Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: The wonderful sound of chirping birds in the backyard.

Tasting: Crust-less quiche with leeks, spinach and asiago cheese...YUM!

Seeing: Beautiful yellow pansies by my door:

Smelling: The many fresh smells of the warm spring air.

Feeling: Tired and sore from the gym workout this morning which consisted of Turkish get-ups, jumping rope and squats!

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: The plow trucks clearing and pushing the snow back off the roads.

Tasting: Water - I am needing to rehydrate after this morning's workout.

Seeing: The beautiful bloom of my orchid plant. And there are more on the way.


Smelling: Nothing...I have a very stuffy nose!

Feeling: Sore, but in a very, very good way! I have been back on track with working out and recently joined a new gym - Money Bar Gym Montreal - and I love it. I love that painful but in a good way feeling in my muscles!

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: Arabella reading her stories to herself when she should be napping.

Tasting: Warm water with a little lemon juice...warms me up and keeps me hydrated.

Seeing: Barren trees and a early Winter sky, and dare I say wet snow flakes in between the light rain drops.

Smelling: The new Be Jolly Yankee Candle that is burning. Not too festive, but just festive enough to get me in the Holiday mood.


Feeling: Sore muscles - I started my training routine on Sunday with a killer Bikram yoga class and have been up every morning this week at 5:30 to hit the treadmill.

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: Teenage Dream by Katy Perry playing over and over in me head...it was the song playing when I started the car this morning to take Arabella to school...and she told me that it was a good song, which it is, so we played it loud and now it is STUCK!

Tasting: Jamaica Me Crazy KCup...yummy coconut flavored coffee

Seeing: Rain falling which means the last of the leaves on the trees are falling too.

Smelling: The Leaves Wallflower that I just plugged in...so pretty.

Feeling: Tired...I think daylight savings time and my girls weekend are catching up to me!

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: Arabella going in and out of bed...she is a little couche tard (a/k/a night owl in French) tonight...she must still be on the sugar high from her party at preschool today or she thinks she is still in her owl Halloween costume!

Tasting: A leftover cake pop from Arabella's preschool party - just the right amount of sweet.

Seeing: The late autumn sky.



Smelling: Bath & Body Works Creamy Pumpkin candle - I think it is my new favorite!

Feeling: Thankful.

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: Arabella chomping away on her didge a/k/a pacifier that she only uses at nap time and bed time - I can't tell how tired she is by the noise that the didge is making, preschool is wearing her out!

Tasting: Avocado, goat cheese and fresh cracked black pepper on Heritage bread from boulangerie Gill & Kate.


Seeing: The first leaves starting to change color on the trees.


Smelling: The faint hint of a vanilla candle burning in the kitchen.

Feeling: Tired - this is the first week in a long time that I have had to set my alarm for 6:15 am..our new routine is going to take a little while to get used to.

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: The neighbor's air conditioning running (not sure why they have it one, it is the perfect day out) mixed in with the chirp/buzzing of cicadas.

Tasting: Chewy blueberry oatmeal cookies made from scratch and right out of the oven.


Seeing: The blue sky of early fall.

Smelling: See tasting above...I love the smell of the blueberry oatmeal cookies, YUM!

Feeling: Small pangs of sadness...Lori goes home tomorrow, Arabella starts preschool next week and a fight happened that shouldn't have.

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: The breeze rustle through the leaves in the trees outside my office window.

Tasting: A teeny, tiny piece of olive cheese...delish, but not on my current diet...

Seeing: The new Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn and Ballard Designs catalogs that mom sent me! I love everything in them and am feeling inspired to make some fun changes in how I have decorated the house.


Smelling: The Tomato Blossom candle that I purchased on my last Target run in Massachusetts...it is such a pure Summer sent.


Feeling: Content and comfortable. I am caught up with school, Arabella and I have had a great week and I feel like we are right where we belong.

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: Arabella say: "I love you so much Mommy"..so sweet and melts my heart.

Tasting: A salad of tomato, cucumber, hard boiled egg, and "dry" cottage cheese with some white balsamic vinegar and spices. Might not sound too good, but it really is!

Seeing: Beautiful blue sky and perfect Summer sunshine.


Smelling: Not too much, my nose is stuffy...thanks Summer allergies!

Feeling: Tired and stressed...too much hometowrk, too little time!

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: My IIN lectures that I am trying to get caught up on.

Tasting: WATER and not too much else! For a couple of reasons, see "FEELING" below and also because I started a new diet...so far I am down 10 pounds!!

Seeing: Bright sunshine and a backyard full of summer toys.

Smelling: Humid and stale muggy Summer air.

Feeling: HOT, HOT, HOT...even with the AC going, it is still a very, warm, humid, muggy day here in Montreal...about 32C which is the low 90's but it feels like it is over 100 out!

Thursday's Thoughts....A Day Late Again....Sorry

Hearing: The Cat In The Hat on PBS. PBS is my lifesaver in the morning when I am trying to get us organized for the day! Only downside, I now know all the words to the songs on the shows...

Tasting: Strong, black coffee.

Seeing: Arabella's excitement as we get ready to go to the pool this morning!

Smelling: The warm, summer day that lies ahead of us. I think it is going to be another hot one here, 29 degrees today! (Yes that is in Celsius, I guess we have acclimated to the metric system more than I thought!)

Feeling: Tired, it was a very busy week...

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: Light summer rain falling outside my open office window.


Tasting: Crisp, cool water.

Seeing: A sink full of dishes and a mountain of schoolwork that needs to be completed.

