baby face

My co-workers threw a baby shower for us just over a week ago. Now I love a good party but I'm not great with being the centre of attention. Thankfully, the people who planned it knew that and it was a casual event with no embarrassing party games. Luckily, Steve was able to be there too so I had someone to share the spotlight with, especially when it came to the opening the gifts portion of the program. We were completely overwhelmed by their generosity. The gifts filled up the backseat and cargo area of our Ford Escape. I'm pretty sure that we don't need to actually purchase anything else for the baby. I was blown away.

The big hit of the party was the "guess the baby" game. My co-workers were encouraged to bring in a picture of them under the age of 3 and we had to try and guess who everyone was. I not only brought in one my pics, but one of Steve too. I must say, we were both pretty darn cute.

Me, at about 3 months old.

Steve. We think he's about a year old. Check out that leg chub!

And that marks the end of NaBloPoMo 2008. I made it through my second one! I will likely take a couple of days off of blogging but I will be back soon. There is far too much going on for me to stay away.

it was good

We went out with Elizabeth & John last night. We met for dinner at La Luna and then met up with Kim at The Casbah to see The Sadies. I've been lucky enough to see this band live a few times now and they are awesome. Their music is hard to describe but their are hints of surfer rock, country and bluegrass.

I took a pictures last night but they're pretty crappy so here are a few I took of them at the Grand Stage Music & Arts Festival this past summer in Paris, Ontario.

Travis Good

Dallas Good

Sean Dean & Mike Belitsky

The Brothers Good

They had a fantastic opening act too. A band I had never heard of called Young Rival. I picked up their EP. Turns out they are a local band, hailing from Hamilton. I was really impressed. Check them out.

a change will do you good

My dad has been working hard on our house the last few months doing all of the renovations that Steve and I have wanted to do ourselves but simply don't have the time for. When I arrived home form work today his latest project was done. Our master bedroom. He replaced the old, worn hardwood with bamboo, painted and replaced the window blind. I don't have a before picture for comparison but you'll just have to imagine an oak floor in a slightly yellowish stain and pale yellow walls.


A little different, eh? We were looking for a lighter version of this colour but it really doesn't exist. We were both a little timid about painting our bedroom such a dark shade, but now that it's done, I think it looks awesome. And once we get the furniture back in and some pictures up on the wall, we'll be ready for one of those home decor magazines!

lips like sugar...

Just a quick post tonight as I just got home and am completely wiped.

Went to a holiday baking demo tonight with a few of the girls. It was part of the McMaster University Alumni Event series. I've been to a few of these events now and they are quite good. Tonight's featured one of the best bakeries around, Weil's Bakery in the lovely Westdale neighbourhood of Hamilton. They taught us how to make a few yummy desserts (including creme brulee!) and treated us to samples of each of the desserts. And there were door prizes. And I won this very cool wall mounted scale/timer/clock thingy!


Now that my sugar high is wearing off, I'm going to bed. Nighty night folks.

'tis a gift to be simple...

We just received a copy of the most recent Hammacher Schlemmer catalogue in the mail. It's their Christmas gift guide and it is full of wacky gadgets. Here are a few that cracked me up. Or made me scratch me head. Or both.

The Fish Agility Training Set

Seriously? Are there really people out there who train their fish to do tricks?

The Personalized Woven Photographic Image Throw



Because nothing says creepy like a giant picture of your loved ones on a blanket.

The Star Wars Nutcracker Set
Honestly, I don't even know what to say about these.

The 14 M.P.H. Cooler
Now this I can get on board with! I might need it for next summer's camping trip.

The Talking Pet Bowl


This would totally freak my cat out! It might actually send him over the edge.

Hope this helps you with your Christmas shopping!

it's not unusual...

One of my favourite Tuesday rituals is to check out the new releases on iTunes. Today I was not disappointed. Tom Jones has released her first studio album of new material in 15 years. I downloaded it. And it's awesome.

I have to admit, it's also a bit of a nostalgia thing for me. I remember watching the re-runs of Jones' variety show This is Tom Jones, that originally aired from 1969-1971. I remember the skinny stick-like microphone he used, the untied bow tie he often wore around his neck and that near the end of the show he would mop the sweat off his face with a towel and then throw it to some woman in the audience who would shriek in delight. Just the thought of it totally cracks me up but back then it was so cool. And even now, at the age of 68, he can still illicit the same kind of enthusiastic reaction from an audience. As far as I'm concerned, that's the mark of a true entertainer.

if a picture paints a thousand words...

