Dance Party...

Bringing smiles and a little laughter...

Friday is here- and Si is celebrating!

"Winning isn't everything. Wanting to is."- unknown...

On Monday, my husband completed a recent goal and raced in the Vancouver Triathlon.
Not only did he complete the race in his allotted goal time, he killed it and came 40th overall!
We were all there to watch and cheer him on! We are so proud of him.

It was a great day and a huge accomplishment. The weather could not have been more perfect either! Clear skies and calm seas.

A few photos of the day.

Kai was here too... you could find him at the park:

Great Job Ry!!

"Winners make goals, losers make excuses"

- Unknown

 

Wax On...

In amongst work and packing for vacation...I got my wax on. Pretty happy I was able to make some me time today :) On top of it all, my mom treated me to a pedicure. What a great morning!

Back to the wax though.
I tried this new wax place, Cutie Pie Wax Bar.
It was fantastic! On top of being such a cute / girly place, they specialize ONLY in waxing...and sure are great at what they do! I have experienced my fair share of waxing over the years... in general, the word "ow" sums them up. I figured, a little pain was worth the outcome ;)
At Cutie Pie, I swear, IT DIDN'T EVEN HURT! And with being pregnant, I opted out of the numbing cream that they even offer. I was amazed.
The North Shore was in desperate need of a place like this, and they are welcomed with bushy brows and furry legs ;) Go get de-fuzzed today!!

I have found a new found favorite and recommend everyone in need of a wax, from Brows to Brazilian, to check them out.
Amazing service. Beautiful atmosphere. And fantastic, bump free, results ;)

Proud to be Canadian, Embarassed to be a Vancouverite...

This is a statement I have read from a few peoples Facebook Status' after last nights happenings.
How do you feel about that statement. For me, sad but true.

What a pathetic, embarrassing, dangerous and scary series of events last night... and no, I am not even talking about the Hockey Game!

Like everything and everywhere else, the efforts (and some lack-there-of) the Canucks Game and Hockey is a far thought in our minds after the Riot that occurred after its happening.  Instead of celebrating the event that took place, and maybe quietly mourning the loss, an all out Riot broke loose in our city streets. Vandalism, looting, fires and fights... what is wrong with people!

Some part of me thinks that even if we had won, the people that come out to do this type of thing, would have done it win or loss.

It is a sad day here in Vancouver. Citizens are outraged and upset; disgusted and angry...disturbed.
Who in their right mind finds this type of behavior okay, acceptable or  "cool." I say, what a bunch of losers. You put lives in danger, not only your own; the City and Citizens into another bad situation and being backed into the corner, yet again, of being labelled "No Fun Vancouver;" and just plain and simple...made us look like a bunch of a#*holes.

I was so happy to see and hear the number of people out to clean up as they were disgusted by last nights occurrence. That really is a symbol of a TRUE Vancouverite; one whom cares about this place we call, HOME.
For all the others...please LEAVE NOW.

As a mom, so many other thoughts were running through my head as I found it hard to turn off the television last night. Ryan and I were so fortunate to have gone to the game last night; and now looking at our decision to leave a few minutes early and head for home...words cannot describe how thankful I am that we did that.
My eyes were then glued in astonishment to the TV once we got home. It was as if I were watching a movie; or news footage of a city overseas...not Vancouver...not over a Hockey Game. Wow. Speechless.
I am thankful that we moved out of downtown. Could you imagine how you would feel being down there with your children. Watching, listening, scary.
Who does this? What type of people do this? How do they think this is fun and maybe even funny!? Where are their values and morals?
Is this a reflection of how they are raised? Crazy thoughts as a parent...but realistic ones.

What are your thoughts on last night?

I hope that the Rioters are found and punished as they should be! There are so many sites along with facebook groups to help identify the people involved.
If you have some time, scroll through, you may be able to identify some people.

I am off to kiss my kids and play outside. Something that is rewarding, effective and SANE!

Speechless...

And The Nerves Soar...

Game Day. Game 7... a do or die for the Stanley Cup.
GO CANUCKS GO!!!

As a fan, I have nerves. I could only imagine the nerves running through the Canuck Team right now. Come-on boys, lets getter-done!!!

If you have not yet seen this incredible video, watch it! It may even bring some water to those eyes...i know it did mine.
Click Here: Canuck Video Game 7

Proud to be Canadian. Proud to be a Canuck. Proud to be a Vancouverite.

This is our time!

Fabulous Friday Celebrity Interview...

I am so excited to start out my Fabulous Friday Celebrity Interviews with a local mom and television personality, Tamara Taggart!

Many of you know Tamara as our weather girl on CTV. She has more recently taken over as Anchor for the Nightly News on CTV! When she is not delivering our nightly news, she is being wife and mom to three amazing children; Beckett, Zoe and Poppy.  As if all of that isn't busy enough, Tamara also co-owns an amazing kids store EIO Kids... check it out if you haven't, it is AMAZING (and they just moved to Yaletown, prime location and easy parking)! These are just a few "credentials"; Tamara's list of accomplishments and ventures seem endless. I had to catch up with this busy mom and see how she manages it all: kids, work and life!

1) How do you find time for everything? (family, work, celebrity, You!?)

Ha!  I don't.  It's impossible to find time for everything but that
doesn't stop me from trying.  My first priority is my family, nothing
trumps what happens at home. My kids and husband always come first...I
love my job and I'm fortunate that I work at a place that understands my
family life.  That said I have a busy work life too, I'm committed to my
job which is new!  Anchoring CTV News at Six is a huge responsibility,
I'm at work each day from Noon - 7pm and I spend a lot of my free time
working on charity events and shooting promos. It's busy but I'm having
fun...

