moments in the mommyhood - just breathe

i'm taking it easy today.  i've got 2 kiddos with colds and now despite my best "i'm not gonna get this efforts" i've got the cold too. we're going to rest up and keep getting ready for the holidays.  my family is due to arrive in town tomorrow and we're very excited to have them here for christmas.  it's been a long time since i've been able to celebrate christmas with them and we're very excited!

i've got 2 big family dinners to  plan as well as a christmas day brunch, baking and holiday snack making and we're still decorating...lol.  i've got xmas pressies to finish making/blocking and shopping for!  and in the meantime we've been making sure to stop and take time to be thankful to live in such a beautiful place to see views like the one above.  we stopped and watched this cloud/sun formation for at least 15 minutes on the weekend and i swear it soothed my soul.  it was like a warm, soft energy that was more calming to me than anything i could think of.  i made the hubs jump out of the car and take 100 pics of this gorgeous cloud over our giant ocean with the soft creamy glow softly whisping down from the sky to light up and bronze the dark, cool waters below.  it was magical and soooo what we both needed to see.

i hope you are all able to find a sense of calm amidst the craziness of the holiday season right now.  take a minute to envision a "happy place" of your own and try to remember to take a breath and enjoy some of it.  i know it's tough cause i'm just as much of a stresscase at this time of year too but honestly, i just keeping putting this pic up on my screen and trying to remember to just soak it all in and breathe.  just breathe.

what are you all busy crafting?  are you getting the week before xmas crazies? remember you can come and chat in our facebook group, here in the comments below and also in our ravelry group for "christmas knitting 911 - your holiday crafting support group".  we're all in this together :)  coffee's on....wanna chat?

moments in the mommyhood - view from the daddyhood

daddy and the camera have struck again..lol.  j took the kids out on the weekend for a good ol'run around at the park.  this is the evidence of their fun.  eating dirt, jumping in mud, swinging their hearts out, and just plain good ol'daddy & me time.  i love seeing these pics and they are even more fun to find on the camera later when i don't know they are on there.

our little harper is sure a mischievous one just like her big sister.  that humorous spirit runs strong in this one...lol.  she's always looking and watching and soaking it all in......

and mackenzie, well she is mackenzie.  always up for a good adventure, some fun and lots of laughs.  she never ceases to amaze me with her energy and her big smile!  always up to mischief this one..but good mischief.

we've had a rough few days around here.  you know those days where little things just keep driving ya nuts or going wrong? yep..had a few of those around here.  oh well...i figure after a few days of that must mean some good things are coming my way! i had to pull a few sarah jessica parker moments from "how does she do it" scenarios but we survived and i feel a bit proud of myself for making it through...gibbled back and all.  now to make it to the weekend.

we're coming up on jer's exam on friday and boy am i counting down the days.  it feels like this last module of studying he's been doing has taken forever.  crawled by to be exact.  i managed to get almost all of my xmas cards done yesterday though...a miracle as i had to address them with both kiddos helping and trying to allow them to be involved without destroying my cards or pictures.  what an adventure that was to say the least.  now to finish the holiday crafting/shopping.....hopefully :) i can't believe it's only like 11 days left till xmas! seriously?  when did this happen?

how's your week been so far?  any of you having "one of those days" too?  let's commiserate together..lol.  have you been holiday crafting? what are you making?  let's chat, this momma could use the company today.

p.s. thank you to all my loyal and lovely readers for being there for me this morning.  you all know who you are and i wish you could all know how much your comments meant to me.  i love this blog and i love all of you and i hope we can continue to be honest and open with each other and that this remains a happy place to share in our good days and bad days of mommyhood :)  big hugs to you all!

moments in the mommyhood - i heart the snail mail

one thing some of you may know about me is that i love mail.  real mail.  snail mail.  post office mail.  don't get me wrong...i love getting emails to my inbox too but there is something so exciting and invigorating about getting surprise packages or awaiting a goodie that's coming your way.  even my kids get involved in the excitement.  we look forward to checking our mailbox everyday.  yes, even when it's only a few times a year that packages come...we still like that "ya never know" vibe about mail :)  it always brings a giant smile to my face..unless of course it's a bill.  those can stay somewhere else..lol.

 
 the other day an awesome, awesome, awesome pressie came in the mail from my lovely bloggy pal lindsay of the "the cottage home".  i heart lindsay.  she knows me so well.  i was doing jumps and squeals all over the house when i opened this puppy up.  i mean seriously!  how could a person not get excited when a package containing a sarah london book, lotta jansdotter fabric, an adorable TURQUOISE needle case, fabulous trims, fabric from ellen luckett baker's (of the long thread) new line, the most adorable sized charm pack from aneela hoey "walk in the woods" line...and see that melody miller fabric..i've been lusting after those prints for ages!  i need to cover my house in the dish one!  LOVE IT!  i can hardly contain myself just typing about it all....i'm drooling everywhere looking at my own pics.  i think i need to get out more...but anyhoo...it made my month.  you rock lindsay!  i luv ya to bits! thank you soooo much! i cannot WAIT to be able to sew again and use all these lovely, inspiring goodies!  wanna see?

i love how this shot makes the fabric look like puzzle pieces!!

 besides acting like complete dorks when the mail person comes we've also been enjoying our xmas tree...dressed up with some vintage sheet goodness - don't worry, i couldn't bear to cut into that lovely sheet, i simply wrapped it around the tree.  we're low maintenance like that around here.  that's how we roll peeps.

and what's that on our tv??? that's right...the holiday fireplace.  we are the losers who put the holiday fireplace on tv when we actually have a fireplace.  hahaha...i know...weird right?  but i love watching it on the tv and the sound....delicious.  i get all warm and toasty just thinking about it.  i will also admit to being hopelessly addicted to watching for "the arm".  you all know what i'm talking about..at least the people who live where you can watch holiday fireplace...the arm that comes out once in a blue moon to stoke, poke and put wood on the fire.  it's a thrill i tell ya.  we all hoot and holler in our house whenever it happens.  the kids love it. in fact i took a pic of it just to prove what a loser i really am...lol and that the arm does in fact exist and he's wearing plaid this year!  i imagine a handsome, rugged hottie behind that arm...just lounging there with a cup of hot cocoa with my name on it :P



we also are attempting to up the dork factor even more by wearing these wayyyyy too much around the house..especially me.  and no, i will not show you a pic of me wearing mine...lol.

