visiting Steveston Village

I have not been feeling well since yesterday but the hubby was insistent that we step out to get some fresh air.

So we hopped in the car this afternoon and drove 5 minutes to Steveston Village --- a small community by the wharf where streets are lined with all kinds of lovely stores and bistros and restaurants are found at every corner. It really is a beautiful place to visit --- especially in the summer time!

This beautiful set-up was at a brand new consignment store called COUTURE CONSIGNMENT. I loved this certain find --- when the hubby and I left (along with the baby, of course), he asked me if the items they were selling were new! Yes, they have amazing items in the store and carry authentic brand names for a good 80% off the price! A definite gem of an addition at Steveston Village!

This is still inside Couture Consignment... they had quite a selection of vintage books that I cannot wait to delve into!

I really wanted her --- not the mannequin, but the little doll in the orrange, silly (not sure what they are called so if you know, please pass the info along).

The weather turned gray so we took shelter from the rain for a few minutes and found....

... some yummy gellato! Cappuccino for me and Cookies and Cream for him! If like us, you are sick with a cold and sore throat, feel free to delve into these as they are heaven on your throats!

Then, on our way back to the car, I noticed this pretty little shop and went in --- I loved it soooo much and wanted to purchase just about EVERYTHING in the store but ended up with one little item....

... and I gift-wrapped that one little item of mine for a special someone who is turning 26 this March 7th!!! This is the only sneak peek you get :)

How was your Saturday, lovlies?

in my mailbox...

look what finally came in my mail today!!!

thank you to the beautiful Micaela, my new postcard bff, for making my day! aside from our lengthy emails that i look forward to reading, i now am looking forward to all our incoming and outgoing mail!!!



P.S.

the little man was with me when i checked the mailbox and he yelled at me until i gave him the postcard which he held with both hands, smiled at and hugged to his chest until we were inside the house --- i wish i could've taken a photo just for you, Micaela!

olympic run, part deux

it seems that my singing of "rain, rain go away" has worked! no rain poured down this afternoon so the hubby and i were able to take the little man out to do a couple of olympic sight seeing.

because dylz is still a little under the weather, we took him to check out the most important things --- olympic flame and torch, followed by a walk around robson street (our MOST popular street in downtown vancouver) where the party was started due to a 2-0 win over the US on women's hockey. that's right, it's gold for the canadians on the ice!

but let's get to the important things first.... the photos!

at Coal Harbour overlooking the Olympic Rings

Checking out the outdoor cauldron

Dylan giving daddy a kiss!

Dylz and I posing by the torch (again!)

The hubby is insisting that Dylan starts training for hockey at 2 years old --- uhm, yeah right.

Oh so young and already being patriotic.

A decent family photo by a bobsled!

Finally -- a stop at Starbucks for some banana bread for the little man.

We are still hoping to make one last Olympic run before the spirit of the Olympics leave Vancouver. Weather permitting, we'll be able to do more things this weekend!

rain, rain go away...

as much as I love the rain, i am hoping that it moves along today in order for the hubby and i to take our little boy olympic sight seeing in downtown vancouver.

so please excuse me, or better yet, join me as i sing this song all day...

rain, rain go away
come again another day
little dylan wants to play
rain, rain go away

*photos via weheartit.com

all the way from...

FINLAND!

thank you to Tuula who took the time send me one of my favourite things --- a postcard in black and white!

i heart receiving these in the mail!

live on CTV

With the Olympics happening in Vancouver, there are so many venues and so many fun things to do in the city that it just blows my mind. For example, this video of my dad trying to dip his hands on news casting! You get to do this for free and they will post your video on their website for viewing.

Isn't he just cute? :)

on friendships

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."
- Henri Nouwen -

___________________________________________

I came upon this print last week at our day trek in Granville Island. I wish that instead of taking a photo of it, that I actually bought it --- how I love the quiet simplicity of it yet, for me, it has so much meaning and depth... I guess more on the emotional level. I just hope I can still find it when I go back!

I just adore these types of prints.

out and about

The last few days has been a blur of activity for my little family. We have been trying to squeeze in as much time for each other as possible as these days, the hubby and I never have the same days off anymore (yes, it's a small sacrifice we made to ensure that our little man is raised by us mainly).

