What's The Attraction?

Last week, I mentioned our house was built in 1891.  With so many families over the past 100 plus years calling it home, many plants and trees have been added on nearly every side of the house. By the time we purchased it, the gardens had become overgrown and wild after years of being neglected.  As part of the renovation we did a few years ago, I took on the additional challenge of taming the gardens and trying to whip the grounds back into shape.

Last Fall, the old spindly rhododendron received a hell of a trimming so it wouldn't continue to overshadow and crowd the lush greenery around it.  I was worried that if it survived the butchering I gave it, it would be a long time before it bloomed again, after all, nearly half of it was carted away.

So imagine my surprise the other morning as I headed down the stairs in my pj's and noticed a woman with a big fancy camera out on the lawn.  I paused for a second and as I did, she looked up and saw me peering out the window at her.  She smiled and pointed to the gardens under the window so I just smiled and nodded "okay".

Later that morning I headed outside to see what the big attraction was.

And here's what I saw!

That old rhododendron now in full bloom, the healthiest and fullest I've seen it since we moved in!

What a beauty, no wonder she stopped to take a photo!

Monday Minute Boobies Style!

Time for Ian's Monday Minute this week hosted by the always awesome Jana from  Boobies Babies & a Blog.  

They've got questions and Meno Deb has answers:

Has anyone you've known personally lived to at least 100?
Nope, don't they say that only the "good" die young?

What material possession do you value the most?
The beautiful diamond my husband selected for my engagement ring 

What do you think happens to us after we die?
I don't know, a trip to the morgue?

Most embarrassing item in your house?
Easy one, DUST!  Did I mention hubby has offered to hire a cleaning lady?


If you could rename yourself, what would your name be?
I love hearing my husband call me "Debs" so I can't even think about changing it.


And that's my Monday Minute with Ian and Jana done Boobies Style!


Now don't be shy, go link up!

My Hubby the Klutz

If you've been reading along for the last few months, you know by now that my husband keeps me laughing on a regular basis with his antics.

We just spent a week at our cottage which is located on a nice big lake in the middle of the woods.  Thankfully, hubby swims like a fish because if he didn't, I wouldn't let him anywhere near that water.

This story goes back to our early days before we had our daughter when hubby was still trying to impress me. We were at his cottage, having a wonderful time and he decides we should take the canoe out to the raft that floats about 80 feet from shore in about 30 feet of water. So I get a life jacket on and with hubby in the back of the canoe, we set off from shore.

We get to the raft, climb up and spend the afternoon waving to the passing boats and just enjoying the Summer sunshine. When it's time to leave, hubby leans over and pulls the canoe up to the side of the raft so I can step in for the ride back to shore. I put on a life jacket and carefully step down off the floating raft into the front of the canoe. Hubby throws his life jacket into the canoe and walks across the raft to the back of the canoe and pulls it up along side the raft. In his haste and desire to look "cool", he casually steps down into the canoe but at the same time, his weight starts pushing the canoe away from the raft before he is in.

You get the picture? He has one foot down in the canoe, the other is up on the raft and he is starting to lose his balance as the canoe drifts away from the raft. He stands there doing the splits as long as he can, gets a shitty look on his face and then with arms swinging in the breeze, he goes backwards right into the water, clothes, wallet, watch, hat, shoes and all. Down he goes under the water between the canoe and raft. I look over the side as he surfaces.

Once I see that he's okay and extremely embarrassed, I start laughing hysterically. He pulls himself back up out of the water, onto the raft and then carefully steps down into the canoe sopping wet for the paddle back to shore.

Thanks for the chuckle hubby, I can't even look at that canoe now without cracking up!!

Thursday Friends & Giveaways Cafe Links!

Welcome to week three of "Thursday Friends & Giveaways Cafe" hosted by Me and Tammy of Tammy's Two Cents.  This is a place for not only Blog Hopping but with a SECOND link where everyone can post their current Giveaways ($25 Value & Up ONLY).  Today, each link has a code that you can copy and paste onto your own blog so you can follow along with the hops on your own page.  There are two separate links, one for the "friends" and one for the "Giveaways".  So link up with one, two or both! We want to make this hop successful and we need your help to do so.