i've got some holiday crafts in the works to show you all next week, another fab giveaway as well as a fun guest post on saturday from me!  so stay tuned ladies!  so...tell me...what have you been up to this week?  are you "dorking" it up for the holidays?  am i alone in this?  are you a closet mail lover?  anyone else crushing on surprise packages as much as me?  chat it up girls! you know i love hearing from you :)

moments in the mommyhood - the end of the 'stache is near!

oh ya...it's that big folks.  that giant, hairy thing above my hubbies mouth is his mustache.  it's nasty...and guess what..this pic is from a week ago at least!  ohhhh.....god...it creeps me out so bad ladies.  each night when he falls asleep all i want to do is shave it off.  i did study barbering in hairdressing school so maybe he wouldn't even notice me doing it?? 

he keeps threatening me that he's not going to shave it off....i'm scared folks...scared.  this momma is shakin' in her boots!

i mean look, even the kids are scared of the thing!!!

we had a good friend come and stay with us the other weekend and my hubby and him so sweetly took the kids out all day one day so i could get some serious rest for my back.  these are all pics they brought back for me to find on the camera.  they also brought me back starbucks, dinner, and some ps3 games to play!  how awesome are they?

we love it when visitors come to stay at chateau cook...lol!

i love these shots of big sis helping little sis.  rare moments that these two are getting along and not fighting.  oh man am i nervous for when these two are teenagers.

i even got to check out some pics of mack whooping it up at her soccer game.  cold...but fun!

i love how happy she looks here..

and i'm dying to know what caused the look on the kids faces!  maybe it was the shock of the size of my hubbies mustache??? i'm so thankful it's so very close to december 1st and i can have my non-porn star, non dirty cop, non creepy man hubby back...hahahaha....sorry hun :P

so what about you guys?  did the rest of you manage to survive movember?  are you all as happy as i am to see the hairy caterpillars go?  let's chat 'stache mo'sistas!

p.s....for all you sewing lovers i've got a great and oh, so talented guest poster coming on next week with a to die for tutorial!  so stay tuned...i  haven't forgotten about you all.  i figured since i can't sew right now i would enlist the help of others to help feed your habit!

moments in the mommyhood - surviving movember

i'm taking a low key day today but i'll be back tomorrow with a carefree cowl knit along post and a special mommyhood 911. i'm still on bedrest here and it looks like i'm on the down low for a while...i'll fill you ladies in on that later though :) in the meantime you guys know that one of my fave things about my hubs is the little surprises he leaves me on our camera.  he likes to take the kidlets on saturdays for me to give me a break to rest and sew (lately it's been mostly resting due to my screwed up head and back..lol) and then a few days later i'll upload the camera to our computer and find little jewels of their adventures with daddy.

they are always funny little snippets & videos of what trouble & mischief they all got into while mommy was at home :P  like chasing and cornering a poor innocent peacock...who does that...lol...

do you guys know what "movember" is?  well if you do you'll know why i'm now scared of the month of november.  i'm scared that my cutie pie hubby is now going to look like an aging porn star.. or a cop from supertroopers....lol...oh god...the pics below are just the beginning and i can only imagine what he's gonna look like by the end of the month...oh movember...you scare me so...lol!  it's a good think it's for a good cause.

you can find more info on movember here and my hubbies movember page here.

in the meantime fill me in on how your week is going.  are any of you going through the "movember" scenario?  what have you all been up to?  sewing?  knitting?  i'm going through sewing withdrawl big time so share your pics...i'm dying to see what you've all been making.  come chat...i could use some cheering up :)

moments in the mommyhood - octoberfest!

the other weekend we decided to get right into the fall/halloween spirit and head out to oldfield orchard for their fun "octoberfest" celebration.  what better way to end a warm, sunny, fall weekend then with pumpkins, face painting...

hay rides...

totally different reaction to the hay ride for both girls..lol

cotton candy with friends...

tractor pull rides...

and my fave of the day - the maze!

do we look confused? hahaha, we didn't get lost but we did have a ton of fun in there.  i'll spare you our homemade blair witch project videos in the maze and of course, the one of our poor child crying as we took  her through the haunted house she begged us to go in...priceless though, honestly..priceless.  one of those videos you just know you will play at her wedding..lol!  don't you just love halloween goodness?  i'm a prankster at heart so anything halloween is fun in my books.  i'm counting down the days till trick or treating :)  bring on the spooky!

what does your family do to celebrate fall and halloween?  do you go to any kind of farm festivals?  do you trick or treat or stay home to hand out candy?  we don't get trick or treaters at our door so we are all about trick or treating ourselves. super fun!  i got a coffee sitting right here for ya with your name on it...c'mon over...let's chat :)

moments in the mommyhood - island life

we spent our thanksgiving weekend up island (we live on vancouver island) visiting family/friends.  part of that time was spent on gorgeous quadra island where jer's folks live.  a peaceful, quiet and absolutely beautiful piece of british columbia nature.  it always inspires me being there, the landscape is so gorgeous you just can't help but photograph it like mad.  so i apologize ahead of time for all the copious pics in this post.  i couldn't resist sharing our little holiday with you all.

my wee ones got to run wild in the forest & along the ocean shore with their daddy, grandma/grandpa & auntie.  it was a joy to watch them run free.  not something we do often enough when you live in a city.  even an outdoorsy one like the one we live in.  life just seems to get in the way.

