it's my girls' world

Friday, May 28, 2021

May Favourites!

Happy last Friday in MAY!!! It's been a long month, filled with home schooling, parenting, indoor and outdoor stuff, a very big little celebration and I am spent! I miss my little blogging space though. Here are a few little highlights:

1- First off, guess who is finally vaccinated?! I waited my proper turn in queue but it was taking extra long and I was experiencing vaccine jealousy LOL so I headed to a mass vaccination clinic in Mississauga to expedite it (with my 21 yo niece in tow). Special thanks to Abby, one of A's school friends' moms who told me about it. I'm slowly getting calls now for local shots (I did the day I got my vaccine as well but decided to go to the one I was scheduled for as it would be a long time before my niece would have been called). I did not respond too well as I had some minor flu symptoms but I'm still so thrilled to have gotten it and being one step closer to normalcy.

2- It's planting season... this year I did my usual plethora of herbs and also kale, lettuce, spinach, chard, broccoli, cauliflower, loads of peppers, tomatoes, zucchini and cucumber. It has been so cold these last few nights though, I really hope my plants survive it...I've covered them but who know?!

2- Mother's Day brought lots of spoiling with beautiful flowers and presents, a little down time, brunch, a family walk and my favourite dinner (king crab legs)

Sidenote, a certain eight year old "picked" these red tulips from the neighbour's yard.

D knocked it out of the park with the most beautiful flowers

4- Pool season is here... well it was, ha! It's so cold today!

One of those rare moments mama got in..... few and far between.

5- Hitting those trails still... now more than ever.

6- It's snuggle season with the most beloved pet in the history of the world... lol, everyone says that about their pets... and kids, ha!

7- And finally, our very favourite turned the big 5-0!!!! It was a low key celebration just like the birthday boy wanted it with a family blessing in the morning with a priest, his family, his mom and my mom, presents, takeout, a neighbourhood walk by to bring him a drink and many cakes!! A couple family members also surprised him with a takeout meals! Such a great idea for lockdown in Ontario.

One of the many bottles he received from very generous loved ones!

I ordered the very best mango mousse as well as a few other treats as when I asked him what flavour of cake he wanted, he asked how much was he allowed to have..... many, my dear but in teeny tiny quantities.

A feminist, a fairy and their father!

And that's a wrap for May!!!

Linking up with Andrea and Erika.

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....