Escaping The Suburbs

It doesn’t always go the way you planned. 

Our plan; one last great escape before 2011 came to a close.  The kids had a ridiculous amount of time off school…two whole weeks..and we needed a not so “spendy” way to carve out some family time together! 

It should have gone like this:

-Picture perfect Christmas.  Leave It To Beaver style.  Sorta. (with wine, Hubby cooking and me being greedy about chocolate and gifts)

-one gluttonous day in PJ’s, a Boxing Day tradition.

-three panicked hours of packing and then hit the road!

-Borrowing a gorgeous cottage on a lake for a full week of family fun.

How it really went:

-48 hours of Mama tossing her cookies I know TMI but seriously it was awful

-three more days of being as weak as a newborn kitten, and whiner then a pre-schooler an hour past nap time.

-one broken furnace (Seriously.  So now I’m cold too.  Freakin fabulous)

-a crying pathetic pity party for one siting in the bottom of the shower because I was too weak to stand up but was gettin kind of rank and needed a shower feeling like I had ruined Christmas and even the damn house was now conspiring against our almost free getaway

-finally pulling up our boot straps and my fake everything is FINE face and making a run for the lake

-Two girls, 1 cat, 1 dog, 1 unbelievably patient Husband and me. A modern suburban motely crew. *Note to fellow suburbanites: When the cat cries in his crate it is not because he is lonely and wants to play.  Do not let him out to “play”.  He shall just squat down on your floor and pee vigorously . Gagging and screaming ensues.  Pit stop required. 

-Mama ends up over doing, well, everything and is relegated to being a useless tool sitting beside a roaring fire as my dear daughters take turns repeatedly asking me “Are you feeling better now Mommy?”.  Each time getting the patented Mama response “Oh I think so Honey, Mommy just over did it today.” while silently cursing myself for dragging myself so far from pharmacy's and hospitals.

Now a reality check.  All are tucked snugly in their beds and here I sit writing my very first post for Escaping the Suburbs….anxious for 2011 to be over, thrilled for all that 2012 holds for all of us. It’s not the way I planned to get here….. but we made it.    Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches or they will truly knock you down.  Life is good and I am blessed.

I’m thankful for friends, family and readers alike!! Cheers to each of you as we usher in this New Year!  Be safe, be healthy, be joyous.  Hoping we all have a chance to Escape the Suburbs in 2012, and I will have some great adventure's to share along the way!  I can’t wait to see what the New Year will bring and where it will take us.

Much love…

Christmas Eve, Trampolines and Tossed Cookies

Christmas Eve was a great success.  Dinner at the in-laws, gift opening, giggling grand children, too much food and Great Grandma falling asleep in her chair.  There is something reassuring about consistency. 

Christmas Eve saw the traditional opening of one gift, new PJ’s and Christmas Cookies for Santa.   Sweetness.

The kids went to sleep quickly, I was the one up tossing and turning with excitement.  This year Christmas was going to be perfect!  (You know, as perfect as Christmas can be in the Suburbs with two kids, a dog, a cat and me cooking for the entire family when cooking is so not my forte)

Christmas morning started out just the way I had hoped.  My SweetGirl bounding into our bedroom announcing it was “CHRISTMAS!!  TIME TO GET UP”.  And so we did.  Present opening started as planned.  Happy girls, happy parents.  Then….I felt the need to speed things along.  I started rushing my children.  Hurrying them from one gift to the next, encouraging them to move along, all under the quizzical stare of dear Hubby.  Finally it was time for the big reveal.  The last big present of the day.  We had a small treasure hunt through the house, complete with a very bad poem, that led our PJ clad girls to the garage to find their ….drum roll please…..

Trampoline! Yes, the big gift we had been saving for and aching to give to our dear daughters.  The secret I had been keeping for months! 

Thirty seconds after the big reveal……Christmas was over for me.  I dropped the video camera, and made a run for the Master Bath.  That bathroom is where I stayed for the next 48 hours.  So sick, so sad, so disappointed.  This was not the Christmas I had planned.  I was meant to be passing cookies, not tossing cookies.  Now here it is the 29th and I am still in the depths of a pity party for one.  Feeling like I let down my girls, my Hubby, my parents, my sister and her family.  The worst of it, I’m still sick! 

Small reality check.  It’s just  a flu.  (and I did lose 5 lbs)  I will recover.  It does make you count your blessings and say a little prayer for all the people who are truly ill this Holiday Season. 

So for now, I will try and put this yuck Christmas behind me and drag my dehydrated butt downstairs to open the rest of my Christmas Gifts.

Happy Ho Ho Ho to all of you.  Hope your cookies this year were served on a plate, not in a porcelain bowl. 

Mwah!

It Was A Rockin Talkin Elf Hat!

Who knew some of our biggest giggles on Christmas Eve would come from passing around the best Christmas Hat ever created!  The Rockin Talkin Elf Hat from Hallmark Canada!  With a simple press of a button this bright coloured hat takes a room full of fairly quiet family members into rowdy, laughing kids with cheers of “Again” and “Ohhh I want one”.  This little number is simply adorable!  It “dances” and “sings”! Love.

