I'm at Jiu Jitsu with my one-year-old and we're watching and waiting for my 6-year-old to finish her class when bounding-in for the next class come a sibling pair aged 5 and 7. They immediately approach me (as us Moms know, babies attract the hoards!) and start ogling and asking questions: "What's he doing?" and "Can he walk?" and "Does he have teeth?" but "Can he talk?" Their interest is so genuine, so adorable. Then out of the blue, the … [Read more...]
Design freebies @ The Small Object
August 7, 2009 by Leave a Comment
![stickerB2[1]](http://d3826520.u488.hspheredns.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/stickerb21.jpg)
So there is this girl named Sarah and she makes these great little small objects. No, I don't know her. But you know how the internet is like that -- I just stumbled upon her -- and what a treasure of talent she is! Her company is called The Small Object. She creates absolutely delightful things ... like custom cake toppers for wedding cakes made from wooden clothes pegs... ... and rubber stamps featuring her own unique illustrations (my … [Read more...]
Writerly happenings
August 4, 2009 by 1 Comment
Writers are always on the hunt for ways to improve their craft, and I'm no different. I'm always sniffing around for new ideas, new initiatives, new ways to learn. At BOLO the other night, I overheard a number of bloggers mention that they were writers as a day-time gig (alot of fellow corporate communicators) as well as some stay-at-home-moms who said that they aspire to be writers. So, I thought that I'd share some interesting writerly … [Read more...]
How fast can you blow through $1,000?
August 1, 2009 by 6 Comments
Tired of budget, budget, budgeting? Let's have some fun! Someone just handed you $1,000 in cold hard cash. It's all yours, but you must follow the rules to keep it. The rules: 1. You must spend it. No savings, RESP and responsible things like that. 2. It cannot be anything you actually "need." It can only be spent on "wants." 3. No big ticket items. No individual item can be more than $200. 4. No time to waver - you must develop your list in … [Read more...]
Dear Convenience Food Marketers
July 27, 2009 by 5 Comments
Dear Junkfood Convenience Food Marketers, In this economy, I feel it is my duty to provide you with some valuable feedback that can help you cut your costs. You see, I've noticed some changes to your packaging. Lately it includes copy intended to market to someone looking for a healthy meal. Consider the following two standard favourites: Kraft Dinner Original and Chef Boyardee Ravioli. The Kraft Dinner package is now sporting a substational … [Read more...]
My own personal BOLO
July 25, 2009 by 10 Comments
As I drove home from Blog Out Loud Ottawa, I had the summer wind whipping through the car and the music on high. And something strange happened; I started to cry. But it wasn't a bad cry. It was a good cry, if you know what I mean. I think it was a release of sorts. Because, truth be told, I've had a tough time adapting to life back in Ottawa after a year away in Australia. It's something I don't dare to say out loud, for fear of offending my … [Read more...]
Out of the mouths of babes.
July 24, 2009 by 7 Comments
Me: So ... did you hear Mommy on the radio yesterday? 6-year-old Daughter: Well, yes I did. But I didn't recognize your voice. Me: Yes, people can sound different on the radio. I think it's because of the microphones. 6-year-old Daughter: Oh, I see. It really didn't sound like you at all. Because I heard the voice of a really calm lady. … [Read more...]
All In A Day
July 23, 2009 by 2 Comments
Okay, now it's my turn to panic! All In A Day called (you know, CBC's afternoon radio show) and asked if I would come in to be interviewed on the show to talk about Blog Out Loud Ottawa. I love All In A Day, so I swooned and said 'yes' immediately. Here's how the show is described on their site: All In A Day is Ottawa’s number one afternoon drive program, not surprising considering that CBC Radio One 91.5 is Ottawa’s number one radio station. … [Read more...]
You know you're not the next Martha when …
July 21, 2009 by 6 Comments
...before your husband leaves on a trip he fills the fridge and stocks the freezer with casseroles. If I'm lucky he'll leave me a little stash of cash and some take-out menus too. We don't want the children to get scurvy now, do we? … [Read more...]
His next great adventure
July 20, 2009 by Leave a Comment
People who meet us now, after 12 years of marriage, invariably like to say, "Opposites attract!" But it wasn't always this way. When we first met, we both shared a love of nature. Not a love from afar, a love that compelled us to trek deep into its midst. As far as we could go, to places where you really felt no other human had ever stepped before. The peace. The quiet. The conquest. My husband's thirst for adventure has only continued to … [Read more...]