Just got home from a full day of work and an excellent massage. I'm sipping a cup of tea before bed and writing up a quick post. Well, writing may not be the best description. I'm too tired for words, so here are a few pictures I took this summer at the cottage.

We had a rainy spring and early summer at the cottage resulting in an more mushrooms than I have ever seen.

A spiderweb on a foggy morning.

Misty morning on the lake.

Family of loons.

A maple leaf that peaked too early.

Blue jay in a tree.

One of the odder fungi I came across.

The old heron that lives on the point.

the final countdown...

I started counting down the days to my last day of work before maternity leave back in September. But it wasn't until last week, that I actually counted the days until my due date. It was actually Steve who pointed it out, but now I can't get it out of my head. As of today, there are 42 days until my due date. That's just over a month. Until life as we currently know it, completely changes. Or does it? I've spent a l0t of time over the past few months thinking about this. Almost everyone I know who has children keeps telling me that "life is never the same" and "everything changes" and they make it sound so drastic and dire. Yes, I realize that Steve and I will be responsible for a human life who will rely on us for absolutely everything. But we're not changing, are we? We'll still be the same people, just with another little person around to take care of. Of course our lifestyle will change. We won't be going out as much and we'll be spending money differently. We won't be getting much sleep for the first little while, not they we get enough sleep now. I guess I'm just having trouble imagining how different and life changing this whole thing is going to be. But I guess I'll find in approximately 42 days.

what's your name?

One of the questions you are asked constantly when pregnant is, "have you decided on names?" Steve and I have a few ideas but have decided to make up our minds when we actually meet the kid. We've had a few people lend us baby name books, but I was intrigued to find a link this site on Lifehacker today. At What A Lovely Name, you can view a list of potential names based on character traits. So if you click on the words "strong", "leader" & "independent" and select boys names only, it returns a list of 18 names of various ethnicities, including Wolfrick, Havelock & Zenon. Interesting choices. None are names that I would want to saddle my child with but it is fascinating to see what they come up with. It also gives you the meaning of each name. Wolfrick is German for "wolf ruler", Havelock is Scandanavian for "sea battle" and Zenon is apparently derived from Zeus. Again, interesting, but I think we're going to stick with something a little more, er, normal. Maybe something that won't get the kid punched out on its first day of school.

sing, sing, sing...

As I was heading into work today on the Go Train and flipping through the contents of my iPod, I found Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. I had forgotten that I had downloaded this so it was an unexpected treat to come across it. It's basically a short musical created by Joss Whedon, the brilliant mind behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer, that was distributed solely on the Internet. It's clever and funny and very entertaining. I highly recommend checking it out, especially if you are a Neil Patrick Harris, Buffy or musical theatre fan.

if the band just never ended...

Great Big Sea was incredible last night at Hamilton Place. Seriously. Each of the guys in this band are fantastic multi instrumentalists and singers on their own. Put them together and the stage is overflowing with talent, passion and energy. Truly an awesome show.

They played a bunch of their hits plus whole lot of tunes from their latest album Fortune's Favour. At one point, everyone left the stage except for Alan Doyle. He explained that the boys in the band were taking turns doing a solo each night and tonight was his turn. The only stipulation is that they pick a tune that they have never played in public. Because Alan first met Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor from Blue Rodeo in Hamilton, he decided to do Falling Down Blue. And it was a fabulous rendition. See for yourself.

rainy days and mondays...

So today was neither rainy, nor a Monday but it was overcast (it's now snowing) and it might as well have been a Monday because I have felt like crap all day. The baby decided to kick my ass today. I've had some lovely "morning sickness". Thankfully, I'm feeling better now and well enough to head out to the Great Big Sea concert at Hamilton Place. I can't guarantee that I will make it through the whole show, but since we do have front row tickets, we have to show up, at least for part of it.

Luckily, today wasn't a total loss. Once the nausea wore off enough so that I could sit up without feeling horrible, I was able to finish a few knitting projects.


I started knitting this blanket for myself, but it's going to be a Christmas present for my dad instead. It's very soft and will be a cozy couch blanket for him.


This is my first attempt at the famous (among us knitting geeks anyway) Baby Surprise Jacket. And it turned out really well. It will be mailed to Boston this weekend, to friends of our who just welcomed a new daughter.


These don't look like much, but they are going to very useful once Em arrives. They're burp cloths. The colourful one is actually a bit short, but I was using leftover yarn and didn't have enough of the colour. So I'll likely use it as a washcloth instead.

