it's my girls' world

I saw this prompt on A Cup of Jo and knew I had to do it too... a little fun for ya' Friday!

What are the little things you are secretly good at? Here's a little list of ten random things that are my call to fame.  #reallynotreally.

1- I can clean out my fridge, use up what I have and make a really yummy soup. 

2- I'm pretty good with accessories like jewelry, hats and scarves.  The trick is one large piece and not overdoing the rest--- or lots of little pieces.

3- Need someone to win shower games. I'm your gal. I usually walk home with a prize.

4- I'm a pretty great editor. Family and friends call on me when they need to send out an important email, text or letter or if they need someone to proofread a presentation. 

5- Building on that, I'm awesome at word games like scrabble, cross word puzzles and jumbles. My kids are always asking me for help LOL.

6- I'm the queen of sandwich making. Now that I try not to eat bread, I'm awesome at salads! I constantly invent different flavour combos. 

7- I have long arms and legs and a short torso so I can do an amazing bind for all the yogis out there. I appear to be better than I am! 

8- I never set an alarm on a regular school/work day. My body clock wakes me up pretty well. When I'm travelling early morning however, I do. I'm not a crazy lady!

9- I can raise my left eyebrow and touch my nose to my tongue 

10- I'm great at easy entertaining. No nine step meal for me to make.... I pre-make what I can, buy a few things and try to enjoy my guests as much as possible! 

I'm not the only talented one in the bunch. D can choose the best thing on the menu and is better than anyone I know at packing a suitcase or a trunk, Alex is good at making drinks out of whatever you have in your bar and Petal knows the lyrics to every single song ever. C can make me calm more than anyone else can and A's comedic timing is on point. Dani knows how to throw a  cheap, beautiful party and my mother in law is a super hero at making platters. 

And a little tongue in cheek quote for ya!

Sidenote, what I'm not good at: dealing with when people don't like me, parallel parking and choosing the worst line in the grocery. 

What special talents do you possess?! Sound off below!

Taking a little blogging break for the next 10 days while I spend the last few days of my kids vacay with them! Have a good one, lovelies!

Hello and Happy Friday! I thought I'd switch it up today and try a new link up 10 on the 10th. This month, it's all about the friendships and 10 ways to be a good friend.. or loved one... I have so many family members I also consider to be  my best friends. 

 

1- Make time for your friendships. Text or call if you can. Even a quick meme to bring a smile to someone's face. 

2- If possible, meet from time to time. With busy schedules, still try to fit in a lunch, coffee or quick walk together. Real time spent together is like nothing else. 

3- Develop an attitude of gratitude with your friendships. Always try to remember to say thanks when your friend does something or makes time for you. A quick thankful text is never a bad thing. 

4- This one is funny, but try to support their social media efforts. Like or comment on their photo. Like their pages or donate to their cause if you believe in it! I hold some of my high school friends in such high esteem who make time to do this for me. 

5- Listen. You don't always need to voice an opinion. Sometimes people just need to vent. 

6- Respect their wishes and beliefs. Differing opinions are okay. 

7- Don't trash talk behind their back. I had this friend in my teens who would always bash this other friend and the other day I saw her post such a beautiful tribute to her on IG. I couldn't help but remember how ill she would speak of her and really admire their friendship took a different turn.

8- Talk it out. If something is there between you that's not feeling right,  if you have the relationship to do so, call and try to talk it out. If not, take whatever space or time you need. 

9- Give and take. I believe that friendships are about both giving and taking. No one likes a taker who doesn't give their time, effort or energy in return. I find myself getting weary of being the only one making the effort in certain friendships I have had in the past so I've paused on occasion. 

10 - Be happy for their joy and celebrate with them.  When good things happen to them or their family, ask a lot of questions. Get all the tea! And let them know you are thrilled for their wonderful news. 

What do you do to be a good friend? Any tips and tricks to share?

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!!

I was listening to a podcast the other day and the topic was outdoors! And what type of outdoor person you are.... Are you an adventurer? If you had a choice, would you spend all your waking hours outside? Are outdoor sports or  camping your idea of a good time? Or are you like most of my (extended ) family and prefer the AC, indoor activities and not too much sunshine.

Summer is my jam.... I love the patio season: the warmth, the sunshine, the good moods, the grilling, the flip flops, the fashion and the flowers! But here's the deal. I like easy summer fun! Anything that requires loads of pre-planning or work to 'get there' is not my idea of fun. I'm okay with sticky and sweaty but not mosquitos and outhouses. Fresh air is awesome, so is a good walk but you won't see me going on a daytime backpacking trip anytime soon. Give me a spritzer, some good music and a little sunshine and I'm a happy camper--- who has seriously never actually been camping (ha!)... except for that time we did it in our back yard.

