Thursday, May 21, 2009
A Very Special Wedding
Little One and I have been away from the blog (and from the Island) for a week. We left Hubby on the farm so we could go to Montreal for my cousin's wedding. Don't worry. On the Saturday before I left, I cooked up a storm and made sure he had all his meals for the seven days that I was gone.Last Saturday, Rrrren and Shar were wed. If you know the couple, you would have to agree that they are two of the kindest, sweetest, most thoughtful and most special people ever. I love these two so much, and it was such a treat to be able to be there for their big day.
It was also so great to be back "home" and with my family. I really miss them now that I live so far away.
Four generations: My Mom, my grandmother, my daughter and me
I come from a very close family and we always have so much fun together.
We also had the opportunity to see friends and family members we haven't seen in a while. 
Little One also got to meet her cousins:
Kenny,
Olala and Brookie.
Hugs from big cousin Kenny!
Little One: Whoa! Am I seeing double?!?!
Little One and the twins were supposed to be born two weeks apart. Little One decided to arrive three months early though!
I must say that Little One surprised (and impressed) me by surviving the car ride from the Island to Montreal. Normally, we can make the drive in 8 or 9 hours, but with the baby, it took us 12 hours.
She was soooooooooo good! She slept most of the way and had to be woken for feedings and diaper changes.
The wedding itself was spectacular. 
Of course, I ended up bawling my eyes out when I saw the bride walk down the aisle. Shar was so gorgeous and radiant. Rrrren was a dashing groom and as 'made-for-Hollywood-movies' this sounds, you could just feel the love resonate throughout the church. 
I think I cried because it really is true love we witnessed that day. We've seen Rrrren and Shar from the beginnings of their relationship and through their years of growing together. Now, they are married and I am so happy that we were able to be there to share in their special day.
It was a traditional Filipino wedding with all the symbols for their union. There were the gold coins, the veil, the marital rope (to bind them together as a couple), the Bible, the rings, the candles, the sponsors, the coin bearer, the ring bearer, the flower girl, etc.
There was a beautiful surprise for the bride and groom at the reception. There were traditional Filipino dancers. It was so wonderful to be able to share this part of our culture with the guests at the wedding. 
Four generations: My Mom, my grandmother, my daughter and me I come from a very close family and we always have so much fun together.With Little One, MiddleBro's 2 year old son and 3 month old twins, as well as my cousin's 1 month old twins, there were babies everywhere!!! My cousin joked that every room he went to there were babies!
We also had the opportunity to see friends and family members we haven't seen in a while. Little One also got to meet her cousins:Kenny, Olala and Brookie.Hugs from big cousin Kenny!Little One: Whoa! Am I seeing double?!?!Little One and the twins were supposed to be born two weeks apart. Little One decided to arrive three months early though!I must say that Little One surprised (and impressed) me by surviving the car ride from the Island to Montreal. Normally, we can make the drive in 8 or 9 hours, but with the baby, it took us 12 hours. She was soooooooooo good! She slept most of the way and had to be woken for feedings and diaper changes.The wedding itself was spectacular. Of course, I ended up bawling my eyes out when I saw the bride walk down the aisle. Shar was so gorgeous and radiant. Rrrren was a dashing groom and as 'made-for-Hollywood-movies' this sounds, you could just feel the love resonate throughout the church. I think I cried because it really is true love we witnessed that day. We've seen Rrrren and Shar from the beginnings of their relationship and through their years of growing together. Now, they are married and I am so happy that we were able to be there to share in their special day.It was a traditional Filipino wedding with all the symbols for their union. There were the gold coins, the veil, the marital rope (to bind them together as a couple), the Bible, the rings, the candles, the sponsors, the coin bearer, the ring bearer, the flower girl, etc.There was a beautiful surprise for the bride and groom at the reception. There were traditional Filipino dancers. It was so wonderful to be able to share this part of our culture with the guests at the wedding. 
Just had to take photos of the most amazing wedding cupcakes ever!!!
