the weather in varadero, cuba

It's looking like a spectacular week ahead... and we can hardly wait!
Suitcases are packed, camera battery is charged. We're ready!

Adiós Amigos!

she said what?

: "Some people are born before you, so that's why they're older than you."

lilah: "What does your t-shirt say Mama?"
me: "Banana Republic."
lilah: "Banana? Ahahhahahahaahaaaaaaa, that's a funny thing for your t-shirt to say!"

: Showing me some of her artwork: "Doesn't this picture look 'credible?" (incredible!)

: "Did you know white shines in the dark? Well, I'm pretty sure it does, because I can see my wardrobe in the dark at night time."

: "Mama! Don't say flippin or you'll get set out in a chair!"

Talking to Baba one evening at bedtime:
lilah: "Baba, who's your birth mother?"
baba: "Na's my birth mother"
lilah: "Na?? Na had YOU in her belly??"

me: "We had a fire bell at work today."
lilah: "Oh. For real"
me: No, there wasn't a fire, just smoke or something."
lilah: Well, we had a firebell at school one day, it wasn't for real either, just a practice one."

: Talking to her stuffed animals one day: "No secrets. My Mom & Dad don't like secrets. Please don't whisper in my ear."

: Are you sad about that Mum? Get over it. You'll get over it!"

wordless wednesday

[ the flickr set is here ]

'family day' - holiday monday

I kinda wish I could say I was out there skating or sleighing on "Family Day". No, I wasn't. I'm so over winter already!

I spent today doing something much better, by far, than exposing myself to the chilly elements of this crazy country. I spent today packing our suitcases, because we're heading to the Caribbean - Cuba - in 6 DAYS! Oh man, I am so ready for some sunshine!

When I told Lilah about our upcoming trip to Cuba she seemed pretty happy with my description. However, when I searched the hotel name and showed her the Google images of the hotel, pool, beach, etc... She clapped her hands with excitement and said: "Oh my, I think I'm more excited than you!" When Baba arrived home from work that same evening, she ran to him and said: "Baba! We're going to Cuba and you don't need your snowsuit there!" A few days later she was looking through a magazine and pointed out a picture to me. She said: "Oh, I think these people are in Cuba, because they're wearing shorts and t-shirts!" She's been telling random people about our trip, like the lady in the M&M meat shop and the teller in Farmboy!

She's very very excited! Today I practically had to peel her off the ceiling after mentioning that I was going to get the suitcases out of the basement. She simply couldn't wait to try on a few of her new outfits!

a few words from the wise!

: "I'm not Lilah... your daughter is at school. I'm the mail poster."

: "I'm getting all my teddybears to bring with me to bed, because I just can't live without them!"

(walking through the mall one day)
lilah: "What's that smell?"
me: "I think it's Subway."
lilah: "Really? It smells like give up, like that time I gave up on the plane!" (she calls throw up, give up!)
(And it really did smell gross, I couldn't argue with her!)

: Talking while colouring one day. "See me Mama? I'm pinching my pencil, that's how you hold your pencil. Diane told me to do that, she told me to pinch the pencil. She's a smart girl, I don't want her to die, ever!"

: As she was walking upstairs one night, she turned to me and shouted: "See ya in a minute, crocodile!" I guess that's a new twist on 'see ya later alligator - in a while crocodile'...which is a phrase I say to her!

me: "Lilah, what would you like for lunch?"
lilah: "Fried rice please."
me: "Sorry, Baba took the rice for lunch, so you'll have to think of something different."
lilah: "Well, you decide, because I don't have anything else left in my head!"

: She told me one day this week: "I love you forever in my whole life."

baba: (joking) "Tell Mama she needs to smack your bum tonight before putting you in bed!"
lilah: (stretches arms out and in an exasperated voice says) "Let's NOT say that to Mama. Just put it out-of-your-mind!"

: She uses the word "everlasting life" to mean a long long long time. Like tonight I overheard her telling her stuffies "I'm going to love you for everlasting life!"

happy valentine's day!

class treats for valentine's day

This past weekend, the teacher sent out an email requesting a parent to take on the task of making a treat for the kiddies (in Lilah's JK class) for Valentine's day. Of course, I only ever volunteer if something sounds doable! Heh! Not only were these doable, but they're so easy peasy it's almost embarrassing!

Lilah loves any kind of 'making', so it was perfect.

