Five on Friday - Photos From My Phone

Image - Sparkle My Day

 

Whew! I have made it through the first week back to school/work after the holidays.  It has gone pretty smoothly, but man am I tired! I've got to get myself back onto a sleeping/eating/living schedule really quick so that week two doesn't feel quite as exhausting!

 

Thank-you so much for all your comments on my "resolutions" in my last post.  It feels wonderful to have so many supporters!

 

Speaking of resolutions, I came across this list of  New Year's goals and I found it very realistic:

 

 

Borrowed from the Simplified Bee

 

 

Amen to all of that, wouldn't you agree?

 

I am joining again this week with Amy's Five On Friday.  Here are five photos from my phone that illustrate the week that has been.

 

Number One:  My daughter wanted to spend some of her Christmas money on a new stuffed animal.  I suggested we visit "Build-a-Bear Workshop" where she could create her own stuffed animal.

She quickly chose a rainbow-hearted bear that she scented with strawberries and dressed in glittery pants and a sequinned top.  "Valerie" is the perfect bear for her!

Number Two:  In order to cut down a bit on my cookie/cake/muffin consumption, I have switched to enjoying a low-calorie hot chocolate as a dessert after my meals.  It satisfies my sweets craving and adds some milk/calcium to my diet!  A cute mug helps, too!

 



Number Three:  I took a week to un-Christmas and unclutter the house.  I am gradually adding back in the things I love and the items that will bring joy during this un-exciting month of January. 

 

(Those oranges were gone in 2 days by the way.  They are just SO GOOD this time of year!)

 



 

Number Four:  On the last day of holidays I was up before the sun worried about the lesson-planning I hadn't done for school the next day.  So, I was in my kitchen by 6am, lesson books and coffee in hand. By 7:30 I had done enough prep and I decided to drag the family out of bed too, and take them out for breakfast.

Everyone grumbled and complained until their meals arrived at the table.  Then, all of a sudden, smiles abounded and no one regretted the early rising time.  Here's my breakfast - a cinnamon swirl brioche bun covered in bananas, pecans and caramel sauce.  It was more like a dessert than a breakfast,  but I didn't mind!  :)

 

 

 

Number Five:  Now that all of my Christmas crafts are done (or not done and packed away!) I've gone back to some unfinished projects that I was working on back in October.  This patchwork quilt made up of circles appliqued onto squares is now mostly done after a enjoyable sewing session one night this week.  I need to pick up some backing fabric and binding ASAP and I hope to get the whole project done in the next week.  Watch this space.  I'll let you know how it's going......

 



Got any plans for the weekend?

So far nothing is in stone here, but I really want to check out a tea-shop or café somewhere near by.  My usual date, my daughter, is unavailable due to another "date" with her grandparents. So I may have to give her brothers a try.  I think my 7 year old would be adorable in a tearoom, but I am not sure how long he would last.  It definitely wouldn't be a slow and relaxing tea time.

My older son (11) would enjoy the cake and sweets but will be wondering when the meat and potatoes will arrive at the table. 

 

Hmm......I guess it might be a "tea room experiment." 

 

(Daisy Tea Rooms)

 

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

XOXOXO

 

Bronwyn



This Year I Will Be.....

I am not really into resolutions as they have traditionally gone - make some promises to oneself as New Year's Day arrives, live by them faithfully for a few weeks, then gradually have them fizzle out as days get busier and your body and mind get more and more tired.

I guess I am more about setting goals that can be met relatively easily. You know - guaranteed success with a little planning and prioritizing.

 

I have also picked a "word of the year" as so many people do this time of the year.  Mine is:

 

CALM

 

 

Without going into too much detail, the end of 2015 was far from calm - in fact it was manic-ly uncalm and full of way too much  stress at my my job. So to ensure that I don't lose my mind over the next 6 months, my plan is to search out the calm everywhere, even in the most stressful of situations. I will stop for a cup of tea, I will take my dog for a 10 minute walk, I will breathe deeply and place a smile on my face even when I am far from happy.  I can choose how I react to each stressful situation, and in 2016, I will choose calmness over anger, tears, stress or guilt.

 

Now onto less heavy goals!!

1.  I will keep my craft area tidy so that I can retire there each day for a few minutes of crafty me time without the stress of looking at the mess I quite often leave there.  

(Not my craft room, just perfect images off the internet!)

2.  Reconnect and spend more time with my extended family and faraway friends.  No one is more than a car-ride away (except my sister in Costa Rica!) so there is no excuse to not to meet up more often for coffee, craft time or simply a stroll around the park. 

 

 



 

 

3.  Shop more smartly.  I began a bit of this in the fall, and I am finding it is really working for me.  I used to buy tons of stuff because it was cheap and trendy.  Now, I shop around for the perfect items - I think about colour, fit, quality and whether it expands my wardrobe and works well with the pieces I already own. Needless to say, I have bought less lately, but I adore every piece.  I am looking forward to using these strategies with the new spring lines arriving in stores now. 

