MAMA TO 2 LITTLE MONKEYS

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T18:45:00.007-05:00

This was such a wonderful Christmas! It was so one full of excitement and love. The kids are at the perfect age to be so excited about Christmas morning and Santa's arrival. And it was also one of firsts:

*It was the first Christmas that we got to see our beautiful 6 year old girl perform in the school Christmas concert. HoneyPie was part of the grade 1/2 choir this year and they were a part of a well-put together rendition of the Christmas Carol. They sang about 5 songs and there were a few that brought me to tears. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "I Wish for Peace" I could've been a blubbering mess seeing my little sweetie up on the stage, but I held it together well. We were so proud of her.

*It was the first Christmas that we got to see our handsome 3.5 year old boy perform in his preschool Christmas concert. It was adorable. They sang songs and acted out some little songs - Buddaroo's was "Five Little Snowman Fat (each had a funny hat...out came the sun and melted one...what a sad thing was that...down, down down, down) He did a great job. I am unable to post a picture of him at the concert as per the privacy policy of the preschool - but here is him just before we left for school. Unbelievably handsome!

*It was the first Christmas that we got to spend with our beautiful niece and cousin. AJB. Tim's brother and his wife welcomed their first baby, August 30th, 2011. Becoming an Auntie for the first time has been so very special. I love that little pumpkin so very much. And so do her cousins. It was so special to have AJB celebrate Christmas with us this year - she was our most special gift of all this Christmas.

And, it was the first Christmas that we spent with friends ice skating. Good friends of ours rent some ice for an hour on Boxing Day and invite friends and family for a fun skate. This was the very first time for Buddaroo on skates, the second for HoneyPie. She did pretty well...He wasn't so sure at first, and sat off with me for a while - but eventually wanted to try again and off he went. So proud of them. We have them signed up for skating lessons in January - they are so excited to learn to skate.

It was an amazing Christmas holiday. Christmas Eve here with DH's family...Christmas Day lunch at DH's parents, dinner her with my parents...Boxing Day with my Mom's side of the family....and lots of fun with the kids. We have both taken the full 2 weeks that the kids are off from school - so we are spending it spending quality time with each other. I am so very blessed to have such an amazing husband and 2 wonderful children to share this special holiday with.

Christmas Eve, 2011

The Month of the Mustache

2011-11-12T16:59:00.001-05:00

Well, it is November again...which means it is the Month of the Mustache...the dreaded MOVEMBER

If you've been hiding under a rock and have missed the thousands of men sporting these hideous 'staches this is what Movember is all about:

From www.movember.ca: During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces, in Canada and around the world. With their “Mo’s”, these men raise vital funds and awareness for men's health, specifically prostate cancer.
On Movember 1st, guys register at Movember.com with a clean-shaven face. For the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts.

Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November. Through their actions and words, they raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health.

At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate their gallantry and valor by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the infamous Gala Partés held around the world by Movember, for Movember.

2011 was the second year that my darling husband participated in this ugly yet very important fundraiser. I was so very proud of T last year - he organized a group of men at his office who raised over $10,000 through donations on their Mo-Space Pages, through raffles and a huge poker tournament with some awesome donated prizes.

Although I razz him 'very often' about his 'stache and remind him daily how more I like his beard....I am so very proud that he is taking part in this wonderful movement and raising money for such an important cause. Way to go, honey!!!!!

Starting Fresh

2011-11-02T16:36:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone,
I know it has been a really long time since I really blogged anything significant, but I wanted to share a new blogging adventure that I have started. In no way will it replace this one, as this is dedicated to the everyday life of this Mama.
Mama to 2 Little Monkeys Weighs In is going to follow my journey to get back on track and lose the weight I've put on since my last weight post...as well as the last little bit to get me to goal. I hope you'll join me over there, as well.
Thanks,
Hollie

♥

2011-08-18T21:49:00.001-04:00

You are my soul mate,
my sweetheart,
you are my dream come true,
from now until the end of time,
I give my heart and soul to you.

SMILE?

2011-08-16T17:00:00.002-04:00

Found this today on Caprice Crane's twitter:

When people tell you to "smile" they obviously don't realize they're making whatever it is 100% worse.

Definitely true!

♥ MY NANA ♥

2011-07-22T22:09:00.012-04:00

Me, Jenn, Nana Christmas 2000 (I think)
Thelma Francis Whitworth b. December 22, 1920 d. July 23, 2002

9 years ago tomorrow, my wonderful Nana passed away. It was a very hard loss for my family as we all loved her so much - and she loved us all immensely. She passed away 53 days before my wedding...I was devastated. She was looking forward to all the celebrations - she loved Tim and was so happy that we were getting married. We lit a candle at our wedding to remember our grandparents who had left us (DH lost his paternal grandmother 9 days before our wedding, another sad loss so close to our wedding).

My Nana was wonderful. I loved being with her. Sleepovers at her apartment, making air popped popcorn and sitting on her balcony chatting away. She loved baseball, specifically the Blue Jays and any sports any of her grandchildren played. She was our biggest fan. She came with us a few years to our cottage - I remember so many fun outings - Funny Farm, Magnetawan, Lake Nippising and the Dionne Quints museum. Any time spent with her was special!

In 2008, on her birthday, two very scary things happened to our family. Around 530pm, I was at the door with one my daycare parents, when we heard a loud bang...Buddaroo had wriggled past our makeshift gate and rolled right down the stairs. He was 9.5 months old. He was fine, but I wasn't...I couldn't believe I had let that happen. Later that night, we headed to our Monday night bowling league. DH had had a couple beers so I drove home...As I was approaching a red light, I slid through the intersection after hitting a patch of ice. There was a ton of oncoming traffic...THANKFULLY, the lady approaching swerved ended up missing us. I was so upset. I cried for hours once we were home. I could've killed our family...and Buddaroo could've been badly hurt or worse by falling down the stairs...and then it hit me...It was Nana's birthday. She was our Guardian Angel! She saved Buddaroo and saved us all that night. People may think I'm silly for believing that...but...I don't care....

My Nana always used to pick up pennies she found on the street/sidewalks...my Mom now picks them up and believes that she is leaving them for her, to let her know she is still with her.
Last Saturday, my Mom's birthday, I went with my parents and sister to a show at the Casino in Niagara Falls. A great time until we almost got into a massive accident. A guy 2 cars ahead of us, slammed on his brakes to look at something - the guy ahead of us swerved to the right and we swerved to the left - thankfully there was enough shoulder for us to get over. We were all pretty shaken up - I said that my Dad has reflexes like a cheetah! Well...the next morning...what does my Dad find at the bottom of the car by the pedals...2 PENNIES! He swears that they were not there the day before...They recently got a new vehicle and it is still pretty tidy...so I think he would've noticed if there were pennies down there. My mom is convinced that she saved us all that night...and to be honest, I do, too. It's all just a bit too much not to believe it, don't you think? She is our Guardian Angel!

I think of her so often but tomorrow I will remember all the wonderful times we had together and thank her for being such an amazing Nana...for making my Mom the person that she is, I am so lucky to have her. And I am so lucky to have had 23 years with the most wonderful grandmother I could've ever asked for. I loved her with all of my heart...and even though the pain of her absence has gotten easier over the years...I still miss her immensely!

♥ YOU ARE MY MOST FAVOURITE MEMORY!!!! ♥

Hugh Jackman...in concert?

2011-07-15T12:40:00.005-04:00

Last night, we had the opportunity to see Hugh Jackman in concert. He is performing a one-man show at The Princess of Wales theatre. DH's coworker had a bunch of tickets, so we joined 3 couples to see the show. Now, I must admit I was a bit skeptical when I received the e-mail asking if I wanted to go. Because, I'm sure like most of you...I only picture Hugh Jackman like this....

But, I was so pleasantly surprised by the show. Hugh Jackman was AMAZING. It is so wrong that this man can be so good looking and charming, and also be able to sing and dance and act with such skill.

The show was quite simple...Hugh, a 18 piece band, back up singers, a few projection screens showing some pictures and videos and lots of charm!

But what makes Jackman and his show so amazing is one word: TALENT! Man, he can sing. He ranged from songs by Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire to those by Peter Allen....he even entertained us with some hip thrusts and grinding while singing "Shake your booty" Performing songs ranging from classic to contemporary, he proved to have not only the voice, but the moves.

One of my favorite numbers was where Jackman rattled off Music Man‘s opening scene, I remember watching the movie with my Mom and loved the music...Hugh performed the song playing the part of ALL eight salesmen accompanied by the band’s drummer tapping out a quickening beat of a train rolling down the tracks. Jackman went through a solid two minutes of the opening number performing with a sense of humour and accuracy. It was a riot, as his back up singer Merle suggested he try a 2011 feel to it...it evolved from the class Music Man to the "Harold Mother-Effin' Hill, the music man" It was hilarious.

His show at the Princess of Wales in only on until July 17th, but if you can get there in the next couple days...definitely do it. It is 100 minutes of pure entertainment provided by an Australian hunk that is very easy on the eyes. ;)
An absolutely amazing night out with my hubby.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Twelve

2011-06-26T22:21:00.002-04:00

Well, today was sort of a bust - I was good through the morning and lunch time - but then came the tour at the StoneyRidge winery - I had a bit of wine, some snacks and then later had dinner out with my parents, sister and another couple. Had a burger and fries - I'd been craving something junky - and I had it. Ugh, it was yummy but I definitely didn't feel great later on.
I'm going to try and eat healthier - but I don't think I will be able omit food groups like they suggest (i.e. carbs, dairy, sugar).

DH had an easier time of this detox - and was able to lose 8.5lbs. I only ended up losing 2. Which for me, isn't a good enough incentive to do this again. I really don't know. DH thinks he will do this twice a year...I'm not sure how I feel.
To be honest, I'm so glad we are:

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Eleven

2011-06-25T22:19:00.003-04:00

So...yesterday evening, I decided I was going to take the kids to the zoo today. There really wasn't a lot of time to plan my meals for a trip to the zoo. So, today was kind of a cheat day...
I was good in the morning and had my typical berry breakfast...I did not take my pills and such as I didn't want to be feeling off from the laxatives while wandering the zoo and not having bathrooms readily available.

We left here at about 8 and made really good time...my sister, Jenn came with us...we had a fantastic day. The kids had a ball and we loved seeing their excitement.

For lunch, my choices were Pizza Pizza or a BBQ joint...I chose pizza...and boy, was it yummy. I felt off soon after I ate, though, not sure if it was the food or the laxatives from last night...or a bit of both. But afterwards, I felt great....good enough to enjoy an ice cream...a Caramel Drumstick. They say after doing the cleanse to introduce the different food groups back into your diet one at a time...I failed that by adding "breads" and "dairy" and "sugar" Eeek!

For dinner I had chicken and a baked potato...and felt off again after dinner.

I spent the evening outside with the kids - them playing with the neighbours and us parents chatting. It was a great night. Missing DH, though.

Going to try my best to stay on track today - am going on a winery tour with my parents and sister and for dinner afterwards.

1 more day to go!

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Ten

2011-06-24T19:42:00.001-04:00

This morning, I woke up to DH's excitement. He has officially lost 8.2lbs in 9 days. Unbelievable. He really is doing great and looks great, too. I was so extremely happy for him and then I stepped on the scale. I am up 0.6 from yesterday. I don't understand. We are following the same plan. UGH! And "NO, I'm not cheating!!!!" I was really hoping I'd lose 5lbs on this cleanse, but it's not looking like it...I'm just in a bad mood now about this - but am going to stick out the next 3 days and see what happens.

Breakfast: strawberries, blueberries and peaches
Felt a bit more energetic this morning and did a good clean/tidy of HoneyPie's room and a little bit in Buddaroo's. Also feeling a bit emotional today. DH is away for the weekend at his boss' cottage...and is away next weekend on a golf trip...just feeling down that he is away 2 weekends in a row, I guess. Don't like it much when he is away.

Lunch: egg white omelet with peppers, tomato and pear. Are you getting sick of reading the same meals every day? I just don't know what to make for lunches. It's the easiest option, I think.

I think I will lay down today while the kids are napping - feeling pretty tired this morning. Just drained - physically and emotionally. I am looking forward to a fun night with the kids. So I want to be well rested and try and improve this sour/sad mood a little bit.

Dinner: Leftover rice, cucumbers and 1/2 an apple

The kids and I are going to watch the last half of Karate Kid (2010), have some popcorn and then have a sleepover in Mommy's bed. I'm thinking of taking them to the zoo tomorrow...we'll all be getting to bed early tonight to prepare for such a large adventure.

Goodbye Day 10...2 more days to go...and if I'm not down tomorrow...I'M GOING TO SCREAM! LOL

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Nine

2011-06-23T21:32:00.008-04:00

Well, Day Nine is almost over!
Nothing real interesting to report today...
Breakfast: Strawberries, Blueberries and Peaches
Lunch: Leftover rice from last night, with tomato slices and a pear

After lunch, I did feel a surge of energy and decided to clean the kitchen. Did some reorganizing, washed the floors, cleaned the counter tops, threw away all the old stuff from beneath the sink, things that I had been neglecting since starting the cleanse. I had just been feeling so tired and worn down that the housework had definitely been neglected. Hopefully, the energy will stick around so I can get a bit more done before our busy next week.

Dinner: Meatloaf (found a detox-friendly recipe online, Baked potatoes (in the oven), cauliflower and broccoli.
DH was sooo excited when he got home and saw that I had made a new recipe...and that it was meatloaf (one of his faves). It was so easy...and turned out amazing. I will definitely be making it again. There's a picture of it - forgot to take a pic before I started eating...oh well...still super yum!

I am so proud of DH...he is sticking to his plan so well. He started out at 256 and this morning he was 249.7 We were both so excited for his progress. I can really tell in his face...I told him that he has lost the 6.3lbs from his face. LOL So very proud of him!!!! But at the same time...am curious as to why I am only at 2.6lbs lost. I know...it's because he's a man...and men can just think about it and lose weight, as my friend Cheryl warned me. She told me not to compare myself to him and his progress, but it's so flippin hard. We are doing the exact same thing...just frustrating. Especially 'cause I want to get to goal so badly this summer. From this point (At WW 159.5)...I have 13.5lbs to go. 4.5 which I had already lost but gained back...so from here on out...it's healthy eating and I WILL get to goal in the near future!!!!

UPDATED: Just looking at my weight loss chart: On April 27th - I weighed in at 165.8 - officially having gained 10lbs of which was lost. So in 8 weeks, I have lost 6.3lbs by not really following the program to the fullest. So if I really follow it, I should be able to lose another 6lbs or more in the next 8 weeks. I am coming up to my 3rd year with WW at the end of August - crossing my fingers I'm at goal by then.

So on that note, I am off to bed early...day nine is over...3 more days to go.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Eight

2011-06-23T08:39:00.001-04:00

So, this morning, while I was eating breakfast, I googled "Wild Rose Herbal Detox" just to read some more info on it -and what pops up...MY BLOG! Wow...#6 on the list. Cool =D

For breakfast this morning I had strawberries, blueberries and raspberries - and my mixture of pills and drops, of course. I sure am surprised how satisfying this breakfast is. Usually I would have a WW english muffin with margarine and a yogurt or some Quaker instant oatmeal with a yogurt. I am missing my english muffin...but the berries are a great substitute for breakfast. DH has been having an apple and a pear and he seems to be doing well with that, too.

My morning was OK - nothing interesting to report. For lunch, I made the usual lately LOL An egg white omelet with peppers, tomato slices and pear. It's so yummy. I wondered if I would get bored of it, but so far not yet. And I'm not missing dipping it in ketchup at all. Putting some extra veggies in it, I think helps. I wish I could put some mushrooms in there, though ;)
I still haven't felt the burst of energy they are claiming comes by this time...although I've been a bit more motivated to get things done around the house - definitely not as tired as the beginning of the cleanse.

Went to WW tonight - haven't stayed for a meeting in about a month, I think. I lost 1.7lbs last night - not as much as I'd hoped, but still good. I weighed in at 159.5 - I haven't been 159 since November so it felt really good to see the 150s on the scale again.
Came home and had dinner - As per DH's request, I made the chicken, rice and vegetables with the garlic and red pepper spices. It really is delicious. DH and I were talking about how we are really going to try and incorporate these healthy eating habits into our lives once the cleanse is over and how much we are enjoying the options that we have been eating. "Who are we right now?" is what I said to DH.

So - 8 days have passed and DH and I so proud of ourselves...both of us have not cheated at all on the cleanse and are excited by our progress. 4 more days.....

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Seven

2011-06-22T08:20:00.003-04:00

Busy busy day yesterday - didn't get a chance to blog about Day 7.
Nothing really to report about yesterday.
Breakfast: Strawberries and Blueberries
Lunch: Egg white omelet with peppers and sliced tomato
Dinner: cedar plank Salmon on the BBQ, grilled veggies and brown rice
This was the first time we made salmon on the BBQ - we left it on about 15 mins and it looked done, but when I cut into it, it was still a bit raw - so we threw it back on and left it a bit. We all were outside enjoying the sunshine, DH asked me to check on it - it was smoking like crazy - IT WAS ON FIRE! The cedar plank had caught fire a bit and the smoke was incredible - the garage door leading into the house was open, so all the smoke drifted into the house and set the smoke detectors off, like crazy! We had to open all the windows in the house to air it out - it's still a bit cedary in here this morning (Is cedary a word? LOL)
Anyway - despite the fire fiasco - the salmon was amazing! So tasty.
Snack: popcorn, from the popper - - we may stop buying microwave popcorn all together and just use the popper from now on. It's so delish.

So - day 7 is complete...only 5 more days to go.
Am feeling really glad that DH and I decided to do this.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Six

2011-06-20T20:57:00.005-04:00

Well - 6 days done...and feeling OK. I've read online that around day 5-6 you get a burst of energy...I am definitely not feeling this. But, man, how great would that be? I don't think I've had energy in 6 years! LOL

For breakfast this morning, I had blueberries and some delicious strawberries (my daycare children had gone strawberry picking yesterday with their mom and they brought a big bag of them...YUM! THANK YOU AGAIN!) Surprisingly enough, this bowl of berries satisfied me for most of the morning - I was shocked that I wasn't starving by 10am.

Lunch, I had an egg white omelet with peppers and some sliced up tomato. So delish.

The day was pretty uneventful, so nothing really to report. I have been noticing a dull ache in my upper back off and on throughout the day; online it says that some people feel flu-like symptoms (i.e. achey). Maybe this is related to the cleanse?

