on the park grounds in front of the Farm. Note to self... Farmer's Markets don't take interact. Here's a few images of my girls having some fun.