sarah's blog

I am window shopping for spring shoes for the twins. They currently wear adorable soft soled corduroy numbers from this Etsy shop (highly recommend, quick shipping, so easy to put on, never come off, made me abandon all their other shoes) but have almost outgrown them and need something for when they hit the parks as new walkers. I think I still want to get another pair of what they have but I’m also looking for something primarily for outdoor activity in a hard wearing fabric that is still comfortable enough to be worn without socks.

I’m taking suggestions but I should warn you, I throw up on goofy looking baby shoes and I won’t pay for Robeez.

Oh and they also can’t be too “loud” because they already hit their max colour allowance when they insist on wearing their favourite coloured toques EVERYWHERE. Like in the kitchen.

Well that plan didn’t last long. Can we just start out by scratching everything I said in that last post? That seems to be how most of my best-laid plans go since we had kids, as soon as they are made something happens to change everything and I have to start over with a new idea.

As it turns out, folks, this is just not the year for trying my all-online shopping plan. Normally, living far from family means online shopping saves time and money and makes it possible to make sure there are gifts under the tree in various cities in time for Christmas Day. But this year we’re having visitors from both families and that means the real time/money saver is to hit the stores in our neighbourhood early, wrap our purchases and send them home with family members. Saves shipping, forces us to get it done early and still gets those gifts under those trees.

So yet again this year due to circumstances, however happy, we are shopping both online and in person. So far we were able to send two gifts home with Jakki, purchase four online and plan to send gifts for my whole family home with my parents who arrive in less than a week!

As much as I wanted to try to shop online, it just makes sense to do it this way. Our neighbourhood is full of cute shops and unique gifts so to purchase them from far away when I know they exist one block over doesn’t seem to have enough of an upside, even if it means I wouldn’t have to leave my home.

Another point I’d like to bring up is that Christmas shopping is likely less stressful when done very early. I think I’ll find that going to stores is not nearly the beating that Metrotown was for me last year because I am there in early November, not mid-December. Oh, and it’s not a mall. Oh and my kids are one, not 2 months.

So goodbye online shopping plan, hello just get it done early.

I have been thinking about Christmas and starting early to pace myself for awhile now. I’ve tried it in the past with some success but I need to turn it up a notch this year, for two obvious reasons.

So when I read a post today on a blog I frequent I knew it was a sign to switch into high gear. I tend to agree with the author, it’s the gift buying, second guessing purchases and wrapping that slow me down and drag on until the last minute. I love the decorating so that is always done in a day, babies or no babies. Even last year with two month old twins still eating every three hours I didn’t neglect my holiday decor. It would take a lot more than that to keep those two green tubs on a storage room shelf through December.

So knowing what I know about gift giving stress, here’s my plan of attack. I’ve always wanted to try buying everything online and I think this may be the year to do it. Not that I can’t take the twins out for some shopping but a) they are too young to enjoy the holiday spirit and b) it is stressful to be bound by the clock, nap times, the hunger/impatience/ants-in-the-pants of two one year olds.

So I’m going to try it. I’ve made my list of people to shop for and some preliminary ideas. I’ve even purchased a gift for my nephews already. I predict I still run into the problem of indecision (is it just me or are there certain people in our lives who are SO easy to think of a gift for that they are actually the hardest ones for which to settle on just one thing??) and I’ll have to do my research to stay away from expensive shipping/stores that don’t ship to Canada, but I think it can be done.

First stop, Etsy. I’m a fan of small businesses and one-of-a-kind gifts and I think that’s the place I want to start.

As for me and my Christmas wish list… that’s another whole post which I am itching to write and will hopefully do so this afternoon. That makes me sound greedy but in truth it actually leads into a bit of bigger discussion I’ve wanted to have with you. Or this blog. Or myself if I’m the only one here.

If you don’t get that joke you have missed seeing a very important film.

Oh the highs and lows of a new computer.

High: I’m here posting this because I have a new MacBook Pro after the untimely demise of a lovely MacBook who gave me 4 good years. I LOVE this computer.

Low: All my files are locked in the mind of the previous computer (her name was Bianca and she will be missed) leaving me without most of my pictures, videos, other random files, all my passwords, bookmarks – the things a Mac handles for you so you don’t even know you don’t know them yourself – and the photo books I was making for So and Lo’s first birthday.