Wasn't sure what I was going to make for dinner - wanted something quick and easy as HoneyPie had soccer tonight and I didn't want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. I remembered we had some left over kebabs from yesterday, so I cut the pieces of chicken, beef, peppers and onions up and mixed it with some brown rice...added a bit of red pepper and garlic seasoning...it was AMAZING. DH LOVED it! I was worried it would be a lot like the vegetable fried rice, but with the spices I added - it added so much more flavour...just awesome.

Soccer tonight - I was sooo worried that my stomach would start acting up there - when there is no washroom available at the fields...the closest would be a drugstore across the street. I was so glad "I" didn't have to run over there. That is my biggest problem with this cleanse.

The food has been great - it has really shown DH and I where we were struggling with maybe some unhealthy choices - too many processed meals, etc. But the laxatives for me, just aren't ideal. I worry constantly about not being somewhere where I can get to a bathroom quickly - i.e. on the way to or from / at the school waiting for the kids, at a soccer game like tonight. It's just a real issue for me. Thankfully, I haven't had any real crazy problems...yet (touch wood, that I don't have any in the next 6 days)

We're halfway done...6 more days to go. DH is feeling good and is really happy with his progress on the scale. He was down 4.8lbs since Wednesday morning...I am down 2.6, I'll weigh in at WW on Wednesday night - I will definitely be happy with another loss this week =D

On to day 7...

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Five

2011-06-20T07:59:00.004-04:00

Sorry, I didn't get to post yesterday - it was a very busy day...being Father's Day, we had a lot going on and I didn't get a chance to sit down at the laptop all day. We had a wonderful day, breakfast at my Dad's, lunch and the afternoon at my in-law's trailer and the evening spent at DH's baseball game. A really great day spent with a group of amazing Dad's (and 1 Dad-to-be).

I woke up early and was really happy with my scale results this morning. I know that the weight I'm losing because of this cleanse may be hard to keep off once I introduce some of the banned foods, but it's really nice to see a lower number, making me think what I'm doing is actually worth it. I'm really going to try hard to keep the weight from creeping back on - DH and I have agreed to really make a change - to incorporate more healthy food options and cutting down on the many carb-foods we eat (i.e. the pasta that I LOVE so much)

I must admit, I was very worried about yesterday - being away from the house all day. Breakfast at my parents - we had scrambled eggs and fruit - was very yummy and really satisfying. We brought some chicken & beef kebabs to the trailer and had those with some grilled vegetables. DH and I both started to feel off at the trailer - and this was my biggest fear. Having to fight for one bathroom IN a trailer surrounded by our family - was rough! And of course, I had the worst experience so far. I really felt awful! It didn't last too long, thankfully...

We spent the evening at the ball park watching DH's game - the kids had a blast and it was so nice to be able to chat with the other wives/moms for a little while. Once we got home and got the kids to bed, DH and I snacked on some of our new yummy popcorn. He was super impressed with the popcorn from the popper...super good!
Anyway, that's Day 5 done...1 more week to go.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox -Day Four

2011-06-18T08:05:00.004-04:00

8:10am
Went to bed early last night and was able to sleep until 7:15 - so I had an almost solid 9 hours.Feeling OK this morning, but still not great. Just feeling run down and tired...and this morning, I was pretty frustrated to see I was up again...so now I'm only down 0.4 for the cleanse.
DH is doing great - he is down about 4.5 pounds since Wednesday morning. He's feeling good, but has finally run into some tummy issues - and of course, it started as he was waiting for his baseball game to start last night. =(

Changed up breakfast this morning
2 Eggs, scrambled
Pear

Have so much I want to do today - out of the house - so I sure hope my stomach cooperates!

7:45pm
Thankfully my morning was good and I was able to get out and get all the things I needed to get done. Dragged the kids all over the city getting a few different things. They were pretty good for the most part - Taking them shopping is not the easiest when on my own.

For lunch, I had
Egg white omelet with mixed peppers
tomato slices
I probably shouldn't have had eggs twice today as it is on the 20% side of the diet plan. But I was struggling with what to have, especially since I picked up the kids something special for lunch. BUT...I was so good, I didn't pick at any of their leftovers (as I usually do).

We all had a massive nap today...Buddaroo wanted to have a "sleepover" so I laid with him from 1:30 - 4...HoneyPie crawled in at 2:20 and slept til after 4:00. Wow, we all needed some sleep today, I guess.

Dinner
Vegetable fried rice - yes, I'm getting sick of eating this - but I didn't want the pot I made to go to waste. I'm going to have to try and make some new recipes this coming week.

Today, we bought a Cuisinart popcorn popper, so we made some yummy fresh popped popcorn. It was so good. Drizzled with a tad of butter - and a bit of salt (both OK on our list). So yummy!

Anyway - looking forward to DH getting home from his golf tournament so we can watch a movie together. Wonder how he's made out being away from the house all day at a golf tournament with lots of junk food and beer.

So - on that note...getting the kids to bed...only 8 more days to go!

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Three

2011-06-17T12:02:00.009-04:00

12:00pm
I want a yogurt! I want a diet Coke! I want a bowl of cereal! I want a bowl of pasta.....SO BADLY! Today is the day where I am craving everything I am not allowed to have. I am miserable! I am bitchy! I'm really tired! I feel like garbage! I have been to the bathroom so many times today I have lost count! This program better be worth all this crap (ha, literally). I have a horrible headache...Can you tell I'm in a bad mood?

And it's ticking me off that DH doesn't seem to be suffering like I am. He's chipper, lost more weight and hardly going to the bathroom at all. He does have a head ache but man...could you have some diarrhea already? Eeek...that's way TMI!

Alright - I'm done with my bitchy rant - and now am ogling over Ryan Reynolds on Conan O'Brien (DH is watching and I am drooling over my boyfriend) Man, he's so cute! I could just stare at him (and his abs) all day long. mmmm....hot stuff!

Totally got off topic there...I'm sure the girls reading didn't mind the hot-guy distraction. =D Anyway....

Breakfast - same as yesterday - Oatmeal and fruit.
Lunch - vegetable fried rice and salad with basic oil and lemon dressing (took that recipe from the cookbook)

I have come to the conclusion that I am not a huge fan of olive oil. We have never really used olive oil, and now all the recipes call for it. Blech!

8:00 pm
This afternoon was a bit better. Still feeling quite irritable and I feel badly as my patience with the kids isn't quite there today. We went to Costco right after all the kids had left and stocked up on some yummy fish and lots of fruits and vegetables. Came home and made dinner
6pm
Rainbow Trout
Brown Rice
Asparagus

Was feeling satisfied until I looked through our paper and found all the flyers with all of the unhealthy yummy food...Now I want Pizza and chips...and did I mention a DIET COKE?!?!?!
DH is at baseball tonight, so the kids and I are watching The Goonies (for the 2nd time this week) and then I think I will get to bed early. Perhaps a good night's sleep will help me feel better tomorrow - lots to do while DH is at a golf tournament.So until tomorrow...
DAY3...OVER & OUT!

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Two

2011-06-16T08:16:00.005-04:00

8:16am
((Last night DH and I both had a pretty bad head ache. I had to take some advil, and went to bed early.))
I was really happy with my weight this morning. I was 160.8lbs (0.9 down from yesterday) - I haven't been below 161 since December. I've really been struggling with these pounds I've gained. I'm hoping this will give me the kick start I need to get back on track and get my butt to goal...and then to lifetime at WW. Sick of paying...especially 'cause I haven't really been following the program for a while. Time to get serious!

Just finished my daily breakfast of stinky herbal pills and extract as well as:

1/2 c oatmeal
1/2 a peach
a few strawberries
water.
I am finding it way harder to take the pills, etc in the morning. Having to take that first thing in the morning is even worse than the drink you have to take for your glucose test while you're pregnant. At least that tasted like orange pop...these pills/extract are ick! My head is still a bit achey, but not nearly as bad as last night. No issues with the laxatives, yet, for either DH and I.

12:20pm
My morning has been pretty good other than a sore stomach around 10-ish. My head ache is still lingering but feels better now that I've eaten Lunch,

Which consisted of:
Vegetable Fried Rice (Recipe taken from the detox cookbook)
Apple
Water

The recipe for the vegetable fried rice is really easy and boy, is it delish. I made a huge pot of it yesterday - hopefully it'll last longer than the pot I made on Tuesday morning. DH really enjoyed it, so that's a plus =D

8:10pm
The rest of today has been a bit rough. I am visiting the bathroom way more often that I would like. TMI, sorry!
Dinner at 5:40pm
Very yummy tilapia with drizzled butter and lemon
Baked potato
grilled peppers
Was a super dinner...we really enjoyed the tilapia - I hadn't made it before but will definitely be making it more often.

I'm so glad that DH and I are doing this together. I definitely wouldn't be able to do this alone. His support, and the support I'm getting from people online and from those I've told about the cleanse has been amazing and really helpful.
So...for now...I'm signing off for today...
2 days down....10 to go.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day One

2011-06-15T10:01:00.008-04:00

10:00 am
So - today is the big day...getting started on the detox with DH this morning.
I'll be brave and let everyone know my starting weight - I'm interested to see how many pounds I lose doing this.
Starting weight: 161.7
(Now if you'll remember, I'd made it down to 155 last July - and slowly the weight has been creeping back up...I had gained 11lbs back, but have lost a few on my own again in the last few weeks)

I'll admit, this morning, I was feeling a bit anxious about it - I stood at the counter and and looked at the list of foods and really didn't know what to eat for breakfast. Gave it some thought and decided on....

Breakfast 8am
1/2c oatmeal (regular oatmeal, not the instant sweet oatmeal that I would normally eat),
1/2 a peach
A few strawberries.
Water

But before I began eating, I had to take the Biliherb, Laxaherb, Cleansaherb, and 30 drops of the CL Herbal Extract (which I mixed with water to help wash down the pills). They smell really weird, so I had a hard time taking them...and the drops taste awful, too...so it wasn't overly enjoyable.

It's 10:15 now and I'm feeling OK. No tummy issues yet, perhaps the start of a head ache and a bit tired...but what else is new?

12:30pm
So far, still feeling OK. Definitely have a head ache and am feeling more tired. They say the first few days are the worst, but I can't imagine it working this quickly. DH thought maybe the head ache is from the lack of caffeine (I had been on quite a Diet Coke kick lately). DH and I may be ready to kill each other after the first week of this - I've read that irritability and moodiness is quite the side effect.
So for:
Lunch 11:45am
1c brown rice (wow, it's pretty good, will be changing from white minute rice to brown for sure)
1/2 c Mixed vegetables (frozen carrots, peas, beans and corn)
1 apple
dipped in Almond Butter

6:50pm
Still feeling alright, I guess...my head has a constant dull ache, nothing too painful, but still very annoying. I was very tired around 2:00 but unable to lay down for a while...struggled through.
Dinner 6:00pm
Lemon Pepper Chicken (taken from the Wild Rose Herbal Detox cookbook - didn't buy it, but was able to find some recipes online)
3/4c brown rice
cauliflower
DH and I struggled through the pills and drops once more - he is finding it very difficult to drink the Herbal Extract - it tastes and smells pretty nasty, even when mixed with water. I found it "a bit" easier to take it all this time, but it still a little icky. We are feeling confident that we can finish the 12 days and really hope to see some positive results.

On a side note:
I weighed in tonight and was down 2.7lbs -Which puts me down 25lbs again (Remember, I was down 31...BOO!)
I missed last week as I was at the NKOTBSB concert with my Mom and Meggy. (It was a blast, felt like I was a teenager again) I <3 Donnie ;)

8:10pm
Well, so far the first day has been a success. Saw this picture and had to include it...how adorable.

DH and I have both stuck to the meal plan and are feeling OK. We'll see what tomorrow brings after being on the program for a full day.
Back tomorrow with a play by play about day 2 ;)

Wild Rose Herbal Detox = Preparation

2011-06-14T20:23:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago, Dh's trainer at the gym suggested he try a cleanse - and suggested the Wild Rose Herbal Detox. Wild Rose Herbal Detox is a kit used for a 12- day internal cleansing program created by Dr. Terry Willard, PhD, as we are all exposed to pollutants daily in the air, water and food that we consume. These pollutants can accumulate in the body and cause symptoms like lethargy and migraines. Wild Rose Herbal Detox is a regimen that can help eliminate these toxins from your body.

We researched the program and felt that we could do this together. I was on board as I thought if it could help me lose a bit of the weight I have gained as well as help us incorporate some more healthy eating habits...then why not?

The kit comes with 2 types of herbs and a laxative that you are to take 2 pills at breakfast and 2 pills at dinner...as well as a bottle of drops that you are to take 30 drops in the morning. There is quite an extensive meal plan - list of food that you are able to eat. There are quite a lot of great foods you can eat...lots of veggies and fruit - with limited meat intake...and NO dairy. Oh man, I'm going to miss my yogurt.

Today, DH and I followed the meal plan to prepare ourselves for the start tomorrow. The diet portion wasn't too bad to follow - although I was very tempted by the kid's leftover hot dogs at lunch...and the few diet cokes in the fridge staring at me.

So, tomorrow we start...and I must admit I'm a bit nervous...the laxatives scare the hell out of me. I am worried that we will be in and out of the bathroom all day - and what if we are out? OH EM GEEEE! Some reviews have mentioned explosive diarrhea along with irritability and lethargy. We'll see how it goes. It does say that if you experience abdominal pain to continue the program without the laxatives. So...we'll see.

Anyway - will try and update as much as I can - I'm hoping for a daily update on how great or horrible it is. I'm really hoping for some positive benefits. A bit of weight loss...a change in mood...more energy would be great.
Cross your fingers for me, peeps!
'Later.

Neglected

2011-06-14T12:50:00.007-04:00

Wow...I have really neglected my blog...So sorry to any of my readers.

I just haven't had a heck of a lot to blog about. I seem to think of an idea and then sit here for a while and not have much to type about.

The kids are doing great - keeping us busier than ever. They love to be outside in the sunshine...if only this silly weather would cooperate. C'mon, It's June 14th today and it was 10C this morning...geez.

Just finished up HoneyPie's 3rd year of dance. We had her dance recital on Saturday nightl...and boy did she do amazing! This year she took Primary Jazz and Primary Tap. She really has improved a great deal. It was such an absolute joy to watch her up on the big stage. She has informed us, though, that she doesn't want to take dance anymore. (my heart is breaking) She says she would only like to dance at home and that dance class isn't fun anymore (because they don't play freeze tag like they did in Baby ballet/jazz) I would love her to continue, but if her heart isn't in it anymore - then we can find something else that she may enjoy better.

Buddaroo is starting preschool in September and we both couldn't be more excited. I really think he will benefit from being in a preschool setting before he starts JK in 2012. It is a cooperative preschool which means I will have to do parent duty a couple times a month.

I am so excited to get back into a classroom, even if it as a parent volunteer. I really miss working with children in a classroom environment. Have to start thinking about employment options for when I return to work in a couple years.

With the Ontario schools becoming full day kindergarten by 2015, the chance of gaining employment as an educational assistant may be increased...or there is the option of working in the kindergarten classroom as an ECE. Either way, my ideal job is to work with the school board - to have the same holidays and breaks as the kids would be super.

Anyway - I will try to update my blog more often - the coming days...I hope to blog daily about a cleanse DH and I are going to start.
Hope everyone out there is well =D

Vegas, Baby!

2011-03-30T22:16:00.009-04:00

Last Friday, DH and I jetted off to Las Vegas with our good friends Keith & Debbie. We stayed at the Aria Hotel & Casino - was a beautiful hotel, a great casino - we had a FANTASTIC time. DH's parents watched the kids for the weekend. Poor Buddaroo was sick with the stomach flu, and then passed it on to my M.I.L. Poor guys.

Although I was worried about the kiddies at home, we had the best time. We arrived on Friday the 25th and checked into the hotel around midnight...dropped our bags off, freshened up a bit and headed down to the casino. We grabbed a bite to eat at about 4:30am and then headed to bed - making it about 8am our time before we turned in.

From there, we had a wonderful afternoon with my Uncle David and Aunt Debbie - yummy dinner at Yellow Tail and danced it up at The Bank night club (both at Bellagio), lots of gambling and drinking. We had the best dinner at our hotel the night before we left at Jean George's Steak House - everything was amazing. Possibly the best dinner ever.

It was an amazing trip and we were so grateful to Tim's parents to offer to watch them so we could have a fantastic vacation with our friends. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Our room at the Aria

Me, Uncle David, Debbie and Tim

Tim & I in front of The Mirage

Keith & Deb @ Yellow Tail

Deb & I @ Jean George's Steak House

So Grateful...

2011-03-23T16:57:00.004-04:00

Today one of my good friends lost someone close to her. Her best friend's mom passed away after a battle with cancer. We spoke for a while about how hard it would be for a person, of any age, to lose a parent. How do you live your life without the one person who has been there with you your entire life?

I am so very grateful to have a wonderful relationship with both of my parents - I am so grateful for them and can't express the love I have for them. They have always been amazing parents to myself and to my sister - they are the best. I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for them.

I love this picture of us, taken on Christmas Eve by my brother in law, Dennis. I wish it included HoneyPie, as well, but it's such a great picture of the 4 of us.

We never know the love of our parents for us
until we have become parents.
-Henry Ward Beecher
I sure hope my parents know how much I love, adore and cherish them!!!
Love you, Mom & Dad!!!!

3 Today!!!!

2011-03-07T22:58:00.003-05:00

Happy 3rd Birthday to my little man!!!

Photo credit: Dennis Barnes

"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way."
- Dr. Seuss

Happy 3rd birthday, to my handsome, Buddaroo.

Yummy Cookie Recipe

2011-02-14T16:36:00.004-05:00

Last month, Tim was looking through my Rachael Ray magazine, and came across and ad for Craisins...and there were the yummiest looking cookies...along with a recipe. So I gave them a try. And they were deeeeee-lish! I would highly recommend this yummy recipe!

OATMEAL CRANBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

A New Year....A New Me!

2011-01-05T21:33:00.004-05:00

My friend Gayle sent this to me today....

'Twas the week after Christmas and all through the house,
Nothing would fit me not even a blouse.
The cookies I'd nibbled, the eggnog I'd taste
At the holiday parties had gone to my waist.
When I got on the scales there arose such a number,
When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber).
I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared,
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared.
The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese,
And the way I'd never said, "No thank you, please."
As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt,
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt.
I said to myself, as I only can,
"You can't spend the whole winter disguised as a man!"
So away with the last of the sour cream dip,
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip.
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished,
Till all the additional ounces I've put on have vanished.
I won't have a cookie, not even a lick.
I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick.
I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie,
I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.
I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore,
But isn't that what January is for?
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!

