Mad times

A new venture.

2011-10-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

Indeed we do.....

I have been missing blogging. I feel it made me stop and appreciate all the I had in my life, all that was around me. 

It made want to craft, take photo's, inspire and create things. 

It connected me to others all over the blog world.

I helped me write out emotions and things going on in my life.

It let me share my little world with my family far and near.

Mad Times we live in and then Little Yellow Basket were two blog journeys for me, very focused on family, my country life and my little craft business.

I want to start anew. With the opening of my own brick and mortar store called Wilde and Sparrow   in May. 2011 , I have started a new journey. Not only as a mother,  wife  and artist.... but let's throw in business owner of a ladies  modern  style boutique into the mix!

With   the start of the new store venture, I would like to start a new  venture  of blogging as a fashionable, still a Momma, crafty and  creative with  an edge.
This will be my new blog on this new venture:

The Wolf and the Wilde

The wild wolf edge, with fashion ahead of his time like none other of Oscar Wilde. 

I hope you would like to join me on this new journey!

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
― Oscar Wilde
xoxo Lexylou

Head on over to my new blog!

2011-01-08T11:13:00.000-08:00

I just put up a new post and this will be my last post on Mad Times.
So head on over and follow my pretty new blog- The Little Yellow Basket!
Ohhh, I also made new button's for your pleasure at LYB!
Over and peace out!
xoxo Lexylou

New Year's, new blog!

2011-01-03T15:07:00.001-08:00

Hello and Happy New year to you all!!!
I have decided to unveil this new year my new blog! It has been hard juggling two different blog's, so I am now moving on up and over to "The Little Yellow Basket - A handmade, heartfelt blog"
It will still have the Mad Times feel and all the craziness that fill's my house, plus all the pretty things I like to create as well! I am really trying to pursue a good blog flow and groove this year. So I am super excited to have it kick off with my new blog! So PLEASE head on over and FOLLOW ME!

xoxo Lexylou

A very lovely Christmas

2010-12-27T13:46:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas was lovely. We had my sister with her new boyfriend, my mommy and my adorable Grandma over for this years Christmas. Since we live a couple hours drive away from friends and family, we decided to have a little country Christmas at our new home. It was cozy, relaxing and full of love. The present's handmade, thrifted or traded at craft fairs I did with other crafters.We shared a delicious turkey dinner, good wine and played some games after full of laughter. The kiddies were very spoiled and I still can't get over how blessed these 3 little ones are.
Here is a little look into our country Christmas.....
Here is the brown paper packages put under the tree with care. I love wrapping present's. This year I found some old pattern paper and pretty fabric, paper dollies and pretty vintage cards to decorate the present's.

Santa came.....

London's loot

The book "Mouk" I have been looking for forever

We took a secret video of the kiddies coming down the stairs first thing in the morning and Roman says to Esme "Holy Moly Esme.... Santa ate all his cookies and milk, and HOLY MOLY Ez, look at the TOYS!"

Unwrapping stocking's with my Ama

London watching my Mom unload more present's

A sock pirate Octopus made by Aunty

Another pressie made by Aunty

The amazing castle found at a thrift store by my mom!

Playing games

"Oh look, I drew on the bottom of my feet"

I hope you enjoyed your holidays too, and you are looking forward to the New Year and a fresh start as much as I am.
xoxo Lexylou

A dottie craft

2010-12-21T10:27:00.001-08:00

I just love the blogger Dottie Angel. Her rambling, the craft's she does, the country/vintage surroundings, her picture's she takes.... I could go on and on, but please just go check her little place out!
She just posted a great how-to of decorating jar's in various cozies. I loved the look of them so I thought I would do my own version!

I went around the house collecting various jar's or sizes. Got all my left over doilies, some white yarn and a fat needle.

I decided to use white yarn instead of red, as then I can use it all year round! The key is to make it tight around the neck of the jar so it hold the shape nicely. Work your way down and them back up half way and fasten off with a pretty bow!

Put some tea light's in, cluster together and voila!

Beautiful glowing light's, perfect for a table centerpiece!

Here is a new picture of moi, I have gone back to the blonde.... What can I say?! They do have fun!

xoxo Lexylou

Deck the halls

2010-12-20T12:22:00.002-08:00

I have always loved decorating at Christmas. It brings out the Martha in me as I have said before.
Here is our new house decorated for the first country Christmas! And yes I have two tree's, one is fake and it is "my" tree for decorating (the white/silver and black ornament's) and the real tree (the big red and gold one) which the kid's decorate and can have free range. It is over 9 feet tall?! It is so special and amazing to me that I finally get my dream of having a beautiful old banister to decorate at Christmas, and.... a 9 ft. tree...

Here are some recent photo's of the munchkins!

xoxo Lexylou

Falling off the blog wagon...

2010-12-13T20:38:00.000-08:00

I having falling off the blog wagon, dropped the blogging ball, let down the blogging word, blah blah.
To tell you all the truth I have been busy. I am really concentrating on my little side business of making pretty hair accessories for women and little girl's, finishing up my website which I have painfully been designing myself. Christmas time is always my most busy with a bazillion craft fair's that I go to all over the place. I feel like I live out of a suitcase, and then when I am at home, I live in my craft room... But truth be told, I LOVE every minute. I have found a calling and I just love what I do! So let's hope that I can really make it happen into something more than just a side craft business?!
But I am FINALLY done all the fair's and such and I can now relax! Well not too much as I am now in 5 new shop's!! Yeah! So I want to keep them happy and keep the stock up in them.
My last fair, which was last night, was actually at my house. I decided to do a "studio" style open house fair with 4 other super talented local artisan's that I admire their work. They are all stay at home Mama's, all are so creative, all are very cool and we have decided to do a craft get together night once a month. A "stitch and bitch" so to speak a "craft and drink" a "get out of the house and away from the kiddies" night! I am very looking forward to all of the above.... Maybe we should do it twice a month?!

Christmas time is also my most favorite time of year, I start decorating the house as soon as Nov.25th rolls around and I crack out all the decoration's and go all Martha Stewart on the house for 3 days straight with no sleep (it's a sickness, by the the way, I can't seem to stop myself) Luckily my hubby love's Christmas just as much, I would just die, really I would, if I was married to a scrooge or a Christmas Grinch!!
I am just loading up all the pictures I took of the house and of the Open house that I will put up in the next couple of days.
Also I have been missing soooooo much from all my favorite blogging friends, they are doing some many fun and exciting things.
-some are pregnant -some moved into a new house -other's got Hunter Wellies!!! YOU KNOW WHAT????

SO DID I!

After a good year of pulling a Wayne Campbell and saying "They will be mine, oh yes, they will be mine" They are MINE!

They are a beautiful grey-ish dark blue, and good golly do they ever make me happy!I had them right beside my bed the first week so when I woke up I saw them first thing in the morning and it is just pure love.... I am creating every outfit I will wear around them, "Would this look good with my Hunter's?"
"Oh, if I bought this it would look amazing with my Wellies"
What can I say?! Lauren would know what I am talking about! Really I know spending $150 on gumboot's must seem silly to some, but I am now a believer that you can not put a price on happiness. And do they ever make me happy...
I promise to be a better blogging blogger... I do miss it and I think of fun blog post I want to put up all the time, this is my solemn swear, I, Alexis aka Lexylou will blog at least once a week, that is my New year's resolution!

Well I have one last thought...
I have this blog, Mad Times, that is more my personal one, and my shop blog, Little Yellow Basket. I know a lot of people that have a business and just have one blog, not two. And look at me, I have a hard enough time for one!!?? So here is my question to you wise reader's...
Should I axe one and merge to the other?
Which one should I axe?
Would you prefer a shop that had a personal type blog, are just strictly business?
Thank-you for your input!
I hope you are all having a wonderful season so far! I look forward to reading all about it!
.

xoxo Lexylou

Decorating weekend

2010-10-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

I have FINALLY put pictures up on my wall's. What?! It has only been 8 month's. 

My reason for not decorating the dining/kitchen area wall's is that I hated the greeny /brown color that took over the ENTIRE house.  I felt like I was inside of a diaper, seriously.

So we painted the wall's a nice slate gray and it lightens up everything so much and is so pretty with the white trim's. I went painting crazy on all the vintage frame's I have been collecting for a while. Painted them all white. There was a set of gold ones that I did have the heart to paint as they looked so good with the gold detail's over my fireplace in the master bedroom. I picked out pictures that had meaning, ones that I have held onto for year's looking for a special place, it look's good, but it is quite overwhelming. I am used to bare wall's and minimal that I feel a bit clausterphobic?! 

Well it took me all Saturday and I am very pleased with how it turned out. The kid's love walking up the stares and looking at everything on the "picture" wall.

The pretty picture-less frames on my mantle.

I just love this look of stacked frames

Dining room wall

Living room wall with the nice blue paint and my favorite piece of art. "The girl with the pearl earring" by Vermeer

I put all my Paris things and Eiffel Towers in on spot as a nice collection area, like I did with the milk glass

The "picture" WALL, going up the stairs.

Neal and I as little kiddies...

The creepy and hilarious Buster Brown paper doll

The country setting in the Kitchen

Hope all you Canadian reader's had a lovely Thanksgiving. I just LOVE Turkey, all the left over's, turkey soup, turkey sandwiches, turkey EVERYTHING....Heaven.
xoxo Lexylou

This hair post

2010-10-10T15:08:00.000-07:00

I just read a totally rad post by Brandi over at mucho mucho bueno beuno all about different style way's to wear your hair. Now I am a bit of a hair changing junkie. I also love me some fancy product's too. I was looking back and laughing at how much I have changed my hair in the past 6 month's.... So I thought I would share and tell you about some of my new fav hair product!
I haven't decided which color/style I like most. But I have decided to grow my hair out for the time being. And let my natural curl's out instead of flat ironing it. Ever since my fabulous hair stylist Jen cut it a certain way my hair is so nice a curly!
Let's begin the hair tour de Lexy......

Straight haired Blondie with bang's.....

Going for the curly effect with my bang's side swept......

I woke up one morning and was sick of being a blondie and with a couple of strongbow cider's I dyed my hair red/brown...... in a box

Ran to my hair stylist to fix the greeny tinge I had in my hair......

Then I got sick of my long lock's and felt like going for the Russian spy look....

Didn't like Russian spy look and went to a fav style, the Victoria Beckham inverted bob......

Added in some nice highlight's and low light's.....

Now for my hair product's of the moment...... I am a firm believer that nice hair product make you hair sooooo much nicer looking that drugstore stuff. When I can afford it I will stock my shelves with good stuff. Now that my new hair stylist is doing hair product trading for my hair accessories I am well stocked and very happy!

My shampoo's and conditioner's are, Kevin Murphy Hydrate Me for ever other day and Maxi wash by Kevin Murphy for once a week Detox shampoo( I am on well water so product can build up)
Conditioner's are Hairtrition deep moisture and Organix Coconut Milk-which smell's soooo good.

Hair styling product is Bumble and Bumble surf spray for beachy waves, My new best friend that smell's AMAZING- Moroccan Oil(just go buy it, K?!) And for finishing B&B's Spray de mode hairspray. If I am flat ironing I will put on a protector spray or something. I love my new flat iron, it is a Chi. I swear once you buy a really nice salon flat iron you will never go back.

My pretty hair now with warm tone highlight's and more curly bedhead look.

Hope you enjoyed this post. Do you change your hair a lot too?! I love how Brandi showed different style's. I think it will be safer for me to wake up and try one of them out when I am in a hair rut instead of cutting it off or changing the color....hehe.

xoxo Lexylou

Hello Fall... and rain...

2010-09-17T15:38:00.002-07:00

I am thinking about packing up all the kiddies and my summer clothes.
I think it is safe to say that summer is done and fall is come to stay.
Truth be told I am actually really a bit happy about it. I love fall, and the heat wave we had was really hard on the kid's and I.
What do I love about fall so much?

Well I love ...

 ....wearing sweater's...

.... All the colors of the tree's and the smell of woodsmoke in the air... 

....Going for nature walks and collecting think to put on our nature table.....

.... Sitting on the couch with a nice cup of warm tea and a blanket....

.... knitting project's for Christmas present's...

... Baking more as it not too hot to bake anymore....

.... Back to school for the kiddies and back to dance for me. I am so excited to find a great new dance studio.... 

