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Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Tuesday: Toddler Time

Soooo...when did my 'baby' become a toddler? Maybe I was in denial (hello bottle) or really he just grew up so darn fast.  I cannot believe how much fun, and crazy, it is to have two toddlers!  He will always be my baby, especially right now with his teething of his canines.  They are so much worse than I remember Brooke's!

This one starts pre-school in September, so I suppose I only have until then to call her a toddler.


I have learned the trick to happy kids =  TAKE THEM OUTSIDE AND PLAY.  Every day. Preferably twice a day.  It's amazing how much they sleep, eat & drink when I do this!  Luckily our weather has been super cooperative and though my house may not be as clean, my children are so happy!

His vocabulary is blowing my mind.  "Tree," as he points.  He says, "thank you" after you give him something, "bless you" when someone sneezes.  He loves cars, trucks and all things that go "vroom vroom."  Tractors and 4-wheelers are his jam.


We have some fave spots and this little gem has a Spray park which wasn't quite on last week. I bet it's running now!


Seriously?


He is such a little ham and knows he can't do al the things big sis can, but man he still runs around like a champ!


They laugh and love the swings so much.


Not sure what he was thinking here.


I like it when we have the place to ourselves. The kids love it too!


That was a cool day!


I am loving that we can bring snacks and rest and play and don't have to rush away.


My little monkeys.


When bruddar is sleeping or it's raining, Brooke and I have been reading.


Since the warm weather warmed up, we headed to Wal-mart stat for some new shorts and tops!  This little guy picked out the minion hat and refuses to wear it the "right way."


We've been having a blast these last few days and are getting ready for lots of exciting things!! Brookie has her first dance recital coming up, I just signed up to do the pre-school newsletter and we will have weekly play dates at different parks so the pre-schoolers can start meeting each other, how fun is that? 

I also just booked their first dentist appointments for July---omg! 

Family time: We have our eyes on the prize---our "staycation" will be after the 4th of July and that will get us through the crazy busy month of June. I'm frantically trying to fill up our schedules during the tent sale so we are not too alone and missing daddy too much.

I have lots to say, but I'm trying to really budget my time with my other responsibilities.  All I can say is that life is good and I truly mean it.

Hope you're having a beautiful day and following all of your hearts' desires.  

Thursday, May 26, 2016

I Confess...


...that I am thoroughly convinced the hardest age is 1 1/2-2 so far.  I'm sure there will be struggles as the kids get older, but man.  Someone is super clingy, being a picky eater and rather fussy more often than not lately!  It seems as though the only reprieve is if we go some place, but that's not possibly 24/7.

...I got a little bit of color from the sun yesterday and I'm not mad about it.

...I'm on day 4 of my cleanse and I can't promise that I will make it 10 days without a drink. #toddlers

...that I'm stoked to have a pedicure date tonight with my girl Alison!  It's probably my last outing without the kids for awhile.

...one of our sitters is moving to Buffalo and the other is super busy all Summer, so now I have to find more help!

...we have so much yard work/garden/deck work to do this weekend.  I can't wait to get some flowers to hang and plant!

...I felt like I was in a really great groove/routine with the kids and I'm trying really hard to get back on track, but it's so hard!

...behind my knee is hurting pretty bad. I think it's a tendon and it's from carrying the kids up/down the stairs and walking the dog, as she pulls really hard.  Pushing the double stroller also bothers it, as does grocery shopping.  I have been trying to ice it and rest when possible, but I barely sit all day so it's kind of an issue. I hope it gets better soon!

...I have no desire to clean, but the floors are bad already and I need to just do it.

...it's not even 10 am and I'm starting to sweat, bring on the high 80s and 90s woo hoo!

...I haven't been reading as much as I had been and I'm not cool with that.

...I need to go listen to some positive motivation because I'm kinda feelin in a funk.

Let's do this Thursday! 

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Toronto


Well, I've had enough of reality already haha!  I'm at the point today where I feel like I should try to fall asleep, but the kids will wake up momentarily, so I'll just drink some green tea and blog.

Toronto.

We had so much fun and honestly, couldn't have asked for anything better!


Yup, just us two love birds---the kids spent the weekend with Nana & Papa!  We are so grateful that they enjoy taking the kids and that everyone had a good time together!

We left Thursday after work and made such great time! No lines at the border and no traffic on the QEW.  We've been here a handful of times, so we actually have some favorite "spots" now.



I was hoping to really enjoy this cup of Joe, but sadly, my love for coffee is no more.  It really does give me terrible reflux, so I drank a few sips and switched to my green tea latte.


Breakfast was amazing---homemade biscuits and Eggs Benedict. YUMM!


After our late morning breakfast, we walked around and just enjoyed the quiet!  I loved sporting my red pixie pants and my S&D accessories.


My green tea latte---not sure how they mixed up "Jenn"...


We headed over to the nicer/ritzy part of town and had some lunch at a cute rooftop restaurant.


I forget what Joe ordered, but I know he had ceviche


I went with a salad & grilled chicken, as it was later and we had 7pm dinner reservations.


We had a little trouble finding the place, but we got there eventually!



My hottie hubby.


It was a cute place, nice staff & great food.


He went all out and ordered the $100 caviar.  Pretty good! The brioche they served with it was to die for.


My dinner was basically a deconstructed pot pie, with a bunch of fatty parts of a pig! LOL  It was really darn tasty and something I'll probably never see on a menu again, so I am glad that I ordered it.


We had a slow start to our Saturday and tried out another diner, Fran's and it was really good (we ended up back there on Sunday too!) 


After fueling up, we hit up the mall...Joe wanted to recreate some picture he took of me years ago.  Mama got some new bras--woop woop! And some jeans and a few tops.  Daddy found some really nice shirts and work clothes (much needed!)