Beware, when you put on the the Rockin Talkin Elf Hat, you might be susceptible to spontaneous moments of dancing!  (whether your kids like it or not) Each family member tried this on and not one was able to stand still!   The wiggling of the hat is truly contagious.  My only regret, that I didn’t get three of four more so I could have a whole set of dancing elves in the house.  

Thanks for the giggle Hallmark Canada!

 

Disclosure: I am a part of the Hallmark Canada Press Pause Panel,
in association with Hallmark Canada.  Product was provided to facilitate this post, all opinions are my own.

Basking In The Glow

It’s almost Christmas Eve.  A night to celebrate all that is special to us in our own unique ways.  For me, for our family, we celebrate by making time for family, exchanging gifts, sharing a meal, a laugh and counting our blessings. 

I try desperately too often in vain to slow down and enjoy each moment, knowing that childhood is fleeting, that time passes too quickly.

For this very reason I must get off this computer and go make some memories!

Today I wish all of you the happiest of the holiday season, a very Merry Christmas and  wishes for a peaceful, healthy and joy filled New Year. 

Thanks for being part of my each and every day!

Hugs from the Suburbs….

Squeezing in Date Night with #Equal and #CBias

The Christmas crazies have taken over my life and I have a confession to make; date night with Hubby, it’s fallen victim to the time crunch.  Sad right?  This week we swore we would carve out even just an hour for each other and sneak away for some couple time.  I might have cheated a bit, we headed to Starbucks, right next to my favourite Chapters so I could pick up just one more gift!!

As we waited in the quickly moving line to order our coffees, I managed to talk dear Hubby into splitting a huge piece of luscious looking lemon poppy seed loaf.   Yummo.  This is the perfect treat for us to split because he doesn’t love it nearly as much as I do.  Why is this good?  Uhh I get more!  We placed our order.  Grande Tazo Chai Latte with Soy Milk for me and a Grande White Mocha for the Hubby.  I took a moment to ask the super friendly barista if she had any Equal.  Since I’ve switched to Soy Milk I could use a little more sweet in my drink.  I’m not quite used to the change in taste.  She politely gestured in the direction behind me and pointed out two other sweeteners on offer, but no Equal.  I was appreciative to see two other sweeteners available, but Equal as a choice would have been nice! 

After getting my Latte just the way I like it, I headed back to a different Barista, double checked that there was no Equal and requested a comment card.  I did assure her that I also wanted to provide Starbucks with the feedback that their staff are truly the friendliest around.  Seriously, where do they find these people.  As “surveys” are only headed out randomly, and there were no comment cards available, I was directed to their website at mystarbucksvisit.com.  Perfect and so easy!

Hubs and I sat, enjoyed our snack and fabulous coffees.  So great to just sit for a moment and watch the world go by.  We might have had a giggle at couple of the super flustered shoppers flying in and out!   For once, those panicked patrons are not us! 

New Years resolution.  More quick coffee dates with my Hubby. It really does make the day that much brighter.  

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias Opinions expressed in this post are own.  

If you are interested in learning more about Equal you an find them on twitter at @EqualCanada or on Facebook! 

How To Survive Christmas In The Suburbs

Christmas is coming and it’s confession time.  I am NOT ready this year.  I have decided I need to help myself by taking a little pressure off!  Here is a post from a couple of years ago.  I’m going to go and wrap some pressies, finish some shopping and re-bake the cookies I ate.  If you don’t see me commenting for a few days it’s because I’m in full on Christmas Panic!  Happy Holidays!  Mwah!

 

Christmas come and goes in a flash!

All that prep.

The shopping, the baking, the organizing..the panicking?

How can one little Mama possibly keep her family of four happy, get them to all the open houses, family Christmas gatherings, through the meals and survive the photo shoots in one piece?

It's not easy my friends.

Here are a few tips I have learned along the way:

Start shopping today for next year, it's the only way you are ever going to get it all done without breaking the bank.

When you think you are done buying all of your gifts, your not. But one extra super generic gift for when some peep who is clearly nicer and way more thoughtful then you shows up with a gift for you. You don't have one for her? Awkward.

Same goes for Christmas cards. When you go get the mail and there is some love sent to you from your second cousin twice removed, it would be sweet if you have an extra card on hand ready to go. Throw that baby in the mail IMMEDIATELY. Butt is now covered.

Don't make the damn Christmas cookies so far ahead. You and your wee ones (mostly you) will eat them and then you will be forced into re-creating all those mouth watering yummies.

Plan out those Christmas Eve and Christmas Day outfits for yourself and the kiddies a good week in advance. I guarantee you will be short at least one pair of tights and possibly a red sweater. While you are at it, have at least one back up plan for all your lovelies. Food disasters, hormones or the fact that you ate 4 dozen cookies and no longer fit in your "go to" pants may force you into a back up plan.

Do you have enough AAA and AA batteries? NO. You do not. There are never enough. Go get some more.