jer's folks run a bed & breakfast on quadra island called firesign bed & breakfast so if you're up their way check them out.  nanci is a very talented painter (studio at the b&b) and tracy makes the most amazing cigar box guitars (hard times musical instruments)! they're awesome to play!  he even makes kid's sizes.  mackenzie adores hers and grooves with it often :)

my only complain was that we didn't have a longer break.  i could have used a full week instead of 3 days.  but isn't that true for all getaways?  i mean who would want to leave this kind of view? man, i love canada :)

i also got to do a lot of this.  it was a sheer pleasure to be spoiled by everyone and get to actually have some rest to help with my concussion.  i really needed to just take it easy before jer starts his studies again the next week or so.  i was like a cat just lounging wherever i could.  sipping coffee, eating yummy gluten free goodies, getting spoiled by the hubs, having some laughs, knitting up a storm, cuddles with the hubs, and all in all just being a family. 

the kids seemed to love the car ride too.....not!  hahaha, oh well.  there's always next time right?  i have to admit i did not enjoy our car ride home in a rain storm so bad we could hardly see the road. i knitted like a mad woman the whole way home to keep from freaking out.  not my cup of tea if you ask me :)

what's your favorite kind of getaway?  do you have wee ones who can't stand road trips?  any tips?  where's your special place to escape to?  do you like to craft in the car like i do? come chit chat with me :)

moments in the mommyhood - road trip!

Source: freshlypickedblog.com via Liz on Pinterest

Image from the 2010 Meet the Hilfigers print ad photographed by Craig McDean

we're baaaaack!  that's right...we were gone :P  we hit road on friday morning for wee getaway to visit family & friends up island for thanksgiving.  we packed the car full, grabbed our timmie h's to go, put our fave tunes on and away we went.  this was harper's first road trip and the first one that mackenzie could really remember.  needless to say it was filled with good times and not so good times in the car...haha.  harper did awesome on the way their - mack did not.  mack did better on the way home - harper was so/so.  both girls loved the adventure of it all and especially the ferry ride to grandma's house.  all in all we had a wonderful time.

i got to rest more than i have in like 2 years i think :)  it was so nice to enjoy the quietness away from the city, hang with good friends & steal their king size bed (let me just say that when you have 2 kids that sneak into your bed often getting to sleep in a king size is like winning the lottery, it was amazing), eat lots of yummy food (turkey included), breathe in fresh island air, stroll the beach, knit like crazy, nap, read a whole book and have lots of laughs.  the best part was letting the kids run wild in the yards.  we don't have one so seeing them run around like crazy in the outdoors and just have fun was a sheer joy to watch.

we had rain storms, wind storms, gorgeous sunshine and yep...i guess what amounts to island weather :)  it wasn't long enough that's for sure and now we are back after what seemed like a way longer ride home in very slow moving traffic and bad weather to do lots of laundry, get unpacking and grocery shopping - basically real life.  we miss the hubs already.  we feel so spoiled having had him around for 4 days in a row and he took such very good care of the girls for me while i rested my poor sore noggin.  you're the best honey...love you.  ok...enough of my mushy talk..lol...back to business.


i'll be back tomorrow (hopefully if my head let's me) to announce the next knit along so get those needles ready!  woot woot!  i've also got lots of pics to show of our trip and some other goodies to share your way :)  so stay tuned ladies! in the meantime i wanna know how your weekend was?  what have you been up to?  any other canadians have a yummy gobble gobble weekend?  happy thanksgiving to you all that did!  so come chat...whatcha waiting for...i've missed you so!

moments in the mommyhood - resting is hard...

so the doc has given me strict orders to rest more (in case some of you missed it and are wondering why things are slow and weird around here i got a concussion almost 2 weeks ago and now have post concussion syndrome). that is pretty hard when you are a busy mommy of 2 kiddos.  don't get me wrong, i LOVE my kiddos but i strongly believe that every mom needs a break sometimes and yes...some rest.  it's good for the soul.  we are so involved in taking care of everyone's needs around us that it is very easy to forget about ourselves.  it took my 4 year old asking me as i had a little cry in the car after my doc appt "who is going to take care of YOU mommy?" (she had heard the doc giving me my orders..lol) that i realized that i have to take care of myself too.  who is going to take care of my loved ones if i fall apart?  i have a husband but he works during the day and studies at night and mackenzie knows what his schedule is like so she strongly assured me in her little voice that she would take care of me and not too worry.  so sweet my wee one.

it can be hard when you are feeling overwhelmed and ill to find the time to ask for help.  i will admit i personally suck at this.  i don't ask for it as much as i should.  but with not a lot of family in town and very little income for childcare it becomes very evident that "mommy's don't get sick days"....even when it involves their poor injured brain :P  i can't even begin to imagine how hard it is for those of you whose husbands/partners are away on duty.

 

so as much as i wanted to kick off the new knit along today i am taking a "rest".  i figured i could show off some of the knitting goodies that i've been working on as i lay feeling sorry for myself on the couch wishing i could be blogging or sewing instead :(  this weekend is the canadian thanksgiving and our little family is taking a break.  not sure how much i will pop in for the rest of this week but i will be back on tuesday of next week and the new knit along will be announced on wednesday :)  woot woot!

i am going to attempt to rest as much as i can...or as much as a mom of 2 can rest :P  the hardest part is letting the house go and keeping the kids occupied.  i appreciate all your wonderful tips and games that you suggested on the facebook group for me.  i used a few and it worked great!  anything that allows me to sit still longer than 5 minutes is awesome!  this post concussion syndrome is rough i tell ya :(  i haven't touched my sewing machine for almost 2 weeks! it must be a record!  

and also in case you missed this guest post for the lovely jenny from "the southern institute" for her "meals kids love" series earlier in the spring you can find me today over on "simply modern mom" for the fab tiffany as she takes a maternity break with her new wee one.  i'm sharing one of our fave lunch recipes that my picky eater enjoys - toasted tuna for two!

have you had one of those mommy light bulb moments lately?  what do you do to take care of "you"?  do you have any tips/games i could use to help the kids have fun while i stay still..lol?  hope you all are having a wonderful week! come chat with me...i'd love to hear from you!

p.s. you can find all my knitting goddies on my ravelry page here and in our luvinthemommyhood ravelry group here too!