So if you would like to "link up" for the Friends Hop, Here's how:

Grab our cute "Cafe" button and post it on your blog

Add your Blog Name and Blog URL to the First Link below

Follow both Deb and Tammy along with this week's Guest Hostess

Pretty Pink Momma

and then

Visit as many Blogs as you'd like, and when you follow a new blog,

please leave them a comment so they know you dropped by

And it's always nice to return the favor when someone finds you

Each week, one entrant from our current Blog Hop List will be chosen by random.org to be our Guest Host the following week, so make sure you are following both Tammy and Me and displaying our shiny new "cafe" button so you can qualify if you are chosen! Our second Guest Hostess is Pretty Pink Momma so make sure you stop by her place and follow her too.

And check out the "Giveaways" posted on the Second Link below.  With each one having a value of $25 or More, you just might want to check back often!

If you would like to list your Giveaways, please provide:

Name of Item, Value, End Date and URL to that Giveaway

Each item must have a dollar value of $25 or More to qualify

Giveaway Link stays active all week while the Bloghop Link will expire at midnight on Sunday so you can take your time browsing and hopping.

New Link Codes for Both Hops will be available every Thursday at 12:01 am EST on both Menopausal New Mom and Tammy's Two Cents so hope to see you there!

Decorating Thrift Style

One of the best things about owning an older home is how much fun it is to decorate.  Having many architectural details can create challenges with modern day living but overall, I think hubby and I have done a pretty good job of blending the old with the new.

One of my favorite spots during the warmer weather is our front porch still displaying all of its original charm since being built in 1891. This is where I enjoy my evening cup of coffee and with the view of the water and harbour, I'm happy to take my time and sometimes head inside for a refill.

When it was time to set up this special "quiet" space, I knew I couldn't just head to the nearest department store to find furniture for the cozy look I wanted to create. So in keeping with my love of reusing and recycling, I headed to our local thrift shop and yard sales.

The antique glass light fixture hanging over the window was found at a yard sale for $5 and casts a gentle glow through the circles and stars in the fancy arch at night;

The wicker chair on the right was purchased at a yard sale for $1 and even though there are worn areas in the back, the seat and legs are still sturdy;

The larger wicker chair on the left was sitting at the side of the road with a "Free" sign on it, you gotta love that!

The pink roses and gingham pillow sham that covers the old cushion on the "Free" chair was purchased for $1 at a thrift shop;

The antique wicker plant stand in the center was purchased at a yard sale for only $20 and is in exceptional condition;

The old metal canning pot on the floor to the left was purchased at a yard sale for $1 and looks striking with the wave petunia and vines spilling out of it;

The large white enamel pot with bright red accents at the base of the wicker plant stand was purchased at a yard sale for $1 and is the perfect companion to the wicker;

The plastic "pot" hidden in the top of the wicker plant stand is lined with plastic and was an old drywall compound bucket, now reinvented as a waterproof planter.

So for less than $30 and in keeping with my love of being environmentally conscious,  I have the perfect place to enjoy the harbor view!

What have you found at yard sales and thrift shops to create your favorite space?

A Little Father's Day Tribute to My Hubs

Since it's Father's Day this weekend, I thought I would give my hubby a break and not poke fun at him or giggle at his expense, but just for this weekend only (and maybe for his birthday in a couple of months)!

So for a little change of pace, Meno Deb is going to make a list of 5 things that make her smile about her hubby, but I promise to get back to writing about his antics just as soon as Father's Day is over!

1.   Supportive - He's on board with nearly anything I ask for or want to try or any place I would like to go. I just have to say the "word" and he's in the planning stages.

2.   Funny - If you read me on a regular basis, you know that he's hilarious to be around, he's either doing something funny or telling me something that cracks me up. I love his sense of humor and that he laughs at himself.  And better yet, that I can laugh out loud at the things he does and he never gets angry with me.

3.   Generous to a fault - He buys me anything that I ask for and even things that I don't.  I have to be careful what I say I like or it could easily end up in the house for me.  If I treat myself to a little something, 9 times out of 10 he comes up with a reason to buy it for me.  And getting back to the flowers, I just go pick them out myself and use his money to buy them.  Win/Win!

