Look who's TWO!

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY 

OLIVIA!!

I hope you had a wonderful day, baby girl! 

XOXO

10 on "t minus one day until I'm 36" Tuesday

1.. We had a bottle of 2007 CATENA Malbec on Saturday night.  Capital "D" for DELICIOUS!  It was so good, in fact, that we went to Costco and bought a whole case.  We have never done that before but when you find a gem like that one, we had no choice.  Who's coming over for a glass?!

2.. Ralph took me shopping for boots this weekend.  I have been looking for the perfect pair of black, flat, knee high boots for ages.  No buckles and fringe and gak.  It's hard when you know exactly what you're looking for but can't quite find it.....until Browns!  Thank you for your patience honey!!  And thank you for the prezzie! 

3.. Olivia did some shoe shopping too.....with birthday money from Grandma & Grandpa.  She was much less excited than mommy to try on a new pair.  Which is weird 'cause she's a total girly-girl.  Oh well.  She'll have to learn to love her practical, but cute, new kicks :)

4.. Ralph is taking me to dinner and a movie tonight!  Thanks to Jen for watching the kids :)  We're going to see the King's Speech.  It's supposed to be awesome....

5..There is NO SCHOOL for Hayden this week.  ALL WEEK.  (Plus he still gets a full week break at the end of April!)  Now I have to keep 2 kids busy with activities.  Here's hoping for some warm weather!

6..Hayden got his first birthday party invitation from a non-family member!  The crappy part?  He can't go because it's the same day as Olivia's.  Boo!  I compromised and told him that he could in turn invite his classroom friend to his birthday party in April.  Crisis averted.

7.. My car has NEVER been this dirty!!  It's a bit embarrassing actually.  I have been "going to wash it" for a few days now and today it's snowing again.  Aaarrgghhhh!  I may have to go anyway because it's pretty difficult to drive when you can't see out the windows :)

8..I finished Twilight last night.  I know there are a few of you who told me it was awesome and I'm a believer now!  On to the second book.....I'm dying to see if Edward can be persuaded to change Bella forever!!

9..In case I missed anyone on my email list, my email addy has changed.  I am now kdeters@shaw.ca or kara@blinkmakeup.ca. 

10. I'll be 36 tomorrow.  I think I'll open a new bottle of that yummy Malbec and drink the whole thing :)

10 on "oops....it's not Tuesday?!"

1..As I walk around my house, I realize I didn't really choose colors that were child friendly.  And perhaps, that there are no paint colors that are immune to marks when there are cars and toys flying down the stairs!  The brown trim in our house (on the baseboards and banisters) is taking a serious beating!!  Time again for touch-ups!

2..Grandma & Grandpa came for a visit!!  There were LOTS of snuggles and books to be read and games to be played.....and horsing around.  I think Grandma & Grandpa need a rest :)

 

 3..Oh, and lots of Peek-a-boo, too:

4.. Grandma & Grandpa got the kids chocolates and stickers and cars and babies for Valentines Day.  Mommy & Daddy just got them sunglasses:

5.. Grandma & Grandpa got to see the kids at their swimming lessons on Saturday morning and they also got to watch Hayden play his second last game of indoor soccer.  I love that they got to see the kids in their day-to-day routine:

 

6.. I was hired by a lady to do makeup for her photo shoot. She got my name through Google (and she lives in Tuscany!)  I was going to go to her house but it didn't work out for childcare so we planned for her to some here.  She assured me not to worry as she has 5 grown children of her own.  Ok.  I begged and bribed asked the kids to be on their best behavior.  To be quiet as mice in the playroom.  We set out a picnic of snacks and turned on a movie.  Perfect right?!  Ha.  This is my life we're talking about :) 

When I answered the door, she had chocolates for me, and she made cookies for my kids.  Wow.  How nice is that, right?!  She was really cool, she had amazing makeup potential (and my mind was immediately racing with ideas) and she was very easy to chat with.  Thank goodness.  20 minutes later, Olivia was the first to interrupt our appointment.  I guess she wanted to hang out with the girls.  And I'll give her credit, she quietly played on her own while I worked away.  Then, the WORST thing happened.  Olivia pooped.  Brilliant.  So much for the professional ambiance I had created.    What are the odds?@#!  My guest merely laughed and assured me to pay no mind at all.  Which was difficult considering the smell :)  Then, Hayden came upstairs.  I assumed he was coming up to tell me he needed to poop.  Instead, he demanded more juice.  Seriously?@#!  I need to lock this kid in his room until he figures out how to get his own juice work on his manners.  And his timing.  Again I excused my children, and again my gracious guest told me not to worry.  The silver lining.....she wants to have a BLINK Beauty Basics AND she loved her look AND gave me a little tip with my payment.  Nice.  I'll post her photos when the professional ones come in.

