Fall harvest

About a week ago, I was in the backyard with the kids, and I sauntered over to the garden. My garden didn't do well at all this year, with the super-high temperatures, and lack of rainfall throughout the summer. I will not confirm, nor deny the fact that my laissez-faire style of gardening may not have helped the outcome of the harvest. Let me say.... ummmm, that I hate to weed a garden. It seems to be the most useless thing to do, since the weeds just keep growing! I pick my tomatoes and check on my gladiolus growing in amongst the odd tall-growing weed.

So, with that admitted and out of the way, I'll show you what I discovered that day when I sauntered over to check on the garden.
My row of carrots had nice, green tops, so I thought I'd just pull one to check on them. When I pulled on the carrot top, a small, yet perfectly formed little carrot followed. It was the cutest, sweetest thing I'd ever seen! The carrot so orange, the top so green, and the cutest little wrinkles all around. (Yes, this was my first season growing carrots, can you tell?)
Once I pulled up one cute little carrot, I just had to keep going..... Sweetie helped me out, and before we knew it, we had a nice little bunch of carrots. LITTLE being the operative word. The largest was about 4 inches long, the smallest being just a tiny little orange hair on the end of the greens.

The carrots were boiled and coated with honey and cinnamon with dinner, where Sweetie didn't care for the intense, fresh carrot flavour, while Monkey savoured every bite and finished off Sweetie's as well! Mac was on the afternoon shift, so he enjoyed his meal while we all slept, cozy in our beds, so I didn't hear the verdict from him on our carrot success (or failure?).

While it was exciting to have a bundle of carrots, it was a little disappointing to have them end up so small. I'm no super gardener, so I turn it over to you: Did I harvest too early? Or did I harvest on time, but the end result was less than stellar due to the weather (and weed) conditions? Your input is greatly appreciated!

Now to visit the garden to harvest the mystery squash growing where I planted my green beans.....

Deal of all Deals!!!

I have ALWAYS wanted tall, high-heeled boots. But, those of you who join me in the "beefy calf club" probably share the same problem: most of the time, the boots don't even zip over my calves! I have admired many a pair, only to be disappointed when I tried them on.
I took a little evening shopping trip sans children last friday - it was pure bliss. I went to the local Sears, hoping to find a dress that I had seen in the catalogue (more on that below), and ran across these in the shoe department:

I've gotten to the point where I don't even bother trying on this type of boot anymore, since they don't usually fit my calves. BUT, there was a super sale! as you can see, they were 1/2 price!!! They obviously aren't top of the line, leather boots, but for that price, they were worth taking a shot......... THEY ZIPPED UP!!!!! It took a little prodding and tucking of the calf area, but it all closed and didn't look ridiculous once they were on (you, know, "muffin top" of the legs is NOT pretty!). The ones I tried on were the LAST size 9's in black, BUT, they had a couple marks on them. Not sure what it is, but it's not super noticeable, and may come out if I buff it with a soft cloth. So, since they had a defect, they were an extra 10% off! BONUS!!! In all, I got 60% off these great boots. After taxes, I paid $40 and change for them. I'd say that's a good find!
My mom is getting married in 3 weeks. (aren't they cute? It makes you just want to start singing, "a little ditty about Jack and Diana..... ) It is a casual event where "casual western wear" is encouraged. I.don't.do.western. Sorry. I know cowboy boots are in style, but they have just never been my style. So, I'm looking for an outfit that is casual, yet somewhat dressy, but not too dressy, since my mom will be wearing a peasant shirt and skirt with cowboy boots. I must not outdress the bride! I've ordered a dress from Sears that I think would be super cool (Yeah, Sears, again, they should be compensating me for this blog post!). I was leafing through one of their smaller catalogues that came that other day, and I just STOPPED and STARED when I saw it. I can't find it online right now, so a picture will have to wait... I'll let you know what I think of it - it will be delivered tomorrow!

*******UPDATE************** ok, so it's not a great picture, I ended up having to scan the page from the catalogue. It's all folded and crinkly because I've been carrying it around in my coat pocket to ask people's opinions on whether I should order it or not. Here it is: Those of you who know me personally, and have seen my wardrobe, it's a no-brainer which one I chose..... of course the teal one!!! It will be available for pick-up at the Sears location today, but I can't get it today!!! Stupid late meetings!!!! So, I'll have to wait one more day to pick it up and try it on. Wish me luck! My next purchase may be some foundation garments (aka girdle of steel) to make it all look good on me!

(By the way - I'm wearing the boots today to break them in! Oh, who am I kidding, breaking them in, I just couldn't wait! I'm like a kid wearing new clothes the second they get home and out of the bag!)

***************update concluded.... continue on.......********************

Plans are underway for the rest of the family's wedding attire. I'll be sewing Sweetie's dress, and putting a western touch on a plain white dress shirt for Monkey. Mac and I need to go shopping for his outfit - we'll see what we can find for him, since he normally doesn't do western either!

Have a wonderful day!

