bitty and nursing

I'm still nursing...and really I'm getting ready to stop ..a friend of mine teases that we'll end up like the caracters out of the little britian "bitty" if I don't watch it...don't think i will prolong it quite that long...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxgoGyG6Hg8

bieber fever Stratford bound

My mom moved to Stratford last spring a.k.a. the hometown of Justin Bieber.  My 7 year old  is as crushy in love as a 7 year old can be.  We have had several near sightings (not really...she does a double take on any shaggy haired teenager in the Stratford area).  We are heading to Stratford today to help my mom couch shop.  I'll bring my camera just in case the Bieb happens to be out and about looking at couches.  Cross your fingers!

o'keeffe's hand cream giveaway at shanty2chic

I'm not sure how this happened...I never win anything and last month I won a beautiful photograph by sperlygirl http://www.sperlygirl.com/  (I posted about it earlier!) and today in the mail I received O'Keeffe's hand cream which was a giveaway from http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/.  I get really dry hands in the winter and with the extra hand washing due to frequent baby diaper changes...my skin cracks.  I hope that it helps!  Will keep you posted how well it handles the situation (ughh...I can't comfortably use the words "the situation" any longer due to Jersey Shore) my rough skin!

clocks

 This faux cuckoo clock was from Decoylab a couple of years ago.  Just checked and it's still available. http://www.decoylab.com/pc_cuckaqua_wood.html

 Got this from Canadian Tire, it's big and in our kitchen.  No excuse to be late for anything with that giant staring at you!  And hello...that's me in the reflection...can you tell I haven't even brushed my hair yet...went to the bus stop with child in the morning in a crazy messy bun..the shame!

 Good will find...picked out by Claire a year ago...it's alarm sound is a very odd pig snort.

Lounging on the floor.  Always mismatching foot wear.  This time it's actually his own footwear (he appropriates the entire family's shoes!)

thrift store jewelry

I saw a post on Dime Store Thrift  http://dimestorethrift.blogspot.com/ declaring a new found (or old but resurfacing!)  love of clip on earrings found thrifting.  I love checking out the display cases full of sometimes weird often wonderful thrify jewelry!  Here is some of my treasured pieces. 

 The mama/baby duck necklace came with earrings and is an old Avon set. 

The cup, a newly found thrifted item, is being inspected to see how well the googled method of toothpaste on silver cleaning works.  Although it doesn't sparkle as well as silver polish, it passed inspection.  Cheerios are in bottom of cup to celebrate.  Also the inspector can now climb up on chair at counter height (will we all live through this stage is still in question).

Sperlygirl

I was lucky enough to win a photo from Sperlygirl's blog (http://www.sperlygirl.com/sperlygirl/) . Yesterday it arrived.  Not only was the package chock full of creativity...but the photo itself beautiful...and she included another serendipitous one as well.  If you love beautiful photos...(some really wonderful heart images too!)....for yourself or a friend, I recommend her.  I took a photo (of the photos...I know!) so you could check out how it all arrived, how perfectly packaged it was, made it look even more special.  Her photos are available on etsy...and there is a link on her blog to etsy.  Go look!

Completely unrelated but going on today...every corner/counter/floor area is covered with stuff.or dog hair, or stuff with dog hair on it..my dining room table is an example (actually not a very truthful photo...because flowers aren't really clutter...but I can't really show you other areas or you will call the Hoarders show to nominate me.  And am I cleaning right now? No, I'm about to go out with kids to buy a birthday present for a child who's party my daughter is going to at 12 today.  I totally forgot about it.  Life....

we're home

 I brought my camera with me to my mom's to take before and after pictures of the basement painting process.  Only thing is I left the picture card at home in the computer.  When we left yesterday I left the camera there.  Ok well then. 
We painted the room "hickory" it's a Martha Stewart color, actually we color matched the paint to that color, Canadian Tire doesn't carry Martha.  I just tried to find the color on the Martha Stewart paint site but for some reason the hickory color there isn't the same color we used.  The color is kind of a tan /khaki...I love it.  I have mostly tan  (and blue) in my own house.  Colors I love living in.  I'm not a believer in the "beige is not a color" anti-beige decorating thing. 

side note on color...I love this blog- it's a virtual Ode to Blue http://www.houseofturquoise.com/ !

My oldest daughter came and was an awesome partner in painting.  She is a really hard worker and is thorough, so there is no need for over-seeing, I just point her in the direction.  We are going back on Sunday and Monday (family day is on Monday so it's a holiday).  We'll be able to finish it all in that time.

Here is a gratuitous Baby D pic...complete with einstein wacky hair...you are welcome! 

will try to talk the big kids into this

Do you know this photographer?

http://irinawerning.com/back-to-the-fut/back-to-the-future/

I hadn't heard of her.  But what she does is recreate photos from years earlier. Seriously funny.   I'm going to see if I can talk my oldest kids into doing a photo.

