Home Swee Home

This great piece of artwork was waiting for me when I went into the kitchen for my morning coffee. It generally takes me a cup {or two} of coffee to feel alive and manage a smile........ but this Picasso a'la Richard did the trick.

The kitchen cabinet above our coffee machine is painted in chalk board paint and it provides Richard and I the opportunity to leave special notes for each other. It is frequently chalked with a quote or funny drawing.
My beautiful Granddaughter calls me 'Swee' ...... that's sweetie to everyone else {see my Mother's Day post for the full story}. Richard drew this picture of Kya and  Swee, knowing we were about to have another special girls day together. When our Granddaughter is around, it makes things extra sweet.

Richard........ this may be one of your best drawings yet.

Life doesn't get much better or 'Swee' than this.

Twenty-four Months

This is a picture of my Daughter with her precious baby Kya. My Granddaughter was only a few days old when I took this picture, and at the time I mentioned that it appeared that she was aware of smiling for the camera. Literally thousands of pictures later I can attest that Kya really did know the magic of the lens. Like my Daughter, she is a magnet for a camera......... so photogenic the two of them.

Today Kya Isabella turns TWO. I think this is the point that I am supposed to insert the pout notation :(     But the truth is that it has been the most magical time for us as a family having this Angel in our lives. She is the one responsible for our generous smiles over the last two years.  :)

I wrote last year about the BIG ONE birthday here and the birthday soiree here. Baby K wasn't the only one experiencing firsts, this 'first' baby turned our world upside down in the most wonderful way. Our family has rejoiced in the special addition of this sweet little girl.

I love this picture of Kya sitting in Richard's hands. She looks SO tiny at only a week old, and yet her expression is something that we have a glimpse of every time she is intently watching something {usually Elmo}.

It is amazing how much a little person can impact your life. I watch Richard literally melt when she wraps her arms around his neck..... he holds back the tears of joy every time.
Uncle Dallas has a bevy of pictures on his phone and all around his apartment of his 'munchkin'. She bops into the room and says 'Hi Daz'..... another man melting at her feet.

There was something from the very start, a feeling really that I had before she was born; I just knew that my Granddaughter and I would have a special bond..... and we do.


 

Kya getting an early start on cake.

Kya can count to 16, spell her name, identify colours on items without being prompted {future designer}, and can operate all of the electronic items we own {and unlock phones}. Her boyfriend is Elmo, and she mentions his name as many times a day as a 16 year old girl who has discovered dating.
She is the happiest little girl I've ever seen - and that is because my Daughter provides the right amount of love and discipline.

I am cautious adding pictures to the blog of my Granddaughter - usually selecting ones that are early images or distant shots. My Daughter agreed that giving everyone a peak at Kya's cute-ness now would be nice.

So here she is ..... the birthday girl. Our little Angel. 

Twenty-four months ...... TWO .......wow, the time has just flown by.

Happy Birthday Kya Isabella.

Play Date

I had a play date today with my beautiful Granddaughter. 

She ran around the indoor playground and squealed from her little toes with excitement. 

We both headed home....... tired and happy.

Life doesn't get much better than that!

Nap time for Baby K.

First Birthday

Our Granddaughter's first birthday was a few weeks ago, we collectively decided that the celebration needed to be memorable. For anyone who reads my blog on a regular basis you know that we are searching for a new and perfect  house...... and space is at a premium in the place we currently reside in.

So the hunt began months ago for a great venue to hold the party. We didn't want to just land the event at a restaurant, and our search for a preferred venue with charm and character began. After a lengthy pursuit for the perfect spot we booked a historical house called Cawthra Estate.

Originally built in 1926, the Georgian-colonial style house is nestled in a protected wooded area. The charm of the house was exactly what we wanted to make our guests feel 'at home', and it is even complete with it's own resident ghost.

