Friday, October 11, 2013

Friday Favorites!


Phew! I need a moment to breathe. Life is BUSY around here with new work-from-home prospects. 

Favourite Article:  It's been a while - I use Feedly, and only got to this article this morning... What I Want my Son to Know... powerful stuff! Being a parent pulls at my heart in ways I never thought possible. I have a daughter, not a son, but I have some similar sentiments for my little girl.

Favourite Recipe: It's a toss-up this week! With Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend, I am on "dessert" duty. Yum Yum! I'm trying out this little gem - Frozen Toblerone Mousse Squares and ALSO making my nephew's favorite dessert, Apple Pie! I'll be using this crust recipe - Perfect Pie Crust (this has been my go-to since we've been married; I've used it for sweet and savory pies. So delicious!) May I just skip the turkey and go straight to dessert?!

Favourite Outfit: This is one from a few weeks ago - but as a teacher, I must say, I LOVE these ideas! Ask BB: What Are Some Stylish Looks for A Substitute Teacher?

Favourite Photo: Sunrise Below Eiffel Tower ... I am trying to look at the world differently these days. Those different perspectives sure keep life interesting! Although I "travelled" up the tower, I took the classic tourist shots rather than the creative ones. That's okay.. I'll be back one day!

Favourite Verse: My new Bible Study is a Priscilla Shier/Beth Moore/Kay Arthur combo on the life of David. WOW. Love it! David fascinates me for so many reasons - probably the greatest is because of how I view his life and yet how GOD used him in spite of his short-comings. Such a lesson in judgement for me - He sees the heart. He sees the motives.. So many fantastic verses...
1 Chronicles 14:8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Quiet on here is actually a good thing...

...because I have been using my camera LIKE A CRAZY PERSON. I have taken ridiculous numbers of photos in the last 2 weeks, but WOW. I have come a LONG way. I didn't actually skip the other days, I just didn't spend the time on making a post for each of them because I've been practicing instead, which I think is better. In the mean time, here are some of my shots from practicing with "manual"...

I love summer. I wish it were summer all.the.time.

I now know the difference between wheat and barley. This is a big deal for a city girl turned country.

This is a steer. Not a cow. I also know the difference between a cow, a bull and a steer. I'll spare you the details though.

I got brave and switched to manual focus...this was my first attempt. I think it says a lot considering where I've come from...

Dandelion #1...

Dandelion #2. Ooo! So very cool.

I have also been photographing my daughter like crazy. Maybe one of these days I'll get some photos of her on here too. 





Friday, August 16, 2013

Friday night date :)

It's been quiet around these parts, mostly due to VBS at our church (I was the snack coordinator). Between feeding nearly 40 hungry campers each day, and keeping an eye on Baby Girl, I had my hands full. How do working moms do it?!

But, as Friday night rolled around, I had a craving for a Pizookie ... and while I didn't have the right-sized round pan, my square Pyrex did just fine. mmm. Loved an impromptu date night with the hubster! 


Friday Favs!


Favourite Article: This Post is for the Brave Ones Challenge accepted! I am taking one small, symbolic and simple step with this blog.

Favourite Recipe: Pizookie! mmm. Great idea for a date night :)

Favourite Outfit: Reese Witherspoon ... one of my favourite actresses. A classy lady all around.

Favorite Photo: Kitten enjoys bubbles So cute and such wonder.

Favourite Verse
Mark 6:30-32 -- this verse came up a few times this week. It feels like I'm being "gently" prodded and reminded about going to that quiet place.

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”  So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

Friday, August 2, 2013

Friday Favs!

Ever since I was a kid, thinking about "my favourite things" has always caused me to break out into song. Thanks Maria! :)  While my favourite things don't really have much to do with raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, here are some of my favourite reads from this week:

10 Myths about Introverts ... the picture is brilliant. I can totally relate. And oh yes, the list is perfect to send to some of my extroverted family members!

A Letter to Kate Middleton ... wow. Yes! I know lots of people have been posting this link all over the internet - it's brilliant. For every woman who has ever given birth and every woman who has ever felt uncomfortable in her own skin. 

One Book Out ... I feel the pain!

Man Tries to Sneak Pet Turtle on Plane by Disguising it as a Hamburger... yup, the title says it all, but it is bust-a-gut funny!

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Applecheeks Diapers



My baby is a cloth diaper baby. In our house, we love Applecheeks! Unfortunately my only point of comparison are disposables - I went "all in" with buying diapers for her & didn't want to spend a little here & a little there only to wish I had spent it all in one place.

 What we love about Applecheeks: 
1) Made in Canada!

2) great colours & designs! We chose to stay with solid colours because we want our future babies to wear them, but how adorable are the following names?

  • Cherry Tomato 
  • St. Lucia 
  • Lemon Zest
  • Appletini
  • Forgetmenot 

3) containing the messes. I rarely have to clean a blow-out. The elastic on the waist & legs contains some of the biggest poops! Having spent the last week in disposables due to our trip, I have already had to clean up 5 blowouts &/ leaks. Gross. Not what I want while we're travelling and laundry is tougher to do. (Sidenote - they're not invincible. If you leave your mobile baby in a mess for too long it will leak out at some point.)

4) easy to clean. We use flushable liners & flush away the poop. I pull out the bamboo insert (though apparently you don't have to) & I chuck them in the washer. Easy.

5) This is both good and bad - Size 1 fit my daughter really well (people didn't even know she was wearing cloth!) They were super cute and rather stylish, that is until her legs pudged out. I had to move her up to size 2 when she was only 6 months old because the elastic of the size 1s were leaving marks on her legs and were too tight. I sure hope size 2 takes us to potty training!

Some struggles: 
1) long use. Because changing diapers at night = time to play for my daughter, I leave her in the same diaper for 12 hours. Even with 2 boosters, she still soaked through. I think she's a heavy wetter, but I don't have a point of comparison... So I use disposables at night time. The boosters work well during the day & easily contain pee for 4 hours (and for even longer if necessary).


Overall, I am a very happy Applecheeks customer! I have called their customer service line before with questions and they were very helpful. I also like that their website provides care instructions - it is because of this page that I use Tide Free for washing her diapers and I ONLY hang them to dry. Washing and then hanging them overnight (while she's in a disposable) means they are dry by the next morning for her to wear if I don't have any clean ones on hand.

**I was not compensated for this post. The opinions are my own as a momma.