A little bit of Sublime, to pass the time!

Last Friday I got to go to a beauty launch party! And when I realised it was a beauty event I knew the smartest thing to do was to invite my little cousin to come a long... no one loves make up like she does, so this was totally up her alley.

When we arrived at the L'Oreal Creative Labs her face lit up and I knew we were up for a good little launch! It's like they knew I was coming everything was my favorite shade of hot pink, we even ate strawberry mousse cups, but the guest of honour that night was Hair!

L'Oreal was launching for the first time in Canada their new Sublime Mousse hair dye, I think I have dyed my hair a million times since the age of 16, this was totally up my alley, especially since my roots are growing in and getting bored of this colour already! They had models with freshly dyed hair walking around and sharing their great new colour, and even the fabulous Eric Del Monaco (who you'll hear more about this week to come) showing us how great the product was to use and apply.

Now I couldn't go to such a great event and just come on here to brag, so the great people of L'Oreal put together a great little swag bag for a lucky reader of Mommydoings; this contest is unfortunately only for those who live in Canada.


So easy, just :

1- comment and let me know what sublime means to you and

2- follow the blog or like the facebook page, let me know which one you chose to do, and what your contact name is on it.

*contest runs til April 24th... don't miss out!*

Cheers!~

P90X-- Bring It!

My husband and I have been super busy, we have so many little projects on the go... we don't always get a chance to leave the house to fit in an excercise routine, I have tried it all currently loving my Zumba class which doesn't feel like a workout at all, and I really love light weight training of multiple moves in a muscle conditioning format.

But when my cousin kept touting the idea of how wonderful P90X was, I wasn't remotely close to believing her, the idea of doing a video/DVD workout seems so ridiculous to me, I am not easily motivated to get a serious sweat on in my home, while my fridge is an arm stretch away, while the option of watching TV gossip rags, soaps and other frivolous television shows.

But then my husband said he'd get on the bandwagon, and we've been working out together... it's been a perk and it gives us something further to bond with that doesn't take extra time out of our day to convince each other to do so. So we have been experiencing P90X through the eyes of Tony Horton, what a great physique this man has may I add.

Tell me what is your favorite excercise routine, what's your favorite way to burn calories? Do you work better at home in your own privacy or in a gym atmosphere? Do you need an instructor or trainer to motivate you?

Pantry Purge!

I haven't stopped making food since the day I started making brownies!! While it has been fun for every one's palette, it hit a nerve that day!

I can bake, I actually am a great baker (I have plenty of bad qualities so I am not boasting here,)but as I started to bake I realised that I am always willing to pick up store bought cookies, brownies, go for a Starbucks run when I have nearly every ingredient to bake, cook or brew all my favorite goodies!

So I am on a kick, instead of letting anything in my house sit for months or even a year on end, and I am referring to dry products why not make my own! I like artisan breads, why not make my own? I almost feel ridiculous that this is something I am fully capable of doing myself but I wastefully pay for others to do.

So for the next month I will continue to use up the ingredients in my baking cupboard, my spices that don't get used on a daily basis! So excited to see what I can come up with!

Cheers!~

Prayers!

With today's expected devastation all I can say is Prayer of any denomination, religion, belief system that positivity reign it's angel'd wings of peace to lay over the countries that will be hit by the Pacific Coast Tsunami.

May those who live there be safe, may the countries not hit yet only see pretty waves and that for those who cannot avoid it, please get to a safe location we are thinking of you!

A Brownie of a Good time!

I am always on twitter... I love it, I will not LIE!

My feed is always full, a constant update of things people are sharing, places they are seeing, people they are meeting and food they are eating. Ohhh the food they are eating!! This really has made me a gluten for punishment, I want to eat everything I see... more so on days that I have zero interest but on days where I fall to the cravings I walk over to the baking cupboard and go wild. The last fierce piece of YUM, Brownies!

Recipe: "Best Brownies" Hershey's

1/2 cup of butter
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of Cocoa
1/4 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp of salt
1/2 cups of chopped nuts (optional)--- I have never put nuts in mine!!

Heat over at 350 F grease 8" or 9" brownie pan, stir butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl, add the eggs, beat well!

