Tuesday, May 8th, 2012, 9:14 pm

Interview with “the cocoa cakery”

Posted on May 8, 2012 by admin

You know those people who are so inspiring, creative and positive? The ones who take chances and it pays off in spades? That's Christina McKenzie, owner of the cocoa cakery. Her successful cake business is only two years young, but she's already turning away clients. She has been featured on CityLine, Maclean's, Toronto Life and many wedding magazines. I am in awe (read: envious) of her talent and ability to do it all. This woman is a force to be reckoned with!

On top of the six cakes, dozens of cupcakes, decorated cookies and/or cake pops that Christina makes on any given week, she is also constantly renovating a new room in her house. She has two children under the age of three and her figure looks as if she barely touches any of her goodies. Clearly, this is not a business I could ever pull off.

a) I can barely survive blogging with one child.
b) I’m a terrible baker.
c) I would eat everything I make.

I spent a recent evening with Christina while she made 100 cupcakes and a cake for a wedding. Earlier that day she had just finished and delivered a beer themed cake.

We chatted about her move from the working world to entrepreneurship, I taste tested three flavours (french vanilla, chocolate, and my personal fave, coconut), learned how to make a buttercream rose (see video below) and got a first hand glimpse into how she makes her cakes look so darn good. Here's the interview and pictures to show her talent in action....

This was sitting within smelling distance as we spoke. Yes, that is a massive bowl of buttercream, and yes, I all but licked the bowl clean when she was done with it.

What do you love about running your own business?
Christina: I love being my own boss. I have to kick my own butt and do as much as I can. If I need time off, I enjoy it and don't have to worry about something or think that I'm slacking. It's so rewarding.

Some people would argue that the cake and cupcake business is a trend and the market is saturated. What has been your secret to success so far?
Christina: I would have to agree. However, people like choice and they will find a service that suits them personally. I think my success can be attributed to really good personal service. I reply really quickly (as often as I can) to people and they LOVE that. When I look at websites for things, if there's no number, I keep going. I need to know there is someone who is willing to pick up and respond to customers. The small size of my business is also an advantage. There is a consistency and care in each and every bite that a lot of people may miss if they go with a larger company.

Christina puts her signature buttercream rose on 100 cupcakes

What is the most popular flavour?
Christina: Chocolate and vanilla are still the clear winners, but strawberry is rising in popularity.

What is the favourite cake you've ever made?
Christina: That's a tough one. I think my most favourite would have to be a very simple elegant white fondant cake that I made for a style shoot. It had presence.

As featured in Lavish Dulhan and Elegant Weddings Magazine

What is the weirdest cake request you've ever had?
Christina: I'd have to say the skull cake that I recently did for someone. I'm really not a fan of skulls and it kinda creeped me out. But they loved it and it tasted good, so if they're happy, I'm happy!

Time to "dirty ice' the chocolate cake. This step helps the fondant stick to the cake.

What is your biggest challenge when baking and decorating?
Christina: Consistency. Sometimes you think you have something down pat and then it goes sideways. Sometimes it's the weather (humidity can play a huge role in baking and decorating) and other times it's just an unknown factor. Nothing is a sure thing and you must keep your ego down. The fondant can feel it and sometimes plays with your head just to remind you who's boss!

If you could work alongside one other baker, who would it be?
Christina: My aunt. She is an amazing baker. Some of my best recipes are from her (yes they're a secret). She and I think very similarly. I also have a cousin who makes biscotti and is phenomenal. I would open up shop with either of them in a heartbeat! I haven't met a decorator who I've worked with and could trust to keep up. I work quickly, but there are many decorators out there who I highly respect and would love to meet, let alone work alongside!

This is what fondant looks like before it's tinted, kneaded and rolled. Ew.

Time to carefully put the fondant on the cake. I do not have patience for this kind of precision.

