If I was a millionaire...

If I was a millionaire I would definitely hire my own hair dresser and a photographer to follow my family and I around.  Now, don't misunderstand me...I know this may sound shallow or self-centered, but that's not why.  The hair dresser is because I've always had difficult to manage hair (although the managing has gotten better as I get older! The one good thing about aging!) and because I always feel great when my hair is styled. The photographer is because I have a bad memory and photos help me remember the wonderful moments I have had throughout the years and I want to be able to remember and feel every moment I am spending with my family.  Of course I can take my own photos but they are not nearly as good, plus I want to be part of the memories and not photographing them.

About three weeks ago we were fortunate enough to go strawberry picking with a dear friend of mine and her husband who is a professional photographer.  It was 9:30 in the morning but the sun was hitting really hard so we didn't get any photos of our youngest (he was wrapped in a blanket to cover him from the sun). Regardless the pictures turned out great and I'm so happy they came with us because otherwise with two kids and no place to put a stroller we really wouldn't have had the ability to take pictures other than maybe on our phones.

One day maybe I will have my own photographer (a girl can dream) but in the meantime I will keep asking Eduardo to join us.  Click here to check out Eduardo's website.  Photo sessions always make a great gift for any special occasion or special moments!!

Here are some of Eduardo's "Lifestyle" photos featured on "Life and Baby":

Via Life and Baby

Via Life and Baby

Isn't Stella adorable!!!

Honest Products - Jessica Alba

To be honest (no pun intended) I had never been a person who worries about ingredients in a product. When it came to food I generally ate a balanced diet (and still do) and when it came to the products I use I tried to be as diligent as I could be about not purchasing products that are unhealthy or toxic.  This is mostly because I've always found it difficult to follow what is good for you and what is bad, one day milk is bad the other milk is good, one day the trend is flax seed, the next it is Greek yogurt.  Have you ever read Woman's World magazine or watched Dr. Oz? If so, do you find it hard to keep up with the different nutritional and health recommendations?  I certainly do.  That being said, after becoming a mother, I've tried to make more of an effort to lead a "non-toxic life", although I still find it challenging.

After a recent conversation with my husband and some friends about certain studies saying most sunscreen have toxic products in them I remembered an interview I saw on Ellen with Jessica Alba in which she spoke of her "Honest" products which are supposed to be natural, non-toxic, etc.  I went on her site and was surprised to see the variety of products.  The reviews are great, so we placed an order.  Unfortunately, they don't ship to Canada so we placed a large order to test many of products.   We received the packages yesterday and are looking forward to start using them.  Here are some of the products we purchased.  I will let you know as I use them what I think of each:

Shampoo & Body Wash

Via The Honest Co.

Sunscreen

Via The Honest Co.

Bubble Bath

Via The Honest Co.

 Bug Spray

Via The Honest Co.

Dish Soap

Via The Honest Co.

Dishwasher Pods

Via The Honest Co.

Bathroom Cleaner

Via The Honest Co.

Toilet Cleaner

Via The Honest Co.

Honest even offers some gift ideas:

Housewarming collection

Via The Honest Co.

New Baby Arrival Collection

Via The Honest Co.

Pampering Collection

Via The Honest Co.

Creating a space for a newborn in our master bedroom: Choosing a mini crib

We moved to a new house one month before our son was born. It was necessary to do so but definitely challenging and I would not recommend moving just before your due date to other mothers to be. Having said that now that #2 is on the way we've decided to hold off on moving to a larger home. We plan to have our sons share a bedroom but for the first few months the new baby will stay with us in our bedroom. Luckily we have a little bit of a "nook" in our master bedroom and so I've been working on plans to make this tiny space as cozy and as efficient as possible.

I was so glad to find the Babyletto Grayson mini crib at Fabbabygear. They have 2 locations in Ottawa and one in Toronto. They were the only Canadian online retailer I could find who sold this crib. They deliver for free within Canada (small surcharge for large furniture) which is amazing and they give you a 10% discount if you create a baby registry with them. We will be picking up our mini crib and mattress next week-end and I cannot wait to get it back here. The inspiration for our little "nursery nook" was built off this little grey crib. It also comes in white and espresso.

Babyletto Grayson mini crib via Fabbabygear.com

The smaller size allows us to have a real crib (as opposed to a Pack'n Play or a bassinet) in a tight space and it can easily be folded and put away when not in use or to take with us should we stay with family or friends. They claim it fits babies until the age of 18 months which would be great but we do have the full size crib in our sons room ready when this one gets too tight.

Babyletto Grayson mini crib via Fabbabygear.com

Our runner up was the Alma mini crib but it was slightly smaller (and so would not accommodate a growing infant as long) and was priced higher...The Alma mini cribs comes in the same neutral colours as well as bright lime green and orange!