Before I sign off, here are a couple of funny vids from the wedding. The identities of the parties involved will be kept private (for obvious reasons...which you are about to find out). These wedding goers are trying their hand at the traditional Filipino dance with the bamboo sticks. The video is kind of dark, so you won't notice that one of the dancers is my Mom ;)
You know at some weddings when you want the bride and the groom to kiss, you have to sing a song that includes the words "love" or "$3X" in the lyrics? Well, these three brave crazy cousins of mine "performed" their rendition of this *ahem* 'classic' Boyz II Men 'ballad' ;p
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Happy Mother's Day!!!
Today is a very special Mother's Day for me. It's my first Mother's Day as a Mom. This time last year, I was really sad because I really, really wanted to be a Mom and it seemed like everyone I knew already had a baby or was even on baby #2 or 3!Little did we know, that on May 31st, 2008 we would discover that we were "expecting". A year later, this is what I am blessed with:
Our precious Little One. Look! She loves reading! Just like her Mom! Although she's not into Wuthering Heights or Little Women yet, she does love to be read to and she does love holding books in her tiny hands.
Hubby surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. He also made pancakes (with our homemade maple syrup!) and cinnamon buns for breakfast! He washed the dishes, took care of Little One, and is preparing supper with my Dad for all the Moms (his Mom, my Mom, his sister and me) tonight! Why can't every day be Mother's Day? ;)
Little One was really interested in the flowers. She kept smiling and cooing at them!
These, however, are the two greatest Mother's Day gifts I could ask for:
Oh, so precious!
Little One will be 6 months old (chronological and 3 months old corrected) tomorrow. Here's her 6 month photo with her Moo, since we won't be able to take a photo of her and Moo tomorrow. We're on our way to Montreal for a week! My cousin is getting married!
Just to show how much she's grown, this is the first photo I took of her with Moo back in February. She was 3 months chronological age in this photo and supposed to be newly born in her corrected age.
Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful Moms out there!!! Hope you have an amazing day! :)
Friday, May 08, 2009
Friday Funnies
Just to end your week with a smile :) Have a great weekend, everyone!
The first two videos are of Little One. The second vid has a little surprise at the end :)
This next video is a short film directed by BabyBro! My youngest brother directed the film and played a"little" "small" "short" part in the film :)
The first two videos are of Little One. The second vid has a little surprise at the end :)
This next video is a short film directed by BabyBro! My youngest brother directed the film and played a
Pierre And The Prodigious Pumpkin from PJ Lee on Vimeo.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
For The Love Of Blog!!!
It's been a crazy few weeks and I've had little time to do as much blogging (both posting on this blog and visiting and leaving comments on my favourite blogs) as I'd like. We took in a student and his mother was so sweet and gave me my very first Mother's Day gift! My very first Mother's Day as a Mom!!! I very rarely receive chocolate from people. I stand corrected. Canine and Jeanna send me chocolate sometimes (thank you!). For some reason, Hubby is the one who always gets chocolate whenever we have friends, family, or students staying with us.
Anyway, this is what I received this morning:
Oh! The sacrifices I make for you guys! I just had to taste test this wonderful gift and write a review for you. *sigh* This was just so hard for me to do! ;)
Nestled in the quaint little village of Kagawong is the Manitoulin Chocolate Works. Come to appreciate this picturesque village by the water, and stay for the chocolate!!! If you've been reading this blog for the past few years or if you've come to visit us on the Island, you'll know just how much I love the Manitoulin Chocolate Works. In fact, I love all the local shops and would rather promote buying Island products than the generic "stuff" you can get in most shops. I'm a little bit biased. Okay, I'm also a chocolate snob.
Caramel- I kid you not when I say this is to die for! This chewy, melt-in-your-mouth vanilla caramel is covered in chocolate. It's not overly saccharine. Just the perfect balance of sweetness and richness. Some caramel chocolates can make a person's teeth hurt. Not this one. This is the perfect little treat.
Coconut Mound- I love coconut. There's nothing more spectacular than being in a tropical country and sipping away at a fresh coconut. Of course, I come from a family that uses coconut in our cooking. In the Philippines, coconut can be found in many desserts. We even put coconut in our Filipino fruit salad! Anyway, despite my love of coconut, I've never really liked coconut in cakes, squares, cookies...and yes, even in chocolate!