What is the future of the cocoa cakery?
Christina: The future is greatly unknown, but greatly dreamed of. It has changed many times in its short life already. Initially I would have said to open shop, but given the reasons (as stated earlier) I believe I have succeeded, I think I need to keep it small. I would love a separate space or a vintage home with a little storefront that has both retail and residential, but I am honestly just trusting God for the right direction and where to take this. I feel so blessed to be able to do (and have found) what I love, and I know it will go somewhere!

Christina puts her artistic ability to work.

Complete and absolutely beautiful.

To connect with Christina or to see more of her cake creations, visit the website: the cocoa cakery.

Want to learn how to make cupcakes that look like this? Click here to watch the video on how to make a buttercream rose -- even I could do it!

Posted in mmm.... | 2 Comments
Sunday, April 29th, 2012, 12:50 pm

Cupcake Review: Cupcake Lane

Posted on April 29, 2012 by admin

Cupcake reviews are one of the most popular posts on my blog. I suppose my readers value my opinions about food more so than parenting. And so they should. I can eat like a champ, but my parenting skills will always be runner up.

So that brings me to my next cupcake review. This is another shop north of Toronto, in Vaughan, called Cupcake Lane. I've been to this shop three times. First time was good. I had an excellent coconut cupcake, smothered in frosting with the right amount of coconut flavour. Second time, I noticed the cake had a boxed taste and the frosting amount was not up to snuff. I thought it was just an off day for the baker, but unfortunately that was not the case. The third trip will likely be my last. Especially since We Bake in Heels is just as close to home and are currently in my top three. Yes, I have a ranking. Don't judge.

I got a red velvet and double chocolate. Please study this picture. The problem is clear.

A frosting catastrophe!

There is a ton of unfrosted space around the edge. This would be fine if they made up for it in the height, but that was not so. This sort of oversight can keep a cupcake fanatic up at night. The point of a cupcake is the frosting, is it not?!

The chocolate frosting was a traditional buttercream, but more fudgey. It was rich, but good. Perhaps this is why I wanted there to be more of it. Especially since the actual cake tasted like Duncan Hines. The red velvet cake was the opposite of the chocolate. The cake tasted okay, but I literally couldn't figure out if the frosting was cream cheese or just plain vanilla. Even my husband, who has no sweet tooth, wasn't sure of the flavour. I had to call the store to confirm that, yes indeed, it was cream cheese frosting.

There's not much more to say about Cupcake Lane. Here's my breakdown...

What I liked:
- the location is convenient (if you live in the 'burbs or are travelling north)
- cupcakes are nicely decorated
- staff is very friendly

What I disliked:
- the cake had a "came from a box" type of flavour
- the (might have been) cream cheese frosting was lacking flavour
- stingy with the frosting!

I give Cupcake Lane 2 out of 5. It's doubtful that I'll waste calories here again.

In less than two weeks, I will hit up my top ranked spots - Sprinkles Cupcakes and Magnolia Bakery in NYC. I am counting the sleeps like a five year old waiting for Santa. Then, I will start hitting up some Toronto shops - The Cupcake Shoppe, Cake Opera Co, Dlish and For The Love of Cake to name a few.

Cupcake Lane
9441 Jane St.
Vaughan

Posted in mmm.... | 2 Comments
Monday, April 23rd, 2012, 7:53 pm

Part 3 of my Vegas series: Where to play and stay

Posted on April 23, 2012 by admin

I'm going to start this post with a direct quote from my friend about the number of strollers and rowdy children in Vegas - "This is MY playground. Leave your kids at home." Now if that doesn't set the tone for our stay in the city of sin, I don't know what will.

Now onto the task at hand -- what to see and do in Vegas.

We kicked off a couple of nights with a show - Cirque de Soleil Ka and Jabbawockeez. We love Cirque shows, but Ka sucked. My husband nodded off for part of it and I was pretty darn close to joining him. If I wanted to see that much drum beating and baton twirling, I'd have hit up the Santa Claus parade two weeks earlier. Jabbawockeez more than made up for this. If you like dance, good music and tons of laughs, go see this. There's a little ode to NKOTB thrown in to the show. Need I say more to my 30-something girlfriends. You know who you are and you know where that black satin NKOTB jacket is hiding.

