summertime, and the living is easy!

Today was Ava's last day of school...wooohoooo!!!

last day of school

first day of school

It is so hard for me to understand how she was able to learn and grow so much since September.  I loved listening to her teach Anthony what she had learned each day... it worked like the game "telephone", by the time the information went from the teacher , through Ava and then to Anthony it was hilariously distorted with Ava's dramatic spin on it.

I also learned a lot this year::  that I have a harder time sticking to the school schedule than the kids, that making friends in the schoolyard saved my sanity (thanks Holly and Trish), that leaving homework to the last minute really does cause a lot of undue stress,  that kids really do repeat EVERYTHING (I dread to think of the stories Ava regaled her class with if the stories that she brought home were any indication) and the list goes on and on.

For her end of year gifts Ava worked really hard on concept, design and decoration of all of her gifts ( I was the manual labourer throughout the process)

She chose to make a new mystery bag for her teacher

And pencil rolls and personalized journals for her good friends.  I just loved watching her creative process....very inspiring.

And now on to the summer!!!! 
We have already fallen into a very relaxed summer routine.....walk, library, local treats, art supplies and home for a movie....the perfect afternoon.
We plan to take it really easy this summer with tons of

swinging and park playing

picnicking

lounging

watching this new mom and her babes

and oh so much more!

{this moment}

my budding blogger

Joining amanda and friends in "this moment"...capturing a moment from the week that I want to cherish and hold onto. 

Happy first day of summer!

We brought in the summer in style::

buon giorno signorina

I am dropping off these dresses and bonnets at Little Bird so you can also spend the summer in style!

super versatile dresses made from vintage pillowcases

I'm not revealing the inside...you will have to go into Little Bird and check them out (really really adorable!!!)

Proof!

I have suspected for some while now that my kids are picking the foods they like based on its name (am i the last mother on the face of the earth to figure this out?). I now have proof.  On my kick of providing healthy snacks for the family (BORING) I decided to make a batch of  "healthy" brownies late last night to surprise the kids for breakfast.

brownies after the kids were attacking them

I found this recipe at red cordial revolution for black bean brownies that are gluten free and full of nutrition.  Okay, I followed the recipe exactly and guess what.....GROSS++++++. The texture, taste and smell of these "brownies" were off the charts disgusting according to both Sri and I.

PROOF... The next day the kids spotted the "brownies" (which I had left out thinking that they may get better if they sat out for a bit) and were so excited.  They gobbled and gobbled these black bean beauties until their little stomachs were hurting from all the beanieness.  I am hoping I can carry this charade on for a little while longer....it feels good to know they are eating a little healthier .....I also enjoy feeling like i have amazing willpower "look at me....i have this whole pan of brownies sitting on my counter and I am not even tempted to touch them!"  I literally gag every time I look at them!

Does anyone out there have a black bean brownie recipe that actually tastes good? I could really use one!

open streets=lots of free treats!

Here is a look at the highlights of our fabulous day enjoying Open Streets Hamilton

We watched many men struggle to walk in their heels for the  walk a mile in her shoes event

spotted super celebrities Hal &Joanne of Body Break fame

found an amazing maze made out of sticks

watched my kids destroy the maze (obviously there isn't a picture of me on my hands and knees crawling around and putting  it all back together)

spent and obscene amount of time watching kids flip off of their skateboards

danced in the streets? NOOOO... that is fighting!!!

sat on the curb.....and ate FREE hotdogs!

laughed hysterically every time this guy rode past us

learned how to::

silkscreen

hulahoop

and zumba!

 and to top it all off ..... smelling flowers?  NOOOOO....picking ants off of peonies and flinging them at his sister!

Can't wait until next year...thanks Hamilton for another great event!

list making

Yes I admit it...I LOVE LISTS.   Not iphone lists or computer lists....I love pen to paper (especially little bits of scrap paper!) lists.  I make them continually. I make lists of lists and prioritize the lists.  Yes this is a complete procrastination technique but it also leads up to my most favourite part of the lists....crossing things off of lists.  I don't just draw a line through or tick off each completed task...I scribble over the line so that you can't even read  what it said.  Today my friends, I was able to scribble two custom orders off of my list

ONE

:: a drawstring bag filled with alphabet bean bags....fun and educational!


TWO
                                       
:: 3 very adorable bonnets for Lisa (hope you like them!)

I was also able to cross off bask in the sun, go on a long walk and watch the kids have fun in the pool......but have no pictures to show for it!

{this moment}

it was a really good way to get anthony to sit still for a little bit!

Joining amanda and friends in "this moment"...capturing a moment from the week that I want to cherish and hold onto.  

around here::

It has been oh so busy around here::

:: I've been getting all professional.... business cards printed by copydog on James St N (quick, friendly and reasonably priced with lots of eco-friendly options)

:: working on tons of custom orders...keep'em coming ( I am loving all of your fabric choices!)

