summer – Stiletto Supermom

July 22, 2020July 21, 2020

Family Time

The summer continues with some very unsettling weather but I’m taking advantage of every moment of the bright warm sun. With 2 poodle puppies, socialization has been challenging. Luckily, we discovered a park with a pond! We walked around and I’ve never been so grateful that I added 2 standard poodles to our family. They have brought a lot of comfort to every member of our family. The smiles on the faces of my children playing fetch in the water with Tootsie has been such a blessing.

1 year old Tootsie showing her water retrieval skills

I’ve spent time learning more about the history, as well as how much this breed of dog, the Standard Poodle, has contributed to the many breeds of dogs on the world today. Getting 2 standard poodles at around the same time I see so many differences between them. It’s so interesting to own the same breed of dog yet they are so different in their own way.

I decided to train my 2 dogs in the best way they’re suited to. So far, I’ve observed Tootsie’s drive for a job and natural love of water. Babbette has already helped me as a service dog so I will be training her differently as well.

I’ve been so inspired by my children and the dogs. They all stay in the moment and to them less is not only more, it’s way better.

Here’s the kind of fun we had on our first outing to the pond. My goal is to walk the dogs there and back regularly. 🤞🏽🤞🏽 (Weather permitting) With all my renewed energy I want to do as much as I can to get to my goals.

Cheers for summer inspiration

July 5, 2018July 5, 2018

Review: Le Petit Marseillais

I was sent some samples of Le Petit Marseillais Shower Gel in Mandarin & Lime scent for review. It couldn’t come at a better time right in the hottest days of summer and when I’m on the hunt for a new summer soap!

The shower gel has a green tint and it the scent was full of fresh citrus and sweetness. I have extremely dry skin, especially when my skin is transitioning to the humid heat.

I applied it directly on a washcloth and began to scrub. The gel didn’t lather up with suds like previous shower gels I’ve tried, but I gave it my best effort. So as far as suds it’s on the low-key side. My skin was left feeling refreshed and squeaky clean.

After my shower, I made sure I didn’t add any lotion or moisturizers to get the full before and after effects of the gel. My skin began to dry up and look scaly. The package did say it was “extra gentle” but I don’t think my skin agrees. I tried it a second time ( I was given 2 samples ) but this time I added the shower gel to my getting ready routine to see how it held up under more normal conditions. I, again, applied the shower gel with a washcloth and the same results of no suds and no lather. This time I used moisturizer as usual and my skin was still dry just not as bad as the first trial.

I didn’t particularly find anything life changing about Le Petit Marseillais’ Shower Gel. Yes it is milder than other soaps and gels with a fantastic scent and I found a 400ml bottle at Walmart for $4.97 CDN. I would recommend this product as a mild daily soap for use in travel to the beach or camping. A great alternative to messy bars of soap for children.

Final thoughts…

My favourite feature is the scent, it is mild and lingers pleasantly on your skin which is extra nice during hot weather. I was expecting a thicker gel consistency but it was more liquid like the consistency of syrup. If you like bubbles and suds you won’t find them in a bottle of this product and it left my skin dry. It’s affordable for families, it’s available at stores like Walmart and you can find it on Amazon as well.

Score: 3/5

✔️ Affordable

✔️ Great Scent

✔️ Available in Walmart and Amazon

✖️ Left my skin drier than normal

✖️ Very runny not a gel consistency

More reviews to come! ☺️❤️Much love,SS 💃🏻👠

*Product provided for review complimentary of Influenster

June 23, 2018June 23, 2018

Fried Frog

The heat is on and it has been scorching hot outside over the past few days. With weather history in the making we have the lava flowing in Hawaii and poor air quality readings which seem to be triggering a lot of allergy suffers. I don’t have allergies, but even I notice how hard it is to breathe outside. I’m praying for safety and good health for our dear friends in Hawaii.

So much is happening that I was starting to feel like I was even giving myself enough time to rest. I evaluated my current status and I was slowly starting to slip back into my workaholic tendencies. My worst “crash due to exhaustion” left me so mentally drained I couldn’t even remember how to write my name! I had orders booked and was working at a great pace, I was trying new techniques and really having fun, BUT I was working around the clock. I was designing as I was doing detailed work then taking pictures and shopping for supplies.. I was all over the place. The thing that was the most exciting was how productive I was and how ahead of schedule I was in all that I did. I was down to my last two orders and I remember working all day and I stayed up until 4am. The birds were chirping and I got up from my desk and stood out on my patio deck staring at the rising orange sun. I stood out there for, what felt like hours, 20 minutes and felt all my lack of sleep hit me so hard my knees buckled a little. I had to struggle to keep myself balanced. I went right into the house and straight up to bed. I was completely exhausted and in bed for 4 days. My deadlines were getting closer but I was done. I could hardly stay awake. I do not need a repeat of that!

I decided to keep the weekends as my designated “No Work” days, so far so good. 👍🏼

Video: Fried Frog

June 10, 2018

A Fresh Place to Shop

Another very interesting week of up and down weather. BIT I’m still not complaining! I’ve been looking forward to coffees outside in the mornings and afternoon barbecues.