4.  What a Great Dad! I couldn't ask for a better father for our daughter, he's been hands on since the day she was born.  It was all I could do to pry her out of his arms to breast feed her.  And it continues to this day, he loves to take her to the park and is always eager to take her out and give me a break.  Even if he's worked all day.

5.  He's so Loving and Caring towards me.  This is one man who knows the best thing he can do for our daughter is "love her mom" and he does!

So what makes your husband the best?  Tell us in the comments and don't be shy about bragging him up, it may be a long while before I ask again!

We Were Warned!

They told us it was going to be windy!!

Look at my pretty hawthorne tree,

 what a shame to lose such a large limb with it in full bloom

Then again, it could have been worse, 

this is my next door neighbor's car under that fallen tree!

Thursday Friends & Giveaways Cafe Links!

Welcome to the second week of "Thursday Friends & Giveaways Cafe" hosted by Me and Tammy of Tammy's Two Cents.  This is a place for not only Blog Hopping but with a SECOND link where everyone can post their current Giveaways ($25 Value & Up ONLY)

So if you would like to "link up" for the Blog Hop, Here's how:

Grab our cute "Cafe" button and post it on your blog

Add your Blog Name and Blog URL to the First Link below

Follow both Deb (I'm away but will catch up with you on Monday)
and Tammy along with this week's Guest Hostess
Crystal from 3 Princes And A Princess 2

and then

Visit as many Blogs as you'd like, and when you follow a new blog,

please leave them a comment so they know you dropped by

And it's always nice to return the favor when someone finds you

Each week, one entrant from our current Blog Hop List will be chosen by random.org to be our Guest Host the following week, so make sure you are following both Tammy and Me and displaying our shiny new "cafe" button so you can qualify if you are chosen! As you can see, our first Guest Hostess is Crystal so make sure you stop by her place and follow her too.

And check out the "Giveaways" posted on the Second Link below.  With each one having a value of $25 or More, you just might want to check back often!

If you would like to list your Giveaways, please provide:

Name of Item, Value, End Date and URL to that Giveaway

Each item must have a dollar value of $25 or More to qualify

Giveaway Link stays active all week while the Bloghop Link will expire at midnight on Sunday so you can take your time browsing and hopping.

New Link Codes for Both Hops will be available every Thursday at 12:01 am AST on both Menopausal New Mom and Tammy's Two Cents so hope to see you there!

Flowers Anyone?

One thing I've often wondered is why I don't just give up and buy my own damn flowers. Seems when my husband and I were dating, I would get flowers for Valentine's Day, my birthday, dating anniversaries and sometimes for no reason at all.

Of course, I bought into the whole "what a thoughtful guy.. drool, drool, drool" and loved getting the "evil eye" from my married co-workers who were lucky to manage a phone call from their own husbands. Not me though, I had this loving, wonderful and thoughtful man in my life who made me feel like a million bucks.

That was "then".

This is "now" after 5 years of marriage.

Last time I received flowers from him? March 2009 on my birthday AFTER my mum showed up with a gorgeous bouquet for me. Hubby came home for lunch, saw my mum there, the colorful bouquet on the table and turned on his heel and right to the nearest flower shop. Of course, being as competitive as he is, he had to buy TWO bouquets.

Guess what?!

Not a single flower, bud or even a stray leaf has found it's way into this house via the hubs since.  So the other day I spied a display of beautiful cut flowers at one of our local shops and treated myself. It's been a long Winter and wet Spring so I needed to bring a little Summer inside but most of all, I wanted to make a point.

Hubby came home from work, spied the flowers and didn't say a word. Wonder if he'll get the hint? If he's like most men, probably not.

So tell me, when is the last time your husband or significant other brought you flowers and how often do you receive them? And don't be shy, brag him up if he deserves it!

Monday Minute at The Daily Dribbles

My Monday Minute hosted by Kmama of The Daily Dribbles

1 - What's the specs of the first computer you owned?
Okay, I don't know the techy crap but does the word "Vic-20" sound familiar to anyone? How about that creepy red robot "computer" called "Merlin"?  Did those antiques even have specs?