I changed into some of my new things and we headed back out again.



There's a cute little area called Kensington market and we went there for some tacos for lunch and to walk around.


We thought this tree was so pretty!


I love this photo.


He looked so hot in his new jacket and shirt, so I had to snap a few photos of him.


This was near the restaurant where we dinner Saturday.  The weather was so nice and we had so much fun just walking around and exploring!


They stuck us right up front in the window.


I ordered the burrata with this amazing basil, lemon, pea, fava bean pesto---omg so good!  Joe went for the paté.


It wasn't terribly late, but we were tired from all of the walking we did so we headed back kind of early. Plus Yonge Street is a bit of a crazy area and with the basketball game (and the full moon!), we weren't sure what would happen.

Sunday we made sure to take our time.  Breakfast.  Last minute shopping. Latté.



Since it was a long weekend, traffic was ridiculous so we took our sweet time riding home.  We took a scenic route that followed the lake and stopped to stretch here.


I always have pictures of him on rocks haha!  I believe this was Burlington Canada.


Of course I played with Snap Chat almost all weekend long!


We saw a really cute little area so we had lunch and they had my favorite wine ever (Santa Margarita) so I obviously had to order! (hello day drinking!)


I remember the first photo I took that looked like this; it was July 11, the day after we got married and we were riding in the Porsche.  I cannot believe that was almost 6 years and 2 kids ago!  Man how time really does fly by.


I'm not sure who needed the little getaway more, me or him.  I don't think it's fair to play that comparison game.  I'm home with two little kids all day while he's away working really hard & long hours.  Most days we are so exhausted, we say a few words and zone out in front of the tv or he plays some video games & I read, or blog or whatever.  

It's life and it's a bit of a rat race at times; we can become very robotic, usually because we are on strict routines, schedules, deadlines, meetings, appointments, you name it.  But to breakaway and become just "Jenn & Joe" is something we need because to have these amazing little moments tucked into my memory, is something that I will think about when I'm lonely and he's working 19 days straight for his tent sale.  

I wanted to stop by the land on the way home and I'm glad that I did.  I now have a new photo of the sun starting to set, on a place where we will make so many more beautiful memories together.  


I'm not exactly sure how we got so lucky to find each other, but I am so happy we did.  I feel as though I have everything I have ever wanted and needed, and I cannot stop dreaming about all of the fun we have to look forward to with our lives.


When you work as hard as we do, you truly enjoy the time when you get to play.


Thursday, May 19, 2016

I confess...

...I totally just packed the kids up and headed to Starbucks. In my defense, I was out of my low fat vanilla soy milk and couldn't make my own latte.  I did however, go back to the OG and get my grande vanilla soy latte---WOW!  I can't believe how strong the espresso tasted after about a month hiatus! Crazy.

...I am dreaming of some amazing QT with my groom.  I am talking about breakfast, lunches, dinners just us, not worrying about whether someone is drinking enough of her water, or if someone else is eating enough of his veggies.  To sit in absolute silence, or to talk and discuss big dreams.  To rap along to the dirtiest of hip hop music, and laugh because we can.  Kid free time is much needed!

...I ate three pieces of cheese pizza last night for dinner, and even though I did a quick arm/ab workout and a a 20 minute walk with the kids, I still jumped on the elliptical last night.  Felt damn good!

...I am going to write a post about how social media is causing depression/anxiety/unhappiness.  The more I stay away and do "other activities" the happier I've become. No joke.

...Bradley is the funniest little boy I have ever met. He keeps doing this side dance and booty goes round--I die.

...I can almost not see the parking lot behind our house and I kinda love it.  

...the triangle pavé ear climbers are back and EVERYONE wants them! They sold out so fast last time, I didn't get a pair, don't delay!!

...I love goat cheese, but not so much on the morning eggs---I prefer my feta.  Sorry Nikki!! 

...I'm finding it hard to believe that it's the end of May and that Memorial Day is next weekend. I need to finish mulching and grab some flowers asap!!

...I am shocked at how many people reached out to me after my post on Tuesday.  I never know what may strike a chord with someone, as I write really just for me...(selfishly) but I am so moved when others find comfort or familiarity with my words.  I like that a lot.

...Father's Day is around the corner, I have NO clue what to get my dad! He owns a hardware/lumberyard and is probably the hardest man to buy for on the face of the earth. I wish I could buy him time, so that he could just spend it with his grandkids and not worry about working.

...Parenting is no joke.  (obvi) Joe and I were discussing how "easy" we have it, with me being home 24/7 and his hard work ethic, allowing us to live this way--and yet we still have struggles, challenges and worries about our kids.  I take my job as a momma very (too) seriously at times and I just want both of them to be totally fine and have no issues ever. . . I may be referring to some potty training related issues, but I don't going too public about that with my babes. 

...I'm excited for my grandma to meet our kids!  Both of my other grandparents have passed before they got to meet them, so it will be very special for me.

...I keep seeing 11:11 a lot lately, I mean pretty much twice daily. I love this interpretation here: 

In my opinion and what resonates with me, is that when you see ‘11:11’ whether on a clock, a license plate, your bank statement or wherever you happen to see it, is like a friendly little sign from your soul, source, higher-self, or the entire Universe, whatever you choose to call it, God, if you will, that everything is in alignment and you are exactly where you need to be, right here, right now.  (Source)

...I really do feel like I am exactly where I need to be lately and there is NO freer feeling that just that.  To not feel like I am supposed to be doing this, that or the other thing.  To feel completely at ease, almost blissful in this chaotic world that spins around me.  I do not wish for anything more, I am simply surrounded by beauty, abundance and am happy---from the inside out.  Isn't that what we all strive to feel or be?  I don't know how long this feeling will last, but I am soaking up every lovin minute of it.