baby news

So as I am sure most of my followers know me in real life I will officially announce to the blog world, just in case people actually read this blog, that we are expecting again.


If you've read my previous posts you'll know that we have 4 wonderful children already. Cassandra (11), Ryan (9), Cohen (4 - 5 in Jan) and Ashton (2).


With our first two children all Rob had to do was look at me and I was pregnant. It took a fair bit longer to conceive Cohen - partly because I had to convince Rob first and because of extended breastfeeding (17months) it took longer to conceive Ashton.


When we decided last winter for just one more it surprised me how quickly it happened. Apparently I don't ovulate according to the whole 14/28 day cycle, because if I did my hubby may have a few questions since that week he was gone.....


We got to 8 weeks 4 days and then I miscarried that little bean. I can't even begin to describe the feeling of loss. Then it happened twice more this past spring and summer. I had some bloodwork done to try to find out why this was happening. At the end of October I was feeling a bit off and picked up a home pregnancy test. To my surprise/delight/shock it was positive. Within minutes I was on the phone with my dr who prescribed a low dosage of progesterone. So far so good. I am 13 weeks 3 days and have had two ultrasounds. The dr understood my fears and concerns and agreed to an early ultrasound at 8w3d and to my absolute shock the tech found TWO BABIES!!! So we are expecting fraternal twins! I had a second ultrasound 2 weeks later when I had a bit of bleeding and cramping (which apparently is common with progesterone use). Babies heartbeats were great at 149 and 160.


At my last obs appointment I requested a referral to the high risk unit in Ottawa (which I am still waiting on) and the dr listened for the heartbeats. He found the one on my left side right off but couldn't guarantee me that the second one he heard was a different heartbeat. He may have been picking up the first one again but figured it was the other baby since the heart rates had been fairly close in range at the ultrasound too.

A to Z: This is me

Following in the footsteps of Lena over at Mom2Memphis&Ruby.

 

 

A. Age: 31

B. Bed size: Queen
C. Chore that you hate:  sweeping/mopping 

D. Dogs: An english mastiff/st.bernard puppy named Diesel.

E. Essential start to your day: morning chat with my hubby
F. Favorite color: pink (at the moment)
G. Gold or Silver: I always loved gold but have taken a liking to silver lately
H. Height: 5’7 and 3/4"
I. Instruments you play: nada..twinkle little star on the piano

J. Job title: Stay-at-home mom and designer/creator
K. Kids: Cassandra (11), Ryan (9), Cohen (4), Ashton (1)
L. Live: Quebec
M. Mother’s name: Melanie (pronounced like Muhlainie)
N. Nicknames: none really
O. Overnight hospital stays: not many, just childbirth. i did spend a week with Cohen when he had pneumonia, adn 3 days in a hospitl in Toronto with my pregnant sister.
P. Pet peeves: the sound of other people eating
Q. Quote from a movie: "SHOW ME THE MONEY" only one coming to mind right now LOL

R. Right or left handed: Right but I notice I do a lot with my left

S. Siblings: 3 younger sisters
U. Underwear: I have a drawer full of cute/sexy/spunky ones but mostly wear the comfy cotton grannies
V. Vegetable you hate: Brussel sprouts
W. What makes you run late: My kids and husband and even the dog
X. X-Rays you’ve had: teeth, ankle, hand, abdomen, back

Y. Yummy food that you make: fajitas
Z. Zoo animal: love the giraffes

~*~GIVEAWAY~*~

I want more followers!!!

So I will be hosting a giveaway once I reach 100 followers.

I haven't quite decided what exactly the prize will be but I hope to announce it later this evening. What would you like to see offerred as a prize??

Repurposed Purse

I took one of many pairs of Ryan's jeans that had holes in the knees and turned it into a cute little purse.

You can't really see but the inside is lined with the same fabric that the tie belt is made of.

What I love most about this purse is the fact that I actually get to use something I made! Usually my creations are for Cassie or a customer. The feature that most makes this a great bag is all the pockets on the outside of the bag. The actual pockets from the jeans remained completely intact. So I have great storage for the little things I may want to reach quickly, like my inhaler or my cell phone, or keys.

I should be fair to my handiwork and point out that I did not square off the bottom corners, but I did on the one I just made for Cassie. Also, the stitching is pretty wonky as I was getting useed to sewing through the denim layers and I did not get a straight cut across the bottom, mostly because I wanted to make sure to keep the back pockets.

