Frugal Father's Day

I am so excited. In two and a half months I am going on a trip of a lifetime. I am so lucky to be saying that I will be partaking on an adventure to, what I consider to be the mother country, Ireland! I am also going to spend five days in London as well. I am even luckier because I will get to share this experience with my loving parents, sister, and husband. I am beyond excited! Now, with my departure date looming closer and closer, my purse strings appear to be getting tighter and tighter. I just know that when I’m doing my thing (aka shopping!) in the UK, I’ll totally regret it if I don’t save up enough money to really go for the gusto…I mean, come on, it’s Europe! Did I mention that I’m excited?!?
So, my husband and I have come up with a pact, cutting out a bit of the unnecessaries where we can. One place we decided to skim on this year was gift-giving to each other. He is already famous for saying, “I don’t need any gifts” (don’t you just hate that?) so I told him that, this year, I would carbon copy my mother’s day to his father’s day. I had an awesome mother’s day, of course, and even though it was gift-free I got plenty of the real gifts that matter in life – little kisses, big hugs, works of art from my three year old and a lazy day with my favorite people in the whole entire world.

Now, with Father’s Day coming up, it’s up to me to be creative – without spending much/anything. Haha…jokes on him, I have Pinterest! I’m totally going to rock it.

In our family it’s funny because Mother’s Day usually centers on breakfast and Father’s Day centers around supper…and the BBQ. So my plans for a Frugal Father’s Day are going to break down to this:

1. Awesome supper with plenty of hearty man-food.

2. Adorable handmade crafts from the kids and

3. A spin on an old classic, as a gift from yours truly.

Let’s just say that I’m doing a carbon copy of mother’s day but I’m putting some glitter and awesome dust on it too.
Food

This should be a fairly easy thing to come up with. What are his favorites? For my husband, he has a major sweet tooth for Reece peanut butter cups so I’m pretty sure that this Reece’s Cheesecake Brownies would be a huge hit.

Check out Pinterest...you can pretty much find a cake, cupcake, bar, or cookie inspired by any and every chocolate bar known to man kind! I think a few of these would go over quite nicely as well (click on the picture to be taken to the recipe):

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Beer-battered Pickles

Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins

Décor

I LOVE this tie themed banner and flag set, available for free download at Amanda’s Parties to Go! It doesn’t take much to sneak downstairs after everyone’s gone to bed (or before they wake up) and put up a little pizzazz to wow them in the morning!

Gift Options from the kids

I love this Father’s Day survey from The Creative Homemaker! My three year old comes up with the most hilarious stuff so I would love to sit down with her one night and fill this out. Plus there’s lots of white space for her to “decorate” it afterwards. It’s a nice idea to do one of these every year and then bind them together in a scrapbook!

Here’s another idea from Kinderpendent that you could do with your little one…create a quotation book to chronicle all those adorable things your kids say. You can dress it up with a bit of cardstock, ribbon, etc. This would definitely be a book to cherish for years to come – just make sure you leave some blank space for those gems that are yet to come!

I have been seeing these bookmarks a lot lately on Pinterest and have been waiting for a chance to make one. How cute are they and think of all the fun you’ll have making them with your kids (check out this link for more info)!

Gift from Wifey

So, when we agreed to not buy any gifts for each other this year I knew that I was still going to make him something. When I thought about it, I came up with something that would be perfect. A coupon book. Yes, just like we use to make when we were little BUT this time, it’s going to be filled with some very important coupons (in a parent’s world anyways!). Example, what does my husband really hate doing? Hmmm…how about: get out of one poopy diaper, one foot rub while we watch the sports channel, one sleep in until the time of your choosing, and so on and so forth (if you’re really brave you could include a “blank cheque” one too!). What is really important to him…or what are one of those annoying daily life tasks that he can get out of. Yes, it’s more elbow grease from you but, personally, I’ll be happy when I’m trying on a pair of new shoes at Harrods in London that I couponed my way out of this one! Check out Martha Stewart.com for an awesome Father’s Day coupon book template.

With a little creativity and a lot of heart you can make a wonderful Father’s Day. It really is the thought that counts and I think that putting in the effort is worth so much more than anything you could buy in the store!

Here’s a little poem that I want to include in my hubby’s card – he always makes me cry with those cheesy box store cards…let’s see how he holds up to this, handwritten by my daughter!