Sweetie, no matter how hard you try you are going to be tired. It's OK. You can sleep in January.

Be prepared with Tylenol, Wine and expectations at a realistic level and you are ready for the season of Peace, Joy and Christmas in the Suburbs.

Happy Holidays!!

Mwah!

Worst And Best Cookies Ever Made

Christmas is less then a week a way people!  Are you ready?  I didn’t think so.  (If you are, just don’t tell people, there are a lot of jealous evil haters in the world.  Cough.  Cough.)  One major thing I still have to get stroked off my Christmas to do list…make the worst and best Christmas Cookies ever created.

Let me explain.

For some reason, “Chocolate Haystacks”  A very polite name for cookies that look like little piles of poo, have become Christmas cookie traditions in our house.  It is just not Christmas until our kitchen counter is covered in the world's ugliest, and yet most addictive chocolaty cookie.

So…I thought I would share this not so secret super addictive you are going to hate me recipe.  You’re welcome.

Chocolate Haystack Cookies
Very simple.
Over very low heat in a VERY large pot melt:
*1 cup chocolate chips
*1 cup butterscotch chips
When smooth mix in
*2 cups Chinese noodles (broken down a little bit- I usually do this in a large Ziploc before I begin)
*2 cups peanuts
Stir until thoroughly coated.  If it looks a tad runny throw in more Chinese noodles or peanuts.
Transfer by heaping spoonful's on to waxed paper and allow to set.
You're done!  Except you now have to lick the spoons and then wipe the chocolate joy off your babies faces

Will keep for a couple of weeks in an airtight container in the fridge, or a couple of months in the freezer!  (Be warned, if you are a chocolate addict like I am and try and eat them straight out of the freezer, be sure to chomp with your back teeth, PROTECT THE PRETTY, don’t break off a front tooth eating this chocolaty goodness.  That would be embarrassing. 

*Picture borrowed from Esquire.

Beauty and The Beast in 3D! Giveaway

Tale as old as time..Song as old as rhyme …Beauty and the Beast.

I have been humming this tune all day long, and I’m willing to bet if you are a Disney fan like I am, you are now singing right along with me. 

Do you live in Toronto or Waterloo?  Then I have a sweet Giveaway for you!!!  Beauty and the Beast is being premiered in 3D at a select number of theatres on January 7th 2012.  I just happen to have two family passes of four to give away!  Squee! 

If you have a couple of little people in your life that would enjoy seeing this Disney classic on the big screen here is your chance to see it in a super special way! (and might I add before anyone else)

Here are the details:
Toronto: Saturday, January 7th at 10:00 am at SilverCity Yorkdale
Waterloo: Saturday, January 7th at 10:00 at the Galaxy Cinemas Waterloo

Here is how to enter!!

1. Tell me the name of any other Disney move that you adore!  Also, please include in your answer if you would like to see this special screening in Toronto or Waterloo.

Easy Extra Entries

2. Follow me on twitter or tell me that you already do! @SassyModernMom

3. Please give this giveaway a tweet! Let’s make sure all the Disney fans know about this new release!  You may cut and paste if you wish.

Win a special screening pass 4 four 2 C Beauty & The Beast in 3D! #Toronto #Waterloo via #SassyModernMom #Giveaway http://bit.ly/tvSHl1

ONE tweet a day for this contest to help get the word out!

4. Like my Facebook Fan page. Please Or tell me that you are already a fan!

5. Comment on one of my other posts and come back and tell me you did.

Thanks so much for entering and Happy Holidays!

Contest open to Canadians only and will close on Jan. 4th. Winner will have 48hrs to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Tickets will be sent electronically and you will be put on a VIP Guest List.

AND THE WINNERS ARE:
TORONTO: #39

Amy said... 39

daily tweet
https://twitter.com/#!/amym_brown/status/152741009426628608
thanks
amym_brown @ hotmail.com

WATERLOO: # 47

Kady L. said... 47

I LOVE The Little Mermaid :) Waterloo please.
kady@thebeerguy.ca

Congratulations Ladies!! I will get your tickets sent out to you!!

Wild Nights and Gingerbread Houses

One precious weekend a year the In-Laws take the kids over night for an evening of Gingerbread House making, movie watching, and overindulging.  From the state of them when they get home, I’m pretty sure sleep is not something happening at this “sleep” over. 

You know what?  I don’t care!  I look forward to this weekend all year long!  I know my girls will have a fantastic time and Hubby and I have an entire evening where we get to act like adults with no responsibility! 

We can go out for dinner, drink a bottle of wine, see an R rated movie…or at least a movie that doesn't have cartoon characters in it, stay out late without calculating how much extra we will have to pay the babysitter and in general be selfish and spontaneous again!  Bliss.

So the special Gingerbread weekend, that was THIS weekend.  Both the girls and I were having our very own special kinds of countdowns.  Little one’s were marking down the days on their dry erase boards outside their bedroom doors.  Me, I was working out the timing of which day I should shave my legs.  Sexy right?

