Saying Goodbye To 2011

What a year! I won't pretend that 2011 was all kittens and sunshine, because it really wasn't -- but what good is dwelling on the negative? No good can come of it and so we're truckin' on. Twenty-eleven brought changes in my career, life, relationship, friendships, family & more... some good, some bad... and everything is different now. But that's life, right? I have great hopes for 2012. Things will even out this year. More than ever, I know what I want, and despite knowing that things are never quite reigned in, it's giving me a sense of satisfaction. At least I've got an idea in my head, you know? There are some fun things I'll be talking about in the next month or so... lifewise, exciting things. I've only got time for positivity and happiness this year, people. Join me?

January

It Just Takes A Moment

All Things Excellent

February

Friends, Baby Girls & Embroidery

Late Last Night

March

The Fawn's Quick & Easy Chili

On Toddlers & Chutzpah

On Sunshine, Bangs & Taking Care Of Mama

April

On This Mama's Mind Tonight

"John's Pants"

So That I Remember

Easter Weekend Love List

On Break-Ins & Feeling Violated

May

Hide & Seek

One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Moment By Moment

Pretty Girls & Their Bikes

June

The Babes, Together Again

Dedicated To The Rain

July

A Girl & Her Bike

The One Where The Fawn Gushes Because Her Heart Is Simply Bursting

Yurt Love

August
Snapshots From San Diego: A BlogHer'11 Visual

Bancroft, Ontario

The Burning Hell Loves Babies

September
There's Music At The House Of Fawn
Our Sunday
Neighbourhood Sweethearts

October
A Thanksgiving Retrospective
The Gibson Tuck... In Action
Our Pumpkin Patch Adventure

November

 Deep In The Hundred Acre Woods
Some Style Inspiration For The Season
Eight Things You Didn't Know About Me

December
Shiny Happy People: The Blogger Meetup!
O Tannenbaum & Tradition
Hematomattack
Blogs Nights

And if you're looking for a little eye candy... take a peek back at all the Fawned Friday posts too. My favourite blog feature.

Happy New Year, dear hearts. So much love.

Hear, hear.

Get Well Soon

Not even a stomach bug can keep this kiddo from smiling. She's such a trooper, despite the miserable night she'd had prior to this photo being snapped. My little puker seems to be doing better tonight... hoping the sickos will be all gone by tomorrow. There's nothing quite so heartbreaking as a tot telling you "I don't wanna feel sick anymore, mama". We snuggled and nursed all day long, and by this evening she even had some dinner. She did manage to snack a bit during the day, following the bananas/rice/applesauce/toast rule and she told me the "applesauce make my tummy feel better". So far, she's been sleeping just fine tonight, and I'm about to head to bed myself.

Send happy thoughts our way, mes amis. Hoping for a healthy start to 2012.

PS. Apologies for the lack of Fawned Friday this week. It'll be back next week, full force.
PPS. Just so you can have the same song stuck in your head for the rest of 2011...



Peace.

Small Style No. 21

Ducky Sweater: Thrifted (an absolutely gorgeous find) // Necklace: The Children's Place (a Christmas gift from @messykarenjean) // Scrappy Skirt: Handmade by mama // Slippers: The Toy Shop

Basically, what you see here is the outfit she'd like to wear anytime music is playing in the house. This girl loves to sing and dance, has a remarkable memory for lyrics and some pretty radical moves. (Like Jagger, probably.)

Linking up over at Mama Loves Papa!

Vintage University Love

I found these fantastic vintage snapshots of my university on their website. So amazing. I'm pretty honoured to have attending such a gorgeous school, despite my somewhat disillusioned thoughts about post-secondary, but that's neither this nor that. 

How much do you love the lamps those dapper chaps are studying by? And the fireplace? I sometimes miss those rooms.

Tell me, friends, where did you go to school? What did you take? I'd love to know! (To answer this question myself: Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario. BA in Philosophy & Cultural Studies.)

Images via trentu.ca archives.

Blog Nights

I've been geeking out like mad this week (what else is new?), watching the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films over and over again while I drink tea & blog my nights away. Many of you know I write for several websites, and quite often I end up getting the majority of my writing done at night, after lights out o'clock.

Tonight was no exception. With a little Harry Potter on in the background... I'm blogging, Pinteresting, tweeting and sipping Earl Grey at my kitchen table. Last night I shared an Instagram of what my evenings have looked like lately:

For the last few days, my roomie has been away with family for the holidays, and I think I actually forgot what it was like to live "alone". Usually she and I chat and watch Gilmore Girls, so rarely am I solo at night. Sometimes it's nice to be silent and still.

