happy anniversary

Happy Anniversary to us! If I had to make it through this last year by myself, I know for a fact I would have thrown myself out the nearest window. You continue to make every day better even when that doesn't seem possible.

This next year will be the best ever and I find myself often in disbelief that we even get to have the year we're going to have and all the years after it.

Lovin ya.....

cake stands

Am loving these gorgeous cake stands from Vessels and Wares. The one with the changeable ribbon might be my fave. I also love the idea of a tiny "happy birthday" cake stand with just enough room for one little cupcake just for me.

somewhere

A friend sent me this trailer today and it's got everything in it set to make me happy. 1) It's Sofia Coppola who I love. 2) Music by Phoenix who I also love. 3) That Elle Fanning kid who's done pretty darn great with stuff I've seen her do. 4) Stephen Dorff and frankly any girl my age had a Stephen Dorff thing at some point. 5) It's all father/daughter relationshipy stuff which these days is obviously enough to make my heart go all hippy dippy.

she & him live!

Had the extreme pleasure of seeing She and Him for a third time the other night and despite the show being at one of my least favourite venues in all of Toronto, the show was incredible. They closed the show with their version of "Roll Over Beethoven" and turned the whole place into a 50's sock hop -- probably one of best cover choices I've seen a band make in a very long time. Got to see the show with a pile of good friends and family so all in all, no complaints from this lady (except for my swollen SWOLLEN feet which would likely have lots to complain about were you to ask them).

"I Was Made For You"

"You Really Got a Hold on Me"

"This Is Not A Test"

"In The Sun"

Here's their really great cover of Joni Mitchell's "You Turn Me On I'm A Radio"

peanut butter tahini cookies

Could it be? Two of my favourite things in one cookie AND it's delicious?? Peanut Butter Tahini Cookies courtesy of My Diary of a Foodie. Yes please!

yoga

Tonight I had my very first pre-natal yoga class and am feeling so good I figured a feeling this good deserves its own post. Lately I feel tight, sore, fat and achey -- basically a cocktail of pleasurable feelings like that. I used to take yoga once a week when I belonged to the YMCA and have missed it ever since I cancelled my membership. Another pregnant friend of mine suggested to go to this class together and I'm so happy I did. Now I feel all loose and earth-motherly and ready to tackle anything. And the kid? Well she seems to be happier than a clam -- she's wiggling all around in perfect baby contentment.

Can there be a class every night please?

summer no bake lasagna

Saw this Summer Lasagna over at Framed and it's going on my "to try" list for sure! Especially on one of those nights when it's so hot the thought of cooking makes you want to cry? This lasagna requires no baking! And nothing is better in the summer than fresh tomatoes and zucchini with a little fresh ricotta thrown into the mix. Talk about a bit of summer heaven on a plate!

Click here for the full recipe!

botanical wedding

Oh me oh my, I want to get married again and have this wedding all to myself! DesignSponge posted this feature on Jill and Matt's amazingly beautiful wedding and I couldn't love it more.

All these messy wildflower looking bouquets? Lovely!!

DIY seed packets as wedding favours - we used wildflower packets ourselves but these are just too darling. I love the birdsnest idea!

They handmade hair accessories from vintage silk flowers and every guest took one and wore it for the ceremony - swoon!

Save the date cards made to look like vintage botanical cards.

They had ties made special for the groomsmen and had their names embroidered on the backs.

And the cake topper which is probably my favourite thing of all.

Married again please!!!

birth plaque

I love this idea. If my parents or grandparents had birth plaques I would absolutely hang them in my house. I'd love to get one made for our belly-dweller in the hopes that someone will want to hang on to it as a keepsake.

I also love the little bird plaque for outside the room. Cuz everyone should have their room labeled I say....



Available at Rae Dunn's lovely Etsy shop.

hot Bunny Radio Playlist for June 3rd

CKLU 96.7FM

6-8pm (18:00 - 20:00)

* denotes Canadian talent

italics denotes a new release

CLICK HERE FOR PODCASTY GOODNESS OF TONIGHT'S SHOW!!!!!

