Monday, May 31, 2010
Weekend Fun
Arabella had a fun weekend. She has been playing with her t-ball set that Auntie Lori gave her for her birthday and she helped me wash my car yesterday! She also wanted to take it for a drive...but she is going to have to wait at least 14 more years for that!!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Summer Reading
Remember when you used to get your Summer reading list at the end of the school year?? I used to get so excited about that list and I think I miss those days since I am an avid reader. Plus it is always good to have some sort of idea of which books are good and which ones you should skip. Since last Monday was the unofficial start of Summer here, I figured I better get a leg up on my reading. Also, since I am not working, I have a little bit more free time so I figured I would do something in that down time I enjoy. So here is my Summer reading list:
There is one book missing from this stack, Sarah Palin's Going Rogue: An American Life. I left it in Connecticut when I was visiting and Lori will be bringing it when she visits next month. I know that will make many of my Republican friends and family happy, that me, a Liberal (notice I didn't call myself a Democrat) is reading that book.
Anyway, I will keep you updated as to my progress. I just finished Green for Life and I highly recommend it. For now I am on to the next book. So I ask you, what are you reading this Summer??
There is one book missing from this stack, Sarah Palin's Going Rogue: An American Life. I left it in Connecticut when I was visiting and Lori will be bringing it when she visits next month. I know that will make many of my Republican friends and family happy, that me, a Liberal (notice I didn't call myself a Democrat) is reading that book.
Anyway, I will keep you updated as to my progress. I just finished Green for Life and I highly recommend it. For now I am on to the next book. So I ask you, what are you reading this Summer??
Friday, May 28, 2010
Cirque Du Soleil
For Mother's Day, I received tickets to see Cirque du Soleil's Totem. And this was one of my all time favorite gifts since I was able to share the afternoon with Arabella and Jay. Totem was a sold out show and it was located under the signature blue and yellow tents of Cirque du Soleil in Old Montreal. This is our second Cirque show (Jay and I saw Corteo while we were in Ohio), and once again, the show did not disappoint!
Totem explores the birth and evolution of man and in typical Cirque fashion combined music and acrobatics to entertain. After being a little scared in the beginning, Arabella quickly warmed up to the show and was mesmerized throughout. I would have loved to have taken some photos, but unfortunately, cameras are not allowed in side the tents. However, if you would like to know more about the show, you can check it out here:
Thank you Arabella (and Jay) for such a wonderful Mother's Day gift!
Totem explores the birth and evolution of man and in typical Cirque fashion combined music and acrobatics to entertain. After being a little scared in the beginning, Arabella quickly warmed up to the show and was mesmerized throughout. I would have loved to have taken some photos, but unfortunately, cameras are not allowed in side the tents. However, if you would like to know more about the show, you can check it out here:
Thank you Arabella (and Jay) for such a wonderful Mother's Day gift!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Fabulous Finds
I guess what they say about May 24th being the unofficial start of Summer in Canada is true! We are in the midst of a heat wave in Montreal and it is only May 26th, Summer is still 2 1/2 weeks away! For the past few days temperatures have been in the low to mid 30's c (for those of you in the States, that is the low to mid 90's). So with the arrival of this warm weather, my thoughts have turned to all things Summer. I have come across a few things recently that I love for Summer....
A great moisturizer - AHAVA Mineral Suncare with SPF 50. I love this moisturizer and I mix it with a little bit of my tinted moisturizer so that I get a little bit of color on my face and I don't have to use a lot of bronzer to get that sun kissed glow. I also like that it has a bit of sparkle to it so it brightens up your complexion. It is also suitable for use on children.
Fun and comfy flip flops - UGG Australia 'Flare' Flip Flops. These flip flops are perfect for summer. I love the pattern in the sole, the color is neutral and they are so comfortable. I purchased them from Nordstrom and had Jonna bring them to me when she came up for her visit. They were a little on the pricey side, $29.95, but they are worth it since I live in flip flops in the summer!