:: learning to skip... FRONTWARDS!!!!

:: making and eating batches and batches of these crackers accompanied apparently by....

sunscreen!

:: glamming up to burn sparklers in broad daylight...long after the long weekend

:: training my newest and first employee

::tending to those in this house who keep passing the same stinkin virus back and forth

:: and finally.......SEWING SEWING SEWING.  Tons up bonnets, dresses, diaper bum pants and aprons will be up in the shop soon........watch for updates!

{this moment}

teamwork:: one plays while the other works the pedals

Joining Amanda and friends in {This Moment}:  A Friday ritual. A single photo  capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember 

da dada dahhhh!

Mission Completed! I figured out the snap press ( although i was just reminded of my genius status by my cousin laura...of bee bonnet fame....so it is no wonder i figured it out so quickly :)  and the snaps looks so adorable..........................

click to enlarge and see the cuteness of the snaps

on BOTH sides of these reversible bibs! WOO HOO!

special delivery

If you are a fan of my adorable bibs sold at Little Bird, you are in for some big changes!!  We are switching from velcro closures to snaps....applause!!!!!

                     Yay! my new snap pliers from KamSnaps arrived in the mail today

along with a thousand little unlabelled baggies of snap pieces and tools

Only one little glitch.......NO INSTRUCTIONS!  I am hoping it isn't too hard to figure out...how hard could it be? 

rhubarb!

                      our first rhubarb of the season (from Ottawa St Farmer's Market).

Can't wait to make this recipe for rhubarb soda (via Soulemama).... I have been dreaming about it since last rhubarb season, when I may have slightly overdosed on it!  This year I am going to be smart and freeze some rhubarb so that I can have Rhubarb soda and Ruby Jane's all year long.

Do you believe in magic?

I DO! 

I am so hoping that when I wake up in the morning this pile of fabric will have magically transformed into bonnets, pants, tote bags, skirts and dresses for the Mayfair.   A  fundraiser for the Westdale Children’s School on Sat. May 28th from 11-3pm @ the Aviary in Westdale.  I am so excited to be a part of this event and learn more about the school...it sounds like something I could really get into.

Okay, I am off to do some sewing before the James NOrth Art Crawl tonight.....if you see some fabric in the pile and have an idea for it let me know. I need some inspiration!

Happy Mother's Day:: re-post

**lazy....I know....  but this mother's day post from last year has re-inspired me to make a difference...to take my "roar" and use it! 

I just can't get enough of Anthony's "smiling" face!

July 19th 2006 I became a mother.  I was given a gift (my daughter.... and later a son) that takes my breath away at every turn.  Something changed in me that day and until recently I had a very hard time putting my finger on what it was... of course I knew the obvious.... I was more responsible and softer hearted but it was something deeper than that.  One day while reading one of my favourite blogs, The Blankie Chronicles I came across a post that put into words exactly what I was feeling.  It discussed the idea that as mothers we have a "desire to protect and care for not just our babies, but all children" and that we have a" protective roar that can turn the world upside down".

       This was the change that I had felt...it was the overwhelming feeling that I wanted to protect all children....the ones I saw without proper winter clothing, those that were getting publicly screamed at by their parents, those that were too young to be playing out on the street late at night and the list goes on and on.      

       This mother's day brings much appreciation for my two wonderful children and the joy and excitement that  they bring to my life everyday.  This mother's day I am also thankful for the awareness of this feeling  that I am part of larger whole.... a force of MOTHERS....who can collectively change the world with their "roar".  I am going to work hard to harness this "roar" in my community to make a change...a change that will hopefully make a difference in the lives of the children who really need it.  

Thank you Kate for the inspiration and Happy Mother's Day to you and all the other mothers out there!!

this moment

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember via Soulemama.

serious bookbinders avert your eyes

       The kids found this phone in the basement the other day and it became an instant hit.  Ava has been wandering around the house with it having hilarious conversations and scribbling down random numbers on any little piece of paper she can find....she actually panic whispers to me "get me some paper quick!" on a regular basis.  A little tired of picking up these papers with phantom phone numbers on them I decided that we would make a few notebooks using this fantastic video tutorial by angry chicken (an awesome blog!).
    
 We got to work on them right after dinner tonight and I must say that I am totally impressed...they came together very easily and Ava's art work on the cover put it over the top adorable.

I chose this picture to not only showcase her notebook but look at those TIGHTS...

Ava chose to add an envelope to the back of her book as suggested by Amy just in case she had some "secret numbers".....really!?!

Since the kids have gone to bed I have made 5 more notebooks.....obsessive? creative? inspired? PROCRASTINATOR!!!!

Word of warning to family and close friends: she is asking for phone numbers to write in her book and she intends on using them...luckily she hasn't found out how to make her phone functional yet...YET!