moments in the mommyhood - real life

this is what i've been up to....conquering the dreaded, f*&king mess of laundry that has taken over my bed.  honestly, it's gargantuan. and that's not even all of it.  there is more.  yes, more.  in the wash and in the dryer.  momma got a bit behind and that was, of course, after i had just got caught up.  you know the cycle right?  wash..rinse..repeat...that's what motherhood is in a sense.  i keep moving the piles back from the living room (hoping i will fold it there if i have to stare at it) back to the bed (hoping i will fold it so i can sleep in it) but the folding never happens.  we just use it till it ends up back from the wash again.  i did get it folded though...but now it's in piles on the bed instead of being strewn about.  it's just sitting there all innocently until harper goes running in and throws it everywhere and i have to refold it.  cause we all know i'd much rather be sewing or knitting than folding boring laundry :P

the other day i ended up watching an episode of the new hgtv show "consumed" (i really like how the host handles the clutter) and went on a purge. it seemed to hit home when i watched the show...the idea of putting things in boxes or storage with the thought that you might "one day" use it only to never think of it again for a few years till you move.  so i'm making it a goal this year to purge through all of our excess and donate, donate, donate and sell.  make some breathing room in our tiny condo.  part of the organizing is my sewing wall.

i was so nicely messaged on twitter just before my bday in june that someone had boxes of thread and would i want it? ummmmm...yes i would :)  we drove over and picked it up and let me just say...happy birthday shannon..haha.  i skipped across the driveway like a crazy person.  2 big cloth bags and a box filled with lovely, lovely thread.  serger thread, machine thread and not cheap thread either.  i was in heaven....until i got home and realized i have no idea how to organize this much thread.  so it sits by my bed in it's bags and only yesterday did i decide that's it time to find these guys a home.  any tips?  i'm up for anything except the wall mounted thread things.  i don't have room for it in my place.

some things are organized though....yes.......this shelf makes me happy.  i just got in a gorgeous shipment of amy butler from my sponsor "stitch simple".  all the fabric comes pre-washed and pressed so all you have to do is create with it.  love that about jen's business.  just in case you were wondering the bolts are rolled on comic book inserts.  you get a whole whack of them for like $10 and it's the perfect size for shelves.  unfortunately not all my shelves are this pretty though....

this shelf is still waiting to be folded onto mini bolts along with a whole bunch of other ones.  hopefully by the end of the week :)  we've got some new shelves in the condo that the hubby is planning to paint white in our one time attempt at diy.  needless to say, even though he has the best heart, it was a bit of an ordeal.  i'm hoping that we can put the first semi-failure behind us and get the big one and my sewing desk done.  i mean really, it's pretty tricky to paint giant furniture on a condo balcony.  friggin annoying actually.  that's why my desk has sat unpainted for the last 3 years.

i also i finally mounted a bracket from ikea on the wall to hang the quilts that i am working on.  in the past they were strewn on the ironing board monster or sat on the floor of unfinished projects but i've had enough.  now i can stare at my baby even though she's not done yet.  only about 1/4 left and then it's binding time.  so excited to see harper sleeping with it when it's all done.  my next 2 quilts are already planned out and i'm anxious to start them.

Source: google.com via Katherine on Pinterest

so in between going on an fall cleaning purge and enjoying a bit of fall weather here i've also been dealing with the ongoing diaper battle with blueberries.  i. will. never. look. at. blueberries. the same. again.  end of story.  gross.  bah. moving on...hopefully :)

how was your week?  have you been fall cleaning/purging?  have you done any new organizing of your crafting space?  got some thread tips for me? are you dealing with the dreaded blueberry skat?  you know it's time for coffee and there's a mug here with your name on it...come sip and chat ladies :)  it's almost friday!

moments in the mommyhood - last days of summer

ahhhhh...what a view

beach beauty

we've been trying to keep the munchkins busy for the last few weeks of summer before preschool starts up again.  we attempted the beach on numerous occasions and let me just say it's been hit and miss.  we've learned the kids have to be in the right mood or it's a disaster waiting to happen.  i may have mastered swimming at the pool with them on my own but the beach is still a work in progress.  i did manage to capture this pic though that captured a brief moment of calm during our latest beach excursion (and yes, we hang on a vintage snoopy sheet at the beach...we roll like that).

caught in the act - stealing tomatoes in the early morning daylight

harper has been full of personality lately.  she's picking up new words and is into all sorts of mischief.  she definitely has been keeping me on my toes and making finding sewing time quite tricky these days. i'm hoping once mackenzie is back in preschool her naps will get back to normal again and momma can craft a bit more :)

smile! getting into mischief hanging in our makeshift backyard :P this is what happens to a tired momma - you pass out on the grass..haha we live in a condo that we rent so the hubs and i are always trying to find what we like to call "makeshift backyards" to hang in.  we dream of one day having our own little patch of green space for the wee ones to play in so that every time they need to run it doesn't involve packing, dressing, driving, walking, well..more on my part than theirs but still....i dream of not having to get out of my cozy clothes and find the time to do my hair/face just to let them play outside for a bit.  one day, one day...i'm sure you mommas out there living in apartments can all relate.  life is just that much more tricky to keep kids entertained if you know what i mean and of course, there is more park time and you all know how much i detest hanging at the playground :P and yes, that is me passed out on the grass in the pic above, that's what happens to very tired mommas who don't feel so good in the sunshine..haha. me and the hubs bear attack! we recently hit up victoria's fabulous royal bc museum to check out the IMAX theatre.  i had never been before and we went to see a cool movie called "whales" that we all loved.  the hubs used to be an ocean kayak guide while going to university for the summers so he has a soft spot for whales, orcas, etc.  i couldn't resist posting the pic of the bear cause if you are a friend of mine you know how bad my phobia of bears is.  seriously people, i have almost been killed by a bear about 4 times now.  it's always a close call and they find me....no matter....where....i am.  hate the bears...hate them. goofing at the imax in between these happy pics were piles and piles of laundry, dirty bathrooms, messy carpets, unwashed floors, piles of sewing to be done, books to be read, toys to be played with, paintings to be made, tantrums to be had, naps taken, cuddles enjoyed, laughs had and cries had, momma not feeling so hot and momma feeling better, hubby exhausted from studying/work, but all in all, we love each other and we get by just like the rest of you super mommas & daddies do. i hope you all had a good weekend and this week is a good one for all of us with back to school starting (for some it has already begun), new babies to enjoy (congrats to those who recently had gorgeous babes) and a few more weeks of summer rays to soak in the fun! what have you been up to?  are you scared of bears too?  what outing do you keep trying but just can't seem to get the hang of?  do you have tips for finding balance during the day?  let's sip our imaginary pumpkin spice lattes and have some girl chat ladies!