I decided to go to the local farmers market (Trails End) for some fresh produce. This is my favourite place to shop, I like to travel to small towns to shop, I find so many great deals! This visit, I purchased some smoked mackerel fish, broccoli, asparagus and mushrooms. This is one of the kids’ favourite meals, of course with a side of rice, lol.

I browsed around the furniture section ( I’m redecorating the basement ) and got some great ideas. There were also some beautiful summer dresses for sale that I found. I’ll definitely be going back to stock up. The resort will be open this weekend so I need to get prepared!

If you get a chance, please support the local farmers in your area and fill yourselves with some fresh fruit and veggies!

May 24, 2018May 24, 2018

10 Things I love about Summer

For many of us Canadians, the winter of 2017-2018 has been a long and bitter journey so when the Weather Channel reported high double digit temperatures, I immediately began packing up the winter gear. I feel like this summer is so long awaited that I have spent a few sleepless night planning all the things I want to do with the boys once school is done. In the meantime, here are the 10 Things I love about Summer.

Pedicures. The cold winter days had us covering up with socks and leg warmers so every year, I look forward to my first summer pedicure. I always purchase the package that includes all the extras like leg and feet massages. I’m booking an appointment as soon as I’m done writing!
Sandals. Goodbye to clunky heavy winter boots and HELLO to sandals and flip flops. As much as I love the fashion of layering clothing, nothing beats being able to slip on some fancy slides. That flip flop sound is like music to my ears.
Summer Clothing. I tend to be in denial throughout the winter months and I wear my summer dresses under layers of sweaters and hoodies. Now that summer is bringing on some humid high temps I am all about wearing next to nothing flowing breezy clothing. I can’t wait to be lounging around in my dresses outside instead of a pyjama option.
Napping Outside. Ahhh that fresh summer air and the sounds of birds chirping and leaves dancing in the breeze.. Yup, one of my absolute favourite things to do is NAP! BUT the option of being able to sleep outside in the shade is no doable! I just purchased a new patio umbrella and am waiting on some new furniture. No, there will be no dining furniture, just straight up lounge chairs and sofas this year.
Picnics. With a crazy busy schedule over the last few years, I really haven’t had a picnic with just my family in a long time. We used to go to the city park, buy a bucket of KFC and play football and frisbee. I think I’m going to implement that in my summer routine.
Beaches. Canadian beaches have been hiding under blankets of ice and snow so once all of that melts away I can’t express how beautiful the beaches around the Great Lakes are in my country, yes, some have white sands. I hope to get on a boat this year, I haven’t been sailing in years!
Campfires. After a full day of sun, it’s almost a given that there will be campfires in my summer future. The smell of burning wood and the sound of the crackling fire are so relaxing. It’s guaranteed that my hair would catch all the wood burning scents, but it’s worth it.
BBQ. It isn’t a summer without a good cookout. I make requests for feasts of charcoal BBQ treats every year from my family and they never disappoint me. Not only do the children love fresh noms off the grill, but I love that there are no pots and pans to scrub after a BBQ dinner at my house.
Quiet Days. I am very blessed that I live in a quiet neighbourhood and since I’m early retired, the mornings get so quiet with everyone at work. I have a new cardinal bird that has been showing off his vocal skills lately and it is the most beautiful sound to hear. I named him Mr. Wallace (*Pulp Fiction reference) and I look forward to hearing the breezes from right outside my bedroom window. I know my quiet days are numbered, the kids will be on summer holidays so I’m going to soak up every bit of silence I can get!
Windows Open. I know it may not seem like a big deal, but being able to leave the windows open at night and in the early morning is a dream to me. I don’t hear traffic or people. Just the sounds of wind through the leaves of the trees, birds and crickets chirping. Oh Summer, thank you for waking up!

Think about all the things you love about Summer. If you, like me, realize that you haven’t done some of your favourite things in awhile, I hope you put it as a priority on your Summer To-Do List!

Cheers!

August 4, 2017August 4, 2017

Over already?!

It's the Civic Holiday weekend and it feels like the summer months passed by so fast! I blame most of this on the weirdest weather I've seen in years! It would rain so hard it sounded like hail against my windows, thunderstorms at least once a week followed by extreme heat where I could hardly breathe. Although, I'd rather have this weather than the upcoming winter months.

The back-to-school supplies and clothing are in all the stores, I can almost hear my bank account cry for my school shopping days that are just around the corner. It will be an emotional school year for me as my last little pterodactyl will be leaving the nest to go to school. So far, he knows his numbers up to 10 and backwards, but he refuses to sing the alphabet song lol. Thanks to the iPad he does know what the letters are, but he just doesn't like the song. I'm guessing that he thinks the song is dumb, he rolls his eyes every time I ask him to sing it.

