Keeping my cool...

It's a good thing this guy is so cute...

because I can't stay mad at him for too long.

But I am MAD.

So MAD.

It should be no surprise that we live in an older home.

We have gigantic hot water radiators that keep us cozy warm during our Canadian winters.

And because of all the shade and cross breezes we can get by with little air conditioning in the summer. I keep telling Kevin that we are so green because we don't have central air conditioning and being green is totally chic.

But it has been very HOT.

Last night we went for ice cream to cool off...

When we returned from the Purple Pony the cooler night air had permeated the house and it was lovely.

After watching my favourite show Friday Night Lights...

where Coach Taylor said he had to spend time "loving his wife"....

and Riggins went hunting AND pageant dress shopping...

and Crucifictorious made an appearance...

we went to bed.

I woke up boiling hot at 5 am...

and wondered how it got hotter overnight.

That is until I checked our thermostat and saw that it had been cranked...

and our radiators were boiling.

Courtland was the culprit and now I am desperately trying to cool the house off...

and my temper.

Perhaps a little thrifting might do the trick...

mwha

Fast food

During the week we make quick meals. 

I should say I make quick meals.

Kevin really doesn't do any weekday cooking...

but he did last Friday and I was so grateful.

He also buys me beautiful shoes...

but that is an entirely different post.

Our go to fast food is pasta...

and it usually involves defrosting the unbelievably delicious red sauce with meatballs that his mother has lovingly prepared and placed in our freezer...

but we are OUT. 

And if you are Italian...

or marry an Italian...

you become a bit of a red-sauce snob. 

So really we were prepared to wait for some of her delicious sauce...

or until I got around to making her delicious sauce.

But then Kevin stayed with four Italian men on business...

who demanded pasta EVERY night...

and learned this quick and fabulous recipe.

Thank you MEN.

Cube a slice of pancetta and mince a red onion.

Crisp up the pancetta. 

Remove the pancetta, add a bit of olive oil, and a clove of garlic.

Brown the garlic until soft and fragrant and then remove.

Add the red onion and while the onion is cooking, heat some strained tomatoes.

and slowly add them to the red onion.  (but not too slow...remember this is fast food)

While the sauce is simmering...cook your pasta.  We used a rigatoni.

Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce.

Add some fresh mozzarella that you have torn into pieces and some black pepper. 

Toss again.

The mozzarella will become all melty and yummy.

Serve...

and then go kiss your husband.  Because he just might make this again...

Family game night

Charlotte ran toward me when I arrived at the after-school program at 5 o'clock on Friday before our long holiday weekend...

"Family game night??" she asked.

I just wanted to get home. But I wanted this to be a nice weekend...

the weekend we celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday...

and summer seems close at hand.

"Oh...OK." and then I smiled down at her.  I hoped she thought it was sincere.

When we walked in the door at home...

we almost ran out.

There was a man in the kitchen...

and he was cooking.

But he made the most delicious, rustic pancetta and onion pasta with fresh mozzarella...

so we let him stay.  But he had to play Monopoly...

the game that never ENDS.

I wondered how long it would take for someone to get upset...

because someone ALWAYS does.

The first was Charlotte...

she ran upstairs when Kevin asked her to please be the sunglasses instead of the soccer ball that kept rolling off the table.

Her feelings were hurt and for some reason she was also extremely determined to BE the soccer ball.

Then Court was upset that we (him & I) weren't winning...

and he left the room.

So we kept playing...

and he eventually came back. 

I'll post Kevin's awesome pasta recipe this week...

mwha

Spring evening

It was one of those evenings where I race home from work, pick up the kids and see how fast I can get something in their little tummies before we're heading out the door again.

Kevin took Charlotte to Martial Arts while Court hung out...

and I made Kevin and I a quickie whatever I had leftover in the fridge pizza that I was able to serve al fresco...

when he and Charlotte returned.

The kids played outside...

and we dined...

and I sighed.

And the most wonderful thing arrived in the mail for me today...

my beautiful Eliwill necklace.

That was sent to me courtesy of the letter K...

for Kasey that is.

I was lucky enough to win one of her fabulous give-aways at her blog Lola B's...

and Kevin put it around my neck tonight and I suddenly felt pretty.

The necklace, and the beautiful package it came in...

smelling like France...

and filled with sweet touches...

was just so...

kind.

Thank you Kasey.

Friday night...

It is the end of a looooong week...

where I feel like I've done a lot...

but accomplished  little.

But I also looked at Kevin and told him I don't think I've ever been happier.

Court told me last night as I nuzzled him into bed that I was the mommy he wanted....

that I sometimes went to bed without putting on pyjamas...

and left his room to sleep with daddy...

and I made him chocolate chip cookies and banana bread...

and cheered him up lots of times.

And he has also slept...

all night long...

for three whole nights.

Now it is time for Friday Night...

LIGHTS.

If you don't watch it...

you should. And I didn't for a while...because I thought it was about football.

But if I told you it wasn't about football...

would you watch it??

I would kind of be lying...

but not.

It is THAT good. But for some reason people don't watch it...

they are too busy watching Tori & Dean.

When they could be watching the way he...

looks at his wife...

or when he...

well...

he can do whatever he wants.

Putting it all together

Ummm....would anyone like to see a picture of Court swinging at the park on Mother's Day???

Ya...me too.

But all my shots look like THIS...

I just feel like I can't get it all t o g e t h e r.

But I will.     Soon.

I think I just need one night's sleep where my four year old doesn't cry out or crawl into bed with me. I'm hoping tonight's the night I get lucky..

and so will one of the lovely ladies who commented on my giveaway.

I wish I could pick ALL of you...

and hand deliver my package...

and stay for coffee...

or tea...

or wine...

of course that would be up to you.

But I can't soooo...

the randomly chosen winner of the little things is...

Londen @ Sixty-Fifth Avenue!

Londen please email me your address and I'll get these little things to you.

mwha

Peter Pan

Charlotte peppered me with questions last night as I washed the last of the dinner dishes...

"Do you think I'll ever have a boyfriend?"

"Do you think he'll dump me?"

yikes.

Where has my little one gone?

I had to remind myself that just days ago we had the pleasure of seeing Peter Pan at Stratford thanks to my dear Mom.  A play about a boy who never grows up.

A lovely afternoon...

just the girls.

And of course I LOVED it...

because I love all period pieces...

where the actors talk with English accents...

and the girls wear corsets...

and the boys top-hats.

But also because it was AMAZING.

And when J. M. Barrie shouted out...

"Do you believe in Fairies?"

Charlotte didn't hesitate to shout back...

"YES!"

And when the cast of characters waved good bye on the big Pirate Ship...

my dear Charlotte waved back.

~

I've been making progress on the bedroom and the dressing room...

and the Giveaway!


I'll be back soon...