My Latest Obsession!

I recently stumbled upon my newest obsession, and I might be in trouble!  If you're friends with me, and you have a little one en route, you might eventually become the recipient of a gorgeous pair of Love Jules Leather Lil' Hightops.  

Located dangerously close to my office (far too easily accessible if you ask me ;-) is the studio of leather gurus Jules and Josh, who make custom designed + hand crafted leather footwear that is simply divine!

I recently ordered the below pair of black classic Lil' Hightops for my newest baby-love Becks, and was so enamored with them I was tempted to try to squeeze my feet into the largest size available!

Needless to say, they wouldn't have fit.  

So...I did the next best thing and I ordered a pair for the Bug. 

I follow @lovejulesleathr on Instagram, so when I saw that they were releasing a limited edition red perforated leather version of my fave Lil' Hightops - I was sold.

Et voila, 2 weeks later these little puppies (or cows if we're being literal ;-) were in my hot little hands, and subsequently on the Bug's hot little feet.

The Bug wears these as his 'indoor' shoes at preschool, and I'm certain that he's the hippest 2 year old in the place (photos to follow ;-)

If you're looking for a pair of slippers or shoes for your little one - I highly recommend hitting up the Love Jules website and checking them out.  They have hard soled versions available too!

~ DISCLAIMER ~

I don't work for these lovely folks (and am not getting a cut back or commission for sending you their way ;-) I just really love these shoes, and love to support local artisans - especially ones with talent like these two.

xoxo 

T

The Bug Turns Two!

The older I've gotten, the more important traditions have become.  

And since we've had our babies, birthday parties have become a BIG deal.  Well, to me they are - Yosh would be just as happy if I didn't drive myself insane with the details.  But we both love that the boys get so much joy from their special days.

It all started with Monkeyman's 1st Birthday:  At that time, we thought we'd only be having 1 child - so we went all out.  And by all out, I mean ALL out.  We had a backyard BBQ that was as much for us and our friends as it was for him.  We had beer and wine flowing right alongside the juiceboxes and veggie straws - it was tons of fun for all ages!

That first year I decided I would make the cake - and in turn, I made a new tradition.  So each August, (and since the Bug's arrival, now each May ;-) I spend the night before the party in the kitchen until the wee hours - mixing and baking and piping icing.  Yosh would prefer that I order an ice cream cake from the local DQ - but I've decided to try a 'healthier' and 'homier' route - so I stick to our tried and true Carrot Cake with Pineapple and Coconut (with Maple Cream Cheese Icing).  

Cut to 6 years later, and I enjoy planning the boys' birthday parties more than I ever thought I would.  I love chatting with them about what sort of cakes they'd like - and which of their friends they would enjoy playing with.  And I LOVE the crafts!

This year the Bug's party was Thomas themed.  You can only imagine the fun I had on  Pinterest. 

The cake was a no-brainer.  I had a train pan that I bought for Monkeyman's 2nd, but this year I even went so far as to use 'natural' food colouring.  In the end it looked a little more 'baby shower' than 'Thomas the Tank' - but tasted delicious nonetheless.

We also did something else a little different this year;  we rented out one of the local rec centre playrooms!  Because the North Vancouver weather in May is often iffy, and we didn't think ten or twelve 2-5 year old kids inside out house would be a recipe for long-term sanity - we thought we'd try it out.  And let me tell you - we LOVED it!

The great thing about the Micky McDougal  playroom birthday party is that they provide you with a party leader and all the climbing/pushing/pulling/jumping toys you can dream of!  The kids were well entertained, and the parents could enjoy themselves while watching from outside the strike zone.

While the rec centre didn't exactly provide a 'neutral' decorating background, I love how these few key crafts turned out:

Thomas Food Train with Oreo Wheels

Train Track Table Cloth

Happy Birthday Banner

Departures Sign for Goodie Bags

Planning fun birthday parties for the boys is one of my true joys in life.  I know one day in the not-too-distant future Monkeyman will say to me 'Mom, can't you just drop us at the lazer dome??' and I'll shed silent tears while waiting outside in the parking lot - so for now, each May and August I'll continue to craft my heart out and bake into the wee hours; coming up with cool games and fun cakes for whatever theme they choose.

Because that smile they have just seconds before they blow out the candles...well, that smile says it all!

xoxo 

T