Niagara Falls

Both David and I grew up just short of an hour from Niagara Falls and ventured there many times as children (David actually living there for just short of two years) yet we still find it fun to take day trips the touristy city . It was a beautiful day last Saturday making it an easy decision to take the drive and visit.  I rode the ferris wheel with Ben which I will probably not do again until Ben is older.  The gondolas are safe though I had a mini panic-attack over the 8 minute ride as Ben just wanted to run around and bang the windows 100 feet above the city. It was an 8 minute battle to try and get Ben to sit on my lap! After our lengthly walk of the Falls walkway and around Clifton Hill, we stopped in St. Catherine’s for pizza and wings at David’s fave spot, Bugsy’s. (We decided not to tell our My Fitness Pal apps about dinner.)

Happy 1st Birthday Ben!

Our Benjamin turns 1 today! We can’t believe how fast this past year has gone by and how amazing it has been! We visited many places, made lots of new friends and so many great memories.  We love you Ben and can’t wait to see how much you grow over the next year!  Thanks to our family who came out on Saturday and helped make Ben’s birthday so enjoyable to him. xoxo

I’ve Arrived!

“I’ve arrived!” was our Ben joke before he was born.  We always laughed that he would pop right out on his birthday and yell those two words with his arm stretched out.  What is funny is that is what Ben does now whenever we go places.  He stares at people until they look at him and if that takes too long, he’ll start yelling at them much like in the video below.  We went to Hess Street in Hamilton on the first nice Saturday of the year.  He loved talking to all the people walking by, their “duhs!” (dogs), and those on the patio across the way.

Poop Poop Poop Poop Poop Poop Poop

There has been much poop talk around here lately.  Ben started daycare last week. (We have him in 2 days a week right now.)  He loved it and didn’t care to see me go (to my dismay).  When we arrived to pick him up, Ben was happy to see us but more than happy to turn around and go back to playing with the other children and they caregiver’s doggie who Ben calls “duh!”.  Look at me, I’ve become distracted from my poop talk.  So after two days of daycare, Ben got a horrible case of diarrhea (liquid poop!) and had it for a week! The poop isn’t so poopy anymore, more of a solid, and he is on the track to normalcy. Yeah normal poop! And just in time as I was becoming accustomed to the smell of poop! No really, David walked in the room and I had poop on me and Ben’s diaper was full of poop and I didn’t even smell it! That is like some sort of warfare stealth poop!


Ben’s doctor said that the poop was a case of viral diarreah and can last 5 – 14 days.  We just had to wait for it to pass. During the wait, Ben (happily) drank a bottle of pedialite a day and received many bum washes – his first diaper rash almost scared the poop out of me! Let’s hope Poop Week 2013 never happens again – to anyone!

Speaking of poop, my dear friend Sundie sent this to me this week.  So thoughtful of her! It’s truth brought tears to my eyes!

 

Detour

Ben and I met my Mom for lunch at Detour in Dundas yesterday.  I am in love with Dundas and try to find an excuse every week to visit.  Whether it’s to visit my favorite consignment stores, Picone Fine Foods for turkey pies or to get a good cup of coffee, I will find a reason to visit.  This visit, in addition to lunch, had a very exciting component which I will share with you in good time!

Kind Street Dundas

Lentil Salad

The Green Thing

This green thing-a-ma-bob may be the best $15 we’ve spent.

Love Is In The Air

We had the most wonderful time last Sunday celebrating the ENGAGEMENT of Jenny & Artie at Ocho House on Spadina.  It’s one thing to have a party but it’s a totally another thing when it’s an engagement party. Love was in the air and everyone could feel it.  Ben was loving all the friends and smiling faces around him. We are oh so happy for the lovely couple and wish them all the best in these exciting times!

Consignment

What do you do with your old clothes? After YEARS of storing my wardrobe in my mothers basement I was forced (with good reason) to move it out.  Really though, I would drive bags and bags of clothes at the end of every season back and forth from Mom’s to my current apartment. This would also entail sorting through and deciding what I wouldn’t be wearing that year, and leaving it to rest for another 12 months (realistically forever). “I just can’t part with this.” “I will definitely wear this again.” “I can use this for an outfit post.” Outfit post referring to Seven Dollar Pants – having a fashion blog can cause you to be a serious hoarder! Well it took becoming a mom to say goodbye to my ‘single gal in her 20′s who goes to too many parties’ wardrobe. I was sad to see some things go but, I knew I wasn’t going to wear some things again, such as this, this and this.

I’ve probably been through everything 10 times, clearing more and more out every time. You have to ask yourself three questions:

1. Does it need any repairs and is it worth it?
2. When was the last time I wore it? Two years? Too long.
3. Will I ever wear it again?

From here, I throw things out, donated what I knew wouldn’t sell and then took the rest to consignment stores.

My go-to’s are the following for both mine and David’s clothing (note not all take men’s):

1. Adrian’s Armoire, Dundas
2. Fashionably Yours, Toronto
3. 7th Heaven Fashion Exchange, Dundas
4. Closet 112, Oakville

I wouldn’t expect to get 25% of what I paid for an item, but in the end, if they hand me cash when I go to check up on my things, that is now a box of diapers! So that you don’t waste your time or the time of the consignment store buyer, make sure that you are bringing in clean clothing that is still in fashion based on trends and silhouettes.  Clothing should be pressed and ready to go on hangers.