Friday, April 30, 2021

Daughter Birthday Shenanigans

Happy Friday.... I figured before April is all done, I'd better get to posting about C's SECOND quarantine birthday! It was a simple quiet affair but in her true optimistic fashion, she declared it one of her best birthdays ever.

She wanted an online sleepover party this year.... my kids have really been into the online sleepovers for this whole year. Basically it's snacks and chatting/playing games/watching movies with their friends virtually "all night" followed by a later bedtime and some chat in the morning during/after breakfast. This time we made it more special, by dropping off sleepover snacks at their houses and an artisan donut.... They were thrilled.

Sushi before the main event.


Getting set up. Her friends also got her some really nice presents... gift cards mostly. Perfect for a 12 year old!



Time for donuts... 



Yay for birthday breakfast!


Pancakes are a birthday staple in this house.


We got these balloons from a local balloon artist... such a fun way to celebrate quieter quarantine birthdays!






She had to get a picture with the cutest doggo!




It was so lovely that we were able to eat outside--- with light jackets but still. 


Take out for dinner... another birthday staple ha!



D needs a haircut.


She asked for a very chocolatey cake and Dufflets never disappoints!







Let's hope that this not so little  one doesn't get a  third quarantine birthday!

Linking up with Andrea and Erika.


Thursday, April 29, 2021

Monthly Musings--- Spring Cleaning

Happy Thursday!! Here's a little spring cleaning Q and A for your Thursday!

1- Are you doing a spring cleaning this year?
Yes and yes! With Ontario on it's third lockdown (yep) I'm finding the need to declutter stronger than ever.  Problem is that all the donation centers are closed so stuff if just piling up in the garage!

2- Favourite cleaning product?
I love my microfibre clothes... we are huge on reusing as much as possible here so we buy a bunch of microfiber clothes and use them for dusting, wiping, soaking, floors etc.... Old towels and tshirts also work. For tougher stains, I use Windex and Chlorox bleach spray but I need to go back a bit cleaner with my cleaning supplies-- no pun intended LOL.


3- Must Clean every spring
I do a bigger clean both in the spring and when the kiddos head back to school in September.... My must cleans include the kitchen cupboards, the kids' learning cupboard, the mudroom area (though I probably do this almost monthly) and family shoe/coat closet....


4- Garage/Shed Cleaning Tips
Shelves and bins baby, shelves and bins.... oh and purge  ruthlessly and  big time!!! 




5- Pack rat or Marie Kondo
Definitely more towards Marie though I still think I have lots of stuff!!!  And I don't believe in everything she says... there's NO way, I'm only keeping pens in one area of the house.

6- Best cleaning hack?
Break up big jobs into chunks over the course of days/a week otherwise it can get overwhelming.I make a game out of it and set timers to see how much I can get done in a certain amount of time. 

7- Help with house cleaning?
My cleaning lady of the last seven years (she took a year off) just got diagnosed with pancreatic cancer... She is also a close friend and we are devastated. She used to come every two weeks. We will eventually get another but not just yet. 

8- Favourite cleaning appliance
The dishwasher LOL....I don't really love hand washing dishes. 
Also, the vacuum. I bought a Dyson stick vacuum last year and I'm a huge fan.... though not as much as D with his vacuum lines in the carpet that we're not allowed to walk on for a bit (quarantine is driving all of us a little crazy). We also have a couple iRobots... we are big clean floor fans here.

9- Run the dishwasher every night or when full
My dishwasher is full almost every night, ha!! 

10- Favourite ways to purge?
I either keep for the second kid or friends, sell, donate or throw away and when I'm cleaning I sort out in that way... love when things get a second life! 

And finally some cleaning funnies....

True story--- my little one is playing with LOL dolls again.



Yep... sums it up.

Sometimes... I vow to be better though!



Thanks for hosting Holly and Patty.


Friday, April 9, 2021

T W E L V E

Tomorrow my first baby turns 12!!! I always say that C is my war buddy. We went through all the parenthood stuff together, she's taught me so much and continues to. 



\



C continues to be kind hearted and helpful. She is so self sufficient, helping to make meals, sort laundry and walk the dog with minimal complaining. She is an amazing caregiver to pets.  She is very determined and coins herself a feminist. 

C is bright... she quietly chugs away at her projects and aces them. I love our mom daughter conversations and how opinionated and principled she is. After a really great chat with her, I think to myself, this is why I always wanted only daughters. There are moments of brilliance and intense introspection. After an initial adjustment, she took really well to home schooling :-). 

This year, she has also been obsessed with Broadway musicals. She is especially a fan of Hamilton and Six... she has more playlists than I do on my Spotify account. She still does violin and still doesn't practise nearly enough. She also advanced to the gold novice team in swimming... early Saturday morning practices are not her favourite but the grilled cheese her dad gets her after are. These days she is focused on changing her "aesthetic" and her "room's aesthetic." 


This has been a year of great transition, growth and beauty for this daughter of mine. Hormones have hit with a bang and sometimes we don't know what hit us.... Sidenote, Covid and not seeing friends also hit hard so it all contributed. The sass and the tears are there sometimes but so are many moments of laughter, silliness and hugs. 

Happy Birthday, C! I'm so proud of who you are and so blessed that I was chosen to be your mother. I have a strong suspicion that come #13 you'll be taller than I am. 




Have a wonderful weekend, friends! XOXOX


Linking up with Andrea because if my firstborn's birthday isn't a favourite, I don't know what is....
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...