Smelling: Freshly baked brownies that I will be making into brownie pops for a very special Birthday party tomorrow.

Feeling: Love from Arabella...she has been a snuggle bug today and has given me the best hugs just when I needed them.

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: The beeping of my cell phone from a text message that needs to be read.

Tasting: A crunchy salad that I made from cucumbers, chick peas, tomatoes, kale, parsley, olives, asparagus and more. I will post the recipe later.


Seeing: Newly framed artwork created by Arabella Ripp. I love how it is so bright and the colors pop in the black frame. It really brightens up the plain mantle in her playroom!



Smelling: Clean fresh laundry.

Feeling: Worn down and defeated and HOT, HOT, HOT now that summer had finally arrived.

Thursday's Thoughts (A Day Late...)

Hearing: The Elmo's World theme song on Sesame Street. Arabella has a fever today and woke up vomiting last night so we are lying low today and she gets to watch some TV.

Tasting: Tim Horton's coffee with just a drop of milk.

Seeing: Beautiful sunny skies, I hope it lasts all weekend long and then some!

Smelling: Cleaning products...time to get rid of the germs that Arabella caught...

Feeling: A tired...between school work, Arabella feeling sick, birthday parties and visitors, I need a little time to rest...but who knows if it will happen...

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: Arabella say "Too dangerous Mom" as I catch her climbing up the outside of the stairs. She did promptly get down when she knew I was watching.



Tasting: Tomato Pesto Soup with fresh Parmesan cheese and rosemary saltines. The perfect way to warm up on this cold, Spring day!

Seeing: Arabella grow up before my eyes. She HAD to push the cart at the grocery store today!




Smelling: The Green Tea & White Pear candle that I have burning in the kitchen. It is so crisp and clean smelling, it is the perfect spring scent.

Feeling: Happy when I look at the art projects from Arabella's art class. I love the Easter egg that she cut out all by herself and then decorated with tissue paper. So pretty!

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: The garbage and recycling truck in the neighborhood...why can't they be quieter?

Tasting: The fresh tabouli salad that I made this morning!

Seeing: Rob Lowe on the cover of my Vanity Fair magazine...can he get any better looking?


Smelling: The Asparagus and Cheese Tart that I made for our Mom & Tot's Easter Egg Hunt tomorrow...it smells delish and I can't wait to try it tomorrow!


Feeling: Excited! We have so many outings planned for the remainder of the month - Easter Egg Hunts, weekend in Toronto, birthday parties, Easter Brunch, EASTER itself, travel to Ohio, Ashlee & Dustin's wedding and the list goes on and on!

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: Sounds of spring...birds chirping and water from the melting snow rushing into the drains. Tasting: Jalapeno hummus and veggie chips...my mouth is on fire, but I love it! Seeing: Grass, even if it is yellow and wet, now that the snow is melting and one lonely crocus coming up in our yard. Smelling: Spring and the fresh air. Feeling: Happy for a few reasons - Arabella and I took a great walk in the warm sunshine, I talked with my Jersey Girl - Christa for the first time since she moved back, and because we had a fun filled weekend last week with Uncle Mike, Uncle Jeff, Macy and Rocco!

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: The ticking of the clock in my office. For some it is an annoying sound, but I find it relaxing...odd, I know.

Tasting: Organic Raspberry Nectar tea from David's Tea...YUM!http://http://www.davidstea.com/rooibos/raspberry-nectar

Seeing: Snow melting. Spring is almost here, but I think it is going to be a while before we see grass.

Smelling: The sweet smell of French Macaroons. I made them yesterday and the faint raspberry. almond and sugar smell still lingers in the kitchen.


Feeling: Sore feet. I wore my new Franco Sarto clogs today. They are comfortable, but I can't remember the last time I wore heels so now the balls of my feet are on fire. But it was worth it, I love the shoes, they were marked down so much they were almost free, and they look great with jeans and I love how it feels to wear them. They may be my new favorite shoes!

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: The steady rain and the sliding of snow and ice and it falls off the roof on this rainy-snowy-sleety day and night.

Tasting: A square of Swiss Delice dark 72% cocoa chocolate...YUM!

Seeing: Snow, sleet, rain, more snow, and finally rain. I wish Mother Nature would make up her mind and honestly, I really wish it was all snow.
Snow being removed in Montreal by the truck load!
Our driveway which has turned into a skating rink thanks to the snow, sleet and rain from today!


Smelling: The Pink Flamingo loose tea that Christa gave me from David's Tea. It smells so delish, I can't wait to try it tomorrow!

Feeling: Sore muscles in my back and neck after shoveling the heavy, wet snow off the front walk!

Thursday's Thoughts

Hearing: The rush of the heat coming out of the floor vents! It seems like the furnace is getting a workout...it must be pretty cold out tonight!

Tasting: The Sicilian Supper that I made - Sausage and Rice Timbale. It was delish and everyone enjoyed it. Arabella even cleaned her plate!



Seeing: Arabia 3D. Today we ventured to the Montreal Science Center to catch this film in the Imax theater. The film was in French, which has pluses and minues. It is nice to be able to pick up on some of what they are talking about, but it is also nice to just focus on the film instead of what is being said. Arabella enjoyed it and loved the camels. She also would reach out to try and touch some things since it was in 3D and at one point, she even started dancing to the music in her seat. It was really fun and a very intersting film.



Smelling: Not much...I have a stuffy nose that I wish would go away!

Feeling: Thankful that I have been able to spend the last 2 weeks with my best friend and happy that we get another week with her!