Casual shorts - Tommy Hilfiger 100% Linen Low Rise Shorts. Now I am not a short person, I prefer capris, but since it has been so hot, I want a few for when I am playing with Arabella and doing things around the house. I found these shorts at the Tommy Hilfiger outlet. They were marked $39.99 with 30% off, which is a great deal for linen. I purchased them in navy and khaki, perfect neutrals for Summer.
And just for fun - Louis Vuitton Silk Scarf. I found this scarf today at a second hand store in Hudson, a small town off the island of Montreal. Arabella and I were in Hudson today for a Wee Wiggles event and a few of the mom's were talking about how great Nova was so I decided to stop and check it out since you never know what you might come across at a this type of store. I was shocked to see the price of $5 and I had to have it, I think the price was a typo, but that is OK with me! I don't know what I am going to do with it yet or how I am going to wear it, but Arabella has been having fun playing with it!
A great moisturizer - AHAVA Mineral Suncare with SPF 50. I love this moisturizer and I mix it with a little bit of my tinted moisturizer so that I get a little bit of color on my face and I don't have to use a lot of bronzer to get that sun kissed glow. I also like that it has a bit of sparkle to it so it brightens up your complexion. It is also suitable for use on children.
Fun and comfy flip flops - UGG Australia 'Flare' Flip Flops. These flip flops are perfect for summer. I love the pattern in the sole, the color is neutral and they are so comfortable. I purchased them from Nordstrom and had Jonna bring them to me when she came up for her visit. They were a little on the pricey side, $29.95, but they are worth it since I live in flip flops in the summer!
Casual shorts - Tommy Hilfiger 100% Linen Low Rise Shorts. Now I am not a short person, I prefer capris, but since it has been so hot, I want a few for when I am playing with Arabella and doing things around the house. I found these shorts at the Tommy Hilfiger outlet. They were marked $39.99 with 30% off, which is a great deal for linen. I purchased them in navy and khaki, perfect neutrals for Summer.
And just for fun - Louis Vuitton Silk Scarf. I found this scarf today at a second hand store in Hudson, a small town off the island of Montreal. Arabella and I were in Hudson today for a Wee Wiggles event and a few of the mom's were talking about how great Nova was so I decided to stop and check it out since you never know what you might come across at a this type of store. I was shocked to see the price of $5 and I had to have it, I think the price was a typo, but that is OK with me! I don't know what I am going to do with it yet or how I am going to wear it, but Arabella has been having fun playing with it!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Terrific Tuesday
Arabella and I had a terrific day today! Arabella wasn't really interested in her normal breakfast this morning so I just started suggesting things to her and she settled on peanut butter...right from the container with a spoon (she must get that from me, I love just a spoonful of peanut butter right from the jar, especially after working out). And she did not want to sit in her highchair at the table, I didn't want a fight this early in the morning so she just sat on the kitchen floor and enjoyed her breakfast.
We then attended an event with the Wee Wiggles where we went to Enfant and Co. to make pizza's in a Petite Chef class. She had so much fun mixing ingredients to make the dough. It was fun to see what she wanted to put on as far as toppings and I was surprised at how much of the pizza she ate! All this hot weather (more on that later) must be making her work up an appetite!
It was a very hot day, 33 c (or 92f)...a little too hot a little too soon. But I guess it is better than snow so I am enjoying this warm and slightly humid weather. We have been told that it gets very humid here in the summer. Who would have thought that moving to Canada would wreak havoc on my hair and that we would have higher temperatures than Connecticut in May??? And since it was so hot, Arabella wanted to be outside this evening and build castles!
Look at that crazy curly hair, she must get it from me. Too bad my hair doesn't look that cute in the humidity!
Arabella's birthday was extended today when she received a package from Florida. She was very excited to open the big box and couldn't wait to take out her presents.
She had a ton of fun riding her tricycle from Grammie.
She also received her first doll house from Uncle Mike. She was so excited to take it out of the box, she had to play with it right in the kitchen! It is the perfect size for her now and I love that it closes shut. Arabella loved it and I am sure she will play with it for hours!
And that was our Terrific Tuesday.
