First Day Of Summer Break


Happy First Day of Summer Vacation! 
The day started off great! 
We let the kids stay up way too late last night, and they all slept in! 
You guys - this NEVER happens. 
Usually if we let them stay up too late it backfires and they're up an hour earlier.
 After breakfast, I had them write a journal entry in their summer journals listing some things they hope to do this summer and draw a picture about it. 
I was anticipating complaints on the idea of doing "school type work" on the first day of summer vacation but they loved it!
I even sent a text to my husband that said something along the lines of 
"Geez - I love having all three kids home. I could totally homeschool our kids, they are different kids when they're at home"
Usually school mornings are rushed and everyone is miserable  - but this morning was wonderful....... until after lunch.
The kids started getting tired from staying up late the night before but refused to give in to their exhaustion.
It all went downhill from there.
Referee would've been a more suiting title than Mom this afternoon.
My kids do not do well with a change in routine.
I knew that by the second week into summer, they would be craving a structured routine so last week, I wrote out a daily summer schedule that I will start implementing next week and I will share it with y'all sometime next week on the blog!
Here's to better days ahead and celebrating the Long Weekend with family and friends!
<3

Ps- How fun is this Photo? 
My friend Adrionna is the photographer behind AMP Studios and she took some amazing shots of our family last week when my mom was visiting.
Here is a sneak peak - they really capture our crazy side and I love that! 



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Bubble Guppies Captain Crunch Rainbow Cake





 Happy Monday Friends!
Hope everyone had a great weekend! 
Saturday morning, we woke up and had cake for breakfast to celebrate Luca turning three! 
Eating cake for breakfast is a tradition we started when our oldest turned 4 and if you don't do this - you need to start!
It's the only day all year that the kids get to have mass amounts of sugar for breakfast.
Three was such a fun birthday to celebrate for our little man, because this was the first year that he really understood what was going on!
He actually started asking about his birthday a few months ago and had his big sisters write out all his birthday requests on paper for him.
At the top of the list was a Bubble Guppies Rainbow Birthday Cake.
I used this recipe from the Betty Crocker website and it was super easy to make, which is a good thing, because I didn't start baking it until 10pm the night before his birthday.
I made some DIY Pom Pom Cake Toppers to look like bubbles and Alix from Pegs N Things
sent me these AMAZING Bubble Guppies Dolls that I knew would make the perfect Cake Toppers!
Luca's favourite cereal is Captain Crunch so to finish the cake off we covered the icing with it.
I wasn't really concerned with making it look pretty as long as it had everything the birthday boy wanted, but the Captain Crunch sort of resembled sand which went with the Bubble Guppies theme really well! 
And Guys - if you have not tried Captain Crunch on cake - you MUST.
It was SO yummy!


Kelsey, ox


** I will be hosting an exciting Instagram Giveaway with Pegs N Things on Wednesday  - Don't miss it :) **
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Some thoughts.


I just had an incredible day with our family.
We woke up early and ate birthday cake for breakfast to celebrate Luca turning 3, then went to our youngest daughters soccer game followed by a day at Wonderland.
All three of our children are sleeping soundly as I type this, exhausted from a great day, my husband is sitting next to me playing the guitar and everything seems so perfect.
Last night I cried, a lot.
Do you ever just have a big, unexpected cry and afterwards you realize you had that bottled up for so long and feel a weight lifted off your shoulders? 
That's the kind of cry I had last night and it was refreshing.
It was just what I needed.
I cried last night because my baby boy would be Three in the morning and it hit me suddenly that my last baby, really wasn't a baby anymore.
I cried because just last week I said to my husband that I was so excited for Luca to get older so that life could get a little easier.
Then last night it hit me.
Time is going by so fast, and I find myself wishing it away more often than not lately.
I wrote a post about priorities last month, and shared how I left my job to be at home with my family and really focus on whats important.
I'm so happy with the decision I made to be a stay at home mom.
I know it was the right decision for our family but I find myself feeling overwhelmed very easily lately.
I don't remember feeling this overwhelmed when I was a new mom to our first daughter almost 8 years ago, or even after the birth of our second daughter 2 years after that.
I think it's because I feel this constant pressure to always be more this time around.
I'm almost embarrassed to say that I stay home with my kids when I'm asked what I do, when my whole life that's all I ever wanted.
I find that lately, I'm constantly comparing myself to others, on social media in particular.
I'm constantly trying to keep up with this Social Race and find myself not being present in the moments that matter the most.
The simple moments, like watching my daughters favourite TV show with her.
Instead of laughing along to the funny scenes, I'm scrolling through my Instagram Feed.
I'm physically there, but It's not enough.
These are the sort of things that lead me to feel overwhelmed.
Like no matter how hard I try I can't keep up.
I feel like I may have lost myself a bit this past year, in fear of not being accepted.
I'm wishing time away, because I feel this pressure to be more than who I am, based on what I see on Social Media.
I'm the first to admit that I'm very easily influenced.
I forgot about the girl who bought all her clothes at thrift shops, listened to mix tapes really loud, and couldn't care less what designer made her purse.
The mom who let her toddlers sleep in her bed, run barefoot at the park through the rain and dress in clothes that don't match.
I lost myself, because I'm afraid of what others might think.
I miss the simplicity there was just a short time ago, and I'm craving it.
I'm making life harder than it has to be, by trying to keep up and not being proud of who I am.
I love Social Media for many reasons.
Including wonderful friendships I have made, and for the inspiration it gives me to be a better person, mother, wife and friend.
 I don't love the way I can get sucked into its negativity though.
I want to look back and remember giving all my focus and energy to my children, and not some screen.