The past 3 weeks, weight wise has been horrible...although I have had a wonderful holiday, enjoying many tasty treats and drinks, I am sad to say I have gained about 5.5 lbs UGH! I know it is my own fault, no will power over the holidays...The new Weight Watchers slogan is "It's a New Day!"...and it's a new year...and I'm ready to get to a "new me!"

So, starting tomorrow - I am going to track every BLT (bite, lick or taste), drink lots of water and get back to exercising. And hopefully soon, I'll get back to where I was at....and then finally get to goal. It's further away now...but I can see it....and I will get there!

sensitiv

2010-12-14T16:59:00.005-05:00

Dictionary.com defines the word "sensitive" as:
1. Capable of perceiving with a sense or senses. (√)
2. Responsive to external conditions or stimulation. (√)
3. Susceptible to the attitudes, feelings, or circumstances of others. (√)
4. Quick to take offense; touchy. (√)
5. Easily irritated: sensitive skin. (√)
6. Readily altered by the action of an agent: film that is sensitive to light.
7. Registering very slight differences or changes of condition. Used of an instrument.
8. Fluctuating or tending to fluctuate, as in price: sensitive stocks.
9. Of or relating to classified information: sensitive defense data; holds a sensitive position in the State Department.

Well, I've got the first 5 down. I wish as a 32 year old woman that I would stop being so sensitive. I take things seriously...I take things the wrong way...I get upset over things that are said...or a lot of times, not said. Today has been one of those days...and I've done a bit of reading up on how to stop being over-sensitive.

E-How.com says:
1) Learn how to take comments less seriously. Generally overly sensitive people get hurt easily when they feel someone said something to them in a 'wrong way'. Most of the time, whatever is said is not really rude or critical or even directly towards you, the person could be having a bad day, or their words are taken out of context.

2) Raise your level of confidence. Having confidence does not happen overnight as it take take time, maturity and practice to be sure of oneself. If someone makes a comment about you and you are either, ready to burst into tears or feel incredibly sad, respond back with a simple comment and do not overanalyze it. Think that it is not anything personal against you and take it in stride.

3) Stop with the 'I care so much about what everyone thinks of me' attitude. For starters, a caring attitude is a great quality and definitely needed in this world, but putting everyone else opinion of you above your own create problems. You have to build self-value in yourself and do not let a person's words ruin your whole day. Look at it this way, their words flies out their mouth, so at the end, they probably would not remember what they said. So if they do not care, why should you?

4)Change your thoughts and you will receive positive feedback. Reflections of own selves tend to bounce back on others so if you are super sensitive about everything in life, there will be people who will seem 'critical' of you. Improve your thoughts about yourself first and you will amaze that anyone's word will not stick like glue.

5)Embrace your sensitivity. There is nothing wrong with being sensitive, it shows you have concern for others but learn how to balance your sensitivity and have a thicker skin. Remember, every human who once lived on this Earth and those living in it presently has experienced a few folks that was not pleasant with their words, or had the tendency to say things without regards for other people feelings. While you cannot change these people way of thinking, take control of your own feelings and the way you express it. Also these types you should stay a distance from to keep negative energy away from you.

So, I'm going to try and work on these things...I'm tired of being the sensitive one. Though, at times, it can be a good thing (like #5 says above)...the majority of times, it's just a bummer.

Birthday Rules:

2010-11-08T22:26:00.004-05:00

Stay Cute. Wish Big. Never Let Anybody Count Your Candles!

Today is my 32nd birthday! It feels quite good to be a woman in her 30’s. I think that something happens when you reach 30 and the more into this self-assured decade I get, the more clear I become on what I am after in my world, and perhaps even more importantly, what is no longer worth putting energy into.

I found this quote a while ago, that really rang true to me..."There comes a time in life when you have to let go of all the pointless drama & the people who create it & surround yourself with people who make you laugh so hard you forget the bad and focus solely on the good. After all, life is too short to be anything but happy"

On that note - I had a wonderful birthday weekend "surrounded with people who make me laugh so hard (("La-who-ness..WHO?")) - my wonderful friends and family made this birthday weekend super special.

Friday night, I hosted a Stella & Dot Trunk show. It was so much fun - 17 ladies came over and were able to try on Stella & Dot's beautiful jewellery...and enjoy some snacks and drinks. I had such a great time with some truly awesome ladies....and my children, who were so wired by the activity that they partied til 11 with us.

Saturday was filled with family activities - dance classes for HoneyPie, a 1st birthday party for my adorable cousin "N", some shopping...and a surprise sleepover for my kiddies at my in-laws. We dropped them off at about 530, quickly grabbed a bite to eat, snuggled up on the couch and caught up on some of our PVR'ed shows - Later we went over to our neighbours (K & D's) and had a hilarious night (we sure missed you, G & P) We drank way too much, ate too many salty snacks, played Rummoli (which I'd never played before...but LOVED, you were right, MOM...it's sooo fun!) and laughed til the wee hours of the morning...

DH and I were so excited to sleep in...even if it was only til 930 - it was far better than 6:30/7. We chilled for a while and then did some shopping - some new Christmas decorations from Pier 1...a new scrapbooking desk for me...I am so excited! DH surprised me with a Cricut Expression for my birthday and I CANNOT wait to start scrappin' again! It's been ages and I have so much to do! We picked up the kids around 4 and headed to our friends (D & K) for dinner. Was a fun night, even though I think I experienced my first mild migraine while on the way there...it was so awful!

And so....we come to my actual birthday! 32! OH MY! Overall, it was a pretty awesome day - my kids and the daycare kids were pretty well behaved today, maybe knowing to let me have one stress free day (LOL) After the kids left, DH, HoneyPie, Buddaroo and I met my parents, my sister and her boyfriend, my in-laws, my brother-in-law and his girlfriend and DH's grandpa for dinner at East Side Mario's. Definitely not a fancy restaurant but one of my favourites...had a great dinner and then headed back here for some yummy cupcakes made by my sister.
Boy, were those cupcakes delish! I'm not really sure if I even got to make a wish - the kids were so fast to help blow out the candles. They were so excited to help.

And as I leave this post, which has turned into a short novel...I leave you with this:

Each birthday is a new beginning, full of promise and opportunity and the chance to make dreams come true.

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN

2010-11-01T09:48:00.003-04:00

It's been about 10+ years since I've dressed up for a Hallowe'en party...DH and I went to a rockin party on Saturday night as:

And here are our little trick-or-treaters...Woody and Rapunzel

Was a fantastic Hallowe'en weekend.

Good Friends Are Like Stars....

2010-10-26T12:16:00.003-04:00

You don't always see them, but you always know they're there.

They are there at a moment's notice. They know that they can be brutally honest with me and I will love them just the same. They are my support, my strength, my sisters, my sanity. They are my BFFs.

My husband is my best friend in the world, but there is something girlfriends can give you that even your husband can't.

In our many years as friends, we have shared in some of the happiest days of our lives, celebrated births, mourned the death of friends and family. We have shopped our asses off and spent way too much money. We have told many secrets and laughed until we peed.

These women are better than therapy. I couldn't live without them!

No, I won't loan them out. They are mine. But if you don't have your own BFFs, you need to find some!

If This Doesn't Make You Teary....

2010-09-30T20:36:00.003-04:00

Tonight, while DH was looking at digg.com, he came across a real feel-good story linked to www.asylum.com:

Ike Ditzenberger is a 17-year-old high school student with Down syndrome and a player on Snohomish Panthers football team in Seattle.

Ditzenberger made the news recently with what his teammates call "The Ike Special," an touchdown run designed especially for him.

The Vikings were up 35–0 with seconds to go, when the Panthers quarterback made the hand-off to Ditzenberger. The Vikings sluggishly allowed the Panthers' offensive line to shove them aside, as Ditzenberger sprinted 51 yards to the end zone.

The score now 35-6 as time expired, Ditzenberger performed a touchdown dance with his adoring teammates. Check below for the newly released video of the whole thing, including the tear-jerking screams of excitement from the crowd as soon as they realize what's happening.

One last bit from this story, in case you aren't already bawling (in a manly way, of course). Ike's mother, Kay Ditzenberger, told the media that she couldn't have been prouder of the other players: "They redefined worth. Players often are defined by their scores on the board, but they showed he was worth their effort and time." by: Brian Fairbanks www.asylum.com

As we watched, I sat there and cried. I have a very special place in my heart for children with special needs/disabilities. This story really warmed my heart. There ARE some really great kids out there...I don't even really know what to say...the story was just so sweet...just....amazing!

8 Years Ago Today

2010-09-14T12:02:00.001-04:00

T: I love you for your thoughtfulness ~ Your understanding way ~ And for the countless little things you do for me each day ~ I love you for the hopes and dreams You've helped to make come true ~ But most of all I love you, just for being you! Happy Anniversary to the love of my life!!!!

One Happy Girl

2010-08-30T10:54:00.004-04:00

My awesome DH bought me an iPhone4 - Wow, what a huge surprise. Was so excited and have been playing on it all weekend. And now...I am no longer envious. Thank you, hun for the wonderful surprise.

First Time Lulu Shopper Is Now Addicted

2010-08-26T10:16:00.006-04:00

Christmas 2006 - my brother-in-law, Dennis and his then girlfriend (now wife), Cassandra, gave me a gift card for Lululemon. I was always intrigued by the store as they had both made some pretty great purchases from there. So, I decided I would put the card away as I was still trying to lose the last of my HoneyPie-weight....and then I got pregnant with Buddaroo, and have been working at the weight loss since then....so the gift card was safely tucked away..and was finally used last Thursday. I thought - enough is enough, it is silly to save it for any longer...so...

I had a shopping and dinner date with some great friends and off we headed to Lululemon. I must admit, when I first walked in, I was a little overwhelmed - so much selection, so many different and vibrant colours.

I had no idea where to start. I knew I wanted to get a pair of pants - but man, there are so many choices. I tried on a whole whack of them...Astro...Still...and the ones I decided on ~ Groove. I loved the way they looked and had heard about how great Lulu pants make your bum look ;) (no complaints in that department from DH) I got them hemmed and couldn't wait to pick them 5 days later. They are so incredibly comfortable - I LOVE THEM!

Next - I looked at tank tops. Wow, did they ever have a massive selection. The colours were amazing - so many different choices. I wanted something light and airy for when I am on the treadmill. So I grabbed a Cool Racerback Tank in a beautiful green...and loved it. It was light and super comfy (and perfect for hot yoga, I tried it out on Monday and it was GREAT!)

So, I figured I was just about done - I had tried on a couple little jackets/hoodies and wasn't sold on any of them. I liked them, but didn't love them...My friend Deb, suggested I try on this Sevasna Wrap OMG! I loved it. I thought it looked so cute and trendy with a pair of jeans. I was SOLD! It's comfortable and adorable! I tried it on last night with my Groove Pants and didn't love the look as much - with jeans, I think it looks much better.

So, I walked in with a $75 gift card and walked out with $288 worth of clothes....and a new love for comfy, colourful athletic wear....and guess where I'm going again tonight? My friend and I are heading back to grab a couple more tanks...and who knows...maybe another pair of pants to please my butt-loving husband - I'm sure he won't mind ;)

ENVY!

2010-08-11T12:38:00.012-04:00

Envy is best defined as an emotion that occurs when a person lacks another's (perceived) superior quality, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it.

When I was pregnant with HoneyPie, DH surprised me with a Graco Quatro Travel System from Toys R Us. At the time, I LOVED it - I was so excited to bring home my baby in the cozy infant car seat and push the stroller around the neighbourhood. Even once HoneyPie was born, I "thought" it was the perfect travel system for us. And then I began to see other strollers...and developed STROLLER ENVY!
Peg Peregos - - Buggaboos - - Quinnys

Everyone had nicer strollers than I did - everyone pushing a baby looked better than I did...man, I was envious. It was ridiculous though, our stroller was great for us, even Buddaroo got good use out of it. That silly envy!

But now...my envy has moved on from strollers....to....CELL PHONES!

In 2006, DH surprised me with a new phone for Christmas. Samsung A640. I was super excited about it as it was cute and the pay-as-you-go rate was perfect for me. So cheap for how little I used it. But now...with all of these exciting new phones that do just about everything...I am growing tired of my boring little flip phone. I was sitting with my neighbours on Friday night, everyone playing with their phones, so I took mine out to show them just how boring mine was...man, was I teased! Just about everyone has one of these fun new phones.
iPhones - - Blackberrys - - Smart Phones in general

It's about time for me to get something fun. Something I can check e-mail on, something I can access Facebook on, something that has better texting options. I'm the green eyed monster when it comes to cell phones.

My dear sister-in-law has this quote on her facebook page:
So often we look at others, wanting what they have - not realizing that someone is wishing they had what you have.
I am pretty much guaranteeing that someone out there does not wish for my Samsung A640...but I sure as hell want your iPhone!!!!!

Cheers =D

A Night with the Ladies...and One Smokin Hot Cowboy

2010-08-08T22:36:00.006-04:00

Last night, my Mom, my Mother-in-Law and my great friend, Kelly boarded the Go Train and headed into Toronto...we had a date with a super hot cowboy...Tim McGraw! Kelly, Mom and I have seen Tim perform once before - when he was here with Faith Hill in June 2007 - we were so excited to see his Southern Voice tour.

When we got there, they weren't letting anyone in to The Molson Amphitheatre so we had a bite to eat at the Voodoo Garden in Ontario Place where we found out why they weren't admitting concert-goers yet...Tim McGraw was hosting a private performace right next to our patio - we could hear him singing and talking to the guests...and then saw him scoot away on a golf car (I was surprised by his attire...jeans and a striped polo shirt...Tim McGraw wears striped polo shirts? I didn't expect that)

We came in during the opening act Love And Theft - I had never heard of them, but they were pretty good. I didn't get any pictures of them, but you can kind of see them on stage behind Kelly and I. At this time, we were just excited to have box seats with our own waitress - and excited to spend such a fun evening together.

Next up, Lady Antebellum - I really like them and was excited to see them perform live. They were fantastic...and so easy to look at - Charles Kelley is pretty hot himself. It was fun to see one of my favourite songs, Need You Now, sung live. At one point, Tim McGraw and his crew came out on stage during their set in their underwear and started exercising on stage - Charles Kelly said " I think we've been punked" - it was pretty funny.

And now for our main squeeze, Tim McGraw. Man, he was fantastic...he put on an amazing show. He sung many of his older hits as well as a lot of new songs from his Southern Voice CD - he sure didn't disappoint his fans. We had such an amazing time - it was so great to get out my my Mama's and best gal - we laughed a ton and really enjoyed our time together. So glad you all could join me =D And the funny line from the night, walking towards the bridge that takes us back to the Ex, a lady says to us "Tonight everyone's husband is Tim McGraw" LOL And I replied "At least I won't have any issues when I scream out his name" Maybe too much to say in front of my Mom and DH's Mom - but man, it was hilarious!

An amazing night with some amazing ladies...and one SMOKIN HOT cowboy!

Nothing Better Than A Week By The Lake

2010-08-01T21:22:00.005-04:00

Yesterday we got home from our yearly vacation to Shady Nook Cottages in Sundridge, Ontario. We had THE BEST week...the sun was shining, the lake was warm, the company was great, there was an abundance of smiles & laughter, my family was happy - it was a fantastic week.

We have been going to Shady Nook since 1986. My Dad's boss, Carl owned it at that time...back when Jenn and I were kids, the 6 cottages on the resort were filled with families with children. We always went the same week(s) in the summer, so we were always with the same people every year. Some of the same families are still going - it's so great that I can share this wonderful place with my children, but wish there were more kids for them to play with. But, with them being 1 year older, the kids had a great time playing together on the beach. I still had my eagle-eyes on at all times, but was actually able to sit and relax a bit this year and actually read 2 books this week. (Salem Falls by Jodie Picoult and Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin - both great books, btw)

The kids had such a great time - lots of playing on the beach and in the lake. We were so proud of HoneyPie and Buddaroo, they loved being in the lake, much more confident than last year. HoneyPie's favourite thing we did at the cottage was visiting the Craft Cabin run by the owners daughter - once a week she hosts a craft time for the kids - they both painted really cute canvas bags - they were so proud of their creations.

We can't wait til we go back next year. Now to start the unpacking and massive amount of dirty laundry...so I leave you with a few pictures.

Off to the Beach

2010-07-23T15:35:00.005-04:00

Wow - it's been well over a month since my last post - wow, so much has gone on in the last little while, I've completely neglected my blog. Sadly, there is no time to fill everyone in on the first half of our summer - as tomorrow we are heading to the cottage for a week. So much organizing, packing, etc. to do before tomorrow. I am off to relax on the beach - and boy do I need a holiday!

also - In case you are wondering, weight-loss-wise, I had a few little gains over the last month, but have been doing pretty well the last couple weeks...got back to 30lbs lost - and this week was down almost another pound and made it to 31.2 lbs lost. 9lbs til I can claim "goal weight"...maybe 15 for my own personal goal, we'll see how I feel when I get to 146.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer,
Cheers,
Hollie

Hard Work Pays Off!

2010-06-17T08:55:00.001-04:00

Last week I had a sweet loss of 2lbs which FINALLY put me into the 30lbs lost category. (30.2 to be exact) I didn't want to blog about it as I wasn't sure if I would gain a bit this last week. So -after being sick this weekend and eating a lot of comfort food, I lost 0.4lbs. A little loss, but I'll take it. So...I have officially lost 30 POUNDS!!!! 9.6lbs to go til I get to goal. I'm excited and motivated!!!!

There have been many times that I've wanted to quit - when I felt I hadn't been doing well - a few weeks of gains whether big or small always made me feel like I should just give up...when going to meetings by myself made me feel like such a loser - I hated sitting there by myself. But I kept telling myself me sticking with it and not giving up makes me a winner...not a loser! Although I am losing, mmmm....guess I'm not sure which I am. hee hee But I must say...I am so happy to have my sister back on her weight loss journey with me, she just started back last night - it'll be nice to celebrate our successes together.

Recently I came across this poem online - for all of you who want to quit, I know I've been there...and am so glad I didn't...

Don't Quit
When you've eaten too much and you can't write it down,
And you feel like the biggest failure in town.
When you want to give up just because you gave in,
and forget all about being healthy and thin.
So What! You went over your points a bit,
It's your next move that counts...So don't you quit!
It's a moment of truth, it's an attitude change.
It's learning the skills to get back in your range.
It's telling yourself, "You've done great up till now.
You can take on this challenge and beat it somehow."
It's part of your journey toward reaching your goal.
You're still gonna make it, just stay in control.
To stumble and fall is not a disgrace,
if you summon the will to get back in the race.
But, often the struggler's, when loosing their grip,
Just throw in the towel and continue to slip.
And learn too late when the damage is done,
that the race wasn't over...they still could have won.
Lifestyle change can be awkward and slow,
but facing each challenge will help you grow.
Success is failure turned inside out,
the silver tint in a cloud of doubt.
When you're pushing to the brink, just refuse to submit,
If you bite it, you write it....But don't you quit!

