Food & Wine Show 2018

This marks the 2nd time I have attended this event sober. I must say, it's a bit more fun participating in trying the wines, but I did manage to find virgin pina colodas, margaritas, caesars and some good ol' juice.

This year was the first year that they split the day into 2 parts so our entry was good for 12-4:30pm. This made it much busier than usual for us because normally we get there at noon, and it didn't get really busy until around 2! This year, to take advantage, everyone was there at 12 and there was a big (fast moving) line to get in.

My pina coloda and mini butter chicken sample... this was the first year I had my eye our for food!

This was the best find of the day. Caesars (virgin for me) topped with shrimp, cucumber and lime and doritos loaded with nacho toppings: beef, lettuce, tomato, guacamole. So amazing! And every person who passed us asked where it came from.

We also checked out the Nissan cars there because there's some breaks while everyone was finishing their wine... and there was a discovery when we were doing so. My Mom is the proud owner of a keychain from when dale downie was a Pontiac dealership. It's basically worth money now...

They've eliminated the cheese tasting now which sucks, but they still have the wine tastings! You just have to get in line... an hour before your tasting and wait for your tickets. All these processes. But we did get tickets to the wine tasting show at the end of our show shift at 3:30pm and look at all these wines I couldn't drink! I passed them along to my Mom and sister who seemed to down them pretty good. We are those people who have to sit in the back so we don't offend/annoy the other avid wine tasters...

It's a risk wearing white and drinking beside your Mom when she has red wine. Elbows everywhere.

Further to the cheese tasting cut backs, this year there was no photo booth. This was a food and wine show classic.. so no cheese AND no photo booth now.

But they did have this little tiny booth where you could buy these post cards for a ticket or 2... it just wasn't the same though!

And even being 100% sober, I managed to lose my coat check ticket!! Luckily, they did this year in shifts so most coats were cleared out by the time we made it to pick up our coats, so I was able to get mine back but otherwise, my coat could have been a goner.

It was pretty convenient to be able to drive straight home after instead of waiting for rides!

January "Hiking" and Work Party

This one day, I was feeling fed up with being stuck in the house and I thought, hey lets do a family winter hike. You know, get all bundled up, make some hot cocoa to-go and head to komoka trails.

This day was about -10 but with the windchill was more like -20. The air burned! And the worst was Logan was tying to catch his breath in the cold wind... the saddest thing to watch in the world. So this wonderful idea of a trip lasted a whole 15 minutes of hiking!

And the hot chocolate was a quick sip then head back to the car!






















Aleksy's Work Party: Jan 12th

There was a bull available for riding as any good country themed party has, but this year I unfortunately couldn't partake because of the ol' baby in the belly: didn't want to shake it up too much.

Aleksy did though!

Country/southern theme so plaid, cowboys hat, camo, brisket, fried chicken, bean salad, corn bread, country music, line dancing and bull riding. This was a lot of fun... even pregnant and sober!

And the photobooth was back this year! Last year we had Mom and Paul to accompany us and this year is switched to Travis who works there now too. Keeping the family with the company!

These booths are too much fun!

A Tribute to the Best Cat There Ever Was

We adopted Kate in June 2007 from the Humane Society when she was 2. She came with us from our first apartment on Trossacks to Hamilton to Chels & Warrens where she survived a year and a half with dogs and then 5 years in our house. These last couple months were the saddest as we watched her health deteriorate and her respiratory and bowel issues surface. It's the weirdest decision I've ever had to make, but we knew it was best for Kate because of her FIV and discomfort.

So this post is to remember Kate in all of the wonderful 10 1/2 years with us and all the happiness she brought to us!

Our last day with Kate.

Back in the Trossacks days... this was once in a frame!

When Kate lived with the dogs and thought she was one herself.

Post Christmas days & New Years 2018

We had a few days off in between Christmas and new years, which was really nice for good quality fam time with not much plans!

We both had the 27th off, which was the day we got to see our baby at the 12 week ultrasound. Baby is healthy and I'm pretty sure this time it's a girl. One month to know for sure!

Excitement in our house after Christmas is that Logan's been spending more and more time in his big boy underwear! I swear he gets a whole year older looking just having these on instead of a diaper!

After Aleksy worked the Thurs/Fri and I worked the Fri, we managed to squeeze in a date night on the weekend: the day before New Years. Our gift card was clearly burning a hole in our pockets, so we were very excited to go to dinner and a movie with our Moxies gift card. Because we don't like late nights and I'm the tiredest person in the world in this pregnancy, we actually did movie and a dinner - 2pm movie (The greatest showman, which was awesome!!) and then Moxies.

And new years eve, we spent with our friends at the Osbornes place with lots of appetizers (a ton of dips) and a pretend countdown for the kids. As you can see, Logan thought it was a darn good time. 

The kids countdown was to release all these balloons that were held up by a table cloth. The kids loved it! Also,some of them hardly noticed... 