Next on the agenda is to take some of Ashton's cast offs and turn them into a makeup bag, or a pencil case.

(If anyone has any denim to offload I would gladly take it!!)

How to be a Good Wife circa 1955

An excerpt from Housekeeping Monthly, 13 May, 1955.

• Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have be thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed



Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.  



Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Run a dustcloth over the tables.

During the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering to his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Encourage the children to be quiet.

Be happy to see him.

Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

Don't greet him with complaints and problems.

Don't complain if he's late for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through at work.

Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or lie him down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.



Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

A good wife always knows her place.

I have very mixed feelings about these rules. while googling images I came across several blogs referring to this article. What I found most interesting were the reader's comments. Someone would comment about equality and how no woman should cater to a man and someone else would comment about how it should be this way still.

My feelings when it comes to gender equality is that while we are equal as people we are not the same. Men can do certain things better than women. Women can do certain things better than men. And just because we can do things equally as good doesn't mean we have to.

I like being a stay-at-home mom and housewife. I wish we lived in a society/economy that all women and mothers could do the same *if they wanted to*. That being said, some women would rather work than be at home and I believe that's an individual decision and value the right to make that decision.

One day, for shits and giggles, I may try to implement these rules suggestions. Just to see the look on Rob's face when he walks through the door to an actual meal with a clean house, quiet kids and a wife not wearing pjs.

Back~to~School

I am very much looking forward to back to school. Not because I am sick of having my two oldest children tell me how bored they are or anything like that.....but because I like the structure and routine I have when they get up at a decent time EVERYDAY.

This year is one of those milestone years for us. Cassie is going into her last year in elementary school GASP!! She is growing up (and that makes me OLD) and I am NOT ready for her to grow up!

And my little devil, Cohen, is starting preK this year. I am quite nervous about this. He no longer poops in his pants, thank God! But he makes it quite well known when he does have to go. So while I am not worried about that -anymore- I worry about his temper now. If he feels "wronged" or is hurt by another child he will retaliate and it's never pretty. And he's very hard to calm down/reason with until he has exacted his revenge. This is a new behaviour and I've been working on it with him but it's hard to correct this type of behaviour because we really don't want our other kids to pick on him either just to get a reaction, know what I mean?!

And he won't be going to the same school as Cassie and Ryan. We chose to send him to a French school about 15 minutes from here in another small town. We made this decision because I didn't feel it would be fair to any school to have two of my boys at the same time. Just kidding!!

We had originally sent Cassie to this school but chose to switch her back to English after a year and a half. She was very shy and would not participate at all and we felt she wasn't really learning. In retrospect we should have left her there. We figured with Ryan, who has a speech issue, that making him learn a second language would be too hard on him. Bad choice as he has excelled in learning French. So, now you see why having more than one or two kids is good, you can screw up a few times but get it right for at least one child hehehe.

I'm very much looking forward to those 2 days a week when 3 of my monsters will be gone and I get to spend a little one on one time with the mini-monster.

I am a bad blogger.

I do mean to blog but I get so preoccupied reading other blogs that I don't get around to my own. And I have tons of things I'd love to blog about.

I also would like to get more followers. Any suggestions for that?

Aaannnd, I have been super busy trying to create new products and then mass produce them so I have inventory for the fair. As well as keep up with customer orders. I swear if I have to assemble another Minnie Mouse head clippie it will be too soon!!

NKOTBSB

This might be THE. BEST. CONCERT.

9 sexy men strutting their stuff for almost 3 hours ... it's a good thing our seats weren't closer to the stage or we may have *seriously* considered becoming groupies...maybe in our younger (single) days, eh girls?!?!

And surprise to us,

Matthew Morrison from GLEE.



I'm not a die hard Glee fan - I'll usually only watch if nothing else on tv catches my interest. But man can this guy perform. I may watch Glee a little more now, I'll be checking Netflix for previous episodes now for sure.

And their opening act:

A really talented band from Toronto!!

All in all, an amazing concert, great performances and uber-sexy man-candy. It was definitely a great thursday night that's for sure!

Paranormal Activity

Have you seen Paranormal Activity 1 & 2 yet? And now there's a third coming out?

I just finished watching the first one. We watched the 2nd one about 2 weeks ago because it was on Netflix. As far as movies go it wasn't the greatest but I didn't not like it, know what I mean?!