Weight Loss...finally!

Since last September I have been on a weight loss journey.  I had a sweet baby girl in April of 2011 and, after taking the summer off, I decided in the fall that it was time to get up and get moving again.  If I wasn't careful, I was worried that I would never lose that dreaded baby weight.  PLUS, to top things off, I was still carrying around some twenty pounds of extra weight from my first pregnancy!

As you may know I am also a type one diabetic.  So, losing weight for me has always been a struggle because, along with normal food cravings and stresses that go with trying to drop a few pounds, I also have to deal with high and low blood glucose levels.  In the past I had just ignored my problems, with the hopes that they would magically go away.  Guess how that turned out!?

By chance one day I was having a coffee date with my girlfriend Amy.  We got on the topic of weight loss and she told me about this app that she had started using a few days prior.  Well, I didn't know it at the time but this conversation was going to change my life, literally!  The app was called My Fitness Pal and it can be used on pretty much any phone (or they also have a website).  The idea behind my fitness pal is very simple, and I believe it's this simplicity that has made it so easy for me to stick with it.  You input all your information - including your weight loss goals (do you want to lose one pound a week, half a pound, etc.) - and you are given a calorie allowance for the day.  If you work out and burn up extra calories you can eat more.  One of My Fitness Pal's best features is that, when using the app on your phone, you can scan the barcodes of the foods you are eating and the nutritional information pops up in the food logging area, it's that easy!  If you are eating let's say an apple, there is a food search option for items that do not have a barcode.

I can tell you this now, but, when I first started with My Fitness Pal, my BMI was just inside the obese category (!!!!! WTF!) and, now, I am so happy to report I am in the healthy category!  I've added a button to my blog that shows how far I've come, to date, I'm down 34 pounds!
Another aspect of My Fitness Pal that has made it a lot easier to stick to is it's social media design.  You can friend people and cheer each other on.  Personally, I've connected with tons of other diabetics (who also use an insulin pump) where, in my real life, I only know one other person who actually wears one.  Finding people who are in a similar situation to yourself can really help with the encouragement factor.

So, if you are a user of My Fitness Pal or decide that you want to go join up today, make sure you look me up!  Let's cheer each other on! :)

Here's some other resources to help you with your own weight loss journey!


You dont' need fancy equipment or an expensive gym membership to get moving!  Take this 'Fitness at Home' challenge, posted on Pinterest by Laura Merrik, and you'll see results guaranteed!

 



If you're like me you will have your i-pod BLARING music to keep you motivated...check out the Top 100 workout songs from the 1990's!

  

photo source: http://purplefoodie.com/apple-chips/

Eat healthy snacks...I love to make apple chips!  There are a few reasons they are awesome - first so easy to make.  Also, very yummy!  AND..they make your house smell DEVINE when they're baking!  Here's how you can make some:
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees
2. Slice your apples (I like to go very thin because that makes them crunchier when they're baked) - Cut them evenly for a consistent crunch!
3. Sprinkle them with cinnamon
4. Bake them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 2 hours (turn them over after an hour)
5.Enjoy!

 

Do this!

I sincerely do wish you the best in your own weight related efforts and encourage you to check out My Fitness Pal...I honestly don't know where I would be without all the support I draw from it! :)


Also - one last quick tip: start a healthy living pin board on pinterest!! You can draw SO MUCH inspiration there too!  Here's a link to my pin board for just such a thing: http://pinterest.com/mrslavaj/healthy-lifestyle/

Wishlist Wednesday - Pattern Perfection

It’s that time again – wishlist Wednesday!! When I was thinking about one of the things that would be fairly high up on my wishlist, I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to showcase.

I love to sew, I love cute, I love Etsy. So, naturally, I love Dolls and Daydreams. Oiy, where to start? Well, with one look at this jaw-droppingly cute Etsy shop you will be in heaven (if you like sewing, anything adorable, or if you like to collect stuffies).

I think there are so many reasons to love this shop. First, the selection. Oh Lord. From ballerinas to superheroes to bunny rabbits and lions. You can get a Marie Antoinette pattern or a snuggly lamb. Really, whatever you’re looking for, it’s offered here. Also – I love that you can change up your fabric choices (seeing that many of the stuffies are wearing clothes) and it really changes the look of what you’re making! The PDF pattern (that goes straight to your inbox – no waiting!) makes your sewing project a breeze – the shop owner provides tips along with the sewing instructions for your convenience. Also, I love how the finished projects boast both cotton fabrics and felt (I heart felt big time!) and that it is appropriate for children under three.