Sweet Spot
July 19, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Looking for a sweet spot to just hang out and have a coffee? Or perhaps you'd like a coffee but your partner for the afternoon would rather a cold beer? Well, hello Raw Sugar cafe! In the way that Ottawa is always such a funny, small-world-sort-of-place, I told my neighbour Kim that I'd be reading at BOLO (Blog Out Loud Ottawa), being hosted at the new(ish) Raw Sugar. She then pointed me to an article written by her sister, Shannon Beahen, on … [Read more...]
I'm going to blog out loud
July 17, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Despite being a complete neophyte, Lynn has warmly welcomed me to BOLO 2009 (Blog Out Loud Ottawa). It's an event where a group of Ottawa bloggers and readers get together and, over coffee (my favourite thing!), read/listen to favourite posts. Click on the icon to the right to get all the deets! I've been lurking around in the blogosphere for a while now, so I'm really looking forward to meeting all these awesome Ottawa bloggers in person. If … [Read more...]
The 40-year-old virgin (gets laid)
July 15, 2009 by 2 Comments
He can surf, play cricket and kick a footie. But, softball? That’s just not part of an Australian boy’s childhood. And yet, this year, at the friendly urging of a mate, my husband joined a softball team. To them, this group of Canadian men, my husband, the Australian, must seem like an innocuous mascot that they’ve good-naturedly adopted onto the team. My husband, for his part, can’t think of a better way to spend a summer evening than with a … [Read more...]
Staycation? Um, no thanks.
July 7, 2009 by 1 Comment
I keep hearing about the popularity of the "staycation." The idea is that because of tightened family budgets, we're choosing to stay home instead of travel on our vacation time. I don't know about you, but if I have to sit around my house and look at the do-it-yourself projects we have yet to do and the growing clutter caused by two growing children, well, I'd rather stay at work, thank you very much. Plus, I do work from home so the allure of … [Read more...]
Solo vacation, anyone?
June 29, 2009 by Leave a Comment
I have a girlfriend who takes an annual vacation by herself. Nothing fancy ... she just picks a nearby city and books herself into a hotel room. Sometimes she meanders about the local sights and sometimes she just hangs out in her room, watching movies and ordering-in her favourite foods. She's a big believer that this kind of break is not only good for her, but for her marriage and for her energy as a stay-at-home mother. After exactly one day … [Read more...]
There's no denying it now: I'm old.
June 26, 2009 by 6 Comments
![200px-Michaeljacksonthrilleralbum[1]](http://d3826520.u488.hspheredns.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/200px-michaeljacksonthrilleralbum1.jpg)
I'm old. There's just no denying it anymore. Three things happened in one day to slap this fact right into my face. First, my daughter comes home yesterday singing "School's out for summer!" She starts to repeat this refrain, and I join in with her. She goes quiet and looks at me with surprise. "How did you know the words?" It is hard to explain that these lyrics are far older than she is. That once, a long, long, long, time ago, Mommy … [Read more...]
A child's prayer
June 24, 2009 by Leave a Comment
I'm not much for formal religion, but this prayer came home in my daughter's school bag yesterday and I just loved it. It seems like a perfect wish-list for a child's summer, doesn't it? A Prayer May no cats get in your sandbox May your frisbees always spin May your fridge be filled with oranges May you love the life you're in. May your teddy be fuzzy May your rainy days be wet May your teacher tell your stories That you never will … [Read more...]
The Teacher's Gift
June 23, 2009 by 1 Comment
In past years I've struggled with the obligatory thank-you gift for my daughter's teachers. I say "obligatory" not because I don't feel genuine gratitude for the work and passion that my daughter's teachers bring to the classroom every day, but rather because of the sense that a gift is a form of standard etiquette. And I don't want to be the set of parents (i.e. the mother) who hasn't followed etiquette. (Why I even care about etiquette is a … [Read more...]
4 Days
June 22, 2009 by 1 Comment
Dear Son, Not only are you adorable, but you are clever. Since my last letter to you, it is clear that you have chosen not to be sold to the highest bidder on the black market. And further, you are considerate. You ensured that you communicated this wish to us before we had begun the tedious work of developing marketing copy and securing advertising space. It's been at least a week now that you've slept-in until the requisite humane time of 6 … [Read more...]
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