Happy Mother's Day!

 HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

I hope all of my favourite moms have a wonderful day!


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Have a fabulous day!

My view for the next week....

My uncle lives very close to the castle...anytime I walk 'doon the toon' I pass right by it.  I am looking forward to a week of Irn Bru, fish & chips with mushy peas, visits with cousins, big burly accents and Coronation Street in real time.  I'll miss my guys 'sae muckle' but it will be nice to not have to cook or clean up after anyone for a few days.

Royal Ribbons will be 'closed' until May 17th.  I will be answering emails but not printing ribbon until I get back. 

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Have a fabulous day!

Happy Luke Skywalker Day!

 May The Fourth Be With You!

Happy Friday!

I leave for Scotland on Tuesday and with any luck I will have a chance this weekend to write a few posts for while I'm gone.  Prepare to be bored to death by my photos of castles and pipers!


Have a fabulous day!

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What I'm Loving Wednesday

 REVENGE

 I don't remember who got me on to this show...one of the bloggers, please speak up if it was you!  On their advice I downloaded the pilot and was hooked almost immediately. Besides the gorgeous Hamptons background and all the beautiful people, Revenge is a really good show!  Each week Emily gets her revenge on one of the key players in the plot that saw her father tried and convicted of a crime he didn't commit.  The story is a tangle of lies and cover-ups and it's fascinating to watch it all unfold.  I'm 7 episodes in and wonder if she will actually be able to exact revenge on Daniel...he is too cute to die!

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Have a fabulous day!

Happy Birthday Little Prince!

 I can't believe it has been four years since you came into my life.  I had no idea how much my life would change...and how much you would change me.  Your cheery little face brightens every single day and my heart melts every time you tell me, "You're my best best hero"

You have taught me patience in a way no one and nothing else could.  You have also tried my patience but that's your job and you are doing it tremendously well.

You take such delight in the simplest of things I tend to overlook...the moon, a winter carrot found in the garden, stickers, a bowl of marshmallows....all the little things. 

We live in a world of Thomas the train these days and I hope your love of trains continues as we have a long history of railway in our family.  In the meantime we inhabit the island of Sodor and trip over little trains on the stairs and I love every minute of it.

You are the sweetest little boy and as much as people always tell me what a great mom I am, it's you who makes me look good. You are so smart, you read well beyond your years and work hard at math, puzzles, building birdhouses and gardening.  You are such a big help!

My favourite time of the day is when we sit together for cuddles before bed and we have our little conversations, ten squeezes, kisses, nose kisses and a hug.  For those few minutes you are all mine and I am all yours.  I hope we never outgrow that.

You make me better than I am, and for that little one, I am forever grateful.

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE PRINCE!!

I love you with all my heart, Mommy xoxo




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Have a fabulous day!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Happy Wednesday!  First off...thank you to everyone who left such kind messages for me - I have an appointment with the specialist tomorrow afternoon and will have some answers soon.

The Smart Girls Group is a new e-magazine created for girls...by girls.  

 They just came out with their very first issue of the magazine and it is filled with lots of great ideas, tips, articles and pictures.  It reminds me of the magazines I loved in the 80s except this is written by real people!

I think they did a wonderful job - it's not always easy getting this many people co-ordinated on a project - the quality of the magazine shows their dedication to it.  The Smart Girls Group, where every girl is celebrated for her own intelligence and her potential to share it.

Please check it out here - it's free!  If I was 20 years younger I would be working on joining the team!

If you can, please leave your comment here instead of on Twitter. Thanks!

Have a fabulous day!

100 years ago...

The Titanic, an ocean liner sank during its maiden journey on April 15, 1912.

Her passengers included some of the wealthiest people in the world, as well as over a thousand emigrants from Great Britain and Ireland, Scandinavia and elsewhere seeking a new life in North America. The ship was designed to be the last word in comfort and luxury, with an on-board gymnasium, swimming pool, libraries, high-class restaurants and opulent cabins. She also had a powerful wireless telegraph provided for the convenience of passengers as well as for operational use. Though she had advanced safety features such as watertight compartments and remotely activated watertight doors, she lacked enough lifeboats to accommodate all of those aboard. Due to outdated maritime safety regulations, she carried only enough lifeboats for 1,178 people – slightly more than half of the number travelling on the maiden voyage and one-third her total passenger and crew capacity.