We then attended an event with the Wee Wiggles where we went to Enfant and Co. to make pizza's in a Petite Chef class. She had so much fun mixing ingredients to make the dough. It was fun to see what she wanted to put on as far as toppings and I was surprised at how much of the pizza she ate! All this hot weather (more on that later) must be making her work up an appetite!
It was a very hot day, 33 c (or 92f)...a little too hot a little too soon. But I guess it is better than snow so I am enjoying this warm and slightly humid weather. We have been told that it gets very humid here in the summer. Who would have thought that moving to Canada would wreak havoc on my hair and that we would have higher temperatures than Connecticut in May??? And since it was so hot, Arabella wanted to be outside this evening and build castles!
Look at that crazy curly hair, she must get it from me. Too bad my hair doesn't look that cute in the humidity!Arabella's birthday was extended today when she received a package from Florida. She was very excited to open the big box and couldn't wait to take out her presents.
She had a ton of fun riding her tricycle from Grammie.
She also received her first doll house from Uncle Mike. She was so excited to take it out of the box, she had to play with it right in the kitchen! It is the perfect size for her now and I love that it closes shut. Arabella loved it and I am sure she will play with it for hours!
And that was our Terrific Tuesday.
Victoria Day
Yesterday was Victoria Day here in Canada. Victoria Day, much like Memorial Day in the States, is the unofficial start of Summer. However, there is more to Victoria Day than a day off from work and BBQs. Victoria Day celebrates the birthday of the reigning Canadian monarch (Queen Elizabeth); however, the date does not change with the change of monarch, being instead fixed on the birthday of Queen Victoria, the sovereign at the time of Canadian Confederation and establishment of Dominion status in 1867. In most provinces it is a statutory holiday (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Yukon). It is a holiday in New Brunswick under the Days of Rest Act. However, interestingly enough, it is not a statutory holiday in the eastern maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island or in Newfoundland & Labrador.
So to celebrate Victoria Day, we headed out to Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park. This park is Montréal's largest park and is located on the western tip of the island of Montreal where the Lac des Deux-Montagnes and the Rivière des Prairies meet. There is a lot to do at this park, including, walking trails, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing (in the winter). It also has a beach and an organic farm. We first tried to find the beach since it was such a beautiful warm day but all we found was this...
Now I will admit, it is pretty and it was nice to be outside, but it wasn't conducive to walking, sitting or relaxing. And there were shells, so it must be the beach right???
I wasn't having too much fun at the rock beach, there were bugs, lots of them, big and little, and there were flies that kept pestering me. Oh, how I HATE flies, I just detest them! But it wasn't just about me, since Jay likes the great outdoors and Arabella was having fun. Don't get me wrong, I like to be outside, but I am not a camping type person and that is what this was like to me. It was just not the type of park that I am used to. Anyway, Arabella had fun picking up the rocks and throwing them into the water to make splashes. Jay and I skipped some rocks for her and she thought that was fun.
After the rock beach, we headed to the farm to check out the animals and crops. Arabella loved to go through the barn saying the names of the animals. Again, not so much fun for me, I don't like the smells and the flies, dumb flies. I love animals and I would like to start riding lessons again, but I just can't deal with all the farm smells and all that goes along with them...blame it on growing up on the East Coast and not being around too many farms. I felt like I smelled like farm until I came home and took a shower. Arabella loved the horses and wanted to take a pony ride, but Jay wasn't interested in letting her do that (mostly since he is allergic to them and he didn't take his allergy medicine). So she had a meltdown on the way out!
All in all, we had a nice day and it was beautiful weather. It was nice to spend time exploring the island as a family....and we did find the beach, and it is not full of rocks!
So to celebrate Victoria Day, we headed out to Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park. This park is Montréal's largest park and is located on the western tip of the island of Montreal where the Lac des Deux-Montagnes and the Rivière des Prairies meet. There is a lot to do at this park, including, walking trails, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing (in the winter). It also has a beach and an organic farm. We first tried to find the beach since it was such a beautiful warm day but all we found was this...
Now I will admit, it is pretty and it was nice to be outside, but it wasn't conducive to walking, sitting or relaxing. And there were shells, so it must be the beach right???