My youngest SweetGirl had the nerve to catch a nasty cold this week.  I stuffed her full of some awesome vitamins, filled her with nutritious food, and that snotty nose stopped dripping just in the nick of time.  Our night alone was saved.  Girls were dropped off at Grandmas at 5pm sharp on Saturday night. 

Hubby and I were alone in the house.  I might have giggled and danced a little at the anticipation of an entire evening of adult time.  So do you want to know what we did?  What our biggest hearts desire was?  What we wanted to do more then anything else?  Here’s how it went:

We went to the grocery store….without kids begging to put more stuff in the cart.

We picked up coffees…and talked quietly, without interruption.

We cooked dinner together…..in our own kitchen.  Crab cakes, shrimp, stuffed chicken, rice, salad.  There was of course chocolate for dessert.

We watched TWO movies from the comfort of our own couch, with a roaring fire beside us, and more snacks than any two people should ever eat.

We were in bed by midnight, because that’s how we roll….

It wasn’t wild, or crazy.  No drinking, no crowd, no noise.  Just the two of us (with a pact not to talk about the kids) enjoying a quiet evening at home and reflecting on how ridiculously lucky we really are. 

…and I wouldn't change a thing.

I can hardly wait for our next wild weekend. 

(Good grief I am old!)

Tell Me the Truth You Bunch of Liars

So I’ve been reading lots of lists lately.  You are all so nice. So warm, and fuzzy and grateful for the wonderful things in your life.  Waxing poetic about how much you love your Husbands, your kids, the roof over your head and the extra time with your family. To that I say PFFFT.  Whatever!  Might I add Uh Duh?  We know this already! 

I want to know what you are TRULY thankful for!  Here, let me get you started.

I’m thankful for:

Visine, which I spray in my eyes every single morning to try and disguise how truly tired I really am.

For under eye concealer, so I can look like I am remotely human as opposed to the zombie Mom that I sometimes am.

Actually, to make-up in general, I bow down to you.  Mwah.

I'm thankful to coffee, I big fat squishy heart you!  Caffeine is simply a vital part of my life.

I’m grateful for the one or two nights a year my parents and in-laws take the kids overnight!  I love my children more then life itself and the house is kind of creepy quiet when they are not here, but we are being honest right?  Walking naked from the bedroom to the bathroom is super cool, extra sleep and uhh acting like grown-ups with  a little less real life responsibility once in a while, that is brilliant! 

I’m thankful for McDonalds.  Who doesn’t need a little fast food fix once in a while?  If you can avoid all fast food, well, then I guess you are a better Mama then me.  You know what, add hot dogs, ice cream and popcorn to this list.  They have all been used as substitute dinners ….because that’s how I roll.

I’m thankful for the mornings I can find matching socks.  It’s the little things.

I’m grateful for the days when the flyers out number the bills in the mailbox.

I love it when the kids declare they have no homework.  I’m so tired of homework. 

I’m thankful for the evenings when we don’t have to carpool to gymnastics, dance, piano or play dates.  (Yes, sometimes I’m happy to be lazy, and thrilled to encourage TV or computer time! GASP!)

I’m grateful to find one more bottle of ketchup at the back of the cupboard when I thought it was all gone.

I’m thankful for the one pair of jeans that makes my butt looks good. 

And thrilled if I find some chocolate left in my secret stash.  (Every Mama in the Suburbs must have a secret chocolate stash)

These are not the big things that make a person happy, these are the real things that bring joy and make life a little easier. So fess up and tell me the truth….have you got a little guilty pleasure you are thankful for?

 

PS  If today is Friday, it’s the last day to enter my Holiday Box Giveaway from You’ve Been Gifted!

Surviving Childhood and The Stupid Things We Do

I dropped my daughter off at the movies last night.  She was with three girlfriends, had a cell phone in her pocket and had been read the riot act about stranger danger, going to the bathroom in pairs and every other rule I could think of.  This made me think about how protective, not over protective, just protective we feel we have to be just to make sure our “babies” stay safe!  It also had me reflecting back on one of those times I wasn’t so safe…..

We used to play alone in the woods at the cottage all the time.  We were safe.  The rule.  Make sure we were home by dark.  The problem.  This time, we were lost.  Not just a little bit lost, but a sweat breaking out on the back of my neck, bile starting to rise in my throat kind of lost.  Four or five of us.  Me the oldest at maybe 12?  Alone in the woods.  The worst part, my little sister was with me, my responsibility.  The sun was going down, all the trees were beginning to look the same.  Tall.  Dark.  Scary.  My parents were going to kill me.  (if we ever got out of here alive)  I was starting to feel dizzy with fear.  The little one’s tagging along with us, they had no clue our little hike had taken such a bad turn.  They had no idea that we were soon going to experience a dark like we had never seen before.  Not city dark, country dark, out by the lake dark. 

Then, what seemed like hours later, across the forest floor, from up above a ray of sunlight.  Cooler heads prevailed and I decided to lead our rag tag troop of “explorers” towards that light.  Praying that my gut was right, that going towards the open spot in the sky would lead us back to a dirt road. That the dirt road would point the way home.  