I really enjoying all of my blog work right now. It's exciting. It's always changing, growing, morphing... new opportunities, new ideas. Sometimes I look at my blogging schedule (via my trusty ol' Google calendar, aka brain) and it seems a bit daunting, but I love it. The only difficult part about all of it, is trying to make time for my blogging, birth work and life, all at once. (Wouldn't it be nice if we could actually make time... surely there's a recipe on Pinterest for this sort of thing.) So far, I'm managing to do a LOT of things fairly well, but it's tough balancing it all, on top of being mama to the raddest little lass. Things slip, as I'm sure you all understand. The goal, I suppose, is to do fewer things REALLY well, but my gosh, that's the trouble. Sorting it out, letting go, reorganizing, restructuring. Another venture has been brewing in my head for a good while now, and even starting it will be interesting by itself. I find myself a bit hilarious sometimes... but I have a great deal of trust in life sorting itself out. I know I'll be able to reconcile it all.

Life has a way of working out for the best, when you give it a chance to.

And that I shall.

Source.

Christmas With My Little Fawn

A morning with kin, five generations, gifts from so many who love her, smiles, twirling, brunch & a cozy nap with mama. Dinnertime with chosen family, good eats, lots of laughter, hugs and happiness.

Gretchen had a fantastic day. Oh my, the things she says and does. A constant source of brilliance and amusement. She keeps me on my toes. She keeps me grounded just the same.

Grateful for our wonderfully mellow Christmas.

Wishing you all the best, mes amis. I hope your day was everything you'd hoped for and more.

Goodnight, Christmas Eve

Gifts have been placed, the lights are aglow, tea's been sipped & all is still. A lovely, quiet night at the House of Fawn, and soon mama will be off to bed too.

In the morning, family will arrive... breakfast, quiche, treats & more. Christmas evening the little one and I will be off to spend time with her godfather & fam. Best friends and so much love.

A mellow Christmas. A happy Christmas.

Goodnight, on Christmas Eve.

What Mama (And Her Friend) Wore: The Downtown Edition

Happy Christmas Eve day!

Earlier this week, after coffee and mincemeat tarts at the cafe, Meagh and I thought we might do a little impromptu photo shoot in the alley. And then I promised the pics would make a blog appearance, so long as she let me include her in an outfit post! (Bonus points if you're local & can tell me where we're standing.)

These snaps were taken Wednesday, pre-tinysnowfall.

Slouchy Hat: Knit by moi // Scarf: Thrifted // Coat: Vero Moda, TiaStar.com // Jeggings: Pink Martini, TiaStar.com // Boots: Thrifted

Cowl: Knit by awesome girlfriend Claire // Jacket: Army Surplus // Boots: Army Surplus // Hoodie: Old Navy // Jeans: Old Navy // Toque: Thrifted //Glasses: Clearly Contacts

My friends are the cutest.

Take care & have a fabulous, full-of-love Saturday!

Fawned Friday

01. Put me on a train, baby.

02. Ain't that the truth.

03. Totally rad, totally doable.

04. Amazing. Lucky's done it again!

05. Super cute, especially the sprinkles!

06. These floors make me all kinds of happy.

07. Yeah, I'm still giggling about this.

Is everyone ready for the holidays? I'm happy to announce that we woke to a dusting of snow this morning! It's not much... but it's just enough!

This afternoon, G and I are running a few last minute errands with one of our dear hearts, then hunkering down for a cozy evening together. Maybe there'll be hot cocoa. Then, after the little madame is asleep, @messykarenjean and I will get on with the gift wrapping and nog sipping. Happy Christmas!

Hematomattack

About a week ago, while playing down on the carpet with my nearly 3-year-old, she managed to land her heel into my gut with a surprising force. She must have been in the middle of one of her dance moves... whatever she was doing, I had to stop a moment. "Whoa, slow down little girl."

It took days before the injury showed its true colours. At first I only felt a lump in my abdomen. This was followed by some terrible bruising and a bizarre amount of pain. One doctor thought it was a skin infection (cellulitis) and sent me home with a prescription for antibiotics.

Two days later, in a considerable amount of pain and getting a bit nervous about the size of the lump in my belly (and the spreading bruise), I saw another doctor, who thought it might be a hematoma... he ordered tests, but nothing could be done til after the weekend. Eventually I took a trip to emerg to get some answers. Three hours later, it was a confirmed hematoma, ie. a pocket of blood under the skin. For the last two days I've been hanging out with a heated rice bag on my belly... right now it's actually tucked into the front of my pants to hold it still. Classy.

The swelling is beginning to go down, and it's finally not causing me constant pain, but still my stomach is sticking out on one side at a freakish angle. The doc said it would be better to rest, keep a warm compress on it and let it dissipate on its own, than for him to go in and drain it.

Works for me.

I'll be incredibly happy once the hard mass leaves my abdomen. As one friend described, it feels like there's a bar of soap under my skin. It's that hard.