I wasn't having too much fun at the rock beach, there were bugs, lots of them, big and little, and there were flies that kept pestering me. Oh, how I HATE flies, I just detest them! But it wasn't just about me, since Jay likes the great outdoors and Arabella was having fun. Don't get me wrong, I like to be outside, but I am not a camping type person and that is what this was like to me. It was just not the type of park that I am used to. Anyway, Arabella had fun picking up the rocks and throwing them into the water to make splashes. Jay and I skipped some rocks for her and she thought that was fun.
After the rock beach, we headed to the farm to check out the animals and crops. Arabella loved to go through the barn saying the names of the animals. Again, not so much fun for me, I don't like the smells and the flies, dumb flies. I love animals and I would like to start riding lessons again, but I just can't deal with all the farm smells and all that goes along with them...blame it on growing up on the East Coast and not being around too many farms. I felt like I smelled like farm until I came home and took a shower. Arabella loved the horses and wanted to take a pony ride, but Jay wasn't interested in letting her do that (mostly since he is allergic to them and he didn't take his allergy medicine). So she had a meltdown on the way out!
All in all, we had a nice day and it was beautiful weather. It was nice to spend time exploring the island as a family....and we did find the beach, and it is not full of rocks!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Happy Birthday Arabella
It is hard for me to believe, but my Little Bean is 2 today! Since we did not have a big party for her, I decided to decorate her playroom and get her balloons, she loves balloons! There was even a balloon waiting for her on the banister outside her bedroom when she got up.
Since it was her birthday and she saw the cupcakes that I made for her birthday play date, she was allowed to have one for breakfast...this is normally not allowed at all, but I just couldn't resist her.
Jay and I purchased a water and sand play table for her and we gave it to her early this morning so she would be able to play with it all day. And that is what she did, I think it may have been the best $85 we have ever spent!
She played with her balloons, had a fun play date with Amelie (and Janet), had lunch outside and played some more!
After dinner we had cake and presents on the patio! She had us relight the candles 3or 4 times just so she could blow them out again, it was the cutest thing! She was so excited about her cake she couldn't wait for me to cut into the cake. (I made the beehive cake from scratch and I would have liked to done a better job on the frosting, but it is hard to frost a cake shaped like that and I think I need new pastry bags...) Even if the frosting didn't come out a nice as I liked, she and Jay seemed to enjoy it!
After cake came presents, and lots of them from family and friends (and to think, more are on their way)! She is one lucky little girl and had so much fun opening the gifts and trying everything out. Thank you so much to everyone who remembered her on her special day!!! We love you!!
Jay and I got her a hockey stick since she has become quite the hockey fan!
She had a beautiful birthday and loved every moment of today.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARABELLA! Mommy and Dad love you so much and are so happy that you have come into our lives. I wouldn't know what to do if I didn't have you.
Since it was her birthday and she saw the cupcakes that I made for her birthday play date, she was allowed to have one for breakfast...this is normally not allowed at all, but I just couldn't resist her.
Jay and I purchased a water and sand play table for her and we gave it to her early this morning so she would be able to play with it all day. And that is what she did, I think it may have been the best $85 we have ever spent!
She played with her balloons, had a fun play date with Amelie (and Janet), had lunch outside and played some more!
After dinner we had cake and presents on the patio! She had us relight the candles 3or 4 times just so she could blow them out again, it was the cutest thing! She was so excited about her cake she couldn't wait for me to cut into the cake. (I made the beehive cake from scratch and I would have liked to done a better job on the frosting, but it is hard to frost a cake shaped like that and I think I need new pastry bags...) Even if the frosting didn't come out a nice as I liked, she and Jay seemed to enjoy it!
After cake came presents, and lots of them from family and friends (and to think, more are on their way)! She is one lucky little girl and had so much fun opening the gifts and trying everything out. Thank you so much to everyone who remembered her on her special day!!! We love you!!
Jay and I got her a hockey stick since she has become quite the hockey fan!
She had a beautiful birthday and loved every moment of today.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARABELLA! Mommy and Dad love you so much and are so happy that you have come into our lives. I wouldn't know what to do if I didn't have you.
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