....My 6th wedding anniversary was on the Labor day weekend. Six years of being married to my best friend and to a wonderful father. My, what great things we have done in 6 year's Hubby

When we were dating, looking like we were 12 years old...

....Rainy day puddle jumping like this a couple of days ago....

..... The last farmer's market of the season with my most favorite flower, Dahlia's!

I hope you are all enjoying a good start to your fall. I know this sounds just ridiculously crazy but I can't wait for Christmas this year. Decorating my new house, having people come up here to visit, maybe even a white Christmas?! I know, sorry, it is only September...
xoxo Lexylou

Sunny Sangria

2010-08-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

I had a little dinner party the other night, we are meeting some pretty cool people up here. What is a summer dinner party without Sangria?! Not a very good one I tell you.

This Sangria recipe is perfect for big summer parties, by far the best I have found- you may consider doubling this recipe.... Or tripling it, you wino's you...

Ingredients:

1 Bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
1 Lemon cut into wedges
1 Orange cut into wedges
1 Lime cut into wedges
2 Tbsp sugar
Splash of orange juice or lemonade
2 Shots of gin or triple sec (optional)
1 Cup of raspberries or strawberries (may use thawed or frozen)
1 Small can of diced pineapples (with juice)
4 Cups ginger ale

Preparation:

Pour wine into a large pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon, orange and lime into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and pineapple then add sugar, orange juice and gin. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale, berries and ice just before serving. If you'd like to serve right away, use chilled red wine and serve over lots of ice. However, remember that the best Sangrias are chilled around 24 hours in the frig. - allowing the flavors to really marinate into each other.

xoxo Lexylou

Long lost blog found....at the beach

2010-08-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

Well I have been missing, MIA, absent, on vaca, just plain enjoying this amazing summer at the country home
What do you ask have I been doing for the past month? Well let's take a look-see k?

I have been doing summer market's like crazy for my little crafty business. Almost every week I have a huge fair or summer market to set my booth up in. It is fun, crazy and oh so wonderful hearing all the positive feedback from everyone about Little Yellow Basket Designs. I am so excited for what it to come with my little "shop" and loving creating new things everyday! It has been very busy on top of that as I have gotten into two new store's that wanted to sell my product!
I look forward to the Christmas market's to come too! (Especially after the last fair I did that was two day's outside in sweltering HOT weather)

Mango's on a stick have become a staple in our daily outing's!

I swore I would never put my children in tie-dye.. but hey, I live in the country now.

Curious and curiouser... Little one checking out the local bug's

Esme "modeling" for the huge Sandcastle Festival in Parksville.

Getting some sun, and enjoying the beautiful beach that are right in our backyard. We are at the beach so much that sand in always in the kiddies hair and they always smell like the ocean...

The kid's dancing and rocking out to some good oldies playing outside at the park.
London seriously look's like 3 year's old here, what the hay?! See what happens when I don't blog!!!???

Enjoying some fresh squeezed (by Roman) lemonade in the awesome vintage score, a pitcher and 5 glass set!

I love having a little florist making flower arrangements everyday all around the house!

Especially when she pick's you a beautiful flower, just for you to brighten your day! Just because she love's you.
Hope you are all enjoying your summer's as much as we are here.

xoxo Lexylou

Who knew I had such a beautiful garden?!

2010-07-06T11:32:00.000-07:00

We have this big bushy tree that is right behind my deck off the living room. For the longest time we did not know what type of tree it was or if it flowered. One of the funny perk's of buying a property before everything is flowering is that it is kind of like Christmas to me. You don't know what is going to pop up in the spring and summer. It is all a surprise!
Little did we know the beauty of all the plant's and fruit tree's all over the property.
Now back to that tree, here is what it did last week.....

The prettiest and most wonderful smelling little white flower's exploded all over this little tree, I am told by my Aunt that it is a Bitter Orange tree? She has one at her place but it is not nearly blossoming as much as mine. The sad point of it is that the blossom's are very short lived. So I have been cutting some off and putting them all over the house.

I just love this time of year. Some much beauty to see, I have flower's all over the house picked right from my property! The little one's set up a flower stand on the weekend to sell flower's that they picked and put in jar's. It was very cute. They went to get ice cream with their profit's. We found one plant with the kiddies that smell's just like bee's wax, I am SERIOUS! It's amazing. It's the little green one's below....

On a sad note, the Lupines are all done on my road. I just love these flower's.... I loved having them all over the house.
I found a treasure at my Grandma's house the other day, a metal tub that I am pretty sure every grandbaby has played in. So on the tradition continues with babies have bath's in the family tub!

"I spy with my little eye and baby in the tub"- Say's Roman
I will leave you with ANOTHER set of pictures... I woke up this morning to this gorgeous sight.

I thank my blessing's every morning for getting to live in this beautiful place.
xoxo Lexylou

You know it's summer when...

2010-06-19T14:10:00.001-07:00

You know it's summer when....

You don't post as much because your outside enjoying the sunny sunshine...

You are intoxicated by the amazing scent of the rose bushes around your house...

Your just plain intoxicated from too many of these thanks to Mannland's Keely...

You fill your house full of beautiful farmer's market flower's in mason jar's...

It's birthday party after birthday party. Hubby and Esme share the same birthday. Esme turned 3 on June 5th! My how big she is getting.

We had an "Etsy" birthday for her buying everything for her from Etsy stores.

An adorable felted crown made by Ruby over at Cakies. I have been following Ruby's blog and fell in love with this super crafty Mom of three little girl's almost same age as my three! Go have a boo at her sweet blog and shop!

A sweet bunny from Koo and Poppet. She takes Sylvie everywhere she goes. I had to draw the line at bathtub time. Sarah, the creator of the Koo's is a Momma to a sweet little girl. I went to high school with her and she is incredibly talented. Check out her shop and her blog too!

A gorgeous doll from viola Studio's. Seriously I could die from all the cuteness. We bought her the pink version of this one.

Hubby bought this for his birthday present. I almost want to say "You know your living in the country when... Hubby buy's a quad"

Okay... I admit that they are a tad fun to ride. My sister agreed too...
- Side note... I truly have to laugh. A friend and fellow blogger (who creates the Koo and Poppet's) had a post about her hilarious woes of her hubby going all country hick after they moved to the country and he started burning everything in a burn pile, including an old couch... Oy!
Hope you can all go outside and have a Chi Chi in the sun, I will be!

xoxo Lexylou

I heart...

2010-06-03T13:08:00.001-07:00

I heart...

this song.... I can't help but want to bust a move and dance like them. I need to find a dance studio ASAP!

I heart...

that my hubby setting up my craft table in the guest room. He even bought me flower's and someone to watch over me while I craft...Oh Edward...

I heart...

these feather pretties I made in my beautiful new craft room set up! I think they are my fav's I have made... I almost didn't want to send them to the store, I think I may have to make a couple for me...

I heart...

the cupcake's I made for the kidlet's...and me too...Gosh I am so domestic...

I heart...

sharing an ice cream cone with my little one, the messy face make's it all worth it....

I heart the Thursday 5 from Mannland5 . Head on over to play along and tell me what makes your heart SING!

xoxo Lexylou

50th Post and almost 50 follower's?!

2010-05-26T14:57:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize it but my wordless post was my 50th!!! That is very exciting and I didn't even realize it?!

 I was thinking that I would do a giveaway with my 50th post, but now I think I will do one with my 50th follower! So tell your friends, spread the word that I am fabulous and stuff. Use better, bigger words while describing my awesomeness, k?! 

Also I have been working on my other blog and trying to get my Esty back up and running... It has been a daily thought to do, as I have been asked to be apart of a blog round up featuring the things I make, but I need to get photo's done, and my Esty up(which is still not up) I am so excited but seriously need to get cracking already.

All you Esty peep's out there, do you think Esty is worth it or should I just concentrate on brick and mortar shop's and craft fairs?

Go and check it out, see what I have done and tell me your thought's. I need input/ feedback PLEASE!!

xoxo Lexylou

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

xoxo Lexylou

I love Thursday!

2010-05-20T11:03:00.001-07:00

Keely is doing my favorite blog carnival. Thursday 5! Post 5 things that make you smile and reflect about what has made you happy, thankful, excited, and just plain SMITTEN!

Here we go.....

1) Stepping outside on my deck after a rain fall. It seriously smelled  like fresh bee's wax. It smelled so amazing, so alive. Gosh this world  is so beautiful.

2) Making a delish salad for lunch with my favorite dressing. A bit of Olive oil, a squirt of Bragg's and a small spoonful of Tahini butter. Mix it up and mmm good.

I am try to eat as much "raw" food as possible to look good in my bikini this summer. I am trying to work out more too. I woke up this morning to feel my ab's sore, YES! I love that feeling....Feel the burn...

3) A store in town after seeing me wear my feather earring's want's to sell them! I can't wait to crack open my craft stuff and make some feather beauties!

4) I made some amazingly delicious vegan and gluten free chocolate chip cookies...They are all gone, they were that good.

5) My sweet little Esme coming inside with a pocket for of flower's for me.

And one more for being super exciting....
5b) I have made some new friends in town! They are mom's at the kid's new preschool. They are both very nice and pretty hip Mama's. One is even a dance teacher!!?? Fate that I met her as I am missing dancing so much...
Hope you all have a gleeful day!
xoxo Lexylou

Decorating and lilac bloom's.

2010-05-18T19:17:00.001-07:00

I love our new property. How lush and green it is getting with this warm weather. Flowers are blooming all over the place and I have been cutting my favorite lilac's and putting them all over the house. They make the place smell so nice and it put's a smile on my face with all this beauty all over the home.

The apple tree's have been in full bloom and I couldn't help but laugh and Roman and Esme outside try to hit the branches to create a petal snow fall.... It was really cute.
Hubby is out of town AGAIN all this week, so what does a bored wife do you ask?! Decorate!
I unpacked all the decor for the master bedroom and bathroom's. Set up my make-up vanity, put everything in it's place except for my clothes, which are still in laundry basket's from when I first moved in. I know....pretty pathetic... I have no excuse... I do put away my kid's clothes! Promise!

The main bathroom, with my vintage beauties. A pie safe as my towel storage and another as my bathroom storage!

Pretty little beach theme I got going on in the master bath!

Master bedroom fireplace!

Sorry for the picture overload, but I am pretty proud that I did this in a day WITH the kidlet's under foot. (They were fed and tended to their every need's with the utmost love...I swear)
And... You all know I have a Paris, France obsession so it really is not a shock, right?! Well I like it and I sleep here!
It is all coming along, slowly but surely. I may have it all unpacked and decorated by Christmas?!
Well then, I should just get out the Christmas decor and save myself the trouble!
I am always a thinker!

xoxo Lexylou

Good grief Charlie Brown...13 days?

2010-05-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

It has been 13 days since I last blogged??!!!
Really? I keep meaning to post something, I get inspiration through the day and I think "Oh... I should blog about this"....." ooo, this would make a great post".... But alas I keep getting sucked into the dreamily perfect slow pace of my simple life.

My sister and I went out to a girl's night out gala that the hair salon I go to was throwing. It was a lot of fun and we met some cool ladies!

I made a pair of earring for the event to go with my outfit. I am very smitten with them!

On Tuesday my little baby boy Roman Gabriel turned 4! He is such a cool little guy. I feel soooo blessed to be his Mama!

For his birthday present we got him a new bike. He amaze's me how good he is riding it. And fast.... Man am I ever in for a whole lotta bandaide's....

Well it was not so slow during this weekend. I had a huge surprise party for Roman's 4th birthday on Saturday and was cleaning the house like mad and PAINTING??!!! Yes, I "had" to paint the living room and both bathroom's before people got here.... Like the new blue is the living room?! I will take better pictures soon!

It was so good to see my Victoria friends and family. They all stayed over the next morning and the hubby's made us Momma's a lovely breakfast of french toast!

My mother's day gift from Hubby was a RAD Electra bike!!!! I like to ride my bicycle!!!

It was a really great weekend, but were we ever pooped by the end of it....

Roman and Esme finally started their first day at the new preschool on Monday. Esme was beyond excited! She was big enough to go with Roman and she was over the moon to finally be a big girl.

I am a day late for the lovely Kassi's "Two things i LOVE around my house". I love this blog link up, and she is feeling a little bummed that not so many are linking up.... So go show your love and support for her ladies!!!! She is such a rad blogger and I love seeing peek's into other people's homes!
Soooo here are my two things.