Twenty sweat soaked minutes later we emerged.  Suddenly, the dark scary woods broke open, I could see a dirt road and open sky, the woods seemed friendly again.  Fighting our way out from the brambles.  The little one’s laughing at our “adventure”.   I took a deep breath, I knew exactly where we were.  Somehow our little group of misfit friends had walked a giant circle and emerged to what would equate to a few city blocks from our cottage.  I played the “cool big sister card”.  Kept pretending I had known where we were all along.  I clearly remember hiding my trembling hands in my dirty cut-off shorts.  I also remember making a silent vow to never walk that far from the cottage again.

Looking back now, getting a little lost in the woods seems like no big deal.  My new fear is not the Big Bad Wolf that is hiding in the woods, but the one who hides in bathroom stalls at the movies, the creeps in the stores at the malls, and even the unknown dangers lurking behind the computer screens seeking out our innocent pre-teen girls…

Sigh.  It’s a wonder any of us survived childhood.

Shopping for Toshiba with ShesConnected

ShesConnected has partnered with Toshiba Canada and provided an opportunity for a group of fabulous bloggers to talk about their honest experience shopping for and testing out either the Toshiba Tablet or Toshiba 3D HDTV! 

Personally, I would be a very happy girl to find either of these little beauties under my Christmas tree, but decided to check out the Toshiba Tablet.  Part of my personal mission, to investigate if this product would make the perfect “WOW” gift for my pre-teen daughters to share this Christmas!

I started my search by grabbing my Hubby and dragging him to the nearest Best Buy. This was not a difficult task once I explained to him we were going shopping for all things Toshiba. 

It was a decidedly crappy night out, as reflected by this picture snapped through my car window….  uggg enough with the rain already!

Inside the Best Buy folks put a bright pink sticker on my shiny new HD Camileo camera.  I wanted them to know I had walked in with this cute little number and was not trying to walk out with it!  We immediately headed for the tablets!

The Toshiba Thrive Tablet was easy to find, but I did have to ask for assistance before I could start playing. Some evil genius had been there before me and switched the language on every single tablet in the place from English to Arabic!  Not cool people.

At least this gave me a chance to ask the sales person, who I might note was not on commission, a couple of questions and get my bearings! 

 

(Uhh Artsy photo showing the Camileo, the Thrive Tablet and me!)

 

 

 

There are so many tablets to choose from but one thing that was quickly pointed out to me.  The Toshiba Thrive seems to be a little heavier then the other Tablets, possibly making it more durable for the little ones. 

I found the screen easy to use and the apps easy to access.

Some other positives about this tablet:

10.1" Diagonal Wide-view Display with Toshiba Adaptive Display Technology

This means a wide view LED that is backlit. Perfect size for surfing the net!
NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 Mobile Processor
Translation: serious graphics and fast, full-featured web browsing with Adobe® Flash™ Support.

A complete web experience, with support for Adobe® Flash™
This new tablet is Adobe® Flash™ compatible, delivering a complete web experience to help you explore, discover and interact.

Resolution+™¹ Upconversion Technology
This meant more to my Hubby then me but basically:  It's their exclusive innovation that upconverts standard-definition video content and instantly improves sharpness and colour, for visuals that look and feel more like HD.

Use it's Full-size HDMI® Output 
Use the built-in HDMI® port to share on a big screen TV !

The only negatives I could come up with was one universal across all tablets, all require their own data package.  Hubby and I have to figure out if we really think this is the right choice for a gift for our girls at this point.  

Another positive, did you note the incredible price?

In short, when considering this tablet for my girls I think it was the perfect weight, a great price point, it was a fun way to explore the web, play videos, games, and easy to personalize  Oh, and did I mention it is all kinds of pretty? 

If you are still looking for the perfect gift for someone special on your Christmas list,  and want to make your loved one gives you a big fat WOW then go and check out the Toshiba Thrive Tablet!  It’s a perfect choice! 

For more information on the Toshiba Tablet, please visit their website at www.toshiba.ca.  Find them on Facebook and Twitter too!

 

Disclaimer: I am participating in the Toshiba Brand Ambassador Program by ShesConnected.  I received a Toshiba Camileo in exchange for my participation in this campaign.  The opinions on this blog are my own.

Rude People, Burnt Coffee & Pee On The Seat

*Waiting in line at the grocery store for 15 minutes for the privilege of checking myself out.  Sigh.  Can we not hire some more staff please? Clearly your store is busy enough!

*People who PARK in the DROP OFF ONLY area at school.  It’s not rocket science people.  If the area says “Pick Up and Drop off Only” that is what it means.  When you are “Just waiting for your child to come out of school and then you will move”  but you’ve been sitting there for 20 minutes snarling the circling traffic and top it off by giving me the finger…..you are PARKED you idiot.   

*Pushy people in the mall.  I’m sorry but you people need to start control your bags.  Yes, control your bags.  I am so tired of being whacked, smacked and knocked into by people who cannot control their purchases!   Either take some of that crap you just bought to the car, get a cart or just slow down and watch where you are going!  Stop with the walking into me all the time.  I am 5 ft. 9” I KNOW you can see me! 