Our big night out was spent partying in a limo. We were picked up at our hotel at 6:30pm. Beer, wine, champagne and shots - check. The goal was to get buzzed before the renewal of our friends' vows by Elvis. And that we did.

The wedding was held at the Viva Las Vegas wedding chapel - right across from the chapel where Ed Helms married Heather Graham in the Hangover. I highly recommend this for a casual, unbelievably fun wedding or renewal.

My attempt at an Elvis face is pretty darn sad. Meanwhile, hubby is grinning like it's the real Elvis beside him.

Our limo ride continued after the wedding. There's nothing like cruising around Vegas in a limo. This experience is in the top three of my life. We have many incriminating pictures from the night's events. The kind that I hope never see the light of day.

We intended to take the party into Pure at Caesar's Palace, but in a drunken stupor one member of our party went missing. We went searching only to find him at a slot machine when his mission was actually to get us more booze from our room. By this time only the girls were walking straight and forming sentences, so we had to call it a night at 10:30pm! WTF!

Now let's talk about daytime fun. If you can pull yourself out of a colossal hangover state, why not go and shoot guns at The Gun Store? Nothing like the sound of bullets and smell of gunpowder to help ease your booze flu. I was dragged to The Gun Store by my husband. It was the least I could do after subjecting him to hours of shopping. This was not a cheap outing - $210 in fact. I could probably have just bought a gun in a back alley somewhere and shot it out in a field for cheaper. In addition to the sticker shock, I found this experience frightening. I was not prepared for the strength and precision to shoot a gun. I tried to channel my inner Angelina Jolie (clearly the outer bears no resemblance), but just couldn't get past the hot shells flying back at me. Plus, there was a 10 year old shooting in the stall beside me. Something about this is just...off.

For those of you who know me personally, you will see right through the forced smile in this pic...

I seem to look a bit happier with the bigger gun in hand, but notice that I've successfully killed the hostage. Yikes.

I've shot the hostage not once, but twice! This is why I write for a living.

For other daytime excursions, I suggest a visit to the Hoover Dam. I'm no history or geography buff, but still found this worthy of my time. It's a short drive away or you can take one of the many organized bus trips.

I've lost steam on the Vegas series, so I'm going to write just a few words about where to stay. This time around we stayed at The Mirage. An older hotel on the Strip, but the rooms have been completely renovated, rates are reasonable and there's an entertaining (if not, slightly loud and annoying) volcano show right outside the hotel. It's not the place to stay if you are looking for a good scene, although they've since opened up a new club called 1 Oak. The location is really the selling point of this hotel. It's across from some of the nicest hotels, almost directly in the middle of the strip, and walking distance from the Fashion Show Mall. Need I say more.

My biggest tip on where to stay in Vegas - don't get too caught up in the name and scene. You can stumble along the Strip into the swankiest hotels, lose money at all their casinos and shop in their designer stores. You won't do much sleeping anyway.

I've officially wrapped the Vegas series. Next up on the travel agenda is a trip to NYC with three of my favourite cougars (my mom and two sisters) in May. If my kid and husband are still alive when I return, I will consider the trip a success.

Posted in my bags are packed | 2 Comments
Tuesday, March 20th, 2012, 8:45 pm

Bump watch

Posted on March 20, 2012 by admin

Now that our son is almost three, I am the subject of bump watch. The wandering eyes on my belly, looking for any sign of a baby bump. The people trying to figure out if my flowy top is just the latest trend or if it’s secretly hiding child number two.

To the complete disappointment of my family, the clothes are nothing more than my attempt at fashion. Yes, that top may be hiding a bump, but sadly for them it is not a baby bump. It’s probably just a result of eating too many cupcakes, or having to hide the fact that I’ve unbuttoned my jeans after a big meal.

There is a presumption that a second child is imminent given this “ideal” time frame to add a fourth member to our family. I actually feel obligated to drink at social functions for fear that people will assume I’m pregnant if I don’t polish off a few glasses of wine. Does the fact that I may be driving even matter?

Here’s the deal folks. I’m done with kids. I love my son, but one is enough.

