Monday, February 28, 2011

The Perfect Snow Day

 
 A morning filled with freezing rain, a heavy snowfall and school buses being cancelled.



Rosy cheeks.



Building a Snowman for the first time.



Hot Chocolate.



Tasting hot chocolate for the first time.



Chugging hot chocolate after the first taste!


Makes for the perfect snow day with my little boy.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

A relaxing late afternoon (& Doggy Daycare)

Monday's and Wednesday's are my crazy days - at the centre for 7:15am with non stop programming until 3:30pm - and then leave to go and pick up the dog, followed by picking up Ewan and then home to face making dinner - they are long days!
But the last few day's have been a little easier and have just felt like Spring to me - it has been so bright - not exactly warm though - and light out when I leave in the morning and still bright while I am making dinner. And today was an even nicer surprise - Alan left work early at 4pm and picked up Ewan so I could get home earlier, make dinner and go to a yoga class.

So today, I enjoyed making a cuban chicken dinner - (another new recipe and it was delicious!) in a bright, sunny kitchen. 



  With my dog fast asleep. 



            And Ewan and Alan happily reading books while dinner was being prepared.




I also have to highlight that if you want your crazy, hyper dog to look like mine above - you absolutely must try out Dexter's Den Doggy Daycare located on Fallowfield, in between Greenbank and Woodroffe, even just one day a week - it will truly change your life. Sidekick usually goes on Wednesday's for a full day and absolutely loves it! He knows the minute I take the leash out at 7am that he is going to visit his buddies. He practically sprints from the car to the front door of Dexter's Den and jumps all over Paul (the owner). And then when I pick him up I am always given a run down of his day by Adrienne. Once home, he gets into his bed and more or less doesn't leave until Friday evening!!! Having a few days of calmness in the house is amazing. Visit the website at http://www.dextersden.ca/ for more information.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Kindness Week

I came across this in another blog and thought it would be a great opportunity to share with everyone. This week is 'Kindness Week' in Ottawa. The idea is to perform random acts of kindness to those around you. Now, this does not really include the daily things you do for your family - making lunches, spending time with your kids etc. This week is to really think about things that you can do for friends, employees, or even complete strangers. As simple as holding a door open or complimenting someone can really turn another's day around. Or as generous as making a donation of food or toys or even buying a coffee for the person in line behind you. Just taking a moment out of our busy lives to think about those around you can really impact another's life and, in turn, hopefully they will pass on the gesture. I would love to hear more ideas on simple acts that can be done. Good luck!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Valentines Day Hijacking

Alan here - Lindsay's husband. I've commandeered this blog for Valentine's Day. When she finds out what I have done, my wife will be gloriously upset and probably more so to learn that I have changed her password to ensure the publication of this important message...

Lindsay is my Valentine. So, hands off little preschool boys with teacher infatuations. There is no one I love, cherish and respect more than her and (unless Rachel McAdams sends me a friend request that I can not ignore) this is certain never to change.

As a business owner, there is no one who works harder. She spends every evening planning how to make every person happier every day for having visited A Gym Tale. She loves her job. She loves her students. She loves the challenges.

As a mom, she is everything you would want in the principle influence on a child. She is firm and tender; expecting and kind. I have no concerns about the future of Mr. Ewan Xavier Braveheart Wyllie, knowing that Lindsay is with him every step of the way. He is destined for great things and behind every great man is a great mom.

As a wife, she is loving, supportive, and patient. She would have to be. I get lots of "great ideas" and I obsess over them until I can find a way to make them a reality and then I tire of them and leave Lindsay with the upkeep. Like A Gym Tale, for example - my pet project which I swore would have nothing to do with her. So long as she helped me get it started, I would hire my own teachers and she could wipe her hands of it. How different life would have been had Lindsay pursue her own dreams instead of mine...

My wife is the greatest person I know. I am proud of her and I love her.

I love that she works so hard. I love that she is so great with children and even better with our own. I love that she puts up with me (I am funny, but I often tend to be the only person that thinks so, and she has to deal with me amusing myself every day). I love that she relaxes with me (when possible) while drinking coffee and watching TV shows that she hates. I love that she makes me a new dinner every night knowing that I don't like anything but meat and potatoes. I love that she finds a new hobby every other month that she pours her soul into until something else comes along. I love that she enjoys any book that comes in a pastel cover and any movie that stars Hugh Grant or that runs shorter than 90 minutes. I love that she will find any excuse to stay in pyjamas as long as possible. I love that she needs a dozen Lulu Lemon outfits for 3 days of play classes. I love that she only works so hard to stay active to compensate for an inhuman fetish for chocolate. I love that she makes me a better me. I love that she has shared half of my life with me and still finds ways to for me to look foward to the rest of it.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

I have Finally Finished:)

Finally, 9 months after Ewan's first birthday I have finished his '1 year baby scrapbook'!!! It has taken me so long to actually sit down and sort and print and create a keepsake that I will one day be able to give to Ewan. My plan is to create a 1-year album for each of my children - I don't think I could actually commit to  doing more than that - maybe I will add extra pages to their books for birthday's or special events - but no promises! I really do love scrap booking and being able to display the big events and all the little day to day memories, but I very much find it overwhelming to stay on top of it! Are there any other scrappers out there? Or do you have a different way to preserve your memories? Either way, how do you keep on top of it? I would like to continue with a family album - but already I have to play catch up from June - 3 trips, and all of the holidays in between!

I am entertaining the idea of holding a once a month scrapbook night at A Gym Tale. This would make me put in a couple hours a month to help keep up to date and I would love to get new ideas techniques from others as well. Would there be any interest in joining me? (Sorry, no children invited to this event - just a mommy night out scrap booking and drinking coffee!)

Friday, February 4, 2011

Getting Ready in the Morning...

Does this video make you think Ewan may be spending a little too much time with me? This is normal for all little boys, right?!