A strawberry shirt and more strawberries! I mean, seriously.... How can you not love this....
Or how about a strawberry shirt and a pink Tutu?!

I am loving the sweet little scene that I set up on the old movie cabinet. Something about the new blue wall's so crisp and clean with the blue and purple flower's and of course my little bit of Paris....

Well, I hope you are all having a good Wednesday so far. Wednesday always makes me laugh, hump day, especially when I need to type it. So not to forget that funny D... I sound it out in my head like I did as a little girl... Wed nezzz day.... I know, I am funny!
xoxo Lexylou

Hot Tubs are dreamy...

2010-04-29T11:39:00.001-07:00

My wonderful hubby finally got our hot tub up and running, and man alive..... I love my hot tub something fierce. I have been it 5 times in the past 2 days. As we now have a huge property and we are not looking on to anyone or really anything but tree's, it is so dreamy. In the morning with the sun coming through the tree's, hearing nothing but bird's and some frog's we saw a deer family walk past us as we sat in it. It is like a dream, I am finally living MY dream....

I remember last summer sitting in the hot tub with the hubby, late at night over a bottle of Presecco we talked about our dream's for us as a family. Where we wanted to live, what we wanted in our life, what was important to us and how we wanted to raise this beautiful family that we were blessed with....

We are now living it, with lot's of land, living in the quiet country, with my sister next door. In a smaller town, yet we are still close to family and friends. I am so thankful for this life and all that we have, and I am so excited for what adventures we have in store. I wake up every morning so full of happiness and hope for the future.
This is a journey, a path to learn and become a better person, mother, wife, and friend. I know with all my heart that this is the perfect path for our family. It just feel's so right.
I know I am getting all mushy, but it is just so beautiful this morning, the sun is so bright and beautiful. I just had my coffee on the deck while watching the kids play in the yard, my heart is SINGING... I am feeling very "sound of music" like...Can you hear it all the way over there?!

So to share in the warm fuzzy's, I want to hear what makes you all happy and grateful.
Head on over to Keely's blog and link up for her Thursday5, and share 5 things that make you happy this week. I have way more than 5 this week, or maybe it is just one...... The HOT TUB!
xoxo Lexylou

Monday musing: Up to my eyeball's in paint chips

2010-04-26T12:45:00.001-07:00

So I am lost in the sea of decorating.... I have FINALLY picked out all the paint color's that I want for the house. Stay tuned for some very pretty color's!

It has been busy at my little country home. I will make up for the lack of posting for the past week for an epic long one....
We have been doing lot's, yet it has been relaxed...Well for the most part....
My sister has finally moved into the other house on the property, but it was a bit crazy with all 6 kids in the house while they were moving and cleaning and organizing everything. Everyone was sleeping here, that was 10 bodies in the one house!!!!
We did get into a good family "groove" and eating all together was really nice. The house seems so quiet with only 5 people in it?! One con of having so many bodies in one house, when 1 kids get's sick all the kids get sick. We are finally getting over a nasty flu that took over the house last week that stopped us from being able to visit a bunch of friends in Victoria the past weekend... Boo hoo :(

I do love that my sister is only a 1 minute walk just across the property, the kids crave every morning going outside and playing with their cousins.

-Neal has been busy finishing off my walk in closet. My hubby is so talented!

-I had a lovely visit from a dear friend that I have not seen in a very long time. She now lives only 30 minutes away. I got to met her cute son Rupert too! I love that I get to know another Rupe, he is just as adorable as my brother Rupert was.
She brought me some beautiful flower's and I got to put my mason jar's to good use!

- It's funny, I have charged my hair a lot lately. I think I should do a post of all my different hairstyles.
Today's hairstyle is brought to you by.......

Posh Spice, Mrs.Victoria Beckham
Here is my new do..... I am saving a fortune on the amount of shampoo and conditioner I do not use with my shorter hair.... MILLION'S! I wake up with perfect bed hair that look's sexy and all I do is flat iron the front a bit, add some styling product and voila!

- These puppies has been my addiction.... Caramel apple spice...Thanks to my sister bringing one over one night, it has been my daily craving. Starbuck's made her addicted but they cost a lot if you want as many as we do. I have crafty and spend thrift sister..... we make our own!

I know, genius. You can thank her later.
Put a little caramel syrup on the bottom of the cup, put the apple spice mix on top. Fill with hot water, stir, add copious amount's of whipping cream and finish off with a drizzle of caramel. SO GOOD!

- I was feeling a little bit un-inspired lately. So I got out my inspiration journal. I usually keep one through the year, ripping out pictures of magazines that grab me. Collage's, pictures of beauty, style, a quote that really resonated with me. Spoke to "my soul".... Future goal's (one of which is to have a sit down dinner once a week with my sister and family), crafting idea's that have been floating around in my head, daily affirmation's, a place to put my favorite things in so when I am feeling down or un-inspired I just open it and feel better. I highly recommend everyone try it. It is so relaxing, get's the creative juices flowing and it is FUN!

- It has been so hot and gorgeous out lately. We got out the kiddie pool and let them go wild...

- I finally have a sink big enough to wash a baby in. I have picture's of me being bathed in the sink, and I really wanted to get one of London before she tuned 4, LOL..... Like my little guy Roman who is turn's 4 on May.4th!!! I can't believe it?!

What is crazy is that for a little bit right now, I have a 1 year old, 2 year old and a 3 year old....

Me - circa 1982, rocking in the sink...

La la enjoying her sink time.... Then Bella thought she would join along too!

Then Esme saw what fun they were having and wanted to join in as well!

Well I think I have covered this past week and a bit, man, that was a lot....Happy Monday all!
xoxo Lexylou

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

OUTAKES.......

xoxo Lexylou

Two things and a baby no more

2010-04-13T18:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome to some new follower's!!
My littlest baby, London Ruby is now not a baby. She turned 1 years old on Saturday. It was a lovely party. Lot's of family came up, and a surprise visit from wonderful friends. The weather was GORGEOUS! Hot and sunny, perfect for a party! I am still sorting through the photo's. Something about a first birthday, I go click crazy and my memory card begs for mercy....
Here are a few from the day of festivities...

My lovely Kassi is doing her two things she loves around her home and you can head on over to her blog to link up!
Here is my two things that i amore...
An antique pie safe that I found my first week after I moved at the antique store I have dropped a mortgage payment at....

The little piece of driftwood Roman found and said it was a boat that need to sail in the bath tub!

Another find at "my" store.... I get giddy looking at this piece. I am just in love with the blue mason jar too. I must find something to put in them, like some pretty flower's and make it a center piece on the dining room table!
Well I hope it is as bright and sunny as it is here! Happy Tuesday all!
xoxo Lexylou

Thursday 5 of happiness!

2010-04-08T09:56:00.003-07:00

The lovely Keely at Mannland5 is doing another fun link-up. This one is called Thursday5.
You write down five things that make you happy, grateful, joyful, thankful, inspired this week.... What a great idea! Head on over and link-up!
.........
1) I had a very nice visit with my grandma who I just love to bit's. The kid's just love their Ama too. I am over the moon happy to only be 6 minutes away from her house now! She opened the door and was so shocked to see me, she forgot I lived so close too...LOL

2) After a very stressful grocery shopping experience, and swearing to NEVER go shopping again with three kid's, I was very thankful for a glass of wine....or two .....with dinner.

3) It has not happened yet, but I know I am going to have such a wonderful time when my Mommy and sister from Victoria come up to help celebrate my little London Ruby turning 1 years old on Saturday??!!!!!!! My baby is almost one...sniff sniff....

4) My french press coffee maker makes me sooooo happy. As I am by myself all this week I don't make a big pot of coffee like when the Hub's is home.

5) a:This week I won the one of the top three kitchen's over at Keely's Rate my space, Kitchen's! It was so amazing and great to hear all the wonderful compliment's on my new kitchen. I am truly thankful to all the kind word's. I love decorating my space, and it makes me so happy that others love my style as well. I love my kitchen. I just LOVE cooking in it. It is truly a dream!
5)b: Annnnnddddd- I am famous, but no one knows it but me...
Another dear Momma blogger friend, Olivia at Gnome Sweet Gnome had her blog in USA TODAY with a reference about the awesome upcoming movie "Babies"..... How great is that!
The super awesomeness is that it was my comment about how excited I was to see this movie made it to print!!!!! Downside.... It doesn't say my name, soooooo no one knows about but me, Olivia and now..... YOU!!! You now know someone famous, it's ok to faint or scream. I am getting used to this new found fame too, so it is all still weird....

xoxo Lexylou

Monday musing of an Easter weekend

2010-04-05T21:09:00.001-07:00

Whew..... I am wiped from all the fun....
Saturday I went up skiing with the girl's.
I can't believe how close I am to the local mountain. It is so rad. I love and miss skiing, so this just makes me so happy. I can't wait to put the kidlet's in ski school, as both hubby and I started skiing at a very young age and having the mountain only 45 min's away is so great!
It was an epic amount of snow.
Powder everywhere..... So beautiful.
I am sorry my camera stayed at home. I bet you all don't believe me that Mt.Washington has more snow base than any other mountain on earth?! Yup.

We went tubing at night.
Slept......zzzz
Woke up sore from some pretty awesome bail's.
Drove home after it was snowing too hard to see a couple of feet in front of me.
Got home and had and Easter egg hunt for all the kiddies.
Fell asleep after an amazing turkey dinner....zzzzzz
Woke up and went to a farm down the road and had Easter fun.
London baaaahhhh -ing back at all the sheep.
Roman and Esme riding a pony, decorating egg's....
Lot's of farm fun. All Esme is talking about is that she rode a pony, and how much she loved the pony. And how she want's a pony.....Oh dear....
I will leave you with a photo overload of Easter fun! Hope you all had a blessed and wonderful Easter.
Now off to bed....zzzz

xoxo Lexylou

Randomness and a dash more for good measure.

2010-03-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

I am a bit behind. I feel like I am just treading water keeping up with life, blogging, unpacking, laundry....Every time I look around the house, I am overwhelmed with all that has to be done. I am a bit of a cleaning freak with a pinch of OCD on organizing/decorating and right now I am just crippled with my anxiety with ALL this chaos in my house...
I feel bad for not blogging as much, as I stared this to try and do a blog daily or every other day. So it made me sad that I have lost a few followers, maybe because of my lack of posting?....
But I get so giddy with all the wonderful comment's I get. It make's me know that what I am posting, you all like and it make's me keep on going!
I just love reflecting about my day. Looking at it with a more positive light. It makes me feel grateful for what I have and just what a blessed life I truly living. Now don't get me wrong, I do have bad days, not everyday is Mary Poppins cheerful singing.... But when a moment or time of frustration hit's , it seems so silly to fixate on it in the end when I look back at what fun the kidlet's had jumping in puddles or painting a picture.
Some randomness for ya.....
I cut my hair and colored it on Saturday, I feel like a Russian spy....... Just call me Natasha.

It has been raining crazy amount's for the past two days, and when Roman woke up yesterday he insisted going out in his muddy buddy to play in the lake that was our driveway...

I got a message from a bride that I made a feather headpiece for her wedding just LOVED it. I can't wait to see the photo's of her wearing it on her wedding day!

I feel for Kassi at BacWoods fern.... She is packing up and moving this weekend and gawd.... am I ever glad that my move is over.
So to make her feel better, head on over and do a little sharing of two things you love around your home...
Here is mine!
I never thought in my life that I could love a washing machine and dryer so much, but I have met a pair that makes me weak in the knee's....

It is right off the kitchen, my little laundry room. I don't have to go in my old yucky basement like I did in my old house. And it sing's me a merry tune when it is all done! LOVE them!

I have already professed my love for this beauty, but every time I walk by in in the kitchen I just smile. I old 1930's zinc top hutch that makes the whole house I think!
I will throw in two more things as they just make me giddy too,

A kitchen hutch that I found at this great little antique store down the road, isn't it cute!?
And I LOVE MY STOVE!!!! I love cooking with gas, period. I want to cook all the time in this awesome kitchen. It is just dreamy.

Again with being behind, I missed the lovely Keely's Sunday link up, "Getting to know you"

1. Why did you start blogging?

As I said above, I wanted a positive outlet to look back and reflect on my day. And I do have a lot of friends and family that live away from me, so this is a great way for them to see the chaos, I mean pure awesomeness that is going on day to day.