Flip Flop Refashion

A little late in the season to be finally showing this off, I know..... but it's just so COOL!!! (if I do say so myself!)

I can't take the credit for this great idea, I found it here at Make it and Love it

Basically, you start with a plain old pair of flip-flops, and pretty them up! For full information on how to make them, I recommend you to visit Ashley's tutorial, since she did such a great job!

Velcro is one of the greatest inventions in the whole world! It's the oh-so-important behind-the-scenes player in this refashion!

I bought some ribbon that really caught my eye at the local Wal-Mart (blue with polka-dots and the damask-ish brown one). The fabrics came from my stash, as well as the pink and green ribbons. I'm not so sure about the pink and green set, I haven't even worn them yet, but I'm sure I'll find just the right outfit to wear them with!

I'm sure by the beginning of next summer, I'll have a MILLION more options. Maybe one for each day? :)

My baby's gone to school!

This year, my 4-year old Monkey started Junior Kindergarten. He was so excited to go to "big school", as he had been attending a full day pre-school previously(which he used to call "school" when he didn't know any better!). Kindergarten at our local school is full days, every other day, so he was very excited to pack a lunch and have recess. He had heard so much about school from Sweetie, that he had no reservations whatsoever to just jump in and become a "big boy". I love this Rose of Sharon bush so much, it makes a beautiful background for our first day of school picture! Here he's putting on his "cheese" smile face for the obligatory picture. Not a great picture, but at least we have one to document the day!

Since school lasts the entire day from 9:05 to 3:25, kindergarten has a nap or quiet time worked into the schedule. Each child is required to bring a blanket or towel to lie on during quiet time. Monkey had one of his old cozy blankets all picked out, but little did he know, I had other plans!

My dino-crazed Monkey MUST have a cuddly dinosaur blanket for his first year of school! I bought this fabric at our local fabric store months ago, but just didn't know what to do with it. Monkey had just asked me (again) the week before if I could make something for him out of it, so I really got brainstorming. The local discount store had cozy, snuggly throws on sale, so I thought I'd check them out. And what do you know, PERFECT COLOURS! Right that moment, I knew this blanket would come together with ease!

It's not super fancy, and doesn't use any impressive techniques, but it made him so happy! All I did was cut long strips of the fabric, folded the edges in, pinned to each blanket, and stitched around the edges. Then I cut out some individual dinosaurs and appliqued them on with a zig-zag stitch. Once both blankets were finished, then I stitched them together all around the edges. It's pretty rudimentary, but OH SO SOFT! Why didn't they have these cuddly soft fabrics around when I was a kid?

I finished the blanket the day before Monkey's first day of school, and when it came time to present it to him, Sweetie felt she should do it, since she KNEW he would love it so much.

Well.... his little eyes widened, lit up, and a smile adorned his face so wide that he looked like the happiest kid on earth. It was absolutely heartwarming to see such a happy kid, and to see his super proud sister so delighted to bring him pleasure.

The blanket is now in use in his classroom, and he has reported that all of his friends think it's "pretty cool".

Do you sew? Did you make something special for your little one when they started school?

Really, I'm here, I've just been BUSY!!!

I'm baaaaaaaack!!!! Actually, I've been here all along, but I was just sucked into the excitement of summer.

This summer was a HOT one!!! Here in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, our summer was full of record breaking temperatures with very long stretches between any rains. It was a great year for the beach, splashpads and vacations, but not so good for our garden and flower pots (doesn't help when I'm not so diligent about watering the poor plants!)

I don't think I'll be winning any prizes for vegetables and flowers at our upcoming fall fair, but there's still hope for my sewing, scrapbooking, photography and baking entries!

On to the real reason for this post: SUMMER VACATION!!!

The first week of August, we made the trek to this island oasis:

Surf City, Topsail Island, NC a.k.a my favourite vacation destination!

This was the first time the kids had ever been to the "real beach" (the ocean), so it was very exciting! Sweetie took to the ocean like a dolphin, not minding the salty spray in the least. She practiced a lot and became a great boogie boarder:

I worked on perfecting my tan...... ha ha ha hee hee hee hooooooooo, yeah, that's a funny one. I should rephrase that: I perfected my BURN.

True Sonya style, I went from virgin skin to red, crispy and painful. This lovely, serene, Corona commercial-like scene looks great, but I know the outcome of this beach day. My skin has since bubbled, peeled and healed, and deep down, I know I'd do it all again just to smell the lovely beach air, hear the happy shrieks of the kids as they run into the water, and feel the refreshing water lapping on my feet.

A LOT of seafood was consumed in those 7 days......

Including some SCRUMPTIOUS shrimp omelettes. mmmmmmmmmm!!!!! Mac and I have been unable to consume any seafood at home, since it is not freshly caught on shrimp boats we spotted out our kitchen window. A grocery store shrimp ring is definitely NOT our idea of good seafood! Once you've had the good stuff, you can't go back to frozen!

Monkey had a wonderful time on the beach, never venturing far into the water, but having a great time all the while.

....and well, Sweetie took full advantage of the beach, even the great lighting and ambiance for a modelling session :) She practically had a different bathing suit for every day.