Combine the dry ingredients and slowly add them to the butter mixture beating til well blended. Spread in pan! You'll have the spread, this is a very thick mixture and might seem to thick, don't over analyse it, you did it right!

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the sides start pulling away from the pan.

I like to make an icing for my brownies and this time I made a ganache icing, that I don't have a recipe for but I make ganache and then start adding icing components, a standard chocolate icing shall do!

And voila! These don't last long in my house, perfect acroutement to a glass of cold milk!

Cheers!~

International Women's Day!

I went to French school all my life, one of my favorite words in french is a Souffragette! I won't go into a huge historical diatribe because you can find plenty of that online already, what you will learn about here is what I like to call:

The New Feminist!

What is the new feminist you might be asking over in front of you computer screen, well the truth is she a lot like ME! The new Feminist is a lot like the Souffragettes, with their passion for equality and voices being heard, but not the same as those who burnt their bras decades ago. I understand those ladies who marched and burn their bras and shun the establishments and how they fostered a newness to the new feminist that gives us a larger ability to attain the rights that those first feminists wanted.



Let me describe you the NEW feminist... she is most likely married or looking to get married. Honestly she might not want to ever get married, but she is looking to be in a committed relationship because that is what SHE wants, she doesn't want it for her parents sake, she isn't doing it to drive up her value at work and really doesn't care what those around her think, she will be married, young, old, living in with someone or living alone and sharing her space with someone who comes over to sleep. But she wants something and she's going for it!

These particularly married or not Feminists are actually bearing children and loving every moment of the idea... why because they don't sit under the bubble of what a mother does from the point of view of others, a huge shift of staying home feminists, because they don't want bigger homes, or more cars, they breastfeed, pump or bottle feed. They parent educationally, they work if it's their passion, they play because they are released of the pressures of judgements of others because they don't actually CARE about being pigeon-holed in a criteria.

These Feminists have passion... no seriously! They are driven, they work hard, they hire help when they know it's in no one's best interest for them to be in charge of this task. They read newspapers, recipe books, HTML codes, blogs and Ikea manuals... most of all they share and are social, they like it, they need it and most of all they enjoy it. They go out for drinks while the other parent is watching the child, they leave laundry baskets to be folded on the living room floor to go to the gym, because they understand that they are a priority in the grand scheme of things. They really understand the basis of SHARE in a working relationship.



Best of all... sit down, this might make you want to be one of these FEMINISTS... they are HAPPY! I don't lie, they love taking their own life into their own hands, they thrive of being in charge of their schedule, they like to pick the work they do, the activities they participate in and all in all their primary focus is being Happy because they know that being happy is the only way to offer their best self to everyone around them; because that's what they want out of life.

So today, on International Women's Day, I encourage you to look at the women in your life and see those lovely NEW Feminist and smile at them, gifts aren't mandatory... but smile at them, because it's better than praise and WE somehow know how to store those smiles for our own needs when we need a fix.

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY!!!

March Forward!

March is a peculiar month... it's said that March is the month where Winter fights off Spring!

I feel this to be so true for us all... Spring brings on newness, change, birth and blossoming! So March is the internal tug and pull of growth and letting the new win into your life. I like this concept because I believe that yearly we are in a mode of newness, that we regenerate and bring on new projects, new vacations and well something new to learn.

On the blog and in my own life I feel that this newness has been fighting it's way into the new mold... and while part of the subconscious is fighting it off, the conscious part of me is excited that it wins and I keep doing new things that I am passionate about. The blog has great new things looking forward.

Ohhh and I am starting a new workout regimen for myself... I am guessing you've heard about P90X, my little cousin has been touting how great and fantastic it is, never was really interested, but I was getting lackadaisical and needed to get back to the grind of working out and being healthy. And with the idea of the pinks, and the creams, the warmth of sandal wearing, light fabrics all I can think is bring on Spring, I am bringing on the best me!

How will you be celebrating March, and yes I mean celebrating... life is short, this month doesn't go out without a fight, let's celebrate it, how will you be doing that?

