Jen and Regan come to visit!

Yesterday evening Jen and Regan arrived! Today we headed out to the falls to see the sights and go on the Maid of the Mist boats.

Here's Jen and Regan getting ready for the Maid of the Mist experience.

On the boat... Sarah seemed to love the water. She even got her own baby poncho to wear, too cute!

Our family after the boat ride. We were surprised how much mist there actually was, it was more like water spraying onto the boat.

After spending some time at the falls we headed to Reif Estate Winery where David works. He had previously organized a little private tasting for Jen and Regan as well as a tour. It was fun to watch him do his thing!

Learning how to swirl the wine around. This was Regan's first winery experience.

Sarah and I got to have grape juice to drink (they always have it on hand for kids) Sarah was a pretty big fan!

Checking out the big barrels full of wine.

In the evening my friend Kim came over to baby sit while Sarah slept and the four of us went out for an amazing dinner at the Keg. It was so great to get out! Sarah was beyond tuckered out at the end of the day since she didn't get her afternoon nap, so she went to bed at 5:30 and is still sleeping. I thought she would have woke up to eat at least, but no signs of that at the moment.

Tomorrow should be another fun filled day.

28 Weeks...really?!?

Time just seems to be flying by. Today we had to go to the hospital so that I could get blood work done for being RH negative...good times. Then it was off to see the baby doctor for a check up. Baby is good, I'm good, we were in and out in minutes. The funny thing was that as soon as I lay down and the doctor was listening for the heart beat Sarah freaked out. David was holding her but she was crying and really upset.

In the last few days it almost seems like she's figured out that something is going on and isn't so sure about it. She likes to lay on my stomach (weird, especially for her), cuddle and wants to be with me a lot. All things that are out of character for her. Interesting.

Anyways, then at 4pm we had to head back to the hospital so that I could get my special shot for being RH negative, more good times.

While we were there I asked if we could have a little tour since we had never been to the Niagara Falls hospital. The nurses were really friendly and quickly offered to show us around. The hospital is small (usually only 5-8 women in the maternity ward each day) and everything seems to be set up really well. All of the rooms are private with ample space, an extra cot and a big window. There is even a mini parking lot just outside the delivery rooms so that we can park and go right into where we will have the baby. No walking through any halls or going up elevators, I loved this idea. Brilliant. I actually felt excited that we were having our baby there, it also made the whole thing more real once again. Our next baby appointment is in 3 weeks from now, they're starting to get closer together.

When we got home we went outside for awhile. David picked 7 more zucchini and about the same number of cucumbers. Sadly, one of my sunflowers (that's bigger than me) fell down in the rain/ wind storm last night and broke at the stem. I seriously need to re stake all of our tomato plants before the same thing happens to them. Forget tomato cages here, they do nothing!

Just as we were going to go in Sarah seemed to have gotten stung by a bee/ wasp or something. Poor girl's little pinky swelled up and she was crying. I was amazed how fast she seemed to get over it though. At least we know that she's not allergic.

And now we wait for Jen and Regan. They should be here any minute now. I just made some more zucchini/ carrot muffins (oh..so much zucchini!) and cleaned up Sarah's toys. We're so excited to see friends. We moved the spare bedroom downstairs, which makes more sense since there's another full bathroom downstairs and it's nice and cool. Now we're ready to make the extra upstairs room into baby's room.

This pic was taken a week or so ago. I still feel so small and comfortable, loving it!

Playing Outside

Another Saturday, David's working and Sarah and I are just hanging out. I thought I would post a few pics of Sarah spending time in our backyard. I was playing with the light levels, etc on our camera for these photos, kind of fun to do once in awhile.

Not much new here. It's been warm and comfortable outside which has been nice. David's working lots, Sarah has healed up well from her surgery and I continue to be busy with my new little business. I feel like I'm learning a whole new language, making up this new website, sure is a lot of work!

David and I have been enjoying watching Sarah's level of comprehension growing steadily. There are so many times in each day where I realize that she's actually understood the meaning of what I've said, so amazing! She's also started to play differently and has become so enjoyable to interact with (not that she wasn't before, but now it's just different). It amazes me how it all just keeps getting better and better. I keep wondering when the peak to this is, or if there isn't a peak, rather just changs each with their own positives and negatives (I'm going for that). We are so in love with this little girl in our life! She is always so content and happy with life. After David comes home from work each day I have to give him the run down on all the cute and funny things that Sarah did in the day.

One of my favourite things right now is watching her talk on the "phone." A phone can be a real phone, cell phone, play phone, random toy or even her hand sometimes. She laughs, smiles, throws her head back, changes tone continually, all while walking around at the same time. I am always amazed how much emphasis she uses in certain sounds. So funny to watch!

Makes me laugh

Everytime we drive by this sign across the street from Walmart I cringe and chuckle. The other day I thought I would take a photo as we were driving by, so that one day when we move away from here and I say, "do you remember that sign with the guy eating dirt?" We'll have the photo.

