Me and my brother

So I saw this video this morning and it totally reminded me of growing up with my brother. I guess its on my mind all the time becuase he just had a baby boy a few months ago that looks just like him. When I hold him I feel so much love and I get lost and then think "wait, what! I'm 33 years old holding my infant brother!" Oh okay no it's my nephew Will! Whoa!

Has any other Auntie out there felt that before too?

Anyways here's the awesome funny 4 year old dancing video that makes me miss hanging with my brother dancing to Micheal Jackson on 8 track in the living room. Ryan would wear his pleather red zipper Micheal vest and I had a cool white crinoline Madonna skirt and we would seriously rock out man!

Source: NYC Taught Me

Happy Friday party people!

Love and Hugs!

Freeforall- Family dinner party

We're heading out to Aunt Ann's tonight for eggplant parmesan and I need to bring something easy and delicious. I'm thinking of the good ole standby of rocket salad with gorgonzola, pears and walnuts.

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This one's got raisins in it which I won't be adding. Actually I think I'll just come up with my own recipe on the spot. Lots of cheese, a little green and some fruit. Sounds good, right?

What are you guys up to this weekend? Any fun plans or is it hibernating season where you're at?

Love and Hugs

Freeforall- All hail the Auld Spot!

Well today is Friday and also my last shift at the ROM so what's a girl to do? Grab your husband and head to the corner pub near your place for a pint, right?!

In this case it will be The Auld Spot on the Danforth. I've heard good things and can't wait to try it out. They have poutine! Can you belive I've been home for over a month and I haven't had poutine yet?! I know I know, I'm on it.

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So here's to a nice cozy plate of fries, gravy and cheese and a tall glass of clamato to celebrate the incredibly hectic and exciting end to my two week contract at the ROM.

What are you kids getting into this weekend? Anything decandent or naughty? You know I'm curious!

Love and Hugs

Freeforall- The Trews!!!

Guess who I'm going to see tonight? That's right kids be jealous cause I will be rocking out to The Trews tonight with my Aunts!
Listen to this and tell me you don't want to be there. I dare you!

 

Or this one will surely have you swooning with music freddom love baby.



And I can't wait to hear this one live.



Oh man this one makes me miss Nova Scotia music so bad! I love you my dear home, your sound makes me cry.




So that's my Friday night, what about you?


Love and Hugs

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- Guess who's here?

It's our favourite funny travel partners, Mom and Dad! YAYAY! They arrived Thursday morning around 9:45am by airplane not vespa. (I know you were wondering)

So this weekend we will be getting into all kinds of trouble and fun and probably lost like we always do in Paris but I wouldn't have it any other way!

Be back next week with lots of pictures. Have a great weekend you guys!

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

Free for all- Thank you

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The Ode of Remembrance

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them. 

 

Lest we forget. 

This a short video we took of The Last Post ceremony at Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium last September. It's a very powerful ceremony held every night to honour the commonwealth soldiers who died and fought to free Belguim. 

The Menin Gate Memorial on the east side of Ypres was thought to be the most appropriate location for the ceremony. Originally this was the location of the old city gate leading to the Ypres Salient battlefields and The Menin Road, through which so many British and Commonwealth troops had passed on their way to the Allied front line.

From 11^th November, 1929 the Last Post has been sounded at the Menin Gate Memorial every night and in all weathers. The only exception to this was during the four years of the German occupation of Ypres from 20^th May 1940 to 6^th September 1944.

I hope it helps you remember.


Love and Hugs

Freeforall Friday- Around my web table

These are my friends and inspirations from around this crazy blog/internet/twitter/virtual place I call home. I hope you have fun reading what they've been up to this week.

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Where not to go for afternoon tea in Paris.

Finally a contender for Best Crossaint in the city.

Was there ever a stronger girl crush than the one I have for this lady?

How does browned butter icing sound to you? Yeah I thought so.

What?! You haven't been to Campagnolo yet?

Chocolate and Paris, a match made in Heaven.

Things you say to your husband in the bathroom.

Wente vineyards on Wino Wednesdays.

How to know if what's going in your mouth is good for you or not.

Who you should have been for Halloween this year. Don't worry there's always next year.

Have a great weekend my friends!!! I don't know about you but I'm getting all excited for Christmas, it's only 1 month and 20 days away! Are you ready?!


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- 12 by 2012 and an Award!!!

It's Listmania over here at The Sentimental Suitcase! Are you ready for this jelly? Did I just say that? YES!


Have you guys heard of this? Danni from Oh, Hello Friend has proposed a goal project entitled 12 by 2012.  I've seen it on a few blogs here and here and I am thinking I could use with a few challenges and ambitions to end this year off right.

So let's get started shall we?

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!!!)

In other news the hilarious girl after my own heart Samantha Vérant from The Frog and a Princess gave me the Stylish Blogger award! Can you believe that? Ahhhhh! I am over the moon crazy about this! That kind of thing has never happened to me and I feel so humbled and cool. Okay enough Ego, calm down little f*#%'er!

 Source- My Girl Sam

Anyways, in order to collect the award you must reveal 7 truths about yourself and pass it on. Fun!

 1. I believe in God. There I said it. Now you all know. I am spiritual. I think there are other forces at work that we can not see and I am only living half my life if I can't appreciate and explore that.

2. We are gonna start trying to make a baby in Jan, 2012! Ahhh!

3. Vince and I are sleeping in bunk beds right now (hence the not pregnant part) But don't worry still very much in love just have a tinytiny apartment until we move mid Nov.

4. I prefer to shower in the afternoon than the morning, is that weird? I just hate getting all cold and wet in the morning. I take a while to wake up.

5. I'm a vegetarian and a foodie/wine snob. Yes we do exist.

6. I'm actually excited to be moving to Toronto and living there. Yes we do exsit. ;)

7. hehehe I love making lists and my brother calls me Lieutenant Precise after my father Captain Precise who also has a small worry problem (BIG) and likes to make lists and check and check and re-check!

So now for my choice for the next Stlyish Blogger award! And the award goes to the most sophisticated colourful amazing cool woman I know Noelani from Mon Petit Chou Chou. Who am I kidding she's probably recieved this award more times than I can count she's just that stylish!

Source- My Girl Lani

Congratulations Noelani!

Now tell me you guys do you have a 12 by 2012 list? I'd love to know what's on it! Do you want to share with me? I am so nosy! Indulge me!

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!