Another great selling feature you receive when purchasing a pattern through Dolls and Daydreams is that you are given the okay to sell your finished creations…a luxury not permitted by all patterns sold on Etsy.

Currently there are over 50 listings for these great patterns and each one averages a price of approximately $10USD (did I mention you also get a materials list included with the pattern?).

Yes, I am in love big time with all of the items listed in this awesome shop and I can’t wait to get my hands on a pattern and start sewing!! Be assured that when I do buy a pattern and sew it up I will be posting some pictures here!! :)

Mother's Day Love

Happy Mother's Day to all you hard working Mama's out there!! 
It's so funny because on my first few Mother's Days I expected so much.  Yes, I thought, I shall be pampered and waiting on for these 24 hours and none of my regular mother-like duties shall apply.  Well, I was usually disappointed to find that it really was like most Sundays - but I did get to sleep in! LOL...these days I'm happy to enjoy my special day - still wiping bums and cleaning up messes - but I've since discovered the real importance of today.  I love my girls with all my heart and seeing them bring me their homemade pictures and their proud face hand me some flowers,well,  it melts my heart.  I'm also so thankful to spend part of this day honouring my own mother and mother-in-law.  Wow, do they ever do a lot to help me and my family out, to support us in every way they can, and they are always there cheering us on.  I love you guys!
Here's how my day broke down in a nutshell (I hope you enjoyed your day as well!)...

sunny morning enjoying the outside world



Me and Little Miss S

"mom - I found this for you!"



I love these cards, decorated with scribbles and pictures from the girls...I always cry from the cheesy saying inside! :)



Beautiful flowers from my husband and girls

 



We served an AWESOME punch - all it takes is a can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate and 4 cups of white cranberry juice and then refridgerate for an hour.  Before serving add in some club soda and fresh mint and voila - sparkling pink punch!



The ladies and I (minus Kate who was napping)





5 Perfect Bridal Shower Gifts

In exactly ten weeks I get the privilege to stand up with one of my best friends on her wedding day.  I'm so thrilled to be one of her bridesmaids and am so looking forward to her big day!  She was one of my bridesmaids when I got married (5 long years ago, lol!) and I just can't wait to make her feel as special as she made me feel when I was a blushing bride.

Shannon - girl, I love you so much and wish you every happiness in the world.  You are one of the kindest people I know on this Earth and you are going to make a wonderful wife to your very lucky man.  I CAN NOT WAIT for your stagette next weekend...bring it on!! :)

So, before the wedding there are the obvious events to get through first.  First on our schedule is the stagette (have I mentioned I can't wait for it?!) and then, later, the bridal shower.  I especially love bridal showers - I love anything traditional that requires baking and pretty gifts!!

Many of you may be approaching bridal shower and wedding season yourselves.  Personally, I always like to give a physical gift (rather than a gift card - although, I do love getting giftcards myself!) because as I mentioned I like tradition!  I have also said this several times in my blog, but, I also love a personalized gift. Therefore, I thought I would share with you a few gifts that I have up my sleeve for a show-stopping, perfect bridal shower gift.

Door Country Woodworks is without a doubt one of my all time favorite Etsy shops.  Just take a look in his shop for about a millisecond and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.  Now, this birdhouse would literally bring the show down at a bridal shower.  It works as a card collector at the wedding (and you can custom colour it so that it matches the wedding colours) and then, when the wedding is over, converts to a birdhouse for the newlywed's backyard.  Notice in the picture that there is even space for the couples name and date of the wedding.  This one is $125USD and there are many different to chose from.  The "Just Married" bunting on it is just spectacular!

Oh.my.lord. I am obsessed with calligraphy. My ONEday Wishlist (my version of a bucket list - only I dont' use bucket list because I hate that term)includes to become a skilled calligrapher. Ink Blot Calligraphy is the proud owner of this wonderful skill and this listing for some custom calligraphy art is right up my alley. So beautiful and there is so much talent that goes into this. I believe that it would be a perfect gift for a bride, especially if she's a close friend, because what set of girlfriends don't have a special quotation, funny inside joke, or just something special shared between them? For a $10USD deposit you can get started with your ink colours, font and flourish preferences, sizes, etc. I can totally picture "to have and to hold from this day forward" in beautiful calligraphy and then framed in something lovely.

