Freeforall- Holiday Hangover

Whoa I'm hungover. My cousin and parents came over for dinner last night and we had a great time! Maybe too great of a time acutally because this morning I woke up shaky, tired and nauseous. It got me thinking about all the open houses and Christmas drinks coming up and how to handle it all.

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Joanna from A Cup of Jo reccomends eating a piece of burt toast and a big glass of water before you to go to bed to soak up the toxins. She also says massaging the reflexology point on your foot related to the liver helps too. Have you ever tried that before?

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Alicia from The Kind Life has a hangover tea she swears solves all your over-partying problems. It's got kukicha, an umeboshi plum and soya sauce in it. 

And then there's Gwyneth who advises a cold shower then sauna and bucket loads of green tea. I don't know about that I mean do I really have to build a sauna room to cope with my drinking? Geesh!

So please share my dear friends, what do you do to wake up feeling chipper and fresh after a long night of Holiday revelry?

Love and Hugs

Freeforall- First things first

Now that I am officially back in Canada to stay there are a few things I need to get done before I can really feel settled in.

1. Drink a lot of Clamato and Vodka, that's a no brainer.

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2. Eat more dill pickles and pickled beets than humanly possible.

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3. Head over to my local Shoppers for beauty products, hoisery, photo printing, drugs, magazines and more! Oh how I've missed you my sweet sweet Shoppers!

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And then I should be good. So if you're looking for me this weekend you know where to find me. I'll be hanging outside the Shoppers, drinking caesars with a large jar of pickled beets on hand!

What about you? What fun Canadian stuff are you guys up to this weekend?

Love and Hugs

Freeforall Friday- Twelve by 2012 update

As you guys already know I'm participating in the twelve by 2012 project. It's a way to help eachother knock 12 things off our To-do lists that have been nagging and dragging for the whole year.
Here's my 4 week update: 

The original list:

1. lose 15 pounds

2. Secure a volunteer position at a wellness/healing/yoga/meditation type center in Toronto

3. Get a job

4. DIY all our Christmas gifts

5. Continue meditating every single day

6. Send Christmas cards with heartfelt well wishes in each

7. Send out our Wedding thank you notes

8. Finish my book

9. Join OA in Toronto

10. Bake every Sunday until I leave for Toronto with my honey

11. Provide photographic evidence of all the things I strike off this list

12. Go on that weird outdoor climbing tree thing in the woods near our house (Scary!!!)

And the updated list as of today:

1. weight lost: 2.7 pounds

2. haven't got to Toronto yet.

3. haven't got to Toronto yet but have applied for a job at the ROM already. (thanks Bro)

4. will do with Mom and Britt when we get to Toronto.

5. So far so good. Not every day but most days. I'd say five days out of the seven.

6. will send them out the first week of Dec.

7. all done! yay!

8. all done! yay!

9. haven't got to Toronto yet.

10. almost but not really. I think we baked 2 out of the 4 weeks.

11. Yup photos below.

12. Ummmm we researched it and found out we can't bring Sunny so it's out. I need to think of a new thing.

11. The photographic evidence:

7. Sending out wedding thank you notes:

8. The book: 

10. The baking:

Here are a few more bloggers who are doing the same thing incase you're snoopy (I am!) and want to see other peoples lists.

Oui, Petite
Wit & Whistle
A Pair of Pears
The Sweet Life
Wanderlustings

So there you have it kids. Kinda sorta killing it but not really. How are you doing on your own 12 by 2012 challenge? Or are you waiting for New Years day to make your goals and resolutions? You know I want to know.

Love and Hugs

Freeforall Friday- What's your favourite Halloween movie?

Every Halloween at my house was so much fun mostly because of my Brother and his love of all things scary. He was a Dracula, shark and Micheal Jackson's Thriller freak and I loved it. I think that's the main reason Fall is my favourite season. We would dream and plan our costumes for months. It was Chrsitmas and Halloween, the two best holidays of all time! And you couldn't have Halloween weekend without a proper scary movie, right?


A few or our favourites were:

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Acutally I think this was just me. I'm a sucker for Holiday themed t.v. episodes.

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The Simpsons - Treehouse of Horror. This is new on the list and actually Vince hates it! Isn't that funny!

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Beetlejuice. I mean what can you say but Bettlejuice, Bettlejuice, Bettlejuice!

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Translvania 6-500. Oh man this was on the very top of our list. We would ask to rent this everytime we got babysat. As I grew up I developed a mean crush on Jeff Goldblum and I'm pretty sure this movie is to blame.

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Dracula. I only saw this once but wondered if you saw it too? Did you feel bad for him?

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Ghostbusters. Well of course you can't have Halloween with out the Gate Keeper.

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Young Frankenstein. Gosh I love Gene Wilder and Mel Brookes. Makes me so happy just thinking about this movie.