My Daughter gave me a picture she had found that was the 'inspiration' for the party, this was not to be the pink princess theme much associated with baby girls first birthdays. The look she wanted was light, airy, trendy and a bit girlie, but definitely chic. We shopped together for the decorations and bantered many ideas around; but I had strict instructions for the cake table, 'it must look exactly like the picture'.

Monique had carefully selected a theme of black and white gingham runners over white table covers, the poofs were a combination of pink, green and white. We had a big space to fill with three main rooms for guests to roam around, so the idea's needed to be abundant and easy to produce.

The house has three rooms on the main floor that are all complete with fireplaces. There is a great old kitchen that does the trick for loading the catering and preparing the last minute items. We used the pantry for our bar service area and of course everyone hangs out in the kitchen at every event, this was no different.

Birthday Girl's party shoes

Our original plan to hang white puffs from the ceiling didn't work. The ceilings and walls are stucco and the venue has strict instructions that you cannot use tacks. Plan B it was, and the traditional stringing of decor began.
We strung black and white check ribbon along the pillars in the corridor and attached with coloured clothes pegs some photographs of Baby K taken over the past year. When the guests moved from room to room they could enjoy the pictures and see Kya's development.

The catering was ordered from Otello's (in Oakville), which allowed me to serve a wonderful buffet of hot home cooked food without doing the cooking. It was superb.
I needed something to decorate the buffet table and decided to make a painted rainbow tree. Maybe a bit of a crazy idea...... but I needed to fill a big space and wanted colour on the buffet table.

I dragged home a big multi branch broken off of a tree, which is easy to find in spring. I painted the main parts of the branches white wash, then with the tree positioned in an extra tall vase I started painting the off shoot branches different colours. Once that was complete I tide matching coloured ribbons to the branches.

The effect I wanted was that the tree was blooming a rainbow of colour and the ribbons are the blooms. It added colour to what could be a boring buffet table and brought height to the decor. You decide........

We added a sweet table with pink and green candies to match the theme. Little candy bags in pink and white dots, or green and white stripes. I discovered just how many sweet tooth family and friends we have.

 

We added two punch drinks for our guests. The gingerale champagne strawberry punch was a big hit and everyone had fun drinking from the mini mason jars and colourful straws.

 

The birthday cakes were dark chocolate layer cakes with soft pink ribbon buttercream icing. We had one special 'smash' cake for the birthday girl, and she did smash her little hands in the icing before eating it and smearing it in her hair. Guests enjoyed the same type of cake, plus cupcakes, heart shaped cookies and macaroons in pastel shades. Cakes, cupcakes, cookies, macaroons from Black Forest pastry in Oakville.

 

We set aside one of the rooms for guests to play and have fun. A plasma screen with Wii Dance party helped to create a few crazy moments for everyone, but it was the full size photo booth that Richard had brought in that was the real hit of the party. 

We discovered that no one was camera shy and everyone made great use of the fake mustaches, tiara's, crowns, and Hawaiian leis for their photo sessions. 

It was so much fun to see some of the more senior members of our family getting into the photo booth and hamming it up together. Everyone left a special message for the birthday girl in her memory book. I purchased a simple photo book, scrap book paper and scrap book stick-ons; the guests had loads of fun putting a page together complete with one of their photo booth pictures. It was the hit of the party.

Baby Kya's crazy Grandparents .... a'ka US!

The birthday girl was the belle of the ball with her little mint green tutu, white chiffon rose top, denim and floral print jacket, and floral beaded Mary-Janes. The ensemble looked even more adorable with the smear of pink icing on it which proved that Kya was having a fun time at her very first birthday party.

 

As a Grandmother I'm thrilled to see that my Grandchild has discovered the fun of diving into icing on the top of a cake. I can't wait for the days ahead when we will play in the kitchen together making cookies and cakes. I can almost hear Kya's shrill of excitement when she puts sprinkles on the creations and puts the baked treasures on a plate for everyone to share. 

It has been a wonderful year getting to know our Granddaughter, watching her grow and falling in love with the precious little Angel.

