Happy Birthday Sis!

People used to say we were twins 6 years and 6 days apart.

To this day I can see many similarities in our features.

When I hear that we look alike, I take it as a huge compliment.

You see, my baby sister has become this beautiful woman.

She's  kind, determined, funny and smart.

She's a beautiful artist, especially with her dance.

{In case you didn't notice, I threw in a link to a vid of Laura dancing.  You'll want to click that.}

We're both in such a busy time of our lives so don't get to spend as much time together as I would like.

The time we do have though is always great.

Happy Birthday Laura!

Love you!

Finding a New Balance

I missed you blog.

When I don't get a chance to write for a while I feel scrambled. 

This is the place where I get to organize my thoughts and get my anxieties out.

Sometimes when I sit down to write I'm not yet aware I have said anxieties.

Then they come pouring out leaving my mind, in a way, cleansed.

Last week represented a shift in our "normal".

I have officially started back at work.

I say officially because I have never stopped bookkeeping, parenting and even "pharmacist-ing" on a {very} small scale.

We also had our winterguard home show on Saturday.

The promotion for this event included an appearance on BT Edmonton.

If you're interested, here's the link to a clip of my moment of fame.

I never get used to how my voice sounds, does anyone?

Also, here are some shots of our performance a couple of weekends ago.

I took these off of Facebook.  Credit goes to Mike Siewert.

Moi.

Jess and Kim in perfect time.

 These are the youth groups, also from Edmonton.

It always warms my heart to see the little ones enjoy the activity.

Edmonton Sabers Mini-Guard.

Preview Winterguard {in association with Edmonton Sabers}.

Lastly, some bookkeeping duties for the association took another chunk of time.

I am hoping that things will slow and become more routine.

 {Ha! Routine? What's that?}.

As I attempt to find our new balance I plan to make blogging time a part of it.

It has become one of those parts of my life that I don't know what I did without.

I'm Having a Record Year

Here I was thinking that 33 was a year void of significance.

Leave it to Kim {there's a reason we call her Yoda} to prove me wrong.

She informed me that this is my first of 3 "record rpm" birthdays.

It is in fact true, they made 33, 45 and 78 rpm records.

The 33 represents the beginning of the long-play record.

In the days of acoustic recording the longer the rep {smaller the rpm} the worst the sound so 78 was used.

Then came electric recording and the 33 was made possible.

The 45 apparently was produced later since one record company didn't want to use the speed that another was already producing.

There, now we all learned something about records today.

I found it interesting. 

If I bored you then sorry but too bad.

It's my birthday and I'll type what I want to.

PS These are pics from my very own "portable" record player and collection of 3, count 'em 3, records.

Valentine's Recap

We had a great Valentine's Day {besides some stress at the shop, don't ask}.

{Disclaimer: If Valentines Day makes you nauseous, stop reading now.}

Jeff surprised us with a pair of bouquets the night before.

We lined the mantle with valentines and hung a heart banner made by yours truly.

We got all decked out in our love-wear.

Fiona is wearing a custom Mommy dress fashioned out of my t-shirt and some scrap material.

Daddy got up early and made us French toast for breakfast.

I just had to make these cute pink heart pancakes so we had breakfast for lunch too.

My Mom bought us this pancake batter bottle and it's genius.

I know it's been all over Pinterest to use an old ketchup bottle but this is so much better.

It works like a charm but it also unscrews from both ends so cleaning it is a breeze, genius right?

It wouldn't be Valentine's Day without some sugar cookie decorating.

My sister Pamela and her roommate Camille joined us for dinner so were around to help.

 Jeff picked up pizza for dinner which I cut into hearts because at this point I couldn't stop.

 I threw in a less than great pic of me and the hubby because any pic is rare.

I look like that because Jeff just finished making his usual distorted picture face.

Did I go a little overboard?  Sure, but it was fun.

Happy Valentine's Day

We're getting our Valentine's on today and I can't wait to tell you all about it.

For now though I thought I would share our everyday love.

Over the years I have bought a few Valentines decorations.

Then, each year, when the holiday came to an end I just couldn't bring myself to put them away.

They are so sweet and, really, shouldn't we just celebrate love year round?

 We're always showing off some fridge love.

 I haven't been able to stop using these sugar hearts in my tea since I got them for Christmas.

I can't take credit for this find.  

I poached this from my Brother-in-law's Instagram.

Even graffiti artists love Love.

Have a fabulous Valentine's Day everyone.

How Is It Wednesday Night Already?

This week has been jam packed.
With what?
I have no idea.
Does that ever happen to you?
I feel like you've been run off my feet, haven't even had a minute to blog.
But when I try to recall the week's events, I draw a blank.

I think it goes a little something like:

Today= Work + Soccer Registration {Yep, Fiona will be starting U4 this spring.}

Yesterday = Groceries + Laundry + Valentines Crafts

Monday = Dance Class + Bookkeeping + Recovery {from the weekend}

And what a great weekend it was.

