Finally! A Custom Domain!

Back in May or June I purchased a domain name, but then couldn't figure out how to activate it.  I was so frustrated that I just considered the money lost and gave up.  Today I found the book How to Move from Blogger to Wordpress via SITS, complete with a free sample section.  That sample section included detailed step-by-step-with-screenshots instructions on how to use a godaddy domain name for a blogger hosted blog!  My heart was beating like crazy in fear of messing up my blog again as I followed the instructions.  Turns out I only did one tiny little thing wrong that first time.  But all went well and now you can

Please update your links/blogroll/etc.  (But even if you don't, the old address will still work...let me know if it doesn't)

Little House in Leduc

 Before I get to the awful and blurry picture of the cute Little House, I thought I'd start with some pretty pictures.  Faux Instagram, using the 1960's edit in Picasa.  Above: First veggie harvest of the year.  I'll probably get one more zucchini, and a bunch more tomatoes (sorry, spell-check doesn't know how to spell zucchini...neither do I).  Do you have any favourite zucchini recipes?  Below: Ingredients for milk paint.  I've got it curdling on the counter right now!

And look what arrived the other day.  My dress from Modcloth!  It was in the cutest little box.  Even the inside is printed with a cute mushroom-polka-dot pattern.  I'll wear the dress this weekend sometime, and will be sure to take pictures.

I have Juli already practicing to be my photographer!

Jeans: American Eagle (I really really need to learn how to shop for jeans!)
Ruffle top: Walmart
Vintage Cameo (that you can't really see in this picture): Antique show
Hair Flower: H&M, picked out by Juliana...technically it belongs to her.
Shoes: leather wedge sandals from Aldo.
Glasses: Nicole Miller from Clearly Contacts
Wedding rings: Spence Diamonds
Fence: built by my dear husband
Did I miss anything in the picture?

Ok.  Now about the Little House in Leduc.  Yesterday we went to visit my mom who is currently temporarily residing in the Leduc Hospital due to another fall.  On the way there, we spotted a farmers' market.  After a nice little visit with Mom, we made sure to stop there.  We parked a block or two away from the market, across the street from this adorable little house that was getting a makeover.  When we arrived a man was up in a cherry-picker painting the teal trim.  I love how modern yet classic the teal, cream and red looks on this little house.  Especially with the new stonework on the foundation.  When we got back from the farmers' market (at which Juli decided she wants to play Ringette and we didn't buy anything because I forgot I had no cash) he was gone, so I snapped this quick and blurry cell phone picture.

Pretty White Dishes

I hate my dishes.  They're matte grey stoneware from Ikea.  They're man dishes.  We also have a set of 4-colour rainbow dishes from Walmart because even Kevin started to hate the grey.  Now I think he's indifferent, but I'm on a mission for change!  I want white!  Preferably white ironstone like my little thrift-store pitcher.  So I'm not just going to pick up a box of Corelle from Walmart to satisfy my white dish craving.  I grew up with white Corelle.

But I don't know where to even start looking.  Superstore has plain white dishes for $1.00 each that would be suitable.  However, I don't want to just snap up the first cheap option I find.  They'll be chipped in a week!

I can't afford anything fancy (like Sophie Conran...I've been wanting it for years).  Should I collect mis-matched white pieces from thrift/antique stores?

We also need new glasses.  The ones we got for our wedding are cloudy and drive me crazy.  Any suggestions?

Wordless Wednesday - Rocking My Bangs

sea salt spray + natural bed head + a few flat-iron curls

Linked to: Angry Julie, 5 Minutes for Mom, Wordless Wednesday

Anna and Chrissy's Fairmont Corn Salad

We spent all last week in the mountains, at Fairmont Hot Springs.  A lot of Kevin's family was there too, and we stayed in a rented house and a rented condo.  One night at supper we had way too much corn on the cob left over, so Kevin's aunts concocted a delicious corn salad.  I recreated it yesterday for a potluck BBQ for Hope (at which my daughter got her first ever wasp sting).

Anna and Chrissy's Fairmont Corn Salad

• 1kg pkg frozen corn, cooked and cooled (or left over corn on the cob...I have no idea how much you'd need)
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 2 ripe avocados, diced
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 3 (or so) green onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• chopped fresh basil
• salt
• pepper

Our family at Fairmont - Photo by Kevin's Aunt Minnie

Hair and Bangs

I just did something that I swore to myself that I would never ever do again.  I cut my own bangs.  On Sunday when I was getting ready for church, I styled my hair, threw on a black dress, looked in the mirror and thought, "I look old!"  So I put on a feathered headband to add quirkiness, and an aqua cardigan to add some colour, and left it at that.  Today I googled "how to give yourself bangs" and came up with a few tutorials and videos.  I followed the directions in one video, and so far I like the results.  Bangs add instant youthfulness.  And since they're long they don't make me look juvenile.  I think I may end up trimming them a little shorter and shaggier.  I can't wait to play with my hair a little more now!