For most of my life I didn’t want any children. My close friends and family know this. In fact, when my friend’s mother recently asked when baby #2 was coming, she aptly responded to her on my behalf, “I think we should be thankful that Adrienne even had one.”

For me, having one child offers balance between the child-free life that I am not ashamed to say I miss, and the {mostly} rewarding experience of being a mom. Pregnancy was not fun for a million reasons. I had a shear hatred of being a growth spectacle (not only in the belly, but also in the boobs, which put porn stars to shame). I was also a high risk pregnancy and endured copious prenatal appointments, ultrasounds and bloodwork. The worry that my health could somehow affect my unborn baby did more emotional damage than I care to admit.

Yet society (and my mother) do not understand this. There is an assumption that if you have one, you must want another. Surely someone would not want to deprive their child of a sibling. They will be so lonely! Newsflash – not everyone lives near/stays in touch/gets along with their sibling(s). So please don’t try this reasoning on me. Only children are known to have closer friendships and often have better relationships with their parents. I know parents of onlies and have friends who are onlies who would certainly attest to that.

How about the argument that an only child is spoiled and selfish? I beg to differ. I grew up in a family with two older sisters. We were all given the same things and afforded the same opportunities. My parents were generous when they needed to be, but they also taught us how to appreciate money and value the things we had. Our son will be raised in the same way as he would be with ten siblings. He will learn that handouts don’t exist and he will have to work for what he wants. That doesn’t mean he won’t get some kickass gifts. It simply means that I will not go broke spoiling him. When we do splurge, he will be involved in the process so he understands and appreciates what it means.

Now for the two worst arguments to have more than one child.

What about when you get older? It will be a lot of pressure on your only child to care for you. Ohhhh, I see. Apparently my kid is supposed to be my geriatric care provider?! I’m planning well for my retirement and old age. I do not expect my son to drop everything and care for me. Yes, a visit to the old age home every Sunday between euchre and bingo would be pleasant, but I don’t need him to change my diapers.

Next bad argument and it’s the absolute worst. What if your child dies? You will be left childless! Are you seriously trying to tell me that having more than one child would ever “take away the pain” of losing another? Like somehow the second, third or fourth child is the consolation prize....the fall back plan? Please. I can say no more on this.

There you have it. My case for one child has officially been made. In the near future I will be dragging my husband to the urologist, kicking and screaming like a school girl, to make it medically impossible. Then maybe the naysayers and wandering eyes will find another womb to harass.

For an interesting read on only children and some of the history behind the stigma, check out this article from Time Magazine.

Don't forget to like my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter.

Posted in if you don't want to be a mom, have a baby | 3 Comments
Saturday, February 25th, 2012, 7:27 am

Part 2 of my Vegas series: Where to eat

Posted on February 25, 2012 by admin
Okay so maybe it wasn’t smart to say that I would write a four part series on Vegas. At the very least I should have prefaced that with a time frame. Life is busy right now and blogging hasn’t been a priority. At this pace, it could be a year before I finish the Vegas travel series.

Good thing I took notes. As I sit here looking at my scribbles on sauce covered napkins and receipts, I am reminded of how much I ate in just a mere 5 days.

I consider myself to be a foodie wannabe. I could spend hours watching the Food Network (if it wasn’t for the constant stream of Max and Ruby). I love the chefs with big names and thankfully Vegas has nearly all their restaurants. We hit up two of these – Julian Serrano and Wolfgang Puck.

Julian Serrano at The Aria
Julian Serrano is a critically acclaimed chef. The restaurant has won awards. This is why my comments here pain me. I had high hopes. Perhaps that was my biggest mistake. We had late reservations after a show. We were starved. A tapas restaurant is probably not the best place to go when you’re starved. We ended up ordering five plates of food. There were two that we really loved. The stuffed piquillo peppers, a signature dish oozing with cheese. We basically fought over who got to eat these. The other was the black pig pintxo, which is something I would not typically order, but was pleasantly surprised at the tender cut of meat and caramelized onions. The others were just okay. I think to love tapas, you need a bigger crowd. It’s all about sharing, passing and abundance of tastes. With two people, it just doesn’t cut it. Especially when one of them can pack away food like nobody’s business (a.k.a. my husband). The decor here is trendy, the servers are excellent, the food presentation is beautifully simplistic, and the white sangria gave me an awesome buzz. But that’s what I remember most and when you dine at a place like this, you want it to be the food.