Alma Mini Crib via PinkiBlue

Alma Mini Crib via PinkiBlue

Check out this article on Sabbespot's blog regarding this new trend of using any nook (even closets) to make a space for baby in very small abodes!

Inspiration for "nursery nooks" via Sabbespot

Will update with pics once we get the crib and nook put together!

DIY Teepee!

As I mentioned last week, I really wanted to get my son a play teepee this summer but found the options (here and here) a little expensive (especially so when you add the shipping and duties from the US!)...and so I thought I can sew, why not try! I found many tutorials online but as previously mentioned this is the one I followed.  I definitely tweaked a few things along the way but it was a good base to work from.

DIY Teepee tutorial via My Poppet

I got the striped fabric from IKEA, you can find it here in orange/white, blue/white, red/white and green/white stripe. I was pleasantly surprised as it really replicated the same look as the Land of the Nod one I wanted. I added up all the components I used to make this teepee and it added up to just under $50. I think that's a pretty good deal! Also, this is very easy to store as it retracts into itself when it's time to put it away.

Drum roll please! :) Here it is...apologies for the bad Iphone pic...

My son's new teepee!

Now I just need to make some kind of massive pillow to make it a little cozier in there and maybe a string of lights to add some whimsy! 

Massive cushion inspiration via BananaJ Creations

String of lights for a little whimsy! via Tumblr

If you have basic sewing skills and access to a sewing machine I definitely recommend giving it a try!!

Finally Figured It Out - The Gift for a Second Time Mom

People have asked me time and time again what I would like as a gift to congratulate me on the birth of my second son. After one child you pretty much have all that you need, especially when you have two of the same gender. But the other day when I was going up and down the stairs, carrying one child up and then the other and then back down each time I had to change a diaper, I realized it would be so much easier if had I had a diaper changing station in the basement and one on the main floor, in addition to the ones I have in their rooms, in order to avoid the up and down.  So now I am shopping for some nice and practical diaper caddies and think a diaper caddy would be an ideal gift for any mom and especially for a mom of multiples.

Here are a few I like.

Via Etsy

Via Etsy

Via Etsy

Via Toys R Us

If you plan on buying a gift for yourself, you can even make your own diaper caddy by purchasing a nice basket with a handle.

If you are planning on buying a diaper caddy as a gift, it would be nice to fill it with the essentials, like diapers, diaper rash cream, blankets, wipes, etc.

Via J.J. Cole Collections

Keep them busy!!

I thought I'd share two new activities I tried with my son over the week-end. I'm trying to find things we can do in the house when the weather's not so great or when we just need to cool down from being out in the sun. This week-end we tried creating our own ice/water world and paint in a Ziplock bag. The first was a great success and my son even requested it again the past few days..whereas the second was a big old FAIL. You win some, you lose some :).

Ice play photo via Pre-school play

Ice play photo via Pre-school play

Ziplock painting via Bargain Hoot

I just started following these blogs and I really like the Pre-school play one. It's full of great ideas.

Here are a couple pics of our experiment. I apologize for the poor photo quality...Momma's phone's been dropped one too many times. I'm hoping for a brand new Iphone5 in the coming weeks and will definitely have better photos then!

Water/Ice improvised play a success in our home!

Ziplock painting not very successful in our home :(

Ziplock painting not very successful in our home :(

It's amazing what can keep our little one's busy. Keep in mind my son will be 3 years old next month so these activities are definitely aimed at toddlers. I think he would have enjoyed the paint in Ziplock bag activity about a year ago but now that he's used to real painting he just could not understand why I would not let him open the Ziplock and let him paint with a paint brush :)...

For the water/ice play I did not have some of the items she had so I just used what we did have: Plastic frogs and turtles (today we added his small Megablocks plastic animals), rocks I had left over from a flower arrangement, fake boulders from his train set, ice cubes and a little food colouring in the water. Throw it all in a large pyrex and you're good to go! Icebergs, rock mountains and animals all come alive!

Guilty guilty guilty but busy busy busy!

So I'm feeling a little very guilty seeing as I have not been giving GiftLOVE any love this past while...The truth is I keep adding projects to my to do list while I'm barely chiseling at the existing mountain of "to do" items I want to do before the baby comes...I have completed a few and am part way through a few more...

I thought if I shared my intentions with the "cyber universe" I'd be more likely to hold myself accountable...so here goes, my short list (items I absolutely want to do before the baby comes from my long aka never ending to do list):

1) Build my son a teepee. Done. Will share pics of the final product this week. Check out inspiration here and here and here as well as the tutorial I followed here.