UGH!

2010-06-14T19:04:00.003-04:00

Oh my god! I feel terrible! Do I look terrible? That is me...taken about 5 minutes ago...I don't know what is wrong with me, but I feel like I've been hit by a truck. It all started yesterday when I woke up with horrible lower back pain...it truly felt like when I was in labour with HoneyPie, I had some wicked back labour with her, and this is exactly what it felt like. DH told me to lay down for a bit in bed and put a warm bag on my back...there I stayed for 1.5hrs....and there I returned later in the afternoon for another 2 hours. After dinner, came a fever of 101.5 ICK! I was chilled, yet sweaty...it was terrible. I got the kids to bed at 845 and hit the sack myself. I should've taken today as a sick day, but thought I'd be better today...boy was I wrong. I spent some of the day in tears or lying on the couch...luckily DH was home to help out (he has since left for 2 nights on business, of course, always the way, isn't it?) So...here I sit...feeling sorry for myself as my children watch yet another cartoon. I'm still achy and fevered...covered in a blanket WITH my hoodie UP! LOL HoneyPie looked at me and said "WHAT are you doing?" I have taken tomorrow off and plan to rest while HoneyPie is at school - hopefully Buddaroo cooperates. (Crossing your fingers while typing is difficult hee hee) It's 7:10 and I can't wait til bed time. I may just be going down WITH the kids again tonight. C'mon 8:00.

Weight Loss Wednesday - May

2010-05-20T09:32:00.003-04:00

After a couple weeks of gaining, I have finally gotten myself back on track. Last week I lost 1.2, and this week, 2.2 - and I must thank a special competition 2 of neighbours and I started. We all need to lose a little bit of weight - so we decided to create a friendly competition, the person who loses the most in 4weeks gets treated to a movie. So - the game was on. I worked out almost every day, on the treadmill, outside walking. The 3 of us have been walking 5km 1-2x a week. And it's been awesome - and it has really helped on the scales. I am now down 29lbs =D

I weighed myself this morning and was 156.8 - when I got pregnant with HoneyPie in November of 2004, I was 155. I haven't been this low since the end of 2004. I was so excited!

I am going to try hard to get to their goal of 146 by my 2nd anniversary with WW - perhaps even lifetime. That gives me 3 months to lose 11lbs. Wish me luck, I hope I can do it....maybe I can even get to MY goal of 140.

Too Sexy Too Soon? - Updated

2010-05-07T11:15:00.011-04:00

Well, Miley Cyrus is in the news again....and this time it is because her new video "Can't be Tamed" is being labeled as "too saucy for her tween audience".
In it, the 17-year-old pop sensation transforms into what she calls an "Aves Cyrus" - - a rare species of sexy dancing pop star bird that can't be caged. The video features a very grown-up looking Cyrus complete with tight costumes, smoky eyes and racy dance moves. The darker, sexier video shows the teen star writhing around a cage in a feathered corset singing lyrics such as “I go through guys like money flyin' out their hands” and “Have to get my way, 24 hours a day, ‘cause I’m hot like that.”

Miley Cyrus' days of an innocent Disney star are over...perhaps this video is a way to distance herself from the Hannah Montana persona

What do you think? Too sexy for a 17 year old?

UPDATE!!!!
So - it looks as if she really "can't be tamed" - - Check out this video:

Miley -- who was 16 at the time -- was dancing with 44-year-old Adam Shankman during a wrap party last summer in Georgia for the movie, "The Last Song." Shankman, who is openly gay, produced the movie as well.
The people who shot the video say they were offended by the dirty dancing -- which included a graphic lap dance.

YIKES is all I can say!

3 Gals + Grove City Outlets = Way Too Much $ Spent

2010-05-06T12:19:00.007-04:00

This past weekend, I spent a wonderful weekend with my mom and sister. We left on Friday and headed for Erie, Pennsylvania. I must tell you, my little Buddaroo was so sick with a stomach flu, leaving my little man was so difficult, but knew he was in good hands and it turns out, that night he made a turn and had a pretty good weekend with DH and HoneyPie...Anyway - back to my mini-vacay.
Armed with a load of American cash, we crossed the border and prepared ourselves for a crapload of shopping. We made really great time, probably because my sister is the fastest driver I have ever seen ;) I held tightly onto the door handle for most of our trip (I kid, I kid). Our first stop was Millcreek Mall in Erie - located on Peach St, it was right down the street from our hotel. I wasn't super impressed with the mall, I had heard good things about it - but I think with the economy, a lot of stores were closed down - especially in the food court - this was the most disappointing since we were starving for lunch when we arrived. I said to myself that I was really going to "try" to be good this weekend with my eating. Eating out is always hard when you're trying to lose weight - so for lunch that day, and at Grove City I chose Subway - was super yummy...and good for my points.
So we did some wandering - didn't buy too much there - Got DH 2 Affliction t-shirts and me...a super cute zester. A lot of my new recipes call for zest of lemon or zest of orange - and I never add it - but NOW, I have a zester...and it's cute! We hit a bunch of box stores, like Target, Best Buy, Payless, Kohls etc. Got some cute stuff - a pair of Chuck Taylor All Star's, a few really cute shirts.
From there, we went and checked into our hotel - Country Inns and Suites. Was nice - an older hotel, but with a huge room, pool, hot tub and free breakfast. We were a bit tired and laid around for a tiny bit before heading to dinner at Applebee's.
We ordered some yummy drinks. Mom, a Skinny Margarita, Jenn a Blue Coconut Margarita and myself, a Pomegranite Margarita that came IN a shaker...that could have filled my glass 3 times. OY! We ordered a great appetizer platter to share - so yum...and I had the Orange Chicken Bowl (the same one I raved about last year at this same time...although this time, it wasn't as tasty). After dinner we did a bit more exploring and then turned into the hotel - an hour of TV and then hit the hay...we knew the next day was going to be a busy one.

Up bright and early and headed down for breakfast - for free! Mapquest directions said Grove City was about 1hr7m away...but I'm sure we made it there in 40mins. We were pumped and ready to spend, spend, spend. I got so much spring/summer stuff for the kids - and a few things for me - my #1 on my wish list was COACH! I added to my collection a small burnt orange purse and a light coloured wallet. Can now count my Coach purse collection on 2 hands =D Whoo hoo! LOL

We did the outlets in about 4.5 hours - tired we hit the road back to Erie and did a bit more shopping once there. Dinner at Ponderosa, and then some stops along the way. Man, when we got back to the hotel we were exhausted. We tried to stay up for a movie...but lights out by 10:30.

It was so nice to spend a weekend away with my mom and sister. My sis and I spend girl time together more often, so it was really great to spend some personal time with my Mom. We had such a fun time, the 3 of us - the laughs...OMG! My Mom kills me some times. We are already looking forward to our trip next year - not sure where - but a weekend away for sure.

And I leave you with a photo of the goods...And be certain I DID NOT go over the $400 limit for items brought back to Canada (Ha, I kid, I kid! LOL)

Also - may as well fill you in on last night's weigh in...So with a week of no exercise due to Buddaroo's illness taking up all of my time, and indulging on some really tasty and super fattening dinners...I sadly gained 3.2 this week (BUT, I also may have screwed myself by weighing in last week first thing in the morning instead of in the evening). So - this week, I vow to get my exercise back on track, keep on the WW program and hopefully lose what I gained this past week. Cross your fingers for me =D

Weight Loss Wednesday

2010-04-28T21:47:00.002-04:00

I just realized I hadn't updated my weight loss since January. Jeez, I've become such a slacker when it comes to this blog - For those who read it - so sorry =(

About 6 weeks ago, I was reading my Weight Watcher's magazine and I came across an article about learning to jog. It provided an 8-week cycle that you follow in order to train you to jog 20 minutes straight. My neigbours, Gayle and Deb had recently started jogging together and had asked me to join - they do 5km, which scared the hell out of me, so I declined...instead I dusted off our treadmill and started on this program. You start off walking 2 minutes, jogging 1 minute and repeat 4 times....and week by week you slowly add more jogging time and decrease the walking time. I started at week 4 - 4 minutes jogging 2 minutes walking...I felt that the earlier weeks were too easy...this was a good place for me to start. And oh my god, I soon became obsessed with my treadmill - I was jogging every day, even skipping the "walking" days outlined on my program to jog instead. And this new exercise certainly paid off. My first week I lost 3lbs.

On March 26th, we took the kids to support DH's brother in The Around the Bay Race - a 30km race circling the Hamilton Bay. I can't even imagine running 30km. Holy smokes. Seeing Dennis run this race was so inspiring. He was amazing. He ran the race in 2hrs13minutes - He rocked it. After we got home that afternoon, I thought I would just see how long I could actually run...and I did 20 minutes. I was SO proud of myself. Seeing people of all shapes and sizes run and finish an amazing race was so inspiring for me - I am going to keep training and hopefully be able to run the 5km CIBC Run for The Cure...I've done it once before, but this time I hope to run it...not walk.

So, I'm thrilled to say that my hard work on the treadmill has been paying off the past few weeks. Last week I lost 2.6, today I lost 1.2 - with a grand total of 28.8lbs. 11lbs to go to my WW goal...and 17 to go to MY goal of 140!!!! I am so motivated and so determined.

But you know what's funny - I know I've lost almost 30lbs but still when I look at myself I don't really see that much difference - it's silly, I know - but I've always been hard on myself and critical of my body - so tonight, HoneyPie and I were looking at old photo albums on facebook and I came across a picture of my mom and I. And I cringed! I could finally see a difference.

So, yes it has taken me 1y8m to lose 28lbs - but I did it...and I'm going to lose more. I sure hope that by my 2yr anniversary at WW (August 2010) I will be a lifetime member. Having lost enough weight to get me to goal and to be able to maintain it for 6 weeks...I can do it!!!!!

WW: Orange -Crumbed Baked Chicken

2010-03-16T22:15:00.004-04:00

So, I haven't been doing that great with my WW lately. The beginning of this year, I was doing pretty well. I had lost 7.2lbs from January 1st - February 1st...and sadly from February 1st - now, I think I've gained it all back. UGH! It's my own damn fault, though - I've been snacking more - falling into old habits...and then there was Buddaroo's birthday - I made too much cake and had almost a whole pan left over...well DH and I dove into that pretty quickly. I was so upset with myself. So - weigh in is tomorrow night...and starting Thursday I AM getting back on track.

One thing I am going to do to help out on my journey is to try some new recipes. DH bought me a couple WW cook books for Christmas. I've tried a couple...but tonight's turned out great. Here is the recipe for:
Orange-Crumbed Baked Chicken
*Be sure to use whole-wheat crackers for the coating - they add to the nutrition in this flavourful dish. If you prefer, substitute lemon juice and zest for the orange.
Makes 4 servings:
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
3/4c whole-wheat cracker crumbs
1 tbsp grated orange zest
1 shallot, finely chopped I did not have shallots on hand, so I looked online and a suitable substitute is green onion with garlic powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 (3oz) skinless boneless chicken thighs
1. Preheat the oven to 350F, spray a nonstick baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray
2. In small bowl, combine the orange juice, mustard and salt. On a sheet of wax paper, combine the cracker crumbs, orange zest, shallot and pepper. Brush the chicken on both sides with mustard mixture, then dredge in the crumbs, firmly pressing the crumbs to coat both sides. Place the chicken on the baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes; turn over and bake until cooked through, 15-20 minutes longer.
Per serving: (1 thigh) 179 Cal, 4g Fat, 1g Sat Fat, 1g Trans Fat, 59mg Chol, 518mg Sod, 20g Total Carb, 3g Fibre, 16g Protein, 18mg Calc.
POINTS value: 3

Filling extra: Enjoy the chicken even more by serving with a bowl of steamed mixed baby vegetables, such as carrots, pattypan squash, and zucchini.

Of course mine didn't look as wonderful as the one in the cookbook, but it was so good. DH, Buddaroo and I loved it - HoneyPie doesn't seem to like much these days - she ended up eating it all, but dinner time is always a fight with her. So here is one WW recipe that I would highly recommend. If I find more I like, I'll be sure to post them =D

Here Come the Terrible 2's!!!!

2010-03-07T12:39:00.009-05:00

"Today our little Buddaroo is turning 2!"

Two years ago today, our little Buddarroo was born - it still feels like it was yesterday. I can't believe that two years have passed. You have accomplished so much this year.

Buddarroo - You started walking just after your 1st birthday and have learned so many new words. You are chatting up a storm and love to talk to on the phone. You love to play with your sister and think she is so funny. 2 weeks ago, you started sleeping in your big toddler bed...no more crib for you (although it is just the crib, turned into a toddler bed...you still love it) You are feisty and give us a run for our money, you have had your share of time outs - but, you are the most loveable little boy I have ever met. You give hugs to everyone and love to say goodbye to the daycare parents, jsut as they're own children do - hugs and kisses for everyone. You are cuddly and love playing with Mommy's hair, as much as that drives me crazy. You make me laugh every day - you are growing up to be quite the little ham. I can't wait to see all you accomplish in the next year - Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!

You are Mommy and Daddy's best boy - you and your sister are the reason the sun shines.
We are so very blessed to have you in our lives.
Happy 2nd Birthday to our wonderful little boy.

2010 IS THE YEAR FOR ME!!!!

2010-01-27T21:03:00.005-05:00

That is our new 2010 WW slogan. "2010 is the year for me!" This is the year that we will get healthy, this is the year that we will get to goal. And I am going to do it! It's been a long time since I've written about my weight loss. And to be honest, the last few months, I have been stuck at a plateau. I had lost that 25 in September or so, and since then have been up and down - and then with Christmas in there, too - there were definitely a couple PLUS weeks.
At the beginning of January, one of the other members had said "this coming year, I'm going to treat it like I'm a new member - start fresh, follow the program like I should" and I thought, "Me, too!"

So this year, I have been tracking everything - choosing healthier meals - still haven't gotten my exercising back on track, but its a start. I definitely think my extra-curricular activities have been helping. Bowling every other Monday, Intermediate volleyball every Tuesday. At least it's something!

And...3 weeks in a row, I have lost 1.4 pounds - putting me at 25.6lbs lost. I was so happy. I've lost more this past 3 weeks (4.2lbs), than I have in 3 months. I am determined to get to goal this time - to stop paying every week would be great, but to finally, after 3 tries to become a "lifetime member" would be amazing!!!!

I spoke to one of the leaders there and she said "you're doing great, you'll be at goal in no time" I really wasn't sure what I wanted my goal to be - they have my goal weight as per my height anywhere between 111 - 146lbs. So, she said shoot for the 146lbs - follow the 6wk maintenance program and become lifetime...and then if you decide you want to lose more, no problem. So, that means I only have 14.2lbs to go until my first goal! I'm so excited...and now extra motivated.

Of course, to be healthy is my main priority - but to feel comfortable in a bathing suit and to be able to rock a pair of shorts this summer would be awesome, too.
So, as I said before - 2010 is the year for me! And I promise I'll keep my weight loss posts more up to date.

Here Comes the Heater!

2010-01-22T11:25:00.006-05:00

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I have the BEST neighbours. The "new-girl" =D , had been nominated to organize a few fun events over these icky winter months to keep us motivated until our spring/summer/fall festivities begin. She stepped up to the plate and organized a team to enter into a local volleyball league. We are the Court Jesters (special thanks to Brad, for coming up with an awesome team name), intermediate volleyball team. EEEK! Intermediate? What was I in for?

The first game was this past Tuesday night. Our team arrived early to get some practice time in...and to scope out the competition. And boy - were they fierce. Our game was at 7:45 against "Da Ballz" This team was hardcore - a little intimidating.

The first thing they said to us "We're going to be running Libero, hope that's OK?" Libero? What the flip is libero? Alright, I was officially scared LOL (for those who don't know - a libero is the backrow defense specialist, they are allowed to sub for any backrow player when the ball isn't in play without previous permission from the refs. they wear a different color jersey). Well those Libero-running-jerks kicked our butts 4 games in a row. We all agreed that they were a little too hard core - more on a competitive level. They were beating us huge, yet still spiked the crap out of us - with one of our team mates taking one HARD off the shoulder. We weren't too impressed.

But nonetheless, we had a great time - with some drinks after...having fun was most important! And we sure did! But, we're still hoping we don't get our asses handed to us so brutally next week. =D It was so much fun - I'm glad I changed my mind and joined.

And you know what the best part of playing was:
When DH said to me the next morning, knowing how nervous I was about playing - "I'm so proud of you for playing, you did great!" He really is my biggest fan - supportive and encouraging even when I suck =D

Look Out PWBA!!!!

2010-01-20T15:33:00.002-05:00

I joined a fun bowling league in September of 2008 with DH, our parents joined too after hearing how much fun DH had the year before (I didn't join prior as I was pregnant with Buddaroo). It's so much fun. We bowl with a friend we went to middle/high school with and his wife...and there are a few other people we know from school, softball, etc. We have an absolute blast.

I am in no way a great bowler. The first year we bought our own shoes, this year we bought our own balls - and boy, have they made a difference for me. My average has only gone from 104 to 117 but sometimes I unexpectedly score in the 130s, or 140s.

This past Monday, my scores were 109, 139...and then in the 9th frame of the 3rd game I got a strike....and then in the 10th frame, I got another strike...and then with my 2nd ball...I got another STRIKE! OH MY GOD!!! I screamed so loudly - I think the entire building heard my accomplishment. My very first turkey! I was so excited. My 3rd ball was a 8 or 9, I think. I ended up with 170. WOW!

Was a great night of bowling =D

2010-01-15T21:12:00.004-05:00

32 years ago today, my wonderful DH was born.

Happy Birthday to my amazing husband, my best friend and my biggest fan.

I am so lucky to have you!

For you see, each day I love you more
Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.

Best news I've heard all year =D

2010-01-13T14:07:00.004-05:00

I was searching some of my parenting websites and while browsing on momlogic.com, I came across this interesting post:

"Could fat thighs make you live longer.

A new study by researchers at the University of Oxford and Churchill Hospital in the United Kingdom suggests this might be so.

People with fat in their thighs and backsides may live longer because the fat traps harmful fatty particles and actively secretes a helpful compound. The study even calls this fat "protective" against diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions associated with obesity.

"Fat around the hips and thighs is good for you but around the tummy is bad," said Dr. Konstantinos Manolopoulos, one of the researchers.