High: Those same exact files are backed up on an external hard drive in our office.

Low: After hours of trying to get said hard drive to communicate with my new MacBook Pro’s Lion OS we gave up and tried to go the long way around through J’s computer and another hard drive only to realize it doesn’t matter because the login and password for that hard drive is saved in the keychain OF MY OLD COMPUTER.

Thanks for keeping that information safe, Bianca. Next time maybe write it down before you decide to split.

And I have tried every combination I can think of. I have no memory of creating one and nothing is working. It was my Time Machine backup so it just did its thing daily without my help.

Sigh.

The long and short of it is I may have to pay to have the old files retrieved off my dead laptop. Unless the mystery login and password for the hard drive can be retrieved from the computer in my head. Which is running kind of slow these days.

In just over a week we’ll be attending the wedding of John’s sister, Ashleigh. John is a groomsman and I am in charge of making sure we’re all dressed, napped, fed and hopefully smiling for family pictures.

On that topic, I put together some little outfits for the babies that I think will be pretty adorable. I did a lot of looking online and had a hard time making decisions because good baby clothes are expensive and I don’t want to be buying something that will get used once. Special occasion clothing is different when you’re growing a size every few months. Sure, I can invest in a nice dress because I can use it again for the next wedding but there is nothing investment about kids clothing.

So I tried to stick with as many items as we already owned and bought only things I could use beyond just a wedding day. I had my eye on this dress from Zara but it was too new and not in stock yet so I had to go with a plan B which I think, in the end, is actually more versatile.

The outfits aren’t super formal but I think in the end they reflect the bride’s style sensibilities better that way. If I could do anything again I would have pulled the trigger sooner on some things I liked on Etsy (like this gorgeous frock that absolutely broke my heart to pass up, or some Gracious May shoes) but I thought about it too long and ran out of shipping time.

Can’t wait to have pictures of my bitty ones looking warm, comfy and ready for a lovely Autumn wedding.

Here are the specs.

Marlow
Gray sweater, Old Navy (already owned)
Brown knitted dress with bow, Zara
Navy blue paten leather shoes, Joe
Navy tights, Old Navy (not shown, already owned)

Soren
Onesie with vest and bowtie, custom Etsy listing by Niksicle’s shop Teeny Punks (I picked the bowtie fabric)
Jeans, The Gap (already owned and ya, they are his sister’s. That’s the deal with skinny jeans yo.)
Brown shoes, swap meet (already owned)

I have been waiting for months, since finding it in a consignment store in Steveston before she was born, for Miss Marlow to wear this birdy onesie.

Love it. Love her.

I find it strange that I am way more chilled out as far as my schedule goes than I was the first time I did Eat Down the Fridge (e.d.t.f as I am calling it, probably a move I should have made on, say, the second day) and yet I seemed to have a harder time with it. I found less recipes to make and had a generally lower attitude of creativity.

I did follow the rules though, so I guess that’s what’s important. And we saved money on groceries. I would say the only thing that was borderline were two bags of dumplings we bought at Crystal Mall and were eaten alone but I’m going to excuse it because we didn’t eat them until last night, after e.d.t.f was technically over. See how I just did that.

So what did we eat the last 3 days of e.d.t.f.? Let me tell you. (more…)

I recently took some money we got for Christmas and went shopping all over town to update our bedroom. It was our most neglected room in the house – second only perhaps to our office/guest/storage/everything room.

The problems were basic and easily fixable, if I could find what I had in mind at a reasonable price. And these subtle issues were driving me crazy so it was time to give some attention to a room that we wanted to be uncomplicated, relaxing and to flow seemlessly into the incredible view. (more…)

What’s piling up in our house says a lot about what makes us smile. (more…)

We just flew in this afternoon and made our way home, only for poor John to turn around and head back out again for a week of conference with university students. Not the most ideal follow-up to ten days with his entire family living under one roof (which includes one four month old now) but it’s an annual reality for him as long as he stays in the job he’s chosen. So far I have escaped the post-Christmas conference that, incidentally, also claims our New Years Eve. But if I move in the direction I think I will in my job, this time next year I may be dragging my tired self along with him. (more…)