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But to get our fix every single Saturday morning (Halloween or not) at 7am we would watch The Hilarious House of Frightenstein. Do you remember it? It had Vincent Price and the Wolfman as a DJ and Igor and The Librarian and that scary Witch who cooked? No well maybe the opening song will remind you.




So what movies or t.v. shows can't you miss during Halloween? Do you watch funny ones like me or love the super scary ones? Are there any Halloween traditions in your house?
I hope you have a very scary Halloween my friends!


Love and Hugs

Freeforall Friday- The Nicknames of our Bichon/Maltese Puppy

Are you guys nickname lovers? We are and it's getting out of hand. Our favourite little person to nickname is our doggiedaughter. Isn't she a cutie?

Her full name is Sunny Strawberry Klein but most people must think she's called Monkey cause that's what you can hear us call her the most often, with a few small substituions such as: Monk, The Monk, Monka, Monkaburninglove or just MonkaMonk.

Although when we first got her we called her Snoop Strawberry you know cause of her middle name and her being a dog and everything. And then that turned into my Dad's favourite: The Strawb. But my Aunt Ann likes to call her just Strawberry. She can also be seen being called HRS here on the blog wich translates into Her Royal Starwbyness of course.

My Mom likes to call her the Muttrag cause she thinks I never wash or brush her and wants to get her Grandmother hands on her to clean her up all the time. This has since turned into Muttie or raggie.

Vince calls her Boukie or Boukyness and also BoukBouk. When we are out for a walk I find myself calling her My Tiny Missus or just The Missus. But lately it's been mostly Boo and Booboo and Booboobear and now Le Bearoniss.

But when she's being bad (rolling in poop, jumping up on people, running away) it's always just a very loud, SUNNNNNNNY!!!!!!!

What about you? Do you have nicknames for your pets or loved ones? I remember my Sue used to call her cat Momasita. (The cats real name was Beers). She has a very handsome Bernese Mountain Dog named Ringo who now goes by the nickname ShiShi. Cute eh?

Tell me! Tell me your nicknames!!!

Love and Hugs

Freeforall Friday- Around my web table

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Happy Friday my friends and family! I wanted to share a few links from around the web of little things I thought you might like to read to make the clock tick faster to 5 pm!

Looking for some treehouse mojo?

The chicest bar in Paris.

And a battle of the best crossaints

Speaking of which, what makes you hungier?

How to look cute.

What are you making with pumpkin this weekend?

Well if you're not cooking pumpkin what about squash?

Holy shit that's BIG!

Kasia's new collection handmade in the city of love.

What to wear in St. John, the island not the town in N.B. you cheeky monkeys.

While you're at it, slap on the prettiest lipstick.

How to show and keep the love man.

Already made this three times last week!

And finally, what to see this weekend.



Have a great fall crispy Thanksgiving weekend my loves and we'll see you back here on Monday!

Love and Hugs

Freeforall Friday- Happy Hour

It's Friday friends and finally! We'll meet you down at the bar for a drink or too. I'm dreaming of one like this Blackberry Smash by Andrew and Carrie from Pictures and Pancakes via Designsponge.

Isn't it lovely? If you'd like to make me one here's the recipe:



Blackberry Smash

• 5 blackberries
• 6-8 mint leaves, torn (plus more for garnish)
• ½ small red plum, peeled and diced (plus more for garnish)
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• ½ ounce cointreau
• 2 ounces whiskey

In a cocktail shaker, muddle blackberries, mint, plum and simple syrup until broken up. Add ice, cointreau and whiskey. Shake vigorously 12 to 15 seconds. Strain into a low ball glass filled with ice and garnish with a slice of plum and sprig of mint. Enjoy!




Blackberry smashes aside what do you have in mind? A cold beer, a glass of wine or something a little more adventurous? Do tell!
Oh and FYI my Aunt Jane makes a rockin' chocolate martini if you're in the Strathroy region.....

Love and Hugs and Happy Weekend!

Freeforall Friday- Love is in the air

Love is in the air over here in our little corner of the universe. Yesterday was the five year anniversary of the first day we met and it sure did feel good. One of my most romantic memories is sitting with Vince at a winery in Napa a few months after we had met. We were sharing a bottle of Vincent Arroyo Nameless and he said, "let's buy a few bottles to open after we've been together 5 years."

'What a guy', is all I thought and then, 'I'm gonna marry him.'

A few of our love shots:

1. Happy hour, Paris 2009
2. Our new family, Paris 2011
3. Vin chaud two nights before Vince proposed, Paris 2009
4. Our wedding night, Malta 2011

Yesterday I got a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a handwritten note. He knows that one of my favourite things is to read his handwritting especially when they are words of love and commitment.

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So eventhough we bought those bottles of wine that day to open 5 years later we unfortunately didn't forsee the crazy amount of travelling we'd be doing and they are still at home in Canada in My Aunt Ann's basement. To compensate we've decided to book a table at Les Pleiades restaurant a short 10min drive away in Barbizon. It's our first Michelin starred restaurant and we are so excited to see what wine they have to offer.