2 - Are you on Twitter/Facebook/etc, if so link it/them up
Not on Twitter.  MenoDeb is on Facebook but I don't use it, it's all I can do to keep up with this blog!

3 - Who's more to blame for the oil mess in the gulf - BP or the Gov't and why?
Is this supposed to be a one-sentence answer? Only a minute?  How about all of the above, and the rest of us who are slaves to oil.

4 - What's your favorite Dr. Suess book?
Oh that's so easy - "Green Eggs & Ham"

And finally...

5 - What did you want to be when you grew up?
Alive, let's just say that growing up with a raging alcoholic father can make a child question their safety from time to time.  


And that's my "Monday Minute" or "Daily Dribble", maybe a bit of both!

You CAN Make A Difference!

One thing Erin and I have tried to do is make others aware of the impact the billions and billions of plastic shopping bags handed out each year have on our planet.

So just for fun, I decided to keep track of how many plastic bags I "refuse" in the run of an average month by bringing along reusable cloth bags. I am not a "shopper" and buy only groceries and necessities for our three-person family. And just to make that same point for a two-person household, I had my mum do it too.

So guess how many plastic bags were not handed out to our small, three-person family during the month of May?

71!!  Yes, that's 71 less plastic bags that needed to be manufactured, or worse, ended up blowing around, hanging on trees or clogging our landfills. And yes, if you do the math, that averages out to more than 850 plastic bags in only one year for one small family!

My mom's two-person household refused 38 bags!

So if you don't think that your ONE household has much impact, I challenge you to do the math and either count the bags you do accept or better yet, count the ones you don't!

Introducing Thursday Friends & Giveaways Cafe

Welcome to "Thursday Friends & Giveaways Cafe" hosted by me and Tammy of Tammy's Two Cents. Tammy and I wanted to create a place for not only Blog Hopping but with a SECOND link where everyone could post their current Giveaways. The only rule for posting Giveaways on this Hop is that each one must have a value of $25 or More!

 

So if you would like to "link up" for the Blog Hop, here's how:Grab our cute "Cafe Button" and post it on your blogAdd your Blog Name and Blog URL to the First Link belowFollow both Deb and Tammy and then

Visit as many Blogs as you'd like and when you follow

a new blog, please leave a comment so they know you dropped by

And it's always nice to return the favor when someone finds you

Each week, one entrant from our current Bloghop List will be chosen by random.org to be our Guest Host the following week, so make sure you are following both Tammy and Me and displaying our shiny new "Cafe" button so you can qualify if you are chosen!

And check out the "Giveaways" posted on the Second link below. With each one having a value of $25 or More, you just might want to check back often!

If you would like to list your Giveaway, please provide:
Name of Item, Value, End Date and URL to that Giveaway
All items must have a dollar value of $25 or More to qualify.

Links will stay active all week so you can take your time browsing and hopping. New link codes for the Bloghop and Giveaways Hop will be available every Thursday at 12:01 AM EST on both Menopausal New Mom and Tammy's Two Cents so hope to see you then!

Winner of The ToyBlock Children's Music CD!!!

And the lucky winner chosen by random.org of the last Limited Edition copy of ToyBlock Music's Sold Out Children's CD:

"Eats Paste"

 is:

ASHLEE

of

Love Comma Ashlee

Congratulations Ashlee!!!!!!

We will be sending you these cool stickers to go with your CD!

Ashlee, please contact me at menonewmom@yahoo.ca and provide your mailing address so we can get your prizes in the mail!

A big "Thank You" goes out to everyone who took the time to enter and to the friendly folk at ToyBlock Music for providing the goodies!

Sometimes A Gal Needs A Little Bling!

One thing I didn't expect when I married was how interested and opinionated my husband was going to be when it came to decorating.

My latest challenge is convincing him to update the lighting fixtures in our log cottage. I know that most people visualize snowshoes, gun racks and bearskin rugs when they think of log homes but I'd love to add some feminine touches to this very masculine space.