I really didn't care much for the first one but I kind of attribute that to having watched them out of order so I knew the backstory to it and knew what to expect. Also I had googled it and seen a spoof trailer for it so it was really NOT scary.

Rob really didn't like it. Halfway through he went outside for a smoke. I took that opportunity to pause the movie and grab a piece of banana bread. I scared myself more than the movie. The entire time I was in the kitchen I was anticipating Rob doind something to try to scare the shit out of me (which really doesn't take much) I can scare myself just by stepping outside in the dark. I was *almost* disappointed that he didn't try anything. It showed just how much he wasn't feeling the movie.

So, if you saw either of these, do you look forward to the third one?

supersize my drink

and my straw!!!!

How sick is this straw? The kids bought a pack of them at Dollarama. 50 of them for $1.

You know the best thing about a straw this monstrous?!?! If you use it while driving you don't actually have to pick up your cup to take a sip!!!

10 reasons why I'll never be mother of the year

One of the first blogs I stumbled across not written by someone I actually know is Helene's. Her blog, I'm Living Proof that God has a Sense of Humor is a great! I could sit here trying to come up with some really awesome adjectives to describe it but, really, I have so much to do today I can barely type without backspacing every few characters because hand-mind coordination isn't up to par. But check it out, she is a StayAtHomeMom to 2 sets of twins. WOW!!!

Her most recent post prompted me to steal borrow her topic. Her's are the ones in bold.

1)  I lie to my kids. ~ Naturally, but I am such a horrible liar they are the only ones who are gullible trusting enough to believe me.

2)  I encourage them to give one another wedgies.  ~ I don't do this but if one wrongs/harms another I will allow the harmed one to exact revenge.

3)  I curse like a sailor.  ~Anyone who knows me knows I do. To the point where no one but my own mother even notices.

4)  I spend approximately 138 minutes of my day fantasizing that I'm on the beach in Hawaii all by my lonesome. Or, I head to the back room to "do laundry" when actually I am heading out the back door for some peace and quiet without having to take the kids outside with me.

5)  The reason I carry a first aid kit with me at all times, honestly, is because I don't care to listen to my kids cry endlessly about needing a band-aid on a scrape the size of a period or that they can't swim in the pool because of a tiny sliver of nail that's come partially loose.  ~ I actually HATE bandaids, except the fabric-y kinds. And I usually tell the kids to suck it up (also why I never finished nursing)

6)  I'm not exactly a model of class or grace and I'm not above yelling, "What are YOU staring at?" to complete strangers who rudely ogle me while my kids have a tantrum in a store. I couldn't have come up with a better description myself.

7)  If I need a moment of peace and quiet, I'll let them watch something completely age-inappropriate on the television.  Or play the Wii for hours on end.  ~ My kids have/can/do watch The Simpsons and Family Guy. And they have DSi's.

8)   I yell. ~ When we moved here my neighbour warned me that the lady across the road could yell a mean one to her stepson, that I'd hear it from my house with windows closed. I'm pretty sure my voice carried further than that.

 9)  I scare my kids shitless to get them to follow simple directions.  ~ Yup. And guilt them. It's not enough to tell them they could get hit by a car, I let them know how it would hurt ME if they got hurt. Cuz they never want Mommy to be upset (obviously works better when they're younger and haven't learned to hate me yet)

10)   I have no problem with my kids eating food off the floor. ~  I just have to check it first for dog hair LOL.

Do all y'all relate to any of these too?

it's official

Since I *finally* got my butt in gear and sent in my registration in, i can officially announce that ~Cassabella Creations~ will be having a vendor booth at the Shawville Fair this year!!!

I am so excited, scared, nervous. I'm worried I won't have enough stuff and at the same time worried I will make too much and no one will want it. Not quite sure how we're going to manage though. I'll be at the booth from opening to closing and Rob will be on his own with the kids. I've spent quite a few years taking the kids around by mysef while Rob was busy but not with 4 and I'm a little sad I will be missing seeing Ash go one rides for the first time.

I have so much to do between now and then, and of course i am the queen of procrastination. Rob has scolded me suggested that I not post new items on my website or Facebook page. Take a "holiday" of sorts, from customer orders anyways.

Hope to see you there!

~*~GIVEAWAY~*~

Head on over to Lena's blog to enter her great giveaway! An awesome prize of a really cool bottlecap necklace of your choice and $20 shop credit to buy some more great stuff. All from Cassabella Creations!!! Cuz I'm not a bit biased or anything...hehehe

Good Luck!!!!