A big bottom is much better than carrying fat around the waist, which tends to release more harmful fatty acids into the body, the research shows.

Understanding all this could lead to better drugs for treating obesity and related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, say researchers.

Hallelujah!"

Does Santa want to date me????

2010-01-08T13:39:00.002-05:00

For Christmas, DH bought me a beautiful heart pendant with a diamond and a sapphire with a silver chain...it is just what I wanted. He put into my stocking with all of the rest of my goodies and boy, was I surprised to see a jewellery box among the rest of the typical stocking items.

When HoneyPie saw me open it, she said "Wow, Santa gave you a beautiful necklace!!!"

Last week, she came to me when I was wearing my new bling and said:
HoneyPie: "Mommy, I don't understand"
Mommy: "What don't you understand, honey?"
HoneyPie: "Why did Santa give you that beautiful necklace?"
Mommy: "I don't know, maybe Santa knew I like necklaces like this and wanted to surprise me"
HoneyPie: "No. I think Santa wants you to become the new Mrs. Claus"
Mommy: (laughing) "Wow, do you really think so...how awesome would that be? I could live at the North Pole with the elves - that would be so much fun"
HoneyPie: (with a very sad face) "No No, Mommy - if you live at the North Pole then you couldn't be my Mommy anymore"

Perhaps, the funniest and sweetest conversation I've had with her. Now I ask you -

LOL!!!!

A Week at the Movies

2010-01-04T19:55:00.000-05:00

This past week, I was lucky enough to get to the movies 4 times! WOW - 4 times in one week may be a record - it is definitely way more times than I've been in a month since having HoneyPie 4.5 years ago. Here are the movies I saw:

The Princess and the Frog

MONDAY - HoneyPie and I went together to see Disney's "The Princess and the Frog". My mom was going to join us but sadly was unable to as my Dad was pretty sick with an inner ear infection, poor guy. We are looking forward to the next movie we can see with Nana.
HoneyPie and I had a great time together. We went to an 11:40 show, had popcorn and M&Ms (her choice) and cuddled up together to watch this magical movie. Set in 1920s New Orleans, the movie focuses on a beautiful girl named Tiana, a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again, and a fateful kiss that leads them both on a hilarious adventure through the mystical bayous of Louisiana. Seeing such a wonderful movie with my little sweetie was just so awesome. She loved it, although was a little scared of the "shadow man" and his shadows from "the other side"...was a wonderful afternoon with my lovie.

Sherlock Holmes

TUESDAY - Date night for DH and I. Sherlock Holmes and dinner at Walker's Fish Market - Yum-O! Another fantastic movie. Sherlock Holmes is one of the most recognizable characters in English culture. Robert Downey Jr. did a great job bringing this classic character to life...and I'm not a huge Jude Law fan, but I thought he was pretty good as Dr. Watson. Set in old London, I found the entire movie a little too grey...not much colour to the movie, but overall, it was a great flick, although DH and I were pretty disappointed that they cut out the scene of Rachel McAdams in her lingerie that they showed in the trailers. We both think she's pretty great ;) Was a super fun date night!!!! ♥

Avatar

WEDNESDAY - First of all....WOW! This movie was amazing. I really didn't think I'd like it - I didn't know too much about it going in, just figured it was very spacey from the previews I had seen. I was a bit skeptical about the 3D glasses - I wear glasses for distance and always need them at the theatre...so I wore the 3D glasses on top of my regular glasses - ha! Was a bit bulky and uncomfortable but well worth it - the movie was so visually stimulating, that I didn't care about my discomfort. The story was touching, the colours and effects absolutely mesmorizing. This is one movie I would definitely love to see in theater. Perhaps in Imax, DH?

The Blind Side

SATURDAY - This year, my BFF, Mary-Beth and I decided instead of buying each other gifts, we would just do something together. We tried to arrange a double-manicure appointment, but with Christmas and then New Year's everything was booked. So we decided on a movie instead. We headed into a very BUSY theatre to see The Blind Side. What a wonderful, heartwarming story. The remarkable story of the All-American football star Michael Oher. I HATE football, but typically LOVE football movies (i.e. Any Given Sunday, Remember the Titans, Friday Night Lights, The Replacements and who doesn't love Sean Astin as RUDY!!!!) This movie fits into my list of fave football movies. Everything about this movie was great - the story, the actors - looking at Tim McGraw for 2+ hours was nice! We joked about how horrible Sandra Bullock looks as a blonde, but as the movie went on, it seemed as though her huge blown out blonde hair toned down a bit, and actually looked nice. Right, Meggy? I always love her movies...and this one was no exception. This is a perfect date movie....sports for the guys and a wonderful story for the ladies. Definitely a must-see!

Well, I never said I was a "movie-critic" so hopefully these mini reviews weren't too painful to read LOL
4 great movies in 7 days...made for 1 fantastic week!

HAPPY 2010!!!

2010-01-04T16:50:00.000-05:00

Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right.
Oprah Winfrey

Happy 2010! I can't believe it's been 10 years since we rang in 2000 and us all waiting for the Y2K bug. Gosh, how things have changed since then - New Year's Eve 2000 - a drunken night at DH's house (back then he was still living at his parents) with 4 other couples. It was lots of fun - we were looking at pics the other night, man, we all looked so young. I was only 21 at that time.

Fast forward to New Years Eve 2010 - a night with 2 other couples and 6 kids under 6. Not even a sip of an alcoholic beverage - it was a fun night with some old and new friends. Was nice to think we rang in 2000 and 2010 with the Crummy's. Hooray for good friends!

Well, I've never been one to make resolutions - I always think about them, they usually involve exercise, eating better, etc....they usually go in one "year" and out the other. (hee hee) So instead of making the dreaded list of new year's resolutions, I thought about some goals I'd like to set for this year.
Mmm....let's see....

1) Get to goal!
I've been doing weight watchers for almost a year. I have lost 23lbs so far, I wish it were more - but I know it's my own fault - I indulge...a little too often. I have to try and be more positive about my weight loss and not say "I've ONLY lost 23lbs" but be more proud of the fact I HAVE lost 23lbs. This was taken at Christmas...showing off a new outfit/accessories that DH bought me - but it also shows how far I've come since I joined in January/08.

2) Enjoy life more!
Over the last year or so, I've lost sight of who I am as a a person - I am a wife and a mother - but other than that...not so sure anymore. So this year, I hope I can figure out what I like to do - and do it! We are in the middle of renovations on my new daycare playroom - I plan to take a corner of it's space and create a pretty awesome scrapbooking space - Maybe something like this (ha ha)

I LOVE to scrapbook but can't seem to find the time. Once I get everything organized - I vow to get back at it. And finally finish Buddaroo's pregnancy album and start his first year album LOL - I'm so behind.

3) Be more patient!
Lately, I find I use up most of my energy throughout the day running the daycare and dealing with the children, that by the time the evening comes - my patience for my own kids runs very thin. I am going to try have more patience...which in turn equals more fun with my kids.

4) Read more!
I really enjoy reading - and I have a few new books that I received for Christmas that I really want to get started on - Instead of watching some silly shows in the evening, I plan to do a bit of reading. There are so many wonderful books out there - now that my kids go to bed so well - there's lots of time for reading.

Well, so far, that's all I have - and I know that my list is far from over.
I'll keep working on it - just like I'm going to keep working on ME!
Happy New Year, friends.
Love,
Hollie

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T21:36:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas, Everyone!!!!
This year, we had a wonderful holiday - despite Buddaroo having strep throat and croup on Christmas Eve. We spent the holidays surrounded by family and friends, the best way to celebrate.
Christmas Eve, we hosted 2 family parties - the afternoon was spent with my mom's side of the family - this is our annual cousin picture. (HoneyPie, Jenn, Buddaroo, Jason, Abby, Aimee, Me - in front, Taylor)

In the evening, we hosted DH's family. Was a busy day, with SO much food - but was a great day.
Christmas Day was wonderful - Santa came and brought the kids so many awesome new toys - they were spoiled by Santa, Mommy & Daddy and the rest of the family. We had brunch with DH's family and dinner with mine - by the end of the day we were stuffed and exhausted. Buddaroo did not get an afternoon nap, so he fell asleep in the car, and barely woke up 'til morning. =D

Was a wonderful holiday - spent with all of the people I love the most.

Christmas is the one time of year when you can count on smiling faces and bright lights and awesome gifts and giant twinkling trees and family reunions and childish games and believing in Santa...Christmas is the time when dreams come true.

He Sleeps!!!!

2009-12-07T21:03:00.003-05:00

A couple nights after I returned from my vacation, DH and I had had enough of Budderoo waking up SO early and wanting us to take him to bed with us - so we let him cry it out. It only took 1/2 hr of him crying and then he was asleep - so I said "Can we handle 1/2hr of crying through the night"

And so it began...the CIO phase of our sleep training. The first few nights were ROUGH! Budderoo would wake up and ~~scream~~ cry for close to an hour - I would go to his door and say "night night, buddy" and close the door to his crying. He eventually fell back asleep. And...
a week or so later...

HE SLEEPS!!!!

He is sleeping through the night, from about 8:15pm - 6:30 when he hears DH in the shower. I am so proud of him - and wonder "why didn't I do this sooner"?
HOORAY FOR SLEEP!!!!

A Break for Mama

2009-11-23T12:22:00.003-05:00

Wow, it's been a while since I have last blogged. I have been so busy with the kids and work - I have neglected my blog. =(
This past week, I was able to spend a week on the beach with my sister, Jennie.

On November 13, my sister and I boarded a plane for a week in sunny and hot Punta Cana. It was quite hard for me to leave DH and the kids but felt I really needed a break - a little time for ME! We stayed at the RIU Bambu. The resort was very nice, the beach AMAZING! The best I have ever seen (on any of our Caribbean vacations, anyway)

We spent the whole week, lounging on the beach or by the pool, reading (I finished 3 books in 3 days), drinking (so many lovely fruity drinks!!!) and resting.

I had a great time away - it was nice to spend some time for me. Sleeping in a bed by myself, sleeping until I wanted, and just getting some much needed rest. I felt guilty for spending a week away from my family {{spending time on me, made me feel selfish}} But I'm so glad I did it - I feel refreshed and "recharged" and although I missed my hubby and kids SO much - absence makes the heart grow fonder. Being away for a week made me appreciate my family so much more - even though I didn't think I could love and appreciate them more than I already did.

By the 20th, I was so ready to get home and scoop up my kids and hug them for hours! We arrived home on the 21st at 4am. I walked into the house and found this:

It made me teary - I wanted everyone to wake up so I could hug them. DH heard me come home, and eventually HoneyPie heard us talking and woke up too - I held her so tightly and we snuggled in the spare room until morning. When Budderoo saw me when he woke up, he screamed and yelled "MAMA!" It was just awesome.
Their reactions to my being home made me being away so much better! It was the most wonderful feeling to see them after a week away.

It's About Time!

2009-10-15T12:45:00.002-04:00

I love the magazine Glamour...and last month, many of you may have seen it, a photo of Lizzie Miller, a plus-sized model (said to be a size 12) was shown on page 194...a 3"x3" photo that has left the fashion world gabbing...and thankfully most reactions have been positive.

I remember first seeing this photo, and I said to DH, "Look at her, how awesome...and see, she even has a belly like mine" A little loose and hangy...mine from carrying 2 large babies and delivering them by c-sections. What a beautiful photo - of a beautiful woman.

After readers came across this photo, Glamour was hit with thousands of e-mails "They were filled with such joy–joy at seeing a woman’s body with all the curves and quirks and rolls found in nature. (Raising a question: With all the six-packs out there, do you even know what a normal belly looks like anymore–other than the one you see in the mirror?)"

And really, how many of us have been that girl? I know I have, flipping through magazines trying to find just one person who looked a little bit like me. And when I don't find it I start to think there’s something wrong with the way that I look. For decades, magazines have featured models who are sizes 0 or 2...which in turn makes the average young girl / woman look at their own bodies with disgust, hatred and envy...to be as beautiful as the models shown in fashion magazines.

When I picked up the new issue of Glamour last night I was so happy...inside was something that I have never seen in a magazine before. After all of the positive reaction of Lizzie's picture, Glamour has been making the effort to push the boundaries of accepted beauty norms this month with a photo shoot featuring all plus-sized models...in the nude!!!!!

BEAUTIFUL!!!!

It's about time we see women who look more like the average woman, And Glamour has vowed to push forward by sending this message to young women especially those who are reading their magazine :
There are a million different ways to be beautiful. You don't have to be born pin thin. Whether you're voluptuous or lean, however you're made is the right way for you.

The simplest way to change the outlook on body confidence is to judge one another, and ourselves, less. Let’s start that change right now.

.

CIO = Tired Parents

2009-10-14T09:28:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure how long I have been catering to Budderoo's bad sleep habits. He has never been a good sleeper - As a newborn, he was up often to nurse...as he got older, he would wake through the night just for a cuddle...and now as a toddler, he wakes through the night to come and sleep with me. And it's my own fault!

Like I said, I don't know when this first started, it's been a while - one night, so long ago, I was just so tired from being up with him what felt like a million times through the night, I decided to bring him in with me in the spare bed - and the rest is history. He goes to bed pretty well...and then around 1230, he wakes up and ~~cries~~ screams until I bring him in with me. Once he is in the bed with me, he sleeps great!

I have tried a few times to let him cry it out (CIO) and see if he'll fall back asleep on his own - but this in turn wakes HoneyPie, making for a very tired and grumpy girl on days she has school. I just can't leave him to cry for long - it breaks my heart...and would rather all of us get some sleep.

Last night, Budderoo woke up around 12:20 and I headed to get him...DH said "STOP! I'll deal with him, don't get him - let's let him CIO"...so I headed back to bed, and DH tried to get him back to sleep for a long time. Budderoo is stubborn...he cried for a good 45 minutes. You just think he's asleep, goes a bit quiet...and then back to screaming again. So, about 1:10, DH brought him in with him. Perhaps if we keep trying this, the duration of his crying will decrease, and he will eventually fall back asleep on his own.

I wish I never had gotten into the habit, but having 4-5 kids in my home throughout the day, being an exhausted parent/caregiver just isn't an option....and it's not just me, who was exhausted...DH was tired at work, HoneyPie was tired throughout the day. We all just needed a good night's sleep, and if bringing him with me helped us to obtain that - even if it was the worst choice!

One good thing about letting him CIO last night - - we finally know that he can, in fact, say "mama" - which he refuses to do when asked - he was crying and calling my name. Made me feel good - he's been calling both DH and I "daddeeeee" for a while. LOL

Thanks, T for helping out last night - you are the best!

She Doesn't Need Me Anymore!

2009-10-03T11:41:00.003-04:00

Last night, we went to a movie night at HoneyPie's school. It was so much fun - sleeping bags and pillows huddled on the gym floor watching Monsters Vs. Aliens. It was such a great atmosphere - we had a super fun time.

About half way through the movie, HoneyPie announced that she had to go the bathroom. So - we headed out and I asked her to show me where the bathroom was - she led me half way around the school to the "big girl bathroom" - I was so proud that she was able to show me where it was, after only a few days at school...but then...

She heads into the stall and says - "I'm a big girl, Mommy - I'll go in and you stay out here" and proceeds to go in and lock the door. OMG! This is a big step.

I don't like this growing up idea!

Weight Loss Wednesday

2009-09-30T22:00:00.002-04:00

Since it is the last day of September...and it's a Wednesday...and because it's been months since I've updated my weight loss posts...I figured I'd close out the month with a weight loss thread.

Sadly, since my last post - where I excitedly hit 20lbs - I haven't really done that well. Over the summer, I indulged a lot and didn't lose too much. I finally hit 25 pounds lost and was thrilled...but then I was up and down, up and down...so after a slight "up" tonight, I am only at 23lbs lost.

My leader tells us that we shouldn't say "I've ONLY lost _____" It is a big accomplishment to have lost anything.I have been so angry at myself for cheating, but then still have been - not tracking, cheating and not exercising as much as I should.

A few weeks ago, I started an hour power walking class with my SIL, Cassandra. The first week kicked my ass. Oh my God, I couldn't walk for a couple days...and trying to get up and down the stairs was just ridiculous. It is a great class that incorporates power walking with strength exercises all while carrying 2 or 3lbs hand weights. Although this is more exercising than I have been doing - it's not enough....

So I am vowing to.

* move more...exercise more during the week
* track every day...every bite I take WILL be written down in my journal
* stop being so hard on myself...I have a lot of difficulty being angry at other people, but it is SO easy to be angry at myself. Any weight loss is a good thing - even if it is ONLY a few ounces...at least it's something
* stop using the word ONLY...and be proud of myself for any loss.

I will try and update again every week - and hopefully, next week I will have a good loss to report.
Also - a big congrats to my WW buddy, Christine who lost 3lbs this week. WAY TO GO, GIRL!

Proud

2009-09-28T18:15:00.002-04:00

With HoneyPie starting JK this past week, I have been anxious about how she is doing. I drop her off in the morning and she is so excited to get there I have to call her back for a hug and a kiss, and when I got and pick her up, she is happy and excited to see Budderoo and I. But I wonder, what is she like during the day...I would love to be a fly on the wall to watch her in action.

I spoke to her teacher this afternoon just to see how she is doing. The teacher said that "she is doing amazing", "she is a very bright girl, you have taught her well", "the only thing is, she doesn't like to sit on her bum at carpet time, she sits on her knees making it hard for the kids behind her to see". Ahhh! If that is the only thing, I am thrilled. I was so happy to hear that she is doing well...we walked home hand in hand and I told her the wonderful things her teacher said about her.
We were both so proud of HER!

So Long Summer

2009-09-21T16:22:00.006-04:00

Why does summer always go so quickly? The older we get, the faster time seems to be going.

We had a wonderful summer - some fun day trips, our HoneyPie's 4th birthday, a great week at the cottage despite the weather.

DH left on July 2nd for Sweden. His best friend, Sean, was getting married there. Sean moved there a while back to play pro volleyball...and there he met Hanna. DH was the best man - and was so excited to be able to stand up beside Sean at his wedding, but also to be able to tour Europe. Flying in to London, a day there with his cousin Brenda, and then on to Copenhagen where he met Sean and his future brother-in-law...then on to Sweden. He had a great time - we missed him terribly. I always have a hard time if he is travelling in a different time zone - but the time difference was huge. We'd call him after nap and he was getting ready for bed. 11 days was so long - we were so excited to see him at the airport! The kids reaction was priceless, I wish I would've gotten it on film.