Who would have thought of making an ad of a guy eating soil, so gross! Oh well, it always captures my attention.

Day 5: Roasted Vegetables

I have been making vegetables this way for many years now. I especially love this dish in the summer when all the veggies and herbs are fresh and there are lots of little new potatoes!

The ingredient list is just a guideline. I always use whatever I have in the fridge/ or garden.

aprox 10 unpeeled tiny new potatoes, quartered
1 cup baby carrots
1 small onion, cut into wedges

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice (what makes it taste so good)
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary or crushed oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 zucchini (or 2 cups sliced)
1 medium red or green pepper (1/2 inch strips)

Combine potatoes, carrots and onions in a glass baking dish. In a measuring cup combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle over veggies and toss to coat. Roast uncovered in a 450 degree oven for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and add the zuchini adn peppers, toss to coat. Return to oven for 15 more minutes.

Very tasty with BBQ steak, rice, etc.

Dancing

Sarah loves to dance and move her body. This morning she was grooving to her favourite group, Black Eyed Peas; turning in circles, waving her arms in the air, etc. I was able to get some of her moves on video when Beyonce came on, she still prefers Black Eyed Peas though.

Day 4:Tomato and Zucchini Bake

Even though I haven't been posting zucchini recipes, we've still been eating lots of the stuff. Just haven't felt like typing recipes out. Anyways, here's a recipe that I've made before and quite enjoyed. Tomatoes, zucchini, herbs, cheese, it's the perfect summer dish! I've always thought it would be a great side dish for brunch. Would go well with breakfast sausage, eggs, etc. It has a light, fresh taste.

Tomato and Zucchini Bake

1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp each of oregano and basil
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 medium zucchini
2 large tomatoes
¼ cup butter
4 tbsp finely chopped onions
½ cup bread crumbs

Combine cheeses, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Thinly slice zucchini and tomatoes. Butter an 8 inch square pan. Arrange ½ the zucchini slice in pan, sprinkle with ¼ of the cheese mix, then ½ the tomatoes. Sprinkle another ¼ of cheese mix. Arrange remaining zucchini on top, add ¼ of cheese mix, remaining tomatoes, then last of the cheese mix.
In a small pan, melt butter and sauté onions. Add crumbs and stir until they absorb butter. Spread on top of casserole. Cover loosely and bake at 375 F for about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 30 minutes until the top is crusty.

No photo today. Sometimes we just want to eat, no camera involved.

45 Seconds of Sarah

A little bit of Sarah doing what she does.

Sitting at her Table

On Saturday Sarah and I went to a couple of garage sales in our community. We found this cute little table and matching 2 chairs for $10, plus several free board books and a couple of little trucks for 25 cents. I may never buy new toys again! Sarah LOVES sitting at her table!

Throughout the day there are many times when we notice that she has disappeared into her room and is sitting at her table either looking at a book or playing with her Little People castle and toys, happy as can be! When she's a little older we'll put her crayons and paper here for a little creative activity centre.

Happy, happy! Her other great new toy has been the little oven. This was another awesome free find from last week. She loves opening the oven door and putting things inside and taking them out. Now all she needs is as little tea set like Oma's, we'll see what we can find!

Day 3: Zucchini Carrot Muffins

Zucchini and Carrot Muffins

This morning I made these tasty muffins for breakfast. They turned out fantastic! I have never made muffins with zucchini and/ or carrots, but they turned out great. I'll be making these again for sure!


Ingredients:
· 2/3 cup vegetable oil
· 2 large eggs
· 2/3 cup granulated sugar
· 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 2 cups all-purpose flour
· 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
· 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
· 1 1/2 cups finely shredded unpeeled zucchini
· 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot

These would also be delicious with about 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans

Preparation:
Grease and flour 12 muffin cups. Heat oven to 375°.

In a mixing bowl, beat the oil with eggs, sugars, and vanilla extract.
Combine the flour, soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; add to the wet ingredients; stirring until blended. Fold in the shredded zucchini and carrots.
Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or granulated sugar, if desired.

Bake for 20 minutes.
Makes 12.

Business Update

Well I thought I would post an update on my little business since it seems to be one of the main things on my mind these days. It's been a month and a half since I've started and this is where it's at. Things are going really well and I'm really excited about the present as well as the future. I'm learning lots and still have so... much to learn. I've had great feedback and customers responses.