Making new years complete with cupcakes and sprinkles. 

12 whole weeks!

We left at a reasonable time that night before 8pm so the kiddos could get to bed and we watched the ball drop at home, even though we tried to talk ourselves into giving up and just going to bed a bunch of times... more appetizers to keep us going... It was a M&M meats kind of new years!

And new years day, we went to a Knights hockey game with this monkey. The lady at the gate agreed with us about his cuteness so she shared her chocolate dipped licorice with him... for being cute.

Logan was so into the game that he sat on the floor at out feet to devour his popcorn. The views great fro down there.

But he did last 2 periods before we headed home...

And New years night, we spent reading through all these little pieces of paper that we've written throughout the year about good things that happened to remember: Vegas, cottaging, Chicago, Montreal & Ottawa, and all the little awesome things in between!

I don't have specific New Years resolutions, but what I am doing is starting 2018 grateful for all that I have - not looking at what comes up short, where I've placed expectations and by doing so, have let myself down when they are unmet. I am not in control of others actions and opinions, and I won't let those tie me down from bringing out the best positivity and happiness in my life, which I can share with my family and friends who matter.

I have so much in this life to be grateful for and that will be my focus.

I will continue to work on myself to release expectations and let what will be, be. I will try to make the most of what comes my way and when disappointed, understand that there is nothing helpful about taking it personally. This is where we make it about us and create a bigger problem than what there actually is.

Sometimes I need a reminder to take on these mindful practices so I can promote the best happiness in my life!

Christmas 2017!

This was our first year that Logan had an understanding of what was happening at Christmas... and it was amazing! We had a 2 day celebration for Christmas on Christmas eve and Christmas day and by the time we were headed to Aleksys parents on Christmas, he was very aware there would be "presents!".

All my baking creations this year: Christmas sprinkle sugar cookies, cranberry pecan shortbread, chocolate meringue cookies, chocolate covered macaroons, butterscotch peanut butter marshmallow squares, rice krispie peanut butter balls, ginger snaps, shortbread squares, peanut butter chocolate squares, and Christmas bark. There was some good time spent baking for all this variety!

Christmas Eve supper... where Logan ate a whole ton of corn... and that's it. But he liked the Christmas crackers and his hat.

And as you can see from his shirt, we told the family about Logan's promotion to Big Brother this year at Christmas!

This was our Christmas card/baby announcement:

He wasn't into the turkey, mashed potatoes or bun, but dessert it usually a win! Loving my his Auntie Stephs trifle.

Present time! And it wasn't just Logan excited. It appears that the lcbo had quite a few visits from our family before Christmas for this Christmas exchange!

And Logan had the best time opening all his presents - his construction worker get-up, tool bench, art easel and new clothes (which I may have been more excited than him for!).

Time got away from us because of all the business of supper, dessert and presents and although I tried to aim for 9pm to get home, we were closer to 10pm, so the milk and cookies  picture is another exhausted one! He fell asleep in the car on the way home and woke up just before this picture.

Christmas morning was the best! Even though Logan went to bed 2 hours after bedtime, he (not surprisingly) was up at the usual 6:30am and when we came downstairs, he went straight to the big present... then asked for his bottle first!

After his bottle, he went again for the big one.

Logan's stocking! He was the lucky recipient of some big boy underwear, band aids (which are currently an obsession), moana stickers (his favourite movie) and is favourite - the Thomas train mega blocks.

The best part about this Christmas is that he was so excited opening everything that he wanted to open and play with everything right away, so it took us 2 hours to get through presents!

Our Christmas kitty.

My best stocking yet stuffed with all the stuff on my list! Gloves, necklaces, make-up, make-up brush, a scarf, my Bay cup, chocolate and Toned by Ashy (workout wear!). The best! 

Logan loved his new backpack as much as his other toys! His favourite thing is to pack it with some things, have us put it on his back and then he goes to "work" or "the gym" - which is really the front door, then comes back to the living room.

Logan has a lot of dinkie cars because his dziadek gives him a car every time he sees him (every single time!), so for Christmas he got a track for all his cars! With a fancy loop too.

Christmas morning matching PJs and playing with his new fire truck from Grandpa. He pushed the bottom making the ladder turn for about 20 minutes.

Also, with Aleksys new Lambeth Illbury and Goose hat he got in his stocking!

The boys making Christmas morning breakfast!

This was the best kind of breakfast, the only thing missing was baileys in my coffee (I cant even drink coffee when I'm pregnant because I can't stand the taste!). Pancakes, peameal bacon, strawberries, hashbrowns and eggs.

Logan devoured the pancakes and strawberries and that's all he liked of these delicious foods at this moment. Picky kid.

We headed to Aleksys parents on Christmas after Logan's nap in the afternoon. He opened presents first then helped out with supper prep.





















Post supper relaxation time with the doggie, Owen: A little peppa and playing with his new toys before headed home.