Teepee inspiration via 6th Street Design School

2) Find items for the new baby that will fit in the "nook" in our bedroom that he will be sharing with us for the first few months (before joining his big brother in a shared bedroom). Will share challenges of having a second baby in a 2 bedroom home (It's really a 3 bedroom but the hubby works out of the third as a home office full time)...the products that I am soooo glad I found (this compact crib especially!) and finally hopefully in the next month, photos of the finished nursery-nook.

Inspiration to create a nursery "nook" in our master bedroom via  These Moments of Mine

3) Redecorate my son's nursery to make him a special big boy's room before the baby comes...Again, will share all the fun (and practical) items I found to redecorate on a budget!

Fun accents to decorate my son's new big boy room via Gathered Nest Design on Etsy

4) Finally pick the paint colours and backsplash to refresh our kitchen and home this coming month. Have you ever looked for the perfect grey??? I've found that I'm not the only one feeling a little overwhelmed over what grey to use. Check out these helpful articles here, here and here.

Benjamin Moore Greys via Thrifty Decor Chick

5) I have many DIY's I'm currently working on.  I'm currently making my version of this, this and/or this, and this and hope to try to make this, this and one or two of these! Will update as I complete projects...These are all to decorate my son's rooms or our living space but can all be made to gift to a loved one!

Similar to a garland I'm currently working on sold on Etsy via Lullaby Mobiles

6) As for gift giving in the immediate future, I need to find a small gift for my brother and his wife's first wedding anniversary, a birthday gift for my godson's 3rd birthday, a housewarming gift for my brother-in-law and his wifey and something special for my father's upcoming birthday...Will share what I find...

1st wedding anniversary gift idea - Antique white heart throw embroidered with the couples names and wedding date  via Things Remembered

7) Last big item on the short list? My son's 3rd birthday...I think we will keep it small this year - like tiny small...I read somewhere that a nice rule to follow is to invite as many friend's as the child's age...I think we will do just that! He had a huge first birthday party (30+ people I think) and 8 kids for his second party...I think this will be the last year that we can get away with a very small group of friends (and considering I'll be 7+ months pregnant by then momma needs to keep things simple!  I will still do a theme of course (I can't help that!) and considering his new found obsession with dinosaurs...a dino party it will be! I'm thinking dino cupcakes in cones using these fondant molds or these which are ready to use to decorate, DIY dino tails & these cute "loot bags" but using dino books and lots of dino balloons of course!! Will definitely share once it all comes together!

DIY dino tail tutorial via Running with Scissors

Updates coming soon ;)!

Happy Belated Canada Day - A Gift for the Hostess

Happy Belated Birthday Canada! or as my son would say "Happy to you"

We had such a lovely day on Canada Day.  I just love how Canada's capital is filled with people on July 1st.  It is the only day we see so much activity in town and so much patriotism.  My favourite part - the flyby by Canada's Snowbirds.  Absolutely amazing!!

Via Forces

In the afternoon we attended an annual BBQ at a friend's house and I put together a hostess gift suitable for a BBQ with a Canada Day colour theme.  Thanks to Winners I got these items last minute and was able to put a nice package together.

Every hostess should have a beverage dispenser.  So fun, especially for outdoor gatherings.  So I got the hostess this beverage dispenser from Winners.

Amazon

I also got her this beverage.  The flavour sounded good (pomegranate blueberry lemonade) and I really liked the bottle as perhaps something that could be used after the beverage is done.  Plus it was red and perfect for the Canada Day theme.

Via Euro Bubblies

I stuffed the dispenser with red mesh and slid the bottle into it so that it holds.  I held the dispenser's lid with tape at its opening and secured with the bottle and then wrapped it all with cellophane.  It looked great.  I took an extra bottle of the beverage with me to the BBQ as one would be done fairly quickly.

Here is how it looked (not the greatest picture, I know...but my son misplaced by USB key that connects the camera to the computer so this is the only picture I have that I can upload for now).

Hostess Gift - Fruits & Passion - Big Sale

Scents fascinate me.  I can't believe how certain ones bring back memories.  They really have a way of transporting me in time for a short moment.  This is how I feel about the Cucina Coriander and Olive Tree Fruits and Passion kitchen products.  For some reason the scent each and every time I wash my hands, wash the dishes or use the cream, gives me a flash back of times I spent in my grandmother's kitchen.  I just love it!  These were good times and I love to relive them.

I received my first set of dish soap and hand soap as a hostess gift a few years back (thanks Anna!).  I have been addicted since and have bought them for others.  These products are now on sale so I am definitely going to stock up for myself and can think of a few upcoming hostess gifts I will purchase for.  A hostess can never have enough dish soap, hand soap or hand cream.

Via Fruits & Passion

Via Fruits & Passion

Via Fruits & Passion

Via Fruits & Passion

Via Fruits & Passion