moments in the mommyhood - orchard of yarns (fibrations festival)

i got to spend some lovely time on sunday at the first "fibrations" festival here in victoria, bc.  the festival was held on the grounds of st. anne's academy in a lovely orchard.  the combination of sunny weather, orchard tress, beautiful grounds and yummy yarns was not to be missed.  the post took me a while to put together as i seriously had wayyyyy too many pics to choose from.  jane richmond and i hit up the festival and got the pleasure of seeing some fabulously talented yarnies, designers and got to hang on the grass knitting under an apple tree.  sighhhhh. 

come take a walk around the festival with me.  here's some of my faves:

say cheese!

rachel jo - lovely accessories & great booth!

Arika - knit night buddy & volunteer at Fibrations

love the look on this lovely ladies face

Kattikloo Fibre Studio - lovely jane admiring the rich reds.

everything old - fab yarns, awesome patterns & we got to meet the designer Emma Galati who's stella cowl pattern is one of my faves!

Sara - fellow knit night pal & one of the Fibrations organizers

Victoria Handweavers & Spinners Guild

apples in the orchard

roving in the trees

it was a great show and i can't tell you how nice it was to go sans kiddos.  i needed the break i tell ya.  so thank you to the hubs for taking the wee ones while mama got to go drool over the yarn.  to find out more about fibrations check out their website or facebook page.  if you were there and had a good time please go share your thoughts on their fb page.  i know all the organizers worked very hard and feedback is a reward in itself!  thanks to all of those who lovingly put this festival together - we can't wait for next year!

do you have a fibre festival you go to?  what is your fave local yarn supplier?  designer?  did you get a break from the kids on the weekend to do something special?

moments in the mommyhood - stocking up

I Heart Linen Blend Squiggle Blue, Kona Cotton Natural, Brussels Washer Linen Blend Natural

it's been a bit like xmas for me around here lately and i couldn't resist sharing in my excitement with you all.  you all know that my little family lives on a tight budget with the hubs working full time and me as a blogger so fabric shopping and any extras are a process of me saving all my pennies from my lovely sponsors (you should check them out...they all rock)!  now that i have poppy the pfaff & have been busy organizing my sewing wall i realized that i was in desperate need of some new fabric.

All Kona Cottons

i try really hard to use all of my fabrics before buying more but lately it's been getting tricky to find enough yardage of certain prints to as time gunn says "make it work".  so i made a goal a few months ago to start saving up.  i went to my fave online sewing shops and made my wishlists.  yep, i'm a loser..haha.  i then drooled over my wishlists for a month or two and when it came time to order all i had to do was find the best price and place my order :)  sort of like an inspiration board of fabric swatches. 

i like a nice variety to mix and match from for the girls and for myself. i have to admit though that a lot of the prints i got i ordered in 1/2 yards to see if i really loved it in person and for some of them i'm kicking myself.  i should have ordered more but oh well, the ones i did order a larger amount of i can't even bring myself to cut into because i adore them so much.  like that linen turquoise design by rashida coleman-hale of the fabulous blog "i heart linen"..hello....LOVE!  saying i love her books, blog and fabric is an understatement. i think she oozes talent in her sleep. i also got a nice order from one of my sponsors stitch simple that supplies ready to use fabric.  what's that?  it's fabric that is already pre-washed and pressed!!! OMG!!! seriously, it comes all fresh and just begging to be sewn with.  i still keep looking at it all amazed i don't have to pink it and wash it.  heaven :)

Michael Miller Children at Play Just Stay Little Turquoise, Michael Miller Children at Play Hopscotch Pink

i did learn a little bit of a fabric lesson though.  i need to just keep a reserve for fabric shopping on hand so that when a new line comes out that i adore i can get it before it's sold out cause man has the sarah jane line for michael miller "children at play" been hard to get.  everywhere i went this line was sold out and i kept getting more and more bummed out.  i finally found it (and almost this entire order) from www.fabric.com (awesome customer service here if you've never ordered from them before) and it is stunning.  absolutely gorgeous.  i'm still waiting on a few of the prints and already plan on ordering a whole whack load more.  it's beyond lovely and i've got a soft spot for illustrations on fabric.  i just want to plaster the girls in this line.

i've also got 2 yards of my fave print of the line "ballons in aqua" coming and i'm frothing at the mouth just waiting for it.  i'm obsessed with this print and it seems so are a lot of people as it was gone everywhere.  so lesson learned for me.  when i see a line pop up and my gut says you are going to love this and i have a few pennies put away i should snatch it up while i can.  it's been like torture to see all the lovelies made from this and not have it in my hands :)

Hoo's in the Forest Critters Pastel Blue, Hoo's in the Forest Trees Pink

i couldn't resist some turquoise and pink for the girls as well...a prerequisite in our house.  i always let mackenzie assist me in ordering fabric for her clothes as she is the one wearing them so i believe in letting her have a say in her clothes.  it would be a waste for me to order prints and make some cute clothes that just hang in her closet that she will never wear. she's very picky about her color palette and what she will and won't wear so i've learned the hard way to let her choose what she likes.  this season she was all over pink/purple and fruit and animals with a mix of princesses.  i even let her pick out harper's prints too. 
 

Hoo's in the Forest Strawberry Apple Pink, Alphabet Soup Girl Meow Pink

you should have seen her face when the order showed up.  the two of us sat together and drooled and oooohheed and awwwwed over the fabric like crazy people.  i'm so hoping my love of handmade rubs off on my girls.  so far so good.  when she sees clothes she likes now in the stores etc she now asks me to make it for her instead of asking me to buy it for her.  it seriously makes me tear up :)

1001 Peeps Villagers Lavender

the prints below are two of my faves that i've had on my "to buy" wishlist for a while and i'm so happy i finally sucked it up and ordered them as i can't stop looking at them.  i just want to plaster my sewing area with the print on top.  i'm addicted to it.