Anyways, here are a few things we do to make the most of gorgeous weather.

1- Parks are awesome and we try to vary it quite a bit with different venues. However, as my kids are getting older, dare I say they are outgrowing parks. It's nice to vary it a bit by maybe bringing a different thing sometimes-- maybe a ball, a frisbee or some bubbles to add something new to the experience.

2- Sunscreen, baseball caps and water bottles to keep hydrated and cool through it all. 

3- Keep updated on different festivals and things to do in your area. We've discovered so many different things in and around our area like rib festivals and bunkerfest. There's a berry picking farm in our area that we love to go to! 

4- For those bugs, area sprays are awesome in addition to mosquito repellant.

5- When entertaining, keep it simple. No need to make multiple course meals and complicated cocktails. Do what you can before and then enjoy your company when they get here... ( I don't always follow this advice)

6- Relax with the rules: my kids eat a bit more sugar and go to sleep just a bit later in the summer time!! Also, we take time as adults in the house. At one time, I was entertaining almost everyday pool side... We've stopped that big time now. 

7- Mix it up... some weekends are busier than others but it's nice to get some time at home with a whole lotta nothing to just chill (or catch up on laundry or projects in my case). We also mix up those play-dates with different friends and to different places. Also, make some time for the adults only.

8-  D always love to walk on the "shady side of the street". Ha! Makes a huge difference in the sweltering heat. 

9- Make it fun, educational and observational for you and your kids. We look at different flowers and plants and discuss our favourites! If we go on a roadtrip, we all like to learn about the place we're heading to. Sidenote, D and I check the architecture out and cool houses that we like. 

10- Push yourself outside your comfort zone! For the sake of the family, ha! Yeah I've never been camping before but when we camped in our backyard-- I'm like maybe one of these good days with the right company I could do this camping thing. Also, I don't really like a big mess but I turn a blind eye to the chalk paint, the outdoor slime and the mud pies... 

Are you an indoor or outdoor person? What outdoor tips do you have to share with me?

Linking up for: 

Happy Friday1

On the 10 things to tell you podcast, one of the topics Laura chatted about was family rules. We all have family rules-- you know those spoken and unspoken rules that govern our behaviour and mold our little humans into the people we pray they turn out to be... 

The podcaster also mentioned the family rules of our parents that have molded us, for better or worse, into the people we have become and have really influenced our behaviours. This really got me to thinking about my parents and our values growing up. My parents have always been very hard workers and very goal oriented people. They taught us that you  work hard, help each other out, eat healthily, focus on your family (we had quite the large extended family in Trinidad) and exercise often. So many of these things have influenced me and I still see it when my parents and  my in-laws come to visit us. They are always doing things to make our life easier  like doing fun outings with our girls, taking them to their activities and doing pick up and drop off from school. My dad shovels our driveway, takes down our Christmas lights and rakes our leaves. My mom always preps meals for future use or does laundry so I won't have to. They always make time to exercise wherever they are and because of that so do my brothers and I. 

So after thinking about it, the main two tenets that I think rules our family is to

Be respectful and work hard towards your goals.

Respect is something that we're seeing less and less these days and I really want my kids to be respectful- to each other, to us, family, teachers and friends. This extends even to their possessions and the planet we live in. And there's this working hard thing- yes learning should be fun either in school or an after school activity but phoning it in really isn't an option. Things are expensive, time is precious and other people are helping you as well. 

After consulting the real experts (my kids LOL),  and culling it way back, here are what we've come up with as  10 of our family rules.

1- Pull your weight. I have a problem with the mothers or parents doing everything. Everyone is responsible for specific chores and keeping their spaces clean. Also, offer to help if you see someone else doing something

2- Do good. Yes we pray both together and as a family but we also do. Actions speak so much louder than words. Prayer is very important but so are your actions. Don't lie,  cheat or steal.

3-  No screen-time on weekdays. Except for Little House and the Prairie that we watch as a family. 

This is getting harder now with homework being online and online learning apps but we are still chugging along now. My kids read, play, colour, do puzzles, play and fight together, sing or dance instead.

4- No shoes in the house-- especially on the carpet. In this wintery weather, ain't nobody have time to wash carpets. 

5- A place for everything and everything in its place.... something D always repeats to them. Another one of his goodies: On the floor, out the door. 