After leaving Southampton on 10 April 1912, Titanic called at Cherbourg in France and Queenstown (now Cobh) in Ireland before heading westwards towards New York. On 14 April 1912, four days into the crossing and about 375 miles (600 km) south of Newfoundland, she hit an iceberg at 11:40 pm. The glancing collision caused Titanic's hull plates to buckle inwards in a number of locations on her starboard side and opened five of her sixteen watertight compartments to the sea. Over the next two and a half hours, the ship gradually filled with water and sank. Passengers and some crew members were evacuated in lifeboats, many of which were launched only partly filled. A disproportionate number of men – over 90% of those in Second Class – were left aboard due to a "women and children first" protocol followed by the officers loading the lifeboats. Just before 2:20 am Titanic broke up and sank bow-first with over a thousand people still on board. Those in the water died within minutes from hypothermia caused by immersion in the freezing ocean. The 710 survivors were taken aboard from the lifeboats by RMS Carpathia a few hours later.

The disaster was greeted with worldwide shock and outrage at the huge loss of life and the regulatory and operational failures that had led to it. Public inquiries in Britain and the United States led to major improvements in maritime safety. One of their most important legacies was the establishment in 1914 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), which still governs maritime safety today. Many of the survivors lost all of their money and possessions and were left destitute; many families, particularly those of crew members from Southampton, lost their primary bread-winners. They were helped by an outpouring of public sympathy and charitable donations. Some of the male survivors, notably the White Star Line's chairman, J. Bruce Ismay, were accused of cowardice for leaving the ship while people were still on board, and they faced social ostracism.

The wreck of Titanic remains on the seabed, gradually disintegrating at a depth of 12,415 feet (3,784 m). Since its rediscovery in 1985, thousands of artefacts have been recovered from the sea bed and put on display at museums around the world. Titanic has become one of the most famous ships in history, her memory kept alive by numerous books, folk songs, films, exhibits and memorials.


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Have a fabulous day!

**Much appreciation for Wikipedia - always making me look smarter than I am**

Friday's Random Thoughts...kind of...

Happy Friday!  I realize I haven't said a peep in almost two weeks.  I have been busy with a million little things as well as some minor health issues (welcome to the 40s!) and just haven't felt like doing anything but lying on the couch.  My health problems are *ahem* female related...I wont be going into them here but I might need a minor surgery.  In fact, I'm really hoping I get the surgery so this can be put to a stop and I can get my life back!  It has been almost a month of dealing with it and besides the inconvenience, it's taking a toll on my happiness and outlook.  Hence the lack of blog posts.

I have birthday photos, questions to answer, recaps to do, outfits to Polyvore, events to discuss...and once I am feeling better I will get them all done and shared with the world.

I might resort to posting products and giveaways just to keep things moving so please forgive me if I jump the shark for a few weeks - I promise my usual sparkling self will be back soon!

In the meantime...I hope you are having a great spring and will do my best to keep up with your posts!


Have a fabulous day!

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Hoppy Easter!

 Hoppy Easter!

I hope the Easter Bunny spoils you!



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Have a fabulous day!

Experience the Good Life!

I thought this might be of interest to my readers...etiquette isn't just in the south!

In April & May 2012, William Hanson and Jay Remer embark on a 3 week tour of four of Canada's biggest cities: Toronto, Edmonton, Victoria & Vancouver. William & Jay are to present workshops in etiquette & housekeeping. The workshops are to be held at each city's Fairmont hotel and William & Jay are delighted to be working in partnership with one of the world's leading hotel chains.

William and Jay are two of the most delightful Tweeties I know and I am hoping my schedule will allow me to take one of their courses!  If you are near any of these cities why don't you get a ticket and brush up on some etiquette and housekeeping skills...tell William and Jay I sent you. For more information please visit the tour website.

