Sharing Our Lives - Hostess Gifts

 

I missed last week’s link up with the Sharing Our Lives crew -  Adrienne, Dara, Jen, and Joanne.  

This month’s topic is Hostess Gifts. I try to gift things that I also like to receive:

Wine. This is usually well received, but you should know if your hostess likes wine and if they do, if they prefer white or red. I find most people give red wine, which I will drink, but I do prefer white so when I get that, it’s even more special. You should also buy a nice bottle of wine, nothing crazy expensive, but better than basic. It’s a gift that you hope someone will appreciate, not the time to save money. 

Food. I always ask if I can bring something when I go to someone’s house, but if the answer is no, then I don’t bring something that they feel obligated to serve anyway, I know what it is like to try to fit something unexpected into a carefully planned spread. Instead I may bring a nice bottle of olive oil, salad dressing, cookies, chocolate, or spiced nuts. It’s something they can enjoy later on when the guests have left.

Flowers or plant. A nice bouquet of flowers or a seasonal plant like a mum for fall, poinsettia for Christmas. 

Some other ideas - candle, napkins, or a small dish or vase, or something more personal if you know them well.

It’s never great to show up empty handed but it only needs to be a small gesture of appreciation for the invitation. 

Monthly Musings

 

I always say I love summer, and that’s true, but then September rolls around and I remember that this is a pretty great time of year. The weather is fabulous and there seem to be a lot of fun events happening right now. 

1. Apple or pumpkin pie?

I’ll take both please!

2. Favourite fall recipe.

I like to make French Onion Soup at least once in the fall. It is a real treat. I make Julia Child’s recipe, I shared that recipe back in 2015.

3. Do you decorate for fall?

Yes, I have a few items that I put out during the house. I usually get them out for Thanksgiving (the second weekend of October here in Canada).

4. Pumpkin spice latte or apple cider?

They are both fine but I don’t drink either of them much.

5. Favourite thing to bake in fall?

I like to make those aforementioned pies, and I usually get a can of regular pumpkin for a loaf or muffins. 

6. Do you like fall scented home products such as candles and cleaning products?

Not really. I have a couple of scented candles, but they aren’t “fall” themed, nor do I burn them very often. 

7. Name a fall food that people love that you don’t.

I like all of the fall foods. I’m not as into everything pumpkin spiced as other people seem to be though. 

8. Candy corn - yes or blech?

Not sure I’ve ever had a piece, but I don’t think I’m missing out.

9. When do you decorate for Halloween?

Mid-October I will put out the few things that we have. Pumpkins aren’t purchased until a few days before and carved the night before. 

10. Do you use mums, pumpkins, or other fun things?

Mums, a small hanging skeleton, ghosts, and a few carved pumpkins.  We do not go all out for this holiday, but I love seeing what other people do!

Let's Look

 

Linking up with Let's Look for this month's topic - free things that bring me joy. 

As noted in the meme above, it is hard to do anything for free, and things are getting increasingly expensive. Here are some things I enjoy doing that don't cost money:

Reading books from the library. 

Doing the Globe and Mail crossword puzzle and New York Times Connections. I guess technically I pay for the Globe and Mail subscription, but it's a very low cost and since I do the crossword everyday, the price per use is very low.

Singing in the church choir. 

Watching baseball at High Park. Aside from my own son's games (which again are technically not "free" since we have to pay for the registration fees, equipment, and travel) there are games happening there from May to September, and it is free to watch.  

Using my bike as transportation. Yes, the bike cost money originally, but using it for transportation means I don't need to pay for the subway or parking.

Swimming in city pools. Sure, they aren't fancy, but they are a refreshing place to spend a summer afternoon, or to get some exercise in winter.

Enjoying nature. It is free to appreciate flowers, birdsong, sunsets, views, changing seasons. 

Monthly Musings

 

1. Are you good at managing the weekly laundry at your house?

Yes, pretty good, although getting it folded and put away takes longer than I’d like to. 

2. Best tips for containing the kitchen and dishes chaos?

I’ve said it before, the best way is to clean as you go. Fill the sink with soapy water while you’re starting to cook (even better you have it ready if someone comes along to help you). When the meal is done, then there are usually only a few things left to tidy up. 