4.  Fill my life with PRETTY.

This aesthetic really does bring joy to my heart.  Flowers, home decor, fabrics, patterns, art, clothing - I will surround myself in all of these things throughout 2016.

 

 5.  Try a new class at the gym. 

I attend my local gym faithfully about 4 times a week.  I usually do Zumba and use the machines.  However, I think it is time to shake up my workout a little more. I think I may give Spinning a try. Maybe this week.  I'll let you know how it goes.



6.  Explore Toronto

We live so close to one of the most amazing cities in the world.  However, I have to admit that I take very little advantage of it.  It's wonderful to drool over gorgeous pictures of London, Paris and Prague, but I am sure there are just as many photograph-worthy gems in TO and I am going to seek them out!

 



I think these goals sounds reasonable, don't you think?

 

Nothing earth-shattering, but real and attainable.

 

I am planning my first day out in Toronto already and I've got my shoes packed for my first spinning class. 

 

Tune in here to see how it all comes into fruition!

 

XOXOXO

 

Bronwyn



Christmas Memories 2015

Christmas came and went like a whirlwind in or household. We had a few days of school holidays to get organized before the big day and then traditions, food, family and merriment began !

 

I have to admit, I have been very poor at taking pictures this last few months.  Even though my camera has been on standby I have hardly grabbed it at all to capture family moments.  So, this past  week, I was determined to get several shots of Christmas 2015!

 

Christmas Eve:

Kevin makes homemade pizza every year on Christmas Eve.  Not very traditional, but absolutely delicious!!

 

I was in charge of making the table look "Christmassy" so I pulled out some cute napkins,  red and green paper straws and mixed up some apple/orange/cranberry drinks for everyone. 

 

After supper we went for a long walk with the doggie, hoping to get a good view of the full moon that was floating over the Christmas sky for the first time in 38 years.  We were not disappointed!

 

Once we returned home, I had a few last minute presents to wrap while the kids played around on the Google Santa Tracker.  Bryn, our oldest, still found it fascinating watching Santa travel across the world at such a rapid speed.   He had his travel Atlas out and was looking up capital cities and natural wonders in each country as Santa flew by!

 



 

Before bed we read our traditional Christmas Eve bedtime stories then took our yearly "new PJs in front of the tree" photo.

Wow.  My babies are getting so big!!

Christmas Day: 

The kids slept in until 8am on Christmas morning (another sign they are getting older!).  It took about 45 minutes to open our gifts and I think the kids were more than pleased with what Santa had brought them. Hubby did quite well for me too. I have several new baking tools and a new package of Tilda fabric.  I am quite excited to use all of these ASAP!

After breakfast, I set to work on a new recipe for Christmas Day dessert.  We were heading to Kevin's brother's for a family celebration and I was in charge of the sweets.  I found this recipe in the December edition of Country Living UK and I have to say, they tasted as good as they looked!

 

 

The kids had a wonderful time re-connecting with their 1 year old cousin and everyone enjoyed a huge turkey dinner with all of the fixin's. 

 

 

Boxing Day: 

On the 26th we loaded up the car and headed west to spend some time with my mother, sister and extended family. 

 

Casey, our beagle-shepherd mix, had so much fun playing with my sister's shepherd-lab mix, Bugsy. 

 

My mom enjoyed doing the "little things" with my kids including board games, snack-sharing and hair-drying. 

 



 

Gift-wise, we all were granted new hats off of my Mom's needles as well as gift cards, books, games and bottles of yummy tasting alcohol. 

Of course, we ate too much, had very little exercise and generally lied around on the couch for a few days. 

It was bliss. 

 

Now back to reality.  Home with laundry and jobs to do around the house.  However, I am doing my best to enjoy this week before I return back to school.  I'm reading, sewing, knitting and dog-walking as much as I can.  And really, I am feeling all the better for it.

 

No plans for New Year's Eve tonight, except dinner out with the family and a movie on Netflix with my dear, sweet hubby. 

 

 

 

Wishing you all the best in 2016.

I look forward to a healthy and happy 12 months ahead and I can't wait to share it all with you!

 

XOXOXO

 

Bronwyn

 

 

 

 

 

Wishing You and Yours.....

Well - tonight's the night!  It's Christmas Eve. The presents are wrapped, the new festive pajamas are laid out on the kids' beds, and my husband is about to start making our traditional Christmas Eve meal of homemade pizza. 

 

 

The next few days will be filled with several family parties made up of  food, drinks and merriment.  So luckily,  our  family is enjoying an afternoon at home - reading, playing the Wii, baking and sipping mulled wine  before the craziness begins tomorrow.

 

I am trying to enjoy every second of this festive season as well as the little things that make it special.