Fairmont Royal York - Toronto, ON – April 26,27,28
Fairmont Hotel MacDonald - Edmonton, AB – May 3,4,5
Fairmont Empress - Victoria, BC – May 7,8,9
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver - Vancouver, BC – May 12,13

 Click picture to enlarge

About Jay:

Jay Remer has been The Etiquette Guy since 2007. He writes a newspaper column, teaches a variety of workshops and advises thousands of people on matters pertaining to social and business etiquette as well as international protocol. A proud graduate of The Protocol School of Washington, Jay’s background includes

careers in the world of fine arts, dog shows, philanthropy, hospitality and travel. 

Hailing from Wilmington, Delaware, Jay now resides in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada where he writes about etiquette, produces his own local television show; and is a frequent contributor to national television and radio.  

Jay’s upbringing in a society where entertaining was popular had him hosting his own parties at the age of 15. Later he went on to own and operate a historic inn and 4-diamond restaurant for eight years. He loves sharing his experiences and philosophy in his popular seminars. 

The foundation for Jay’s philosophy about etiquette and civility is that one should have respect for others above one’s self, have compassion for all living things including ourselves, and have a good degree of kindness and common sense. This would go a long way in helping people make better choices for themselves and those for whom they have responsibility.

For more information, visit his website: www.etiquetteguy.com or follow Jay on Twitter: @EtiquetteGuy.

About William:

William Hanson is a trusted authority on matters of etiquette, manners & household management. He has worked within VIP households, coached diplomats, businessmen, schools & colleges and has advised several multi-national brands. 

 

William strongly believes that housekeeping does not have to be a stress, but conversely it can be fun. It need not take large chunks out of your day and leave you feeling exhausted. Combating those interminable household chores can be done quickly and efficiently. William teaches you how to save time without compromising standards. 

He is regularly called on by the media to comment on manners & housekeeping and is rarely off the BBC in his motherland, Britain. William was called upon by CNN News and Discovery TLC to comment upon April 2011’s Royal Wedding. 

As of January 2012, he is also the world’s first, and only, Guiness World Record Breaking Etiquette Consultant having co-organized the record for World’s Longest Curtsey Relay in 5 minutes. 

For more information, do visit his website:www.williamhanson.co.uk or follow William on Twitter: @WilliamHanson.

Have a fabulous day!

The Question Game

While reading The Enchanted Home I was so impressed with her answers to a series of questions, as well as, the questions she asked...I decided to take part!   These are such great questions, I have been quite enjoying myself answering them!  Please do the same, copy the questions and answer them on your blog.  Come back and share your link so we can all learn a bit more about each other!

 If there could only be one season year round which would you choose?

Autumn.  I love the crisp air, beautiful colours, sweaters, the hustle and bustle of back to school, Thanksgiving then Halloween.  It's a busy couple of months but my hair always looks great!

You get to spend a month in Europe, and can only go to one place..is it Italy or France?

France.  I  love the food and speak the language fluently enough to get by without calling anyone's mother a bad name.  I am pretty handy with a scarf so I am sure I could blend right in.  A month in Italy worries me...all that gelato and pasta, I'd come back 50lbs heavier!

Red wine, white wine or champagne?

Champagne.  Or Prosecco.  I'm not much of a wine drinker at all...perhaps drank too much of it over the years and now just can't get excited about it.  I do love bubbles tho! 

Dogs or cats?

Dogs.  I like my pets to look happy to see me when I walk in the door.

One word that best describes your life right now.

Chaos.  I have definitely tried to pack way more into my life than would fit but I just keep taking it on, hour by hour.  I have reached capacity tho and will not be taking on any new committees or projects for the moment.  Royal Ribbons is busy which is amazing!  I love creating ribbon for my customers.  I am working on getting back to regular blogging...which means less time spent on other things, like Twitter.  I have two awards nights coming up that I need to work on, a mountain of laundry, fundraising, magazines to read, and the last time I was out alone with my husband was March 25th 2011.  But, it's fun and keeps me out of mischief!  I wouldn't trade it for anything...cept maybe a week lying by a pool in the sun. 

One job you haven't had that would be a dream job.

