the colour of lilacs

Sunday was perfection!  After a week long down pour the sun came out in full fury, I have the sunburn to prove it.  The summer weather was right on cue as it was time for our city's annual lilac festival.  Summer festivals, yet another reason why I love summer over winter.  Every year the city shuts down 4th street for a block after block festival.  Tons of food.  Bands and street performers everywhere.  More jewelry for sale then one could ever want (although no antique-y earrings, I'm huntin' for some)  Also came across this absolutely adorable art work for kids, Fay Moose Art.  Apparently everyone in the city had the same idea to head outdoors because it was jam packed!  It essentially felt like one giant herd moving in one direction or another, but who minds when it's a super nice day and there is nowhere else to be.

fay moose art

steppin' out {saturday} ~ a road less travelled

This weekend has been action packed.  Definitely not the norm around here.  Friday brought friends over for drinks and wii fun.  Saturday was a funtastic birthday party, Liam had a blast...although he's not sure about ball pits.  Happy 4th birthday Tommy!  And Sunday capped it off with an afternoon at the Lilac Festival (festival to be posted later).  It's just been a great weekend of family fun time, did I also mention that the husband even watched a girly movie with me on Saturday?  Things just couldn't get better.

finding friday ~ farmer's market edition

Still raining here!  Seriously, I don't remember the last time we actually had it rain non-stop for an entire week.  Maybe our grass will actually be green this year, or maybe not. (we have an ongoing battle with our grass)  Despite the soggy weather it actually turned out to be the perfect day to head to the farmer's market, thankfully it's indoors.  This made Finding Friday easy this week.   Macaroons, pain au chocolat (for Sunday morning), mini cucumbers, peppers, orange and red tomatoes, the BEST organic grapes, honey whole wheat bread, and apples.  Also we were introduced to beef bacon...yup I did say beef bacon, maple flavoured too.  Liam got his first taste of cabbage rolls, perogies and latkes, a most excellent Ukrainian lunch.  He loved 'em all...like any Ukrainian would.

 macaroons, we got raspberry, pistachio, chocolate & hazelnut mocha
...mmmmmm
i just love how french they are...
j'adore 

♥ happy happy weekend ♥

let them eat...cookies

Tuesday was a soggy wet mess of a day.  Perfect weather for playing napping and making cookies.  Liam took care of the napping while I made the cookies, it was a real team effort.  Found this yummy recipe for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and they are beyond delicious!!  Peanut butter AND chocolate chips...how could that be wrong?  Oh, I also promise that this isn't becoming a food blog...I just really like food, all parts of it.  The preparing, cooking, baking and of course...the eating.  So I'll just share our good eats now and then.

wordless(ish) wednesday: foul language

As Liam's first birthday draws closer, I find that I'm missing the wee baby we brought home from the hospital, how has he gotten so big?  That's how I came across this photo...having one of those sentimental moments.  But...as I was going through our first family photo shoot, reminiscing, I realized that Liam is flippin' the bird in this photo.  What a guy...

he truly is OUR son!!

cloudy with a chance of waffles

Have I mentioned how much I love Sundays?? Pretty sure it's been a few times.  Yesterday, being Sunday, was better than most because it's a long weekend folks.  That means that Rob's home for 3 whole days of fun and......waffles!  I usually make this recipe as pancakes, the best pancakes i've ever had, swear it.  To switch it up we decided to get crazy and make waffles instead.  Add in some strawberries, blueberries and a berry puree and its pure magic in your mouth!! Liam enjoyed his first encounter with waffles, pretty much devouring it as quickly as he could.  It was a yummy way to start an overcast Sunday morning...

aren't weekends just the best?!?!

steppin' out {friday} ~ it's a date

Yay for Friday date night!!  Liam got to spend the evening hanging out with Papa and Gramma Jan while Rob and I went out for a fab dinner! (or rather Papa and Gramma hung out while Liam slept) It was nice hanging out with the husband and getting a little dressed up, we gotta' do this more often.