A well-dressed diva can't be caught wearing the same thing twice!

All in all, it was a wonderful family vacation. Mac and I hadn't been to the beach since our honeymoon almost 8 years ago, so we definitely were due to come back! Now that the kids have grown a love for the place, we will be back more often.

Our goofy family pic on the first day of vacation - so happy to be in the ocean!

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More frequent posting will resume, I PROMISE!!!

Birthdays aplenty (and a link to a GREAT dino cake idea!)

Late June and early July are busy around our household, full of cakes, cupcakes, presents, pool parties, and lots of fun. Here's a rundown of our 2010 summer birthday season:

This is what 4 looks like:

Monkey is all decked out on his birthday, ready for his first day of summer program. (all of a sudden, he thinks wearing his hat sideways is cool - we let him, just because he's so cute) He was late getting to summer program because he had to open his presents first...

.....and play (quite vigorously) with the foam swords in Mommy and Daddy's bed!

(I feared for my camera - and my life during this epic battle!) That hairy arm holding the other sword is Mac's, not mine - I felt like I needed to clear that up!

This is what 7 looks like:

.... all hopped up on a sugar high at her "school friends" birthday party. We held the party on the last day of school so I could just walk them all across the street from the school to our backyard for some fun.

And here's a good dose of what 35 looks like:

Mac is now 35 years old - now on the slippery downward slope towards 40! We had a great steak dinner with salad, corn on the cob and potato skins, and topped it off with a homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. mmm mmm mmmmmmm, it was YUMMY!!!

I searched Allrecipes.com for a carrot cake and icing recipe, and I found these: (it turned out so well, I thought I'd share it with you!)

Cream cheese frosting recipe

Carrot Cake recipe - I left out the walnuts, although I do love them. Sweetie just doesn't like finding "crunchy things" in her cake. I also cut back the oil and replaced 1/3 cup with some applesauce. I would have used more applesauch and less oil, but I didn't have as much applesauce in the house as I thought I did (unless I wanted to get into the single serve lunch pack style ones!)

Mac was pretty impressed that I made the whole cake from scratch - I usually make other cakes with the mixes - they just come out so well, and are so quick. There's lots left in the fridge, and I'm looking forward to another piece for dessert tonight! (and then I'll have to play my weekly 2-pitch baseball game... I'll be more sluggish around the bases than usual!)

The "Extended Family" Birthday Party:
Our kids' birthdays are 5 days apart (well, 3 years, 5 days, to be exact!), so we usually combine the birthday party we throw for our extended family (hey, only feed them once and get it over with!) This year, we planned it far in advance because we had to work around our camping, and other people's vacations. When it got closer to the date, it turned out the World Cup final game was going to be on that day as well! AND, being of Dutch descent, there was no way we'd be missing the game! So... we turned it into a World Cup/Birthday party. We went all hillbilly and brought the tv out on the deck, so we wouldn't miss a thing. (Hillbilly 'cuz we also have a mini-fridge on our deck - not a streamlined, modern one, it's brown, with fake woodgrain on the door. Yeah, it's awesome) We have a pvr, so I told everyone we could pause the game for presents and cake, if need be! (so thoughtful, huh?)
We invited everyone to wear ORANJE and cheer on the Dutch national team. Mac celebrated the event with a Heineken and his "fan" shirt. (he's of Scottish descent, but was willing to cheer on the Dutch since he realized his kids are 1/2 dutch - what a dork!) I think he was willing to do it because I'm the boss and I told him to! ;)

In the end, the Dutch did not win, which was a bit of a letdown, but the party had to go on....

Both Sweetie and Monkey were presented with Dutch jerseys to wear, but by the end of the day, Monkey ended up in this Transformers shirt. (He must have been trying to "masculinize" a bit, since Sweetie is painting his nails here - although the nail polish was blue - that's ok for boys, right?)

So here's what I REALLY wanted to show all of you out in blogland:

Monkey's "Dino Dig" Cake!
My monkey is sooooo into Dinosaurs! He tells everyone he meets that when he grows up, he wants to be a "Fossil Digger". He's THAT kid who can rhyme off the names of all the dinosaurs - yeah, all the oddball ones that no one has heard of, like the Corythosaurus. On my hunt to find just the right dinosaur cake idea, I came across this one on Disney's Family Fun Magazine website. I knew it was perfect for our future fossil digger! It's super easy, and can be modified to your own taste, as I did. It originally called for chocolate graham cracker pieces all around the edges (just like jagged rocks), but I couldn't find any, so I made T-rex teeth out of leftover sugar cookie dough to line the outside. Please pardon the messy icing job around the edges, it was decorated after midnight the night before (as most of my cakes are made around that time!) He thought the cake was AWESOME. I thought so too (if I may say so myself!).

So, tell me, how do you celebrate birthdays at your house?

Birthdays aplenty!

Ok, so I hit "Enter" as I was making a title on my next blog post. And, it published. So, just call this a little teaser for my upcoming post (probably of the same title!)