So what have we been up to??? Here's a glimpse...


Hubby and baby at Granville Island enjoying a beautiful sunny day (although it was chilly!)

The little man in his Olympic gear getting ready for his first haircut!

Yummy olives at the Public Market --- it really is too bad I can only down a seethroughgrassskirt (Smirnoff vodka, peach schnapps, Soho cranberry, and freshly squeezed OJ) these days, and even that is very rare!

A beautifully handcrafted wooden boat --- I would have loved to purchase for the the little boy but I'm afraid it will just end up in pieces. So maybe when he's a little older....

Ahhh --- a stop for lunch! Salmon fish and chips for the little man and I (yes, he loves salmon and loves fries even more!) and Halibut burger for the hubby.

Overlooking the Granville Bridge while having lunch.

Making a stop to visit Lola (and Lolo who is not in the photo) to drop off Dylan for some 'mommy & daddy' time.

After watching Canada win the first hockey game along with gosh knows how many people walking along Robson Street, we headed to Robson Square to catch a glimpse of th outdoor skating rink.

On our way to see the Olympic Flame, we had to stop to take a photo with the actual torch they used at the relays!

Which way, daddy???

The rotating/hanging Earth at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Ahhhhh --- finally, the Cauldron! We definitely are heading back this way with the little man as soon as he is feeling better!

The way to the cauldron (we were heading the opposite) is a sight to behold with massive amounts of people still pouring in from all over (this was at roughly 10:30pm on a Thursday night!)

I wish you were all here in Vancouver right now --- the atmosphere is really something to behold and it's such a beautiful way to re-discover a city that I already love.

his "daddy haircut"

when we were first discussing the concept of giving dylan his first haircut, the hubby and i were on opposite ends. i wanted my little man to shave all his baby hair off as supposedly, his hair will come back thicker and better and the hubby was opposed to it as he wanted dylan to only receive a trim. by the time we actually were at the salon, it was an entirely different matter...

let's fast forward to last wednesday at The Hairloft:

dylan with a full head of hair waiting patiently for his turn for haircut!

trying to look for a chair --- more like a car to sit in!

we of course had to take home the first locke of hair that was cut off.

and so the buzzing begins (with the little man turned the opposite way!)

my little big boy sitting through his first "daddy haircut"

the first and only time he ever cried was 5 minutes into the cut. he screamed at us for 5 seconds and stopped when he saw diego on the tv screen in front of him.


voila! here are my twins :)

Family Date Night

We began our little celebration of a late valentines (and I'm talking THIS very evening) with a family date night checking out the local Live Site, O-Zone, located here in our city of Richmond, BC (that's a 5 minute drive over the bridge to Vancouver).


Dylan posing with Miga, one of the Vancouver 2010 mascots.


My two boys taking a break from all the walking we did.


Happily waving and proudly showing off his Canadian flag!


Posing with mommy in front of the mascots by the Richmond City Hall.


Finally --- dinner time. Enjoying his favourite mashed potatoes from Boston Pizza.


Downing some yam fries and mashed potatoes.

I really am looking forward to Part II of our late valentines celebration --- that is coming up tomorrow!

Beautiful Eyes

Goodness knows how long it took us to teach Dylan how to do his "beautiful eyes" trick... but now that he does know how, it's so much more harder to stop him!

The yelling and very loud laughter in the background was my mom --- forgive her --- Dylan is the very first grandchild in my side of the family and this type of reaction bubbles out of everyone when Dylan does something as simple as point, say "what this", or even smile!

Hope this video lights up your day 'coz it sure does mine!

my mushy valentine

I had the bestest date for Valentines this year.

Actually, he was also my date last year along with the hubby --- but the hubby had to work this year so we are not celebrating heart's day until a little later this week.

But really, I am not complaining about my date because he was uber gorgeous, uber fun and uber delightful to be with!

Yes, he is definitely my mushy valentine ---

Learning to spoon his favourite peach yogurt.

Ahhh --- there goes the mush all over my little valentine's face!

The look of utter bliss.

I hope your Valentine's was just as delightful as mine was!