Wolfgang Puck at MGM
This is a casual Wolfgang spot, right in the middle of the MGM casino. If you can stand the sound of the slots (if you can’t, why are you in Vegas anyway?), this is a good spot to hit up. It’s casual pizza and grill fare, with an odd but good Italian/Californian twist. Prices are reasonable here compared to his other restaurants on the Strip. Three of us ordered pizza. My husband ordered a pasta with seafood in it. We all enjoyed our food. You might think it’s hard to screw up pizza, but I think there is something to be said about mastering the topping to cheese to sauce ratio, plus getting the crust just right. This pizza nailed it.

We ate at a few other places, but there are two worth calling out in detail…

Max Brenner at the Forum Shops in Caesar’s Palace
I am not a religious person, but I found heaven here. This is a restaurant dedicated to chocolate. I should just stop writing there, because honestly, what more is there to say. I could pretty much just roll out a cot and call this place home. Aside from their chocolate, they also have an excellent food menu. In fact, we went here twice. First for breakfast and then the next day for lunch. Both meals were very good. The omelettes are delish with home fries that are small, crunchy and spiced to perfection. But what set this breakfast apart was the freshly baked sweet buttermilk biscuit, hot out of the oven, with a melted milk chocolate dipping sauce. Yes people, this is breakfast. There are no rules in Vegas. Chocolate for breakfast is completely acceptable. Our lunch was also good. Typical of chain-style menu food, but seasoned better and everything had a unique twist added. I had the Thai-style Chicken Satays and my husband had The Best B.A.L.T. The hot chocolate to drink was ohhh sooo amazing and served up in their cute little “hug mug”, which I purchased from their shop (along with about $50 worth of chocolates).

I Love Burgers at the Shoppes of the Palazzo
If you like a mean burger, make sure to eat here. If you don’t, then just go for the sweet potato fries. They are spiced up with a kick of cinnamon and something else that my palate couldn’t peg. We got an order to share and could barely get through them. The main attraction is really the burger. You know a burger is good when the juice is dripping down your chin and you’ve used about 15 napkins. The BBQ burger here did just that – topped with bacon, cheese and onion rings....mmm....I would go back to Vegas just for this place alone. The vibe is modern, diner cool. Hubby loved the TVs playing every sport known to man and the crowd is younger. The caveat - be prepared to pay. This place is pricey. We paid $16 for each of our burgers, plus the sweet potato fries were an additional $6. You’ll walk out in pain from overeating – portions are generous.

We also ate at Fin in the Mirage for dinner one night – nice décor, but way overpriced for Chinese food, and the Canyon Ranch Cafe and Grill in the Venetian for breakfast – a fantastic find and one of the few healthy spots in Vegas.

Alright, next up in the series I’m going to talk about shows, nightlife and attractions in the city of sin.

If you want to read part 1: where to shop, check it out here.
Posted in my bags are packed | Leave a comment
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012, 8:26 pm

Ahh, comfort food – slow cooker pot roast

Posted on January 17, 2012 by admin

It's January, it's cold, it's dark by 5pm and work is insanely busy. My love affair with the slow cooker is at an all time high. An affair that became more intense with the purchase of this six quart baby right here...

I got this Hamilton Beach slow cooker at Canadian Tire. It was 50% off when I bought it. A complete steal considering it gets used 2-3 times per week. I love that it's programmable and don't know how I ever survived without this function. If you're experiencing the same time crunch, go out and get a slow cooker.