I think I already have my dream job!   Maybe restaurant reviewer...or concierge.  I like being well connected so it would have to be something I would wheel and deal and make magic happen.

 One famous person you would love to meet.

Kate Middleton.  I so know we would be besties!   I bet we would go shopping together and she would totally confide in me, I'm a great secret keeper.  The only problem is how short and stubby I would look standing next to her in the photos.  Hmmm must bring an apple crate with me.

One movie that you could watch again and again.

Just one movie?  The English Patient.  It's such a complex story and has so many layers...I have read the book a number of times and am riveted anytime it's on.  I cry every single time.  The rest of my list would include Casablanca, Magnolia, and Legally Blonde.

You are given a plane ticket to fly anywhere in the world this weekend, where are you going?

I am sure this answer would change every single day.  Lately I have been craving some sun and warmth so perhaps somewhere with a pool, a beach, and a butler.  The Suburban and Little Prince can splash in the pool while I soak up the sun and sip a fruity drink.   There would be a strong chance of my getting caught up on my magazine reading too.  

Ask me tomorrow and the answer might be Paris, Morocco, LA, New York...it all depends on my mood at that moment!

One decade you wish you could have lived in (including this one).

I always thought I would be quite good at the 40s.  My gran went to work in a munitions factory during the war - I suspect I could do the same thing.  War is horrible but it's also romantic and I am sure I would've been great at keeping the home fires burning, rolling bandages, baking cookies, writing letters.  I'd give a soldier a reason to come home alive, and in one piece ;o)

If you had to change your name, what would you name yourself?

Oh that's easy...I've wanted to be Trixie since I was 9 years old.  In fact recently I told people they should start calling me Trixie to save me the bother of legally changing my name.  No one took me seriously.  The Suburban Prince plays along when he remembers...I also get called Pippa at home from time to time.

Now it's your turn!  Please let me know when you have posted your answers!

If you can, please leave your comments here instead of twitter.  Thanks!

Have a fabulous day!

Outfit of the day - the preppy leopard.

This outfit was inspired by one I saw on Atlantic Pacific.  I loved this look so much...the Suburban Prince gave me a leopard trench for Christmas!  Sometimes all it takes is one piece to transform a look and make it say so much more!  I wore this yesterday for my birthday lunch in the city.  It was just cool enough to get away with a coat but by late afternoon is was practically pool weather and I had to carry it.  I am just happy I got to sneak it in before summer comes...we haven't had much of a spring!


Have a fabulous day!

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I've decided to turn 40 again...or, Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Birthday to me!

Since 40 was such a great year I have decided I am just sticking with it.  So here's to turning 40 again...or 40 the sequel...or 40 part deux...the redux....

We are heading into the big city for shopping, lunch and to pick up the cake I specially ordered.  Yes, I planned and arranged my whole birthday....the trade of for an unlimited budget.  The Little Prince is so excited!  He keeps telling me about presents and can't wait to be a city-child for a day.

Take a moment and visit Toad to wish him a Happy Birthday too!

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Have a fabulous day!

Friday's Random Thoughts....or something like that

Happy Friday!  I hope you had a faboo week and have something fun planned for the weekend!  I have been so busy this week with appointments for eyes and hair and toesies not to mention a few committee meetings, errands, laundry and ribbon.  I have barely had time to write this post and it's not my best work but it's up and in English!

Tonight I am attending the volunteer dinner put on by town council.  I have never been before so I hope it is nice.  Hermes Scarf Friend is my date as she was invited too so I am looking forward to lots of chitchat!

Speaking of HSF - she got some upsetting news from the neurologist last week.  After all this time without any seizures she expected an 'all clear' and to be told she can drive again.  Nope.  He told her she wont be driving for at least a year, maybe two!  She told me she started crying and he asked her what's wrong. Ummm ok.  So she is still trying to survive without a car and getting rides from everyone.  What a pain for her!  She also has lots of test coming up as well as concerns from her MRI...hopefully it's all benign problems and can be easily fixed!

