8.17.2011
8.08.2011
It's Mickey time!
[& after the party, I could have used a stiff drink. Just sayin'.]
My kid turned 3 on August 5th & we had his party on the 6th. Like...woah. I cannot believe I have a 3 year old. I cannot believe I became a mommy 3 years ago. In typical over-achiever style I tried to throw his party by myself, make as much of it as my not-crafty hands would allow by myself. I'm by no means a perfect party planner [or thrower], but I think it turned out lovely & it was a good time. My favorite part - my homemade Oreo cupcakes. Devil's food cupcakes topped with buttercream icing & crushed Oreo's...what's not to love?!
To my beautiful boy: You are sweet, you are special, you are the absolute light of my life. & you're a pretty cool kiddo. Every moment being your mom is a moment perfectly spent. I love you.
8.04.2011
Huxter's Unite
My father lives over 5000 miles away so getting to see him is a special treat, for the entire Huxter clan. This summer my Dad made the trek from Alberta here to Nova Scotia & got to meet his grandson, Eli, for the first time. He got the chance to catch up with Oliver whom he hadn't seen since he was a baby. In the spirit of family getting together we had a Huxter Family Reunion during his stay, complete with 4 of the 5 Huxter boys, their spouses, my grandmother, cousins...you name it. We gathered at a gorgeous Hall's Harbor cottage overlooking the ocean. We played ring toss, catch, water the flowers [apparently this too can be a game. Ask my 3 year old.] & of course...we ate. Broccoli salad, potato salad, cold cuts, fresh homemade bread, cheesecake, squares & big old hunks of reunion cake. Where there's food [& Huxters], there's fun.
7.12.2011
6.19.2011
Happy Daddy's Day!
I want to say a huge huge HUGE Happy Father's Day to this guy...
Yes, that guy.
Look past the bells & whistle ;) & you'll find a doting dad, willing to do anything it takes to be the best father he can be. Oliver is lucky to have this cool guy as his best friend & one day Eli will be old enough to share in that bond, making them a trifecta of awesome. I hit the jackpot when I found this guy, esp. when it comes to how terrific a father he is to our pint-sized people. & he's lucky too...we got him a pretty sweet Star Wars F-Day card :)
Today we made a fort in our living room with chairs & tables & blankets. We all crawled inside [well, Eli was carried, he's working on the crawling] & Oliver was so excited to have a devoted audience in such small quarters. He told us about magical beanstalks & musical notes [learned from Little Einsteins], he recounted the tale of biting his little brother's leg & getting a time out [it's been a rough week] & was just a cute precocious 4ft person. I looked over at my husband as Oliver was excitedly babbling about Minnie Mouse & the light in my husband's eyes nearly took my breath away. If, as a man, you're prideful or boastful about anything...let it be your children. Let their existence be such a powerful force in your life that everything else pales in comparison. Be an example. Be nurturing. Let them know that no matter what they do, who they love, what they choose to be - you'll be there. Show them your love, often. Everything else is just icing on the cake.
& THAT, my friends, is being a Dad.
Today we made a fort in our living room with chairs & tables & blankets. We all crawled inside [well, Eli was carried, he's working on the crawling] & Oliver was so excited to have a devoted audience in such small quarters. He told us about magical beanstalks & musical notes [learned from Little Einsteins], he recounted the tale of biting his little brother's leg & getting a time out [it's been a rough week] & was just a cute precocious 4ft person. I looked over at my husband as Oliver was excitedly babbling about Minnie Mouse & the light in my husband's eyes nearly took my breath away. If, as a man, you're prideful or boastful about anything...let it be your children. Let their existence be such a powerful force in your life that everything else pales in comparison. Be an example. Be nurturing. Let them know that no matter what they do, who they love, what they choose to be - you'll be there. Show them your love, often. Everything else is just icing on the cake.
& THAT, my friends, is being a Dad.