It feels good to know today wasn't a total waste.

watcha got cookin'...

I was lucky enough to marry a guy who loves to cook. If I was single, I would probably have take out for dinner every night. When Steve is away, I pretty much survive on a steady diet of Swiss
Chalet. It's not that I don't enjoy cooking, I'm just too lazy to cook for myself.

Steve loves to cook. And he's good at it. He has the ability to open the fridge, survey the supplies and whip up a magnificent meal from whatever he finds. Tonight, for example, we feasted on spaghetti with pesto and grilled vegetables. He credits this skill to countless hours watching cooking shows on television. Whatever the reason I am very thankful for it. Not to mention, full.

oom pah in the park with Ned

I've blogged about my love for Sesame Street and The Muppets before, but I just had to post this. Steve has a much better memory for TV stuff than I do. I didn't really remember Simon Soundman until he reminded me and we looked up the clips on You Tube. Here's one of Steve's favourites.



Awesome!

comedy tonight

Steve and I have been pretty busy this weekend purging, cleaning and re-organizing the house. As a treat, we are heading into Toronto tonight to see comedian Gerry Dee at the Panasonic Theatre. You might remember him from Season 5 of Last Comic Standing. Really funny guy. Here's a teaser.

those cats were fast as lightning

This evening, I witnessed an incredible display of hard work, physical fitness and total kick-assness! My dear friend Elizabeth graded for her orange belt in karate and totally blew me away. For 2 hours she worked her ass off, showing us her best moves as we cheered her on. I can't tell you how proud I am of her. And also a little bit frightened. Believe me, you don't want to meet up with her in a dark alley.


Way to go babe!

grab your coat and get your hat...

I've been avoiding buying a maternity size winter coat. I just didn't want to shell out the cash for something I might only wear for a month. I had hoped to get by on layers of sweaters and fleece but nothing in my current wardrobe can actually button around by ever expanding girth. A quick trip to Old Navy yesterday solved all of my problems.


I had tried on this coat on a previous visit but couldn't justify paying full price for it knowing that I wouldn't be wearing it for very long. But yesterday, the sign above the rack made my heart skip a beat. 50% off. And they had one left in my size. Excellent! And I look pretty good in it too, if I do say so myself. In fact, it highlights the baby belly so nicely that three people offered me their seat on the subway this morning. All at the same time! A worthwhile purchase indeed.

i'm so tired

I just got home after a long day and someone needs a cuddle.


How can I deny him?

brand new love

The latest Serena Ryder album dropped yesterday. And it is mighty fine. It highlights her brilliant songwriting and fabulous voice. I'm really digging all of the songs but especially Hiding Place and her awesome cover of You're No Good.


Also cool is the fact that she is lending her song Sing, Sing to one of my favourite organizations, the Coalition for Music Education in Canada. They put on an event annually called Music Monday, in which they demonstrate the importance of music education by having students all across the country put on outdoor, public concerts. They choose a new song every year for these students to perform. Sing, Sing is an excellent choice for Music Monday 2009.


By the way, if you too feel strongly that music is an integral part of the education of Canadian children, consider becoming a signatory. It doesn't cost anything to add your name to the list of supporters of music education.


I got the chance to see Serena live this past summer at the Burlington Sound of Music Festival. The pictures in this post are a few that I took at the concert. It was a fantastic show! Her band was excellent and I was pleased to see that her bass player, Anthony Lavdanski, was a recent graduate of the school that I work at. It always makes me smile to see "my kids" on stage.

what is it good for...

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada, a day in which we remember those lost in battle. The soldiers from various wars that died in the name of freedom. Whether you agree or disagree with the principle of war is not important here. What is important is that we all take a moment to honour those who sacrificed and were sacrificed.


Lest we forget.

turning Japanese...

I enjoyed a decadent Monday night dinner with Elizabeth this evening. She spent the day hanging in Toronto with a friend and then met me at work. We headed to one of my favourite restaurants, Sushi Inn. Toronto is full of sushi restaurants and quite a lot of really good ones. This one is on the top of list because the food is damn fine and it's close to work. Plus, they will deliver to my office. And it's so close, that they send a guy on a bike! Awesome. While I cannot enjoy any raw fish at the moment (due to the pregnancy) they do make a wicked dragon roll with shrimp tempura and avocado. Delicious. So if you get the chance, check out Sushi Inn. You can tell them I sent you, but it won't get you anything but a confused look.

the sweetest thing

I'm starting to think that there might be some truth to this nesting thing they talk about with pregnant women. I have made muffins and bread the last three weekends in a row. This is highly unusual behaviour for me. I've often thought about doing these things on a regular basis, in order to reduce my intake of the store bought, over-processed versions of these items. But usually that urge loses out to sheer laziness. So seriously, what's up with my sudden interest in baking? I guess it's really not such a bad thing, but if I do start sewing my own clothes and cleaning the grout between the tiles on the kitchen floor with a toothbrush, you'll know I've lost it.