Anyway, this is what I received this morning:
Oh! The sacrifices I make for you guys! I just had to taste test this wonderful gift and write a review for you. *sigh* This was just so hard for me to do! ;)
Nestled in the quaint little village of Kagawong is the Manitoulin Chocolate Works. Come to appreciate this picturesque village by the water, and stay for the chocolate!!! If you've been reading this blog for the past few years or if you've come to visit us on the Island, you'll know just how much I love the Manitoulin Chocolate Works. In fact, I love all the local shops and would rather promote buying Island products than the generic "stuff" you can get in most shops. I'm a little bit biased. Okay, I'm also a chocolate snob.
Caramel- I kid you not when I say this is to die for! This chewy, melt-in-your-mouth vanilla caramel is covered in chocolate. It's not overly saccharine. Just the perfect balance of sweetness and richness. Some caramel chocolates can make a person's teeth hurt. Not this one. This is the perfect little treat.Croquette- This pretty little leaf was a pleasant surprise. Canine and Jeanna both know I'm more of a milk chocolate fan as opposed to a dark chocolate kind of gal. However, I think I've just been converted. This solid dark chocolate is just so packed with flavour. Its rich, full-bodied flavour just dazzles the senses. Yes, it was a truly enlightening and delightful chocolate experience!
Coconut Mound- I love coconut. There's nothing more spectacular than being in a tropical country and sipping away at a fresh coconut. Of course, I come from a family that uses coconut in our cooking. In the Philippines, coconut can be found in many desserts. We even put coconut in our Filipino fruit salad! Anyway, despite my love of coconut, I've never really liked coconut in cakes, squares, cookies...and yes, even in chocolate!
Was I ever surprised to discover that I absolutely love, love, LOVE this chocolate coconut mound! It's a mound of coconut dipped in chocolate. The combination is just heavenly! When I taste tested these chocolates for my review on this blog, I only took a bite out of each chocolate and then put them back in the box. It would have been a bit much if I ate all those chocolates in one go! That would be so wrong! Anyway, I took a bite out of each chocolate and put them all away...except for this one! It was just too good to be set aside for later!
Heather Cream- This decadent treat was probably my least favourite in the box that I received. It's not that it wasn't good. Oh, no. That's not it at all. I'm just not much of a truffle fan. Truffles are too rich for my blood. If you love truffles though, this is the one for you! It's delicate yet rich, sweet and smooth. This milk chocolate truffle is made with Heather Cream liqueur.
Espresso Cup- I love coffee. I love the smell of coffee. The only problem is that coffee makes me very, very sleepy! Yes, I discovered years ago when I was in university that coffee has an adverse effect on me. It knocks me out cold within minutes. I still love the aroma and the flavour, but I only drink coffee if I have insomnia. I'm tellin' ya, it makes me sleep like a baby!
Heather Cream- This decadent treat was probably my least favourite in the box that I received. It's not that it wasn't good. Oh, no. That's not it at all. I'm just not much of a truffle fan. Truffles are too rich for my blood. If you love truffles though, this is the one for you! It's delicate yet rich, sweet and smooth. This milk chocolate truffle is made with Heather Cream liqueur.Espresso Cup- I love coffee. I love the smell of coffee. The only problem is that coffee makes me very, very sleepy! Yes, I discovered years ago when I was in university that coffee has an adverse effect on me. It knocks me out cold within minutes. I still love the aroma and the flavour, but I only drink coffee if I have insomnia. I'm tellin' ya, it makes me sleep like a baby! Because of my odd relationship with coffee, I rarely even eat anything with coffee in it. This Espresso Cup not only looks attractive, but it tastes sooooooo good! It's a white chocolate cup filled with smooth espresso truffle. I did say earlier that I'm not too much of a truffle fan, but this one was just too good to resist. It melts in your mouth, and that espresso flavour just heightens the senses.