3. What grocery items do you always have on hand to make a quick meal?

Jamaican patties, chicken nuggets, eggs. 

4. Best tips for saving money on groceries.

Don't buy as much. Haha. But seriously, everything is so expensive, that I don't buy "all of the things" even if we like them. I meal plan as much as I can and avoid extra ingredients if I don't have an immediate use for them. I don't buy a lot of extra snacks since we will just eat them if we have them around, but don't usually need that many snacks. I see those social media of reels of people stocking their cupboards and fridges full to the brim and it's ridiculous. I consider it a win if our fridge is pretty much empty by the end of the week. 

5. Cleaning service, DIY, or is house cleaning overrated?

DIY, but cleaning is not my strength so although I don't think a clean house is overrated, you'd probably conclude that if you came to our house! We do our best to clean things up and keep things tidy, but its never 100% clean at once. 

6. Favourite cleaning product?

I like the Scrubbing Bubbles line for cleaning the bathroom. Lestoil is great for getting stains out of laundry (even white baseball pants!).

7. Do you try to use "green" products in your house?

Not really. We have a couple of things but it’s not a deliberate decision to buy “green”.

8. Do you schedule tasks for certain days of the week?

No. I have often thought about making a schedule but it never works for very long. 

9. What is the most overwhelming part of your week that you think you need help with right now?

Any night Q has a baseball game. They start at 6:00 and he needs to be there at 5:00, as it involves finishing up work, getting him something to eat, arriving on time, and then making a real dinner when we get home after the game. On those nights we don't often eat until 9:00, which is not ideal.

10. What part of your week do you think you excel at?

I'm very good at Friday afternoon/evening. I am always ready to embrace the weekend, make a cocktail, have something great for dinner, and relax!

Let's Look - What We Miss

 

This is an interesting topic this month - things we miss.  I’m a little late linking up, and I read a few other posts on this so I was reminded of a few things that I added to my list. 

I mean, there are certain family members that have passed away that I miss, that goes without saying, but I'm going to keep this more on the light side. I should also preface this by saying although I miss these things, I am not upset about getting older or having things change as time goes by. 

Catching a song that I love out of the blue. Remember when you could only hear music that you owned on physical media or that you caught on TV or the radio? Now I can listen to whatever I want, which is great, but it loses the novelty of some of those songs. Ones that spring to mind are Independence Day by Martina McBride, Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie, Video Killed the Radio Star, and If I Had $1000000 by the Barenaked Ladies. 

Watching TV when everyone else was. Those shared cultural moments when everyone watched the season finale of a popular show, or the episode after a cliffhanger, etc. We would all be talking about the same thing and excited about it together. 

Seeing everything at the theatre. I went to the movies a lot and it was always so fun to go to the theatre. Now I will go and see a few things but mostly I wait until we can stream it. Part of that is a function of having kids, it wasn’t possible to go and see everything. 

Watching movies over and over. We owned a few movies on video tape but it wasn’t a huge collection so I ended up watching a lot of movies again and again so I could recite the dialogue. I will still rewatch movies now, but it’s not the same as the choice are unlimited. 

Drinking without feeling like garbage. Age is catching up with me, and while I certainly do drink alcohol, I have to follow certain “rules” to avoid feeling terrible the next day. I limit myself to much less, I don’t drink more than one or two beers at a time, I don’t drink sugary drinks, and I can’t have a Negroni after 7:00 pm. 

These little faces. Even though I love their faces now.

Linking up with Shay.

Let's Look - Summer Selves

 I am a week late on this link up, but liked the topic so here we are. This month we are talking about our “summer selves”, how we are different during this season. 

I run. I love going down by the river in the summer, particularly before it gets too hot, so a morning run is the perfect way to do that. I only run once a week but it’s a great way to get my activity in. 

We bike everywhere. It’s so convenient to bike to baseball, work, to do errands, or just for something to do in the afternoon. I love not having to drive and find a place to park.

I work outside. I usually take my laptop outside first thing in the morning to start my work day. It’s so pleasant in our backyard and I’ll stay here until I get annoyed with only having one screen and then I’ll head inside. 