These treats are VERY Northern Irish! They're called 'top hats'! Indeed, you're probably rightfully wondering what on earth 'top hats' are, other than those things that are worn on the head! They consist of chocolate, marshmallows and smarties and I am including the easy peasy recipe below.

how to make top hats...
: melt chocolate in a bowl (either in the microwave or in a bowl over boiling water)
: cover bottom of mini cupcake bun case with melted chocolate
: push marshmallow into the melted chocolate
: put a little blob of chocolate on top
: add smartie
: wait for chocolate to harden

Do you think the teacher will ever ask me to do anything again? I feel sorry for her already... 17 children on a sugar high, oh dear!

[ the flickr set is here ]

giggle with delight!

My Little Missy is a giggle-aholic! She loves to giggle, laugh and generally just be very very funny! Recently she has taken to begging me to tickle her! You should see her work her giggle up, sometimes I wonder if she's even going to be able to catch her breath, because she's giggling so hard! But as soon as she does finally catch her breath, she's back begging for more tickles!

Every single part of her little body is ticklish! It makes me giggle to hear her giggle!

Even when I started taking these pictures of her today, she got herself all worked up into a fit of giggles. Oh my. That girl. I adore everything about her. Especially that beautiful contagious giggle.

"the laughter of a child, is the light of a home" ~unknown
♥ ♥ ♥
"we find delight in the beauty and happiness of children, that makes the heart too big for the body" ~ralph waldo emerson

[ the flickr set is here ]

little moments

I love capturing little moments in time. I know lots of people like to capture faces, more portrait style shots and I like those too. But my favourite shots are the ones where you can see the whole scene, those wide angle shots with plenty of background detail, they seem to set the tone better... which explains why I rarely use my 85mm, preferring my 50mm and 28mm more.

Yesterday, just before I snapped this picture, I overheard Lilah telling Ricky (the dog that used to be called Buckle, but was recently renamed!) that they were on a boat. She had the little heart floor mat up on the bed and the two of them were sitting on it. I love overhearing the adventures she and her snugglies get up to. She was so caught up in the moment, she didn't even know I had snapped her picture through the bedroom door.

I want to remember these precious little moments forever.

Childhood is the most beautiful of all life's seasons. ~Author Unknown

valentine etsy finds

I might be making a very obvious statement here, but I adore hearts!

When I go to Etsy and search the word 'Valentine', let's just say, oh dear! I could spend a week browsing through pink, red and hearts. I simply can't help myself, especially when it comes to hearts for little girls.

So without furthur ado, here's a few items that have stolen *my* heart!

1: snap hair clips by square lemons.
2: felt bow hair clip by may day studio.
3: apron skirt by three munchkins.
4: toddler tote by tiny rose boutique.
5: asymmetric jumper by thread and jam.
6: i heart rainbows skirt by babe a gogo.
7: personalized girls tote bag by everyday celebrations.
8: heart white pillowcase dress by the uptown baby.
9: valentine card by twig & lily.
10: ten things i love about you by jane says.
11: fushia heart ruffle leggings by isadora.

valentine's day preparations!

Initially I had no plans for Lilah's school friends on Valentine's Day. Not until I received the email from her teacher (two weeks ago) that stipulated all the rules and regulations for children who plan to give out Valentine's Day cards!

For example: 1) If your child is participating, every child in the class must get one, not a select few - so there are no crying children! 2) Cards must not be addressed to each individual child, but rather the card should only say who it's from, so they're easy to deliver = no crying teacher! 3) Each child has a designated day to bring in their cards for the class, over a 4 day period.

Phew!

When I read that email I thought to myself, 'Oh my dear, JK'ers obviously take this whole Valentine's Day thing very seriously! Jill, you better get your crafty brain, err, I mean crafty search engine in gear!' And an hour or so later, after much oohing and aahing, I finally decided on this idea... wonderfully easy I might add!

: Take a picture of your child holding out their hand in a fist, as if they're giving you something.
: Photoshop some writing onto the photo, if you wish. I used Picnik.
: Get them developed (4x6 at Costco are 16 cents each).
: Buy a big bag of mini suckers (at Zellers).
: Make two slits on the photograph with your exacto knife (above and below the hand).
: Attach sucker - in through top hole, out through bottom hole.

Ta daaa! It really was that easy! ...and they are so cute. Now we're all ready for Valentine's Day!

