Back online

Well, it's been quite a while since i last posted. I've had a run of bad luck in the electronics department which began with a laptop full of milk, but I'm sort of back online and am looking forward to blogging this fall about Ethan's first year of kindergarden and Rueben's first year of flying solo with me at home. We're heading to the BC lakes district this weekend for the annual family and friends fishing derby. Fish On!!

Train Conductor hats

At our house, trains rule the toy box. Ethan loves building extensive, complicated tracks with our wooden train set. We started with a simple wooden set from IKEA and it quickly grew to fill one of the extra large buckets in the toy shelf. Rueben also likes playing with trains, but I'm more likely to find him driving the trains into the barn set or onto the play parking garage. They each have their favorite engine which makes joint playtime more enjoyable and pleasant.

Since they spend so much time playing with their trains, I thought it would be fun if they each had a little train conductor hat that they could wear while playing. I had an old pair of jeans that I wanted to use for one of them and some seersucker material for the other. A quick google search led me to this tutorial. It was so simple to measure and cut out the pieces. I decided to have the straight pleats of the cap on the inside of the hat with the angled pleats on the outside. The first hat I made was the denim one and when I put it on Rueben, I felt the brim was a bit too long, so I shortened it by an inch for Ethan's hat. I love the way they turned out and they were so easy to make. I ended up making 3 more for Ethan's preschool class to play with at school. All aboard!!!

Wordless - Octopus anyone? An afternoon at Lonsdale Quay

A fishing we will go

Labour day long weekend for our family means it's time for the annual Sheridan Lake family and friends fishing derby. Since Andrew was in town and we had a sunny afternoon, we decided to head down to the river to hone our fishing skills. I know that labour day is a ways away yet, but what's the harm in getting in a little practice???

Ethan learned how to tie the line...

...and cast...

and a few other things with technical names that are lost on me now.

Rueben was up to his usual shenanigans.

And we forgot to bring a change of clothes so the boys rode home in their undies.

Fashionable Life

Diane Von Furstenberg's top 10 rules to live by. 1. Trust yourself. "The secret to feeling attractive, and to being attractive, is the confidence that comes from knowing who you are and what you believe in." 2. Accept the passage of time. "The older you get, the more you should learn to love life and appreciate the beauty that comes with age." 3. Document your days. "Carry a camera and create an inspiring visual diary of your life." 4. Your suitcase symbolizes your life. "The best way to know a woman is to open her luggage. If she knows how to pack well, it means she understands, and cherishes, how to live a simplified life." 5. Fashionable friends. "Choose fashions that make you happy. I hope the clothes I design will become my clients' best friends. That way, when they open their closets, they will always encounter someone special." 6. Dress your personality. "Always choose styles that also accentuate your personality. Don't use fashion to try and project a different persona. Authenticity is key." 7. Use your feminine power. "My mother taught me that being a woman is a privilege because the world revolves around us! It is a precious gift, and its power should be used in a subtle and respectful way." 8. Your handbag is your guide. "Before leaving home, check your agenda and organize your bag according to what you have to do that day. keeping everything in order makes life easier." 9. Indulge yourself. "If you are like me, and don't want to resort to Botox, book regular massages. I'm sure it helps to keep everything firm and in its place." 10. Lead a balance life. "The best regimen is to keep moving! Never stop working, travelling and seeking adventure. Drink plenty of water, limit alcohol and sugar and get to your yoga class!" (From Elle Canada June 2010)

Rebecca Black - Friday - RKB Productions Parody - Game Day (NOW ON iTUNES!)

I'm officially on the wagon with this song/parody/anthem. Go Canucks Go.

In the works

I see lots of toddler T-shirts in my future!

Link Love

I thought I'd share some of the blogs that have inspired me along the way.

Food blogs that I read:

Aimee from Under the highchair is also the food editor at Simplebites.net
(I also read simple kids and simple mom)

Craft blogs I read:

Where have you found inspiration?

My New Moto

A New Direction

I've been contemplating for a few weeks now what I want for the future of this blog... what kind of focus or direction it should have. Lately I've been surfing craft blogs thinking how creative and crafty I used to be in my younger days and how much I miss making things for myself and my friends. I have really felt inspired lately to create more things with my hands and I would love for this blog to take on a more home-made kind of feel. So, in the future, look for more blog posts and maybe even tutorials about crafting and cooking.

What I don't want to loose is the 'journaling' of life with the boys in our little corner of the world, so you'll still be reading about music, books, outings and milestones in our lives. Looking forward to new directions.