I have eluded that we are heading out for a fabulous mini-vacation to meet up with friends in Maine. We are heading out this week (we have someone looking after the cat in the apartment so I feel confident in stating so). I am beyond excited! I have missed Holly so much this past year, I can hardly wait to see her and her family!

This weekend I have worked so hard to prepare for the trip. With two kids in tow, organization is totally key. I also wanted J to be able to relax, as this will be his only break this summer from developing his lab and being all professor. I baked muffins and cookies for the road. I finished up some projects (see Holly you are not the only one leaving it till the last minute!). We went shopping for road trip goodies. Now I have to clean the apartment and do that last minute shopping and packing.

We did take the time this weekend to go treasure hunting (aka garage sale shopping!) Becca scored a backpack full of goodies that she paid for with her own money, we also found an old truck for Ethan and a night stand for Becca (that needs to be painted! I can hardly wait to come up with something wonderful). Then we found the most amazing thing … that I will share with you after Becca receives it for her birthday!!

I hope to blog a little on the road, but chances are slim that it will be frequent. Have a wonderful week. Happy Canada Day to all Canadians … Happy Fourth of July to all you Americans (hehe we get to celebrate both holidays!) For everyone else have a rocking week! Big plans for the holidays/week?

ps For a little Canadian humour click to listen –>Proud-to-be-Canadian

So I thought I was being all witty yesterday with my Lemon reference. Yeah turns out I am just a big MIMIC, because Damselfly already used that incredible wit earlier this week. When I finally caught up on blogs last night and read her fabulous bathroom renovation post I was mortified. So embarrassing.

I went swimming the other night. My endurance was freaking unreal. This running has really changed my body. Now if I could just stay away from the snack food just a little more, and keep at it, I may just start feeling better about my body.

Sadly, I chose shopping over running last night. I needed to find some supplies for Becca’s birthday, before our vacation. Why can there not be just a few more hours in each day? I will be running tonight, no matter what!

I am not getting enough sleep. I try to go to bed earlier, but with all that I am trying to do, I find myself talking to J late, then we do not get to bed early enough. Hopefully our vacation will provide enough time that we get sick of each other and no longer need to talk so much (joking!)

I am so exited. This is our first real vacation. We are not touring the region because we will be moving, we are not delivering anything or visiting the folks. I hope to do a whole lot of nothing, with a side of nothing and nothing. With a little hiking, swimming, touring … but mostly just kick back, enjoy our friends, the scenery and NOTHING.

I am still buried in my to do list. I have emails to respond to, cleaning of the house, washing, packing, organizing. Becca and i have appointments for haircuts this afternoon. She is all Cousin ITT with her hair dangling in her face all the time. It drives me bonkers. However last summer, the bangs drove me crazy. I am more bafffled by her hair than my own.

What are your plans for the weekend? Are you uber busy or kicking back?

Make Lemonade … Isn’t that the old saying?

I have been working on a pair of shorts for Ethan. I had seen a pair of groovy plaid, patched shorts at the Gap and thought it would be easy to sew up a pair.I learned a few things not only about sewing, but my own process and organization.

• I need to sew up a “practice” item first. My second attempts are always better than the first.
• If I want to sew nice looking clothes, I must sew more to perfect the process.
• Sewing a project over a matter of months does not work for me, I need set aside time and just get it done in shorter periods of time (I finished the aprons for Becca & I over a weekend).
• Measure, Measure, Measure again.
• Look BEFORE you cut.
• When placing pockets on … Make sure you are holding the shorts right side up *blush*.
• When tackling a project don’t make it impossibly harder than it is, just because. Try it out, then modify.

Without further ado I present my models ….

As you can see the same pair of shorts fits them both. *sigh*

The shorts did not come out as I had visioned, however they are still on the cute side and fit Becca fabulously. How I managed to turn a pair of shorts from a pattern for a one year old boy into shorts for an almost four year old, I cannot say.

Lemonade!

I will try again after our vacation to sew up another pair. I also want to sew a skirt for  Becca, then I have a long list of potential sewing projects.

I am insanely behind on everything. I need to get prepared for our vacation, Becca’s birthday, read blogs, finish up some projects and clean the house. AHHHH! Ok deep breath … Mantra *it will all get done, it will all get done, it will all get done* Phew ok I feel better …

Have you ever worked on something, and the end result turned out to be nothing like you had imagined?

Have fun with more Wordless Wednesday.

SHOP (now I have that song from Mary Poppins … “I love to laugh” with the snorts and everything stuck in my head ARG!)! Oooo I love shopping. Our budget and lifestyle do not allow me to really splurge, but then again we appreciate so much more this way. It is hard to explain. Waiting for that item, that perfect piece, just feels so gratifying.

I was introduced to a whole new world of shopping when I was living in California. Not only because you can purchase pretty much anything you can imagine, but due to the friendships I forged there. My friends introduced me to a wide range of open ended toys, yarn, fabric and other lovelies that I had never dreamed of. There are many days I daydream of shopping at Target and the other US stores …

Yet now that I am home, in Canada there is a sense of pride supporting Canadian businesses. Did you know you can search geographically on Etsy and shop local? In these times, when gas prices are insane, the ecosystems are crashing around us due to pollution, shopping at home makes even more sense.

I have attempted in my limited time so far to familiarize myself with local shops in my city, going to them first before heading to the internet. I also have a growing list that I need to format and share with you all soon (it is on my ever growing to-do list, luckily we Canadians hibernate every winter so I will eventually catch up) of online Canadian shops.

I have this insane loyalty to those I adore. Bloggers that I worship, I follow them on their other endeavors (or at least try to), so for me that loyalty extends to shopping too.

I adore Canada, I am so freaking grateful to be back home (even though I miss Target), it makes me feel wickedly good that I am loyal to Canadian shops! It is better for the environment to shop local, and I adore supporting other parents and bloggers!

Do you shop Canadian? Local?

Apples ‘n Oranges is hosting The Ultimate I Buy Canadian Blog Party, all the cool people are in on it