Oh ya...hope you don't mind the pretend model poses (fence inspired by Mandy's photos)  I was being a huge dork while Rob was "shooting" me and these were the only ones I was willing to share with the entire world, there were some pretty hilarious ones.  I'm definitely NOT going to quit my day job.  ; )

The Paper Mama Photo Challenge: Blue

friday's five: a camping we will NOT go

Boooo, we were supposed to finally go camping this weekend...but due to rain in the forecast AND a provincial fire ban we are not : (  I guess the fire ban is some what acceptable seeing as there are over 100 wildfires currently burning. True...we could go and not have a fire, but what fun would that be?   So, seeing as we are not headed to the mountains I'm dedicating this weeks f's 5 to things the "livin' the dream" family associate with camping...

photo from www.caplanmiller.com

S'mores 

 by far one of THE best parts of camping!!

2 parts graham cracker

1 part fire roasted marshmallowy goodness

1 or 2 or 3 parts melted chocolate

how could you go wrong with such tasty deliciousness?

Camping...with a furnace?

last year, right after Liam was born, we bought ourselves this rockin' tent trailer.  before the farf came into our world Rob and I would tent it.  but, now...we camp in style, with a furnace!!  definitely a step up from our Tarn 3 (our little green tent)

Camp fires

yup this is the reason we aren't going camping this weekend.  it is a must for us, there is nothing better than sitting around a blazing pile'o'wood in the middle of a forest. throw in some smores and a guitar and it's perfection at it's best.  with an inferno like this you ask if a furnace is really necessary?  answer: yes!!

Camping in the Mountains

we love getting out of the city and escaping to scenery like this...and where we live, it's only minutes away!

Seeing bears...

no not really...but I'd be all over a bear if I saw one this cute!   introducing Liam to the great outdoors is my new favourite part of camping.  i'm actually super disappointed that we aren't going now.  Liam was so little when we went last year and I'm excited about everything he'll get into, pinecones, leaves, dirt, sleeping with bears...you know the usual.  

here's hoping the fire ban is lifted next weekend

 happy {non-firey} weekend

wordless(ish) wednesday: the husband, the daddy

I have yet to blog about my fantastic partner on this journey through parenthood...my bestest friend...the husband.  Rob is such a great husband...provider of many a foot rub, back massage, and really he is amazing at putting up with my crap *smile*.  On top of all this, he is one amazing daddy.  Liam loves him so much...he could be in the foulest of moods and Rob will walk into the room and immediate smiles and giggles appear.  It makes me smile and unbelievably happy just how much he loves his dad...yet another of the million reasons why I love the husband.

10 months!

Holy crap!  How is it possible that not only is it the middle of MAY....but....that my little dude is 10 MONTHS?!?  When did this happen?  I kinda feel like everything is moving way too quickly and somehow I'm not keeping up.  Apparently, so I'm told...by those wiser (definitely not older), time just continues to speed up...why is that?  Remember how long summer seemed to be when you were a kid?  It seemed endless, I hope time is that way for Liam...

10 month Liam...  

~ army crawler extraordinaire, he's making attempts to pull himself up

~ he waves to people...er...the computer (this is a result of skype) and waving is sporadic

~ we are teaching him to clap, he really doesn't seem all that interested in doing it

~ there are still only 2 bottom teeth...with no major teething incidents this month

~ wearing size 6-12 month in somethings and 12 months in others

~ weighed him yesterday...21 lbs.
~ still in size 3 diapers

~ on the subject of food, he eats pretty much everything even, wait for it....FRUIT (this makes me so happy) latest thing he enjoys, pineapple

~ Liam is now wanting to eat everything that we eat, including homemade brownies...a new favourite
~ playing with all of his food, barely any actually makes it into his mouth
~ he is a 3 meal a day baby...loves his breakfast now too
~ only nursing 3 times a day (morning, before bed and one late night feed...I can feel the freedom)
~ learning to use a sippy cup for formula during the day...he completely flat out refuses to use a bottle
~ he puts his arms up in the air to be picked up
~ curious about EVERYTHING....wants to touch, grab and inspect it all
~ still a very happy, giggly little farf

Happy 10 months little man
...love you
♥

sunshine = smiles

Wednesday was a sunny day....perfect for a picnic in the park with friends.  Met up with a few girlfriends and their children {9 kidlets + 5 mommas = fun chaos}.  Liam was content swingin' or chill'ax'in on the blanket, so long as I was there.  We have officially entered the "I only want mommy" stage.  He has to be able to see me, if he knows I'm around and can't see me he explodes.  Seriously the kid has a set of lungs on 'em.  I love it : )

disclaimer: it's photo heavy & would've posted this earlier...but....blogger was havin' some issues