I eat ice cream. We don’t eat a lot of dessert in the other seasons, but I very much enjoy getting a cone or popsicle in the summer. I also like buying ice cream treats for us to enjoy at home. 

We see more people - at the golf course, ball field, in the neighbourhood. It’s easy to stay tucked away at home when the weather is colder, but I feel like I’m always running into people in summer. I should note that I see lots of people at the ski hill in winter, so we aren’t complete hermits year round, it’s just more locations in summer. 

Our meals are less structured. It feels like someone is always out for golf or baseball and those things happen around dinner time so I am less inclined to put together a complicated meal. Salad with chicken nuggets is common, so are quesadillas, burgers, and sausages.

We eat more fresh produce. I know that you can get fresh produce of any sort year round, but there are some things I just won’t buy if they aren’t in season - berries, melon, corn on the cob, asparagus, stone fruit, etc. They do not have any flavour in the winter so I stick with more root vegetables, frozen fruit/veg, or apples/pears then. We are spoiled in Ontario with amazing summer flavours so we get our fill now. 

I shower a lot. I remember hearing the phrase “earning your shower”, meaning have you gotten dirty/sweaty enough for when it’s time to take a shower, and I can definitely say I earn my shower in the summer, sometimes two showers a day. 

Sharing Our Lives - Favourite Room

Happy Monday.  I’m linking up with the Share Our Lives crew for this month’s topic - favourite room in the house. 

I like most parts of our house, fortunately, but I’ll choose the living room to tell you about today. 

When we did our renovations a couple of years ago, I posted about the living room transformation Here. A few changes since then, so here are a few updated photos. 

We still haven’t purchased any artwork for above the chairs. I have decision paralysis when it comes to that sort of thing, I just need to pick out something.  There are many inexpensive art places online. Dave and I don’t always agree on what would look good. I think the stuff he chooses is weird and he thinks mine are too simple (or boring may be a better term). I also love a landscape but I want it be meaningful. Like a beach scene from Australia or mountain in Utah mean nothing to me, even if they look nice. At this point I should just go to Home Sense and pick out something.

Honourable mention to the backyard for the summer. I love sitting out there to work, read, and eat (until the wasps come around). We don’t often get to invite people over, but when we do it works perfectly for hosting.

Linking up with  Adrienne, Dara, Jen, and Joanne.  

Let's Look - What I’m Making More Time For

 

A day late for this link up but here I am! Linking up with Shay.

This month’s topic is what I’m making more time for:

Golf - I try to get out at least once a week and it’s pretty easy to squeeze in 9 holes in the evenings or weekend afternoons. Bonus if I can take E with me while Dave and Q are at a baseball practice.

Taking a lunch break - I am mostly working from home now and it’s easy to just stay at my desk, but I try to make sure I sit down to watch a bit of a show or read my book or do an errand.

Working Out - I’ve been pretty good at getting up early to workout but there have been a few mornings lately when I really did not want to get up but was happy that I made time for it. 

Checking with E’s schoolwork - This is to varying degrees of success since he went to his math exam without a working calculator (but he was able to use the one on the computer and said it was fine), but I’m also trying to make sure he has done all of his year-end projects. They have lots of time to work at them in class, which is great, but always good to check in on the progress. 

The rest of my free time is taken up with baseball - watching Q and the Blue Jays. 

Sharing Our Lives - Frequent Emojis

 

Linking up with the Share Our Lives crew for this month's topic - most used emojis. Yes, I am a woman in her 40s and I like an emoji.

The ones that are currently in my most frequently used category are here:

I love a good thumbs up or thumbs down, and a heart in a matching colour for whatever the situation come in handy. 

Linking up with  Adrienne, Dara, Jen, and Joanne.  

Monthly Musings

 

1. Tell is about your Memorial Day Weekend.

We celebrate Victoria Day weekend in Canada, and it was the previous weekend (15th-18th). You can read a recap of my weekend Here. A little golf, a little baseball, a little brunch. 

2. What were your summer jobs when you were younger?

I babysat and then worked at the genealogical society, helping people trace their family histories and keep records of births, deaths, etc. for our county, and then I worked at the local museum.