*Burnt Coffee.  I won’t say where from, but when I go pick up a coffee, pull out of the drive thru and take that first sip to be met by a horrid burnt taste.  Oh such sadness. 

*Pee on toilet seats.  No not at my house!  When I’m out and about!  Clearly I am a woman, and only using the women’s bathroom.  This is not where one expects to find pee on a seat!! How on earth do women get pee on the seats and the FLOOR and not notice?  If you hover when you um go…(good for you I do too) here’s a little tip: Check that seat when you are done!  If you have left a little dribble give that baby a wipe.  No one wants to deal with your leftover urine.  For goodness sake a Granny or a child might sit right in it! Shiver and Ick.

Sigh, Just had to get that off my chest!

What’s rubbing you the wrong way today?

 

Don’t miss the fabulous Holiday Gift Box Giveaway from

You’ve Been Gifted! Ends Soon!

Feeding My Bag Addiction – Behave!

I am a women with a number of addictions. Among these, only the highest quality of accessories. I truly adore shopping and spoiling my loved ones, and myself, with all things pretty! Of course my favourite little obsession. Handbags. Sigh. Leaving the house without a pretty purse is like leaving without lip-gloss! It just doesn’t happen!

So when I find a bag that is beautiful, made of gorgeous earth friendly material, and available on line? I just have to share. Let me show you my latest love……. this Behave bag by Ju-Ju-Be.

You might ask, what make this bag so much more then your average purse or handbag? So much!! Ju-Ju-Be bags are truly smart bags for smart people. Ju-Ju-Be started as an amazing baby bag company, and have grown into so much more. They carried the best of their ideas over from their stylish baby bags, and incorporated them into laptop cases, eco-friendly lunch bags and yes, handbags!

Let’s take a peek at the inside of my new fave bag. The Behave. The brilliant designers picked light coloured linings (hot pink in my bag) so you can actually see what's inside your bag! No more fumbling in the dark to find that pen that is “somewhere” at the bottom. It’s now easy to spot!

Second, the pockets. I may not be the most organized Mama in the world, (as a matter of fact I’m pretty sure I panic at least once a week because I can’t find my precious smart phone), but this bag has so many fab pockets it’s easy to be neat and tidy! Their tag line, “Smart Bags For Smart People”. It’s true! Beautiful and going to help get me organized? Yeah!

The Behave Bag has a front exterior pocket complete with handy card holding slots, and it zips closed.

The side exterior pockets will surprise you! One is insulated to keep your drinks warm or cold, the other is soft to protect your sunglasses! Ingenious.

The inside organization gets even better. It includes 5 gusseted pockets, 3 zippered pockets, 3 pen loops, 2 lipstick/gloss loops, and 1 scrunchy key fob. No more lost keys!

Worthy of note, all of the hardware on these bags are made of metal. It’s going to last so much longer then other bags with plastic parts.

Isn’t it just so pretty?

Comes in a variety of fab colours too!

To top it off they are made of Earth Leather, an environmentally friendly alternative to animal leather.

Word of warning. Once you start exploring the Ju-Ju-Be site you may get lost in there! So many fabulous products to consider for yourself or perhaps someone else on your Christmas List?

Fun Wallets and Wristlets.

Contemporary Organizers too!

You can buy all of these products from the comfort of your living room by indulging in some on-line shopping. Here are a few Canadian etailers that carry the full line! Enfant Style (Quebec), Snugglebugz (Ontario), Barla Banana Boutique (BC).

Do you have someone on your Christmas List that deserves a fab bag for Christmas? Jump on over to Ju-Ju-Be and find the perfect gift for your someone special!

Visit them on Facebook and twitter too! Hope you will visit this fantasitc company on both!!

Disclosure: I received product in exchange for this review. Compensation in no way affected the opinions reflected in this post. Picture courtesy of Ju-Ju-Be.

I’ve Been Gifted! A Fabulous Give Away!

Seems I have become Christmas obsessed. One of my favourite things to give (and receive) this year, gift baskets. Not just any old gift baskets, but one’s put together with care and love. But then something happened, I was introduced to You’ve Been Gifted. A new Canadian company, currently specializing in Christmas boxes available to be shipped right across this great country.

You’ve Been Gifted is not your typical commercial, mass produced, cello wrapped experience. This boutique style on-line store is different!

Let me tell you how:

Made in Canada –The items featured are sourced from independent, family-owned or owner-operated producers.

Ships in Canada -Gift Boxes are shipped from within Canada to all across Canada. Prices for shipping are very reasonable and clearly set out on their site. I checked.

Handcrafted-The artisanal foods in the gift boxes are handmade in small batches using the finest, purest and freshest ingredients. Oh not to mention, delicious!

I must add you can FEEL the love and attentions that is out into every single gift box. Carefully arranged, lovingly packed and simply wrapped.

I think this says it all:

You've Been Gifted is a modern twist on old-fashioned hospitality -

a pretty gift box filled with handmade items,

delivered by post with a handwritten note.