Giveaway ends tonight!

I confess....

Linking up with Mamarazzi for the first time.

I confess...

I am way more messy and disorganized than I'd like to be.

I confess...

I get sentimentally attached to inanimate objects, like receiving blankets from when Cassie was a baby, or toys they once really liked but haven't looked at in years. Or the pocket calender I used when I was pregnant for Cassie to write all my obs appointments in.

I confess...

I can go days without ever leaving my house.

I confess...

Even though I spend a lot of time at home the kitchen is rarely ever spotless.

I confess...

I would love to have a "show home" but to accomplish that we'd have to move out.

Cassie's sundress

My fave so far

Just one more pillowcase dress...it is by far my favorite fabric. I've been eyeing it up, fondling it, admiring it, wondering what I was going to make with it. This is what I came up with.

I also made a super cute two layered skirt for Cassie but I still have to add the elastic for the waistband. I will definitely post a pic of it once it's done. I also have some really nice shirred fabric to make a sundress for her. Maybe I will do that later today.

All about me...

I saw this over at Ashley's blog and thought it was a great post.

I am... Jennifer...a mom to 3 busy boys and 1 beautiful daughter and wife to my best friend.

I want... one quiet peaceul day that's just all for me.

I have... an addiction to all things crafty.

I wish... all babies could be born healthy, happy and not until their meant to be.

I hate...my neighbour's dogs...a lot...I have even kicked one once for peeing on the playhouse.

I fear...the dark, totally and irrationally. And crowds of people when I am by myself.

I hear...shockingly, nothing, with 3 boys I should go check that out.

I search...etsy at least twice a day.

I wonder... what my kids will be like as teenagers.

I regret...not being more outgoing in high school.

I love...my family.

I never...excercise, or walk places I don't really need to drive to.

I ache...when I sit too long in one position, like driving, my hips hurt like a mother____

I sign...in the van

I dance...only when I'm drinking, which isn;t very often.

I lose...everything, at least once

I need...more hours in a day

I always...procrastinate

I am confused...often

I am not always...as bitchy as I sound

I cry...easily.

I sometimes...what life would be like if I'd made other choices.

I am not...confident.

I usually...have a horribly messy house but happy kids, so it balances out right?!?

I should...keep in touch with friends more, network my business more, clean and organize our home.

From screwed-up to lovin' it

I started sewing another pillowcase dress and had so many issues this time. The first one I did (well) was a breeze. A little on the slow side as I read the tutorial at least 3 times for each step. This time I decided I would check the tutorial only when needed. As it turned out, I didn't need it.

But boy did I have problems. Apparently my (well my sister's but she's NEVER used it) sewing machine is tempermental. The bobbin has to be wound so a specific side is facing up when inserted in it's home. But there is no way to distinguish which way, just a lot of trial and error and wasted thread and trying to hold it a certain way while setting it up to re-wind it.

So after 2 days of effing with the machine to figure this out I got the dress sewn up. I tried it on my model (Cohen) and realized it was a bit on the short side. So I figured I had enough fabric left to add on a ruffle.

Here's where the fun started. I start sewing only to realize 1/3 of the way in that I was mangling up the hem on the dress, oopsie. Started again and got into a good rythm. Finished it off, looking good, or so I thought. When I turned it right side out I realized I now had 2 rows of stitching, quite uneven and not very professional looking at all. I was quite disappointed with the finished product when a little light bulb lit up. So, smarty pants me flipped the original dress hem upwards and sewed a straight stitch across and now it looks GREAT!! Totally as if I meant to do that!!

Cheeky Cherry

I am loving sewing and have so many items planned! I have a little stash of fabric started and have been looking for more suppliers. Anyone know of any good fabric stores?

Newest Addiction

You may have read an earlier post about a pillowcase dress I attempted. Not the best work I admit, however, I have been playing nice with the sewing machine ever since and after a trip to fabricland this past weekend I have something to share.

sorry for the blurry photo, it's late

So, whaddya think? I love, Love, LOVE the fabric on the bottom. I even made the "ribbon" out of it. And check out the cool feature of having it tie on one shoulder instead of two. I can make it in sizes 6 months up to size 6. (This one is 12 months)

I purchased the pattern from a seller on Etsy. I (heart) etsy. I've also ordeedr a whole boatload of supplies for some very chic headbands and a few new items to try out.

holding my breath

It's slightly after 1am and not surprisingly I am still awake. I stumbled across some really great blogs with some great tutorials and inspiration.