Lately, my days are filled with doll orders and event planning. It's a truly exciting time for me. I have found what I love in all aspects of my life from the kids, social life and now my artistry. They often say that when your personal life is good everything else around is chaos. I am living proof that the saying is NOT true. We all need to find the balance in our own lives or things get harder and harder to do. It's like the universe makes some things in our lives difficult in order to accept something better in our lives. "Out with the old, in with the new" has a deeper meaning than we think. This whole year has unraveled many important life choices for me. My family relationships have been stronger now than ever, financial security is finally here, reuniting with my childhood best friend, maintaining deeper relationships with my friends from all over my online world and forming new amazing friendships who have cleared my mind and settled my soul.

Yes, you can have it all, yes abundance is attainable. If you want these things, you have to release everything that you know is holding you back. It will seem so difficult to let go, but it will be worth it and those difficult moments you are experiencing right now, will be in your distant past. Right when you're about to give up hope is when you have to gather up as much strength as you have to get through the rough moments. You will see your end goals, not when YOU want to see it, but when you're ready to accept it.

June 13, 2017

2017 Heatwave in Ontario

Time to get my summer shoes out!

For the last 2 days it’s been so humid and hot I couldn’t go outside. The dogs didn’t even want to stay outside for very long. I’m thinking of getting a hose that mists around the deck in the backyard. It’s hard to explain but when I find one I’ll post a picture.

The air conditioner has been running hard and I’m sure my hydro bill will be a hefty one 🙄 thanks to the Ontario premier. (I don’t like her at all, to put that politely)

I’m still excited about the summer. When the kids are finally done the school year I can sleep in. Lol that’s my goal.

On that note be aware of the heat and stay cool during these unpredictable heat waves. Drink lots of water and relax as much as you can.

Until next time ✌🏼

September 2, 2014

Back To School…and Mommy Boredom

The first day of school for the pterodactyls and they were organized and out the door on time. I packed their lunches the night before and had them get their outfits ready. At around 2am I get a text from my 16 year old saying he couldn’t sleep because he was afraid he’d sleep through his alarm. So, of course I had to reassure him I’d get him up on time.

Around 3am, my 2 year old came wandering into my room due to the lightning and thunder. Needless to say, I had some trouble falling asleep to his snoring and his kicking me in the face and back all night. Sigh.

By 8:30am, the house grew quiet and still. My 2 year old had gone back down for his morning nap and I proceeded to lay in my bed…staring at the ceiling. Summer is officially over and I was already thinking about all the things I didn’t get to do. Trying to fight my boredom I proceeded to watch some movies to kill the time and cut the silence of the house.

Despite my summer fading away, I know I have a couple more travel destinations to go to before the snow shows up. My long awaited Texas trip is booked and arrangements are being made. I have a ton to do before I leave next week…like buy a new suitcase! YIKES!

All in all this should be a very busy and full 8 days before I’ll be under the Texan stars. I’ll fill y’all in as I go through my travel preparations for this exciting journey.

Off to make lunches! 🙂

August 6, 2014August 6, 2014

Grooming the prized dog… and BBQ meats?

Today, I decided to tackle my Costco-bought racks of ribs on the BBQ. I spent most of my day outside enjoying the sun…and the rain…then the sun again Despite the weather I managed to make my special ribs for the boys. I knew they really loved them when I didn’t hear a peep from them as they stuffed their mouths. It was almost eery, how quiet they were. Nonetheless, they finished in record time and rolled their eyes as I told them to wait until I took a picture of what was leftover before I’d allow them to have seconds… It had to be done lol

After they cleared the dishes and we took turns catching my dog trying to steal the bones, they settled down and I got to finally relax…until…

I had the genius idea of deciding to bathe and groom my show dog Mikael. For those that aren’t aware, Mikey is a Lhasa Apso, he used to have long hair down to the ground, but since his retirement (he’s 10yrs old now) I’ve been keeping his hair as unkempt as my own. Now, don’t get me wrong, he may be an excellent show dog, but he is definitely a boy dog. He will roughhouse with Judge (my Doberman), jump into snowbanks and yes…he catches birds..yick!

I let his coat go, my genius idea turned into a 2 hour grooming session. I had to cut out some matts and trim his coat… now, my hand is sore from all the scissor action. The worst part of my grooming sessions is getting around his male parts… OMG SOO gross… luckily we have an understanding, he holds completely still and I try not to throw up.

Anyway, Mikey looks like a happy new dog, the boys’ bellies are full and the house is silent…

Now…about this insomnia…

June 26, 2014June 26, 2014

Mixed weather and thrifting…

I had a great day! Although it poured for about 20 minutes then went to full sun, typical in my part of the world, I managed to get some sun on my skin and also found some great deals while out doing errands.

There was a 50% off sale at Goodwill, now if you’re not familiar or uneasy about shopping at a second hand shop, I highly suggest you check out your local shops and see what kind of hidden gems you can find. I’ve managed to find a Burberry and a Ralph Lauren button down shirts for $7.00 each… The key to finding such gems is… patience…

This time I found a 2 pc bikini, which looked to be brand new, for $6.25 and a Roxy cover shirt for $3.25… I couldn’t go wrong with that! 😉