6- Limit the sugary drinks-- we don't do pop here and really limit the juice intake-- even the adult juice ;-). We also try our best to have a wide variety of fruits and veggies every.single.day. 

7- Build each other up, don't break each other down. We got this from A's teacher and we've adopted it as our own. Either to their faces or behind their backs. Words can really hurt. 

8- Move on. Be resilient and don't hold a grudge for long. It's so much easier to talk about it, move on and it is so much better for our peace of mind. 

9- Have an attitude of gratitude- for what we get and what we have. Be content! 

But above all kids:

10- Be respectful and work towards your goals!

What are some of your family rules? What rules did you have whilst growing up that influences you now? 

Linking up with

For today's Wacky Wednesday post, I got this great idea from Steph. it's all about those things that make me a little nervous.... not full on panic attack warranted or anything... but some little things that if I had to, I wouldn't put myself in the situation:

+ Other people's cats brushing my legs. So glad D is allergic.

+ Wearing white to dinner out- especially if it's saucy like Mexican or Indian. 

+ Underpacking for a vacay- sidenote, I kind of did it for my kids last month and they lived to tell the tale.

+ Getting too little sleep. I'm a 7-8 hour kind of girl and any less and I stress about it... sometimes waking up and thinking-- with this later bedtime, there's no way I'm getting enough sleep. 

+ Having to make impromptu speeches to a crowd

+ Weighing myself after a food filled weekend- like the last one--- eeep!

+ Seeing my side profile in a pic. I'm not a fan. Sidenote, you're probably not going to find any on this carefully curated blog LOL.

+ Under-dressing- either for the weather or for an evening out. 

+ Getting to an appointment late. If it's something social, not such a big deal but an appointment-- not at all!!

+ Parallel parking-- especially with an audience of cars waiting for you to get in the spot.... eeekkk. Maybe that one belongs in the things that make me very nervous category.

Am I out to crazy town? Any one agree with any of these? What are those things that make you kind of nervous?  Sound off in the comments below. 

Yay for the holiday season that is creeping up on us. This weekend with all this snow we have, we intend to slowly start decorating and getting things ready for Christmas- we don't have Thanksgiving in Canada but for sure I'm going to prepare a little turkey feast with my family in solidarity with my American peeps. We love the Christmas Tree in the background though and it is often the start to our holiday season.

As well as Friday Favourites, I'm linking with Sierra and some other lovelies for Girl Chat on Tips on Juggling the Holiday Season. I changed the title here from juggling to enjoying. So much media I'm looking at these days are talking about how stressful the season is and  tips for reducing the mayhem or surviving the season. And I get stressed too at times so I'm hoping by changing the word, I'm changing my mindset, ha! Here are my tips...

1- Start early!

I know that lots of people groan when they see holiday decorations up in November. (I groan when they are up in October, LOL) but by doing my tree and my decor early, I have more time to enjoy all the decor that we take our time to put up. I also try to do some of my holiday shopping for presents, holiday baking and meals early too either when they are too good to pass up or on sale. 

2- Make a List and Check It Twice

Love my lists-- and my holiday lists are my favourite. I make several and get great satisfaction, checking them off!

3- Entertain easily

It doesn't have to be an extravagant event! My girls' nights in off past have been tons of fun as have my holiday parties. Finger food and a serve yourself party are my favourites. However, if I don't feel like it gets to be more work than fun, I will probably take a little break and reassess doing it in the future. 

At this party, everyone brought an app. 

4- Delegate

Don't be a martyr. Husbands, kids, grandparents and store staff can do things as well. Not everything has to be hand done and home made. 

5- Eat real food as well!

Tons of sugar, alcohol, white flour and other carbs at this time of year have us feeling bloated and those carbs creeping up. Let's face it, the 80-20 rule is non existent during the holidays. I sneak as much real food as possible in there.... but some of our favourite healthy  dishes so we don't feel it as much. Like this chicken tortilla soup or my white turkey chili. And I make a large batch as well so it lasts for a few meals. 

6- Keep Moving

Exercise or even a walk is good for boosting energy levels even when we do overindulge. 

7- Don't overspend

We all do it. Try to set a budget, or at least look for some sales!

8- Say no

Sometimes if an event doesn't spark joy, we decide to opt out. We've declined parties in the past because of snow storms or the stress of driving in the snow or the distance or opted out of events because of the weather. It's okay to say no! 

9-

Be generous. So many great causes and charities out there that need both physical or monetary help. All year round of course!