LiLAH XOXO

[ the flickr set is here ]

some more lilah speaks

When I picked her up from her last day of kindercare before Christmas, she said to me: "I told my friends I have to go to Ireland, because my cousins are waiting for me. I really do, it's REALLY true!"

"I love you so much Mom. It makes me want to kiss you."

Overheard Lilah having this two way conversation with Piggy one day: "Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat. If you don't, I don't care, I'll pull down your underwear! - Wait? Is that being cheeky? Nooo Piggy, it's just a joke!"

Obviously trying to comprehend the whole Santa thing one day, she asked: "Does Santa die when he gets older?"

During snuggles one morning she had her feet on me, warming them! She said: "I have magic in my feet to give you love."

One day when we were out driving, she said to me: "When I was a baby in my Mama's belly, I dreamt about you. I dreamt you were coming to get me."

Walking around with a sheet over her head, pretending to be a ghost one day, she suddenly took the sheet off her head and asked: "Can ghosts not see?"

Counting her money one day:
me: "Wow Lilah, you have a lot of money! What would you like to buy with it?
lilah: "Well, I don't know... I was thinking that I could just give it to you."

"When I was born I fell in love with my blankie."

After accidently calling Baba 'Mama' one day, Baba jokingly said "What? Did you just call me Mama?" She replied: "Well, you guys kinda look alike!"

"Piggy's only 2 (years old) now, he turned back to the start! First he was 10 and now he's 2!"

"Pretend I'm a stealer... Oops, I mean robber!"

As she was hugging with me one night, she said: "The love of my heart is yours."

And last but not least, the million dollar question! After hearing the Baby Jesus story at Christmastime, she asked: "How does a baby get in your belly?"

a month-in-photos : january

I really miss Project 365 (taking a picture every single day for one year!). What I miss most is glancing at the mosiacs (I used to make) of each month's pictures and being able to see and remember everything we did that particular month.

Project 365 was fun, very fun, but I don't want to force myself into taking pictures every single day. Recently I saw a month-in-photos on Rebecca's 'simple as that' blog and decided to do something quite similiar. I love Rebecca's blog, she is so creative and artsy and she makes things looks easy enough that I think to myself, "I could do that!". Generally I 'think' more than I actually 'do', but it's the thought that counts, right?!

So basically I took my favourite pictures from January and put them into a mosiac that looks like this...

Yep, it really is as simple as that!

[ the 'a month-in-photos' flickr set is here ]

a new sleigh

We got some crazy weather yesterday, first it was raining, then it moved on to ice rain and finally snow.... that's why Lilah is wearing her rain boots and rain suit in these pictures. It was very mild and she had fleece lined clothing underneath, so she wasn't in the least bit cold! We're having a pretty bizarre winter this year.

Anyway, I picked up this new little sleigh for Lilah last week. I figured she needed something a bit smaller for the little snow hill at the front of our house. This girl LOVES the snow, she loves absolutely everything about it. And this sleigh is fast, oh my, once she got the hang of how to work it, did she ever have fun!

I see many more winter days filled with fun and laughter on this little sleigh!

[ the flickr set is here ]

gung hay fat choy!

Lilah absolutely loved going around and saying "Gung Hay Fat Choy!" to everyone today.

This morning I went into her kindergarten class and taught the children some facts about Chinese New Year. I read a book, brought in props (including the 5ft inflatable dragon - they were SO taken with the dragon!), we did a craft, made happy new year (of the dragon) cards and had several work station activities on the go, including the use of chopsticks and also making a large dragon mural out of the children's (painted red!) handprints. Lilah had packaged red envelopes for everyone in her class to take home and she wished them all "Gung Hay Fat Choy!", of course!

It was a wonderful morning and I was rather exhausted when the 2.5 hours was up! (I have SO MUCH respect for teachers)

I can't believe the difference in Lilah this year, her understanding for this New Year tradition and the fact that it is Chinese, is much much deeper than before. She seemed to have this unspoken pride that it was a tradition from her country. She was also SUPER excited to receive three red envelopes this year, one from the owner of the Chinese restaurant we went to on Sunday for lunch, one from our neighbours daughter and of course, one from us!

Wishing you a wonderful new year, on this, the first day of the year of the dragon!

Oh, and if you're interested in teaching your child a beautiful little Chinese New Year song, this is a wonderful link! Enjoy.