The Civic Awards committee met last night to go through all of the nominations and choose the winners.  We managed to get through it with minimal arguing, no one fell out, no one is angry and we are still a committee (unlike last year's fiasco!).  I am very excited about a couple of the winners as they are friends of mine and I know the deserve the recognition.  We use a scoring chart to make sure we stay objective so even tho I know them, I was able to remove my feeling from the judging.

I got my hair cut yesterday...short.  Well not a buzz cut or anything but much shorter than it was.  I just felt like a shorter, easier cut for the summer.  Longish hair is nice but oh my goodness what a lot of work it can be!

The Little Prince is all better now and back to his usual cheeky self.  Last night he saw a scratch on my hand and was very concerned.  He asked me what happened and after I told him said, "Poor mommy.  You should go to the hospital to find out what's wrong!"  LOL  After reading about the time Curious George ate the puzzle piece and had to go to the hospital he has been looking for any reason to go too!  Silly thing!  My life tends to revolve around Curious George's adventures...remember the horse & carriage ride?  George.  Fire Hall visit?  George.  I draw the line at going in a hot air balloon just because a curious little monkey did it.

My birthday is on Sunday and everything is ready and in place!  Lunch reservation has been made, shopping list is ready, the cake is in the works...unfortunately the bakery in Toronto is not open on Sundays so they are seeing if one of the other businesses will keep the cake for me so I can pick it up the on day I am in the city.  Complicated, I know...but it's the only bakery in the city that I could find that makes this one specific type of cake.  Photos coming next week!

I'm sitting here trying to come up with something funny...I'm usually easily amused by the world but I don't think I've had time for a sense of humour this week!  Anyhoo have a great weekend and enjoy all this summer-like weather!  I will be heading to the tanning salon for a little jump start on my tan!


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Have a fabulous day!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

 

Finally reading the last of my Jen Lancaster books.  I often wonder if we are all secretly like her or if it's just me.  I always end up laughing out loud while reading her books...in that oh-mah-gawd-I'd-do-the-exact-same-thing way.   Jen has the greatest way of telling a story...she makes me want to put my thoughts down on paper...or at least into a Word doc.

This time she is searching for the house of her dreams (tho not as her, but as her character Mia) and has to contend with all of the crazy people a house purchase can send one's way.  I just wonder if she really thinks we wont just exchange Fletch and Jen for the characters Mac and Mia?  I am so used to reading her memoirs it made it hard to read this as a work of fiction (especially since Jen has posted pics of her wallpaper on facebook).

Have you read this?  What did you think?



Have a fabulous day!

 If you can, please leave your comment here instead of on Twitter. Thanks! Have a fabulous day!

Luxe Box Giveaway Winner! What's that? Another giveaway?!

Happy Monday!  I hope you had an awesome weekend and are all ready to take on the week!  The final countdown is on for my big day!  The restaurant is booked...my favourite table, my day has been planned and I just need to pick out what I will wear!  Just 5 more shopping days until my birthday!

I am so happy with the response to my Luxe Box giveaway!  I loved going through your comments and reading how excited you are to get your boxes!   I love mine every month and can't wait to share the joy!

The winner, by random draw is....

Debra!

Congratulations!  Please email me and we will get you in touch with the right Luxe Box person and get your box shipped out!

Thank you to everyone who entered!  Please keep following and commenting - I always have giveaways in the works! Right now there is a custom, personalized ribbon giveaway over at Royal Ribbons!  Please enter over there and spread the word!


Have a fabulous day!


If you can, please leave your comment here instead of on Twitter. Thanks! Have a fabulous day!

502nd Post

 I was so busy blogging away that I actually missed my 500th post!  Oooops!

Who knew, 3 years ago when I started this little blog I would find 500 things to say!  I have loved  every minute of my blog, making new friends, learning a lot, doling out advice, finding kindred spirits, being able to inspire, and be inspired every single day.

My blog has seen me through contending with a small child, my mid-life crisis, spreading my wings, and starting a business.  None of it would've been possible without the support of every single person who has stopped by, said hello, agreed or disagreed, and formed a bond in the blogisphere.  Some of you have come and gone and some of you have been here the whole time...for your guidance, laughs and for providing a point d'appui...I thank you, from the bottom of my pink (and green) heart.