7.. I held a BLINK Beauty Basics last Thursday night (in Okotoks.....holy CRAP that's a long drive!)  I donated the prize for Ralph's Christmas party and 2 of the 6 ladies were really interested in having a party of their own.  Woot!  Here's hoping for the snowball effect I am waiting for.  And, I have another charity Beauty Basics tomorrow night.  In Lake Bonavista.  I wish someone in the NW would book a party :)

8.. Hayden got a pretty cool shirt (that he LOVES) from Auntie Keri:

9..We bottled our new batch of wine this weekend!! It's pretty "young" and it needs to age for awhile but it sure is delicious.  Think about the flavor of biting into a plum :)

10.Tessa sent me a few old photos last week and it's amazing how young we look!   Maybe I'm just feeling old and reminiscing about the skinnier, less grey and fewer wrinkles me 'cause I'm turning 36 next week....eek!

This little blast from the past was almost 9 years ago :)

10 on "we're having a snow day!" Tuesday

1..Ralph and I went to a charity auction on Thursday night.  A lady that works with Ralph tragically lost her husband, right before Christmas, and they had NO insurance.  His company decided to fundraise for her family.....to the tune of $25,000.00!!  We contributed by bidding on a portable Webber gas BBQ, and we won!  It will be the perfect little addition to our growing collection of camping gear.  Mmmmm.....flat bread pizza :)

2..We had date night on Friday night, Yay!  We went to Joeys for dinner and I had the very delicious Chinatown Lettuce Wraps.   Then we went and saw The Fighter.  Awesome movie and Christian Bale definitely deserved an award for his role.  During the movie, Ralph and I shared a big bag of popcorn.  I was still full from dinner but I think it is physically impossible for me to watch a movie without eating theater popcorn!  Then we went to Starbucks for a coffee. Can you say "overindulge much?!"

3.. Saturday was an emotional roller coaster to say the least.  Swimming lessons in the morning went great! I was the proud mama on the side of the pool beaming at her son for keeping his head under the water for 2 whole seconds!!  In the afternoon, I taught a friend how to do a smokey eye for her night out and the result was fab!  The tough part?  We said good bye to Rico.  His new owner came to pick him up, and for obvious reasons, there were a lot of mixed emotions for us.  I think he will be very happy running around his new 80 acre home, and I know we feel good about finding him a good home.  Even if it can't be with us.

4..Olivia has been stripping. In the morning, she'll either have her pj top off.  Or her pants.  Or both.  I thought I would trick her and put her footie jammies on.  She's too smart for Mommy and just unzips out of those too!  She's like me and doesn't want to sleep in too much clothing.  And she hates socks as much as I do too :)

5..My patience has been non-existant less than acceptable lately.  I'm not sure why.  I feel like the kids are fighting over everything, playing with nothing and are on this earth to drive me crazy.  I try and speak calmly and rationally and when that doesn't work, I yell.  I hate yelling.  I feel like an awful monster when I lose my cool against a 2 and 4 year old?@#!  What kind of person/mom does that make me??  Horrible.  Don't say normal because I feel crazy, not normal. 

6..David's Tea. Jessies Tea.  Need to make the trek to Southcenter.  The end. 

7..  Are you using Soap & Glory??  If you are, you know exactly why I'm about to RAVE on.  If not.....why not?@#!   If you want to smell how delicious the products are, or you want to buy some, come and see me at Shoppers :)  The list of my very favorite and MUST HAVE things has grown.  It all started with Sexy Mother Pucker lip gloss.  Yes, you heard me right, that's the name of it :)  It's a super tingly, yummy tasting, lip plumper.  And it's only $12.99!

My new favorites are the Clean Girls Body Wash ($9.99) and the Daily Smooth Body Butter. ($14.99)  Can you say "yummy!!"  The new Mist You Madly scent is DIVINE.   Check out their deliciously fun products at http://www.soapandglory.com/ca.