"To make a mountain of your life is just a choice.
But I never learned enough to listen to the voice that told me.
Always Love.
Hate will get you every time.
Always Love.
Don't wait till the finish line"

~Nada Surf

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A letter to my THREE year old.


Mr. Luca Henry - today you are THREE years old!
I would be lying if I said that I didn't know where the time went, because these last three years have felt long!
In the three short years you have been alive, we have gone through a lot of changes as a family!
From selling our first home when we found out about my pregnancy with you, to living with extended family while our second house was being built, to leaving my career to be a full time stay at home mom, to selling our second home and moving to a whole new city!
It has been a busy three years to say the very least.
I still remember the moment I learned I was pregnant with you.
Your older sisters were 3.5 & 1.5.
Your daddy and I were young, only 23 and 26 years old, and people told us that our hands were full.
We knew our family didn't feel complete and then we found out we were expecting you!
I took a pregnancy test in the bathroom at work one Friday, because I was leaving to go away to a friends wedding, and something felt different.
I wasn't expecting a positive test but when I saw those two lines I was over the moon excited.
We sold our car to upgrade to a mini van so we had enough room for you and listed our first home for sale so we could pay off some debt and be in a better financial situation for your arrival.
I remember going for the gender ultrasound and finding out you were a boy!
Your daddy cried, he was so excited.
We moved when I was only a couple months away from your due date, which looking back now, seems insane!
The first few days after you were born were the hardest and scariest days I have ever been through.
When you were born, they rushed you into the NICU, because they thought something was wrong with your heart. 
They discharged me before you and told me I could go home while you stayed in the NICU.
There was no way that was happening, so I paid to sleep in a room with 4 other moms on the maternity ward.
My heart broke seeing you in that room with all these wires hooked up to you.
I wanted to be by your side all the time, but I was told that wasn't allowed.
I was so relieved when you were finally discharged, but the hospital instructed us to go straight to a heart specialist to get an ultrasound of your heart the morning you were released.
I was terrified. 
I was overjoyed when the specialist told us that everything looked just fine.
After having two babies who didn't like to sleep much at all, it was such a blessing to have a baby like you who slept through the night as soon as you came home from the hospital.
You were a quiet, easy going baby who didn't fuss much at all.
You were slow to start talking, and the Dr's were concerned, but I knew you would start when you were ready, and boy once you started you didn't stop!
You love to ask questions and tell all kinds of stories.
For such a quiet baby, you sure surprised me when you became one of the most active toddlers I had ever seen!
You are constantly on the go and every day is a learning experience for both of us!
As a toddler, you are up when the sun is up and fight to stay up just a little bit later every night.
You are strong willed and try so hard to do everything that your older sisters do.
You love to take your sisters toys and bother them every chance you get, but if they're ever upset, your the first one to comfort them and offer kisses. 
You love people and say Hi to everyone you see.
If older kids are outside playing sports, your not afraid to ask to join in, and love hanging out with the older boys.
You have the most unique, contagious laugh.
Your laugh could cheer up even the saddest of people.
You made our family complete and I hope you know how much we all love you.
I can't wait to watch you grow and see what lies ahead for you this year! 
No one can drive me as crazy as you do, but I love every ounce of you wild boy and 
I'm so thankful I get to be your Mommy.
I hope that all your dreams come true!

Love, 
Mommy



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Fun Toddler Birthday Themes

My son is turning THREE at the end of the month!
I can't believe my youngest will be THREE.
I remember being sad when my girls turned three because it meant only one more year before they would be in school full time.
I don't know if it's because Luca is our last baby, but I'm more excited than sad for him to reach the preschool phase.
I'm exited for our family's next phase, to do all the things we couldn't do when they were babies. 
With his birthday right around the corner, I have had birthday themes on my mind and today Im sharing a few of my favourite party themes with you!





























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Robi Luxury Skin Care Review & Giveaway




Happy Monday!
Hope you all had a wonderful weekend :)
Today I want to talk to you about Robi Luxury Skin Care.
I discovered Robi a couple months back when I met the creator, Julianne, at an event we were both attending.
We started talking about our families and I mentioned my sons eczema before I even knew she was the creator of a wonderful, all natural, super lux (but affordable) skin care line.
She started telling me about the skin care line she created after becoming a mother, which inspired her to create a line of products that she felt safe using on her little one. 
It was so refreshing to see someone so passionate and enthusiastic about what they were creating.
Her skincare line is created in Toronto from quality, natural ingredients free of preservatives, water or fillers. 
A few weeks after meeting Julianne, I received a package in the mail with the Hydrating Serum and some Calm Natural Body Butter (with the sweetest note) to try on my sons eczema. 

                

I have tried using many natural products on my sons eczema in the past but have found them to be really oily and more messy than helpful. 
The Calm Body Butter was anything but greasy. It has a rich, creamy texture and smells like a mix of lavender, orange and marshmallows. 
I only needed to apply a small amount to my son to keep his skin feeling moist and reduce the redness.


The Hydrating Serum with Argan & Jojoba smells just as lovely as the body butter.
It is light and filled with beneficial oils and Vitamin E for extra skin protection.
I use it every night and morning all over my face and neck.




Head over to my Instagram for a chance to win your own Natural Body Butter and Hydrating Serum. 

Kelsey, ox.


This post is in partnership with Robi Luxury Skin Care. 
As always thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
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