HAPPY HALLOWEEN

BAAAAAAAH

I caved in Winners tonight and bought Euan this adorable Halloween outfit. This is the cutest sheep I've ever seen and living in the UK I saw many.

Tonight is hot tub and pumpkin carving night.

Happy Halloween Eve! xoxo

DON'T SCARE ME!

HOME SWEET HOME

Home sweet home after an amazing birthday week in Nova Scotia.

We spent a few nights in the US to take advantage of the good shopping and were very happy that my friend Heather suggested we stop in some of the little outlet towns.  I quickly found the baby stores. I can see myself spending a lot of time at them in the next few years- Euan made out like a bandit (Gymboree, Oshkosh & Carter's to name a few).

Freeport is lovely. It's quaint and the LL Bean capital of Maine. LL Bean was hosting a pumpkin festival this weekend and at last count before our departure they had 8000 pumpkins carved.  It was a pretty cool to see them line the streets.

We drove through Maine, New Hampshire and stopped in Vermont for the night before heading across the border to Cornwall. We arrived back yesterday afternoon, just in time to do cheap Sunday laundry.

Euan is a great traveler but is happy to be back in his own bed and playing in his favourite toy-his Exersaucer. 

Today I laid down some roots- made my first commitment to Ottawa; I signed Euan up for the winter session of Waterbabies. It starts in January, so once we come back from a month long December vacation, I will resign myself to living in the great city of Ottawa, aka The North Pole. ;)

Steve picked up our pumpkin and Halloween treats today. I can't wait to welcome all our neighborhood trick or treaters for the first time. I unfroze the turkey yesterday and the Turkey soup is boiling on the stove ready for tonight's supper, thanks for the recipe Mum!

I love October!! xoxo

DON'T LET

POOH STICKS

Our week at the cottage has been peaceful and healing, the cottage is cozy and warm. We have been blessed with sunshine and the colors are exploding around us, every day we loose a little more.

We have had a few friends come visit and enjoyed hikes along the trails and games of pooh sticks. ;)

Spend a week in cottage country- you really don't want to go home.

COTTAGE

“I am excessively fond of a cottage; there is always so much comfort, so much elegance about them. And I protest, if I had any money to spare, I should buy a little land and build one myself, within a short distance of London, where I might drive myself down at any time, and collect a few friends about me and be happy. I advise everybody who is going to build, to build a cottage.” -Jane Austen 

THANK YOU

What a whirlwind birthday weekend, and it's still going on just outside of the city in a perfect little cottage, just Euster, Steve and I.

 As I mentioned on Friday, I spent the weekend with some of my favourite people, doing some of my favourite things- it was perfect! I was spoiled. We ate lots of  good food, visited friends, I went shopping with L and had our traditional Starbucks date.

A huge thanks to our host this weekend, The Stanford's. They took care of Euan so that Steve and I were able to have a date night at Neptune Theatre and L took us to Shubie Park for a family photo shoot. L (aka my guest blogger) just keeps surprising me with all of her warmth and talent - Thank you L and family- big love!

We met up with another awesome couple and had Sunday brunch at jane's on the common before heading out to the cottage. The weekend was bliss.

 Euan made me the most amazing Birthday card.

I received a few really amazing presents, some of them I'll be sharing with you this week. My honey bought me something I've been coveting for quite some time it came in this little blue box.

What did we do to end a perfect weekend? Well, ate cake and watched the stars fall from the sky, of course.

Thank you!!!!! xoxo

HAPPY WEEKEND

After a very long drive from Ottawa and a little detour, we are in Nova Scotia. Yay!!

 I'll be spending the weekend doing fabulous Birthday things with the special people in my life. We leave for the cottage on Sunday, what a perfect place to see this.... Look what the Universe is giving me for my birthday this year- The 2012 Orionid meteor shower will peak this weekend! Look for the greatest numbers of meteors to streak the sky in the dark hours before dawn on Saturday, October 20, and Sunday, October 21, with forecasters giving the nod to Sunday. 

I'm so happy to be here- if only we could stay forever.

Have a great weekend! xoxo

I LEFT MY HEART IN NOVA SCOTIA

But I'm going to get it back.We leave for Halifax in the morning.

I can't wait to spend my birthday week in my favourite city, visiting some of the best places and people I know.

Steve and I rented a cottage for part of the week. I am looking forward to quiet fall walks and chilly nights snuggled up by the fire.

Oh Halifax, I've missed you so much, I can't wait to see you again!

LOVELY ADVICE

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND

 This was my favourite path in Bristol. Connor, Steve and I walked/scootered/biked down here many times to go to the Bristol Zoo, Clifton Downs or just a weekend walk.

 I have a picture of these beautiful trees in every season.

Maybe this weekend we will find a  favourite local path in Ottawa and take some beautiful Fall pictures.

My bike is out of the box and ready to go. I know I want to take advantage of that.