8.. Grandma & Grandpa arrive on Friday!  Weather permitting, and I HOPE we're in the clear, they'll be making the trek from Saskatoon.  It's such a crappy drive but we're looking forward to their visit.  Hopefully all the snuggles from their Grand babies will make it worth their while :)

9.. We had a snow day yesterday!  Hayden's preschool was canceled because his teachers couldn't get out of Cochrane, so we went tobogganing!  It was Olivia's first time and she sure didn't love it.  And I kind of don't blame her.  There was so much snow that it completely blew up and froze your face going down the hill!  Looking at the pictures, you  would think we spent all day in the snow.  Nope.  We were out there for 25 minutes.  Brrrrrrrr.

10. Monday was also barf day.  Poor Olivia was like the exorcist last night and then was almost back to normal today.  Huh?!  That was one crazy-ass, 24 hour super bug....and I hope it doesn't come near the rest of us.  In the meantime, I've been cleaning like a crazy woman to try and kill anything germ-like left in the house.  My house smells like Lavender & Vanilla Mr.Clean.  Infused with a lovely new cupcake fragrance warmer from Bath & Body Works :)

10 on.....brrrrr, I'm a posicle.......Tuesday!

1.. This is my last post for January......WHAT?@#!  Not sure what I even accomplished in January.....except trying to get back into a routine??


2..Ralph hasn't had an easy start to 2011.  He has exploratory knee surgery booked for March AND he has to have a pollup removed from his vocal chord in May.  The trifecta of injuries came this weekend when he severely tore his oblique muscles on his right side.  No exercise or hockey for about 2 weeks.  Believe you me, he HATES that.  He despises being slowed down.  Just when he was motivating me to get in shape, and we were gaining momentum, he overdoes it and gets hurt.  Poor guy. He'll hate me it, but I may have to continue P90X without him :(

3.. My favorite phrase of Olivia's right now?  "I no yike (read: like) it."  And "yuv you!"  But she says "silly" clear as a bell with the two L's.  Huh.

4..  I had a Bride contact me for her wedding in July.  I worked out my holidays and booked her.  Now came the booking deposit to hold her date.  No problem.  She agreed to pay half but she requested a contract stating all of the details of her wedding and payments/balances due.  Great.  (Had my sister the lawyer hook me up with a form I can use for all future clients too.)  I put a read-receipt on the email, so I know she got it, and I waited 2 weeks before I contacted her again to ask why the hell it was taking her so long to get back to me and pay her friggin' deposit if she had any questions about the contract and now she won't respond to my emails!!  WTF??!!  I'm going to give her another few days and then I guess I'll have to send an email saying that I've un-booked her date unless she gets back to me by the end of the week?! Brutal.  It feels so great to be rejected before you even get a chance to prove yourself.  And she said she loved my work.  She could have just been honest with me.  I'm feeling so confused.  And very discouraged.

5..Hayden's kindy hours for the Fall are weird.  Monday to Friday from 11:54am-2:38pm.  How random is that?!  We'll have to start eating lunch for a snack to get to school on time :)

6..My friend Megan always gets crazy deals on dealfind.  Ralph surprised me with a package for the spa which Megan and I will use for our upcoming birthdays ( mine is the end of February and her's is the beginning of March.)  A facial, manicure and pedicure for $44 ($175 value)....yes please!  And Happy Birthday to me!  Thanks honey :)

7..Remember the game Perfection??  It's great for shape matching practice, and Olivia's pretty good at it too!  Hayden jumped out of his skin the first time we played, but he's not scared anymore.....

We also played a few games of Trouble.  I am really  looking forward to the institution of family game night!

8..I am on chapter 6 of the book Twilight and I'm really enjoying it.  Everyone has said how great the books are, and though I was a bit skeptical at first, I'm a believer now!  I may not rush out to see the movie, but I'll probably continue on the series and read the second book :)

9..Something occurred to me today.  Is it possible that my kids don't know how to play?!  Why is it that there are millions of toys in my house, but at times they take everything out but won't play with anything??  Am I being unreasonable to expect that they will play together??   I play with them LOTS, but at other times, I need to get some stuff done while they play on their own!!  I can't be the only one that feels this way.......am I ??

10. We finally found Rico a new home :)