Michael Miller Sorbet Spa Scallop Coral, Sweet Nothings Dots Cream

i hope you guys don't mind me showing you all my new goodies.  i'm not trying to brag that i got some new fabrics but rather share my lovelies with my friends (all of you) that i know understand how exciting and thrilling it is to actually be able to order some fabrics that you've been lusting after.  i love seeing when you guys get new goodies too so i figured it was my turn for a little show and tell.  now i've got to get busy washing all of my new pressies, pressing them and folding them up on my new comic board inserts ala smashed peas and carrots so my fabric shelf looks as pretty as my new fabrics do.  so far it's been a major improvement.  i can actually see what i've got instead of it being a big jumbled half ass folded mess.  now i've got to get back to sitting by my phone waiting for the postman and delivery guy to show up with my knitpicks order..come home needles...momma's waiting for you :P

have you been fabric shopping lately?  what's your go to fabric shop to splurge in?  is there a line that you've been lusting after too?  share, share...let's chat :)

moments in the mommyhood - taking the good with the bad

projects on the go, new vintage pitcher, nook hand knit coffee cozy :)

i've been working on projects galore at the moment accompanied by lemonade from my new vintage pitcher and best friend starbucks dressed up in a fab coffee cozy from my pal rebecca's shop "nook"  (you can find her lovelies on her blog & shop).  i'm finding it hard to tear myself away to get online i've become so engrossed in all the goodies i'm working on.  i've got 3 tutorials coming your way (i know 3!?..hopefully) for sewing with knits mondays.  i cannot even explain how obsessed with knits and stretch i am.  i have made myself a few new goodies and can't wait to share them with you.  best part is they are for us ladies - not for the kiddos.  i was in the mood to spoil myself and heck after a while a busty gal gets sick of tops not fitting "her girls" right if you know what i mean :P

i've been focusing a lot on trying to take the good with the bad when it comes to my girls.  to try to be the best mom i can be without losing my mind.  we've had a rough couple weeks around here with 4 year old emotions running rampant.  i honestly didn't think things could be harder after the terrible three's but heck these f&^@k'in fours (as my girlfriend fondly calls them) are winning that fight by a long shot.  i know there's more than a few of you who can relate and for those of you in the fives please tell me it gets a bit better...please?

our little harper helena mae is getting into everything.  she's figured out how to climb pretty much anything and it's become her new sport.  the little bit of rest i had left during the day is now gone - she's keeping me on my toes that's for sure.  she's running and talking and just plain seems to be growing up way too fast for this momma's liking.  i was looking at baby pictures of her the other day and had a good cry.  i know...i'm sad...but hey, i'm not having anymore babies so i figured it's ok to bawl when looking at pics of her from even a few months ago.  i mean look at those curls?  could those baby curls please stay forever?  they are my fave snuggle spot.



if you've been reading and joining in on the conversations on our facebook page we all had a fun chat about toddlers throwing food yesterday and i couldn't resist sharing a bit about it on here.  harper has decided that as soon as she is put in her chair to eat that she must throw something.  whether it's her water/milk or food she chucks it.  doesn't matter if she's hungry or not, she just loves to chuck her food.  i asked for help.  you guys answered.  we use a big blanket but she's strong enough to throw past it now.  you guys have been a lot smarter than me & have been using old sheets, tarps and the best one of all...shower curtains!  how smart is that!  waterproof & easy to clean!  thanks for the tips guys!

in other exciting news..well exciting to us anyways...our tomatoes have FINALLY started to come in.  the weather has gotten warm enough that our poor deck is now getting filled with yummy red goodness.  we usually have tomatoes taller than our railing but this year...not so good with the weather the way it's been.  but they're catching up.  they seem to be growing like crazy now and i can't keep up..lol.  for some reason some of our romas are growing like hearts.  it's cute but also a bit strange to bite into little hearts :P

we had some lovely friends come and stay with us the other week and we enjoyed lots of waterpark and sunshine time.  the weather has been nice here finally and we've been hanging in pools and beaches as much as we can with good friends, yummy food and of course, our knitting.  i was shocked when i realized it's already august :(  it feels like the summer has only just begun.

have you been taking the good with the bad too?  any tips for the 4's?  do you have a trick you want to share when it comes to saving beige carpet from messy babies/toddlers?  hope your week in the mommyhood has been good.  share your thoughts below :)

p.s. don't forget to get your entry in for the fabulous shoeology giveaway!  you can enter for your chance to win this great prize here!

p.p.s in case you are wondering that's harper's quilt in the first pic and i finally got over my quilting jitters and went full steam ahead with the rows of horizontal lines spaced about a presser foot width apart and i am in LOVE with it.  so glad i stuck with it.  i think it looks fab and i'm just over half way done now.  thanks for all of you who helped with my decision making.

moments in the mommyhood - unplugged & a chuckle

Source: etsy.com via joanamc on Pinterest

i'm unplugging from the computer for a bit today to take the kids and get outside.  also, the hubs is home sick today so i've decided to be his nursemaid.  i'm also having one of my "endo" days (for those of you who don't know i suffer from endometriosis) so last night was a not so productive evening on my part for blogging.  it was productive for going to bed a bit early though.

Source: mrspriss.com via Sarah on Pinterest

and i mean really, i just needed an exuse to post the above pic of the "ferris bueller's day off" cross stitch pattern!  love it!  danke schön darlings, danke schön.

 
this shop rocks btw. it's called wee little stitches & i just about peed my pants when i saw her selection - breakfast club, pretty in pink, big bang theory, ghostbusters....awesome!!!  i can't decide which one i love the most.  go check it out if you wanna join me in my crush of all things contemporary cross stitch.  plus she's canadian!  you go girl!

how's your week going?  need a chuckle?  check out this resignation letter from some dude who recently quit whole foods.  the hubs showed it to me last night and i bust a gut laughing.  this guy is priceless.  hope you have a great day! i'll be back tomorrow with our yarn shop hop!  did you get your answers in yet?

moments in the mommyhood - slacker...well sort of...

