Monday, January 30, 2012

Check out a Dad's blog!

A friend of mine just started a blog - it's from his perspective as a dad! Check it out here : Canadian Dad!

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Rosette iced cake


I have seen this cake floating around the internet since last spring. The first and 2nd times I encountered it was on a web forum I frequent, from 2 different posters.  I have since seen it crop up on some other blogs as well - and it was something that I wanted to try.

Yesterday, I was craving chocolate cake, so I decided that I would make this recipe (I have linked to the recipe directly, but I actually found it on another blog - you can check it out here, she has lots of great ideas!)
I have made this a few times in the past, for a get together I was hosting, my MIL's birthday cake, and Kyle's birthday cupcakes - it is really quite simple to make, and it tastes DELICIOUS!

I then prepared my bag, I painted stripes inside the bag with my gel colour to create a streaky look on the icing, as I didn't want a solid colour, and then I filled my piping bag with my white buttercream.

Then, I piped out rosettes on the side, and then the top. I filled in with swoops of the same streaky icing, and this is my finished product.  I am pretty pleased with it - it's kinda messy - as I was working quickly to avoid a 4yr olds help.... so from the time I started piping to finishing, was about 5 minutes (give or take a bit).  Next time, I know that if I take my time it will come out much more finished looking , and I will be able to fill in the open spots too.!

Now, onto pictures - please don't mind the fact that the cake was cut into before pictures were taken.... I could not remember where I had placed the camera.....
Top of Cake


the icing colour effect I was aiming for

Friday, January 27, 2012

Date night with my Big Little Man

Julien's school hosted a movie night last night - they showed Kung Fu Panda 2 in the gym.  It was free (well, it cost a donation to the food cupboard - I had a half pack of unopened diapers that Kyle has outgrown, and a couple boxes of lipton soup/kraft dinner that we brought with us).  They did have refreshments for a small fee $1.50 for a small bag of kernels popcorn, and $0.50 for a juice box.

They had some yoga mats on the floor, and lots of people brought sleeping bags/pillows/blankets. I happened to run into my best friend, who was their with her sister and niece, so we were able to sit together!

It was an enjoyable way to spend a date night with my guy!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

crazy crying woman at the grocery store - that was me

So this has been a week of bad news....it's been rough.  I was at the grocery store this morning, and the song "dance with my father again" by Luther Vandros, came on .... it had me near tears. Well, i had tears, but I was able to blink them away.

For those of you that don't know, my Father died when I was a teenager - so that song is dear to my heart - and while I really like the song, it can be hard for me to listen to.

rough week

Have you ever heard the saying the bad things happen in 3's? Over the weekend, I found out that a highschool classmate of mine had died in a snowmobile accident; yesterday, I was told that a co-worker of mine and his wife lost their baby; so now I am waiting to hear of another death.

My thoughts and prayers go out to both the families, and I can only wish that they can find some way to work through their grief.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

I need help - tips, advice...

My oldest has never liked to have his hair washed. As an infant, I dreaded bath time because I knew it would be met with screams that would last for a long time afterwards.

As he got older, he did outgrow his hatred of the tub - but not his fear of having his hair washed. He hates water on his face/head/hair.  Up until recently, I have been able to convince him to let me wash his hair (it would take some cajoling, but I got it done) however - recently I can't even convince him to let me near him . I have tried using the removable shower head, a cup of water, a container; I have given him a cloth to put over his face, lean back, lie back whatever I can think of with no positive outcome.

This week, he had food stuck in his hair (thanks to a younger brother that likes to grab and pull with messy hands) and Iwasn't able to convince him - so i pretty much had to hold him against the wall of the shower while I threw water on his head. I didn't evne get shampoo in his hair, just water - enough to get out the dried on food......

Help me please....any advice would be wonderful

spending time with the kiddo's

My new year's resolution this year is to take time with my children. I am pretty much a SAHM, so you would think I have lots of time with them...and I do. BUT - I am trying to get the laundry done, meals cooked, clothes put away, beds made, kitchen tidied up etc etc.