6.16.2011
We did it, we did it! We really really did it! *
* Dora reference for those in the know
Today the Hubs & I celebrate 11 years of marriage. Holy shitballs! Seriously, how did this HAPPEN?! It seems like yesterday that I saw him in the caf, all curly haired & shy. & then bam, love & marriage & baby carriages. 11 years worth.
We're heading into Halifax for a day of fun tomorrow. Kidless. Yesssssss. I'll miss them, but honestly....Yesssssss. CANNOT wait. Pictures & deets coming this weekend.
Today the Hubs & I celebrate 11 years of marriage. Holy shitballs! Seriously, how did this HAPPEN?! It seems like yesterday that I saw him in the caf, all curly haired & shy. & then bam, love & marriage & baby carriages. 11 years worth.
We're heading into Halifax for a day of fun tomorrow. Kidless. Yesssssss. I'll miss them, but honestly....Yesssssss. CANNOT wait. Pictures & deets coming this weekend.
A good book has no ending
Today, it's pouring. There's nothing worse than a toddler stuck inside when the weather's bad. Unhappy toddler = unhappy mama [& unhappy little bro]. So to chase the boredom blues away we've read books [I'll come back to this in a second], done puzzles, played chase [carefully; after a pretty horrible trip to the ER last week we're being extra cautious] & decorated the coffee table...with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse stickers.
Back to the reading portion of the day... I thought I'd do a little post about my favorite children's books [& children's book authors].
I was an avid reader growing up [legend has it I started reading at the age of 2!] & I remember treating my books like treasures. Even though 99% of my childhood library has been lost over the years between multiple moves & a house fire, I've made a huge point of building a good collection of my faves for my boys to read & hopefully pass onto their own kiddos someday. Beyond that, I love children's books in general [the rad colors, the moral stories & warm fuzzies they give me] so we also buy plenty of modern books to read to our guys as well.
Here's a sampling of the classic authors/books that tickle my fancy...
DR. SEUSS - It's pretty much a given that if you have a heartbeat, you like Dr. Seuss. While he never wore a stethoscope he can cure a case of the blues or a bad day with his delicious "poetry". The images are whimsical & other wordly, just what kids love. Reading is all about escapism. My personal faves: "Oh, the places you'll go", "The Lorax" & "Daisy Head Maisy".
ERIC CARLE - There's something particularly special about the imagery in Eric Carle's books. Don't get me wrong, the writing is great, but for me it's all about the perceived texture of the images. The fact that most of his books center around animals is another bonus. My personal faves: "The Tiny Seed", "Mister Seahorse" & "1, 2, 3 to the Zoo".
MAURICE SENDAK - Where the wild things are is much loved by many. The books IS great [the movie was pretty neat too]. But there's so much more to Mr. Sendak than one book. He's illustrated tons of books he didn't author, like Little Bear, Open house for butterflies & Circus girl. His writing [& illustrating] style is so quirky to me...almost gruff. Def. a little more rough around the edges [Check out that portrait above. A bit on the scary side, no?] My personal faves: "In the night kitchen", "What do you say, Dear?" [as illustrator], "Outside over there" & yes..."Where the wild things are".
RICHARD SCARRY - Scarry's work seems a bit schitzophrenic, in the best possible way. It's like his brain vomited ANIMALS! & COLORS! & VEHICLES! onto the page. I imagine him to have been a hand talker & loud & boisterous...with a Swedish accent [even though he was born in Boston]. Little do I know he was probably meek & mild & totally disarming. His earlier work was colorful, but had a lighter, sweeter tone. My personal faves: "I am a bunny", "Biggest word book ever", & "Polite elephant".
JOAN WALSH ANGLUND - I'll be honest...I didn't start reading Joan's books until I was an adult. I saw a book about cowboys while thrift store scouting & the little ginger with the sweet face had me hooked. Joan's style is totally her own & while there are many adorable characters throughout her books, I'm stuck on that little cowboy. He "roped" me in, harhar. My personal faves: "The brave cowboy", "Wings of hope" & "A friend is someone who likes you".