Source: google.com via luvinthemommyhood on Pinterest

i'm slacking today.  yesterday was my anniversary with the hubs so i didn't spend all night on the computer...well, ok, i did spend most of it, but not as much as normal.  so this is a bit of a slacker post that i couldn't resist doing because last night at like 10:00pm i found the above awesome of awesome pic on pinterest and could not wait until friday to post it.  i seriously need this blown up on my wall.  i love it that much.  i'm sick like that, i know.  but almost everyday i feel as though i need a starbucks iv and have said it on many occasions on here so i only thought it fitting to share it with all of you.

Source: None via luvinthemommyhood on Pinterest

i also haven't been sleeping well this week.  not due to the kids, they have been sleeping better, but due to my own little brain.  i'm sure a lot of you can relate, especially creative types.  i'm having a hard time calming down my little noggin because i'm feeling so crafty at the moment.  it's the new machine.  it's so nice to sew on i want to sew even more than ever before and the ideas they keep a coming but this momma can't make them.  not enough time in the day.  but those ideas?  they don't leave me alone.  it's like they fester until i get them done.  i even write down ideas in the middle of the night.  any of you do that too?

Source: featherweightt.tumblr.com via luvinthemommyhood on Pinterest

i've also been having nightmares :(  yes....i'm a loser.  the scary movie i watched the other day (insidious) is seriously still freaking me out.  can this even be possible?  i had nightmares all night last night.....really bad sleep and couldn't bring myself to turn the tv off cause i was so eeby jeebied..lol.  i think i have too much of an overactive imagination and i also fall into that 1% category from the print above...haha.  i think i seriously need to A) stop watching horror movies and B) think about the feng shui in my bedroom.  i'm not really into feng shui, but hey, if it's gonna help me not freak out like a little baby every night i'm willing to give it a try.

on a happier note wanna see some of my fave pics from my wedding 3 years ago? i love seeing other peoples...i'm nosy like that..haha.  in case anyone is interested we got married in tofino, bc on mackenzie beach. yep.  cheese factor with the mackenzie beach part but we just couldn't help ourselves we love that beach.  it was such a gorgeous day and even though the pics look rainy, it wasn't.  the sun had been shining and a gorgeous mist had rolled onto the beach.  perfect day.

look how tiny mackenzie was?  Awww....

oh, and our anniversary, well mackenzie closed all the drapes all over our condo and insisted we set the table, candles, wine glasses and all and put on romantic music.  she picked out my clothes (she even attempted to choose my bra and underwear which i of course told her was taking it just one step too far), told me how to do my hair and then dressed her and harper.  it was the cutest thing when the hubs walked in the door with flowers and there we all were...i had a good chuckle, oh and the hubs scored major points for the flowers :)

how has your week been?  sleeping or not sleeping?  any of you going to join me and gynnab (fb pal) for some starbucks iv?  c'mon...you know you wanna....lol.  

moments in the mommyhood - oh barbie, you're so crafty!

we had a barbie marathon in our house yesterday.  the house was out, the car, the clothes galore and as we were playing with our dolls i had so many flashbacks to when i played barbies.  each time i pulled out another outfit i remembered how much i had treasured each one.  why?  because most of my barbies rockin' outfits were handmade by my mom and my nana.  lovingly stitched, knitted and crocheted to up the style factor for my barbies.

I would so totally wear this!

it was so much fun to go through all the goodies my mom recently brought that she had saved for the girls.  i know barbie gets a bad rap most of the time but honestly, i only have the fondest memories of playing with mine.  hours and hours spent styling their hair and their outfits.  mackenzie has been bit by the same bug.  we had so much fun picking out the outfits for our little barbie photoshoot to share with you today.  she was also in charge of the hairstyles and arrangement of outfits. so take a peek and see what barbie's wearing this week!

So adorable!!

I want this outfit for myself!!

Gotta have jeans & a classic scarf!

Not sure if this one was handmade but it was one of my faves as a little girl!

Which barbie collection is complete without a bridal ensemble!

I love the detail work on the veil, dress and even the bouquet!

How trendy is this!

Every girl needs some lingerie!

and some fancy robes!

Clothes to relax in...

clothes to stay cozy in...

and clothes to stay glamorous in!

This one cracks me up!

Accessories to play with!

Can't forget barbies bathing suits!

Even barbie can rock a track suit!

The retro green dress was one of my fave to dress barbie in and I just about died when I found this sun hat & matching ensemble!  What a cool way to make a hat!

so there you have it!  our picks for this season for our barbies!  fun right?!  i love it!  i totally lmao while doing this and if i had had my way i would have done a full on posed barbie shoot but i think the hubs and you guys would have thought i had gone off the deep end....but seriously, it was sooo hard to resist...barbie was such a great model...so easy to pose and take pics of...lol.  so thank you to my mom, nana and the other talented women my mom may have bought these off of at a bazaar, i appreciate and cherish every single item!  so fab!

do you have handmade outfits for your barbies that you adore?  do you have fun dressing them up with your kids?  c'mon...fess up....i'm not alone am i?????

moments in the mommyhood - school's out & so are the teeth

school's out.  i'm scared..lol.  what the heck am i going to do with a 4 year old and a 1 year old to keep them busy for a whole summer?!!  eek!  something that's not too stressful (ie. going to the beach alone with 2 sandy/dirty children) or too exhausting (chasing wet babies and toddlers around a water park) and something that doesn't involve playgrounds everyday?? 

i have a secret to admit.  i hate playgrounds.  detest them.  when i was preggers with mackenzie i couldn't wait to hang at the playground.  moms, coffee, kids, sunshine & fun is what i thought it was.  now i find it boring, tedious, monotonous, stressful and just not my cup of tea...coffee or not.  some playgrounds i can handle and will go to regularly but mostly i avoid them and leave the playground times for the hubby.  i know it's weird, make fun of me all you want, but it's just how i am.

