There’s only THREE WEEKS left ’til Christmas…which simply means, HOW AM I GOING TO FIT THAT IN WITH EVERYTHING ELSE?
THIS WEEK AT CURTAINS ARE OPEN:
As far as blogging goes…things were a little bit quieter than normal. A few things got in the way of me posting on a regular basis but that’s ok…sometimes life comes first!
My Do You Want to Build a Snowman post was included in the 7 Easy and Fun Christmas Crafts for Kids post with Kidoodle.TV…so that was fun!
I wrote a post for Operation Christmas Child and asked a question…what are some ways to give back during the holidays? Read the post and comment for a chance to win a $50 Visa Gift card! Which you can use in any way you choose…maybe even to help someone in need!
And…I wrote a post about getting new glasses from Ocean Optometry…with a photo that you HAVE to see to believe.
Also on the blog…I came home one day to find Mad Tom IPA from Muskoka Brewery on my front porch…which, if a PR company is trying to grab at my heartstrings…that’s the way to do it!
Wednesday evening’s #ECMChat was another success! We talked about Holiday Entertaining and along with a gift card from Pseudio, we gave away tickets to Tales of a Charlie Brown Christmas. This week, we’re talking about Holiday Shopping and giving away a number of prizes throughout the hour-long chat. If you know of a local craftsperson or business that might wish to give away a prize during our #ECMChat…please let them know what it’s all about!
Also…if you haven’t yet, be sure to follow East Coast Moms on Facebook for upcoming topics and giveaways.
THIS WEEK AT DRAWBRIDGE CREATIVE:
FINALLY I can tell you about one of the projects I’ve been working on. Announced this week, a brand new children’s spa will be opening in Bedford in the next few weeks! Spa-dee-da Youth Spa and Kindness Centre will be offering aesthetics, massage, yoga and birthday parties for children between the ages of 6 and 16!
I’ve had the great pleasure to work on the branding of the company…and while they’re not showing pictures of the inside of the spa yet (but OMG just wait until you see it…the designer is spectacular)…I can show you their logo!
Again, it’s super fun to work with colour and for a children’s spa…colour is definitely the way to go!
While the logo is only part of the branding, I hope to get my website updated with new work before the New Year as there’s a whole bunch of projects that I’ve been working on, including this one, that I’d love to show you!
Follow Spa-dee-da on Twitter so you can see the big reveal in the next few weeks! It’s sure to be a fantastic new company and I look forward to seeing it take off!
THIS WEEK IN GENERAL:
Monday started with Lunch at Boston Pizza with a couple of girlfriends…a long overdue catch up with plenty of laughs! It was great…as in fabulous…as in I really have to stop being so busy that I can’t fit the important things in!
As mentioned, despite putting it off for months on end, I had my appointment with the eye doctor and I’ll be donning a new pair of glasses in the next week…making it so I can actually drive at night and hopefully lessen the amount of wrinkles alongside my eyes!
I got new winter tires as a Christmas present…thanks Mom and Dad for keeping us safe!
At the same time, I also had an oil change, tire alignment, a recall fix (something to do with a brake lamp) and a wheel bearing repaired which apparently…was the reason my car was so loud and obnoxious. Thanks O’Regans for making me buy that extended super-duper after-warranty warranty for my car when I first purchased it. It’s paid for itself about ten times over!
Also…my Mom gave me a jar of Nutella after a visit to Costco.
And it’s half gone…but only because I tweeted out a picture of the Nutella and received this reply…
I’m doing the best I can to ensure it doesn’t go to waste.
On Friday, I attended a funeral. It was hard…like, absolutely heartbreaking difficult…the father of a young friend who I think the absolute world of. This man…pleasant, kind, always helping no matter what needed to be done, loved his work, devoted to his family and his children giving them all he could possibly give and creating a life with friends and loved ones that anyone would be proud of…but something wasn’t quite right, and sadly, he took his own life. He wrote his own eulogy…I choked back as many tears as I could and let the rest of them flow.
This is what he taught me…
Be kind. Be gracious. Be good. Love as hard as you possibly can. Surround yourself with people who admire and respect you. Give back. Treat people equally. Raise children who are grateful, happy…knowing how much they are cherished.
He also taught me that as much as you possibly can…help people…help without expecting anything in return as two hands are always better than one. However, when the time comes that you yourself need help…when you’re overwhelmed for whatever reason and have a burden too hard to bare…ask…just ask…someone will be there.
This week has been full of sadness. Cancer surrounds me for the first time ever… a few people in my life have been diagnosed and are currently undergoing treatments.
My cousin is one of them. I’ve sent her love. I’ve prayed. She’s been on my mind while awaiting surgery and now…while waiting for results. There is little I can do…so, I did the one thing I know I can provide…a wee bit of silliness.
Over ten days while waiting for results, I’m giving her a small distraction…hopefully a chuckle…as I post 10 Days of Ridiculous Pictures of Zucchini in Hilarious Costumes like Day #1…Gangsta Dog.
At the end of the ten days, I’ll post them in a blog so you can all see. In the meantime, if you have a loved one facing a tough time through the holidays…the loss of a loved one, a health crisis, sadness…see if there’s something you can do to try to take the edge off just a little.
And with the holidays coming quickly…I started decorating. I love the way my house looks through the winter and even more so when I haul out a few special keepsakes. We’ve also started shopping…last Sunday, Bones and I headed to the Dalplex Craft Market and on Friday night, we walked along Spring Garden Road for “Shopping Under the Stars.”
We stopped at Mills…where we found this great Hunter Hat reminding me of the Ninja Turtles! We didn’t get it…but I might be back!
As luck would have it, Bones and I had a wonderful weekend with just the two of us as Spiderman was away at a hockey tournament with his father. We shopped, hung out with my parents, decorated, made a pirate ship, had a few of our favourite meals and went to the barn where I took this selfie…
Meg was there for a lesson but unfortunately her coach had to cancel at the very last minute so she rode herself for a bit. Seems her coaches horse doesn’t like car windows of all things…jumped high in the air off all four legs and landed on her owner’s toe immediately fracturing it and causing great pain.
ALRIGHT…I WAS THE ONE WHO ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOW BUT I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY HELLO AND SERIOUSLY…who knew the horse would be terrified by the window!
And…that’s how it looked…for another busy week!
Hold your loved ones close…be kind…folks are battling some tough things this time of year. Reach out.
xo
Laughed and cried!!! We have had cancer touch us this fall as well, but amazing results this weeks shows cancer free for now! Say prayers every day for the ones you love. They do come in handy.