DIY Beach Hair - Sea Salt Spray

I have been blessed (cursed?) with fine hair.  I have an average amount of it, but it's so fine that sometimes if I'm not careful when I pull it back I can look like I have bald spots.  My sisters were merciless when that happened.  My hair is also mostly straight.  If I blow dry it even a little, it's very straight.  If I let it air dry, it has a tiny bit of a wave...enough to make it look rumpled, but not in a sexy-beach-babe way.

My friend told me that she had seen a recipe for a sea salt spray that is supposed to give the casual beachy look I'm going for.  So I thought I'd give it a try!  My google search landed me on this recipe.  I mixed up a batch right before leaving for a week-long family vacation in the mountains.  What better place to try out a 5-second hair style than in a casual place like that?

Here is the result of my first try, the day before we hit the road.

I think it gives my hair a little extra bounce and makes the air-dry waves look a little more on-purpose.  But I'll have to play around with the recipe a little and see what happens.  I suspect I'll really like it when my hair is a bit longer.  It's at that awkward length right now...too long to be called short, but too short to do any of the long hair styles...  Of course time will cure that problem.  By the way, what would you call my hair colour?  This is the summer shade, all natural.  Not blonde, but not really brown either.  Goes along with my eyes, which are not blue, not green, yet not quite grey.

My Happy Place

Cool breeze. The sound of rain.  Hot Red Rose Tea.  Enthralling book.  That's my favourite way to spend an evening.  For the three years we've lived in this house, I've never had a spot that felt like mine.  This one isn't perfect, of course (I'd pick a comfy wing back chair instead of the recliner), but when I push the chair right up to the wide-open window, I feel that peace and at-home-ness I've been looking for.

I've even almost stopped being self-conscious when the neighbours walk by.  I shouldn't be!  It's less awkward to be caught staring out a window than to be caught staring into one!  This past week or two has had the added pleasure of the blooming Asiatic lily's perfume drifting in when the breeze is just right.  I'd love to hear what your favourite spot is.  Have you blogged about it?  If so, leave the link in the comments!  If not, tell me all about it!

A Dreamy Dress

As I've mentioned, I love ModCloth.  I'm also a fan of Modcloth on Facebook.  So occasionally I'll get "thanks for liking us!" ads in my sidebar.  In one of those I saw this dress, called the Birthday Magic Dress.  Oh my word, it's such a dreamy dress!  Wouldn't it look amazing with my boots?

My only problem is that the top doesn't look like it's designed for curvy-on-top girls like me.  And of course I don't have anywhere to wear a dress like this.  But I still think it's gorgeous.

A Baby No Longer

My baby boy turns three today.  I'm not sure what to think about that.  Nick is a dreamer like his mama and an athlete like his daddy.  He puts on a rubber bracelet, which he calls his "super powers" and then wants to go running with daddy.  Because with his super powers he can run fast enough, right?  He's normally a very loud boy, but he'll sit in the car staring out the window for a very long time just daydreaming like I do.  I wonder what he thinks about.  I love watching his personality unfold.  Happy Birthday Nick-nack.  I love you.  

Another Dream House

Ok, so I've posted about my dream house on the east coast.  But I doubt we'll ever leave.  I'd love to have an acreage, but I married an accountant who would rather spend time with his family than commuting so we need to stick closer to down town.  I've window shopped for houses everywhere BUT here!  So I decided to take a look at my favourite down-town-ish neighbourhood.  To my surprise, I found a gem! (of course, it's a gem way out of our price range).  Take a look:

This 1926 house even has a big yard (complete with a cruiser bike), which is hard to find in this neighbourhood!  And I love that front porch.  Just lighten up the paint colours, and it would be just about perfect!  All pictures are from the realtor's website.

Mountains

Edited to add: This picture with this verse is my response to the inner urge to write a post about envy and the anger I sometimes feel toward my dad for not being what he should have been (through brain injury).  I can't dwell on the past; instead I must focus on the beautiful life I now have and the possibilities for the future.

Mauve Dahlias

I went to St. Albert's Botanic Park on Monday with my Nanny and my kids.  We had planned to go to the nearby splash park, but the day was too cloudy and chilly.  We toured a couple of the beautiful gardens and the members-only area before being driven back inside by the swarms of mosquitoes.  I bought some Asiatic lilies on sale, as well as these adorable mauve dahlia earrings from the gift shop.

I love the colour.  It's subtle, feminine, and perfectly complements the colours in the scarf I got for my birthday.

Sunshine and Music: Edmonton Folk Music Festival 2012

On Saturday we went to the Folk Fest here in town.  It was our third year attending, and always a lot of fun. I think it's becoming our annual date.  We left the kids with family and had a great day and night off.  My favourite artists were Royal Wood and Lindi Ortega.  There were a few others I liked too, but I didn't really pay attention to names sometimes.

The festival is held on a ski hill with a great view of down town (including the building I used to work in!)

I loved keeping my eye on the fashion of festival-goers.  So many cute summer dresses!  I particularly loved the outfit this blonde girl was wearing: turquoise-flowered dress, turquoise chandelier earrings, and turquoise retro sunglasses, with red lipstick.

As for myself, I wore jeans and a tank top, with $1 Old Navy flip-flops.  The jeans were just a little warm during the day, but by the time the sun set, I was grateful for them.  It was cold!