Yes, a handwritten note! When a box arrives on your doorstep from You’ve Been Gifted it feels like someone close to you has just sent you a little piece of home. Love.

The lovely Muriel sent me one Holiday Deluxe Gift Box to review, and one to GIVE AWAY!!!! How fabulous! This little baby landed on my doorstep just this week.

Tucked safely inside this simple

and beautifully presented box

were all kinds of heart

warming goodies:

• 
  

*One bag of hand-iced gingerbread cookies

*Two hand-iced jumbo gingerbread cookies (one snowman and one snowflake)

*Olive Tapenade with Garlic

*Parmesan & Rosemary Crackers

*Golden Caramel, Pecan and Milk *Chocolate Tortoises

*Nut Crisp with Buttery Pecans, Almonds and Fresh Popcorn

*Handmade Tahitian Vanilla Marshmallows

*Peppermint Drinking Chocolate

*Cinnamon Sticks

*Mulling Spices

*Chocolate Enrobed Cranberries

*White Chocolate Peppermint Cranberry Pretzels

*Balsamic Fig & Red Pepper Jelly

WOW!! Are you as impressed as I am with all of the wonderful yummies tucked into this one love filled box? Would you like to win one of your very own? Of course you would. Let me tell you how. Muriel has just started up this business and I want to do all I can to help her make a splash, so to win this box I would like you to show her some love!

Mandatory Entry:

1. Visit You’ve Been Gifted then come back here and tell me which is your favourite Holiday Box?

Easy Extra Entries:

2. Send an e-mail to one of your Canadian friends and send them a link to this great e-store. http://www.youvebeengifted.ca/ Let me know you did. (Yes Honour system my friends, it is the holidays so I know I can count on you)

3. Follow their brand new account on twitter @giftedtweets Say hello them for me! C’mon back and tell me you follow them.

4. Follow me on twitter or tell me that you already do! @SassyModernMom

5. Please give this giveaway a tweet! We want to spread the word about this great new company! If you like you can just cut and paste:

Introducing @giftedtweets ! Enter #SassyModernMom contest to #win a $90 Holiday DELUXE Gift Box! #Giveaway http://bit.ly/ujl1Pa

ONE tweet a day for this contest to help get the word out!

6. Like my Facebook Fan page. Please Or tell me that you are already a fan!

7. Comment on one of my other posts and come back and tell me you did.

Whew! Thanks so much for entering, hope you will shop You’ve Been Gifted today!

Contest open to Canadians only and will close on Dec. 16th. Winner will have 48hrs to respond or a new winner will be chosen. You’ve Been Gifted is responsible for shipping of prize.

Disclosure – I received compensation as a thank you for hosting this giveaway. The opinions on this blog are my own. Pictures courtesy of You've Been Gifted.

UPDATED:

AND THE WINNER IS: Lucky #151

A heartfelt thanks to all who supported this giveaway! I hope you have all enjoyed meeting You’ve Been Gifted and will continue to visit this wonderful site!

Anne-Marie T said... 151

Tweeted
http://twitter.com/amt946/statuses/147019413386838016
amt(at) telus (dot)net

*Winner has 72 hours to respond to e-mail or a new winner will be drawn. You’ve Been Gifted is responsible for shipping of prize. Thanks!

A Simple Vote To Win $100 ?

It’s true!  There is a super simple way to be entered for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card.  All you have to do is follow the link below and Vote Stephanie as your favourite entry in the 3M Deck The Halls contest.  (Well you can vote for whoever you like, but I’m going to go all Glee on you , do a little hard campaigning and say Please Please vote for me!!)

(Sorry, have to do a little begging here at the end of the contest because I have the sneaking suspicion I am waayyy behind the completion.  There seems to be an awful lot of Martha Stewarty types out there!!)

So if you think this:

:

…is all kinds of pretty

and a great use of the 3M Command products,

I hope you will pop over to Everythingmom.com and vote for me as your favourite display!  (you know because I’m your favourite Sassy decorating diva)  Again, if you vote you are automatically entered to win that $100.00 VISA gift Card just in time for all that holiday shopping. 

Thanks for the love!

Vote for me here! Vote for Stephanie!!

Mwah!

Missing My Cheese’gasams

Mozzarella, Gouda, Cheddar, Blue, Brie, Buffalo, Jack and Swiss.

Crackers and cheese.  Havarti to be exact.  

Thick sliced bread with dripping grilled cheese and bacon.

Homemade Mac and Cheese!

Cream cheese and spicy red pepper jelly.

Chicken Cordon Bleu.

Lasagne.

Pizza!

Cheesecake.

Quesadillas, Burritos, Tacos?   These things all need cheese!

Apparently I have been having a love affair with all things dairy, but mostly with all things cheese.  A well meaning completely out of his mind  chiropractor/ naturopath has decided the key to unlocking a decade of migraines.  Just cut out the dairy.  I might have a “sensitivity” to it. 

A sensitivity to it?  Is he out of his freakin mind?  I have a long term relationship with it!  I love, adore and sometimes swoon over cheese. 

