Halloween Recap

Happy Belated Halloween! Is that even such a saying? Well it is now since I disappeared from the blog world long enough to miss one of my favourite celebrations… Or what used to be!

Lottie’s pumpkin is her twin complete with a bow and soother since those are her signature accessories! 

I’m pretty sure I could still pass for a trick-or-treater but I gave up being greedy in grade 10 when I declared myself “too cool” to dress up. I was never the child with a pillow case (my mom always sewed me cute bags) but don’t be fooled I still collected my fair share of candy because it was a competition between my brother and I who could run the fastest and accumulate the most chocolate. Afterwards we’d sort and trade, organizing them in rows based on their colour and variety. 3/4 of my haul went uneaten considering most chocolate wasn’t nut free, but it was fun nonetheless. I still remember getting chocolate milk or pop from the house on the corner, gum from the dentist, and full sized chocolate bars from the family who worked at Mars. One year we gave out Dips bars because my Dad worked for Quaker, but nowadays we give out mini play-doh!

I bet you could have guessed I’d carve an owl pumpkin! Thanks to my mom’s rubber gloves I finally didn’t react to the seeds!

This year the spark of Halloween was recreated since I took Lottie out trick or treating. As a child my costumes were always homemade by my mom and she continued the tradition by sewing Lottie her red cape. We called her Lottie Red Riding Hood and I think she stole the hearts of many homes that we visited. 

… and then she got scared by the big bad wolf

I celebrated Halloween as both Madeline (A throwback since Halloween was on a Thursday this year) and Eloise. While I didn’t attend any dances, on Tuesday our residence had a mini party with candy apples, punch and a pumpkin carving competition. It was a perfect ending after 6 hours of classes! I threw together a last minute costume (Thanks Kelsy for the suspenders) which had me looking pretty close to my favourite six-year-old character. Did anyone else use to envy Eloise who lived in a Plaza with her “rawther” British Nanny, cat-look-a-like pug Weenie, and turtle Skipperdee? I sure wish I had room service or at even just a flat in New York City. I also decorated miniature pumpkins with sharpie markers thanks to the Brescia student council. Definitely a good way to de-stress mid week and a perfect alternative to carving pumpkins since I get welts from the seeds. 

Western’s 2 day fall “reading week” could not have come at a better time. Although I have two midterms, a test and a Food handler’s certificate to study for next week, I look forward to catching up on some much-needed rest, family time, friend gatherings, blogging and coursework. It was nice to be home to celebrate Lottie’s first Halloween. Do you have any fond memories from Halloween? What was your first costume and what did you dress up this year? Do you get scared by Haunted houses or graveyards? ♥ Molly

What is a mummy’s favourite type of music? Rap music

What is a skeleton’s favourite instrument? The trombone

Where do movie stars go on Halloween? MaliBOO

What does a bird say at Halloween? “Twick or tweet”

What is Dracula’s favourite fruit? A neck-tarine

MIMM #5: Time Flies When You are Having Fun

Did last week go by in the blink of an eye for anyone else? Maybe it was because we had a long weekend so my Dad was home on Monday? Of course it could also be due to the fact that my schedule was jammed pack with marvelous moments!

I became a Healthy Living Blog, which was pretty marvelous. Amongst other things, they share some incredible tips, offer ways to promote your blog and build a sense of community. I really want to attend the Healthy Living Summit in September, but I know it’s not a good idea to leave for Minneapolis the second weekend of School just incase I have a mountain of homework. I suppose it gives me something marvelous to look forward to for next year!

Does anyone else love back to school shopping? I have most of my residence décor from two years ago, however my sister Emma is moving into a new apartment so she needed to pick up items that she and her roommate were still missing. Ikea is our go to place for marvelous deals. I found these cute flower tea infusers that match my pink and green room decor. They also have really good frozen yogurt that I’m convinced is a greek variety.

Of course if you go to Ikea, you can’t help but fall in love with their interesting dishware. My goal is to improve my food photography and I am using that as a perfect excuse to pick out accent cups, marvelous mugs and printed plates. They are a bit mismatch to store, but hopefully they allow me to be more creative. Earlier in the week I also picked out some more latté and serving bowls from Anthropologie. I might be slightly addicted.