• Jenny Lewis -- The Last Messiah -- Acid Tongue (VINYL)
• Wilco -- Monday -- Being There
• Dinosaur Jr -- On The Brink -- Without A Sound
• Duane Eddy -- Three-30-Blues -- Have Twangy Guitar Will Travel
• Nathan Wiley -- Long Gone -- Bottom Dollar *
• The Juliana Hatfield Three -- My Sister -- Become What You Are
• Pretty Girls Make Graves -- Pictures of a Night Scene -- Elan Vital
• Pixies - Caribou -- Surfer Rosa/Come on Pilgrim
• The Beauties -- Without You -- The Beauties *
• Bonnie Prince Billy -- Wai -- The Letting Go
• Jenny Omnichord -- Lifeline -- All Our Little Bones *
• Teenage Fanclub -- Metal Baby -- Bandwagonesque
• Broken Social Scene -- All to All -- Forgiveness Rock Record *
• Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band -- White Shoes -- Outer South
• Johnny Brunette & the Rock'n Roll Trio - Buttefingers -- Tear It Up: THe Complete Legendary Coral Recordings
• Black Keys -- Never Gonna Give You Up -- Brothers
• Bap Kennedy -- Vampire -- You Can Count on Me OSR
• Damian Jurado -- Best Dress -- Caught in the Trees (VINYL)
• Lily Frost -- The City Seems So Far -- Viridian Torch *
• The Flying Burrito Brothers -- Older Guys -- Sacred Hearts & Fallen Angels
• The Sadies -- Tell Her What I Said -- Darker Circles *
• The Beach Boys -- Caroline No -- Pet Sounds
• Young Rival -- Just Can't Stay Here -- Young Rival *
• Townes van Zandt -- High, Low and In Between -- High, Low and In Between
• Basia Bulat -- Heart of My Own -- Heart of My Own *
• Plants & Animals -- American Idol -- La La Land *
• Pavement -- Frontwards -- Quarantine The Past
• She and Him -- Lingering Still -- Volume Two (VINYL)

NOTES THIS WEEK:

• Man, Acid Tongue is one record I never,ever tire of...
• Dear Duane Eddy -- best album title ever!!
• The Beauties live are ridiculous -- find them and see them!
• That version of Never Gonna Give You Up makes me all sway-y..
• heading to see She and Him on Wednesday!! Youpee!!!!

mocktails anyone?

Know what I'm really noticing as the weather heats up? Restaurants and bars have terrible selections of non-alcoholic drink options for those of us "in the condition." I'm getting really tired of drinking ginger-ale or plain ice water. Even around the house I'm trying to be pretty creative with the evening drinks to avoid just downing sodas and gallons of water to quench this never-ending pregnancy thirst (thanks for not telling me about this part pregnant friends!). Poor Marc has been gallantly mixing club soda with pureed blender fruit, making me smoothies every 5 minutes of the day and I've upped my already copious amounts of milk-drinking to a galactic level. And I must give props to Stappj, the Italian bitter soda company, for single-handedly saving me in my first 3 months of morning sickness.

However despite all our efforts, I still find myself endlessly searching for new beverage options for me and this super-thirsty belly dweller. Here are some options I know I'll be busting out this summer...

Dragonfruit Smoothie courtesy of Angelolli

Pineapple Kiwi Smoothie courtesy of Notecook

Strawberry Balsamic Berry Spritzer courtesy of A Cozy Kitchen

Hibiscus Pomegranate Tea courtesy of Chez Cayenne

Homemade Ginger Ale courtesy of Food Mayhem

Blackberry Lime Spritzer courtesy of Craftzine

Strawberry Lassi courtesy of a 1/2 Food Blog

Root Beer Float courtesy of Five Second Rule

Blueberry & Banana Smoothie with Agave and Yogurt courtesy of Honey, What's Cooking

Strawberry Vanilla Agua Fresca With Honey courtesy of Vanilla & Lace

Raspberry Mojito (virgin for me of course) courtesy of A La Carte Kitchen

pudding

Not that I would ever turn down pudding but quite frankly this pregnancy is making me crave pudding on a minute-to-minute basis. From fancy homemade pudding to the kind straight of the tiny little rectangular box -- I takes what I's can get. Here are a few making me drool...

Butterscotch Pudding courtesy of Eggbeater

Split Level Pudding courtesy of Sassafras Cafe

Vegan Chocolate Pudding courtesy of The Kitchy Kitchen

Chocolate Pot de Creme courtesy of The Urban Baker

Banana pudding courtesy of Freeing My Martha

Hot Bunny Radio Playlist for May 20th

CKLU 96.7FM

6-8pm (18:00 - 20:00)

* denotes Canadian talent

italics denotes a new release

CLICK HERE FOR PODCASTY GOODNESS OF TONIGHT'S SHOW!!!!!!!