3. Ice cream or popsicles? Favourite flavour?

I like both but will choose a popsicle, if available, if it’s really hot out. Favourite ice cream flavour is mint chocolate chip. Favourite popsicle is the three flavoured rocket one.

4. What do you like on your burgers and hot dogs?

Burgers - the works. Hot dogs - grainy mustard, regular mustard, and fried onions

5. Beach, lake, or mountains?

Beach is always my first choice. I am from Nova Scotia and partial to the ocean.

6. Share travel plans for summer 2026.

Family trip to Northwestern Ontario and lots of baseball tournaments around Southern Ontario.

7. Do you visit amusement parks in the summer? Tell us your favourites.

Canada’s Wonderland is right in Toronto for us. E had a season’s pass last year and went a few times. If we can fit it in, we may try getting there as a family this year.

8. Do you enjoy dining outside in the summer?

Yes, any opportunity I have to eat outside, I will take it.

9. Favourite summer beverage?

Call me basic but I love an Aperol Spritz if the weather is warm. 

10. Favourite side dish for summer parties?

Homemade pasta salad. I recently made a kale Caesar pasta salad and it will be my go-to for the near future.  Just pasta, chopped kale, a bottle of Caesar dressing, bacon bits, and some Parmesan. I used Fusilli Bucati Corti, which is a little tighter version of fusilli and it worked well. I also made This lemon herb couscous salad and it was delicious. Fresh dill and parsley really elevate the salad. 

Linking up with Patty

Let's Look - Making Friends

 

Linking up with Shay and Erika for Let's Look.  Today we are talking about how to make friends, or how to make couple friends, more specifically.

I feel like I need to acknowledge that people you know and talk to don’t immediately translate into “friends” in the true sense of the word, but those acquaintances can become friends as time goes on.  Therefore, the first step is meeting people, and then maintaining some sort of connection with them over time. 

For us, many of the people we are meet are because of our kids’ activities.  We have met the parents of their friends at school, skiing, and baseball. Inevitably you keep running into these same people and sometimes there is some crossover between activities, or you run into them in the neighbourhood. 

It helps if you volunteer for various things - I have done pizza day and field trips at school, we help coach and manage the baseball teams, I will do the scoring at the baseball game, we help out with ski races, and all of these things increase interactions with other parents. 

Another place to meet friends is your neighbourhood, but the key is to go outside. When we first moved here, we would be out doing yard work, playing with the kids, cleaning the cars, or just going for a walk or bike ride, and that’s how we initially met so many people. Some are in similar places in their lives like us with kids, but some have younger or older kids or no kids, or are retired, but they can all become friends. It also helps that we host our annual Christmas drop in party where we invite all of the neighbours. It’s a good way to keep in touch with people, even if it’s only once a year. 

We have also met friends at the golf club. Golf is great because you can often be golfing with people you don’t know, but you’re forced to spend 2 to 4 hours together making small talk, and you can usually figure out if you seem to have things in common (other than golf) and then if you’re at a private club, you end up seeing the same people over and over and strike up a friendship. It doesn’t need to be golf, but find a hobby, join a club or a league, and frequent the same places, and you will find friends.

I have made good friends at work, but I find that was more common when I was younger with no kids. I had three or four ladies that were my age and we all had our first kid at the same time so that was a good way to make connections and hang out outside of the office. 

And then you can also keep in touch with people from high school or university like we have and although we don’t see them all the time, they are real friends.

Sharing Our Lives - Lunches on the Go

 

Linking up with the Share Our Lives crew for this month's topic - lunches on the go.  We eat a lot of meals on the go - I take a lunch to work, the kids bring lunch to school, and we have to eat quick dinners before baseball games or golf. The challenge is to make something easy but also healthy and filling. 

Quesadillas - the kids like them with refried beans and cheese so this makes them easy to make quickly. They also travel well and can be eaten cold if we need to throw them into a container and take them along with us.

Soup/Chili - We like to bring hot water in a thermos to make noodle soup on the go, or put hot chili in a thermos. 

Cheese, meat, and crackers, along with some vegetables and dips - this is perfect for a picnic at the ballpark. 

PJ&J - the old standard still works well for us, and it is one of Q’s favourites. 