Cheers!~

Social Mom Monthly

Meet Vicky, she's the first Mom chosen for the Social Mom Monthly highlight. We started with a Toronto mommy, she is in my hometown and I am big believer that Toronto is a really social city. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Vicky myself but we've become twitter buddies and I am always in awe of how busy and bustling she is and how she's mastered the art of the juggle. You can always tell by how active she is on her twitter handle @momwhoruns... follow her she's great!

1. Tell me about yourself! -- A daughter who is 11 and a son who is 15 year old. I am a food sales rep and I love my job. It allows me to still get the job done while having the flexibility to drop off lunch at school when they forget it in the car!!--- she also has a great little blog at Mom Who Runs
2. How do you like to stay social? What sources of social networks do you use to stay connected? --I am very social... tweet-ups, events (interior design show, beer festival, etc.) meeting friends for coffee (this is critical). LOL
3. Does your social life ever interfere with your family life and how do you make it balance? --sometimes my daughter says "I wish you didn't have to go to so many events". I took her to an event once so that she would have an understanding of what they are like. She had a blast!!
4. Do you have separate social events for work and life? --Absolutely. I couldn't see myself going out three nights in a row to events.
5. I know you excercise... but do you find excercising a social regimen? Do you find it adds or distracts from your social calendar? --I love to excercise. It's a must!!( kinda like having a coffee.) It feels good to excercise... mentally and physically.
6. What was the most favorite thing you spent money on recently? --This year I spent $$ on a MacBook, an Ipad and a Canon DLSR. I am loving all three purchase... way more than a Michael Kors handbag. My fave purchase would have to be the Ipad; it's just such a cool toy.
7. Do you have a social calendar in your house, something where all your weekly or monthly events are up for display? How do you use it? --We have a calendar in the kitchen to track appointments and my husbands travel schedule as well as invitations for dinners/parties etc.
8. Do you use social media? What is your biggest personal benefit you get from it? --I'm loving Twitter. It has expanded my network in a huge way.
9. When you do go out what is your primary choice of enjoyment, what kind of events do you prefer to attend? --I mostly go to tweet-ups at a restaurant that I have not been to or to an event. I recently went to a Molecular Gastronomy event!
10. If you can tell a Mom about the benefits of having a social life, what would you say to them? --Its good for you. Simple as that. It's nice to know that you are a mom... but that there is a world outside of "mommyhood".

It was really great to have Vicky be the first of the Mommy's to share. Next socially mommy resides in California... stay tuned!!!

Cheers!~~

Meet a mommy!

I recently had an A-HA! moment, I was very excited about this idea... couldn't wait to get started on the project!

I like to believe myself to be a really social mom... to much of the chagrin of some people around me, I don't believe you are a healthy human or person if you can't begin to imagine yourself balancing both work, kids and a social life! The social aspect of my life had lost it's place in my life for a very long time, it probably was a reason I wasn't feeling as happy or content with myself.

But the best part is I started to notice the happy women who were moms were balancing, they were active in a community project, they were aware of the things that bring interest to them and they were perfecting balance and passion all at the same time.

So as of tomorrow... prepare to read about some great Moms living across the Continent and how the enjoy balancing being a mom and a social creature all at the same time.

If you know any great Moms, Mums or Mommies who fit and should be encouraged to show off how they greatly balance send them my way! Enjoy the read, the moms I have planned are great you'll all really enjoy!

Happy Valentine`s Day!

Hope you guys had a great Valentine`s Day! I had a coffee with a girlfriend at noon, while my little women were with their Yiayia, then some midday date with the husband with a movie and everything.

Followed by some great dinner meet-up with the whole family, my parents in tow, the girls all feasted on some Lasagna and chicken soup (hey Valentine`s Day happens during cold and flu season)... then topped off with a coffee date for all with the lovelies that are my girlfriends Mel & Kim!

Smiling... so hope yours was as wonderful!

In the meantime.... I am really enjoying my Pomegranate Mint Pur gum! I am not a gum girl... actually I can never chose a gum because well... I hate that overly hot flavor in my mouth and as a mom I don`t want something hanging out in my purse that my toddlers might get their hands on, so when I found out about this organic gum without aspartame made me pretty darn excited! You really should try it! :)