Seriously. I look el preggo on one side only.

So, that's pretty much the story of my bizarro injury. The little miss keeps asking, "What happen to mommy's belly?" Such a sweetheart. I can't tell her she practically dropped kicked me.

"Mama just bonked it."

Today when I saw her after work, the first thing she said to me was, "Mama? Your belly feels better?"

She's a doll. A complete darling.

"Yes, baby. It's feeling better."

Ain't That The Truth

This made me smile a bunch. So true.

Wishing you all a happy Sunday, mes amis! Today I'll be downtown at the shop in all the Christmassy hustle & bustle. Perhaps I'll treat myself to a latte or two.

Peace!

Fawned Friday

Late again? This time due to the death of my modem. (May it rest in peace.) Thank you neighbour-Caren for letting me annex your wifi!



01. The Plume's 4th Annual Christmas Tree Contest has begun!

02. Pile my plate high, please.

03. Terrariums and tiny people.

04. Flirting with babies.

05. I'm such a nerd. I read this blog all the time.

06. If you're a parent, you need to read this.

07. Enjoy this lovely blogger's shop before it closes up!

PS. My lovely friend Erin has joined in with her own Fawned Friday posts... if you'd like to play along, I'll soon be posting a wee button in the sidebar so you can link back! I'd love to see what you're all fawning after, mes amis.

Goodnight Rain

Today was stormy, but the clouds brought more rain. I'm typing this just after midnight, ten days til Christmas, and it's 5° outside.

Sigh.

Maybe I should have grabbed a new raincoat for Gretchen, instead of worrying about whether her snowsuit would still fit. (It does.)

PS. Anyone ever have cellulitis?

Dreaming Of A White Christmas (With A Side of Knitting & Antibiotics)

Want to hear something bizarre? We STILL don't have any snow. In fact, today it just rained a whole bunch... rain on the 14th of December. In Ontario. I'm just shaking my head at this one.

I've been hoping for fluffy flakes and blustery storms. I want to wake up and see a world covered in white. I want to build snowmen with Gretchen and create trails of footprints in fresh snow in the park. I want the river to freeze and to see the temperature dip below zero. I want to crave blankets and hot chocolate, egg nog lattes and gingerbread.

Tonight, with the entire house to myself, I'm snuggled up on the couch with tea, trail mix, my knitting and the last two Harry Potter movies. Everything is still and calm. I'm even feeling alright, despite the mondo dose of antibiotics I've been put on after last night's bizarro trip to the after hours clinic. However, I suppose once I'm on them for a few days THAT'S when the miserable feeling might kick in. Ick. Bring on the acidophilus! (Also, don't worry... the doc isn't 100% sure what's wrong with me, but I'm not panicking yet, haha.)

For now, would you like to see the hat I've been working on?

This is my second attempt at this pattern. My first turned out much messier than it should be, but I'm getting the hang of it. I first learned to knit when I was about seven years old, but I'm still stuck in the basics of it all. However, I promise that's all changing. I've even been attending a few little knitting get togethers at the local yarn shop. So many knitty ladies! And I love them!

I hope you're all having a nice, peaceful Wednesday night as well. Ciao til next time.

PS. Let's be Ravelry friends, okay? I'm desireefawn over there.

...

Want to see what I've been posting elsewhere?

• Swooning over handspun yarn
• Craving winter like you wouldn't believe
• Are you a boot cuff kind of gal?

Love List

♥ Buttery new yarn, bamboo circular needles, a cowl in progress, Christmastime downtown, big mugs of coffee, blogging with friends, unwavering support, silly songs on repeat, dancing with my daughter, tights, tights, tights, kettle chips, chai lattes, power bars, heavy credenzas, balancing, breathing, candlelit showers, peppermint essential oils and heather grey socks.

A Peek Into Our Mega Bloks Party

On Friday evening, I held a potluck shindig at the House of Fawn. Five mamas, one daddy, seven little lasses, one little mister AND lots of fun toys to play with, courtesy of Mega Bloks, our par-tay sponsor. They sent over some neat new products for the kiddos to play with and we turned my living room into blok-central!

So many happy faces as they tried out their Garden Friends and Jungle Friends... each pack came with fun stickers and an assortment of creatures to put together... and when it came to clean up time? Let's just say I wish I had eight excited children around EVERY time I needed my living room tidied. I counted to ten and didn't they hop right to it!

Thanks so much to my lovely mama friends who attended! It was a great night for the moms to catch up and snack while our sweethearts played their little hearts out. I bet they all slept quite nicely that night!

PS. Gretchen has been asking me to invite everyone back over. I think she enjoys a house full of friends!

Disclosure: Thanks again to Mommy Parties & Mega Bloks for providing the entertainment! As always, the opinions on this blog are my own.