My daughter and made caramel corn this morning as we have every December 24th over the last few years. 

 

 

Kevin and I sipped Christmas tea while we watched "Love Actually" earlier this afternoon. And after our supper of pizza we plan on taking advantage of the very warm temperatures we are having her near Toronto (15 degrees Celcius!) and going on a long family walk before snuggling into our new pjs and watching "The Grinch."

 

We've kept present-buying to a minimum this year.  In fact the kids are each receiving 5 presents each over the next few days.

Truthfully, the kids don't want for anything.  They don't really need anything either.  So we picked up a few things that will excite them on Christmas morning, but nothing too expensive or earth-shattering.  A few of my girlfriends say they spend  thousands of dollars on their children  at Christmastime --- and it shocks me!

 

I guess we've never gone for the big "buy-it-all" style Christmas.  When we first married we didn't have the money to do it.  When we had our three  children in quick succession, we definitely didn't have any extra cash to splash-out on game consuls and American Girl Dolls.  So, since then, our children have never expected it. 

 

One of my friends said she would have  loved to have cut back this Christmas because her husband had gone back to school and there wasn't as much money coming into their home. 

However, she is too afraid to disappoint her children.

They NEED lots of gifts under the tree, she said. 

They'll be sad otherwise. 

 

Yikes.  So she has chosen to go into major debt over it. 

No thank-you.

That is definitely not what Christmas means to me!

And I hope our three children have learned this, too.

And I have a feeling they have.  In fact, one of them told me that they were glad that Aunt Stephanie had arrived yesterday  with a board game  as her gift for all three kids. 

"It's a gift we can all use together, Mommy!"

And isn't togetherness what Christmas is all about? 

 

 

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas Day!

Enjoy the food, friends and family.

 

 

 

XOXOXO

 

Bronwyn

A Festive Girl's Day Out - Just Afton & I

The boys bought tickets to see Star Wars on its opening weekend months ago.  Afton, my 9 year old daughter, and I had absoutely no interest in seeing the film.  

But what would we do instead|?  

It took no time at all to decide to visit a new-ish cafe near our home and check out its delectable wares.  

Saving Thyme is a French style patisserie that serves breakfast, brunch and lunch.  We arrived at 11:30 and caught the tale end of the breakfast/brunch service.   

We began our meal with an almond latte for me and a hot chcolate for my daughter.  She has enjoyed many a hot chocolate in her lifetime and she decided immediately that this was was the best she had EVER had!  Creamy, frothy, chocolately and not too sweet - it was perfect in every way!

The cafe is decorate in subtle shades of grey and white, with a few flourishes of silver.  The chandeliers twinkled and just a few festive accents were needed to add some Christmas sparkle to the space.  

For brunch I ordered my all-time favourite breakfast food - Eggs Benedict.  This one was served on a slightly browned biscuit with maple-glazed ham and the most perfect poached egg.  And the Hollandaise sauce was to DIE FOR! I am pretty sure I could have drank mugs of the stuff .

Afton enjoyed a poached egg sandwich with crispy bacon, old cheddar and  mustardy sauce.  She gobbled up every bite.  

Of course, being a patisserie, we weren't leaving until we had tried some of the sweets in the glass case near the counter.

Afton has a real thing for French macaron and immediately chose a raspberry flavoured one and a "birthday cake" flavoured one. 

She says they tasted as good as they looked!

And for me?  A lemon tart.  The crust was flaky, the filling creamy and the meringue "marshmallowy."  PERFECT!

Afton and I agreed  that we'd be back to this cafe as soon as possible.  We might bring Grandma next time, or maybe even her brothers.  We'll see.  We've got two weeks of holidays ahead us.  Maybe we'll return twice more!!

The boys would be out at the movies for a few more hours so we weren't in any hurry to get home.  So we headed next to a huge greenhouse/furniture store nearby to check out the festive decor.

Only in Canada do we add toboggans, ice skates and hockey sticks to our decorative urns!!

You gotta love a big old traditional tree in a subtle festive colours!

I totally fell in love with this pillow.  I very nearly bought it until Afton convinced me I could make one on my own quite simply.  Maybe I'll add one to the list of things I make for Christmas 2016!

Here's another "Canadian -style" urn - this one with snowshoes sticking out of the middle!

See the little guy sticking out of this pot?  I've been eyeing him each time I have dropped by this shop.  Finally, this time, I bought one of my own and he is adorning the pot outside our front door.

 Wow! I can't believe Christmas will be here in 5 sleeps!  We have friends or family visiting each day until then so plenty of eating, drinking and general merriment will be happening around here.  

How are your final days before Christmas shaping up?

Still baking?

Still wrapping?

Still gift-buying?

Well, whatever you are doing, do it with love and joy.

Everything we do this time of year should be a source of enjoyment - not a source of stress, right??

XOXOXO

Bronwyn