I've been checking our online banking about once an hour or so since about 9:30. We are impatiently waiting for Rob's paycheck from the Western Quebec School Board. He started back on May 1st (he's seasonal) and has yet to be paid. In case anyone has been wondering why their child's school's grass hasn't been cut this past week, that's why. Anyways, it's going on 8 weeks now without pay. Last year when he would get paid it would show up in our account the nght before (most times). It's not there yet so I'm hoping when I check in the morning it will be there....

bad teacher

Have you seen the previews for this movie yet? I'm looking forward to seeing it (but probably won't get to until it's on dvd)


We're sitting on the couch when the preview comes on. Right after the scene where Cameron Diaz's character instructs 2 boys to hold another's arms while she throws a dodgeball at him, Rob turns to me, and in all seriousness, says "That would be you if you'd become a teacher!"



Wow, thanks for that vote of confidence, father of my 4 children.

How do react to a comment like that?

Good thing I'm not a teacher, eh?

My own little corner of the web

I did something today that I have been wanting to do for awhile now.

I purchased the domain name Cassabella Creations and I signed up for web hosting for my website. I've already picked out a pre-designed template that I adore and am just waiting for it to be set up on the hosting site. So in about 24-48 hours I should be able to start adding my products and set up the site's shopping cart! Woo Hoo!!

Now I can go ahead and order my business cards, product display cards and vinyl banner.

Fun-filled Father's Day weekend.

I hope everyone had a fun weekend, because we sure did.

Saturday started out with Rob helping a friend move some of his bigger furniture and appliances into his new home. He is moving to a smaller house and didn't have room for a few items so he offerred them to us. A very nice white 6 drawer dresser with mirror (which I had coincidentally been telling Rob I would like to purchase for Cassandra since her 3-drawer ikea one wasn't cutting it anymore) and a beautiful antique sideboard. Looks great in my front entryway. Thanks Dave!!

Cassandra and Ryan were also busy for the early afternoon. They visit out local youth centre ~ The Garage, which is a stone's throw from our house. They were having a Lemonade stand where they were also selling muffins and cookies. I don't know who did the baking but the peanut butter cookers were quite yummy!

On to my nephews 5th birthday party being held at my parents house. I enjoy most get togethers there as they are very low key, easy going affairs. This one proved to be one of the best. The weather was beautiful and everyone was in a great mood. You could barely tell there were 10 kids there.

We have instilled a rule in the past where there was to be no alcohol permitted at a kids' party. Well, we threw that rule to the wind this weekend. My Dad set up a huge tent and we all camped out.

Big brunch cooked by my Dad the next morning, enjoyed eating it out on the newly built back deck. Afternoon spent at the beach followed by bbq steak dinner, again cooked by my Dad. It really felt like being away at a cottage.

Ohh and Rob loved his Father's Day gift. A brand new Newmac wood-oil combination furnace. Not really his gift but since I ordered it Friday afternoon I told him that was his gift.

Too many kids...not enough room

I have a small household dilemma. I have too many kids and nowhere to put them all!! Ok, I know I have 4 kids and nowadays that's a lot but I'm exaggerating only slightly here.

I have 4 bedrooms here. 3 decent sized rooms and one pretty tiny room. More like the size of a walk in closet but it also has a door to the front balcony there as well.

My dilemma is how to divy up the kids into these rooms. We took the one with the biggest closet and the only one all our furniture would fit into. Cassandra was given the next biggest as it has the double windows in front and has an awkward configuration in relation to all the doors and windows. Ryan and Cohen were sharing the slightly smaller room and Ashton had the tiny room. Cohen really never slept in their room and Ash ended up with me.

Question: Should I give Ash his own room again with his big boy bed (getting it in a week or so) or should I move Ryan into that room (since he can't keep the bigger room clean anyways) and put Cohen and Ash together in this bunkbed? Ryan is 9, Cohen is 4 and Ash is 18 months.

Or give Ashton his own room with one of these beds?



decisions...decisions....what would you do?

Ring Shopping and rotten in laws

I get to shop for a new ring. But I can't afford to buy it just yet. So I'm doing a lot of window shopping for now.

I need to replace my engagement ring. When it was originally purchased I made a point to tell Rob, repeatedly that I would, inevitably, lose it. so don't spend obscene amounts of $$$ on something I will lose. Heck I even told him to shop at a pawn shop if he felt like it.