• Shotgun Jimmie -- You've Changed -- Paint It Pink EP *
• Monsters of Folk -- Man Named Truth -- Monsters of Folk
• Violent Femmes -- Old Mother Reagan -- The Blind Leading the Naked
• David Bowie -- Lady Stardust -- Ziggy Stardust
• The Salteens -- You Stood Out From the Crowd -- Let Go Of Your Bad Days *
• Broken Social Scene -- Texico Bitches -- Forgiveness Rock Record *
• Willie Nelson -- Undo the Right -- Crazy: The Demo Sessions
• The Lemonheads -- December -- The Lemonheads
• Yeasayer -- Love Me Girl -- Odd Blood
• Sarah Harmer -- Uniform Grey -- You Were Here *
• John Doe & The Sadies -- Are the Good TImes Really Over For Good -- Country Club
• Dr. Dog -- Jackie Wants a Black Eye -- Shame, Shame
• Elliott Brood -- Oh, Alberta -- Tin Type *
• Plumtree -- Tropical -- Mass Teen Fainting*
• Hannah Georgas -- Chit Chat - This is Good *
• Ronnie Spector -- Don't Worry Baby -- She Talks to Rainbows
• Big Star -- Try Again -- #1 Record/Radio City Remastered
• Nathan Lawr & the MInotaurs -- Footsteps -- A Sea of Tiny Lights *
• Camera Obscura -- Anti-Western -- Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi
• GIrls -- Ghost Mouth -- Album
• Eric's Trip -- My Bed is Red -- The Eric's Trip Show*
• Jenny Omnichord -- Thinking Of You -- All Our Little Bones *
• Billy Bragg & Wilco - She Came Along to Me -- Mermaid Avenue
• The Avett Brothers - Causey Commentary -- Mignonette
• The Avett Brothers -- SSS -- Mignonette
• The Salteens -- Frequency -- Moths EP *
• Amy Millan -- Finish Line -- Masters of the Burial *
• Kate Nash -- I Just Love You More -- My Best Friend is You
• Neko Case -- Thrice All American -- Furnace Room Lullaby
• The Replacements -- Johnny's Gonna Die -- Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out the Trash
• The Black Keys -- Next Girl -- Brothers
• She and Him -- Me and You -- Volume Two (VINYL)

Notes this week:

• Played some old Salteens to gear up for the new Salteens record -- back in 2003 we here at HBR pretty much wore out the station's copy of Let Go Of Your Bad Days. Super pumped for the new record...
• Willie.....such sweet summer night music...
• Ditto for you Miss Harmer...
• Love this Dr. Dog record STILL. Think that means I should buy it...
• Mass Teen Fainting is going in the car this weekend for listening FOR SURE
• Nobody writes sweet songs about babies and pregnancy better than Jenny Omnichord...
• Had to play that strange Avett Bros exchange cuz it made me laugh earlier today..
• New Salteens!! Little EP as a preview of the full record that comes out in August
• The new Kate Nash record is worth it just for the inside tray photo...
• I've been waiting for She and Him on vinyl. Waiting and waiting. So patiently...

interspecies reunion

I will likely *totally* blame this pregnancy for the weep-fest that happened when I watched this super sweet video of a researcher being reunited with a gorilla he raised and released into the wild.

today is my birthday....

...and in three and a half months it'll be her birthday.

babies

Oh man, have you seen this trailer for the movie "Babies?" I don't know if it's just cuz I'm pregnant but it's killing me with it's cuteness. The Namibian babies at the beginning actually make my belly twinge they're so friggin cute!! And the very last scene in Mongolia? Laughed right out loud. From what I've read the movie follows 4 new babies from Namibia, Mongolia, San Francisco and Tokyo...from birth to their first steps. It's set to release on May 7th and I'm gonna try and track it down in Toronto this week. Knowing me lately, I'll probably need a tissue..

happy monday

Dogs = awesome. Dogs sleeping on donkeys = awesomest.

happy friday

Sweet jebus....

valentino

Diane Birch's "Valentino" video is just adorable.

english seaside dress

Some leggings and a super cute pair of great flats? This dress could get a pregnant belly through a summer too no?