Saw it first on this blog: http://lilmagoolie.com/

today

Busy around house today.  Tomorrow I'm driving to my Mom's and plan on painting her newly dry walled basement.  The thing about painting is that it provides instant results, there is a very foreseeable ending (as opposed to taking down walls!).  Should be two days of very packed productivity! 

This is Louise, she has been in our family for about 13 years.  The older she gets the quirkier. (Don't we all!)  Unless she 'knows' a visiting guests she no longer comes to greet them.  But if you are so lucky to be in her favour, a more loving girlie you would ever meet.  Yes, I am a weirdo cat lover!

a very happy valentine's day to you!

elvis and claire say happy valentine's day too!

oh man yes!!!!!

found  at pennywishes on etsy

saw it first on this blog http://jupinfamily.blogspot.com/

red things that make me happy - in honour of v day!

fisher price record player from Goodwill.
bodum red toaser.
valentine candle sticks from HomeSense
last year.
Dollar Store mobile.

Max

I have only had two dogs in my life, Rogan, who we were lucky enough to have for about 10 years (r.i.p.!)...and now MAX.  Max is about 3 years old.  We didn't wait too long getting Max after Rogan died, maybe about 4 months.  The house seemed much emptier without a dog so we decided to look around.  Todd really wanted a Shepherd, and Rogan had been a shepherd/collie cross, I didn't have a problem with the breed, I just thought the dark haired shephards looked scary.  Think it's because shephards kind of keep the same expression on their faces all the time, sure their ears move around lots...but they don't have a lot of expressions like other breeds (are you rolling your eyes yet?  at my analysing dog expressions?...lol).  Anyway, we found Max through way of kijiji.  The previous owners said that they got Max because they had an older dog that was ill.  They wanted to never go through that dogless state.  Unfortunately the older dog didn't appreciate the company.  So they decided to sell him.  He was living in a home about an hour from our house.  He was house trained.  The adjustment was easy for all of us. He has giant ears and feet, when we got (he was about 4 months old) everyone who saw him kept saying, "he is going to be huge, look at those feet". But no, he never really grew into the ears and feet, they are still oversize!   He is loving, gentle and good with the kids.  A perfect family dog.  Love you Max!

Declan squirrel watching this morning.  Those jammies kill me.  They remind me of something Hugh Hefner would wander around in.  Although Declan's are fuzzy...and Hugh's I'm sure are silky!

Yes...completely unrelated pics.

taking a call on the t.v. converter

You know when people say that you can buy all the nicest toys for kids and they end up playing with a wooden spoon and a pot?  If I  had the guts the next person I knew having a baby would get a t.v. converter.  Seriously.  There is something magical about them. Our old one is quite frequently a "phone" for some very important phone calls.

Do you like our disco ball above the dining room table?  (does every paragraph I write begin with a sentence?)  Claire's bd was in October, we decorated the room then...but the next morning when the sun came in the disco ball bounced all these pretty light reflections all over the room. I haven't been able to take it down.  I'm going to blame our dark cold long Canadian winters because that extra spark and light in the room makes me happy. As weird as it looks there.

Winter morning going to bus stop

Found the heart chalk drawing this morning by Claire. Cold walk to the bus stop this morning. I hold Declan all the way in my arms (wish my arms would show it!) he doesn't walk around in the snow in the shoes.
Saw this and loved it: http://cuteable.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/bed.jpg

Baby in Bath

Heavy D enjoying tub time!

ccchanges....house remodel bathroom

we've been here a year in august...so actually it's exactly a year and a half...we really have been at almost a stand still of sorts...new babies sometimes do that...but the new baby was born a month after we moved in and i'm ready to start with house stuff again...thought i'd share some of the bathroom pics....

the bathroom is an odd shape...but roomy...the biggest washroom i've ever had the pleasure of owning actually!...i really love how it turned out...don't think i would change a thing about it...which is nice...it's the only washroom in the house (so far) so it is used by entire family ...unfortunately even the kitty pan is in there too...so it truly is a family washroom!...the decal on the wall is from etsy's elly nelly...(couldn't say enough nice things about them...was the easiest order ever!)...all fixtures were from home depot and rona...and old white cupboard (that houses dear lord everything you could imagine toiletry related was my mom's and i can remember it in every house i have lived in)...should have said literally nothing was from original washroom...and all work was done by my parnter...we tiled together...i wouldn't recommend this...lol...a lot of fighting ensued...but we survived...should have gotten t-shirts printed..."we survived the tiling of 2010"....!...there is a very bare spot about toilet....am considering a mirror...not sure if i'm really interested in seeing myself stepping into tub in mirror...that's why i've held off...but something needs to go there...looks even more bare in the pic

wow...it's been awhile

A new house...new baby....and many more changes...lots of other life little changes. I have been really thinking about what a blog is. What I want to write about and really, I don't think I want to change the kinds of things I want to share. I will begin again!