Quinoa or lentil salad - I make a variety of different salads with a plant protein, vegetables, and some sort of dressing and maybe some feta cheese. This is more my go-to for a dinner on the run rather than the boys.

Protein bars - this is sort of cheating since there is no prep required, but it’s something to tide us over while we run to the golf course or ball field.

Boiled eggs, spinach and tomatoes - I like this one for work because I have access to a microwave so I can warm up the spinach and tomatoes and the chop my eggs in. 

Tortellini - I like to buy the big packets of these at Costco so I can freeze them and cook up portions of them when we need a quick meal before a game. Q is happy with just grated cheese on them so I don’t need to make a sauce and that’s also easier and cleaner to eat quickly.

These are the days of a quick meal!

Linking up with  Adrienne, Dara, Jen, and Joanne.  

Monthly Musings

 

1. Favourite spring flower?

Any flowering tree gets my appreciation - lilacs, magnolia, cherry blossoms. They are all so pleasant to look at.

2. Do you have flowers planted at your house?

No, but I will buy some planters to place at the front of the house.

3. Any gardening tips?

Get an automatic watering system. That way you don't have to actively remember to water the plants and if you're away, things still get watered. 

4. What is your go-to spring outfit?

I like the white pants I got last year from Aritzia, paired with a light sweater or linen top, or my green dress with a blazer or sweater.

5. What spring fashion trends are you loving right now?

I'm want to get the same linen top pictured above in light blue, and the same dress but in a different colour. I have a gift card to Aritzia so I'll be doing a little shopping soon. 

6. Best wardrobe tip for when the weather can't make up its mind?

The answer is obviously layers. The temperature can change within minutes when the sun goes down or you go into the shade.

7. What beverage do you love in spring?

Aperol Spritz. Yes, I'm basic, but it says spring/summer to me. 

8. The spring can be super busy, share your easiest spring meals.

Yes, with baseball games and practices starting at 6:00 and tee times often scheduled for late afternoon, we need these easy meals. My best tip is to make things the day before if you can so it just needs to be warmed up, but if you're making it the night of, we like quesadillas hot dogs/sausages, peanut butter and jam sandwiches, tortellini.

Linking up with Patty.

Sharing Our Lives - Cleaning Products

 

Happy Monday! I am linking up with the Sharing Our Lives crew for April's topic - favourite cleaning supplies.

Lysol Wipes - when I don’t have the time or energy for a deep clean, a Lysol wipe comes in handy for a quick wipe down of a bathroom sink, frequently touched surfaces like doors and light switches, toilets (and the floor around them #boymom), and countertops. They also work to clean up a dirty shoe in a pinch.

Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Wand - I have never liked a permanent toilet brush because I don’t want to store it anywhere and it always seems to just be there hosting germs. The scrubbing bubbles toilet wand works well because you can flush the cleaning pads when you’re done and the wand itself is easily rinsed off and small to store with the other cleaning supplies. I sometimes have issues finding them in our local grocery store so I’ve turned to Amazon (I’m late to the Amazon party, wait…they have everything?!). 

Dyson Stick Vacuum - I have extolled the virtues of a Dyson vacuum for years and believe it is the superior product, then we bought their stick vacuum version and love it even more. It's cordless, easy to change attachments, and has different settings. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a new vacuum. 

Scrub Daddy Sponge - Not only is this sponge tough for pots and pans but I also love that it doesn't soak up too much soap. I know that's a strange requirement for a sponge, but I was using a different one this week and I didn't like it. 

Powdered Tide - You should follow @GoCleanCo on Instagram if you aren't already.  Sarah is from Calgary and owns a cleaning company and it really took off during the pandemic. She got me into using powdered Tide for my laundry, but also for cleaning shoes, walls, and other surfaces with it. 

Linking up with  Adrienne, Dara, Jen, and Joanne.  

Let's Look - Hardest Things We Have Done

 

Linking up with Shay and Erika for Let's Look.  Today we are talking about hardest things we have ever done. 

The first thing that came to mind was our hike on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.  The hike itself wasn't that bad, and our group moved at a good pace. I think this is the day that I found to be the most challenging. It was foggy, damp, and we were at our highest altitude that day. I remember feeling very tired and cold when we got to camp but eventually got comfortable by changing all of my clothes and joining the group in the dining tent for popcorn and tea. 