Anyways, the reason I get to buy a new ring is because mine is gone! But, surprisingly, I didn't lose it. I have lost it before in the past but only temporarily. And I always misplaced both my engagement ring and wedding band, never just one. I have 3 places that I put my rings, on the window sill behind the sink (they won't fall down the drain, I tried it out to be sure), in the china cabinet or in Ash's pj drawer (My big dresser in my room is for his clothes). I had removed my rings and put them on the window sill because I was hot and my rings were starting to feel a bit snug.

Sadly, we believe it was stolen by Rob's brother, Scott (well half brother). Rob hadn't spoken to him in 15+ years and it had hadn't ended well back then either.

As much as I believe in giving people second chances, that everyone makes mistakes and deserves the opportunity to learn from them, I do believe this man is just rotten and can't be trusted.

Now I Know Why....

They call it a training bra!

Because it takes a god-awful amount of time and patience to "train" a tween to wear one consistently. My 10-almost-11 year old daughter doesn't have boobs (yet) but she does have little nips that tend to make themselves noticeable, especially in the types of thin, summery fabrics our warm weather calls for.

Ten on Tuesday

 Playing follow-the-leader today and taking inspiration from Lena and linking up with Roots and Rings.

1. How do you pronounce the word aunt? Does your pronunciation rhyme with ‘haunt’ or ‘can’t'?
It rhymes with “can’t”. I used to get a kick out of Will Smith (as the Fresh Prince of Bel Air) when he would say Aunt Viv ( like haunt)

2. Do most of the people in your life know you blog? Or are you partially or totally anonymous?
Not really. Pretty much only a handful of people whose blogs I also follow. I really only have, like, 13 followers.

3. When you grocery shop, do you prefer to bag your own groceries or do you like it when the store bags them for you? Paper, plastic, or reusable bags?
I like to do my own. I used to work in a grocery store and I like things done my way, aka the right way. I like using my reuseable bags but we will still request the plastic ones (even at 5 cents a piece) to use for our trash. 

4. Do you have a green thumb?
Not even a little bit. Let's be thankful I'm better at taking care of kids than a plant.

5. If you watch the Food Network, which chef/show host is your favorite?
II don't watch the Food Network. I don't cook either.

6. Do you like to take baths? Do you take them very often?
I love baths but it's not even a choice right now. Our bathroom is mid reno and has no shower.

7. What color are the walls in your kitchen?
Ugh. Ancient beige wallpaper, crumbling white plaster and white barker board half way up.

8. Do you prefer to dine outdoors or indoors?
Indoors. I hate bugs and having to bring everything back in afterwards.

9. Describe your ideal weather.
Autumn weather. 

10. If you could learn any foreign language, which would you choose to learn?
I know French pretty well although not fluent (even though I have my bilingual certificate - go figure) but I'd like to learn Spanish so I could give Dora & Diego a tuning they'll understand

Another loss for us

***warning: possible TMI***

We hadn't announced it yet. Mostly because we had just found out about it ourselves but we were expecting again. We weren't actively trying since the miscarriage I had in April but at the beginning of June I picked up a pregnancy test, pretty much to confirm to myself that my monthly friend would be visiting. I was pretty damn shocked when a + came up on the test.

We held off telling this time, only telling my parents and a few others. Yesterday, I started bleeding. Nothing major it seemed. It didn't feel at all like it had in April.I still had hope, that is until the tissue passed. At this point I knew for certain what was happening so I got my butt up to the ER. Because I am Rh- and my husband is + I have to be given a shot of immune globulin (WinRho) while pregnant (at 28 weeks) as well as after each birth. In this case I needed to be given it upon miscarriage as well.

Now I have to go back for more bloodwork Monday morning and an ultrasound as well. I can't begin to tell you the feeling of laying on the same bed in the same ultrasound room as I had for all 4 of my healthy pregnancies but this time looking to make sure there was no sign of baby.

So that was my Friday.

What I LOVE Wednesday!

This boy! Along with a few others, for sure, but he is definitely my favorite 4 year old!!

I made my first ever pillowcase dress this afternoon. I actually even used a pillowcase for it. Very proud of how it turned out, even though it has imperfections, many imperfections. Cohen so very graciously modeled it for me. Not to mention he made a great mannequin while I was trying to figure out the armhole sizing.