i like to chat with people.  when the kids are at the park you cannot chat, or you can't chat unless your child is old enough to do whatever they want at the park without injuring themselves. in this case mine is not.  she is accident prone (case point her recent black eye from a playground).  also, harper is now at the stage that she wants to try everything and is a walking danger zone as well.  my stress level is higher now at the playground than just with one as now i have to keep my worry wart eyes on both instead of just one.  does that leave a lot of room for convo when there are 10 other kids running amongst these ones?  nope. only time i enjoy the playground fully is when the hubs is with me & i can fully let go of the worry of at least one child and have some fun or on those rare occasions that our children actually behave, the babies nap and we can relax, sip our drinks and chat.  those are precious to me.

i'm trying to keep it real here folks.  life isn't always perfect.  my house is a mess (or a disaster as i like to call it), laundry has taken over, our list of to do's for when the hubs is done school is a mile long, i cry in the bathroom just like all of you, we're sleep deprived and i've got 2 kids to entertain...so what's this momma to do?  well i've been planning outings and adventures.  little things that still involve things the kids love but that also keep momma happy.  library, toy store, museums, & coffee shop stops mixed with walks & short playground visits instead of half a day ones.  big open parks (not playgrounds) where bubbles, chalk drawing, knitting, snacking, coloring can ensue mixed with soccer and tag with no large metal contraptions to climb and get hurt on..lol.

(this is what happens when i try to get a pic of the girls together)

basically we go around exploring and setting up our "living room" so to speak :)  crazy?  a little.  fun?  you bet!  especially when you have a soon to be 14mth old cutting like 4 teeth who won't nap and is incredibly crabby.  i will do anything to be out of the house, in the sunshine with both kids smiling.  we like to do the drive around parts of the island we live on and stare at the ocean pretending we are "flying" like my 4yr old says while momma sips starbucks and we listen to our fave tunes until both kidlets pass out for naps and this mommy can park, enjoy the view (see pic below), pick up her knitting and embroidery and have a great "quiet" hour or so.  blissful.

the hubby's got his big exam tomorrow so we are all on high stress here and just counting down the hours until we can finally have him home in the evenings and on the weekends again.  i'm super excited it almost feels like christmas!  now if we could all catch up on our sleep it will be a wonderful summer!  we've got lots of beach and day trips planned for this little family of ours :)

so what do you do when school's out, the teeth are too and you'll do anything to avoid a playground or any other stressful kid environment???  how's your week been?  our facebook page has been filled with lots of sleepless mommas so here's hoping all our little stubborn sleepers sleep long & peaceful tonight.  let's chat girls!

moments in the mommyhood - goofiness all around

here's to long weekends both in the US and in Canada and to lots of laughs, bubbles, sunshine, fun, yummy coffee, crafty goodness, wonderful friends & family.  wishing you all a wonderful long weekend.  i'm not sure if i will pop in tomorrow as it's Canada day here in my neck of the woods and it's also a holiday on monday for our fellow neighbours in the US so i may just be a naughty girl and take friday and monday off!!!!  oh my!!!  a 4 day weekend?  wowsa!  i feel so daring..lol.  i plan on getting on that darn sewing machine if it kills me and also to get some progress made on my summer sweater knit along project.  i ran into a little hoopla with too many increases in one part..must have made an oopsie even though i was being super meticulous but thanks to a good pal i managed to fix my ways and can now start going again.

alrighty, back to the dirty diapers, my 4 loads of never ending laundry, icky kitchen floor, full dishwasher, crabby/grumpy toddler, crumb covered carpet and the many other duties us mom's have. ahhhh the joys of motherhood, i'm sure you can all relate :)

what are you all up to for the long weekend?  any special projects you finished for canada day or for the 4th of july?  whatever it is you are doing i hope you all enjoy yourself and have lots and lots of fun!  chat with you all next week....or maybe sooner cause i'll prolly miss all of you.

*p.s. no babies were injured in the making of this post. daddies were there to catch them :P

moments in the mommyhood - have no fear the carnival was here!

we hit up the carnival this weekend.  rides, music, cotton candy, games and that unforgettable buzz of excitement.  i swear you could feel the energy oozing off the kids.  i loved it.  this was mackenzie's first time even seeing a carnival so she was pumped.  our wee one is a bit of an adrenaline junkie when it comes to these things so we knew she would be geared up for the rides.  we thought maybe 1 or 2 that were just a simple circle ya know..start off slow.  ya right.  i should have known.  she wanted higher and faster.  so off we went to the mini roller coasters and flying helicopters.  she loved it!  i don't think i'll ever forget her face as she was flying through the air so happy, free and oozing with pride.  it was priceless.

the funny thing is that the hubs and i are wusses when it comes to carnivals.  we are scared of almost all the rides and just watching some of the adult ones had me dizzy and ready to barf.  i am pathetic, i know, but i'm scared of heights.  also when i was a teenager i would succumb to peer pressure and force myself to go on scarier rides and found myself in dangerous situations on more than one occasion where the machine broke or wasn't attached right and i almost fell out or got injured.  i now have a fear of those rides.  don't get me wrong, i love the carnival though.  i think my favorite part is the games.  i know they are sometimes a rip off but there is something about the excitement of winning a stuffie or having a boy win me one..wink wink..that i loved.  it was more fun than trying not to puke and cry in front of your friends if you get my drift :P

our camera died half way through so we missed out on a fair amount of pics (these were taken on our old camera, it was too hot to cart around our slr) so we missed out on a lot of fun stuff but when i got home low and behold...there were a fair amount of pics of this....

cute right? wait for it....

so funny.  if any of you have been a long time reader of this blog you all know how the hubs is notorious for stealing the camera and taking copious amounts of pics of him and the wee ones doing funny things and then leaving them on the camera for me to find.  the videos are hilarious. but i won't bore ya with those :P



how was harper during the carnival?  this was her.  sweaty and a tad grumpy from, as the hubs says, "being crammed in mom's cleavage for a few hours on a hot summer day".  what a guy.

do you remember your first time at the carnival?  anyone else have a fear of rides but still love going  to the carnie?  how was your weekend?  what did you get up to?  let's chat :)