Did you hate roast beef when you were a kid? I did. I would do anything to get out of Sunday roast beef night. The main problem was that my mother perpetually overcooked meat. I blame my father who associated juice in meat with automatic food poisioning. Beef, pork, chicken -- it was all tough as a leather boot and dry as a popcorn fart, with a matching side of broccoli that was so oversteamed it was actually grayish in colour. Thankfully, my mother's cooking has drastically improved since those days and I very much look forward to our family dinner gatherings now.

My pot roast recipe makes it impossible for the meat to be tough or dry. It comes together in 15 minutes and then cooks throughout the day. There is really nothing better than coming home to a house that smells of a delicious reasonably healthy meal. That is the beauty of a slow cooker.

Best-ever slow cooker pot roast

2-4 pounds chuck roast, blade roast or pot roast
1 packet Lipton Savoury Herb with Garlic
1 cup water
3 chopped carrots
2 chopped celery stalks
8-10 mini red skin potatoes (or just chop up 3 potatoes)
1 chopped small onion
Optional: 1/2 cup red wine

Season the roast with salt and pepper, then brown it on all sides in a frying pan with a bit of oil. Meanwhile mix the water with the Lipton seasoning. Pour into the slow cooker. Add the wine, if you are using it, otherwise just drink it! Place browned beef in slow cooker. Place the veggies all around the beef. Cook on low for 7-9 hours, depending on size of beef.

For other slow cooker recipes, I highly recommend Stephanie O'Dea's A Year of Slow Cooking blog. It'll be a few more months before the BBQ steps in and the slow cooker retires so I'll have a few more of my own to share too.

Posted in mmm.... | 3 Comments
Monday, January 9th, 2012, 8:23 pm

What happens in Vegas, gets posted on my blog

Posted on January 9, 2012 by admin

Parenting is sort of akin to being a caged animal. You only get out when all the right pieces fall into place. When all those pieces fit and the cage is unlocked, fun times are bound to happen.

Now, send that animal to Vegas and it’s a whole other field to play in. There is something about that city that turns a ‘normal’ person into an insane party freak, unaware of time, money or drink consumption.

There’s a lot to say about Vegas and I have a bunch of recommendations to share. Just ‘cause I know you don’t really want to read 3000+ words all at once, I’m going to split up my posts on Vegas into a four part series. Yay! My first series!

So here goes, my first of four is all about where to shop. If you’re a man, you may as well stop reading (unless you are my husband in which case it’s always mandatory to read every word I write). I love to shop, but sadly I don’t get out as often as I used to. Whenever we travel, a switch goes off in my brain and I turn into a shopping maniac. I think it actually scares my best friend.

Las Vegas is a shopping mecca. You can literally shop constantly. I sure did. It’s not the place to look for unique shops like in New York City. It’s predominantly big brand shops and high-end designers. If you win big at the casino, you can easily find an Hermes or Louboutin store to blow your winnings.

We made our first shopping stop the Fashion Show Mall. It was walking distance from the Mirage and it was Black Friday. I was prepared for all out brawls to get the stuff I wanted. I might be a Black Friday virgin, but seriously, when it comes to a sale, no one gets in my way. I liked that Michael Kors serves champagne while you shop. I needed it because navigating this mall was tiring. The layout sucks and I was disappointed with the lack of shoe stores. I was experiencing a shoe crisis. The only viable solution to said crisis was to pay full price on a pair of Tory Burch flats at Saks Fifth Avenue. I swear, it was the ONLY option!

Next stop on day two was the Premium Outlet Mall. We hit up the north location (yes, there is a south location too). The deals were mental. I went mental. So did my “hates to shop” husband. He bought three pairs of shoes at Kenneth Cole alone. I shed a tear. I have never been prouder of him.

This outlet mall also has Coach, Michael Kors, 7 for All Mankind, Theory and hundreds of others. I was disappointed in the Coach store. Seems like the selection at their outlet stores is getting worse. Some of the bags actually looked like knockoffs. It’s really disappointing how the outlet stores are devaluing the Coach brand, but I digress.