Doesn't he totally rock this dress?

And because I don't have a little girl anymore (only a bratty tween) and the dress has a few too many imperfections to sell, I am offering it up for free. If you'd like it just leave a comment on this post.

Father's Day Freebie

Need a gift idea for Father's Day? Want to keep it real? Check out this deal!

Canada Freebies: Free Father’s Day Portrait At Black’s Canada (Until June 19, 2011)

June 4th, 2011

Receive a FREE 6×8 Father’s Day portrait from Blacks, from right now until June 19, 2011.

Here’s what Black’s had to say about this promotion on their website:

Effective right now and continuing through until Father’s Day, we’re shooting FREE Father’s Day Portraits in our stores, just like we did for Mother’s Day. And yes, it isabsolutely free – no strings attached!

Just bring your little ones to any Black’s location and we’ll shoot a portrait on the spot, and then print it out for you in one of our big, beautiful 6×8 Father’s Day themed borders that you see here. Did I mention it’s FREE?

Click here to find a Black’s Canada location near you.

Not MY Aunt!

I'm fairly certain this blog post will only truly be appreciated by 2 of my followers. You'll both know who you are once you read!

Most families have one or two of "those" people, right? The relatives you barely admit to being related to...well this is one of mine.
Psycho Aunt. She has done some odd things over the years. She's certainly had her ups and downs and at times has even been a pretty nice person BUT this really takes the cake.
She is THE cat lady. Give it a few years and she will be just like that raving lunatic on Simpsons.


To get to the point, she inherited a cat from my Nan when she passed away, who is now 13 years old. Clearly Min's life was coming to an end at some point soon. Well, the inevitable happened and Min passed on. Apparently, she passed in her sleep laying on the end of Auntie's couch.
Here's the kicker, she left her there for 2 days. D E A D. On her couch for 2 days!!!!
Attachment issues?

Disclaimer: I'm really not normally this harsh about family members but this particular aunt threw my bassinette across the room with me in it, clearly I've held a grudge.

Amazing Giveaway

Although I'm pretty sure all my 13 followers are already following Lena's blog, I will go ahead and rave about it anyways.
If you are in any way interested in cute and terribly funny kids, fashion and fun among other topics then you definitely need to check it out.
And she is having a great giveaway ending tonight! Like in 1 hour (see how I waited to blog about it? Strategy peeps, strategy! Less competition)
Check it out here!

Kitty Kitty take 2

Remember how we used to have a little bitty grey kitten? And how that ended?

Well, we've inherited another itty bitty grey kitten. Actually, we're pretty sure it's from the same mother, courtesy of a neighbour who seems to enjoy breeding stray cats...Again, found him in our garage, just like the first one.

Hopefully Scrump #2 has better luck with Cohen than the former Scrump-kitty did. I assure you Cohen has undergone some serious kitty-training, and Scrump can outrun him!!

What I'm LOVING

I have enough a/c units installed to keep the house comfortable in the heat!

Rob is officially back to work which means *regular paychecks*. After 5 LONG months with NO income other than my baby bonus and the odd jobs Rob was able to get we are beyond happy to get to see regular cash coming in!

My swimming pool will be ready soon (if Rob leaves the pump plugged in, that is)

The week is halfway over! Looking forward to the weekend! Hopefully Rob will have his much anticipated paycheck by then!

My hubby let me sleep in this morning. He came in looking for work pants and I think I mumbled something to him about Ash crying for 2 hours for no reason last night and the next thing I knew it was 10am!

It's been awhile since I've blogged and I can't let the whole month of May go by without a single post. It would look funny on the sidebar list of posts.

A general update of the last month's goings-on for us...

My online business has been growing. I participated in 4 different events as a vendor and met some really great people and made a few new contacts, and of course, customers.

Cohen pooped on the toilet. This has been an ongoing battle issue for us and we couldn't be prouder. Good ol' bribery reward system in action.

Ashton doesn't seem to need Mommy as much at bedtime and naptimes. If he's "ready" for bed I can plop him into bed and actually LEAVE the room. This is  HUGE milestone. We are a co-sleeping household, not necessarily by choice. Ash will be getting his own big boy bed (with safety railing) in a few weeks. Cohen will be bunking in with Ryan once I buy a new set of bunkbeds and maybe, just maybe, my couch sleeping husband will start sleeping in my our bed again....