I love choreographing, performing and the road trips that come with doing colorguard.

However, the real reason I still do this activity is the company.

Our trips have evolved to say the least.

It used to be the hangover that made us sluggish on the way home from these things.

Now it's the 3am feeding, coughing baby, pregnancy or aching joints.

The one constant though is the laughter and the love.

These women have seen me at my best and my worst.

They're the kind of friends that won't take offence to anything you say before your morning coffee.

They're also the kind that won't think twice about spotting you for a cup.
They really are the best kind of people.

Thanks gals, can't wait to get back to it this weekend.

This Weekend...

...is our first performance.

Vintage is taking it's show on the road to Calgary to hit up the Alberta Winter Classic.

2010 Baseball show, not the most flattering uniform but I was pregnant too ok?

What's Vintage, right?

Remember how I told you about my "thing".

The one I found at 15, colorguard.

Well, I still haven't let go.

8 years ago a bunch of us old experienced folks in town came together to relive our youth.

{To put the age thing in context, this activity tends to consider 21+ over-the-hill.}

At the time we had no expectations of what it would become but here we are, still going strong.

We make a point of having as much fun as possible and not taking ourselves too seriously.

Our "rehearsals" consist of equal parts spinning, dancing, design and gossip.

Our shows are meant to be entertaining, not cutting edge.

{Though I do watch those that are cutting edge with a small amount of longing.}

2009 Bollywood show, one of my favs.

If you're in Calgary this weekend come check out the above mentioned show.

If you're in Calgary next weekend come check out Arts in Motion.

If you're in Edmonton on the 23rd come check out Spin and Win.

You won't be sorry.

This Is It

Today, Cedric is 11 months old.

We've started planning his first birthday.  

This is real.

This means my little guy will soon be nothing of the sort.

This also means that my mat leave {most likely the last} is coming to an end.

This was my last 3 hour shift today.

{Only 3 hours due to working-while-on-parental-leave rules.}

This weekend I submit my last EI report.

This week coming, it's full days for me again.

Fortunately, not 5 of them.

We have committed to making it work with only 2 days a week of Pharmacist-Cheryl.

This is the reason I feel at peace with returning to work.

Also fortunate is the fact that I am at a store that will accommodate this request.

This I am thankful for.

Time just keeps racing and there's nothing I can do to slow it.

This is without doubt.

We Go a Coffee Shop Mama?

Fiona asks me this at least daily.

This has become a favourite outing of ours {though not too frequent for financial reasons}.

We aren't really picky, most cafes do the trick.

As with everything though, we have our preferences.

I wanted to share our current top 3.

1. Cafe Tiramisu.

Kid-friendly coffee shops have become big business.

The first we went to in town was Cafe-o-play.

The place is fantastic for the kids but it's really an indoor playground that serves coffee.

Cafe Tiramisu is different.

It's a beautiful cafe {& much more} that has a play room in it.

It's a treat to go for the kids but also for the parents.

2. Wild Earth

This is our neighbourhood cafe and we feel very fortunate for that.

I was prompted to do this post because of the great stop we had here today.

They have amazing coffee but what we really can't get enough of is their bakery.

{Try the White Chocolate Raspberry Scone, trust me!}

There is no kids area but they have a great little basket of kids books.

And really, if we get some baking and a seat by the window, that's plenty of entertainment.

3. Da Capo

We only go to the smaller location on Whyte because it's closer to our place, I have heard great things about their 109 St location though.

I wanted to mention this one because their product is great.

I am also a big fan of the Roots on Whyte Building that it's in.

I also should really mention that if you haven't tried Transcend it's worth it.

Another great cafe is The Wired Cup {a favourite of a good friend}.

This is also a great gift shop.

When I was getting prenatal acupuncture at Whole Family Health {to attempt to turn Cedric} we also were really taken with The Quirky Art Cafe.

They do caricatures on site and have a bunch of art supplies to keep the babes busy.

These ones aren't on our list because the locations aren't really on our usual routes.

If they're on yours, lucky.

Any that you want to add?

It's Only Just Begun

I have been feeling an urgent need to share Cedric's recent accomplishments.

You know how it is.

You think you'll never forget when he started standing, walking, talking.

But you do.

Quickly.

Just last week this started happening.

And today I already had to rely on Instagram pics to remind me when that was.

So officially {before I forget} Cedric started standing on the 22nd of January 2013.

He also stumbled into a step on the same day which we're counting as his first, though I think we're being pretty generous. 

I would also like to enter into the record that this stinker has been taking the stairs and giggles the whole way up in true stinker style.

Then to top it off he turns around at the top and grins like "look Mama, look what I did."

I really shouldn't be surprised though since shortly after learning to crawl he did this.

And, of course, he is Jeff's son so I have many heart-stopping moments in my future.

I'm sure of that.