When I was pregnant with Budderoo, I joined the March 2008 birth club on babycentre.ca - there I met a wonderful group of ladies, all over Canada, who were all due in March. We soon became online friends, chatting daily about our pregnancies, our births, our newborns and now our active toddlers. This July, we arranged a picnic for all of the moms in our area. Although only 5 of us could make it...it was so much fun to finally meet in person the wonderful ladies that I've shared my stories with the past 2 years. I hope we can do it again next summer.

On July 16th, we lost our dear friend, Sharon - our wonderful neighbour, who fought so hard for 2 years, lost her battle with cancer. Although we only knew her and her family for 1 year, we knew how amazing she was - the mother of 3 awesome children, a wife, a sister, a daughter...a friend. She is missed by so many - we were extremely saddened by her passing, but comforted by the thought that she is no longer suffering. We miss her everyday.

As I mentioned in my previous post, HoneyPie turned "4"! WOW!

We spent a week at the cottage that my family has rented since 1988. Shady Nook cottages in Sundridge, Ontario. I LOVE it there - as a child, I looked forward to our week away - my cottage friends, the lake - and now spending a week there with my own family as well as my parents and sister is great. Making fun memories with my kids on the same beach I spent so many days and nights playing on. The week we were there, sadly wasn't the greatest weather wise - but we had a great time anyway. On one gloomy day, we took the kids to Santa's Village in Bracebridge - so much fun!!!!
Fun on the tire swing

Santa's Village - riding the train

We spent a great day at the CNE the last weekend of summer. The kids had a great time - so did DH - he has discovered that he loves him a good air show. DH and HoneyPie had a ball playing this bowling game - seriously, can anyone ever win at this game?

We had tons of fun - the closing of the CNE always means the end of summer doesn't it?

So sadly, I say goodbye to:
* flip flops * sandals * tank tops * splash pads * sprinkler fun
* hot sunny days * sunny evenings * the beach

Hate to see summer go....but
BRING ON, FALL!

Look out Kindergarten...here she comes!

2009-09-18T10:44:00.002-04:00

I cannot believe my little girl is starting kindergarten.

September 15, 2009

Today is her first full day - this week she has had 2 visiting days (1hr and a 2.5hour)...but today is THE DAY. 9:00 - 3:05...with lunch at school. HoneyPie has been home with me since she was born, with doing home daycare she has been exposed to other kids, but really hasn't had much experience with childcare/school outside of the home.
During the summer I signed her up for a program that was for children who hadn't been to daycare before - she did great. She loved being at school.

So, this morning, DH, Budderoo and my daycare children, walked her over to her first full day - she was pumped. She wanted to leave the moment she woke up. We took some photos outside and were ready to leave...uh oh, it was only 8:35. We were so excited to get there.

DH and HoneyPie before heading to school

Once at the gate, a little early, HoneyPie entered the kindergarten playground...and had to be called back for a hug and a kiss - she was so excited, she forgot to say good-bye to us. She ran back, gave a quick kiss to all of us and headed back in - and jumped right in line. We waited for her to go in and then I headed home and DH headed to work.

I will admit, I was a little teary walking away - but wasn't as sad as I thought I'd be. I am just so excited for her - I think she is going to do great. I can't wait for 3:05, when I can pick her up and give her a huge hug. C'mon 3:05!!!!!!

Happy Anniversary to "US"

2009-09-14T12:16:00.004-04:00

7 years ago today, I married my best friend in the whole world. I still remember every detail about that day. The way I felt - how excited I was to be marrying the man of my dreams. My DH was then, and is now - the most amazing man I have ever met - the love he shows me every day takes my breath away. He makes me feel beautiful even when I am in my comfy pants and a t-shirt. I'm amazed that even after all of this time, he looks at me with such love and passion. I am so thankful that I met him all those years ago and have experienced this wonderful love story. I have never been happier and it's all because of my DH. He has given me so much - including our 2 beautiful children. He is supportive of everything I do, he loves me unconditionally no matter what.

Us with our very best friends

TRUE LOVE

T:
There are not enough words to tell you just how much I love you. I can't imagine my life without you. My love for you is never-ending and I cherish all the wonderful moments we have had over the last 7 years of marriage....and there have been SO many. I love you!

My Sweet Girl is 4!

2009-07-19T00:55:00.004-04:00

To HoneyPie,
I look at you today, and my mind flashes back to when you first entered our lives as a tiny baby, and my heart is at once overcome with love and admiration for you. It's hard to believe that it was 4 years ago today, that I first held you in my arms. Sometimes, it still feels yesterday. I can still remember every detail of that wonderful day. It was a long day - induced at 8am, with very little progression into labour - finally at 10:30pm, it was decided that you would be born by c-section...Daddy and I couldn't wait. They wheeled me into the operating room at midnight...this was my first real surgery and I wasn't even nervous at all - I was all smiles. I couldn't wait to see you and finally hold my darling baby.

You were born at 12:55 on July 19, 2005 - and HoneyPie, you were the most beautiful baby Daddy and I had ever seen. You had big blue eyes and the most kissable rosebud lips. You were just perfect!

The last 4 years with you have been amazing. HoneyPie, you make your Daddy and I smile and laugh every day. You are so funny...with all of your "jokes". You love to dance and sing...and are the most wonderful big sister to Budderoo. Mommy and Daddy could not be more proud of you. You are heading to kindergarten in less than a month, and although I am not quite ready to let you head off to school - you are more than ready to tackle this next step of your life. You are so excited to meet your teacher and to meet some new friends.

You tell me often that I am your best friend...and that you are mine. It makes me so happy - and I hope that you always feel that way. I will always be here for you, no matter what.

You have grown into a beautiful little girl...your Daddy and I love you so much. Thank you, sweet HoneyPie for four years of love, joy, memories, and laughter!

Happy Father's Day to my Dad!!!!

2009-06-21T08:31:00.006-04:00

A little girl needs her daddy
To love her with manly charm,
To soothe her when she’s hurt,
And keep her safe from harm.

A girl needs her dad
To show her a man who’s good,
To help her make right choices,
As only a father could.

A woman needs her father
Just to be aware,
He’ll always be there for her
To sustain her and to care.

You’ve been all these things, Dad.
I hope that you can see
How much I treasure you;
You mean everything to me.

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful Dad! My Dad is the most amazing guy...he is loving, sincere, humourous and so much fun to be around. He shows so much love to my sister and I. He gives the greatest hugs. He is a kid at heart - which shows in the way he interacts with his grandchildren, whom he adores. Speaking of adore, God, he adores my Mom. The things I have seen him do for her over the years. He is such a romantic. A house decorated with hearts and decorations for Valentine's Day...home made videos of him lip-synching to love songs...the sweetest ever! I have enjoyed all of the fun things we have done together...dancing, softball, father/daughter chats. I cherish all of the wonderful moments we have had together =)

Happy Father's Day, Dad! I wouldn't be the woman I am without you. I LOVE YOU!!!!!

My Son is a Klepto....

2009-06-16T09:36:00.006-04:00

...but at least he leaves a calling card.

This whole mystery started off early Sunday morning when I was getting ready to go to a bridal shower and was switching my stuff to a different purse. I should've taken the extra time to put all of my stuff into the matching wallet, but instead left things loosely in the purse. On my way home, I had to stop and get gas - so when I returned to the car, instead of putting my bank card back in my card holder - I left it sitting in the little pocket with my cell phone.

Fast forward to 7pm last night when I realized I didn't have my bank card as I tried to pay for my purchases at Costco. Good thing DH was with me. I knew where the card was - in the little pocket with my cell phone. So, we got home - I go to look for it and it's gone! I was freaking out. I knew I'd put it in there and was so confused why it wasn't still there. I'd seen it there last night when I took my phone out. So, I tore apart my house looking for it.

Half an hour later, I decided to look in the purse again - perhaps I was missing something. And this is what I found:

A chewed up green crayon. BUDDEROO! I remembered him sitting near my purse earlier that day - he must've taken the bank card out - so I moved my couches (with the help of my super strong hubby) and checked under carpets, etc. No where to be found.. And then I had an idea! No, it couldn't be!

I went back into the kitchen, opened my pantry door where we keep some of HoneyPie's crafty things (crayons!)...and what did I find?

I couldn't believe it - what a little stinker. I laughed and told DH that I'd finally found it. We had a good giggle about it...DH said "at least he leaves a calling card"...ya, in the form of a chewed up green crayon.
What a guy, that little Budderoo!

Have a great day, everyone!
~ Hollie

Could I be any more proud?

2009-06-14T09:23:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was HoneyPie's very first dance recital. She did a wonderful job and DH and I were so very proud of her.

The day started off with a dress rehearsal at 11. HoneyPie was so excited to get her hair and makeup done and get to the theater. All the kids did great - just seeing her up there made me teary and so proud. Once she was done, we watched a few of the other numbers and then headed for a Mother/Daughter lunch at East Side Marios's. It was so nice to share a day with just HoneyPie. Once home, it was a definite nap day. The show wasn't until 7, so I had visions of her up there sucking her thumb 'cause she was too tired.

It's Showtime! We headed back to the theatre for 630 where we got back in her costume and waited for her big performance. You never know if the beginner dancers will actually perform but after a long day of travelling to and from the dress rehearsal then back to the theatre for the big show...HoneyPie and her dance class did an amazing performance. They danced to Lollipop - the costumes were adorable and the whole thing brought DH and I to tears. I couldn't have been more proud of her. It was such a great day!

Here are some pics from the day:

And a video - she is at the right end of the front row:

She is already looking forward to next year...and so are we =)
~Hollie

Weight Loss Wednesday #9

2009-06-14T08:59:00.002-04:00

I just remembered that I hadn't posted a weight loss thread in a few weeks. The last couple weeks I was kind of in a slump - up a couple ounces, stayed the same....was getting a little discouraging as I was tracking pretty well. So I decided to track even better - for the WHOLE week (I'm bad at tracking breakfasts and lunches and then forgetting dinner and snacks) and I stepped up my exercise.

I did 4 days on the Wii Fit with times ranging 37mins - 1hr10mins including aerobic exercises, balance games and some strength training and yoga poses. I LOVED it - DH was so impressed as I was foregoing TV time with him to go and exercise...sometimes it would've been my 2nd time that day.

Well, my hard work paid off and I am down 23.4lbs. I hope I can do well this week - I've been eating well but haven't had a lot of time to exercise...has been a super busy few days. Am going to get my butt back in gear...starting tomorrow =)

Have a great day, everyone!
~ Hollie

I See You Baby....Shakin' That A$$

2009-06-10T12:34:00.006-04:00

While I was making lunch today, I thought - "I sure do dance around the house a lot". I've constantly got some funky beats playing in my head which get me dancing while making lunch for the kids or doing the dishes...every day activities are much more fun when I'm shakin my booty.
I LOVE to dance...a good stag & doe or wedding, I am on the floor ALL NIGHT. I used to love going to bars/clubs to tear up the dance floor, but sadly, at 30, I feel too old and am always so OVER dressed....so now I save my dance moves for my kiddies while I tear up the kitchen floor. LOL

What are some of the songs right now that are getting me movin?

LOVE GAME - Lady GaGa
(was not able to embed official video...so here's one with pics of Lady GaGa)

POKER FACE - Lady GaGa

RIGHT ROUND - FloRida feat. Kesha

FIRE BURNING - Sean Kingston
(no video for this one either...but the song rocks)

And some of my older faves....
GET BUSY - Sean Paul

DIRRTY - Christina Aguilera

And some real OLD SKOOL:
3 A.M. ETERNAL - KLF

RUMP SHAKER - Wrexx-N-Effect

HERE COMES THE HOTSTEPPER - Ini Kamoze

I could go on like this all day, I'm sure - but will save some fun songs for any future dance posts.
But before I go:

Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn't music. ~William Stafford

Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. ~Dave Barry

SO...GET DANCING!!!!
~ Hollie

I LOVE ZACK MORRIS

2009-06-09T16:56:00.003-04:00

I used to love Saved by the Bell as a kid. Zack Morris was so dreamy and who didn't (or still doesn't) want a bod like Kelly Kapowski's. This morning I came across this clip of Mark Paul Gosselaar on Jimmy Fallon promoting a new TV show. It's pretty humourous - and he looks great =)

I hope that Jimmy gets all of the cast on board for a Saved By The Bell reunion show to celebrate 20 years..how awesome would that be? =)

Well, off to get changed, heading out for dinner in a bit with my wonderful family.
Later,
Hollie

Kids Say the Cutest Things...especially HoneyPie

2009-06-02T18:15:00.000-04:00

HoneyPie can make DH and I laugh at the drop of a hat. She is so cute / funny! Here are some of the things that I can remember from the last few days.

HoneyPie: "Look, there's a factory!"
Mommy: "You're right! What do you think they make in there?"
HoneyPie: "Ummmm"....(thinking)...maybe pancakes and waffles?"

Budderoo: speaking in toddler gibberish
HoneyPie: giggles "Listen, Mommy...he's using French words"

While listening to Dangerous by Kardinall Ofishall and Akon
HoneyPie: "Mommy, why is she dangerous"
Mommy: "Well, she treats boys badly and breaks their hearts"
HoneyPie: "How does she break them? Steps on them?"

HonePie gave her brother a big hug after naptime today.
HoneyPie: "ah, he's so cute...I want to keep him...let's keep him....No one is going to take away MY baby"

HoneyPie keeps us laughing all the time - so adorable!

Weight Loss Wednesday #8

2009-05-28T11:21:00.002-04:00

Well, last night was weigh in day - and I stayed the same this week. I am OK with this, but am a bit disappointed that it wasn't a loss. But I only have myself to blame....and a certain someone who brought McDonald's over for lunch on Thursday. LOL So I did do a bit of cheating (biting without writing) this week. McD's, nachos at the movies on Monday (but they were so good), and a few other little things here and there.

This week I am vowing to keep on track and hopefully will see a decrease on the scale. This morning I did 28mins aerobic exercise on the Wii Fit. It was fast to tell me that it had been 58 days since my last visit...but I was 4.4lbs down...so that was good to see. I brought the kids down with me and we all did it together. (It is rainy today, so this gave the kids some gross motor activities) The kids loved pretending to hula hoop and enjoyed running on the spot along with me. For those who haven't tried the island lap run...this is a 12min run...was hard work for this little chubster - LOL - but I did it. And you know what got me through it - HoneyPie's words of encouragement as I said "Oh my god, this is long"...she kept telling me "Way to go, Mom....you can do it....looking good...Yay, Mommy - you're almost there". She was amazing - what a little cheerleader.

And I will be her loudest cheerleader tomorrow night as she plays her first soccer game. We signed her up for the MicroSoccer League (4&5s) and she (and we) are super excited!!!!

Off to make lunch for the kiddies - fish & chips...but I will be eating a Lean Cuisine. YUM!
Ciao for now,
Hollie

Whoo Hoo, Kris Allen!

2009-05-21T10:43:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to Kris Allen...2009 American Idol Winner

What a shocker on last night's American Idol. I fully expected Adam Lambert to win - he was the judges fave from day one. I was absolutely not a fan - I found his voice annoying and screechy, his performances were theatrical and always over the top...and when they announced that Kris Allen had won over him...I was shocked...as was Kris Allen, himself. He even said that Adam deserved to win.

I am a huge American Idol fan, and love right from the beginning to the end (unlike DH who only really loves the audition episodes, or so he says...I think he is a closet A.I. Lover hee hee). But, I admit I get kind of annoyed by the usually dragged out 2hr finale. But last night's was great! The performances, the duets...I thought it was awesome. Some of my fave moments were:

* Norman Gentle - he always makes me laugh
* Tatiana - that girl is insane
* Kris Allen and Keith Urban's duet
* Bikini Girl...when Ryan said "I was going to ask you what's new, but I think I already know" DH and I died...hilarious.
* Kara showing up Bikini Girl's singing (she was even worse than her audtion, I think) and then ripping open her dress. OMG! We had to watch it a few times. I am not a big fan of Kara but in that moment she was flippin' awesome!

So, now I wait until next January for American Idol 2010. And hope that Kris releases an amazing album and has huge success. I am pretty sure that the top 4, Alison, Danny (my #1), Adam and Kris (my #2) will all do quite well.

Off to make lunch for my kiddies,
Til next post...adios
~ Hollie

Weight Loss Wednesday #7

2009-05-20T21:01:00.002-04:00

Well, I'm happy to say that even after a weekend of birthday parties with yummy cupcakes, neighbourhood breakfast with eggs and bacon and a BBQ with Burgers and Dairy Queen, I did pretty well this week. I lost 1.4lbs totaling 21.4 Whoo Hoo (a little celebrating on my part). Am hoping to keep on this losing path - summer is coming...which in turn means the dreaded "bathing suit". So, I have 9 weeks until our week away at the cottage. Bring on the 0pt soup and treadmill!!!!!

*****
So, American Idol finale tonight - we're taping it right now so we can zip through it in a bit. I am really hoping that screachy Adam Lambert doesn't win. I like Kris Allen, and as a friend mentioned earlier, I am hoping that all the fans who were voting for Danny Gokey will now vote for Kris and let him be the next American Idol. I went to adamlambert.org today and it had a large banner reading "2009 American Idol winner". Already celebrating his victory....which I really hope he does not get! GO KRIS ALLEN!!!!

*****
On another note:
While putting my kids to bed tonight, I hugged them that tiny bit tighter. Today, my heart is aching for a family in Woodstock, ON. For those who haven't heard about this heartbreaking story:
Victoria Stafford,8, went missing when she was walking home from school at the beginning of April. She was seen on a surveillance camera at a local high school walking with an unidentified woman. Originally, the police were not treating it as an abduction, hence the reason why an Amber Alert wasn't issued. A week into her disappearance, Oxford County Police decided that it was an abduction, but still did not issue an Amber Alert.

It was made known by the media this morning that they have made 2 arrests, a man and a woman, who are known to the Stafford family. The male has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of abduction, the female has been charged with abduction and accessory after the fact to murder. It is said that the female is known to Victoria's mother (there had been rumours that she was somehow involved).
A search has been formed in a rural farm area in Guelph - with information that sweet little Victoria has passed.
This whole story just breaks my heart - I cherish my children so much. My heart goes out to her family.

HUG YOUR KIDS A LITTLE TIGHTER TODAY

A Sad Moment at...IKEA? Huh?

2009-05-19T20:20:00.002-04:00

This past Saturday, we went shopping at IKEA as we wanted to buy a new shelf for our landing.

It is super cute and now we just have to find some nice things to put in it. But that's not what this blog is about...

When we first went in, HoneyPie saw the play place and for the first time there were spaces available. So, we filled out the form and she put on her little numbered pinnie and off she went. Hardly a goodbye to DH, Budderoo and I. I watched her as we waited for the elevator...she sat down at the colouring table and began colouring a butterfly. We headed upstairs and started to shop, I got teary and said "I feel so sad dropping her off there".