The boys started ball tonight. Ryan plays minor ball and Cohen plays T-ball! After a slow start for Cohen he started to enjoy himself and is looking forward to next week. Ryan LOVES baseball and can't stop talking about it!!

Cohen has quite the crush on our little neighbour. She is the cutest little brat girl. And Cohen absolutely adores her. I was calling his name, repeatedly, and of course he had totally tuned me out. Little Kaleigh simply calls his name once and he goes running to her, yelling, "I'm coming!"

How cute are they modelling tutus for me! Cohen was willing to do anything to make Kaleigh happy!

Rob is officially back to work, which means I am ALONE a lot! As alone as one can be with 4 kids.

Our tenant from hell FINALLY moved out! He left the house a complete pig pen and destroyed a few things but when it all comes down to it I am just glad he is out!

So that's a bit of what's new and oh-so-exciting around here.

10 Things I love!

10 Things I love!

There are always rules...
1. State who tagged you.  Ashley from The Johnstons. Check her out cuz she might be crazy cute and we luv her!!!

2. State 10 things you love.

1~ I'd better start with the fam....there's me and Rob along with our daughter Cassandra and our 3 monsters, Ryan, Cohen and Ashton.

2~Cadbury cream eggs...I used to be disgusted by them but was tempted by one early on in my most recent pregnancy and the addiction has stuck with me....

3~Crafting - well not so much crafting as "creating". I love making all the accessories I do for Cassabella Creations, which is why I do it.....

4~ Shopping - but more specifically getting great deals. Anyone can "shop" but it takes a certain talent, I think, to shop well...

5~Being pregnant - which could explain why I'm willing to do it again...and again...and again...I do love the little ankle-biters as they grow too!

6~Tori & Dean - they are sooo adorable! I am a very happy mama when they air a Tori & Dean marathon....

7~my house - yes, this one...why? Because it's got character and history and it just feels like home. Over the years we have rented many houses and this is the 4th one we've owned (we still own another as well) and this one just fits us. 

8~TV - but not just any crap...I love NCIS, House and Bones as well as One Tree Hill, Vampire Diaries and Phinneus and Ferb....

9~A good book - or even better a good series....

10~ Cats - I am totally a cat person just not the crazy cat lady...although we only have 2 dogs I would trade them both for a cat! I adore our dogs (most days) but cats are just more superior.

April Fool's Day

April 1st, 2011 has been the worst April Fool's Day EVER!!! The meanest trick ever played on me and it was by my own body. This past Thursday, at 8.5 weeks pregnant I started spotting which never happened to me in my 4 previous pregnancies.  Add to the spotting some cramping throughout the day. Thursday evening I went to the hospital where they performed 2 different ultrasounds and a blood test to measure my hcg levels. During the ultrasounds the Dr. couldn't find a heartbeat but said that didn't necessarily mean anything since it was still early in the pregnancy and the ultrasound image was not very good. I had to return for a follow up blood test Friday.
Friday morning, April Fool's Day, I awoke to no more bleeding or cramping. I was so relieved. I put off returning to the hospital as I had an unexpected visit from Rob's sister. Soon afterwards I found out the bleeding had started again. Mild cramping followed. I returned to the hospital for the 2nd blood test. When teh results came back the Dr was very positive. She indicated the levels had risen accordingly for my stage of pregnancy and everything looked good. I was told to return Monday morning for a follow up blood test and ultrasound.
On my way out I bumped into a friend who reassured me that this had happened to her and she went on to have a healthy baby.  I was starting to feel good again and not as worried.
I fell asleep pretty early putting Ashton to bed but awoke around midnight. I won't get all TMI here but suffice to say at this point I lost the baby.
I was/am devastated. You never really know the feeling of the loss until you experience it yourself. Even though I was "only" 8.5 weeks along it is still so traumatic. The thought of losing this tiny lifeform that was a part of me brings me to tears even now as I type this. The loss of the baby that will never be. Who I will never hold or cuddle.....

I have to say though that I have a great husband who is very understanding and caring and knows just what to say and do to make me feel better. He knows when to just listen to me and when I just need a hug. He even knows that if I stop talking in the middle of a random conversation it's because I'm trying not to cry. Which I have been doing a lot of. I can't describe the feeling. There really aren't words for it. And honestly, I don't think you can ever really sypathize, empathize or understand unless you've experienced it and it's not a feeling I would wish for anyone.

So, this was my April 1st. Not a day I'll be taking much pleasure in again, I'm sure.