2. Who's the one blog friend that you would want to meet most in "real life"?

There isn't just one, I have many that I would love to have a face to face chat and laugh. All the link up ones on my side bar ----------------->

3. Why are you always concerned with losing that "extra 10 pounds" when chances are your husband/boyfriend/friends tell you that you look just fine the way you are?

Well, having had three children prettttttty close together my body is not what it used to be. I was a skinny stick when I got married, and I know that I will never be that small, these hip's and this butt will not be able to fit in my skinny pre-wedding jeans... But if I did lose the last ten pounds I will be at my pre-pregnancy weight, pre-Roman. My last pregnancy was really my best, as I danced and worked out till the end and eating gluten free, as Roman is Celiac, helped keep me healthy. I have to find a good dance studio around here, I really do miss dancing....

4. What's the one thing you wish guys could understand about you?

EVERYTHING.....LOL

I really only care if hubby understands me, and he does. He is pretty amazing!

5. Tattoos. How many do you have and how many are visible when you wear your "everyday" clothes? I have two, one on my lower back that is angel wings, and a memorial tattoo for my grandpa and brother that passed away the same year on my neck. Both are really not that visible. The neck one maybe if I am wearing a low cut t-shirt or tank top. I do want more, but not highly visible... like on the side of my ribs, or back.

6. What was the best year of your life and why? I would have to say the year I had Roman, 2006. I became a mom that year and found out I was pregnant with Esme 4 month's later. Being a Mom has changed my life, and changed it for the better. I can't imagine life without my little ones.

7. Name three things you would do if you were a man for one day.

Pee standing up, have sex, and go drink with my bro's.....

8. What's your alcoholic drink of choice that usually raises a few eyebrows?

Not really raise eyebrow's, but I do love a G&T now and then

xoxo Lexylou

Home at last...

2010-03-27T21:57:00.002-07:00

This was the beautiful sight that said goodbye to me from my room in my old home in Victoria. I will truly miss this home. To see pictures of my old home look here.

So we have finally moved and I have unpacked most of our new home in the country. It is so perfect and peaceful that I feel like I am on vacation...

It is has been wonderful to have the Hub's home for two weeks to help me make it feel like a home and to set everything up. We have been falling more and more in love with all the space we have the peace and quiet at night, all we hear is frog's and cricket's! And the star's, oh my are they bright out here...

This is our home, it is 4 bed/3 bath and over 2100sqft. It is an old heritage home, 1913 I think and has the original fir in it. I will let you have a peek, excuse some of the mess...

The living room with nice french door that lead out to our deck.

The dining room and open kitchen that I love.... Look at that big island?! i just love cooking with the wonderful gas stove, it's a Viking!

The kidlet's enjoying their nice big dining/harvest table that I bought at a antique shop in the town near my house!

Since my sister with her 3 children are moving into the other house on the property, we are going to have lot's of these adorable moment's of cousin fun! 4 cousin's in our claw foot tub! Cuteness...

The little ones, London and Bella, who are just 1 month apart are just adorable together. Bella has been walking since 9 month's, London watching her, has now since started walking like crazy all over the house after Bella!

The beautiful zinc top hutch that I bought from the old owner of the home...Love....

My huge bedroom, with a great reading corner and warm gas fireplace, very cozy indeed.

I have been having fun painting a lot of furniture white around the house and then destressing it.
I have been also having so much fun antique hunting. There are some very good shop's around here. It is funny how my nice polished stuff look's very silly in my new country dig's, I am changing my look to some beautiful, well loved and beat up piece's. It suit's this country home so perfectly.
I will take more pictures I promise, and I want to paint and rearrange the kids rooms upstairs. Lot's to do still and pictures to hangs, things to decorate.... It never ends...

But this place feel's good. It feel's like home.....

xoxo Lexylou

Packing is no fun

2010-03-11T21:06:00.000-08:00

I am down to the home stretch. 4 more sleep's til I leave my home that I bought as a newlywed, birthed my two out of three babies in, raised all my children in, had many parties in, fixed up, loved and laughed in. It has been a very good home to us, but I am getting very overly emotional over leaving not only this home but so many wonderful friends and ALL my family......
We had a very awesome country style going away party. Everyone dressed in their best plaid, cowboy hat's and enjoyed good eats of pulled pork sandwich's, baked beans, salads, special cards Roman helped me make to thank everyone for being our friends, strongbow cider in a mason jar.... ending the great night with a giant bonfire, SMORES and then a hot tub. It was perfect

I am scared and also a bit excited in what's in store, what new adventures for my family of five lay ahead?! Packing has been the worst, but I have the most amazing friends and family that have helped along the way. I am truly blessed to have them in my life, as you can all guess, packing with three children is chaos!!!!!!!
I decided to go for a walk with the kidlets in our favorite park here for one last time as resident's in this city of Victoria, that I have called home for most of my life. It really is so beautiful here, I am going to miss many things here.

I will apologize in advance for the next little bit and the lack of post's.... as we move toot sweet and I will have no time to, and I will come back feeling like my left arm has been cut off I miss you all so much.
xoxo Lexylou

Whistler Olympic dream

2010-03-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

I felt truly blessed and super thankful to be able to go to the Olympics. It was so wonderful to share it with Hubby's family too. His brother, with his stellar wife and their 3 kids came up too! 6 kids in one house?! It was loud..... but lot's of crazy cousin playing fun times! Hubby's wonderful parent's got us ticket's to the women's 2 person bobsled that Canada won both Gold and Silver in, the 4 man Bobsled, and the women's cross country 30km.
Never in my life did I ever think I would be able to go to watch an Olympic event, so being able to go....It was so amazing!
Whistler Village was electric with excitement. Tons of people from around the world, seeing athlete walking around all dressed in their country's gear, it was very rad!
Our last day there we watched on this huge screen the Gold medal hockey game Canada vs USA in the middle of the Village with hundred's of people all decked out in their red and white....It was nail biting, crazy LOUD and I will forever remember that once in a life time patriotic excitement. Never have I been soooooo proud to be Canadian.
I will leave you with some of my favorite pictures of the week.

Canada win's the GOLD!

xoxo Lexylou

Kincky knack.

2010-03-03T16:27:00.002-08:00

We just got back from Whistler on Monday and I have been running around like mad as it is getting down to the wire for our big move on March.15th, hence the lack of posting....Sorry my dears...

I am so behind on my blog reading to that it is giving me a panic attack with the amount unread in my google reader. I will get to them all tonight I think, glass of wine optional!
I received a lovely email from my knick knack exchange partner that Danielle set me up with at Dinosaur Toes. She was all the way in sunny Australia, Emma at Feeling fuzzy! I was just tickled pink that she loved all my knick knack's that I put a lot of thought in picking out to show her a little bit about me and my life here in Victoria. I will show you what I sent and how I wrapped it!

I made a braided headband with some vintage fabric. I made a feather hair clip and feather earring from my Little yellow basket collection. I made her a CD of some of my favorite tunes at the moment! Cd cover art done by none other than Roman!
I found a silver Canada spoon from my collection, a vintage dollie from my grandma's stock, and last but not least, my all time favorite chocolate, Razzle Dazzle, dark chocolate with dried raspberries...Yummy! It's from a smaller company called Denman Island Chocolate, which is from an Island near Vancouver Island, where Victoria is. I put in a bunch of "wish you were here" postcards of Victoria and wrote up a little about me and my life! All wrapped up in some old Vouge pattern's and hemp string!
A pretty package if I do say so myself! I did have a lot of fun putting it together! I can't wait to see what my knick knack package will be when it comes!

I will write a lovely and picture filled post about our AMAZING time we had up in Whistler enjoying the Olympic craziness. I promise! =)
Right now I must rescue a poor little crayon from being eaten by London.... What is with children and eating crayons?! All my kids did it.... Gahhh...
xoxo Lexylou

Two more things I lurve....

2010-02-23T13:59:00.000-08:00

The lovely Kassi is doing her Two things she loves around her home again! Head over and link up y'all.
Here is my week's installment....

I found this totally by chance at some random teen store, and I was so stoked finding it as it worked so perfectly to showcase my earring's I made for the craft fair this past Christmas. I just love it so!

Next....

This adorable vase I bought at a Church sale last summer for 25cents?! So rad. I just love the handle on it. I have used it so much, and it is sitting pretty in the living room with cherry blossoms, making the room smell so sweet and "springy"

On a side not for today here is London the Godzilla baby attacking our poor dollhouse. I come into her room this morning after getting everyone's breakfast ready and this is the sight I see...

Then I pull her down only to come back to this....She is such a hilarious kids....

Then she took 5 step's, all by herself, then did it again, 3 times. She is only 10 month's old??!!

My little baby is growing up too fast. Sniff, sniff...

xoxo Lexylou

Sunday mitten's!

2010-02-21T20:08:00.001-08:00

Yup, I know..... You are all jealous of my mitten's. Major mitten envy. Aren't they just so stink'n cute. I bought everyone in the family some mitten's. Roman was wearing them while watching the hockey game tonight of Canada vs USA.... I don't want to talk about it...

Moving on....

Here is Keely the lovely at Mannland5 Get to know you Sunday's! Head on over and link up!

The questions..

1. How often do you wash/change your sheets?

Not enough... Maybe once a week, I am like Keely, so don't feel bad Keely.

2. When is your birthday?

October.25th, 1981 ...same as Pablo Picasso , Katy Perry and about 4 of my good girlfriends... We are a rad bunch.

3. Have you ever met a bloggy friend in real life?

Yup! Lele over at Herstory is a very dear friend and I have known her when we both had one little babe, and Sarah at Puppydogtales! I have known her since my teen years. I would love to meet you all! You all are a swell bunch of gal's!

4. Brad Pitt or George Clooney?

Brad Pitt, in the Gwyneth days, so hot.

5. If you could change one thing about your body what would it be?

My stretch mark's I have on my legs, I have none on my stomach as I was rather crazy about cocoa buttering my belly and forgot about my upper thigh's. Oh well, I have three beautiful babies and really it is a small price to pay.

6. How often do you wash your hair?

Every 3 days.

7. Do you have pets?

Nope. Both hub's and I are allergic to cat's and dog's. We used to have a poodle, as they are ok and don't shed, but Poodle's are crazy... I found out I am not a dog person.... I like kid's.

8. How many social networks do you belong to..if you had to give up one, what would it be?

Twitter, Facebook and blogging. I would easily give up Twitter.

Hubby is coming home tomorrow and then we head out to Whistler to take in the Olympic FEVER!!! I am so excited. I will take lot's of picture so you can live vicariously through me and my glorious mitten's...

Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

xoxo Lexylou

When Hubby is away...

2010-02-17T19:03:00.000-08:00

I have been a single mother for the past couple of days. Hubby has been working on a job site that is up island from where we live, so he is sleeping over, probably having a gay old time going to a pub, having beer's with all the boys from the job site.... While I have been slaving away being the best mother I can be while taking care of all the kidlet's with the "worlds worst migraine". Awesomeness....
Anyone have any tip's for curing it?! I am all ear's.
Thankfully the kidlet's have been angel's, they are a little quieter and more subdued when Daddy is gone. We had a nice candlelit dinner of chili, they had a bath and then read book's on the couch with their new heart hot water bottles as I knit their Daddy a scarf. They kissed me on the head, wished me to feel better soon and climbed into their bed's. Well, not London, I did carry her to her crib ;)

Here is a snip of our night...

We are missing our Daddy and can't wait till he get's back home this weekend, then I can have a rest....xoxo Lexylou

I won! I am blushing... Show and share

2010-02-15T14:13:00.001-08:00

I really am so thrilled to have won Keely's Rate my space contest for my living room. Really am blushing with all the sweet and overwhelmingly nice comment's everyone said about my space. Makes me tear up to think that this lovely living room will not be mine in a month, as we are preparing to move to our new house up in the country. When we first saw the house we are living in now, the living room is what sold me, the bright window's, high ceiling's, the warm and cozy feel of it. That is made us buy this home, the living room. So to win the "rate my space" with this living room is a sweet farewell to this lovely home. I know the people that bought this home will love it just as much.
Soooooo welcome all that have made it my way thanks to Keely at Mannland sending you my way! Hope you like it over here at Mad Times! I really love hearing comment's about my blog, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!
So I thought it would be fun to have a link-up and do a little show are share! Since I just love photography, and love getting to know you all, I want to host a ......
Show and Share
I would like you to pick a picture, it could be a couple years old it could be when your little, it could be from last week.... But you have to be in it, and this picture has to mean something to you. It could be good, bad, happy times, or super tacky outfit. Or maybe something really important happened that day...Really anything! So rule is.... you are in it and the picture has to signify or stir up a memory or two and you have to share!
Here is mine......well two, but I am allowed, I am hosting this dealio kids...