I ran two half marathons before our kids were born, but it was two 10K races that I found more difficult because at the time I had very low iron (and didn't realize it) and I remember really struggling to finish. 

I have had two children via c-section and although those were difficult, and required some good time to recover, it was another abdominal surgery that was worse. I had fibroids for many years (refer to low iron above) and I had a myomectomy to remove them, I think in 2013 or 2014, and I had lost a lot of blood and it felt like it took me longer to recover from that than my c-sections. 

Learning to breastfeed. Moms who did that, you know what I'm talking about. Feeding every two hours, feeding E with a little cup because he wouldn't latch, pumping, cleaning everything, and starting all over again. He got jaundice and we had to go back to the hospital for a night and I remember feeling like a failure, but we didn't give up and eventually he was eating very well and was a healthy baby. I remember the Jamaican nurse at the breastfeeding clinic who reassured me that I was doing just fine. And all that work paid off because when Q was born we had no problems getting him fed. 

Working from home during COVID with two kids in online school. Again, if you were a parent with small kids at this time, you remember. There was just so much to balance day to day, and it went on for so long. Americans may not have had the same experience, but here in Ontario we were in and out of lockdown for about two years. We had so many rule changes in terms of being in person with people, school attendance, masks, vaccine "passports", travel, testing, and quarantine periods. As I'm thinking back, I still cannot believe all of the things, but yes, it fits into the category of hard things I've done. 

Monthly Musings

 

Linking up a couple of days late with Patty for Monthly Musings.

1. Does it feel like spring where you are?

Yes, I think so. I always have to remind myself that spring does not mean summer, although we want it to be warmer, it is a transitional season.  Our temperatures have warmed up since winter and our snow is gone.  The days are getting longer each day and fresh growth is starting to appear. 

2. What spring holidays do you celebrate?

We celebrate Easter and Mother’s Day. (And Blue Jays Opening Day.)

3. Any spring trips planned?

Yes, Dave has a work reward trip in May and I get to go with him. He also has a golf trip planned for May.

4. Favourite foods to eat and share for spring holidays?

We eat fish and chips on Good Friday and we make ribs for our Easter dinner. 

5. Are there any spring festivals in your area?

Our neighbourhood has an Easter scavenger hunt next Saturday, and the entire city comes to High Park when the cherry blossoms are out.  I will also count High Park Little League Opening Day as a festival.

6. Best spring allergy relief tips.

I don’t suffer from allergies, but I do know a 24 hour anti-histamine can be your best friend if you do.

7. What makes you think “ok, now it is finally spring”?

When we can get outside and clean up the yard, tidy up the garage, clean off the patio furniture, and get our bikes ready for the season. 

8. Spring rain - like or dislike?

I like it. It cleans up the old winter dirt and helps kick start the grass and gardens. 

9. Special spring holiday dessert or treat?

I like to make cherry pie for Easter. 

10. Favourite spring cocktail?

You know I love an Aperol Spritz and sipping on one when it’s warm enough to be outside is perfection!

Let's Look - Favourite Family Vacations

Linking up with Shay and Erika for Let's Look Wednesday.

Today we are talking about our favourite family vacations.  I mean, every vacation is a favourite, so really this is just links to trips we have taken together. I don't expect one to click through on every link but if a particular destination interests you, please check out my recaps.

Paris 2025 - recaps here, here and here

New York 2024 - recaps here and here

Disney/Universal 2023 - recaps here, here, and here. 

Jamaica 2022 - recaps here and here

Northwestern Ontario 2020 - here, here, and here 

Disney 2018 - recaps here, here, and here

Other notable mentions - PEI last summer (but Dave wasn't with us), Barcelona in 2015 (Q wasn't born yet), and the cruise Dave and I took with my parents and grandparents in 2011 (before we had kids). 

Now these photos make me want to go away again, and conveniently, as you are reading this, we are heading to the airport for another family vacation :) Travelling together is the best family time in my opinion. At home, we are always busy with our own things - work, school, sports, pastimes, friends, chores, and ipads(!), but when you're on holiday, you're on the same schedule with the same plans for the day. The time you spend together is quality.