Here's the breakdown:

Customers: I just checked and so far I have 37 completed/ paid orders as well as several in process. I'm really happy with this total in such a short amount of time. For the past couple of weeks I've been getting at least an order a day. Some days when I think it's been slow and I'm about to turn in, I check my e-mail before bed and sure enough, a new order! The majority of my order have been from Ontario. However, I have had orders from BC, Alberta, Sask, Man, On and New Brunswick. The most popular cities seem to be Kamloops, Saskatoon, Burlington and Fredericton...just thought that was interesting. So far I have had one customer that I actually know (thanks to my facebook group)

Advertising: This has got to be the hardest part. I've been trying to be creative and think of different ways to market. Here's what I got so far:
1. Kijiji: This is where the vast majority of my customers have found me.
2. Referrrals: I've had 2 already! Yahoo!
3. Google search: Since I'm on a webs host it is VERY hard to be found by doing a random search. However, I have had 2 people find me this way.
4. Mom/ Parent Sales: I have registered for 2 sales already. One just around the corner and one in St. Catharines. It's $25-40 for a table and each sale normally has about 300 people come through. They are both advertised well and hit my prime market. So I've been printing out samples as I go and trying to put together small sample albums. While there is a cost to this, thankfully it is minimal. If I do several show/ sales then it also gets more use out of my albums, display stuff, making it more worthwhile.
5. I have connected with a couple of businesses in the area to share website links and information. I usually get a couple of website hits a day through this.
6. I have partnered with a Toronto photographer for advertising purposes as well. I was hoping for someone local but no one replied or responded to my ads. Anyways, this girl is really excited about it and I think it will be a good match. We're doing quite a few things, including website links. She's also giving me photo files to showcase on my samples, which will be much better than some of the stuff people send me. She is also offering my clients discounts for her services and contacting all of her previous clients to make them aware of my business, etc. I think it should be good.
7. I have a facebook group. I wasn't going to do this. But figured that I would be an idiot not to.
8. I have set up a Twitter account and am getting "followers". I didn't want to do this either, but figured that it couldn't hurt.
9. Etsy. I will probably post a few things on here once I have my website completed.

The more that I do the faster that it's getting, amazing! I am still doing lots of custom orders, however, the larger my gallery is, the more people just say "I'd like the ___________ design." Then I tweek it to make it work for their photos, info, etc.

What's the next step? Well, I'm still working on researching a better website. I think I've found a template design that I like and it's much cheaper than anything custom. I am currently looking at different hosts with shopping cart options, etc. Like I said, I'm learning so much! This is a whole new world for me. I'm glad that I have a pool of profits that I can now reinvest into making this what I want it to be. After not even 2 months of very part time work, this makes me really happy.

One of the last things to figure out is a new business name. Since I will be getting my own .com or.ca domain name I need to find something that is available, easy to remember, simple, not babyish as well as sounds good. Easier said than done! I am having such a hard time with this. So far pretty much all I've got is something like ________designs or __________creative, I really don't know. The one name that just came to me and is totally available is Dolcetto Designs, so www.dolcettodesigns.com Dolcetto is a grape variety and means sweet and simple, I thought this was fitting considering our circumstances and plans. It's also unique! Hmmm...

I would love any ideas or suggestions that you may have! The website design is blue and browns with circle type designs (if that helps inspire). I want this all to be up and running by mid to end of August. As I want to have my new name, matching website/ documents, etc by the parent/ baby sales.

Anyways, that's the deal for now. So exciting! I'm thrilled that this is working out and that people are responding so well.

I welcome any suggestions that you may have for me!

Sarah's Surgery: All done!

Today was Sarah's skin tag removal surgery at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton. It was a long day filled with lots of waiting, but in the end everything went really smoothly and without a hitch.

We had to spend close to 2 hours in the waiting room before we got to go to the second waiting room for the actual surgery. We were amazed that Sarah was happy the entire time. In fact, she was playing, shrugging her shoulders, clapping and smiling right up until the point where all the doctors had to put on their masks. At least that's what David and the volunteer said. David went in with her while she was being put out, that was not for me. So glad that he's the stronger one in these kinds of situations.

The last time that she was able to eat solids was before midnight (so 5:30 for her). She had her last milk bottle at 6am and then 4 oz of water before 10 am. Considering the surgery wasn't until 3 pm, she was one hungry/ thirsty girl by the time she was in recovery (about 4:30 pm)

David had to wear scrubs as well in order to go in the OR with her. I thought they were pretty cute together!

Loved the little open back hospital gown. She got lots of compliments on her little bear slippers, perfect for the hospital, since they need to be wearing some kind of slipper/ socks.

All done! One of us was able to go into the recovery room so I took that role. She was a little fussy until I held her and was able to give her a bottle with water in it. After about 15 minutes they wheeled us out into the second recovery room where David was able to join us. We had to stay there for another hour so that they could make sure that all was well. She fussed around a little due to the discomfort of having her one hand all bandaged and covered up due to the IV, then she leaned into me and fell asleep. So sweet! She has a couple of tiny dissolving stiches that are covered up by a few little tape bandaids and that's it. We have to go back in a week for a follow up surgery and then it really is all over. Not that bad at all! I didn't cry or even feel emotional, it all just seemed so standard and fine. I think it helped that Sarah was happy the whole time as well, just a few tears.

Her little monitor on her big toe. Quite the experience. We're all glad that it's over and that everything went so well.

She was smiling and clapping on the car ride home and then walking around as if nothing happened. I gave her some water/ apple juice and cereal and then it was off to bed just before 7 pm. So we'll see if she sleeps through the night or wakes up hungry or in pain.

Thanks for your many prayers and thoughts today, they're much appreciated!