She is growing up too fast! She will be starting JK this September and I know I'm going to be a mess her first day of school. I recently bought her The Imagination Movers Juice Box Heroes CD and there is a super sweet song called "First Day of School" There is a line that totally made me cry - it talks about how the boy had been there from 9 - 3, almost all day and it says something like, "You're waiting for me at the car, I really don't want to leave, but I really want to see your smile...you know I love to see your smile" (UGH! Just typing it is making me teary).

HoneyPie is so excited to start school, as I am for her. It will be really good for her. As I've been home with her since she was born, with only her recently attending a music class on Friday mornings, she hasn't really had any preschool/daycare experience, other than the daycare I run at home.

I know that she will be fine and will have a wonderful time in kindergarten. Mommy just needs to breath a little and enjoy this very special moment. My baby girl is growing up...

Will be back tomorrow for Weight Loss Wednesday...and probably a little American Idol talk. Who will win? Adam, I'm sure UGH!
Night,
Hollie

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2009-05-10T07:20:00.005-04:00

Mom, I loved you yesterday, I love you tomorrow and everyday.
You were there for me my first day of school, to hold my hand and give me courage to go.
You listened to me when I needed to talk, you talked to me when I needed to listen.
You let me grow and learn from my own mistakes.
You never left my side when I was feeling down, I knew you would be there to pick me up.
I wish there was a way I could repay all the things you have done for me,
but there's nothing great enough to repay the greatest mother of all.

I wish I could tell you, Mom just how much you mean to me.
But there are no words to say
how much I admire you...
how much I appreciate you...
how much I thank you
for everything you've done.
I LOVE YOU, MOM! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.!
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body..
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom .

MOMMY LOVES YOU, HONEYPIE & BUDDEROO! You are my everything and I couldn't imagine my life without you both. You are the reason the sun shines! xoxoxo

Weight Loss Wednesday #6.....and a little A.I.

2009-05-06T22:42:00.003-04:00

Well, after quite a bit of indulging this weekend while away on my Mommy Day Away, I was a little nervous about tonight's weigh in. But...I was pleasantly surprised and quite happy with a 0.2 gain.

Not much else to blog about tonight! Although, I must say I was very surprised by tonight's elimination on American Idol. DH and I were totally not expecting Allison to go home. She has a great voice and is quite a little performer. For being only 17, she is really quite good!
I have to say Danny Gokey is my #1. I love his voice - he's done some great performances!

But, I tend to think that ~~crappy~~ Adam Lambert is going to win this season. DH and I cringe every time he performs, and are so annoyed by the judges kissing his ass every week. We do not like him at all! Oh well, I'm sure Danny will do well - being #1 doesn't always mean that they become superstars..some of the runner-ups have done better than the winners (i.e. Chris Daughtry - - HOT!)

Well, off to bed for me.
Nite Nite
~ Hollie

Mommy's Day Away

2009-05-04T09:16:00.000-04:00

This Saturday, I had the opportunity to spend the day/night away with my friend, Kelly. We had been planning this for quite a while and we were so excited when Saturday morning finally got here.

She picked me up around 11am, and we headed down to Niagara Falls. Our first stop was over the border at the Miliary Outlet Mall. We had lunch at Applebee's (I had the Orange Chicken Bowl...it was fantastic).

{{Sidenote: When I was looking for this picture on the Applebee's website, it took me to the location in Niagara Falls which listed it as $19.49. I paid $10.49 in the states. Insane how much they mark things up in the Falls}}

We did quite a bit of shopping...all for the kids. I got HoneyPie and Budderoo some cute jammies and outfits for the summer from Carter's, and a couple short sets for Budderoo from Osh Kosh. I got these jammies for HoneyPie, she is wearing them right now and looks adorable!

From there, we checked into our hotel - Sheraton on the Falls- a nice room right on the corner of Clifton Hill, so we had a nice view of the park and the Falls. The beds were so comfy, we barely wanted to go and get dinner as we had became too relaxed while watching TV. We had dinner at the Fallsview Buffet at the hotel. It was good, but definitely not worth $34.95. After dinner, we walked up Clifton Hill a bit and got some munchies for our planned chick flick.

We rented Marley & Me and got in our jammies and each hopped into our super comfy bed (with the comfiest pillows ever). The movie was great...so sad. We both had dogs that were a big part of our family and some of the scenes hit really close to home.

We went to bed early (11:30pm) as we were just so excited to sleep in a bed, without being woken up by the kids through the night or early in the morning. Only to be woken up at 1:15am by the fire alarm. This went on for 45 minutes with intermittent PA announcements telling us to remain calm and in our rooms while they investigate. It turned out to be a false alarm, but getting back to sleep after was tough. We were SO awake for 45mins. We slept til 9, which for us is very unusual. Our kids are early risers. We laid around for a while before checking out at 10:30

Grabbed some breakfast and then did some more shopping at the Lundy's Lane outlets. We both bought a bunch of stuff for US at the Roots outlet. Our last stop was at the Coach store, where I found a super cute purple clutch. It was a great price.

Kelly dropped me off at about 130 and was told by Tim that Lauren was waiting for me to give her a kiss before nap. The look on her face when she saw me come into her room was just priceless. Almost made being away for the day all the more worth while. She gave me the biggest hug and told me how much she missed me.

Thanks, Kelly for suggesting we do this. It was a great way to spend some Mommy Time. Looking forward to next time already =)

Weight Loss Wednesday #5

2009-04-29T23:40:00.000-04:00

Had a great week and it showed tonight on the scales.
I lost 2.0lbs putting me at a total of 20.8lbs lost!

I was thrilled. I'm pretty sure this is the most that I've lost on my 3 journeys with Weight Watchers. I am determined to stick with it this time and get to my goal...and hopefully become a lifetime member.

Some things that may have attributed to my successes this week are:
*I started to exercise. We have a fantastic treadmill in our basement that has been sitting pretty well unused for quite some time, so I decided to start using it. I walked/ran 3 times this past week - and plan to continue this routine.
*I stuck with the Garden Vegetable Soup (see recipe below Weight Loss Wednesday # 2 - April 8th) I made a double batch and it lasted me almost all week
*Enjoyed the sunshine and played outdoors with the kids

This week, an old friend joined...Christine has decided to attend the meetings on Wednesdays, that way we can go together. As I mentioned below, it's been hard for me to get to meetings knowing I have to sit alone (I'm a suck that way LOL). I am happy that we can travel on this tough road together...and am looking forward to seeing her more often.
Good luck this week, Christine!

Off to bed with me now...just spent 2 hours getting all the daycare tax stuff in order to send off to our accountant tomorrow.
Nite Nite
~ Hollie

Baby Jumping Festival...WHAT?????

2009-04-29T12:34:00.003-04:00

Those spaniards sure have some interesting festivals...like the Running of the Bulls, The Christmas Pooping Log and perhaps, the most interesting.....the Baby Jumping Festival.

Men dress up as Lucifer and leap over a couple of rows of babies laying on the street. The belief is that as the “devil” jumps over the infants, he takes the “evil” out of them and the kids are therefore cleansed. This curious tradition has been in full effect since around 1620 and takes place in tribute to Corpus Christi. The Baby Jumping Festival happens this year from June 11-15 in Castrillo de Murcia.

Have already bought my ticket for Budderoo - sometimes I wonder if he could use an old fashioned exorcism. Hee Hee

~ Back later,
Hollie

A Fun Friday

2009-04-24T22:59:00.004-04:00

Today was a great day!
I guess it started off last night, when Budderoo got up at 1:30am screaming...I was having trouble getting him back to sleep, so as DH was just coming to bed he offered to bring him in to sleep with him, while I catch up on sleep in the spare room. I can't tell you how great it was to sleep in a bed all by myself. I always end up in the spare room with Budderoo, and sometimes HoneyPie...so it was great to sleep in til 7:45, getting up with my alarm...not when the kids wanted me to.

HoneyPie had her Music & Movement class this morning at our area's rec centre. This is just her 2nd class but she really seems to enjoy it. I wanted to sign her up for something where I had to drop her off. With me being home with her, she has never attended preschool or daycare...I was worried that she may have a hard time adjusting to starting kindergarten in September...but she runs in there and seems to have a great time. When I went to pick her up a couple hours later, the kids were in the gym doing an action game and playing with the parachute. They planted sunflower seeds in a cup and she decorated it with pretty stickers. I LOVE sunflowers. I hope that it grows well, perhaps be as gorgeous as this:

Later that afternoon, I took her to my salon to get her hair cut. HoneyPie was bald at birth and her hair has taken forever to grow. She's only had her hair cut 3 times in her almost 4 years, and most times it was only for a bang trim. We've always gone to the kid places, like Melonheads or Sharkey's Cuts for Kids...but haven't been thrilled with their jobs lately. So, we decided to take her to my salon where my stylist fixed her bangs (they had cut way too much bang, so now we need to grow a bunch out) and put some nice layers in her ~~unruly~~ curly hair. She loved sitting in the big chair and got to hold a Nemo Webkinz toy during her cut.

Pizza for dinner. I know, I know...not the healthiest choice - but I couldn't think of anything for dinner...and really didn't feel like making anything - so we used our free Topper's pizza coupon (collected enough stickers to get a free medium)...and it was GOOD! Budderoo LOVED it, HoneyPie is not a big fan of pizza, so getting her to finish one piece took a LONG time. After dinner, we joined our neighbours across the street for some drinks (me, Diet pop, DH, beer) while the kids played.

We moved to our new street, a court, last August and it has been wonderful. We have the friendliest neighbours anyone can ask for and they welcomed us to their group the night we moved in. Once the weather is nice, everyone gathers across the street and the ~~dads~~ boys play big games of street hockey, while the girls chalk up a storm or jump on M&S's trampoline....once the kids are in bed, the parents reconvene out on the street where there is usually a poker game set up under the street lights. We were out tonight until after 9 and had a great time catching up with everyone after the long, cold winter. They are a really great group.

I just finished 31 minutes on the treadmill after getting the kids to bed. Am now feeling a bit tired...it's after 11:30 so I should get to bed. HoneyPie has dance in the morning. Only 5 more classes before her first recital. HoneyPie loves her dance class...and she is so cute doing her little routine. Can't wait til the big show.

Night Night,
~ Hollie

Weight Loss Wednesday #4

2009-04-22T22:36:00.002-04:00

Well after a weekend in Montreal, and a little bit of indulging, I was happy with my results tonight. I only lost 0.2, but at least I wasn't up. I wasn't able to stay at the meeting last week, so I did my celebrating and received my 10%keychain.

My leader asked me how losing 10% has changed me. What the difference is between now and when I walked through the door at the end of August. I have more energy to play with the kids, I am starting to feel better about myself physically - I am quite pleased with losing 18.8 lbs.

It's been hard for me the last little while - I think because when I first started it was with 3 of my friends. Since then, they have quit the program, and I am now attending on my own. Keeping on track is always a challenge - I like to snack LOL but it is hard going to the meetings alone. I switched to a location closer to my house once my last friend quit. This location is a lot busier making me nervous to talk in front of them...but today I finally had to celebrate. I am proud of myself for sticking with it, getting to the meetings. I am hoping next week to get my 20lb ribbon....then on to goal.

I am not big on exercising...but have vowed to incorporate it into my daily routine. We have a treadmill that sits unused far too often. But DH and I have agreed to do 1/2hr every night once the kids go to bed. We will watch a show and take turns doing our 30mins. Tonight I made it to 27 before Budderoo woke up screaming (not sure what's going on tonight, he's been up a few times already)...but I kept at a decent pace (2.5/3) with about 5-6mins of running (at 4) here and there - I am SO NOT a runner...and was disappointed that the first set of running I couldn't even do 2 mins...but the next time I got to 3mins...so, who knows, maybe someday I will be a runner. hee hee (doubt it, but I can dream, can't I?)
Would love to look like someone who runs =)

You've got to say, I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it. It's called perseverance.

This too shall pass.....

2009-04-20T21:45:00.005-04:00

My mom says that to me all the time, whether it be about Budderoo's still waking often through the night or HoneyPie's saucy attitude...I hope she'd say it to me right now, because I really hope that "this" passes soon.

I've been feeling really down lately. Actually, I haven't felt quite right since having Buderoo. I even talked to my doctor about postpartum depression but he chalked it up to being back to work when Budderoo was only 2.5months old and then moving to a new house when he was 5 months....there was a lot of stress in those early months. And I did seem to feel better once we were all settled in our new home...but still not quite right.

Tonight, DH and I had quite a talk. I finally expressed the things that have been bothering me. I have been feeling like I've been walking around in a haze, not knowing who "I" am anymore. Right now, it feels like I am HoneyPie and Budderoo's mom and DH's wife...but that's it...where did Hollie go? I really am not sure - she's been gone for too long.

I feel like I've lost sight of myself, like I am drowning in motherhood. I never felt this way after HoneyPie was born but I think the addition of a second child really changes things. "The time and attention it takes to go from mothering one child to mothering two doesn't just double, it quadruples".

In no way do I resent my role as a mother...this is all I have ever wanted...to be a mommy...and to be able to stay at home with them. I just feel like I am losing my own identity as I tend to the needs of everyone else. And I wonder sometimes, if working from home is adding to my issues. It was my choice to stay home and it was the best one for us and the kids...but I miss the adult interaction and getting out of the house during the day. I think even having an outside of the house job would be some "ME" time. But then at the same time, I am not ready to put my babies in daycare.

Learning to take time for me has been very hard to do. I think that I need to find something to do that makes me happy, but while thinking of that something...I come up with nothing...I don't even know what I'm interested in anymore. I like scrapbooking, but finding time to do a page or two is just not happening lately. It's hard to balance so many roles and still find time for me. But I think, once I do, I'll be happier and an even better mom - wife - person than I am now.

So, starting today, I am going to work on ME. Perhaps find a hobby that I could do outside of the house once a week, or even just get out for a walk by myself...

and as my mom tells me...

This too shall pass.

My family is the most important thing in the world!

Weight Loss Wednesday #3

2009-04-15T21:25:00.002-04:00

Another week spent tracking...and I am happy to be down 0.8lbs. I always think that anything "0 point something" is really nothing...but really it's almost a pound so I am down now 18.6lbs....putting me over my 10% goal.

Tomorrow, we are heading to Montreal for the weekend. DH is going to the UFC fight on Saturday night with some friends, so the wives/kids are tagging along. I am worried about having to eat out all weekend - even choosing salads sometime isn't the best choice...for example - Last Friday, we went to Kelsey's for lunch. I thought I was choosing something healthy and ordered the Chicken Sonoma Valley Salad...it was really good. When I got home I looked up the nutritional info online...Calories: 740 Grams of Fat: 44g Fibre 6. 44 GRAMS OF FAT????? IN A SALAD???? I couldn't believe it. The salad total was 17points. I only get 24 for the day...insane. So, hopefully I can find some healthy options while we are away.

Will be back Sunday.
~ Hollie

Weight Loss Wednesday #2

2009-04-08T21:24:00.004-04:00

Tonight was weigh in night at Weight Watchers. I had done so well this past week - tracked EVERYTHING...except a little indulgence at Red Lobster on Saturday night...oh, and some fries at Swiss Chalet on Friday. hee hee. Well, my hard work paid off and I lost 1.4lbs. This puts me at 17.8lbs total - which is only 0.2 away from my 10%. (10% of my body weight lost).

One thing that I think really helped me was making the Weight Watchers Garden Vegetable Soup. It is 0pts per serving and was so delish. I made 1 batch and it did 3 lunches...I plan to make a double batch tomorrow. Here is the recipe

GARDEN VEGETABLE SOUP

2/3c sliced carrot
1/2c diced onion
2 minced garlic cloves
3c fat free broth (beef, chicken, or vegetable)
1 1/2c diced green cabbage
1/2c green beans
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2c diced zucchini

Spray a large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray, heat. Saute the carrot, onion and garlic over low heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth, cabbage, beans, tomato paste, basil, oregano and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered about 15 minutes or until beans are tender. Stir in the zucchini and heat for 3-4 minutes. Serve hot.

With Easter coming this Sunday, I am a bit worried about my love for chocolate. Most people at the meeting last night were worried about overeating at dinner...I guess I am, too, a bit...but I have an obsession for Cadbury's mini eggs. The Easter bunny will be bring some to HoneyPie and I'm hoping I can control my weakness for them and the Mr. Munchy chocolate bunny that the Easter Bunny is bringing me LOL. Perhaps knowing the points value will help me out and will allow me to still be able to eat these treats by working them into my daily points.

Cadbury Mini Eggs 5points for small package

Allan's Mr. Munchy 6points for 1/2pc (50g)

And for those who enjoy them....I do not....

Cadbury Cream Eggs 3points per egg)

Enjoy!
~ Hollie ~

Appreciate what you have...you may not have it forever

2009-04-02T13:12:00.000-04:00

There are many mornings that I wake up, grumpy and irritable because of being up all night with Budderoo and/or having to wake up early 'cause HoneyPie has to use the bathrom. I admit, that when I am tired, I am miserable...and lately that has been quite a lot. DH tries to find out what is bothering me, I knock it off to being tired...the little things tick me off, making me more grumpy...the kids irritate me a lot when I am sleepy - and they are only being kids.

My loved ones are more valuable and precious to me than anyone else on the face of this earth. I should look at them and remember what it is I love about them – AND not take them for granted. But I admit, sometimes I do.

On Tuesday night, DH had a health scare that brought him to the E.R. which has really made me stop and look at the little things. He is doing OK but has been referred to some specialists...I keep thinking what if he hadn't been as in-tune with his body and known that something wasn't right? Would he have woken up the next morning? What if the treatment at the hospital hadn't worked? How could I face the world without the only man I have ever loved, my partner, my best friend? How could I be a good parent to our children on my own? Just thinking of it brings me to tears.

I have realized that I need to appreciate and give thanks for everything I have. And rather than let the silly things get me down, I need to focus on the positives in my life...and there are many. I will appreciate and take care of the wonder things I have, while I still have them - Because you never know...What if "Tomorrow Never Comes"?