Happy First Birthday Kya.

The Glamourous Birthday Girl

 

All images thanks to Erin Valickis @ erin.photography@hotmail.com

ONE'derful

Today our baby Granddaughter turns ONE! 

Wait, stop the clock, how did that happen so fast. It feels like it was only yesterday that our darling Angel arrived.

I am so very fortunate to have wonderful relationships with both of my children. My own baby, my Daughter, was going to become a Mommy and I wanted to be there for every step along the way. My Daughter made me promise to be in the delivery room no matter what, as if wild horses could have kept me away.
Richard and I got the call around 4 AM; 'Mom, I'm in labour'.
My heart was racing as we went to my Daughter. I was excited for her. I was excited for us. Life was about to happen. Life was about to change.

Sharing this experience with my Daughter was the ultimate gift for me. I can continue to play back in my mind the moment my Granddaughter was born, all of her dark hair, her little pout (like Mommy's), her pretty little face. And I will never forget the look of love on my Daughter's face the moment she first saw her baby. It was a beautiful gift to share the experience of the baby's birth together.
I cried my heart out, I was so filled with joy. My Son arrived, and he is so much like me.... filled with tears of relief for his Sister and joy for the birth of his niece. Richard, was suddenly immersed in the role of 'Grandpa'; and Kya couldn't have picked a better man to fit the part.

It has been the most incredible year for all of us. It is a joy having a baby around.
We have learned to calm down, slow down, enjoy the simple things that having a baby around can bring to your life. 

She has turned our hearts inside out with her vivacious dimple smile. I know that every parent believes their child is 'the cutest', but we get stopped all the time when we are out with Baby K, she is a little beacon of light.

My Daughter is an incredible Mother and the evidence is in the happiest little disposition anyone would ever see on a baby.

We are enjoying spoiling our Granddaughter as much as we enjoy bragging about how sweet and darling she is. The truth is that Baby Kya is spoiling all of us with the love she brings out in everyone.
We hosted a big birthday party this past weekend with extended family and friends, and the birthday girl had  some advance opportunity to try her little hands at the cake.

It's been a wonderful year watching Baby Kya grow. And I know my Daughter will be sad today that her little girl is one already; but she is smart enough to know that she is blessed to have a healthy and happy child.

Happy Birthday Kya. You are loved.

We are blessed.

with LoVe from Grandma & Grandpa


** watch for the upcoming posting on Kya's big birthday party.

A Mother's LoVe

The most incredible gift I ever received, was the gift of Motherhood. 

I have told my children many times that being a Mom is the highlight of my life. I know that the reason God put me on this earth is to be a Mom to Dallas and Monique. 

This past year the joy of Motherhood took on a whole new meaning with the birth of our Baby Granddaughter.

The journey as a Grandma began long before Kya was born. I needed to take on the transformation of the baby nursery and wanted to paint it by myself.

I took the paintbrush and wrote the baby's name on the wall with paint; and I knew that someday she may mimic that action with her little crayons. I was so excited and covered the walls with the pretty mauve shade my Daughter had picked out; and I kept saying over and over 'I'm painting my baby Granddaughter's room'.

I found myself standing in the middle of the room, paint brush in hand and cried my heart out. I cried with joy at the thought of the days and experiences that were about to come our way. I cried with happiness because I knew that my Daughter would discover the joy of Motherhood and the beautiful gift of a child.

The journey of Motherhood has been for me the most incredible gift; nothing can compare with the experiences.

I will never forget the time my Daughter and I shared during her labour and delivery. The very first time I saw Baby K, and knew that my Daughter was about to venture into the most joyous experience in her life. I will never forget the first time my Daughter looked at her Daughter; I saw in her the understanding that 'this is true love'.

Witnessing the miracle of my Granddaughter's birth was the ultimate gift for my Daughter and I to share.

brigitte elise photography

I will never forget how hard my heart thumped in my chest when my Son gave his valedictorian speech; I couldn't hold the camera steady because my pride was exploding. He's given me a million reasons to say 'I am proud of you'.