Ahhh, to be young and skinny, pre-children. This picture was taken right before heading out to a 70's theme party that I was going with some girlfriends, and I invited this guy that I had been on a couple of dates with, Neal, to come. I really liked him....I was playing it cool. So I thought I would "wow" him with my supa short short's and Farrah-ish hair and dazzle him with those sock's.... I guess it worked, it was the first night Neal kissed me. Six month's later we were engaged, and will have been married 6 years in September!

This one always makes me laugh. It was used in my grad photo slide show too. I actually remember this. Being young and free, eating cantaloupe... Well many like it. I hated to wear my bathing suit, hated it. I was a free spirit what can I say. And also an little nudist defining my Mom and running naked around the font yard flashing anyone that walked by.... It wouldn't faze me now as a mom, I let my kids run naked all the time in the backyard, but I guess my Mom wanted me to be a bit more modest.... Hence the lovely plastic underpant's.

Rad. At least I carried my bathing suit?!

So link go on up. I look forward to hopping on over to your blogs and seeing what you dug up!

xoxo Lexylou

I love.... I love you Day!

2010-02-14T18:42:00.001-08:00

It has been a really wonderful Valentines. It took me a couple of years to transition from romantic couple stuff to a family love day. But really I love this new version with the whole family, full of hugs and showing how much I love my little kidlet's. This is why I became a Mom. So I could do all the special things that my Mommy did for me as a little girl that just made me feel so loved. All the little detail's that I fully appreciate now that I have my own little ones.
So when the kids went to bed last night, Hubby and I stayed up and decorated the kitchen table and area and set up their I love you day present's. I remember my Mom got my sister and I mailbox's one year and filled them with sweet little things and Valentines.... I looked all over town for the old school style ones with the little flag that goes up, but did find any. So I made do with little red suitcase's.
The kids were over the moon when they woke up this morning and I could not wipe the smile off my face seeing them soooo happy, Roman kept saying this was the best party in the world! Gotta love that boy.

We had a lovely breakie of heart shaped pancakes and then went for a walk and enjoyed the gorgeous sunny weather.

Yes, the cherry blossom's are out here in Victoria! No snow here!

Hubs is cooking up a storm as I type this, it smell's like a very yummy dinner! I am looking forward to my bubble bath and wine after dinner. I really am loving my life. I am blessed over and over with this lovely little family I have.

Here is some fun V-Day get to know you from Mannland5, head on over and link up!
The questions..

1. Favorite Valentine's candy? Cherry heart shaped lollipop's, and Ferrero Rocher
2. Pink or red? I like red, Esme loves pink....
3. Will you be doing anything to celebrate today? Lot's....See above!
4. Do you put up Valentine's decorations? Sure did!

I made the girl's braided headband's too!

5. What does Valentine's Day mean to you? Sharing it with the ones you love and shower them with your love, to make them feel just oh so special!
6. Would you rather get..flowers, candy, or a night out? A night out would be nice, and some flowers too

They are few with 3 kids..... funny though, by the end of the night we miss the kids and want to tuck them into bed...
We did make it out on Thursday night when we heard back that everything was sorted out and we signed all the papers for our new house. We went out to a nice dinner at a little bistro, then saw a movie. Pretty nice after a really stressful week with house stuff.

7. Sexy lingerie or nothing.at.all? I like a little black lingerie never hurt's to make you feel sexy, sure hub's agrees :)
8. Do you say Valentine's Day or Valentime's Day? Valentines, really I am educated....

I hope you all had a lovely I love you Day with your loved ones. We sure did.
xoxo Lexylou

Filling the blank....

2010-02-12T18:50:00.004-08:00

Another cool installment to Lauren's blog at The little things we do - Fill in the blank Frrrrrrrridayyyyyyyy!

1. I am hoping my Valentine's day this year includes, cuddles, laughing, hugs and kisses, chocolate, good food, a nice walk, sunshine, wine and a bubble bath and sleeping in....ahhhh .

2. My biggest guilty pleasure is $32 mascara, but damn is it good.I have two I lovvvve, this one is sooo amazing and this one i used on my wedding day.

3. I am most proud of my amazing hubby who works so hard so I can be a stay at home Mommy and take care of our beautiful children.

Circa 2007-Cancun, I kinda miss his Justin Timberlake beard....

4. If I could choose one outfit to live in it would be skinny levi's and a chunky sweater for the cold days or a summer dress with leggings and a cardigan.

5. People are amusing to watch while sitting on a patio .

6. I would rather eat what I want and exercise than count calories and not enjoy good food .

7. I love my my children and husband more than all the stars in the sky, to the moon and back, to infinity plus one...that much .

This is our new home..... Yes that is right. Everything has gone through and we just signed the papers tonight. It has been a whirlwind and major waiting game. But finally the country house is now going to be OUR home....

And my sister will be living in the other home with her three kids and husband, and the cottage I plan to run as a B&B. I am just over the moon excited.Almost 3 acres of beautiful land.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend, I have some super cute things planned for the kids Valentines morning. I can't wait to show you.

xoxo Lexylou

Vote for me, i give you cupcake...

2010-02-10T16:36:00.000-08:00

Source

Hello all! There is a rate my space fun going on over at Mannland5, my living room is up and is #1.
Sooo I will give you a cupcake if you head on over and vote for me!! If not, I understand, but please know your cupcake will be eaten....It is a hard pick too, I do love #4, Kassi's lovely living room.
Here is a little I love....

I love my mail I got today from the ever talented and awesome oh, hello friend! My Eiffel Tower necklace, of course and a super cute watch locket necklace. I love everything from her shop. She is one talented lady!
I also love quiet drawing time in the afternoon.... When the girl's sleep, Roman and I have nice chill time doing art. It is so awesome seeing how his little scribbles are turnng into real stick people and now a circle is becoming a sun!
So proud of my little man....

He loves sun's so much he draws two, he says it makes him feel warmer!

xoxo Lexylou

Two things I love.....

2010-02-09T10:47:00.000-08:00

Well it is more like four but they are all connected in the pictures. Killing two bird's with one post so to speak , the lovely Kassi at bacwoodsfern does a Two things you love around the house link up on Tues, and Kerry's I love.... all through February. Head on over and link up to Kassi's and join in with Kerry!
Since we are packing up, it is getting more and more hard to find things out that I can take a picture of... But alas two piece's I know will be out till the end, and I am so happy as they really are my most favorite around the house.

This is the old window given to me by my old bosses wife, Sheila who now has opened up the sweetest home decor store French Vanilla Home Decor. I lovvvvve her store, really everything in her shop I put in my home, she kept wanting me to work for her, but I kept popping out babies....Sorry Sheila!
The window is gorgeous, old crackling paint at least three layers, I went and got a mirror fitted for it and I just love the way it look's beside the kitchen table, really open's up the tiny area.

Another gift from Sheila, is this tin tile "hanging pouch" I usually put fresh cut greenery or dried in it depending on the season change. Again gorgeous patina and really rustic. Perfect!

Numero 2....

This lovely vintage birdcage is actually my mom's, found in her basement! I used it for a craft fair to hang my feather in it and it was just too perfect. Feather headbands on a birdcage? Perfect! So many people commented on how beautiful it was, I must agree indeed...

I have yet to give it back to her, I keep "forgetting", it may by mistake come up with me to the country.Hehehe.....
xoxo Lexylou

I love.... Balloons

2010-02-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

I indeedy do. Balloon's really can turn a frown upside down.

Sarah jane studios

I have been have a bad case of the grump's and needed a pick me up. The house uncertainty is still up in the air, the weather has been really rainy and gray that it is hard to be cheery, kidlets have been mucho restless, maybe it was the fact that just after I cleaned the hardwood Esme dumped her whole bowl of apple sauce on the ground, really...all I really want to do is curl up in a ball and nest in my duvet, throw myself a pity party- table for one please....
So I will cheer you all up too, as Monday's really are not always the most cheery, a little balloon love never hurt anyone, did it?!
Enjoy my dears and if you needing some frown turning pictures, hope they do work!.

All above pictures from weheartit.com

Here is some from my collection, the first two are from my little brother Rupert's funeral in 2007, it was really beautiful to see over 250 balloons take flight, sending a prayer to him up in heaven....

Esme's first birthday.
xoxo Lexylou

Weekending it, getting to know you style...

2010-02-07T10:37:00.003-08:00

Roman got mail on Friday, he got a sheet of stickers and was invited to send 6 stickers to 6 friends and thus have 6 of there friends send him stickers. He was over the moon exited.

So this Saturday Roman woke up at 7am and was demanding to go out and buy sticker's for his sticker club. One track mind, that kids, he would not rest till we made it to the sticker store. So intent, with tunnel vision.... Must find stickers, must find stickers. Then with care he picked out 6 set's for each friends. When we got home he watched me write down each child's name on the envelope and he was the "sticker man" and put the stickers in for each child. It really was adorable.

I had a little bit of tunnel vision myself. After seeing LA's post of nail polish I HAD to get robin's egg blue polish, must get blue polish, must get blue polish....

Here is another installment for y'all of getting to know you, head on over to Mannland5 and link on up! Funny every time I link up I can't help but sing that Sound of Music's song... Then it is stuck in my head all day, and then I go through all the songs....

The questions..

1. How many piercing's do you have?

Gee, many. My nose, I had my tounge done when i was 16, took it out at 18, my belly button, but no more I took it out after the babes as I have a half innie outtie and really I am not showing of my belly anymore.... I have two set's of normal lower ear ones, one on the top cartilage of my left ear, then the inside cartilage(rook),and one of the little ear flap(tragus)

2. I love the sound of.....?

MUSIC...lol. Had too, sorry. Really, the sound of London laughing her head off at Roman and Esme doing something silly. So cute. I do love the sound of the ocean waves crashing against the round rock's at Sombrio Beach too. It is the most hypnotic sound. So calming.

3. Favorite city?

Wow, hard... Fav city of course is Paris, but I have not been yet. Fav city I have been, I would say was New Orleans. We went on the first half of our honeymoon, pre-Katrina. I loved it.

4. Colts, Saints, or could care less?

No, thank you.

5. Frozen yogurt or ice cream?

Gelato please!

6. Favorite appetizer?

Spinach and artichoke dip with chip's is delish!

7. What item in your closet currently makes you the happiest?

It is my jean dress that I bought when doing the local craft fair. It is made by a local designer, and I just love it!

8.Favorite facial moisturizer?
Silk road nourishing dew. I have alllllll their facial product's. They are local Victoria company. All natural and super amazing. I dream of their facial's, often. And their tea they sell.

........So long farewell, auf weidersehen good-bye
I hate to go and leave this pretty sight
....So long farewell, auf weidersehen adieu
Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you!
xoxo Lexylou

Fill in the blank....FRIDAY!

2010-02-05T13:26:00.000-08:00

Lovely Lauren has another installment to fill in the blank Friday.
Go to her website and link up!

1. If I had two hours to myself today, I'd go for a walk and enjoy this sunshine It is like summer outside! but if it was at night I would go to a movie again by myself. I really did enjoy that time last week .

2. If I could travel anywhere today, I would go to Paris, without a doubt. With all my heart .

3. The first time I held Roman and became a Mom, is my happiest memory. (But of course holding my girls the first time is amazing too, but with Roman as he was my first, I was now a MOM)

4. Sometimes you're creative other times you're braindead.

5. Beauty is watching my children blossom and grow into amazing human beings. It is something on the inside that can't help but flow out and shine .

6. I would be embarassed if anyone knew how messy the house is most of the time. I am really good at doing a 10 sec or so tidy before someone visit's .

7. Love at first sight is how I felt holding my babes after birth .

I will leave you with my installment to get to know me, another picture of me as a babe and my Mommy!

Have a lovely weekend my dears!

xoxo Lexylou

Button love!