Sometimes late at night
I lie awake and watch him sleeping
He's lost in peaceful dreams
So I turn out the lights and lay there in the dark
And the thought crosses my mind
If I never wake up in the morning
Would he ever doubt the way I feel
About him in my heart

If tomorrow never comes
Will he know how much I loved him
Did I try in every way to show him every day
That he's my only one
And if my time on earth were through
And he must face the world without me
Is the love I gave him in the past
Gonna be enough to last
If tomorrow never comes

So I made a promise to myself
To say each day how much he means to me
And avoid that circumstance
Where theres no second chance to tell him how I feel

So tell that someone that you love
Just what you're thinking of
If tomorrow never comes

Garth Brooks, If Tomorrow Never Comes, revised =)

T, if a day goes by without me telling you I love you, please know just how much I do. There are so many things I love about you. The sound of your voice, the warmth of your touch, so many little things that make me love you so much. The way you support me, and help with my emotions, the way that you care and show such devotion. The way that your kiss, fills me with desire, and how you hold me with the warmth of a blazing fire. The way your eyes shine when you look at me, lost with you forever is were I want to be. The way that I feel when you're by my side, a sense of completion and overflowing pride. The dreams that I dream, that all involve you, the possibilities I see and the things we can do. How you finish the puzzle that lies inside my heart, how that deep in my soul, you are the most important part. I could go on for days, telling of what I feel, but all you really must know is my love for you is real.
You have always been my biggest fan...and I will forever be yours.
I LOVE YOU, T.

1999

Weight Loss Wednesday

2009-04-01T21:03:00.005-04:00

Talking about weight is always such a taboo topic. No one wants to disclose their weight, especially women. Aren't we more likely to lie about our weight than our age? I thought about how I was going to write this post...should I disclose my weight at each stage of my weight loss journey...Am I too embarrassed to admit how much I actually weighed at the end of my pregnancies? Then I thought, who cares? I know that people are most often judged by their weight/body type...but I hope that people who read this or people that actually know me, see that I am a wonderful person and the numbers on the scale are just that...numbers - and one really shouldn't be judged on that.

As I mentioned in my first post, I am one of those girls who gain A LOT during pregnancy. I have always struggled with my weight and am on my 3rd go with Weight Watchers (WW). I joined WW just before I got married so that I wouldn't be a "chubby bride". So joining in January of '02...I worked my butt off and lost 20lbs by that April...and got married at a healthy weight of 139lbs. I felt great...and I vowed to keep the weight off and stay healthy....

139lbs on our honeymoon in Hawaii

HA, that didn't last long. I gained a bit here and there...

In June of 2004, DH and I decided to start trying for our first baby. At that time I was 155lbs, and I still felt good - I thought I looked alright....

155lbs

We got pregnant with HoneyPie that October and I really wanted to try and have a healthy pregnancy with not much weight gain. Well, this did not happen and I gained a whopping 68lbs. Ya, do the math - it was insane! I had a horrible time with water retention and swelled massively. I struggled with gestational diabetes - it was a very uncomfortable pregnancy - but giving birth to my beautiful 8lb 14oz HoneyPie - made it all worth it.

I joined WW when HoneyPie was 6 months old to help me lose the last of my baby weight. I didn't quite get there before giving up...I made it down to 164 and stayed around there until getting pregnant with Budderoo.

167lbs - DH and I on the ferry in Cape Cod

My pregnancy with Budderoo was even worse than HoneyPie's...I gained 55lbs and had a harder time with my gestational diabetes - this time I had to go on insulin and swelled just about the same - Budderoo was huge (10lbs 4oz) and made me SO uncomfortable. Check out this belly:

223lbs OUCH! On the way to the hospital for his arrival...

With Budderoo, I lost 41lbs in 3weeks. I had retained so much water...it was ridiculous.

So...here I am again. I've had enough and am determined to get this weight off. With having gestational diabetes twice, my chances of getting diabetes later in life has increased. I joined WW this past August with 3 of my friends...and since then...all of them have decided to try and do it on their own without the meetings. So, I go alone (which depresses me) and am working at the weight loss...slowly...I had lost over 18lbs, but have had a few off weeks recently and gained a bit back. UGH!

Wednesdays are my weigh in night...I worked so hard this past week, tracked everything I ate...and lost 2.6 lbs at the weigh in Losing a total of 16.4lbs. According to my scale, first thing in the morning, I had lost 5.6....so I was thrilled and am now even more motivated to get back to that first picture! Presently, I am 1lb away from my pre-pregnancy weight with Budderoo. I would love to get back to 140-ish...so I've got about 27lbs to go. I can do it this time!

Inside All Of Us Is A Wild Thing

2009-03-25T21:36:00.008-04:00

On October 16th, an adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's story "Where The Wild Things Are" hits the big screen.

The book tells the story of Max, who one evening plays around his home, "making mischief" in a wolf costume (chasing the dog with a fork,and growling at his mom etc.). As punishment, his mother sends him to bed without supper. In his room, a mysterious, wild forest grows out of his imagination, and Max journeys to the land of the Wild Things. The Wild Things are fearsome-looking monsters, but Max conquers them "by staring into their yellow eyes without blinking once," and he is made "the King of all Wild Things." However, he soon finds himself lonely and homesick, and he returns home to his bedroom, where he finds his supper waiting for him, still hot. Wikepedia

After watching the trailer http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/wherethewildthingsare/ I am super excited! I think it looks great...and perhaps a bit of a tearjerker. They have done a great job on creating the Wild Things...they look just like the characters in the book.

This book has been read to children for decades. I was surprised to see it was written in 1963. Children have been dreaming about this magical land for just as long. If the movie is as magical as this trailer, they may have just made our dreams come true after all. I can't wait!

Dora Grows Up...and she's ADORABLE!

2009-03-21T22:29:00.003-04:00

While visiting my parents today, they asked me if I had seen the new "tween-age Dora"...I hadn't even heard anything about it, so they threw me over the paper where I saw this super cute older-looking Dora...along with the headline "New tween-age Dora has some wondering what she's exploring".
WHAT? Are you serious? Personally, I thought the tagline sounds perverse and inappropriate...so I decided to peruse the article to read what else they had to say about this adorable new doll from Matell. And here is what I found:

"In TV land, parental involvement is a two-way-sword, as Mattel discovered this week. It's new "tween" version of the Dora the Explorer cartoon character to be unveiled in the fall prompted a wave of criticism. Comments included "Dora the streetwalker. A sexed up version of a children's icon. A poor example for kids."
The bricks began to fly after Mattel released a silhouette of the "new Dora", whose image was changed from the tomboy look with bowl-cut hairdo, to the new Dora wearing what appeared to be a scanty skirt, emphasizing her long, shapely legs.
"Did Mattel turn Dora the Explorer into a Tramp? read The Huffington Post.
Mattel and Nickelodeon say the new Dora is not replacing the Dora the Explorer cartoon, but will be a new interactive doll aimed at the five- to eight-year old or tween market. Somehow, that doesn't seem all that reassuring."
Take from The Hamilton Spectator, March 21, 2009, Brent Lawson

After reading this, I must say I was appalled. "Dora the streetwalker", "sexed up version", "Dora into a tramp. I really wonder what sort of people think those things from looking at this picture:

Does this picture show Dora to have "long, shapely legs"? Um...NO, and to be honest, what type of person would make a comment like that about a "10yr old girl" anyway? What sort of person would think that she is SEXY? I have a pretty good idea, but will not go there....Is she wearing a "scanty skirt"? NOPE, it's a tunic with leggings...EXACTLY what kids these days are wearing. And in all honesty, it's a lot less revealing than what some of the girls are wearing these days, but that is another blog post. Dora is wearing cute little ballet flats and her original flower necklace and bracelet. I think she is adorable!

I have read a lot of articles online after reading about this new Dora Doll. I am seriously outraged! As a mother, I have NO issues with this doll whatsoever. I think that there are not enough age appropriate dolls out there for this age group...which in turn pushes young girls to dolls such as BRATZ - - (dressed in stilettos, mini skirts, revealing shirts and camis)

Taken from: theage.com.au

- - and Hannah Montana, which is far too old for this age group.
Hannah Montana:

Taken from: theage.com.au
Which is played by the 16 year old ~~wannabe~~ actress Miley Cyrus....this is what the kids are seeing:

Taken from: upsmiley.blogspot.com
AND THIS....

Taken from: evilbeetgossip.film.com

What parents would rather their child play with Bratz dolls and Hannah Montana dolls than a sweet little doll like this new Dora. Seriously! What a flippin joke!

I think Mattel and Nickelodeon have come up with a great new doll. "For nearly ten years, Dora the Explorer has had such a strong following among preschoolers, catapulting it into the number one preschool show on commercial television,” says Gina Sirard, vice president of marketing for Mattel. “Girls really identify with Dora and we knew that girls would love to have their friend Dora grow up with them, and experience the new things that they were going through themselves. The brand captures girls’ existing love of Dora and marries it with the fashion doll play and online experiences older girls enjoy.”

So, starting this fall, Dora has this new look, a new voice (acted by 12-year old Caitlin Sanchez, who is actually fluent in Spanish), and a new outlook on exploring. Dora will teach some multi-word Spanish phrases. And every episode is going to feature Dora meeting a new friend from a different background. She will spend her time on mysteries like, “How do I save the planet?” The solution: planting trees! She’s also going to use a little more math. These things add up to make her a good role model in many ways.

I really hope, despite all this ridiculous negativity, that Mattel's new doll is a success...I think that this could be a really positive role model for kids to follow! Kudos to Mattel =)

Birthday!!!!

2009-03-19T13:12:00.007-04:00

HAPPY 26th BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER, JENN

26 years ago I became a big sister! My new little sister was named Jennie Amanda and I loved her immediately -- or so I was told by my parents...but by the pictures of me smothering her and covering her with kisses, it must've been true.

Jenn and I have always had a great relationship. We have so much fun together and really are best friends, not just sisters. There is no one who can make me laugh harder than her...her hijinx usually leave me laughing so loud and hard, I am crying by the end. She is a wonderful person who has a big heart and is so much fun to be around.

She is my mirror, shining back at me with a world of possibilities. She is my witness, who sees me at my worst and best, and loves me anyway. She is my partner in crime, my midnight companion, someone who knows when I am smiling, even in the dark. Love you, sissy! Happy Birthday!!!!

HAPPY 28th BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHER, DENNIS

Also, celebrating a birthday today is my amazing brother-in-law, Dennis. He is DHs younger brother. As DH and I have been together forever, I've known Dennis since he was 10years old - and I love him like he is my own brother. Happy Birthday, Den! Love you!!!!

A BEAUTIFUL March Day

2009-03-18T10:31:00.004-04:00

Well, it's been 8 days since my last post. I really wanted to try and blog more often...these past couple weeks have been crazy. DH was quite sick with bronchitis, Budderoo's ear infections did not clear up and had to go back on a stonger medication...Last Friday, I finally caught the cold that has been going around my house for the last month or so...Felt horrible over the weekend and it then turned into a very bad ear infection.
Yesterday, I felt like my ear was going to explode and I couldn't wait for my last daycare child to leave so I could rush to the walk-in. Where the Dr said, my ear infection is quite bad and it may burst...EEEK! I have never felt such horrible pain. I now know just what our kiddies are feeling when they come down with an ear infection. Poor babies! Thankfully, my meds are working quickly (as I am on a very strong dose) and my pain has definitely decreased.

This weekend was absolutely beautiful. Sunday the temperature hovered around 12-14c...it was beautiful. DH and I thought, despite my cold, that we should take advantage of the weather and visit the Maple Syrup Festival at Bronte Creek Provincial Park. First, we went on a guided tour of 'Maple Lane' where Sheila, our guide, was dressed in traditional 1890s clothing. She taught us how to tap a tree, where HoneyPie was chosen to help her hang the bucket onto the "spile". HoneyPie was so excited!

Once done the tour, you can visit the Spruce Lane Farm where they have 100+yr old artifacts in the Farmhouse, a maple museum and a maple gift shoppe where they sell souvenirs and lots of maple syrup and sugary treats. We purchased a 500mL bottle of maple syrup for $13. I think the highlight of HoneyPie's day was the treats Daddy bought her - maple suckers and maple taffy (Mommy liked this, too)

Being such a beautiful day, there were hundreds of people there so unfortunately we weren't able to hop on their wagon down to the Pancake House. HoneyPie was so disappointed, but the line-up for the wagon ride was over an hour long, and the wait at the Pancake House (where they serve pancakes, bacon and sausages) would've been just as long. There were a few tears as we were leaving, but the promise of coming back again cheered her up, kind of. It was such a great day spent with my wonderful family! We had a sweet time! (hee hee)
Hugs,
Hollie

A Little Something to Make ME Smile

2009-03-10T22:47:00.004-04:00

Today I am exhausted....I had the worst night with Budderoo. I am guessing because it is because he is working on his molars but being up with him from 130 - 530, and DH being up with him from 6 on was exhausting. And I admit, when I am tired - I am MISERABLE! I actually took a sick day today as I knew I could not provide quality care to the kids. DH has been sick since Thursday with a chest infection and double ear infections. (He actually went back to the walk-in tonight and they have ordered an x-ray for him tomorrow as they are worried about pneumonia)...So we all spent the day in our jammies and caught up on some much needed sleep and cuddled on the couch watching Madagascar 2 with HoneyPie while Budderoo played amongst us.

So, sometimes when I am feeling down I watch this youtube video. I am a huge fan of The Office and have a wee crush on Jim! Ha! Who am I kidding? I LOVE HIM! Not so much John Krasinski, but the character of Jim Halpert. He is adorable. I found this Jim/Pam montage on youtube set to Love Story by Taylor Swift...and everytime I watch it, it makes me smile. It's a great video by 69CupONoodles. I LOVE IT...ENJOY!

'Night
Hollie

A Year Already?

2009-03-09T21:46:00.006-04:00

When HoneyPie turned one, it was such an emotional day. I spent most of the day in tears and hugging her...I couldn't believe that my baby girl's first year went so quickly...and now it is Budderoo's turn, it is exactly the same. Our little man turned ONE on Saturday and I couldn't fight back the tears. What an emotional day.

Why does a baby's first year go by so quickly. It still feels like yesterday that I held him for the very first time, saw his first smile and heard his very first laugh. Babies learn so much in their first year...rolling, crawling, sitting on their own, sleeping through the night (oh wait, has Budderoo even done that yet?), standing, cruising, and then walking. Each milestone my babies reach, makes me so proud. "You have never experienced true love until you look into the eyes of your child"

Becoming a parent has been the most amazing thing I have done in my life. Each day there are so many new joys. The love I have for HoneyPie and Budderoo...I can't even put it into words.

When I lay you down to sleep at night, I kiss your tiny lips and wonder at how very much I love you.
In the morning when you rise, I look into my heart and find that somewhere in the night I grew to love you even more.

'Night
Hollie

A New Start

2009-03-06T00:12:00.000-05:00

Well, here it is...my first post. I am, sort of a newbie, to blogging. I did create blogs for both of my pregnancies so that friends and family could keep track of what was going on with me during those special times.
But...here is my first attempt at a more general blog.

Mainly this is a place for me to keep track of thoughts and ideas, and if I happen to intrigue some readers, then that is great! Some things I may talk about:
* Children, parenting - - I am the mother of 2 wonderful children. HoneyPie is a beautiful 3.5 year old girl who is so full of life and laughter and Budderoo, a one year old Mama's Boy...he is super fun and adorable. My children are my life and I can talk about them for hours, so I'm sure many of my posts will have to do with them in some sense.

* Scrapbooking - - I LOVE to scrapbook...when I can find the time. I also love creating cards for my friends and family...I will share some ideas and tips for those who love to scrap

* Daycare, Centre Based and In-Home - - I am an Early Childhood Educator who left her role as a daycare teacher to stay home with my, now, 3.5 year old daughter. After my maternity leave with HoneyPie, I decided to open my home to provide daycare to families in my neighbourhood. I have been doing this since 2006 as a way to stay home with my children, to provide income to my family and to still be able to do what I love, working with children.

* Love & Life - - I have been married to my highschool sweetheart for nearly 7 years. We have a wonderful relationship with the typical ups and downs of any marriage. I have an amazing family who I am extremely close to...perhaps DH and my family will spark some blog posting ideas.

* Weight Loss - - I am one of those gals who gain a lot with her pregnancies. It sucks...but this time around, I have been working hard to shed these extra pounds. I have joined weight watchers to help and am glad to say that I have lost the 55lbs that I gained with Budderoo....but am still trying to lose about 25more to get me to a healthy BMI. I will be sharing my journey and hope to add some tips, recipes, and motivation.

So, on that note...I think I'll be heading to bed soon.
Budderoo has been sick this past week and has been sleeping terribly - I know that I'll be up a few times tonight to soothe him back to sleep. I hope he is feeling better tomorrow. Saturday is his first birthday and we are having a rather large party for him, I would hate for him to be cranky. "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to!" Hee Hee

'Night
Hollie

MAMA TO 2 LITTLE MONKEYS

Christmas 2011

The Month of the Mustache

Starting Fresh

♥

SMILE?

♥ MY NANA ♥

Hugh Jackman...in concert?

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Twelve

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Eleven

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Ten

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Nine

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Eight

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Seven

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Six

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Five

Wild Rose Herbal Detox -Day Four

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Three

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Two

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day One

Wild Rose Herbal Detox = Preparation

Neglected

Vegas, Baby!

So Grateful...

3 Today!!!!

Yummy Cookie Recipe

A New Year....A New Me!

sens*i*tiv

Birthday Rules:

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN

Good Friends Are Like Stars....

If This Doesn't Make You Teary....

8 Years Ago Today

One Happy Girl

First Time Lulu Shopper Is Now Addicted

ENVY!

A Night with the Ladies...and One Smokin Hot Cowboy

Nothing Better Than A Week By The Lake

Off to the Beach

Hard Work Pays Off!

UGH!

Weight Loss Wednesday - May

Too Sexy Too Soon? - Updated

3 Gals + Grove City Outlets = Way Too Much $ Spent

Weight Loss Wednesday

WW: Orange -Crumbed Baked Chicken

Here Come the Terrible 2's!!!!

2010 IS THE YEAR FOR ME!!!!

Here Comes the Heater!

Look Out PWBA!!!!

Best news I've heard all year =D

Does Santa want to date me????

A Week at the Movies

HAPPY 2010!!!

Merry Christmas

He Sleeps!!!!

A Break for Mama

It's About Time!

CIO = Tired Parents

She Doesn't Need Me Anymore!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Proud

So Long Summer

Look out Kindergarten...here she comes!

Happy Anniversary to "US"

My Sweet Girl is 4!

Happy Father's Day to my Dad!!!!

My Son is a Klepto....

Could I be any more proud?

Weight Loss Wednesday #9

I See You Baby....Shakin' That A$$

I LOVE ZACK MORRIS

Kids Say the Cutest Things...especially HoneyPie

Weight Loss Wednesday #8

Whoo Hoo, Kris Allen!

Weight Loss Wednesday #7

A Sad Moment at...IKEA? Huh?

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Weight Loss Wednesday #6.....and a little A.I.

Mommy's Day Away

sensitiv