I will never forget when my Daughter was little and I took her to the ballet. It was intermission and we sat talking; the light in the theater was shinning against her hair and face, her beauty was breathless and I could hardly speak. She was becoming a young woman right in front of my eyes.

I LOVE being a Mom. I thank God for this blessed gift. 

To all of the beautiful woman who happily answer to the word "MOM", I wish you a joyous Mother's Day.

AN EASTER TALE

I'm looking for a special Easter basket for a special little bunny. Our eleven month old Granddaughter will experience her first Easter; and I want to find a basket that she will keep for many years to come. My own children had little baskets that came out of hiding each year in anticipation of the Easter Bunny's visit.

Baskets by Martha Stewart

I can imagine Baby K running around searching for chocolate, jelly beans and foil wrapped eggs, all the while dragging the basket along with her.

When my Son was just a baby (ahhh, 30 years ago) my Mother and I took a cake decorating course. The course was meant to be something fun to do, and it was; but it morphed into something much bigger. A simple cake course started many years of cake designs, and then candy and chocolate making..... and a small home business.

Bunny's by Vosge

There were years that I had our dining room table covered with orders for chocolate bunnies, eggs and goodies ready for Easter. My children became accustomed to watching me bake a cake only to see it go out the door for someone else. They also had the benefit of enjoying special treats and cakes made just for them.

cakeitaly.com

Cake decorating is as addictive as blogging, and so rewarding. I learned to bake, to construct tiered cakes, make and decorate with royal icing, buttercream and fondant. The first wedding cake I ever made was five tiers with a fountain (back in the day having a fountain was 'the thing').
After all of the cakes, cheesecakes and wedding cakes I've made, my Son's all time favourite cake is white cake with chocolate buttercream icing :: simple and yummy.

 

foodnetwork.ca

It was fun making hollow chocolates bunny's or Santa's; and then playing with the different fillings for bonbons. The small business gave me a creative outlet and some much needed extra cash while raising my children on my own.

It's funny how something so simple can morph into something so much more meaningful. The wedding cakes developed into jobs as a Wedding Coordinator...... which developed over the years into Event Planning, then into Fashion Show writing and Choreography. I ended up back in event planning and orchestrating of large scale Film Festival celebrations in Toronto. AND that is how Richard and I met.
He owns the company that provided the lights, sound and giant screens for the events I produced. Suddenly my life was happy and sweet because Richard was in it.

Armani Dolci Easter Chocolate - New York

Yes, it's funny how something so simple like a basic cake decorating course could develop into several businesses that changed my life path. And now, here I am thinking of the fun I will have finding that special Easter Basket for Kya; making cakes with her just like I did with her Mommy, and maybe even make some chocolate again.

Traditions are developed by the things that tug at your heart. Our family is rich with traditions and the cycle continues with the newest little bunny in our life.

We are Blessed.

A room fit for a Princess

 

Six months ago today we welcomed our new baby Granddaughter. She is by far the cutest baby in the world :: I know that most Grandparents would say that, but my Daughter literally gets stopped every time she is out with Baby K. She is like a little beam of light shining.

I had the pleasure of painting the nursery, and I stood in the little room and cried :: I was so excited and filled with joy at the thought of my first Grandchild coming into our lives. I will never forget the warmth in my heart as I stood and looked at the pretty mauve walls thinking of all the adventures yet to come for Kya.

My Daughter and I searched for the perfect things fit for a Princess and decorated the nursery together. And then she invited me into the labour and delivery room to share with my baby girl, the birth of her baby girl.

the sock drawer waiting for little toes to emerge

a colourful little friend

Happy Six Months Baby Kya. 

Congratulations to my beautiful Daughter :: you are a wonderful Mother.

You can never have enough frills

My first hug with Baby Kya

Our cute little Lady Bug