This listing from Black Scrap Cat is a favorite of mine for several reasons.  First, this shop originates from Canada and I love supporting local artists (we are in the same province even).  Second, just think of the wedding pictures, what a wonderful photo prop!  And third, this amazing gift doesn't have to just stop here - you can get one for mother of the bride, bridesmaids, flower girl, etc.  It makes such a special memento to use on the wedding day and to keep forever.  For $27 USD you can really create some wow!

Define your Space Vinyl is an Etsy shop you should become familiar with.  I love it.  There are so many amazing pieces to chose from I really don't even know where to start.  I love this one, in particular, because of the coordinating fonts and the flourished design along the bottom.  It would look so lovely on the wall and I know when I was a bride (with a newly acquired last name) I loved seeing it and displaying it with pride.  This one is 18 inches in diameter, a good healthy size, and can be done in your bride's custom colours for $42 USD. 

This I love because it is so unique.  I'm guessing that most of us do not know the coordinates of where we got married (or another special occasions in our lives) but what a cool thing to find out; and don't let the wedding place be your only option - first date, first home, where they met, etc.  AND, what a conversation piece this would be.  You can pick one of these up at The Drifting Bear for $48USD.

I wish I could get all of these for my special lady.  She certainly deserves them!! :)  BUT, who knows, maybe on her bridal shower day she'll unwrap a little something special.... ;)

(and no I can't tell you...she might be reading this right now!!!)

If you know of any special bridal shower gifts you'd like to share, please list them below in the comments section!! :)

Chocolate Covered Wow Factor (in no time flat!)

Today, sadly, my daughter had her last music class.  I say sadly because the whole experience with this program has been so positive.  She has learned a lot, met new friends, and even got to showcase what she learned earlier in the month, when the kids were part of an adorable play (the Three Piggy Opera).  I've loved going to the class with her and sitting with a group of moms while we waited for the kids (the teacher was absolutely awesome too); we were a group that really jived together well and I'm sort of sad that our weekly meetings have now come to an end!  Of course we have exchanged numbers with promises of play dates and I really hope that we follow through and continue meet up every once in a while in the future.
Because it was the last class, we had a recital of sorts, where the kids sang little solos and "played" the piano to various songs.  I was proud of Scarlett, who did so awesome!
We all brought some treats for after the performances, I opted to make some chocolate covered brownie bites.
I wanted to share this with you because they were so yummy, so easy to make, and they give off a great wow factor!  As you know, I'm back at work full time, so I don't have a lot of extra time to be baking things in the middle of the work week.  These, however, were perfect for me and my tight schedule.

Here's how you can make some of your own:
1. Bake a pan of brownies (from a box is even better because it is so very quick - you don't even need to pull out your mixer, just hand mix the ingredients). 
2. After they've cooled, break up the brownies into a bowl and then form them into balls (rolling them with your hands).

3.I put the sticks in at this point (which I bought at Micheal's craft store) and then put them in the freezer for 15 minutes to set.

4.I melted some Wilton Melts chocolate in the microwave (according the the package instructions) and then dipped my brownie bits.

 5.Apply your sprinkles of choice and let the chocolate harden on a piece of wax paper (approximately 20 minutes).

6.I tied ribbons onto each stick for a little extra whoomp!

They were perfect and quick.  The brownies are soooo very moist and very yummy.  I love these because you can change up the colour of the chocolate or sprinkles to match your own party's theme.  And, it looks like you've created something amazing - which you have - but no one needs to know you whipped it up like nothing! ;)

Like I said, we love our music teacher and I only hope that we are lucky enough to be in one of her classes again in the future.  We brought her a little gift - Scarlett coloured her a picture (lol - a self portrait!) and then I went to an amazing chocolate boutique I know of (one of the benefits of working downtown!) and got her some uberly delicious chocolate coconut disks and butter crunch.  I made a little tag for the chocolates, which was a picture of a lollipop with the words "you are so sweet" on it.