ROGER HARGREAVES - I always thought the Mr. Men & Little Miss books were a staple on the bookshelf of every kid born in the 70's & 80's...but I was wrong. Lately I've mentioned these precocious books to a few people that have never ever heard of them. Come on, there was a movie baring the same name as one of the most popular books from the series, "Little Miss Sunshine" so I know they aren't exactly obscure or anything. I adore that these books can really teach children that people are different, with characteristics & personalities all their own. My personal faves: "Mr. Clumsy", "Little Miss Splendid" & "Little Miss Magic".
In the future I plan to do a feature on my favorite modern authors & books!
Back to the reading portion of the day... I thought I'd do a little post about my favorite children's books [& children's book authors].
I was an avid reader growing up [legend has it I started reading at the age of 2!] & I remember treating my books like treasures. Even though 99% of my childhood library has been lost over the years between multiple moves & a house fire, I've made a huge point of building a good collection of my faves for my boys to read & hopefully pass onto their own kiddos someday. Beyond that, I love children's books in general [the rad colors, the moral stories & warm fuzzies they give me] so we also buy plenty of modern books to read to our guys as well.
Here's a sampling of the classic authors/books that tickle my fancy...
DR. SEUSS - It's pretty much a given that if you have a heartbeat, you like Dr. Seuss. While he never wore a stethoscope he can cure a case of the blues or a bad day with his delicious "poetry". The images are whimsical & other wordly, just what kids love. Reading is all about escapism. My personal faves: "Oh, the places you'll go", "The Lorax" & "Daisy Head Maisy".
ERIC CARLE - There's something particularly special about the imagery in Eric Carle's books. Don't get me wrong, the writing is great, but for me it's all about the perceived texture of the images. The fact that most of his books center around animals is another bonus. My personal faves: "The Tiny Seed", "Mister Seahorse" & "1, 2, 3 to the Zoo".
MAURICE SENDAK - Where the wild things are is much loved by many. The books IS great [the movie was pretty neat too]. But there's so much more to Mr. Sendak than one book. He's illustrated tons of books he didn't author, like Little Bear, Open house for butterflies & Circus girl. His writing [& illustrating] style is so quirky to me...almost gruff. Def. a little more rough around the edges [Check out that portrait above. A bit on the scary side, no?] My personal faves: "In the night kitchen", "What do you say, Dear?" [as illustrator], "Outside over there" & yes..."Where the wild things are".
RICHARD SCARRY - Scarry's work seems a bit schitzophrenic, in the best possible way. It's like his brain vomited ANIMALS! & COLORS! & VEHICLES! onto the page. I imagine him to have been a hand talker & loud & boisterous...with a Swedish accent [even though he was born in Boston]. Little do I know he was probably meek & mild & totally disarming. His earlier work was colorful, but had a lighter, sweeter tone. My personal faves: "I am a bunny", "Biggest word book ever", & "Polite elephant".
JOAN WALSH ANGLUND - I'll be honest...I didn't start reading Joan's books until I was an adult. I saw a book about cowboys while thrift store scouting & the little ginger with the sweet face had me hooked. Joan's style is totally her own & while there are many adorable characters throughout her books, I'm stuck on that little cowboy. He "roped" me in, harhar. My personal faves: "The brave cowboy", "Wings of hope" & "A friend is someone who likes you".
ROGER HARGREAVES - I always thought the Mr. Men & Little Miss books were a staple on the bookshelf of every kid born in the 70's & 80's...but I was wrong. Lately I've mentioned these precocious books to a few people that have never ever heard of them. Come on, there was a movie baring the same name as one of the most popular books from the series, "Little Miss Sunshine" so I know they aren't exactly obscure or anything. I adore that these books can really teach children that people are different, with characteristics & personalities all their own. My personal faves: "Mr. Clumsy", "Little Miss Splendid" & "Little Miss Magic".
In the future I plan to do a feature on my favorite modern authors & books!
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