How much can you jam into your weekend?

This weekend we::

                  :: had a hula hooping party (stay tuned for a hula hoop making tutorial!)

:: went on a fairy quest at the RBG, where the kids were given the names primula hollyhock and weaval spiderwick by the fairy godmother and then she sprinkled them with fairy dust...this thrilled Ava to no end!

                                              :: got faces painted by the fairies

                                                 :: hit a couple different splash pads

:: learned to walk the balance beam...Anthony now thinks he qualifies for a spot in the circus...I don't know about the circus but watch out jersey shore

                           :: went to the Westfield Heritage Village for their annual Ice Cream Festival

                                                 :: got our faces painted AGAIN!

                                              :: ate huge amounts of cotton candy

:: watched an amazing vaudeville show by Kobbler Jay

:: spotted these adorable little girls having an old fashioned picnic in the shade...complete with tea cups and needlework

:: looks disgusting I admit...but the highlight of the ice cream festival for me were these pickles.  They were the MOST delicious thing I ate all weekend......I actually passed up the ice cream in favour of the pickles....sick I know but well worth the swollen ankles from all the sodium!

Yes we crammed a lot into this long weekend and it did result in very tired and cranky children (and parents) but it was so much fun along the way.  

FIVE!!!!!

Five years ago today we welcomed this sweet babe into our lives.  

I remember looking down at her, so tiny in my arms, and wondering who she would become and not even understanding how this little being would even grow out of being a baby.   

I had no clue how truly blessed we would be to have Ava in our lives and just how much our lives would change because of her.  

She is such a joy, so brave, thoughtful and caring.  I love her facial expressions and her infectious giggle.  Ava has a way of telling even the most boring of  stories that will have you rolling on the floor laughing (she must get that from me).  We are so lucky to have this little 5 year old in our lives.  

We get to spend the day today doing what she has chosen.  Pancakes with nutella, Niagara Falls, Rainforest Cafe and to top it all off....the circus!  

Happy Birthday Ava.....you are now a WHOLE HAND!

(and yes I bawled my eyes out the entire time I wrote this post!) 

Look who's got a new camper!

Barbie....thats who!
 

highlights from our camping trip::

:: is it wrong to be jealous of barbie?

"eating fruitloops" was the BEST part of camping...according to Ava

The kids and I were sad to see the end of our camping adventure and are already planning the next one!

{this moment}

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

wasn't that a party?

Today we.....

                                 :: celebrated the birthdays of Ava and my nephew Isaiah

                                              :: spent a lot of time swimming in the pool

                                                      :: got a little TOO much sun

                                                              :: rocked the speedo

                                                                   :: killed the pinata

                                                :: devoured the most delicious cake

                                            :: and cake pops ( looked gross...tasted great!)

                                                  :: cooled off with watermelon

                                                         :: got some noisy gifts

                                                          :: and some peaceful ones

       :: acted like crazy animals...what would a party be without unsafe pool behaviour??

                                          :: and were basically all around ADORABLE!

holla.. it's a birthday party!

My dear sweet Ava is turning 5 (I know, I know...where has the time gone!) and I have been deep in prep mode for the first of her  many birthday celebrations.

  She specifically requested a maxi dress for the occasion, so using this shirring tutorial I got to work and made this adorable dress along with

matching hair barrets using fabric covered buttons hot glued to dollar store clips.  I sense a new obsession budding!

Tonight I got to work on ruffled streamers to hang for festive decor...I used this tutorial from Dana's amazing blog MADE.

On the list for tomorrow:: putting loot bags together, ordering balloons, pre-chopping veggies and making cake pops.

I am a bit nervous about attempting these (I have been procrastinating.... they were supposed to be made last week and frozen for the big day but  fresh is best right?)  I am going to follow these instructions from the woman who created them herself, Bakerella...how can I go wrong.

wish me luck.... i will most definitely need it!

thanks for picking!....

..We are a strawberry obsessed family... usually Anthony eats a little basket himself!   Since I have such fond memories of going picking with my grandma and we have the NEED for berries,  I thought it would be fun to take Ava to Murphy's farm in Binbrook for a little mother-daughter bonding session.

Ava was up for the challenge and grabbed a big basket that she was sure she was going to fill in no time flat...in fact was pretty cocky about the whole thing!

She was meticulous about finding the "perfect berry" and had to show me each one she put in her basket.

She picked and picked until she just couldn't even "stand it one minute more"....she was so "tired and sweating like a BIRD".  Guess  how many berries she picked until she had her "sweating like a bird" meltdown.

15

To be fair, the strawberries were very tiny and few and far between because we are nearing the very end of the season.

We decided to combine our efforts and see if we could just try and fill one basket and guess what....Tadah

....look at all of those delicious berries.  My intention is to make some sort of jam (like last year) but I'm sure they will be snatched up by little hands before I even get to it.

On our way out we drove past these adorable signs hanging on posts

this one says "have a berry nice day"

Ava thought the best part of the adventure was when we drove past this sign

and of course she added "your nose" to the end.  She thought that was the most hilarious thing she had ever heard and laughed about it all the way home.

A good time was had by all....well ...my back hurts and Ava NEVER wants to go back again but by next strawberry season all of those complaints will be forgotten and I'm sure you will find us back in the berry patch trying to fill our baskets.

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!