I mean seriously, I don't care what he chooses for the new roof he ordered so why not let me choose a new fixture for the family room? All he needs to be concerned about is that the room lights up when he hits the switch. He gets to pick the outside decor, I get the inside, sounds fair... right?

So with only one small lighting store in town, I turned to CSN Stores to find exactly the look I was going for to show my husband. And not only that, they ship to Canada as well as the USA with some items shipping for free!

So tell me what you think of these lighting fixtures. I think either one of them would make me feel right at home out in the woods.

Or

Hubby thinks he's compromising with either of these two.

Or

Would love to have you guys weigh in.

 What do you think?

 Fixture #1, #2, #3 or #4 for a log cabin? 

Recycling & Reusing For Crazy Hat Day!

If you've been around here a while, you know that I try to reuse and recycle as much as possible.  Erin and I even had a darling little "Go Green" button made to go along with our eco-friendly theme.

So when my 4-year-old daughter's pre-school schedule included a "Crazy Hat Day", I put my money where my mouth is.

We headed over to the nearest thrift shop and found all kinds of whimsical "pre-loved" items and went to work decorating her straw hat. We found old plastic eggs cups, a long string of cream pearls, a colorful feather boa, some raffia, pink plastic flowers and some ribbon. And in honor of "Duck Fest" we put a cute rubber ducky on top.

Here's our "Masterpiece"

And even if she doesn't have the craziest hat at school,
 I think we all know she has the craziest mother!

Just a little reminder that you can enter to win the Last Limited Edition copy of ToyBlock Music Children's CD "Eats Paste" right Here!!

Duck Fest! 10K Gold Ruby Diamond Pendant GiveAway!!!

It's Here!!!

Duck Fest 

is now on until June 8th and I have a

 GORGEOUS Vintage Genuine Ruby and Diamond

 10K Yellow Gold Pendant

 up for grabs!!!

Details on how to win it are Here!!!

Click on this cute little button to see what other great items are up for grabs and let's get those donations flowing!!!

Thank you to everyone for supporting this great cause!

Psst!!!  Just a little reminder that I have a separate Giveaway going on for the Last Limited Edition Copy of a ToyBlock Children's CD, you can enter to win it Here!

ToyBlock Music GiveAway Limited Edition "EATS PASTE" Children's Music CD!

Hey Moms and Dads!  I have in my hot little hands the very LAST LIMITED EDITION ToyBlock Music CD "EATS PASTE"!!!  This now "SOLD OUT" CD of Children's Music was released on April 1, 2010 and one of you will WIN IT!!

This CD of children's music is what we parents have been waiting for!  Each song has been interpreted in different genres by different artists.  There are seven children's classic songs featuring a mix of pop, funk and folk.  A mix that will inspire your children and NOT leave you running to the medicine cabinet for headache relief.

The friendly people at ToyBlock Music contacted me and believe me, I jumped at the chance to try out this CD of Children's Music they promised "Wouldn't Stink"! 

I knew exactly how to put this music to the test. We tried it out with our four-year-old daughter during the drive to our cottage. Nothing to distract her and no place for us to get away from it. And guess what! She loved it and my husband and I not only enjoyed it, but found ourselves singing along!

And just like they promised, finally "Kids music that doesn't stink!"

I love a company that gives back and ToyBlock Music does just that.  A portion of all proceeds goes to support the work on Infant and Pediatric Gastroesophageal Reflux Disorder.

You can preview the songs and buy downloads here as well as check out their other merchandise

Or

You can WIN the LAST Limited Edition CD "EATS PASTE" and these cool stickers here!!

 The rules for this Giveaway follow!

Mandatory for your First Entry/Comment

 Visit The ToyBlock Music Store and tell me in your comment which of their songs is your favorite!

Want More Chances to Win??

Follow My Blog - 3 Entries/Comments

Grab My Button and display it on your blog - 3 Entries/Comments

Blog About This Giveaway with a Link Back To this Post - 5 Entries/Comments

Giveaway begins NOW and ends Monday, June 7th at midnight EST. Winner will be announced on Tuesday, June 8th.

Good Luck!!