Here's a few samples of my recent baking adventures.

banana chocolate chip muffins

a loaf of whole wheat, fresh out of the breadmaker

relax...

It's late Saturday night and I am finally home. The conference was good, although exhausting. Happily, I attended a baby shower this evening for my friend Lianne, who is due a couple of weeks before me. Our clever friend Mia threw a spa shower. So instead of the traditional baby shower with dumb games that no one wants to play , we enjoyed manicures, pedicures & massages along with yummy food and good conversation. A lovely way to spend some time with my friends, unwind after a busy few days and wish Lianne all the best too!

The posts of quality will begin tomorrow. I'm off to bed.

laughin'

Another quick post between conference events.

Seth MacFarlane is one funny man. He's the guy behind Family Guy, one of the funniest shows on television, as far as I am concerned. Recently, he started his own You Tube channel. Great stuff and here is one of my favourites.

me have a soft boiled cookie...

Another quick post. Another busy day. I'm exhausted. Steve and I are attending a conference this weekend, and even though it's only in Toronto, we are staying at the conference hotel. Which just happens to be a DoubleTree Hotel. And when you check in they give this warm, delicious, gooey, chocolate chip cookie. I can't even begin to tell you how yummy these cookies are. So delicious that my co-worker Jennifer and I stopped at the front desk before heading to our rooms to see if we could get another cookie. And we did. So while I type this, I am enjoying this yummy bedtime snack.

Nighty, night folks.

baby, one more time...

Just got home from a very long day. I promise some quality posts in the days to come but to fulfill this month's requirement...

Obviously, with a baby on the way, I've been doing some shopping. And who can resist an adorable onesie. I may have to order this one.


Thank you Cafe Press!

election day

To all the Americans out there, please vote today!

Feist was incredible last night! More on that later this week. For now, I thought I would share my Halloween costume.


I know, not much of a costume. I wore orange to work last Friday, and one of my crafty co-workers thought we should dress up my baby belly for the occasion. Needless to say, it was a big hit.

i feel it all...

Elizabeth and I are going to see Feist tonight! I'm so excited. I hear she puts on a great show. Plus, I just love going to hear live music. Nothing is more impressive to me than musicians who can cut it live. I can listen to just about any style of music if it's performed well. I have no time for lip-syncing and I get angry when I hear a singer live who obviously can't sing, meaning that their album was entirely doctored and therefore completely bogus. Seriously, that totally pisses me off.

I've been going to a lot of concerts since becoming pregnant. I realize that my concert going will not be as active once Em arrives on the scene, so I'm trying to get in as many shows as I can before then. And since I've been such a bad blogger over the last number of months, I will take advantage of NaBloPoMo by posting about my busy concert going summer. Stay tuned.

lazy sunday afternoon

Elizabeth and I got together at my place this afternoon to watch the new Blue Rodeo DVD, Blue Road. It felt bizarrely decadent to sit in front of the tv with some yummy snacks on a sunny Sunday afternoon. ahhhhhh........

So the DVD is fantastic. A must for Blue Rodeo fans. It includes a beautifully shot documentary, with some very funny moments, a few songs recorded while making the documentary including the great new song Losing You, and a bootleg style recording of the first half of their Massey Hall concerts from February 2008.

So now it's back to reality. Making dinner, doing laundry, planning for a very busy week ahead. My posts will be brief this week, but I'm determined to stick to the NaBloPoMo mandate and blog every day.

Until tomorrow...

here I go again...

First day of NaBloPoMo and I almost forgot to post!

I'm actually quite uninspired as far as blogging goes tonight. So I thought I would share one little tidbit with you in the form of one of my favourite clips from this week's episodes of The Hour featuring former Canadian Prime Minister, Paul Martin. If you're not Canadian and don't watch The Hour, chances are this will mean little to you. But it sure cracked me up.

http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/videos.html?id=909824847