My Kobo is marvelous but having a hard copy of a book is pretty fun too. I’ve missed flipping real pages. Thanks Tammy for the new book! I’ve been to Me to We, read most of Craig and Mark Kielberger’s novels and also done volunteer work with Free the Children, so this book was right up my alley.

Year after year we have garage sales, claiming that it will be our “last one”. The trouble is we end up with extra antiques as my Nana downsizes or style changes. This year I learned that I am a firm bargainer, some customers look forward to our annual garage sale since we have “neat things”, what an angel food cake cutter is (a customer taught me), and that near the end discount like crazy because “everything must go”. It felt marvelous to donate the remaining items to goodwill, although to tell you the truth it was so successful we didn’t have that much! I did manage to find two retro lamps for my dorm room, and I also picked out a nutrition book that must have been my Nana’s because I had never seen it before.

After the garage sale Lottie came over but I was so tired I just wanted to have a nap. My time is limited with this little cutie, since soon I’ll be away in school, so I couldn’t pass up an offer to spend time with her. I scooped her into my arms and brought her on my bed hoping we’d both fall asleep, but she was too fascinated with my glasses, nose and lips to let me close my eyes. I don’t know where she gets all of her energy from?! She’s starting to get ticklish and it’s marvelous to hear her shriek and giggle when you touch her tummy.

Driving. Despite my driving instructor cancelling on me twice, I haven’t lost motivation to practice driving with my Dad. I’m getting more and more comfortable with higher speeds, although I am still learning basic tools such as parallel parking and three point turns. It’ll be marvelous to have my license so that I can drive myself to social gatherings.

I met up with an old friend of mine, Alexis, downtown Oakville. We opted to go for a walk along Lakeshore instead of sitting down for coffee because the weather was too beautiful to pass up enjoying. I took a few photos, since she is very photogenic and the sailboats were picturesque, we got frozen yogurt and then we even found our way to a park with sand. I love wiggling my toes through sand but I miss being able to swing without feeling motion sickness. Sometimes I think it’d be marvelous to be a kid again.

Last night I concluded my weekend with a trip to Whole Foods. Chelsea C was home for the weekend and decided to venture into Oakville with her parents for dinner and a treat. I haven’t seen her parents in years so when she invited me to join I had no trouble saying yes. The food selection was marvelous as always and it was great to reconnect. We’ve been friends for 6 years but don’t see each other often enough. 

Every day seems to be falling into place. Sometimes I start the morning with no plans but end up with a full plate of activities. This week is going to be filled with packing and last minute marvelous get togethers because I leave for Myrtle Beach in 8 sleeps and will only have 3 days in between returning home and moving into residence. Time seems so precious these days, I hate when days slip away. Thanks again Katie for hosting MIMM! What was marvelous about your weekend, morning, or week ahead? ♥ Molly

“The bad news is that time flies. The good news is that your the pilot.” – Michael Althsuler

MIMM #4: The Little Things

I got to see a lot of Lottie this past weekend. She truly embodies a personality I strive to achieve; free-spirited. Her curiosity and genuine happiness is not only fun to watch but also to be around. Her smiles are contagious and her hugs are oh so cute. Some of the sounds Lottie is learning how to voice (mostly giggles and shrieks) melt my heart. It’s inspiring to see how small things light up her life. Pictures just don’t do her character justice because she focuses on the camera, which takes, away from her true charm.

My life hasn’t been extremely exciting these days, but like Lottie, I am finding value in the marvelous world that surrounds me. No matter how hard I try, I’ll never be able to just sit still because there is always something preoccupying my time. Lately it’s been a last minute coffee or ice cream date so who am I to complain?

On Thursday Lottie, Emma, Caitlin, my Mom and I all went to the new “Toronto Premium Outlet”. It is beyond my knowledge why they decided to call it “Toronto” given that it’s location is in Halton Hills which could not even be considered Toronto’s outskirts. Fortunately it is easily accessible as it is situated directly off a major highway. The name is a bit misleading to tourists but if they do happen to visit the mall they won’t be disappointed. It’s an outdoor concept, which is rare design for Canadian Malls because of winter weather. Based off of “Prime Outlets” in Buffalo New York, the mall features popular stores that carry both the regular clothing line and garments designed specifically for the factory outlet stores. To name a few, Kate Spade, Coach, Nike, Lucky Brand Jeans, Fossil, Banana Republic, American Eagle, Oakley are some of the well known brands. Since we went on the opening day it was busy, but it was truly marvelous when we found a parking spot quickly.