But nothing will beat that first bottle of Nameless in Napa with my love.

Happy Anniversary my sweetie! I can't wait to see the next 60+ years with you!


Love and Hugs and hoping you have a romantic weekend wherever you are.

Freeforall Friday- Our Wedding

My friend Khali has brought it to my attention that other people read this blog and want to see our wedding photos. I just assumed all my readers were either at the wedding or are friends with my Mom on facebook (therefore seeing the 1000+ photos she has uploaded) Apparently that's not the case, so here we are with the Dodge/Klein wedding round up.

Location: Castello Zamitello, Malta
Date: 6 July 2011 at 6:30pm
Dress + Veil: Pronovias
Officiants:Auntie Coco in English and Uncle Ded in French
Man of honour and Bridesmaid: My brother Ryan and sister in law Britt
Best Woman and Groomswoman: Vince's sisters Nat and Delph
Guests: 50 of the most important people in our lives 
MC: My extremely smart, prepared and a little stressed out brother Ryan 
Music: Dru and Keith, drummer and singer extrodinaire
Food: Muh, not terrible but unmemorable
Cake: Pretty but tasted kinda heavy
Cocktails: Kick ass! We a hired a cocktail maker to create a list of drinks tailored to our guests tastes
Flowers: White peonies and astilbe. A little dissapointing but nothing to complain about
Photographer: Genius Julian Calabrese

The Beginning

Our litttlest party members

Vince and his Mom and Flower girls on duty

Ceremony under a tree

Married!

Gorgeous guests

Friends and Family

Vince and his grooms women

Cake topper was my Grandma Carols

Cocktails and bongo drums

Maltese bougainvillea

Making faces

Feeling the love

The MC and The Groom

Such a romantic setting

Danicing the night away

Party on sisters!

Our escape

We got to spend almost a complete week with the people we love exploring Malta and celebrating together. The love at the castle was unreal. It was exactly how we imagined it and more. But honestly how do you describe something so profound and magical as marrying your spouse. You can't.
So instead have fun looking at the pictures! We had fun making them!

Love and Hugs

P.S. To all our family and friends who are reading this, it was perfect because of you. Simply because you were there. Thank you from the very bottom of our beings. You made our day unforgettable!

And Fridays are a Freeforall

Notes from last weekend

1. Pretty flowers from the market. Dahlias are in season right now and I'm loving it!
2. Mid afternoon snack came in the way of yellow tomatoes, avocado and hummus toasts
3. Quetsch tart made with love
4. Sunny and Vince doing some running in our new courtyard

Have a great weekend everyone! 

Love and Hugs

It's Friday! Let's get a move on!

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Hey guys, we're moving here! Just joshin'! No but really we are moving to Fontainebleau today. It's a small town outside of Paris centered around the château of the same name. It's also where Vince works. We've decided to make the move to save money and time. Our rent is 350 euros cheaper in Fontainebleau and Vince can come home for lunch every day! (he used to commute to work an hour each way) Also Sunny is allowed to run amuck in the gardens of the château! Sweet! So hurry up, pack a bag and come and visit!
See you soon!

Love and Hugs

It's Friday!! How about a good ole fashioned sporting match?

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This Friday is all about strong men in short shorts and beer drinking! Vince and I have tickets to go see the Paris VS Bordeaux rugby match at the stadium near our house. I am so excited! I actually really like watching rugby! Much more than boring old soccer. You know I was thinking the reason they have so many riots and fights at soccer games is because the crowd is so bored and try to make fun for themselves! HA! What do you think?

Any plans for your weekend?

Love and Hugs

It's Friday!!!!

Fridays never cease to arouse a little excitement in me. Right about now patios, terraces and cocktails are calling my name, what about you? I love this picture of famous patios in The Annex area of Toronto. Can you name them all?
This afternoon I'm going to get my hair cut and then heading here to meet Vince for happy hour maragaritas! Is 9am a little too early to be dreaming about tequila? ;)
Have a great weekend everybody!

Love and Hugs

My kind of superhero

Hahahahaha! With the wedding in less than 30 days and Sunny's convalescence I am a little more than stressed and anixous! I definitely feel like the superhero Aniexty Girl! I wonder if they have a blonde one?

Love and Hugs

From Natalie Dee via ACupofJo.

Weekend!

Happy Weekend my lovelies! What adventure or non-adventure do you have planned this weekend? Vince's BF Alex is here from Bordeaux and we plan to bike ride around Paris for 2 days straight. There's also a big garage sale being set up right outside our door for tomorrow! Can't wait to see what we find.

Have a great weekend and see you back here on Monday!

Love and Hugs

P.S. relaxing ferry ride image is from Chance.

The Sun in Shining

And I suddenly got a crazy craving for a Ceaser on the Shoe Shop patio with my girls! Ahhhhhhh! It was such a strong craving I asked myself, geeze am I pregnant? and then decided nope just homesick!
Love you guys! Have a great weekend wherever you are!

Love and Hugs