I know that as my kids get older, and are involved in the various different activities they will undoubtedly be a part of, I will meet a lot of different parents and teachers/coaches/instructors, etc.  If every experience parallels this one, I will be very happy, and will make a lot of friends along the way!

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Last night was a very special night because my family and I were celebrating both my Dad and Mom's birthdays and my little sister's college graduation.  I was given the task of bringing the birthday cake (I always volunteer for anything baking related) and had set off in search of that perfect cake!

I had a few different options in mind, mostly ones that I had pinned onto my 'baking/desert' board on Pinterest.  When I logged onto to check what I had saved, my eye immediately went to the absolute perfectly suiting cake for our celebration...yes, I'm talking about a Chocolate Guinness Cake!

This cake is so suiting for us for many different reasons.  First, I love to try baking anything new and different.  Also, my husband and dad are both Guinness freaks so I knew it would be a hit with them.  And, furthermore, my family is partaking on a trip to Ireland this summer so I thought it would be a great way to tie that in as well (my sisters graduation gift were some Euros)!

I got the recipe from Design Sponge. which by the way, has so gorgeous pictures of this cake.  It is simple to make and doesn't require any crazy ingredients or baking tools!  Perfect.

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Ingredients:■250 g (1 c. and 2 tbsp) unsalted butter
■250 ml (1 c.) Guinness

■75 g Dutch process cocoa ( 3/4 c.), sifted

■275 g (2 + 1/4 c.) all purpose flour, sifted

■2 tsp. baking soda

■400 g (2 c.) sugar

■2 medium eggs

■150 ml (2/3 c.) sour cream

■1 tbsp. good quality vanilla extract

Frosting:■300 g (1 + 1/3 cup) cream cheese

■150 g (1+1/2 c.) powdered sugar, sifted

■150 ml (2/3 c.) cream, whipped

Baking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180C/350F.

1. Add butter, cocoa and Guinness to a saucepan. Warm over a medium heat and stir until melted. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to cool slightly.

2. Add flour, baking soda and sugar to a large mixing bowl and mix together well. Pour in the Guinness/cocoa/butter mixture, lightly combine, add the vanilla, eggs and sour cream and beat everything together until well combined. The batter should be thick and dark chocolate in color.

3. Pour into a greased and lined 10″ angel food pan (or another straight-sided tube pan) and cook in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean from the centre of the cake.*Note: This cake is very moist inside, so use your judgment regarding the skewer test. Do not leave in the oven until the cake has totally dried out — cook long enough so there is no uncooked cake on the skewer but there may be a few moist crumbs sticking to it after an hour of cooking. [Please note: This recipe is designed for using an 8.5" x 3.5" pan. If you make this in a regular angel food cake pan, you should start checking for doneness at least 15 minutes early.]

4. Leave to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from the cake tin and placing on a wire wrack to cool completely.

Frosting Instructions:

1. Place the cream cheese into the bowl of a mixer and beat on a low-medium speed using a whisk attachment (I find a paddle attachment tends to over-beat the cheese). Whisk until the cheese is smooth and there are no big lumps remaining.

2. Gradually, using a large spoon, add in the sifted powdered sugar and beat gently to combine. After 2 to 3 minutes, stop the machine, scrape any excess frosting from the sides of the bowl and beat on medium speed until lump free.

3. Remove bowl from mixer and gently fold in the whipped cream, mixing to fully combine.

4. Place cooled cake on a cake stand and add the frosting, spreading out just to the edge without going over the side (never go over the sides of the cake) until the cake resembles a pint of the creamy black stuff! The idea is to capture the essence and simplicity of a pint of Guinness.

This cake is so yummy (when it's baking the smell is absolutely divine!) and a great conversation piece.  I love how the dark chocolate part of the cake, topped off with the frothy looking white frosting, resembles an actual pint of Guinness!  It is soooo very moist and the frosting is a show stopper!  Do yourself a favor and try out this great recipe!  Cheers!

And finally...I have one more thing to cover - the results of my contest!!

So, I just want to send out a HUGE thank you to everyone that took the time to enter my contest, pin the posting on pinterest, and/or post it on Facebook or Twitter.  You all rock and I appreciate it so very much.

Now, by random number generator, the winner is...

Kristi from Schnitzel and Boo!!!!!

Thank you so much Kristi!!!!  I will be in contact with you to get your mailing address so that I can send you out this awesome recipe book!! :)