Friday I met up with Chelsea for the opening of Lululemon Athletica in Mapleview Mall. We both enjoyed taking some snapshots in the photobooth. I think I’m too good at making funny faces. : ) We went late enough in the day that there wasn’t a lineup which was marvelous, but unfortunately all of the free cupcakes from Kelly’s Bake Shop had been given away. I ended up buying a shirt but I loved almost all of the apparel they were featuring. I will have to watch out for sales because I still have money left on my gift card.

I spent a lot of the time in the kitchen this weekend, helping to prepare meals or baking away the day. The aroma of freshly baked muffins filling the air is pretty marvelous. I baked “Date Newtons” and can hardly wait to share my recently created recipe with you later this week.  It’s marvelous when a recipe works out the first time around. Warm cookies dipped into a glass of cold milk is pretty marvelous as well.

Marvelous is also when the flavours you throw into a blender compliment each other perfectly. I love using almost-too-ripe fruit in smoothies because they tend to be naturally sweeter. I have been following through with my one smoothie per day challenge.

Since today is a Canadian Civic Holiday, meaning it’s a long weekend, the gym has been empty since many took the opportunity to travel or visit their cottages. It’s truly marvelous to have a lane to yourself as you swim. In addition the long weekend means that my Dad is home for an extra day – what’s not marvelous about that?

Here are some other activities that I found to be pretty marvelous…

• Enjoying the first scoop of soy nut butter out of a fresh jar
• Getting a parking lot pull through while I practiced driving
• Arriving at the go-train station (unplanned) just before the train was about to leave
• Starbucks Treat Receipts
• Meeting up with Joyce
• Lottie Hugs
• Reading by the pool because it was finally sunny and warm
• Trying a new Frozen Yogurt Flavour while catching up with Heather

There are many marvelous activities awaiting me this week. For instance, the Bachelorette! Call me crazy but I am really looking forward to the season finale tonight. I started watching the Bachelorette as a way to get together with friends since they previously were Bachelorette fans. I never thought I’d enjoy reality television shows but I’ve (gasp) become a bit addicted, especially after last week’s cliff hanger. Desiree gets to go on some pretty marvelous dates, it’s no wonder they have so many contestants. I’d go on the show just for the travel perks! Kidding…

What was marvelous about your weekend and do you have any marvelous plans awaiting you? Thanks again Katie for hosting Marvelous In My Monday! It’s easy to dwell on the fact that the weekend is over but MIMM is a great way to reflect on the fun things present within a workweek.  ♥ Molly

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” – Robert Brault

It’s a Boy!

Usually I am the last to find out about celebrity gossip! I was three days late in finding out Kim Kardashian had her baby and to this day I still get confused as to what direction the baby girl was named after (No offence)! I began and ended reading tabloid magazines in grade 7 and while I try to use Twitter and Facebook, I am not very good at keeping up with the most current news.

Source

Of course a Royal Baby is a bit different! Our community library began celebrating the pregnancy of the Duchess of Cambridge long before she was said to be due. I thought it was cute that they created a contest for kids to vote whether they thought it would be a girl or boy. They asked the children to write down the name he or she thought the royal baby would be given. “Princess Jasmine” “Cinderella” and “Princess Aurora” were definitely the most common if the child thought the baby was going to be a girl. The library also filled a table with newspaper articles about Kate and William, baby name books and books about Canadian history since Canada is part of the British Commonwealth.

Canada had pre-planned to celebrate the birth of the baby by illuminating landmarks in the colour of the baby’s gender. The Peace Tower up on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Toronto’s CN Tower and the Niagara Falls were all lit blue last night. Before hand, a hospital in Oshawa Ontario even proposed that Kate should have her baby there, since she would have more privacy because everyone expected her to give birth in London, England. That would have been cool as Oshawa is only an hour away from where I live!

Source

I think it’s pretty neat that my sister Caitlin and her husband Aaron got married the same year as Kate and William but it’s even more of a coincidence that my niece Lottie, their baby, was born exactly 5 months before the royal baby boy was delivered. Caitlin announced that Lottie doesn’t mind dating a boy a bit younger. I think I could get used to being a distant member of a royal family. She is already loving fancy dresses and I love tea parties!

