Birthday Week

This week, Greg (and his twin) will be celebrating their birthday! In honour of him, I'll be sharing fun things about birthdays throughout the week. We're celebrating with a mini getaway this weekend, and I can't wait. I also have a tonne of little surprises woven into our week for my love.

Happy birthday my sweet. You mean the world to me and Thomas and we're so lucky to share our lives with you! xo

Image via Indyish.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Today is my Grandma's birthday.. We celebrated with a ladies luncheon complete with the most delicious potato salad, chicken and chorizo empanadas and a seven layer lemon cake. Happy Birthday Grandma! I love you!

March is birthday month in our house (Greg and me), so I'm collecting ideas on fun and casual celebrations. I'm loving this ombre cake!

The Craziest Date I've Ever Gone On

So, this is a story that most of my family doesn't even know... :)

Greg and my relationship began long distance after meeting at a work conference. While we lived on opposite sides of the country, we both had trips planned to Newfoundland and Alberta respectively in the near future when we began to see that our relationship might be going somewhere, so going on a date was actually something we could plan. We spent a whole month looking forward to our first date in Edmonton in mid April (Greg had romantically sent me a plane ticket to fly up to Edmonton from Calgary, where I was visiting family, so that we could spend a weekend together).

But as the days passed, I couldn't wait for our date.

After perusing Air Canada's website to book my ticket to Calgary, I noticed that it was basically the same cost to buy a frequent flyer pass for one month (there was an amazing sale on at the time) as it was to buy one round trip ticket. So for the cost of one ticket to Alberta, I could also take weekend trips to Fredericton and Toronto, cities where some of my best friends lived, so it made perfect sense. I booked all my flights and let my besties know that I was coming to crash.

Then, one evening a few days later, I realised that my frequent flyer pass would allow for one more trip. A caveat was that I could only fly on Tuesdays, Saturdays or Sundays in April. So, it occurred to me that I could fly to Edmonton first thing on a Saturday morning and could fly back on Sunday - free. I had to do it. Obviously.

And I did it...and made it work on Monday morning on time to boot! Image via Gravesland.

Happy 6 Months, Thomas!

Wow! I am flabbergasted that our little man has been living with us for six months. I cannot imagine my life without you, Thomas. Love, Mommy.

In the Dog House? A Solution!

Following an afternoon drive around town last Saturday, Greg stopped the car by the shop of the florist who did our wedding arrangements and said he had to run inside. He appeared a few moments later with a huge bouquet of flowers with a sweet Winnie the Pooh valentine attached that read "Something for you Valentine", To: Mommy, Love: T. Walter. I was beyond touched!

While I may have a beautiful arrangement of flowers in my dining room this Valentine's week, it wasn't always that way. In 2009, Greg 'surprised' me with a book on personal finance for Valentine's Day. While I'm someone who actually enjoys researching and buying mutual funds, and considering the pros and cons of putting my money in an Registered Retirement Savings Plan versus a Tax Free Savings Account, even I know that there's no way this gift could be spun as romantic. If you made a similar boo boo this past Tuesday, here is a surefire plan to get out of the dog house this weekend. The ingredients?

• Make a dinner reservation for tonight - stat! We're actually celebrating Valentine's Day tonight (as I suspect others are as well) so you can, with some degree of credibility, convince your partner that you intended to celebrate tonight all along. If you can't find a reservation anywhere, plan to go to a nice lounge, like Bivver in St. John's, and have a cocktail and some appetizers.
  
• Next, head to the mall or other shopping destination and buy your partner a new dress or jewelry or tie or shirt or sports jacket (some article of dressy clothing that you know they'll love). Set it out on their bed and when they walk in the room, announce your intentions to take them to dinner and your desire for them to wear said item on your date.
  

I hope this plan works for you! xo

Photo via Female Ways.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! Today I feel lucky and full of bliss for having two loves in my life - my husband and my son. Though Greg's at the office, I'm keeping busy with a gossipy lunch chat with a friend, and a homemade Valentine's project (more about that later), and we're keeping in touch by emailing limericks about our love back and forth. Hopefully tonight we'll get Thomas down to sleep before we're too zonked ourselves so that we can enjoy a cookie on the couch together. We'll celebrate properly this weekend (there's talk of steaks!). Love to all of you, my dear readers! Valentine's card by Anna Bond.

What to Wear on Valentine's Day: Romantic Dinner

If fine dining is part of your Valentine's Day plans, perhaps an ensemble like this would suit? Dress by The Look, clutch by Tory Burch, booties by Designers Remix Signature and coat by Miu Miu.

How to Celebrate Valentine's Day with a Baby II

Second up, if you're at home on maternity leave, and your husband's work situation allows for it, why not pack a picnic lunch and surprise your husband/boyfriend (aka Dad) at his office?