2010-02-04T12:19:00.000-08:00

I am pretty proud of myself if I do say so. I made my own button's for Mad Times! I am by no means an expert in computer's but thank the good Lord for google... I found a great site to help me in simple term's to make a button. I played around with a couple of images on piknic through flickr and I think they turned out quite cute! I thought a typewritter was very Mad times, kind of like old school newspaper typing style.
Grab one if you like on the side bar to spread some love. It would truly make me day!
xoxo Lexylou

Doppelganger delusion?

2010-02-03T18:56:00.000-08:00

On Facebook there is a doppelganger thing going around. You post a picture on your profile on what celebrity you think you look like or have been told you look like.

I have been told many, Cameron Diaz, Scarlett Johanson, Charles Theron, Gwyneth Paltrow,Maggie Gyllenhaal....
I had a hard time deciding. So I picked Scarlett. When I was looking for pictures to use as my profile picture a theme came forward. They all have blue eyes and at some point had darker hair, sometimes reddish. Now I am a blonde, but I was drawn to them as brunette's. I really thought they all looked way more beautiful in darker shades. Their eyes just shined blue....Maybe I would look better darker...???
So maybe in a moment of insanity, maybe it was that I just saw Scarlett with such beautiful mahogany hair, maybe it's that 8 out of 10 Victoria Secret model's are brunette, maybe it was a weak moment of being sick of my blonde hair....Betty or Veronica?!
Well I went out and did the unthinkable, bought a box of mahogany brown hair dye.... Drank my Strowbow and did it.
This is me before...

So what do yo think friends?! Should I run to the salon to fix it, hide my head in shame? Or hold it high and rock it? Hubby likes it but he will say anything to stop me from crying.

Oh to add to I love installment, I bought something to cheer me up from the shock of now be a mahogany head...
OPI's Alice in Wonderland theme nail polish... LOVE. Sparkles?! Oh my!

Also I just love that sweet little cardigan. I just got it yesterday at a thrift store, isn't it cute?! It is actually Michael Kors, can you believe it? It is in brand new condition, thankfully the shop owner had never heard of him or else I would not have paid $10 for it!
Well I will go walk by a mirror and faint again with my spinning head double take's I have been doing all day. I should use a mantra: "I am a mahogany head and I am ok with that..."
xoxo Lexylou

Our home

2010-02-02T11:34:00.001-08:00

Kassi's weekly "Two things I love around my home" posts on her blog BacWoods Fern.
I think it would be fun to join her, take a tour around my home that is soon to not be my home, sniff sniff...as I move to the country. It is very sad but bitter sweet. I love the house that we created into our home. There is so many things that I love about that I have no idea where to start. I love how bright and sunny the living room is, it sold me on the house when I first walked in. It felt so warm and cozy. i love the beautiful deck my husband built with his two hands, I love the gorgeous bath I have upstairs, it is my sanctuary away from chaos, I love the front porch perfect for a cup of tea and taking sunshine in the morning, I love the cherry blossom tree that I saw in full bloom from my bedroom while birthing London, I love the peach and apple tree that provided soooo much fruit that we didn't know what to do with it, I love the original 1913 wood siding we found under the metal stuff, I love the paint color we painted on the outside of the house ....
I will tell you a cute story.....
When Neal and I were about to celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary we finally found a house that had "potential". It was hard NOT to find a crap shack in our price range,something that a young couple just starting out could afford. But finally this house was found and it had character...1913 old house, good bones, needed some love but did not deter us. We are handy people that love to fix up and I love a good challenge. So we put in an offer, it was excepted! We signed the papers, then that night after feeling a little feeling in the back of my head, I took a pregnancy test. It was positive(with Roman)! We became home owners and soon to be parent's in one night. I remember toasting sparkling apple juice on the floor in the empty living room of our new house right after we got the keys. Scared and excited for the new adventures about to start in this old house. We have lived here for almost 5 years, had three children with my two girl's born in this old house, celebrated many parties under it's roof, created many memories inside... It has been loved and will be missed as we now travel to our new adventure at country house. Then I can tell you about all the NEW things I love about my new home.
I will leave you with some pictures of my lovely home that we did all the work on. I have been a labour of love for Hubby and I.

Pre-reno's

After

Hallway

Living Room

Kitchen

Main bathroom

Esme's Room

Roman's room

Master bedroom

Master bath, dreamy...

My sweet front porch

Back deck

Back yard

Disclaimer.... Hubby is a tile setter by trade, hence the mass amount of tiling all over the house. And I am a bit obsessed with Paris...hence all the Eiffel towers....

xoxo Lexylou

I love..... Weekends

2010-02-01T11:55:00.000-08:00

What a lovely and full weekend it was. I found a lovely blog that is dedicating February to "I love... series" So what a great way to kick of Valentines month with what I love ...

 Friday.....

Roman's last day at his wonderful preschool was today, as we are moving out of town. It was very sad to say goodbye. It was a real community as it is a co-op preschool, I know and love all the children and parent's. So as Roman was not able to be there for Valentines Day we made yummy gluten free cupcakes and cards for each child. I was amazed by the thoughtful way he made 14 cards with great care for each special child. Drawing something that he thought about just for that child. He is such a sweet boy.
Friday night..... was a bit rough, hubby worked till 8pm. I was done as a turkey dinner on Thanksgiving so he shoo'd me out the door and told me to go to a movie. By myself... So I went and saw Avatar in 3D. I didn't feel weird seeing a movie alone, the theater was packed so I didn't look like a lone patron as I had people on either side of me. I ate popcorn, and didn't have to share my M&M's. It was amazing.... And the movie was good too. When I got home, hubby lined the hallway with candle's and love notes saying how much he loved me. Awwwww. He knew I have been having an emotional week dealing with the up in the air house stuff and was not feeling my best. Really he is amazing.
Saturday...... I woke up and decided it was best to clean up after the bomb that went off in our house. I also started to pack up stuff that would not be used till after we move. I love packing at times, I purge and get rid of stuff. It is a very free feeling to let go of "stuff" that has been just clutter around the house.
Saturday night ...... I got all packed up for a crafting night of craziness and my friend Lele's house. They thought I was crafting for a week I brought so much.

We had a lovely dinner. My first real Chinese Hot Pot!Made by Lele's hubby! It was so good! After dinner we got down to business. Her swell sister who was over for a visit was crafting too. It was a great night. Full of laughing, bubbley and of course crafting...

LJ was very happy with her design of her website. She was moving from just a blog to a website!

A hair prettie!

I was joking around telling them that the name of this nail polish(that matched the Tulle very nicely) was called Plum Seduction. How do you get seduced by a plum? Are you seduced yet by the plum prettiness?

More hair pretties inspired by Mama Cakies. I made two and am in love with how easy they are to make.

Lele made adorable tutu's for Esme and London. Can you just hear Esme's shriek with delight?

Sunday.....

we went to the beach as it was a beautiful sunny day, and awesomeness...my camera's battery died. The battery was so used up from all the crafting night pictures. Boo. So I have nothing but my word to prove the sun tanning, envy inducing weather. I know you think I am lying. It's ok.

Later we decided to go get Esme bangs. Her hair has grown so much that food was always getting caked in her hair as it was always in the way. I was in shock how much older she look's, she is not even 3 yet?! She look's so much like me it is not even funny. I think anyways. I will let you decide.

Well this is an epic photo post?! Non? I will just end with an "I love the weekend I just had".

xoxo Lexylou

Things things... Fill in the blank Friday's!

2010-01-29T10:07:00.000-08:00

I love the get to know me stuff. Twenty question's, those ones that got passed around and sent to your email box, and you would try to fill in the blank with the most witty and insightful stuff about you. Then facebook came along and there were a few hear and there... But I have not done one in a while. So I am so happy to see them around the blog world.

This lovely blog made by the lovely Lauren(who by the way is wearing a rad feather hair piece in her profile photo, that is what drew me to her. You know me and feather's...)

So here is another fun installment of the get to know me! Fill in the blank!! Go to her post and link up and let me know, so I can get to know you!

1. If I weren't a Mommy I'd love to be Florist, wedding planner, Martha Stewart jack of all trades and make millions doing it. But i still would be a Mommy over all .

2. When I'm super upset I go have a bubble bath, wine and trashy romance novel included .

3. My favorite thing about myself is my eyes and my craftiness .

4. If I found a $100 in the pocket of last winter's coat I'd spend it on a spa day, mani and pedi .

5. Even though some people might consider this a flaw, I love my hubby's lack of singing ability, he is tone deaf. Makes me giggle when he sings to the kids .

6. I love the way I feel after Flamenco or ballet class, I am bone dead tired, sweaty and sore but I have the biggest smile on my face. .

7. I love my hair most when it's adored with my feather headband! Or just after the stylist has made it look Heidi Klum-ish .

Here is my spin on the fill in the blank Friday....
I will share an old baby picture of me! I can't wait to see what you guy's dig up.
This one i love, my mom told me I look like a russian babushka babe.

xoxo Lexylou

Fortune cookie's are so wise

2010-01-28T23:13:00.003-08:00

We had chinese last night in a fit of depression that we may not get our dream country house.... We were told everything was fine, are house sold so fast and we were on the last subject removal for the country house and now we are trying to jump through hoop's for the financing as it is a unique property that has multiple houses' on it and blah blah they are trying to cover there butt and blah blah we are going to be homeless come March.15th if we don't get this house??!! Stressful just does not cover it..
So chinese, I didn't care that I am trying to lose the baby weight, that it was super greasy and probably full of unhealthy things-cat-MSG?? It tasted darn good and I need a cheer me up. I know full faith that God has his hands on us and that we will go to a path that is right for our family, but this house feel's so right....
So fortune cookie time came after the chow mein was all gone and hub's crack's open his and this is what it said...

"Your present plans are going to succeed if you stick to them"
Yup, God is speaking to us through a fortune cookie!
Anyone else have soul speaking fortune cookie's that make you spit out the chowmein they are soooo right. I have couple that I have kept and saved in a journal or two.

I took some pretty picture with my new snazzy lens and I am going to the beach tomorrow-weather permitting, and I will post them up and you all snow people will be soooo mucho jealous and sending evil eyes my way.. Ahahahaha, good thing I can't see them

(Waring- Do not attempt "extreme close-up lens" without copious amounts of makeup/cover up on... Unless you are Wayne or Garth... Party On!)
pps- If you are wondering what my fortune cookie said?!
"Share your abundant humor with others at this time. They need it"
Well there you go, God thinks I am funny too ;)
xoxo Lexylou

Getting to know you, getting to know all about YOU...me

2010-01-27T12:50:00.001-08:00

So since my blog has grown a bit, and I have more people reading that are not just family...
I thought it would be nice to share a bit! Inspired by this post on this lovely blog...
I would love to hear about what your answers are and get to know all of you lovelies better!

The questions...

1. Waffles, pancakes or french toast?

I make a killer french toast, sometimes I like to melt brie in between and make a french toasty cheese sandwich.... With syrup on top!

2. Dream home..What would it look like?

The one I am moving to in the Country. 1901 Farmhouse updated beautifully with keeping rustic charm. Finger's crossed that it is all going to work out.

3. Favorite sport to watch during the Winter Olympics?

Figure skating, downhill slalom(hubby used to train to do that as a pro ;), ski jumping, speed skating...as the Olympics are happening in my backyard, it is so exciting to feel the hullabulo buzz around. My in-laws live in Whistler so they got many tix to some exciting event's.

4. The first word that comes to mind when describing yourself?

Tall. I am just over 6 feet. So it is mostly the first thing I hear when people meet me. "Whow, your tall" Yeah, thanks buddy for pointing it out. I didn't notice?!

5. Dresses, pants (jeans, leggings, etc.) or skirts?

I am digging leggings these days with a long shirt or skirt over top. Perfect for hiding the post baby bulge.

6. What is your favorite time of day?

When Hubby get's home.

7. Beach or Mountains..which do you prefer?

I am a beach lover. I love to wiggle my toes in the sand and the smell of the salty sea is just so intoxicating. So thankful that I grew up and still live by the ocean.

8.Will you watch the Super Bowl?
Ummmm. NO! I don't have cable, and if I did I would prefer to watch something else. Like True Blood or a design show.

Your turn!