10- Enjoy the tiny calm moments of Christmas beauty

Those twinkling tree lights in the morning, those family movies, the christmas carols on the radio, the eggnog with my person... enjoy it as it only comes once a year. 

Have a wonderful weekend! And yay for the Holidays!

Here's looking at you, Thursday...one more day before fabulous Friday! Today, right before Mother's Day, I'm linking up with Erin to talk about 10 things motherhood has taught me....

Get ready for a whole lot of light hearted random:

1-  I had a lot of free time before kids.What did I do with it all?!

2- Being kind is more important than being right. Although if they're getting the truth, I want them to get it from me and not some random mean girl at school. 

3- I've gathered lots of different bodily fluids in my hands--- no further explanation necessary

4- That I'm truly blessed to be doing this with a very involved, very patient, very good father.

5- They listen to everything! Your cadence, your gossip, your complaints... important to zip it sometimes or wait until they're not around.

6- Brighter is better. At least with their selection of your nail colour for your manicure... the words "too light" have been excitedly exclaimed at the salon 

7- Trust your gut, mamas! When you need to say no, just do it... as guilty as you may feel.

8- But.... step out of your comfort zone.... for your kids' needs as well as your own. You'll both survive! 

9- Their fashion sense is not yours... they will choose party dresses, stripes, sequins and leg warmers sometimes all together... and that's okay... for home lol. I've learnt to deal but if it's a hard no, then I say something. 

10- Laugh often and be silly! You'll be a better mama for it. And videos are better than pics to remember those moments!

What are your favourite mommy tips?

I'm no good to anyone else unless I'm good to myself, that's for sure. We run ourselves so ragged sometimes, running around taking care of everyone and everything else. Self care comes last for so many of us but it's so important. Here's what I do to keep myself happy and sane.

1- Exercise is so, so important to me. Those endorphins are real, yo'. I'm way happier when I work out.  I try to exercise 5 times a week. Sometimes, it is less depending on our schedules but I do make time for it no matter what. When I was in the corporate world, I used to get up just a bit earlier and use DVDs just to fit it in as a great way to start the day. Now I've discovered YouTube videos so I use those at times when I can't leave the house. I also take exercise clothes on vacation with me to work out. Most places have a gym.

2- I've now incorporated yoga into my routine and this deserves a special mention all on it's own. I feel so much more energized and relaxed when I've done a class. Shavasana might be my very favourite self care thing.

I'm not going to lie though. This might be me, oft' times.

3- Reading does me some good too- that's for sure. I love to read right before I go to bed.

4- Watching something light hearted while I do my house stuff.

5- A meet up with friends for lunch or coffee or wine. It doesn't happen to often but when it does, so good for the soul!

6- I do manicures every 2 months or so and pedis maybe every six weeks (but more in the summer) but in between, I love polishing my nails while watching a show right before bed.

7- My mornings are so sacred to me. I adore waking up before everyone else and having a huge mug of steaming tea (with my vitamins) and enjoying some quiet time catching up on the news and blogs before others get up.Because I abhor rushing too much in the morning, I make my kids' lunches the night before. #gamechanger.

8- I'm not on the phone too often anymore actually talking but when I have a phone convo' with family or friends, I'm so happy at the end of it.

9 - Friday night dinners with the family are one of my very favourite things (can you tell I've been watching Gilmore Girls lately?). Usually take out or finger foods is on the menu along with a happy hour beverage. Most times I just don't cook-- that's a bit of self care in itself! 

10- Skin care- In the last few years, skin care has become so important to me. You can see my skin care routine here. 

What are your favourite self care tips? 

Linking up with The Blended Blog. 

Let's face it there are way more than 10 things in my bathroom drawer (s)--- it's more like 10 by 10 by 10.  Here are just a few of my must haves:

1- Floss- I floss every.single.night and this one is my favourite.

2- I use retinol nightly most of the year. It's made a big difference in the brightness of my skin.

3- Tweezers- no time for extra stuff.

4- Sunscreen-- I use facial sunscreen every single day that I head outside, every single season. This one is my very favourite. 

5- Make up --- with it's own dedicated drawer lol. I used to just have my staples out from but now I put it all together and I find myself using more and buying less. #gome. My ten makeup staples would be another post.

6- Makeup brushes-- yeah, not buying more of these anytime soon too.

7- My hair dryer and flat iron though let's face it, this is so me.

8- A drying brush. (see point above).

9- Moisturizer-- because winter is tough on skin and thirty year old skin can take a beating.

10- And finally, the lavanila sport deodorant. I love that it's more natural but still keeps on keeping on in the summer. 

Linking up with Erin