With any luck, baby will snooze on the stroller or car ride there, and will give you a few minutes to smooch behind his closed office door before waking up (how old school romantic, huh?). There's something incredibly sexy about showing up at your husband's work unannounced and stealing him away for a few minutes.

And what might you bring to munch on? A pair of San Pellegrinos and the most delicious chicken curry and raisin wraps. Images of the Mad Men set via Modernica.

What to Wear on Valentine's Day: Casual Date

Seasonal, yet sophisticated, here's the perfect solution for an unconventional, but fun Valentine's date, like bowling and a curry buffet. Cigarette pants by Joseph, studs by J Crew, sequined bag by Red Valentino, pink flats by Bottega Veneta and heart sweater by Sonia Rykiel.

How to Celebrate Valentine's Day with a Baby I

Over the next few days, lovely readers, I'll be sharing some ideas on making Valentine's Day feel special with a baby (or a new puppy or a hectic schedule or any other life situation where making time for your relationship seems impossible).

First up, pull out the champagne glasses. Even if you don't have any bubbly on hand, or are abstaining for breastfeeding (or other) reasons, serve up some lemonade, fizzy cranberry pop or even apple juice, and chill. There's something special about the shape of a champagne glass, and anything feels sexier to drink in a shapely glass than your everyday tumbler. With glasses poured, take a moment to savour whatever you're drinking with your loved one and focus on just each other (until your glass is empty and your baby starts fussing again).

Valentines

Have I mentioned that I know a circle of very fabulous moms? I'm talking women that run half marathons, mentor young girls through the Guiding movement and submit PhD dissertations while on maternity leave. Meanwhile, I'm just getting to a place where I can consistently do the dishes in a day while caring for my son.

This week, a few of us swapped valentines from our kids as mementos for memory boxes and scrapbooks. To my horror, I was the only mom with store-bought cards. All the others had beautifully handmade cards that clearly took a lot of time to construct. It was hard not to feel deflated (being competitive is one of my negative traits).

Upon reflection, I might never be a mom who seems to be able to find the time to make homemade valentines (I don't think I've made a homemade card since elementary school), but I have found a middle ground -- free DIY printable valentines! Here is a great roundup of free DIY printable valentines for personal use. Instructions for the Valentine above can be found at Alpha Mom.

Heart Scarf

What a beautiful scarf for Valentine's Day and 5 ways to wear it! xo

Matching

I love wearing matching outfits (coats in particular) with Greg. It makes me feel all couple-y. So... naturally I love these photos from Honestly WTF.

Anniversary

"I have for the first time found what I can truly love–I have found you. You are my sympathy–my better self–my good angel–I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think you good, gifted, lovely: a fervent, a solemn passion is conceived in my heart; it leans to you, draws you to my centre and spring of life, wrap my existence about you–and, kindling in pure, powerful flame, fuses you and me in one." - Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte

Happy 1st Anniversary, Gregory. I love you! xo

Sauce

Last May, while on our honeymoon in San Francisco, Greg and I enjoyed lunch at Samovar Tea Lounge in the Castro. Since then I've been dreaming about the squash dumplings with spicy sesame soy sauce that I ordered. Oddly, it hasn't occurred to me until now to search for a similar recipe for the sauce to enjoy with homemade dumplings here in St. John's. Here's to hoping that this version is just as delicious. Image of Samovar via Yoga Journal.

Discussion

Speaking of babies, aren't these two just the cutest? Cue heart swooning! Image of Greg (on the right) and his twin brother, Chris, gossiping circa 1972.

Birthday

Happy Birthday my love! Sandwiches at a 'street side' cafe and an orange cake with marmalade cream cheese icing seems the perfect way to celebrate your special day. I hope you agree. xo

Valentine

This week my Valentine has been on a business trip to Ottawa. After spending the past few evenings with my mom enjoying Chinese food and dancing at ballet class, I am quite ready for my love to return. I miss you, Valentine. Image via Anna Bond.

Stickers

These Valentine's Day stickers are the perfect way to remind your loved one that you care for them while munching on a delicious packed lunch. I'd love to slip one in Greg's lunch on Valentine's Day or a grey Tuesday. Via Twig and Thistle.

Vintage

One of my dearest friends, Amy, was romantically proposed to this past New Years Eve (swoon!). There's mention of a vintage affair and I'm already bursting with excitement. Don't you love the idea of a wedding that recalls memories (real or imagined depending on your birth year) of yesteryear? I know I do.

Best wishes and happy planning, Amy and Rhett! xo

Image via Style Me Pretty.

P.S. Tonnes of vintage inspired weddings