I also did some financial damage at the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace. Hello, Tiffany's! This is a must see shopping spot. It has an assortment of stores at varying price points, i.e. Gap or Valentino. Plus, it’s got interesting architecture (read: ancient Greece/Rome replicas). Speaking of replicas, which is pretty much synonymous with Vegas, is the Shoppes at the Palazzo — an over-the-top copycat of random parts of Italy. I went here specifically for Links of London. It was smaller than the Forum Shops, but I would say more higher-end stores. I mostly window shopped.

Throughout the trip, I hit up random stores while we strolled around. Every hotel has shopping areas, ranging from the tacky (Mirage and Treasure Island shops were brutal), to trendy (Cosmopolitan Hotel had an All Saints, one of my favourite US clothing stores), to expensive (Bellagio, Palazzo and Caesar’s Palace).

So there it is shoppers. If you’re planning a trip, save your pennies and pack your plastic. If you’re going with your husband/boyfriend/partner, bring the iPad fully charged and tell him to suck it up.

Now that you’ve shopped your heart out, you need to know where to eat. I’ll tell you where in an upcoming post.

Posted in my bags are packed, seen it. want it. must have it. | 2 Comments
Friday, December 30th, 2011, 4:55 pm

Ten things I really liked about 2011

Posted on December 30, 2011 by admin

We are about to close the book on yet another year. I’m not going to spew off a bunch of New Year resolutions in this post. I think New Year’s is overrated. Especially New Year’s Eve, which never lives up to its expectations. I’ll be in bed before the ball drops. Despite my party pooper attitude, I can definitely say 2011 put a smile on my face.

1. We celebrated 10 years of marriage. I can’t believe we made it! No seriously, I really can’t. I think we finally have each other figured out. The next 10 should be a breeze, right?

2. I fell in love with my son. Judge me all you want, but I was not born to be a mom. I had to ease into the role. I had to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I needed to get something back from him. Now that he’s two, I can truly say I’m doing a damn fine job (most days) and the little dude has me wrapped around his finger.

3. I was the matron of honour in a wedding officiated by Elvis. This was a highlight of my life, let alone 2011! Our best friends renewed their vows in Vegas. If you’re gonna do it there, it has to be tacky styles. You know you’re in for a fun time when the bride comes down the aisle in a convertible pink Cadillac. I will blog about this more in an upcoming Vegas travel post.

4. I started practicing yoga. In my quest to live a better life, yoga just seems to make sense. Plus, it gives me an excuse to shop at Lululemon for clothes that serve a purpose other than for sitting on the sofa.

5. I found my groove at work. For the first time in a long time, I like my job. It’s not perfect. Nothing is. But it’s more than just a pay cheque to me and I don’t dread being there. Feels good to think that way for a change.

6. We bought our first investment property. I’ve heard the term “you can’t lose in real estate” far too often. We decided to test the theory and are officially landlords. It’s not a get rich quick thing, but definitely something that we will reap the rewards on down the line.

7. I finally watched Edward get rid of his blue balls and take Bella’s virginity. My fellow Twi-hards understand why this made my list. Yup, the PG-rated porn was long awaited. I can only hope that the DVD release on February 11, which I will no doubt pre-order, gets more hot and heavy in the extended scenes.

8. I straightened my teeth. Thanks to my cheap parents, I lived the past 34 years with crooked teeth. Now that I’m a big girl with my own dental benefits, I took action with the help of Invisalign. Thirteen months later and I have a perfect smile!

9. I blinged out my right hand. A girl can never have too many diamonds. My right hand was painfully bare. It was sad really, so very neglected in comparison to my superior left hand. Never fear. A lovely belated 10 year wedding gift/I deserve this gift is now proudly gracing my right hand. I purchased it on Whiteflash and had it shipped to Vegas. Highly recommended.

10. I launched my blog. Last, but not least, this very page that you are reading was born! Thank you to everyone who reads and shares. I wish I could write more, but time isn’t always my friend. I am hopeful for more things on this blog in 2012 and beyond. Feedback and comments are always welcomed.

I think that makes for a fine 12 months. I hope it was a year to remember for you too. Bring it on 2012!

Posted in everything else | 2 Comments