 2) What is your favorite thing to do with your kids on a sunny summer
day in Vancouver?

We love the beach, the kids could dig in the sand for hours. I have a
few weeks booked off this summer and we can't wait to pack up the beach
blanket, sunscreen and sun umbrella.

3) With your busy schedule do you find time for exercise? If so, do you
work it in with your kids or on your own?

After I had Poppy and was still on maternity leave I went to the gym
every day...not so much now that I'm back at work.  It's just so busy
and the gym seems to be the first thing that gets dropped...plus I'm so
tired, I usually pick sleep over a workout! I hate getting to the gym
but love it when I'm there, know what I mean?  The goal is to get back
to the gym.

4) What was your favorite and least favorite part(s) of pregnancy?

I have had three great pregnancies but each one has been harder on my
body. I love being pregnant, it's such a wonderful feeling knowing that
you are carrying love. I didn't like how tired I was all the time and
near the end there's way too many visits to the ladies room which is a
problem when you work in live television!

 5) What's your best "Mom Advice"

Enjoy every moment. As tough as I found the 3am feedings I realized that
they weren't forever so I should just embrace the moment.  I try so hard
to live in the moment and feel each experience as a mother.

Tamara Taggart
Anchor - CTV News at Six

Thank you Tamara!
I enjoyed this interview and getting a glimpse into the life of... Tamara Taggart.
Hope you all did as well!

The Great Debate...

Enter the world of parenthood and everyday is filled with its own set of challenges.
Our current/upcoming topic that is a HUGE decision...preschool. Now the parenting begins and the playing is left till after school. Kai will be 3 in April and ready for his first year of preschool this September. These days, it is not only where to send your child, but at what age as well. There are some new "junior kindergartens" that take children as young as one. In essence it is a childcare facility at this age, yet they still have some structure to their days (as much as you can give a one-two year old!). The topic is on the table because over the next few weeks, registration begins!

We began our thoughts on this pretty quickly after Kai was born. The reason being, most of the good schools (yes, even preschools) have waitlists for years! If you can believe it, some actually register your name the minute you find out you are pregnant. A little excessive, I think yes! But to each their own.
We were originally thinking of sending him to a Junior kindergarten a few days a week starting this past fall. It didn't pan out for a few reasons and in the end I have been happy it didn't. What's the rush to send your baby to school so fast!? They have their entire lives to be there. Come the fall, I think he will be ready, and so will we by then.

Now for us, the decision is where...and why! Sienna follows Kai around everywhere. She loves to sit and read, and yet she loves to stick her hand in dirty diapers...yes discgusting! But she is a big factor in our equation of Kai and preschool. With Kai going a certain number of days/mornings a week, Sienna will still need to have a place to be. Currently, when I am working, the kids are with our part-time Nanny. She is fantastic and the kids love her, but realistically, we cannot afford to employ a nanny and pay for school; and so, our thoughts are leading us in the direction of a junior kindergarten where Sienna can be on the same "campus" as her older brother. The two of them can have the same schedule, and this in-turn makes a happy mom :-)

Here are some of my thoughts and "foreseen debates" that we are, and will be, dealing with:

- How many days a week
- Time of day (morning or afternoon)
Cost
- Preschool and part-time nanny
- junior kindergarten for both kids
- Preschool and daycare!?
Cost
curriculum
-Location
-Cost

For those of you who don't have children yet, or you do but you have not gotten to the stage of looking into preschools, they seem to charge an equivalent rate to University. Since the children are 1/4 to 1/2 the height of a grown adult, the tuition is reflected by 1/4-1/2 the price! Not really, but I figure, pretty damn close! So if we are shelling out this amount of money for our child's education and learning, I want to make sure that we are getting the most value for our dollar. Preschools are private and therefore you must pay...I can see another debate a few years in the future, private or public!?

We have looked into CEFA (Core Education and Fine Arts), and they offer some amazing things at their schools: from uniforms all the way down to meal planning. This is a Junior kindergarten. And here, the days are full from 9 to 5 if you want. Great for a working 9-5 parent, but not necessary for me...but maybe this is where the kids can go on the same 2 days a week and no more would be needed!??
Or do we go to preschool...there are some amazing ones in our neighbourhood: from Montessori programs to French immersion.
Wish us luck and please send thoughts, suggestions and advice...it is all welcomed and appreciated!

"It will be gone before you know it. The fingerprints on the wall appear higher and higher. Then suddenly they disappear." ~Dorothy Evslin

If it's not one thing...it's another!

Why does it feel like life is always, "if it's not one thing, it's another!"

Lately, LIFE begins to settle in one area and then LIFE begins building in the OTHER. If it's not you it's another that you are affected by.

My question, when does life become your own...for a year, for a minute, for a second...

I am quickly learning...it never does. If you have family, in ANY FORM, it never completely resides in your own hand; because, the minute you care for someone, family or friend, you never know where life will take you.

If it is not your life experience and learing, it is someone elses...

To the tears, the laughter, the love...

To learing...

To life... 

Thank you for tomorrow.

xo

Real Estate, Here I Come.

I sent out a Thanksgiving Email along with my Market Update this past Friday before the long weekend.

I must say that getting organized and sending it out really helped to motivate me. It is exciting when you receive the positive response from things like this!

It only keeps me wanting to push forward and see where I can really go!

Here was what I emailed followed by a link to my monthly market update.



 

http://www.macrealty.com/macnews/newsletter.aspx?agent=brittany_anderson