New look, new lens

2010-01-26T19:14:00.000-08:00

So a couple of days back I had one of "those" days... The days that make a Mama cry and want to go back to the "fun(skinny), driving a black golf and spending all my money on clothes" days...
My facebook status was as follows:
"sequien's spilled on the floor, London choking on said sequien's, then a pickle- i have no idea were she got it, then my camera get's dropped on the ground by Roman...Lens shutter not worky... I want to cry my friends..."
Yes, when hubby got home it was an automatic do not pass go, go directly to the bubble bath, collect only a glass (or two) of wine...
I am in lovvvve with my camera, so to find out that the lens is broken and out of commission is like I am like missing an arm. I ran out to get it fixed, it is still in the shop- costing me about $160 to take beautiful shot's again. So to make me feel better hubby bought me a lens that I have been lusting after since pacing in the panic room said it is the best lens in the universe... with all his love...
I am IN LOVE with this lens.

The photo's it takes are amazing. I keep meaning to go on a jaunt of photo taking but life has been consumed with.... life?! I promise to put some up soon, and then you will all run out and HAVE to get it.

Well one thing that is making me mucho happy is Polyvore. A lot of blogger's have been putting up super cute outfit's, hand picked by them. Like shopping without worrying about price. Marc Jacob, Stella McCarthne with D&G, no problem with Polyvore. It is fun, free and very addictive. I love it, as I get to know other blogger's better through their personal style and taste in clothes. Danielle's is really cute at her blog's

So here is my turn. Enjoy....

Faith by lexyruth featuring Miu Miu bags

Weekend love by lexyruth featuring Miu Miu shoes

Hello Sailor by lexyruth featuring Miss Sixty jeans

Tea Time by lexyruth featuring Dorothy Perkins coats

Paris girl by lexyruth featuring Marc by Marc Jacobs bags

I would love to see what you have all created!

Sweet tooth nostalgia

2010-01-20T17:56:00.000-08:00

As you can see, I was trying to relive my youth with Sweet Tart's... I don't know how I used to finish them all. I am in serious heartburn pain and my tongue may have to be cut off, it is raw from eating just a few.
And yes that one say's cheeky boy... Don't I know it?!

I am thinking about my next sweet tooth nostalgia indulgence. Anyone have a favorite sweet treat that they crave and want to share of what reminds you about being 6? I wonder how many cavities I am gonna have at my next dentist visit.

Today I went to visit my dear friend who every time we get together it is a crazy brainstorm session of ideas and new crafty things that we want to do/make/share..... Hair clip's, tutu's, baby bibs, blankets, stuffies oh my!? She gave me a bunch of mini peacock feather's to make something to put in my shop!!! What am I going to create? I just finished making a massive amount of feather earrings and clip's to go off to a local shop, I am pretty smitten with how they all turned out, I uploaded the pictures to what is new and exciting on my Facebook fan page too!
My mind is just spinning with all the fun things to make. We even thought we should do a chic baby Couture line.... Oh the ideas, the possibilties that we come up with together. We just feed of one another... When I move we will have epic crafting weekends at the new country cottage and make some super cute stuff!

Oh yeah... I caved and am now on Twitter, no I am not joking... Laugh it up, you too will cave.

Replay!

2010-01-16T19:05:00.002-08:00

So I was inspired by this idea by one of my favorite blogger's- James at Bleubirdvintage. I love music. I listen to it all durning the day, humming a tune when the music is not playing on my stereo... I like to think I have interesting taste, it is ever changing I am realizing. Such a broad range that I had a friend comment on the crazy collection of some awesome, although very eclectic, mix of CD's I had collected. It went from only loving The Beatles and Beck, to ska, then to hard core punk, the the wa wa alternative, to hip hop, then the good old skool hip hop, then to Britney pop tart stuff, top 40, then a love affair with Billy and Ella(that is still going on...) to folky style old grass Roots, to spanish guitar-which was playing the whole birth of London, to???
So I thought I will grace you with what I am constantly pressing replay on my ipod, my version of the ever changing mix tape of Lexylou: Enjoy!
1) Sia- Buttons
The music video for this really solidified my love for this gal... She is CRAZAAAY, but in a good way.
2) Switchfoot- Mess of me
I know this is a same less plug, but this is my cousin Drew's band and I just went to the concert in Vancouver to watch the Hello Hurricane tour, and i can say hands down it is my favorite album of Switchfoot.
3) Fiction Family- When she's near
The lead singer of Switchfoot, Jon Foreman just teamed up to start Fiction family and it is awesome. This song is a repeat special!
4) Muse- Uprising
I lurve Muse. I have a hard time picking a fav song, for a while it was the Twilight special, Supermassive Black Hole. This is filling my black hole Muse love.
5) Mother Mother- Hayloft
This is a local band to Vancouver Island area. I love local shout outs, but this band is really a rad group. I am in love with all the tracks, but this is just pure awesomeness...
6) Phoenix- Litsztomania
Really the whole Wolfgang Album is fabulous. I am really digging it.
7)Santigold- L.E.S. Artistes
I have just found this sweet gem, so I am still fresh replaying her.
8) Cage the Elephant- Back against the wall
I LOVE Cage, if I was not married I would be the biggest groupie.
9)Franz Fedinand- No you Girls
I have been a love time listener the Franz, this is a song that I have had in my head a lot, in a good way, singing in the shower and rocking...
10) Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Heads will Roll
I just love this song. It really satisfies the inner Queen of hearts in me, you know?! OFF WITH HER HEAD!
11) Spoon- I turn my camera on
I feel sheepish to "just" find this jem called Spoon. Really liking this group.
12) Kings of Leon- Use Somebody
I KNOW everyone and their dog has heard of Kings of Leon and is probably sick of them, but this song just reminds me of between 20 and deeply wanting somebody to "want" me and love me
13) Jon and Roy- Thanks for that
This is another local band hailing from my home town. I really love them, they are the laid back, surfer vibe. They are great live too!
14) Tegan and Sara- Back in your head
I like them, pure and simple. The lyric's, their voice...
15) Thom Yorke- Hearing Damage
This is probably going to make me lose readers. I love Twilight.... ahhh and Robert Pattinson. I feel like a total cougar, he is like 6 years younger than me, but reading those books made me feel so young and alive, teenage agnst at it's best... I burned through them while pregnant with London, twice..., all 4 HUGE books....Sorry I had to get that out. I am a Twihard... It is like candy floss reading for the brain. Sweet and fluffy.
Soooo, back to the song, this is from the New Moon soundtrack of the Twilight Saga. It really is a good mix of tunage. I just really liked this song from the movie. Truth be told, I feel in love with Muse because the writer of Twilight, Stephanie Meyer loved them. I gave them a go and was so very thankful to Mrs. Meyer!
16) Grizzly Bear- Two Weeks
This was also picked by Bleubirdvintage's James, but I found this song through this amazing fan video made for this song. I repeat a "fan" made this. It is amazing, the song is amazing too. This has been on REPLAY for awhile.
Okayyy, one more that I just can't help but bust a move...
go take a look,
then see this, and try not to pee your pant's.
Enjoy my dear's. I would love to hear what is rocking your sock's lately!

Muddy buddy win's prize for mother's sanity

2010-01-16T09:57:00.000-08:00

I thank the person that invented the muddy buddy/puddle suit. Really. The kidlet's love that they can basically "swim" in a puddle and Mommy doesn't worry about them getting soaked.
Yesterday was a really raining day, as is typical on the West coast this time of year. Kids were bored and driving me crazy, needing fresh air. I was at my wit's end till I remembered the muddy buddy....
So all suited up, with London in the Ergo, me holding an umbrella, off we went into the wet.
I can fully say whole heartedly that it was the most fun that I think the kids had outside.

We were on a hunt for puddle's, very BIG puddle's.... And when we puddle jumped the snot out of the new found puddle, off we went to find a bigger one. London was just giggling like mad watching her siblings jump like mad, I could not help but laugh at the hilariousness of them. We were out for about two hours?!

We came home had a hot bath and they passed out on the couch soon after. Hubby came home and could not get over the cuteness of them just so pooped out from puddle jumping. This morning they asked to go puddle jumping again, but alas all of the puddles are dried up. They are watching the window for rain. For the first time the are praying for rain.
Thank god for muddy buddies...

Pretty letter's

2010-01-10T21:29:00.002-08:00

So this year, my New Years resolution was not to lose weight(but man I should) or yada yada spend less money. I thought I would do something special and fun. I would write more letter's. "Snail mail" as in post office style letter's. I know....GENIUS! I love getting mail. And as we are moving to the country soon and will not be in touch with loved ones as much, I want to mail them a letter. I know phone call's are great and all, email is just soooooo easy and everyone is on facebook that they know my daily rant or witty thought of the day from status updates... But really how special and wonderful would it be to receive a letter from moi?!
So I have been on the hunt for unique, really beautiful stationary set's that I would have a hard time NOT writing on, as it would call to me to compose a sweet letter to a sweet friend!
So here is my pick's:

Profile

Bird

Goldfish

Clover

Recycled set

Paris

Friends

I love this one...

Mustache

Finish it off with a wax seal of my last name initial. Presto, a beautiful way to put a smile on special someones face!

Creative juices flowing

2010-01-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

This is my Christmas present from Hubby! So I have been just floating around so many idea's on what to create. What piece of fabric will be blessed with my touch to be made BEAUTIFUL?!

Anybody have any great sewing project's that they are dying to share, because they are "that" fabulous?! I am all ear's!

New Year, new adventures!

2010-01-05T16:31:00.007-08:00

I gotta feelin', that this year's gonna be a good, GOOD year!
We started off the New Year visiting my in-laws that live in gorgeous white Whistler! It was a great visit, with lots of sledding, over 50cm of snow falling(that is almost two feet my American friends!) walk's to the village, visiting family, great dinner's, stopping in at my fav lunch stop for THE best Lental veggie burger in the world.... Gawd, I am still drooling over it.... going on a date night with the hubby thanks to granny and saw Avatar! AMAZING! The crazy vivid dream's I had about Pandora were unreal. And some lows, Esme dislocated her elbow on a fluke accident in the snow, she was in screaming pain. So off to emerg. we went only to have it "miraciously" pop back into place by the time the doctor came around. She was a riot, and being as cute as ever to the doctor. Dancing around and singing a song, " I guess it's back in" said the Doctor, yup, it was...Then on our last day my back, which is the most fickle back in the world, went out, and I have been cripple since. You have now idea how much staring at all the Christmas decorations around my house is killing me when I can barely stand, and all I want to do is put it ALL AWAY!!!!
Well I need to just relax...ahhhhh, breathe.....

Big things my puddleduck's are happening in our family. We have been dreaming of moving to the country for a loooong time. Our city we live in, (the one I grew-up in ) is getting too "city" like for hubby and I. It is not the sweet town it was when I was little, and we want better for our three little ones. Hubby grew up in a small town, Whistler, when Whistler was a small ski town, not the hotel meca it has become today. He finds it sad that where his school once was is now a hotel, or the forrest he used to play in is a parking lot or the house he grew up in is now gone to be the "drive-way" to the mansion that the land houses.....Anyways... I was trying to be philisophical kids, paved paridise and put up a parking lot?!
Well, we have had our eye on a property for awhile, it was way out of our price range, but it was PERFECT, just over 2 acres, had two full house on it with a guest cottage that I could run my B&B, get some chickens and wear my cowboy boot's...REAL country livin'. It is located just up the island we live on and it is a great area to raise a family.
Like god sending us a message when we were at our wit's end with our city and life in general, the price dropped $100,000?! Hello SIGN!?? So we pulled up our pant's, put our house on the market, it sold in 6 days with 3 offers! Which was such a blessing, as showing a home with three small children is enough to make a person LOSE it.
Exciting but bitter sweet. Leaving friends and family that I love and know so well, but very excited for making new one's and the community we will find in this lovely new Waldorf school close to town.
Plus one of my younger sister's with her husband and three small kids(the same age as mine-give a month or two) want to rent out the other house! So I will not be completly alone.
I know in my heart, with every feeling, that this is the right move for us. And I am looking forward to this.
To the country we shall go.

Twas a wonderful Christmas...