Yes, even Little One was drooling! Okay, I'm not sure if she was drooling over the chocolate or just drooling because her gums are bothering her! :)
Double Dipped Cherry- Most people know that I'm not a Cherry Cordial kind of girl. I always thought that the ooey-gooey, sticky, drippy cherry ruined the chocolate. Boy, was I ever wrong! This was by far the biggest surprise for me. I loved the Maraschino cherry dipped in chocolate! Again, it wasn't too sweet or messy. It was absolute perfection.
Yes, even Little One was drooling! Okay, I'm not sure if she was drooling over the chocolate or just drooling because her gums are bothering her! :)Remember, if you're ever in our neck of the woods, make sure to visit the Manitoulin Chocolate Works!
Monday, May 04, 2009
This Is What We Do On A Sunday Afternoon
ZOINKS!!!
While Mommy had me in the sling as we cleaned the kitchen and put all her kitchen gadgets onto her new "appliance garage",
this is what happened...
Yes, those girls got out again! Those cheeky monkeys! Errr...I mean cows! This time, they brought their calves with them! This is the view from our kitchen window.We let Dad take care of rounding up the cattle, because I got hungry.
After I ate, I looked rather pensive. Hmmm...What shall we do next, Mom?
We can hang out...or I can strike a pose for the camera.
OR we can all go on a family outing! Yes, that's a splendid idea!
Off to the Manitoulin Trade Fair we went. 
We have that "Farmers Feed Cities" sign in our vehicle and at our house. Like the sign says, it's so true! Farmers do feed cities! Dontcha forget it! :)
We walked around and checked out all the exhibits. There was everything from food stands to clothing. They had vendors advertising alternative energy, energy efficient heating, and the list goes on and on. I'm surprised Mom didn't buy anything from her two favourite shops! Manitoulin Chocolate Works and the Soap Factory were both there. I saw Mom eyeing some earrings at Dylon Whyte's table! He is one seriously talented guy! Maybe Mom was making subtle hints to Dad for a Mother's Day present. Surprise is on Mom! Dad was talking to the guys at Wahl Water Treatment!
OR we can all go on a family outing! Yes, that's a splendid idea!Off to the Manitoulin Trade Fair we went. There were LOTS of exhibits! We saw so many of our friends and neighbours there. Many of our friends had booths. Here's our friend, Boo. She's so funny!
We have that "Farmers Feed Cities" sign in our vehicle and at our house. Like the sign says, it's so true! Farmers do feed cities! Dontcha forget it! :)We walked around and checked out all the exhibits. There was everything from food stands to clothing. They had vendors advertising alternative energy, energy efficient heating, and the list goes on and on. I'm surprised Mom didn't buy anything from her two favourite shops! Manitoulin Chocolate Works and the Soap Factory were both there. I saw Mom eyeing some earrings at Dylon Whyte's table! He is one seriously talented guy! Maybe Mom was making subtle hints to Dad for a Mother's Day present. Surprise is on Mom! Dad was talking to the guys at Wahl Water Treatment! Anyway, after an afternoon of smiling at strangers and being a social butterfly, I was all tuckered out. I pretty much slept for most of the outing. When I got home, I looked like this...
Mom seems to love taking photos of me when I'm sleeping. Albeit cute now, I do hope she does not continue taking photos of me sleeping when I'm older. Wouldn't it be freaky if she watched me in my sleep when I'm a teenager?!?! ;) She's intrigued by the bubbles I make when I sleep! Oh, and she's jealous of my super long eye lashes! She says she needs to wear mascara, and I've been given these beauties! I inherited them from my Dad! He's got really long lashes too!
*Blog post told from the view point of Little One*
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About the Blog Author
City girl moves to the country, falls in love, and marries a farmer. She tries to incorporate her city ways with her new country lifestyle and blogs to keep in touch with friends, family & students who live far, far away :) Can this city girl go country? Watch as she learns all sorts of exciting things about life on the farm and in a small rural community. *UPDATE* We are now parents! Our baby girl was born on Nov. 11, 2008 (at 28 weeks gestation- 12 weeks premature, but she's quite the trooper)!!!
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