it's my girls' world

I love the warmer weather-- even Wednesdays seem better!

Is anyone else sad that This is Us is done. I'm still into Grey's and Scandal (though it's super dark this year) and some DWTS when the TV is on.

Other than that, tax season has me so busy so I'm really not doing a whole lot more. I am however reading First Women.

What else is new?

What's my favourite spring pieces?

Give me all the cloth scarves! Especially the ones with fun detail and textures.

Linking up with the lovely Mel, Shay and Shaeffer

Boy was this a hard one to narrow down to five but what a fun trip down memory lane. Here are just a few of some my favourite pictures ever for this edition of Show And Tell Tuesday

 My first baby bump with my very first baby. I was huge and swollen and uncomfortable but this picture captures none of it! Ha!

Clearly I forgot all about it because 3 years and three months later, I did it again. This one was easier by far though! 

This is my favourite picture ever of our family! I love it so much that we printed it on a large canvas and it's hanging  in our home.

This girl was such a brave four year old with all the birds in Malaysia. I'm not sure I could have done this myself.

This kid of mine smiles with her eyes for her pictures!! I have tons of these to choose from with her.

I lied-- you're getting more than five. Aren't vacation shots the very best? Don't they always make you smile? This one was in Mexico last year.

A is the best hugger  and she leans into those snuggles like it's her job.  The tender moments between my girls are probably my favourite thing ever. My friend Andrea took these pictures and a few are featured here.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

 

Happy Friday, friends! Here's the happy around here these days.

1- St Patty's Day last week was spent with our friends Jenn, Alex and their kiddos. Wings, green wine and clover cupcakes.... oh yeah!

2 - If you are any sort of org junkie like I am, you are going to LOVE packing cubes for trips. They are basically soft square bags that you stuff your items in. TO me you can stuff more items in than in your suitcase alone. I have a small set of three and a big set of four . So much easier to pack and unpack both on your trip and back home when the items are separate. Highly, highly recommend. 

3 - Ohhh I was so proud when my soon to be eight year old asked me to teach her scrabble. And guys, she was pretty good at it. As a scrabble lover myself, I could NOT be happier. 

 She took this to remember her first scrabble game ever :-)

4- Fresh Cream by Philosophy- I was a huge fan of the Milk scent from The Body Shop about 10 years ago... but apparently I was one of the only ones as they discontinued it.  For years after I would haunt The Body Shop asking about it. Enter Fresh Cream.... I bought their shampoo/bubble bath/body wash (a three in one combo) on sale over the holidays and I was sold! The scent is reminiscent to whipping cream, sugar and vanilla... So mild and so comforting. Nordstrom had a price match and philosophy gift with purchase so you can be sure I stocked up on the lotion, body spray and more body wash! #winning

Speaking of showers, on my massage therapists advice, I've been putting on my lotion while still wet standing in the shower. I then blot my skin instead of the vigorous towel drying I usually do. It totally locks in the moisture! I've even begun doing it to the girls and so far so good.

5 -And finally, in case you wanted to see one of the cutest boys ever. My nephew Dhilan cracks me up. 

Yes bud, you certainly are awesome! 

Linking up with 

Andrea, Erika and Narci for Favourites on Friday

Our cousin made this for Thanksgiving a few years ago and it was a winner. Especially after a heavy meal, this lighter dessert is the perfect balance of cream, sweetness and a wee bit of healthy-- it does have fruit after all. #smallgoals

 I thought since it's 'spring' and all, getting to swimsuit season (and some of us have two upcoming weddings)  this would be the perfect time to share this little bit of heaven. 

(Serves 4)

Candied Pistachios

1 cup of hulled pistachios

2 tablespoons of sugar 

Creme Anglaise:

1 cup heavy cream or half and half (I use half and half and I really can't tell the difference)

1/3 cup of brown sugar

1 vanilla bean halved (or 1 tablespoon of vanilla)

4 egg yolks

four cups of any combination of berries- I use a combination of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries.

For the candied nuts, in a non stick pan over medium high heat, pour two tablespoons of sugar. When the sugar begins to caramelize, add the nuts and stir well to combine. Remove from the pan onto some foil. Chop nuts when cool.

For the Creme Anglaise:

1-  In a heavy saucepan, combine cream,  half the sugar and the vanilla bean. 

2- In a bowl, whisk the yolks together with the remaining sugar

3- When the mixture in the saucepan just comes to a boil, remove from the heat. Pour a few tablespoons of the hot mixture into the egg mixture and stir.

4- Combine both mixtures back together into the saucepan and return to low/medium heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. 

5- I usually strain my cream to ensure there are no clumps.

You can serve the creme anglaise either warm or cold over the berries and sprinkle a few (tablespoons of) nuts over it. You can't really see my berries as I may have gone to town with the creme and nuts. #sorrynotsorry

I've made this many times to rave reviews. It is such  delicious (somewhat lighter) fare for the warmer months.

Happy Wednesday!

Happy first day of Spring. Winter is going out like a lion this time around!

We are back from our NYC trip. This one did not go as planned but it was so special. First off my brother and my nephew from Trinidad- the one who likes me to call him 'sugar plum'- decided to surprise us with a visit. And then Mother Nature decided that it was the perfect time for a blizzard. So scratch our carefully laid plans to go shopping and head to the American Girl store in the city but a good time ensued nonetheless. 

We flew out of Buffalo this time around and headed to Target first off because #priorities

Our flight was delayed so we hit up a little PF Changs before heading to the airport for a little warmth on a ridiculously cold day.

 The girls were wonderful on the flight-- remember they're used to long 5 hour flights so an hour was nothing.

We were so surprised to see my brother and my nephew. We meaning me. A was half asleep and C was oblivious. C said that I acted like a saw a celebrity.

The next morning we headed to breakfast and my other brother and other nephew, my sweet Dhilan joined us. 

 

My cousin and C did tie dye for all the kids and here they are sporting their spoils.

Back to school tomorrow. Mama got an awful flu from her sugar plum nephew and a bad neck pain-- not from her nephew but what a wonderful time we had. 

Linking up with Biana for weekending.

It's time to write those little letters again.....

Dear Amazon Deals of the Day,

I need to stop clicking on you. I've made a couple impulse purchases that were too good a price to resist.

Dear Colleen Hoover,

So I read It Ends With Us last weekend and to this day it haunts me. I loved the good of Colleen and Ryle's relationship so, so much and the bad was just awful. I couldn't sleep the night after I read it. Now I feel like I have to read all your books!

Dear US/Cdn Currency Exchange,

Any chance you could go back to being on par before I head to NYC? This 1 to 1.3 isn't ideal especially for some impending shopping.

Dear full fat vanilla yogurt,

You have been a little 1/2 cup of joy since I've been clean eating. If only I could have three of you in rapid succession, life would be perfect.

 

Dear Target,

 You can bet your sweet self I'll be seeing you  sometime soon when I cross the border.... lagging Canadian currency and all.

Dear Offspring,

Please cooperate on our cross border trip. This is the first time mom is roadtripping with two littles and crossing the border at the same time. Please limit any whining, fussing or crying.  Only sweet smiles, kind words and lovely conversations please. 

(the main culprit)

Happy weekending, friends! Off for March Break! 

Linking up with Taz