Big Wedding Update

The wedding is in a little over a month and I haven't posted any updates lately.

Firstly, we have been getting many compliments on our homemade invites. Ryan and I spent two whole days crafting them and then several weeks gathering up the addresses, writing personal messages for some and addressing the envelopes. We ended up paying probably the same as a basic wedding invitation made. I can definitely see why most brides leave this to stationers. Never the less... we were quite happy with them too.


Ryan wrapped the ribbon on them so that they looked like little gifts.

Other exciting news.. we got a trial version of our cake in time for Canada Day. For those of you that remember, I was planning on making my own cake but those plans went out the window when I got a job. A collegue of my mom's who just happened to take the same decorating courses as I did is planning on starting up a business on the side and is going to give us a great deal on the cake. Here is the mini version! (chocolate inside - Ryan's request - and thinly rolled fondant on the outside because some people don't like the taste/texture of it but I like the look)



We have picked out the music for the ceremony and I'm quite happy with it. The procession will be the same song that my parents used at their wedding which is meaningful. Also, we asked my grandfather to do one of the readings which he happily agreed to do and then mentioned that he had been hoping to maybe sing a solo at one of his grandchildren's weddings and we happily agreed to having him do so :)

On the attire front, I bought a pair of shoes! My mother wasn't too thrilled they do not have a high heel but really I just wanted something where my feet wouldn't kill me by the end of the night AND most importantly something I could wear again. I have been dying to wear them to several outings this summer but refrained from doing so because it just wouldn't be right. This is a good sign that I will indeed wear them again.


And now, off to sort out Ryan and Brendan's outfits for the big day!

Living the Domestic Life

After nearly a whole year of living the "domestic" life being a SAHM, I realized that there are things I love about this lifestyle and also things that I am less fond of...

Joys

• Being out and about during weekdays. There is something so satisfying - I don't know what - about being able to go shopping, walking or really anything during typical "work hours". This just gives me an added sense of freedom


• Getting to spend all day with Brendan watching him learning and growing into a little man.


• Taking pride in my home - in its cleanliness, in my abilities to make a comfortable and safe home for my family.


• Taking evening courses. These help me keep my sanity and give me a much needed break from the homestead while learning new things at the same time.


• The odd day when Brendan sleeps in and I wake up at 9am to the sun shining through the window and Brendan happily making noises from his bedroom to let me know he is awake. Being able to lay in bed and enjoy the morning sun is a rare pleasure that many working people do not get except for maybe on the weekends MAYBE


• Having time to cook, read, craft, and garden

Work (I call this work because these are things I enjoy less and yet I have to do. Although I realize that many people love the thing they call "work". I just didn't think it would be appropriate to call them something more negative)

• Sometimes lacking the recognition for all that I do because they are so-called every day chores.


• Taking on nearly all of the household duties which are often cumbersome and neverending because it just makes sense for me to do these things because I am at home.


• Spending every waking hour with Brendan. I listed this as a joy or benefit but it is a double sided coin. As much as I love him, I also love the time away from him and sometimes find myself overwhelmed on days where he doesn't sleep much or is cranky due to teething or lack of sleep.


• $$$. Unfortunately this position doesn't offer a nice salary or benefits or an end to the work day. Prior to Brendan I was for the most part financially independent and had a little extra to spend on whatever I wanted. These days money is a little tighter and as most moms do..I find that any extra money in the budget is spent on Brendan. It will be nice when I get back to making some money.

Some of my cakes below: The first one was my very first cake for cake decorating using the star tip. This is the kind that is used to make most character cakes (Disney, etc.) I made a simple rainbow and wrote Ryan on it. The cake was vanilla and had vanilla icing filling. I gave the cake to Ryan to eat for work.

The second cake, obviously more aestetically appealing, I made for my best friend's (and maid of honour) birthday yesterday. The cake was chocolate with a vanilla pudding filling. I used the left over icing from the rainbow cake (darkening some colours slightly) to make this nice "spring looking" cake. I really practiced my flowers and even did a flower border around the base of the cake.

Yummy food and a little scare!

Cool Picture of a "Bird on a Wire" I took on Friday morning from the window.

Thursday night was my first Cake Decorating class. We learned how to make a perfect buttercream icing (involving margerine to my dismay), how to cut a cake for filling, how to make a rose, and how to properly ice a cake. Next week we are bringing in an already iced cake and learning how to transfer cartoon characters onto our cakes from looking at a picture. I quickly signed up for course #3 (Fondant and Gum) which are mainly used for wedding cakes after the first class. I think I am going to have a lot of fun.

Last week I also tried Isa's tofu scramble from Vegan With a Vengeance. I do not know why I didn't try this before. I have had the book forever. It was sooooo yummy. This is coming from someone who is not really a fan of tofu. Ryan didn't enjoy it as much as I did but he still ate the whole thing regardless. Good man :) I also tried the vegan sausage recipe from Vegan Dad's blog and was pleasantly surprised. I may add some more red pepper flakes next time but we had them on buns off the BBQ. I am going to make a rendition of a Jambalaya this week with the leftover frozen sausages.

This weekend was fairly eventful. We got our upper kitchen cabinets on Friday night and then headed up to Ryan's parents afterward. They just got back from being in Florida for the winter. It was nice to see them. Unfortunately, their house isn't anywhere near baby proof and with 2 dogs plus ours who came along, you can imagine the floors weren't all that clean. Brendan was scooting around on the floor as usual and I was watching him. At one point I saw his hand go in his mouth and like a concerned mother I fished around to grab whatever it was out of his mouth. I didn't find anything. We left to go home and we ended up dropping Brendan off at my mom's as we had plans for the evening to go up to Peterborough for a friend's birthday. 2 hours later, as I am getting ready to leave, I get a call from my sister. They noticed something black and circular in the roof of Brendan's mouth. It didn't appear to be bothering him but they couldn't get it out and were worried he was going to choke on it and so were planning on taking him to the hospital. Frantic, I waited for them to come and get me - I had his health card. I felt so awful and was so worried about him. We got to the hospital and the triage nurse sent us right on through after remarking that she had never seen anything like it. Within 10 minutes, the doctor had come to look at him and got the nurse to hold him (swaddled) while he pulled the piece out with tweezers and Brendan screamed his head off which I guess was a good thing considering the doctor didn't have to pry his mouth open. It ended up that the piece was rubber and likely from the bottom of a chair or other piece of furniture. Luckily everything was okay and Ryan and I could go to our night out. This was such a scary experience. I felt my first wave of serious "motherly worry". Not fun. But this is... Brendan is pulling himself up and standing holding onto things for long periods of time!

Anyway... we had a fabulous night at La Hacienda, an authentic mexican restaurant in Peterborough for my friend Stef's birthday. I enjoyed a tasty fajita platter with rice, veggies, guacamole, sour cream and refried beans. We topped the meal off with a pitcher of Strawberry Margueritas. Delicious.

Progress!!

I can officially check off one of my previous resolution postings. I have signed up for two consecutive cake decorating courses this Spring in hopes that if I feel comfortable enough, I can make my own wedding cake for August.

Some inspiration...

This cake is from the website of my favourite coffee and dessert place in Peterborough - Black Honey. No doubt it is vegan, organic and as local as can be :) Really my fall back plan if my cakes don't turn out well!

Another reason why I wanted to take this course.. Brendan's 1st birthday is coming up April 30th. I'd love to make him a really cool cake.

I just really loved this cake. Isn't it gorgeous?