Happy Birthday Baby!

Every year I get to write these birthday posts and every they change just a little bit but the message is always the same.

This year its a little bit different because this year I say good bye to single digits forever. No more kids under the age of 10 in this house.

Its a milestone for all of us. Gone are the “little kids” here to stay are the young ladies.

This Monster of mine has shown me that good things come in small packages. Always the smallest of my bunch her heart exceeds the size of her body. She never fails to pitch in whenever is needed. She’s our joker who never fails to illicit a giggle from all of us no matter how hard the day might have been.

Her love for animals is second to none and I cannot wait to tell her later today how I’ve worked it out that she will get to go spend time with the animals at our local shelter. She’s not old enough yet to be a full volunteer ( you have to be 18 for that) but when I explained to the head of the volunteers that she wants to be an SPCA worker or a vet when she grows up he worked it out that so long as a parent is with her she can go and help socialize the animals that need someone. She is going to be so excited.

So with that happy thought I am off to wish my youngest a very happy 10th birthday!

Until Tomorrow…

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Deep Freeze Is Almost Over…

So yesterday was definitely a better day with the temperature. Meaning it was a better day for me and my legs. It wasn’t too bad at the store for the most part either. The door stayed closed and it stayed relatively warm.

Plugging away on my new blanket last night after watching some episodes of Fringe. We decided to restarted the series as we haven’t seen season 5 but haven’t watched the show in a while. Snuggle time with my kids is definitely the highlight of my day.

Here’s hoping today goes smoothly.

Until Tomorrow…

Scrubbies!

Yesterday could have been better. The frigid temperatures in Toronto made being outside almost unbearable. I kept the kids home simply because the walk home would have been brutal on the kids. They don’t take days off very often so one day isn’t going to hurt. They are back at it today.

The cold and I did not get along very well either. The door to the store kept blowing open which meant the store was constantly cold. Which in turn meant my legs hurt nearly all day. By the time I got home all I had left was enough to get me into my bed. Lucky for me it meant snuggles with two of three of my kids. The third was already asleep due to a headache. Poor kid is just like me in that regard with weather headaches but she knows herself and will go sleep it off and wake up better for it.

I did get a couple of cute scrubbies made yesterday. Just one of those things I wanted to try they made up fast and I think they turned out cute. Started a blanket last night too only because I couldn’t sit at my sewing table. Hope to get back there tonight.

Today should be a lot warmer but I’m bringing a blanket just in case. 😉

Until Tomorrow…

Thoughts, Teens & Totes

Yesterday started off a bit slower paced work wise than most days do which was fine because it made up for the hectic nature of the first day back to school after break. I swear there’s always something.

I did however have the unique chance to read a blog post from one of my author friends yesterday morning, which I naturally wouldn’t do until much later in the day when all of a sudden something she said triggered a rush of plot ideas and I felt a spark like I haven’t felt in months. More on that tid bit later. For those of you who read my books I promise you will like this.

I also came to the conclusion that raising a teen is like trying to herd cats with a water hose. They spit and hiss and act like they want to tear your eyes out and the second you think you’ve got them going in the right direction they find somewhere to flop down after knock over a mug of coffee and two planters on the way by. Yep did not have a good afternoon with my teen. Arguing about everything. Love her to death but jeepers she drives me screwy some days. Least we had a good heart to heart before she went to bed. Both feel better for it I think.

I did finish the tote I started the night before. Although I’m not entirely happy with how the fray came out so I may have to work it a bit more before I call it complete.

And I think that will conclude my run with denim for a while. Going to start working on the other projects I have up to finish. Who knows what’ll get done tonight.

Until tomorrow…

Snow Day

I swear the snow is endless this winter. I shoveled so much yesterday and I’m sure I’ll be shoveling more tonight.

Was an slow day at the store. I did however get a lot done in terms of paperwork and our customer list. By the time I had left the snow was coming down like no tomorrow so it took me a little longer to get home. No problem really. I don’t mind driving in the snow and icy rains but its the other folks on the road that worry me. Some days I wonder how people get their licenses.

Came home and played the second major expansion for Settlers of Catan called Seafarers of Catan. It was a very enjoyable game.

After dinner I got down to making and finishing a couple of things that I / we needed. A wash cloth and a denim zipper pouch were complete and the next bag I’m making is about half done so fat.

Here’s hoping today goes well and that the snow storm brings out a whole lot of people!

Until Tomorrow…

Sewing Up Loose Ends…

The store was fairly jumping yesterday. That meant the day went by pretty quickly. Kids were out at rehearsal for most of the day and then the rest they were at a birthday party for our lovely next door neighbours daughter. So that meant I got some quality time with the hubby to run some errands and then home for some pizza and a movie.

We almost never can agree on movies. He likes the funny sappy ones. Me I prefer the action packed thrillers. Quite the odd couple we are in that regards but for whatever reason we settled on The Vow starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams. Great sappy romance. We both completely enjoyed it. A word to the wise though, grab your kleenex box before settling in to watch this one.