Even if I am willing to give up what can only be described as  my Cheese’gasms, how on earth will I say goodbye to cookies chased by a cold glass of skim milk, chocolate ice cream, milkshakes, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, CHOCOLATE!  I could, and if I’m telling the truth, did, cry about this insane idea!

Sigh.  Pout.  Have you ever heard of such a thing?

But then I thought about it, and it makes a mean kind of sense.  So, I’m sorry my dearest dairy. You have been my secret lover, well forever, but for now I shall coldly turn my back on you.  If this stupid idea is the key to a life without headaches, then I will never see you again.  I will be mostly thrilled to be headache free, and go on with my life with just a small side of sad.  And if it doesn’t work?  This cruel experiment had better at least see me losing a couple of cheese pounds or I will be one very bitter, bitchy bunny.

Wish me and everyone within a 100 yard radius of me luck.  I’m gonna need it.

 

Picture credit

Awkward Dancing Much?

So, would you dance with him, or run the other way?

 

I wish I felt free enough to let it all go and dance like nobody was watching.  I save my stellar moves for the living room, or if I really want to embarrass the kids, the front seat of the car ~top down, music up!!  

Merry Christmas

Having A Me Day?

Wait?  I’m the Mama of two, it’s three weeks before Christmas, I’ve started (and stopped) a bathroom reno, and am trying to invent a cure for snoring.  There is no such thing as a “Me Day” is there?  Okay, so we scrapped that idea, and as a family decided it was time to declare a “We are going to do nothing day”  Perhaps we can thank the uber catchy “Today I don’t feel like doing anything, I just want to stay in my bed” la la la  song.  So how does THAT day go?

Managed to sleep in until 9am.  (might be because I had a complete temper tantrum at 2am, grabbed my blanket and pillow “Linus style”, dragged it stomping feet and all down the hall to the spare room. My Husbands snoring is making me CRAZY!)  Deep breath.

Watched some quality HGTV and dreamed about the possibility of flipping a house.  Oh, but then I looked at the bathroom reno Hubby and I have started and pretty much agreed not to talk about for a couple of days cause it is a DISASTER.  Can someone send me an interior designer please?  I can’t even believe I’m going to show you these…Yuck.

Encouraged the kids to go play some more games on the Wii.  You know, because I am such a good Mama and wanted to get them out of my hair and for some reason today they WON’T STOP TALKING.

Went out and grabbed some muffins and fun coffee’s from McCafe.  They really are bringing back the break!  My fave, the Latte with the freshly ground espresso and a shot of vanilla.   Hubby is more of a Mocha Man, uh, might be the chocolate syrup and whipped cream?  Of course for my girls, it’s the Deluxe Hot Chocolates all the way. Yum.

Stole some true Me time and checked out Facebook, said hello on Twitter and even wrote a blog post!  Social Media addiction fed, I could move on.

Flipped through some travel magazines and marvelled at all the places in the world I will never see.

Compared myself to Old Mother Hubbard, nothing in the cupboard for supper.  Why didn’t I pick up a couple of things when I went out for McCoffee?  Oh right.  Me Day.

Started to nag about homework and piano then remembered I was not going to do that today.

Laughed very hard at Hubby getting frustrated and spazzy that he “just can’t get past that level of Wii Star Wars Lego”.

Ignored the laundry, the dishes, the floors and the groceries. 

Decided on take-out for dinner and a rented movie for night time entertainment.

Verdict.  Truly thankful we slowed down, if only for a day.  I have a feeling it might be next year before we can do it again

Holiday Help Gourmet Gift Baskets

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Can you believe that I know of some people that are finished? I know, disgusting right. I mean there are still more then 23 days until the big day, no need to panic! Well, no need to panic with an incredible site like GourmetGiftBaskets.com to turn to. I’ve personally been saved by Gourmet Gift Baskets for Fathers Day, left hints around the house for Mother’s Day gifts and now am entranced by the variety and styles of Christmas and Holiday Baskets available for order!

With so many baskets to choose from you can easily find something for everyone on Santa’s list!

I was sent the Christmas Gift Basket Classic to review and either keep for myself or gift to one of my loved ones. Um, sorry loved one’s but this time I am keeping! Stuffed to the brim with chocolate covered cherries, dark chocolate bar, chocolate chip cookies, almond clustered popcorn, raspberry honey mustard pretzel dip along with pretzels and so much more…I just had to keep it! Look at it!

Not only did the basket arrive quickly and safely packaged, but it was fast! As always, my experience with GourmetGiftBaskets.com was first class. With this company, you know your gifts are important to them, they are handled with care, they are exactly as represented in the pictures and always delivered on time. Oh and did I mention how reasonably priced they are? The above mentioned basket goes for only $59.99! Who can you think of who would be thrilled to open this assortment on Christmas morning?

Thanks once again to GourmetGiftBaskets for a wonderful experience!

I hope you will think of them as you tackle your holiday shopping this year. Merry Christmas!

Disclosure: I received a basket as compensation for this review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own.