2009-12-28T14:30:00.003-08:00

It really was. I was blissfully hoping for snow,but alas, it did not happen for the Westcoast...
This Christmas was very eye opening for Hubby and I. We decided this year that we would not buy from China, make as much as we could for the kidlet's and others and buy from local companies. We love Nova toys. They are a wonderful site of natural toys, but we were slow of the ordering and missed the cut off for Canadian shipping so we found a local company in Vancouver that I bought most of our toy's from for the kid's that had a lot of the similar things too.
It is amazing how much is from China, really shocking... The crazy consumer craze did not consume hubby and I, we bought or made things for loved ones with care. Like the knitted scarfs for Roman and Esme. Ever since I started my Company and doing a craft fair I met lot's of local artist and companies. I found beautiful things to get as Christmas present's. Buying from them, helping support them and there family just felt so good. Christmas was smaller and simpler BUT soooo much better, more meaningful, more magical. I just love the family traditions we are creating with our little young family. I know it is just going to get even more special each year.
We go off the visit hubby's parent's in Whistler so we will have a WHITE New Years. Kidlets are obsessed with snow, I have a feeling this is going to be a crazy fun visit.
Hope you are all relaxing and enjoying your loved ones and are looking forward to the New Year ahead as much as I am!

2009-11-24T14:23:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Guest blogging our nature walk and fall time craft!

2009-11-19T07:03:00.002-08:00

Today I am so honored and grateful to be a guest blogger over at one of my most favorite crafty Momma blogger's Kate over at Centsational Girl. This lovely woman inspires me everyday with decorating and so many cool and beautiful DIY idea's. You MUST pop on over and check out her site!

With the beautiful color's of fall surrounding us, going outside and enjoying the splendor of autumn is a daily activity in our house.

With basket's in hand to hold the bounty we collected in nature.....
Roman showing off his nature goodies!
Esme with her pretty flower

Then when we got home we took out all the wool roving in lot's of pretty fall color's and rolled them into little ball's for wet felting them.

With warm soapy water we rolled the ball's in our hands till they were nice and round.This is a good "outside" craft and we all got pretty wet! Lot's of fun was had at this stage.

Then we let them dry over night and I took all the acorn top and hot glue gunned them on.
And Presto! Beautiful acorn's for decoration on a nature table, mantle or I am thinking of putting some string on them and making them into cute Christmas ornament's.... Or as decoration on a Christmas present gift tag!

Little basket's of acorn love for Roman and Esme....
I think I am now addicted to wet and needle felting. You should see my stash of wool roving. Hubby just roll's his eyes....

Hope you are all enjoying this autumn as much as we are here on the West Coast!

Monday musing....

2009-11-09T11:14:00.003-08:00

The view from my bedroom this morning's sunrise

This crazy cool car that sometimes park's down the road from our house and finally yesturday I caught it on film

Interesting "art" I found on the beach, last weekend

I am always on a quest to take a reallllly pretty picture. Something that "speaks to my SOUL" it is so good. I enjoy taking picture's and have been told that I should take it up professionally, but alas, I always think I don't have what it takes... So I will just leave it as a passionitate hobby and put my put my soul speaking shot's up here for you to enjoy! Hope you are all enjoying you Monday.

October should be renamed Funtober!

2009-11-03T10:46:00.000-08:00

I love October. REALLY love it. I am a summer lover too, as I love all the sun, sand and heat! But something about fall just makes my heart melt. Cozy sweater's....Pumpkin spice latte's... Going for walk's in the crisp autumn air with the nice smell of woodsmoke.... Seeing the leaves change color.... Pumpking picking and carving...Plus my birthday is in October..... and Halloween too.... So many fun things going on. Now with children of my own, I am falling in love with the beauty the autumn brings, having family dinner at Thanksgiving(Canadian's have it early folk's) and the insane excitement of Halloween and trick or treating brings.... This year we decided to be the Wizard of Oz family. Last year we did Peter Pan theme. I really like the family theme as it makes for really cute picture. I will have to milk it for as long as I can, before they start to pick what "they" want to be instead of Mommy picking. So Esme was Dorthy, Roman was the Lion, Neal the Scarecrow and I was the Wiked Witch with London as my flying monkey sidekick...Reallllly cute!
As some of you might remember I am a bit of a Sugar nazi, as my kids turn into maniac's with the smallest amount of juice. I decided to put the sugar police in the back seat and just let the kids have fun this Halloween, and it really was fun this year. They got really into it, running from house to house, saying trick'o' tweet.... Melt with cuteness.
But let me tell you, then next two days DOT DOT DOT. . . Hell hath no fury than a child deprived of Halloween treat's. Once they tasted the good stuff, all they ask for is TREAT'S!
Oh well, who can say no to 2 adorable kidlet's?! That would take superhuman strength.

Felting obsession...

2009-10-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

I have not done felting for years. On a whim I went and bought a needle felting kit and it sat in my "craft corner" (aka the junk piled up on the kitchen desk that has been sitting there forever) for well... forever till I decided to open it up and make something. There is something really stress relieving stabbing wool over and over.
Really. It's so satisfying. Glass of wine optional....
So I have made some cute flowers and heart's. Then...Lighting bolt struck me and I thought I should glue these onto clip's and make cute hair clip's for Esme and London.
I have bought some hair clip's, the ones with ribbon on them and they cost me a fortune. So I am making my own. Plus I think they are waaaaaay more and organic wool is just so soft....
Here is my creation's so far. If enough people twist my arm I may have to start selling them. This may be it! My "stay-at-home and make money" craft I have been dreaming of!!!!
I will go to stab more wool. Enjoy!

Rainy Sunday craft

2009-09-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

Being inspired by a great blogger and her wonderful idea, this past sunday afternoon, Hubby and I decided to make our own version. The kids were so into cutting out pictures and telling Daddy were to glue it. Perfect for hanging out on a rainy day! We had so much fun together.
Thanks sweetsweetlife over at typepad blog for the wonderful idea!!!
The girly girl room. I am just smitten with the paper latern's on a string

Roman helped Daddy pick out and glue all the stuff from the boy's room
Mama bunny baking in the kitchen, while the men relax in the living room...

Simple pleasures...

2009-09-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

Inspired by a lovely blogger about having 30 days of happiness and finding the joy in things we either take for granted or "simple, little things that make our days so very enjoyable. Those little things that make life worth living"....
This has been like god sending it down to me himself, as it has been a hard week. My little brother Rupert passed away two years ago on Aug.29th and it would have been his 16th birthday on Aug.25th. With these two event's happening back to back it has been very hard for me to find happiness in really anything....
So thank-you Erin at bluebirdbaby for jump starting my happiness! If we stop and really think about it, there is SO many thing's to be happy and grateful for.....
Here are some things that brought be happiness and made me feel grateful this weekend:
-Cutting Lavender from my garden and putting by my bedside table
-Line drying the clothes and cloth diaper's
-Eating a lovely dinner with my dear friend Juliette and her husband Jeff with the whole meal provided from their garden
- Flower's left on my door step by a sweet friend
- Watching the kids play on a beach on Gabriola Island
- London smiling so brightly as she is nursing, a smile that takes over the eyes too.
- Making fresh smoothies with peach's from my peach tree
-Esme dancing to any music being played in the house
- Roman singing himself to sleep, I think it was half baby beluga half wheel's on the bus.....

Hope you have fun finding happiness with me and also thing's to be grateful for.
Rupert Samuel- Forever loved and missed. Always

The evilness of JUICE

2009-08-08T01:35:00.001-07:00

So, my son Roman has Celiac. Which means that he is very intolerant to gluten..... which is a protein found in wheat and wheat product's. Google it. I suck mucho at describing it.
Where am I going with this? Well Roman was diagnosed with Celiac about two years ago and he is still healing from the damage to his intestines and such. They say it can take up to 5 years to heal and repair back to normal. Frigg'n LONG time....
POINT, YES Roman has been really sensitive to refined sugars and JUICE. Basically he turn's into a crazy ape child hyped up on caffeine pills, maybe about 6 caffeine pills with like 4 Red Bulls on the side. CRAZY. Soooooo needless to say I give the kids no juice, he doesn't ask for it. Just H2O for this little man.
On the weekend we go to visit my Dad who we haven't seen for a while, as he lives pretty far from us. A ferry ride plus a couple hours of driving. All I can say is thank the LORD for my DVD player. My Dad, being a sweet and doting Grandpa bought the kids treats(crazy sugar treats) not knowing that I do not give them any such things at home. He was feeding them to R&E every time I turned my back. Then asking if they were thirsty, and then filling up their "water" cup's with JUICE.... You can see where this is going.
Very bad.
Very fast.
For a child that hardley ever get's sugery goodness, they went from sweet little angel's to JUICE FREAKS!!!!! Sugar high for about, oh, 5 days?! Now my friends, here is what makes the Mommy camels back break. After we get home safe and sound, away from the massive heat wave that hit all of our provenice, home with the now ever ridiculously whiney, psycoatic child that has a total melt down when I say no to juice or a treat( which are not even in my house) This happen every 10 minutes, he whines ever so loudly and camel back breakingly......

"I WANT JUICE MOMMA, TREAT TOO, I NEVER GET A TREAT,"

"No Roman, that hurts your tummy, and makes you act crazy, which makes Mommy crazy for dealing with a crazy Roman"......
This follow's by him dropping to the floor and cunvulsing in a fit of sugar deprival. AWESOME.
Are you jealous yet of me and my super cool kid? Yep, I though so! Just Rad.
But, alas there seems to be a light at the end of the sugary tunnel. He has stopped for at least half of today asking for "it", it must not be named aloud, kinda like..Voldemort...eepp I said his name. Not even spelling it out, he learns quick with the devil juice in him giving him power/
Lesson to this story, feed you kids juice all the time, and some sugar treat's on the side and then they will always be used to the evil sugar and not have the withdraws that my son is going through.... It's Rough.

Everyone is doing it....

2009-08-08T00:51:00.000-07:00

So I have caved to the pressure of the blogger nation. I too want to be witty, insightful, followed by thousands adored by many about my quick and hilarious mind....... Be the next Dooce.com(aka Heather Armstrong), get paid to stay and home and talk about my "oh so interesting" life with 3 kids.
Have I got you hooked yet?!! No? Didn't think so.....
This is me, just being..... me...
I have two cups of coffee a day before I venture downstairs to tackle my day to day life of being a stay at home mom of 3 children. I love them to pieces, they push my buttons, make me laugh, also make cry.
Why 3 kids you ask?
Because my husband and I wanted to??
Don't know what a condom is??
Are just plain crazy???
Yes to all above.
I actually get a kick out of the sympathetic/horrified/some times disgusted looks I get walking around with my kids, like I am some kind of teen mom that doesn't know how to keep her leg's closed... Then I stare back with my triumphant "I am married, actually almost 30,I showered and put make-up on and I am skinnier than you" looks....
Doesn't it say in the Bible to go forth and multiply?! It's the Bible dude, you don't cross Jesus...And multiply we did!

Well I knew I wanted kids, and as soon as Roman was born 3 years ago I was hooked on this mom thing. Then Esme was my wonderful surprise, finding out to be pregnant after Roman was just three months old. She came into the world through a wonderful and amazing home birth just 1 year, 1 month and 1 day after Roman. On her Daddy's birthday to be exact!
Then hubby and I got thinking, why not another?! We like to hump like rabbit's, let's make another baby. I am staying home anyways till the kids go to school, why not have them all together close in age??!! So we tried for 4 days, and me being the most fertile person I know... Hubby could just wink at me and I would get pregger's.... Baby #3 was conceived. We didn't find out the sex, had the same amazing midwife that we had for the previous two births and away we went. Wondering what the hell we were doing wanting to have 3 kids under 3??!!!!
8 month's later...Beautiful homebirth, London Ruby was born, Roman had another sister! He woke up, came to our bedroom at 7am and found his new sister in my arm's not even a half and hour old.
So five years of marriage and three kidlet's under our belt. Not bad eh?! Living in the beautiful city that I grew up in. Learning ever day new things about myself through the eyes of my children. How awesome it that.
Soooooo I have R&E lovingly kiss and crowd over London right now on her playmat, with me every 5 seconds telling them to back up and give her a bit space..... She is looking a little freaked out....
Going to see Harry Potter tonight with my Mommsie, sans kids..... Can you say dreamy? Let's hope it is not too long and I have to leave as my boob's are leaking into my popcorn.
I must go and do "stuff" before I get my Potter fix.
Catch you on Twitter...
(well no, not really. I don't have Twitter. What do I look like? A celebrity? Perez?)