By the time the kids got home I had finished off their new tube scarves. I had made the younger two theirs a few months ago but my eldest’s I had started last weekend. All were finished tonight and they were most impressed with them. I’m sure they will appreciate them more as they head back to walking to school tomorrow.

Until Tomorrow…

My Late Night Therapy Session

So last night I didn’t write. Got everything else on my list of things to do done really but I didnt write one single word. Only simply because I ended up with my hands neck deep in another idea. One that I think turned out pretty dammed cute.

I up-cycled an old pair of my jeans into a cute purse. I had seen the idea on Pintrest or somewhere and thought I would give it a shot. I couldn’t find a pattern for it. Not that I really looked that hard however. I am sure that you could find one if you really looked, but I rather went by feel and how I thought it should go together. It was very therapeutic to make something with my hands. I love the one-of-a-kind feeling of everything I make. There rarely are two things that I make that exactly alike.

I didn’t start this until after the kids went to bed. Actually was cutting the legs off as they were hugging me goodnight wondering what in heavens name I was up to this time. That being said after three and a half hours of sewing I went to bed a wee bit later than I thought I would but none the less I think it was completely worth it.

Until tomorrow…

 

Cold & Blustery Day

So day one of the back to the grind wasn’t exactly how I had imagined it to be. I mean it was actually better than I had originally thought it would be. See the nasty cold turned out to be even more brutal than I had envisioned it to be. So I expected a slow day at the store and a chance to get some things caught up. That however was not the case at all. I swear that the nasty weather always brings out the customers. No clue why but every nasty-good-idea-to-stay-home day they come flying out of the wood-works.

That being said there was a steady stream of frosty customers to help and the time between I kept up with the other daily things I need to take care of paperwork wise, and got a few blog posts for my writing blog done as well. All in all it was an immensely productive day one I came home feeling satisfied with.

Scott and the girls understandably stayed home and the house miraculously wasn’t a mess when I walked in the door. Even though they decided to build the gingerbread houses that our friend Mae dropped over for Christmas. And even better everyone seemed to be getting along and no one was in a bad mood. Which again almost felt like a miracle. Heres hoping the four of them can make it through the day today with the same general outcome. Would be nice to come home tonight and finally get to watch Man of Steel with them before bed.

Oh well… should be off for now.

Until Tomorrow…

 

A Stitch In Time

So last year wasn’t one of the greatest for me. I mean don’t get me wrong I had a lot of wonderful and great things happen to but as much as the year seemed to give it also seemed to take away just as much. There was a lot of hard lessons learned and I take knew knowledge and personal growth with me into the new year but honestly I found myself relieved that the year was over and that a fresh brand spanking new one was just around the corner.

I know that reality states that the only thing that really changed was the date on the calender and there is still much fallout to deal with from 2013 but somehow in my heart I know this year is going to be different. I’m going to use the things that 2013 taught me to make it work to my advantage. I am going to meet 2014 head on. (cue Katy Perrys “Roar“)

One of the big things that I lost last year was my writing time. I haven’t written properly for over a year now and its breaking my heart. So that’s a big thing on my list of things to get back to doing on a regular basis. Even if it is only a couple hundred words a day I know I have to get myself back into it. May take a while to rekindle the fire that once burned and I am ok with that. I am going to make sure that I make the time to write just a bit every day.

Another thing that I completely let slide is my blogging. I used to blog almost daily on both my blogs and some of it had to do with my writing but this blog here was therapeutic for me as much as it was a window into my life for those around me. That is another thing that I am going to work on making sure I make time to do every day. Again another thing that I am going to make time for on a regular basis.

Time with my husband and kids isn’t always going to be in abundance as we step into the new year and although none of us is very happy about it we also have found some new things that we can do together regularly that cost us no money but give us quality time together.

And the last thing I am going to be working on is my budget and expenses. I have to get back into cooking and baking from scratch. That in itself is where the biggest monetary loss is. (Not to mention everyone misses the stuff I make) We eat fast convenient food that is no where near appetizing for us but rather eat it because its easy. Not going to continue down that path anymore. There really isn’t any excuse considering I have three excellent cooks/bakers in training that would be more than happy to pitch in. (Actually yesterday they were a great help as I went through and put together a whole bunch of ready made meals for the next week or so) .

Today its back to the daily grind for me. Scott is home with the kids, they were planning on going skating but its going to be a chilly one so that’s probably not going to happen, so hopefully they will get lost in another game of Settlers of Catan and chill out watching some movies.

Until tomorrow…

 

Happy 2014!!

Happy New Years To You!

YES YOU!

I have been very blessed to have had some wonderful followers who are loyal to this blog ! I cannot even begin to thank you enough!

I am going to be doing some awesome new things with this blog and cannot wait to share them with you! (Come back tomorrow for some more awesomeness!!)

And from every square inch of my heart I wish you all the best for the coming year!

Allison