In the blogisphere tradition I will open the floor to you, my faithful readers, to ask anything you like....it's question and answer time!  Please post your questions in the comments and I will do a follow up post with all the glorious answers!

If you can, please leave your comment here instead of on Twitter. Thanks!


Have a fabulous day!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

The Little Prince started with the fever on Sunday and it lasted until yesterday afternoon.  He is still a bit sickly and has spent most of this week lying in bed or on the couch.  Fortunately children bounce back from these sorts of things and I am sure he will be back to his cheeky self by the weekend.  I, on the other hand, had to cancel a few things and get the Suburban Prince to run errands for me.

Since I have been 'stuck' at home for a few days and not able to do much besides sit next to and fetch juice for the Little Prince I have been able to enjoy some simple pleasures.  My whale belt kit arrived last week and I have been working on it like a madwoman!  I am almost half finished and would love to have it done by my birthday (11 shopping days left!!).  I picked up my very favourite magazine at the weekend - we will be having our parents at some point in April so it will be nice to have some fresh spring nibblies on the menu.  I can't wait to see what little cakes and cookies I can try out this month!

What are you loving this week?

If you can, please leave your comment here instead of on Twitter. Thanks!

Dont miss my Luxe Box giveaway!

 Have a fabulous day!
 

Blog Housekeeping

Maybe it's the whiff of spring, the longer days, looming daylight savings time...I don't know but I suddenly feel energized and want to pump some life into my blog again.  I wouldn't say I have neglected it, but I have felt a bit uninspired this winter and my blog has shown the signs.  Truth be told I think I have had a case of SAD for a while now - I spend a lot of my time thinking about sitting in the sun which tells me I need a big shot of VitD.  And some UV rays.  I long for days without socks.

This week I am making some changes to my blog to prepare for more writing and posting!

I would like to take a moment to remind everyone that my logo and blog banner were designed for me, paid for by me and property of...me.  Please refrain from using them except when speaking about me and linking back to my blog.  I was told someone is using my logo as their Facebook picture and that is just not cool. I have spent 3 years building my brand, reputation and image in the social media world and I do not appreciate it being compromised by someone who lacks the imagination to come up with their own logo.

I took my blogroll off and moved every blog I read into Google Reader.  It took a bit of getting used to but I now like being able to quickly scroll through posts, skipping the ones that have no interest for me and commenting on the ones that do.

I have been making a concerted effort to leave a lot more comments on other blogs.  I have noticed readers don't comment like they used to...one of my posts has more than 1000 views and 9 comments.  Considering I have over 500 followers it makes me wonder why 98% of them aren't leaving comments.  Even a simple 'Have a great day!' let's a blogger know you are reading.  I had a conversation with someone on Twitter and we suspect people being able to tweet their comments means they wont leave them on a blog.  So, I am taking a little Twitter break.  I will still pop in on a daily basis but I would prefer you leave comments here.  I love being able to go back years later and read what everyone said about posts...that just isn't possible with Twitter.  When the Little Prince is all grown up I want to be able to show him my blog and let him read what the world thought of it!

Less time spent tweeting means more time to spend writing blog posts and coming up with some fresh ideas for The Life of a Suburban Princess!

To all of you who do leave comments...thank you!  I look forward to reading them every day and if you have a blog I am not commenting on, please give me the link so I can follow you!

While we are talking about leaving comments....I really wish blogs didn't have word verification, especially now that blogger has made the 'word' even more complicated.  You might not even be aware your blog requires readers to jump through hoops so please take a moment to check.  Go to your blog settings, click on comments and scroll down to this setting.  Change it to 'No' and your readers will be able to comment without proving themselves human.

I always appreciate when I click to comment on a post and the comment box is a popup.  This means I don't have to click back over and over to get to the main list of blog posts.  To have your comments in a popup box simply click on settings, then comments and scroll down to this option.

You may have noticed I also have my links set up to open in a new window.  When you create a link on a word, click the little box and this will ensure your readers stay on YOUR page and don't have to click back a dozen times to find you again.