My goal for this year is to focus on my children more; no more saying "give me 10 minutes to do xyz".  I have known for a long time that my oldest needs lots of 1-1 time. If he doesn't get it, he starts to go wild and act out. If I just take the time with him to play the game he wants to play, then I can often get 30 minutes to do what needs to be done.

However, if I try to get my stuff done and put him off for 30 minutes, it doesn't work - and we both end up frustrated and as much as I hate to admit, I lose my patience.

What are your New Years resolutions - do you even make them?

Sunday, January 15, 2012

are you bored?

If your bored, or wanting to kill some time - give the Impossible Quiz a try. Some of the answers are so obvious you feel silly for not getting it right away, and some of them don't make any sense at all

Impossible Quiz

Saturday, January 14, 2012

breastfeeding

OIK - I have posted many times what a supporter I am of breastfeeding. I nursed my oldest until he was 13.5 mths old, and at 16.5mths I am still nursing my youngest.

Not only do I enjoy the time I have with him while we are nursing, I know that the health benefits (for both him and I) are amazing. I have no idea when I will stop nursing, I never set a concrete time in my head, I just set my minimum goal for 6mths. Once I hit that, I take it 1 day at a time and see what works for our family. Since Kyle only really nurses after morning wake up and before bed, the odd time overnight, or before a nap if I am around, it is still working for us.

I was absolutely flabbergasted when I watched this vlog and heard what comment a PEDIATRICIAN made to this mother about nursing her 13mth old daughter. I really cannot believe that it would come out of anyone's mouth - let alone a medical professional that must KNOW about the health benefits...

So, here it is - feel free to watch the video (approx 15 minutes in length) and leave a comment with your thoughts.
open letter to pediatrician - vlog

Friday, January 13, 2012

kids and clothes

Do you care what your children wear? Presumably if it is in their closet, you are theoretically ok with them wearing it. But do you care how it is put together?

If colours clash; or if the pants don't match the shirt etc? What about Pyjama's - would you let your young child wear them to school?

ODS decided today that he wanted to wear his pj's to school (they were clean, he changed into them this morning) and I tried to talk him out of it gently, but when I realized that it was going to be a meltdown decided that I would just send him.

He came home and said all of his friends loved his batman cape!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

rules for dad's with daughters

This link will take you to a blog where the dad writes about 50 rules for dad's of daughters.

#15 really resonated with me - my father used to dance with me all the time - and unfortunately, he died when I was 14 so we didn't get to dance together at my wedding. But I cherish the memories I have of dancing together when I was young

http://www.fromdatestodiapers.com/50-rules-for-dads-of-daughters

Friday, January 6, 2012

Ride for Heart

This year, Becel is sponsoring the Heart & Stroke foundations Ride for Heart - which will take place on June 3, 2012. The Ride for Heart has been happening for 25 years, and the intent is to raise money for the heart & stroke foundation.

In doing so, it helps to raise money for research and to enable preventable programs.

Check out Ride for Heart for more information, to register or to donate!

My father had a heart attack at the age of 47, and he didn't survive - so this is definitely a foundation that is near and dear to me.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year!

Well, I guess first I should start off with Merry Christmas - and an apology for being so delinquent with my blog.

The a/c adaptor to my laptop died, and I rarely have time to get on the desktop - so here I am, after New Years coming to update on the last few weeks.

December was a crazy month for us - all of us have been sick at least 1x, but it seems to be sticking around.

Christmas was fun, but I ended up with a stomach flu that night that had me out for a couple days - thankfully, no one else seemed to pick up that bug.  The boys enjoyed all the Christmas festivities, and had lots of fun opening their stockings and gift from santa!

New Years Eve was spent watching Canada against the USA in the IIHF World Jr's Hockey tournament....(good luck for the rest of the tournament guys) and playing go fish and war with Julien. We ordered pizza and spent the evening in. Unfortunately, with all of us still fighting off our virus, we didn't make it to midnight.

Maybe next year.

All of my giveaways have come to and end, but now that the craziness of December and Christmas is behind us, I am hoping to get a couple more started in the next few weeks.