So while there won’t be a Queen to inherit the crown quite yet , I think everyone was equally pleased when Kate Middleton delivered her healthy baby boy at 4:24p.m. Monday July 22^nd. While we know his weight, 8lbs 6oz, we have yet to find out his name. What do you think it will be? Prince Charming? Congratulations again to the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William on one of their best moments in life. I have tremendous faith that they will make excellent parents and may this little parcel of joy bring with him prosperity, happiness and bliss. ♥ Molly

“We may not be able to prepare the future for our children, but we can at least prepare our children for the future.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Summer Solstice

Yesterday marked the first official day of summer. Hooray! I can’t say I enjoy any other season more than this one. Here in Ontario, Canada the rhyme  “April Showers” came true for the entire spring season. While May brought flowers, it also brought torrential downpours. I am hoping that summer brings warmth and sunshine so that those threatening clouds get the memo to head elsewhere. (I am thinking positive thoughts for those currently struggling in Alberta that search to find dry land and  escape the flooding.)

I love summer for so many reasons. It tends to be the warmest season, the days are longer, it’s the perfect time for summer “reads”, clothing prints are always brighter and the materials are lighter (Hello Summer Dresses), my birthday falls within it, bike rides are more enjoyable, popsicles become more popular, as a student I get it off from school and it is typically the month in which my family travels. My parents must have had a hectic job coordinating summer day trips and weeklong vacations when I was younger. As one of four, not only were vacations expensive but very busy! I have fond memories of driving to the east coast, visiting Montreal and touring Ottawa. As I have gotten older however, we’ve caught the “Travel bug” and have gotten out of Canada more often! I’m fortunate to have ventured through California, gone to New York City, and have even seen a fair bit of Europe. Last summer we spent a few days in Paris France before heading to the South of France where we rented a house. It was the perfect opportunity to experience french living and culture.

I wonder what is in store this summer!  My hope is for a sandy beach covered in seashells, warm water for swimming and interesting boutiques. I think I’ve had my fair share of museums and site seeing these past summers, so my wish is to go to a relaxing location with minimal walking. Lazy? Maybe! Peaceful? Definitely! To be truthful I don’t know if I am the type of person that can read by the ocean but I am definitely willing to test my patience and try! Someday I hope to stay in a resort in Hawaii so in the meantime I will have to work on lounging by a pool (coated in SPF 50 sunscreen of course).

Officially 4 months old!

Emma and Lottie!

Of course the first day of summer wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t swim in our pool! Yesterday was also special as it was Lottie’s first time swimming. She was so brave and loved the water. I think it reminded her of a big bathtub. She is already following in my footsteps and becoming quite the water fish. Summertime is just asking for memories to be created. ♥ Molly

“Some of the best memories are made in flip flops.” – Kellie Elmore

Oh My Heart

When I wake up in the morning, I always take a few minutes to quickly check Instagram before carrying on with my day. I become inspired by those I follow, and learn what is new with family and friends. I live vicariously through the adventures of others. Of course, some of my favourite photos on my newsfeed come from my sister Caitlin and her husband Aaron.

On February 22^nd 2013, Charlotte Pippa was born adding a fourth family birthday in a span of five days. We call her Lottie! I don’t know who is more blessed; the both of them for having a new bundle of joy in their life, or Lottie as she has two of the most wonderful caring parents in the world.  I may be biased but really, could she be any sweeter?

Lottie is lucky to have a Dad who is exquisite at photography (Today’s pictures were taken by Aaron and Caitlin actually) and a Mom who is not only nurturing, but picks out the cutest little outfits. Together they make a great couple and capture her precious moments. Her expressions and hugs are oh so adorable. I am one very proud Auntie.

I’d say she is pretty advanced for her age since she began smiling, laughing and vocalizing her thoughts through sounds very early on. She’s easy going and can definitely brighten anyone’s day. I get lots of Lottie snuggles as she is a fan of being held! Watch out because she is growing fast. With her length, she is bound to be a Runway Model or Basketball Player (Just kidding Lottie, you can be whatever you dream of!). I can’t wait to begin cooking her some baby food when she is a bit older. As part of a shower gift, I gave my sister this recipe book which specifies specific food groups for certain ages.

What do you think, is she not the most fun loving baby you know? ♥ Molly

There is no greater joy than holding your baby niece for the first time.