I have added some buttons at the bottom of each post...this will make it easy for you to share information.  When something strikes your fancy please take a second and share it through one of the buttons!

My Facebook page is updated every time I post.  Do you know if you don't interact when someone posts Facebook will stop showing you their posts?  Please take one second and 'like' updates when you see them in your news feed.  Also, in your news feed you have the option to view items by popularity or chronologically.  Just below the status update box is the word 'Sort'.  Click on the little down arrow to choose 'Most Recent' and you will see all of the items in your news feed instead of just the ones others have deemed important.

I am still in deep smit with Pinterest.  Like so many others,  I get a lot of ideas from there and love being able to gather everything in one spot!   Every day I look for new ideas, recipes, outfits to pin so if you are on there please add me!  I have created a board on Pinterest just for my blog so I am busy pinning pictures that link back to here.

Basically I have spent the last week making sure it is easy for you to keep up, follow along and leave comments!  Hopefully more bloggers will do the same so we can get back to supporting each other the way we did a couple of years ago.


Have a fabulous day!

PS...dont miss my Luxe Box giveaway! Enter for yourself or a friend!

Friday's Random Thoughts

Happy Friday!  It has been such a busy week - I am looking forward to some downtime tomorrow!

- The continuation of the long lost cousin story...his son wrote me an email to say hello and it turns out they knew about us but didn't know how to find us and are all very excited I found them!  How cool is that?!  This story just gets better and better!  So the guy who emailed me...he and I share a set of great-grandparents.

I got a letter yesterday morning from long lost cousin - he told me his father, my gran's brother, left them when long lost cousin was 7 years old and it sounds like he never saw him again.  He knew the city he went to so the death record I found in that city is the correct one.  The letter actually sounded a bit sad, I think he is wondering if we still want to meet him even tho he doesn't know anything about this long lost uncle.  I wrote back right away to assure him - I suspect he has had a hard life.  

- I am on so many committees I am actually starting to get them confused.  I went to ask about chair covers for an event and could not for the life of me remember which event they were for!  Good thing I keep notes and save every email!  Awards season is looming - I need to get some outfits and dresses picked out!  Oh and buy the dreaded pantyhose.  Not that I dread them, it just so hard to find ones that fit properly...the height/weight chart is always so vague!

- Royal Ribbons was nominated for a Business Excellence Award!  It's very exciting!  My business will be judged by a panel and *fingers crossed* win for Micro-Business this year!

- It's feeling very spring-like this week.  It's quite odd for this time of year so I hope this doesn't mean it will be snowing in June.  We have had hardly any snow at all which makes me just want spring to arrive and let's get on with things!  I haven't had my winter coat on once this year!

- I went to NYState last weekend.  I found a border service that will receive items for me then I just drive across the border and pick them up.  It's a lot less expensive for shipping and border fees.  I had a huge box of ribbon sent there and picking it up was a breeze.  I decided to go to Target for some of the Little Prince's favourite snacks and jammies and on the way back up to the border I watched a transport truck get lifted by the wind, almost go over on it's side, go out of control, smash through a fence and land in a field.  I was right behind the transport so I pulled over and called 911.  8 rings.  Yes, 8 rings before 911 picked up.  Y'all might use high taxes as your argument against Obama's government...but let me assure you, 911 taking 8 rings to pick up would not wash in Canada when the service is paid for by taxpayers.  When the operator answered the phone it sounded like I had called someone's house and not a call center.  Is this the norm for the US?  Even our local, small town police station answers on the first ring and sound professional!

- On this trip to NYState I took my little ipod...it plugs into the car stereo, which I love!  About 30 minutes into the trip it ran out of power and I was stuck with the radio.  I now know south eastern Ontario has at least 5 classical, 5 French and 5 country stations.  I also noted there is not one single jazz station, nor did I find any big bag or swing stations.  There is a radio station opening in town and it's going to be listener driven.  Anyone who wants an hour to program and host is welcome to it.  I have a feeling there will be a big band hour soon enough!  **I was born in the wrong decade and lurve big band music**

- Dont miss my Luxe Box giveaway!  If you are outside of Canada please enter and if you win you can have it sent to a Canadian friend!



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