Have a great weekend! xoxo

OH SPAGHETTI SQUASH HOW I MISSED YOU

I've been away from my favourite squash for three years and although I'm not sure my next statement is 100 percent truthful I'm going to say it anyway-  England does not have Spaghetti Squash. 

I looked high and low in pretty much every grocery store England has, and there are many.

I've bothered the produce department numerous times and if you can believe it, been stalked by a woman eavesdropping on my conversation with the produce guy then followed me around the store working up the courage to ask me all about this lovely winter squash that makes spaghetti like strands.

Some recipes tell you to cut the squash and put the two pieces in a dish of water to bake. Last week while in Guelph I learned the most wonderful thing about slicing  squash. Steve's Mom took a sharp knife and put a few inserts in it then tossed it into the microwave for three minutes making it soft and easy to cut through- genius! This little tip has made my life a lot easier and I love that it's back in our monthly rotation of great meals. 

According to Wikipedia these babies are pretty easy to grow. I'll let you know by next year if this is true. Here are a few Spaghetti Squash facts...

Spaghetti Squash-  is an oblong seed-bearing variety of winter squash. The fruit can range either from ivory to yellow or orange in color. The orange varieties have a higher carotene content. Its center contains many large seeds. Its flesh is bright yellow or orange. When raw, the flesh is solid and similar to other raw squash; when cooked, the flesh falls away from the fruit in ribbons or strands like spaghetti.

Preparation

Spaghetti squash can be baked, boiled, steamed, or microwaved.^[1] It can be served with or without sauce, as a substitute for pasta. The seeds can be roasted, similar to pumpkin seeds.^[1]

[edit]Nutrition

Spaghetti squash contains many nutrients, including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene. It is low in calories, averaging 42 calories per 1-cup (155 grams) serving.^[2]

[edit]Cultivation

Spaghetti squash are relatively easy to grow, thriving in gardens or in containers.^[3]

The plants are monoecious, with male and female flowers on the same plant.^[4] Male flowers have long, thin stems that extend upwards from the vine. Female flowers are shorter, with a small round growth underneath the petals. This round growth turns into the squash if the flower is successfully pollinated.

Spaghetti squash plants may cross-pollinate with zucchini plants.

LIVE BIG

Today is a perfect day to live BIG ( I dare you. ) 

SOMEDAY

I've been home for a few days and it feels really good. Euan slid right back into a schedule. He was so excited to see his toys, I love seeing the smile on his face when he comes across one of his favourites.

My first reaction was to cancel our East Coast holiday until Steve and I talked it through. Come January, we will have a lot of time to set up the house and have routine in our lives so why not enjoy the opportunities while we have the chance to.

Someday is now. xoxo

YOUR MISSION

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend

Deerhurst bound with the Johnson's, Whitfield's & Gillespie's!! Wishing everyone a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving! Xo

BYE BYE GUELPH

What a lovely week in Guelph we've had!

Today we are leaving Guelph and going to Barrie to visit Steve's Nana, then heading down to Deerhurst to meet the entire family for Thanksgiving long-weekend.

 We took Euan to the park yesterday and he went on the baby swing and slides for the first time. Adorable laughs and giggles exploded from him; it was a great moment of motherhood.

Euan loves the outdoors, watching the wind blow through the trees and the leaves fall to the ground. We walked all around my Husband's old neighborhood and along the Speed River pointing out the character homes we would, one day, love to own. Steve showed me his old school although now it's been rebuilt and turned into an immersion school. He showed me the snake pit and told me about the girls he had his first crush on- they were blonde too! ;)

The colours in Guelph are beautiful, check it out~!

ST. JACOBS- ONTARIO

While Steve's mom Lynn was having her monthly birthday luncheon with friends. Steve, Euan and I took a  fall drive out to St. Jacobs yesterday.

The area is home to Canada's largest year round Farmers Market. After visiting the Old Mill quilting shop and gallery, I'm inspired to do some quilting this winter.

I was particularly excited about having a boo around  Market Road Antiques. The prices definitely made me want to return to England and splurge on some antiques.

A Pinch, A Punch, It's the First of the Month.

Once again we are here, my favourite month of the entire year! 

After a lovely visit in Toronto over the weekend we are now in Guelph visiting Grammy Lynn and Great Grammy Chris. I can't wait to go get some corn at Strom's and take Euan to their pumpkin patch. They may even have a corn maze. 

It's also my birthday month ;) ... 

TORONTO VISIT

 We had such a fab visit in Toronto this weekend with Steve's sisters and their husbands. We spent some great days on Toronto's Humber River Trail.

 Around Thanksgiving, Atlantic Salmon which live in Lake Ontario run up river to spawn, but unlike Pacific Salmon the task is not so fateful.  The Atlantic Salmon survive spawning and will return to the lake. 

 Watching the salmon try to launch themselves out of the water aiming for the top of the wiers and then fight not to be washed back down is pretty exciting. These fish really have some impressive willpower & strength.  Tegan & Greg are pretty blessed to live so close to a great park.   

G&T

Uncle Piers and Euan monkeying around!

Steve is growing a nice parental leave beard!