tuesday tuneage - efterklang

I'm into this band.  They are Danish...Hansen is a Danish name...maybe that's why I feel so at home when listening.  It's in my blood.    

wait...

duh...I'm not Danish...almost sort of, if you count Dutch...

my husband is...Danish that is...he too likes the band.      

as does this filmaker, who decided to team up...sort of like that 80's cartoon where all the characters combine their fancy rings and yell, "earth, fire, water...blah blah," cept in this case they'd just yell, "talent!."  Sorry I digress where was I...

oh yes...they are working together to make a movie.  I'm thinking of hosting a screening. Who's in?  

until next time - ABCD

sunday finds...a circus ring, come on!

While searching around for circus inspiration...you may have noticed a few blog updates round here...I came across this circus themed ring from oldgold boutique, via handmade charlotte.

A touch of whimsical with a pinch of gold...um YES please.

until next time - ABCD

rice with a side of banana

"Hey babe, is it rice before oatmeal, or oats before rice...shoot...or was it barley?"

"Do you remember what we started Costello on?"  I asked Brian.

Up until now, it's been pretty straight forward.  Six, give or take seven, ounces of water, mixed with 3 or so scoops of powder and presto...dinner.  Which conveniently also suffices as breakfast, lunch, snacks, and the occasional shit-he's-up-at-two-am bottle fixer upper.

However now that Dashen is six months and so past the milk only diet we are on to solid pastures, and all the rules that come along when introducing foods to your precious ones.

"I think it was rice," he shoots back, deeply enthralled in the Flames game.  

Mixed to package directions, one teaspoon powder with one tablespoon luke warm water.  

Hmmm...this looks gross.

"Babe, Dashen's first ever meal looks like ass, I'm going to add bananas."

"yup...cool honey..."

Screw the rules.  We are living on solid food's edge.  I mean I want his first time to be something he'll at least enjoy.  With flavor.  A meal, (or at least side dish), that I could would eat.

"Hey babe," I shout into the tv room.  "This banana rice stuff is actually pretty good."  

"yup sure...wait...WHAT!...you ate that."

"Um...yeah."

And you know what...so did Dashen.  Every last bit.

until next time - ABCD

adding rinah

adopt rinah from VsTheBrain on Vimeo.

I actually just stumbled on this lovely blog and immediately wanted to share with you this beautiful tale of compassion and extraordinary love.  Andrew and Carissa are in the process of adopting a little girl named Rinah from Uganda.  You can read more about their personal story here.

Although we don't know each other "personally", we are "personally touched" and will be thinking of you guys as you embark on this wonderful journey.

until next time - ABCD

Tuneage Tuesday - Mumford and Sons

I'm a little late to jump on the Mumford and Sons bandwagon, but at least I'm on.  Not since the whole Vampire Weekend craze have I found an album so worthy of repeat play...over and over and...well you see where this is going.

I picture these guys singing at a local pub on a rainy cold night in London where everyone inside is raising a glass with no intentions of leaving anytime soon.

Chances are you're already a fan of this quite popular band and we now share a common musical bond,  but on the rare chance you're not, enjoy.





until next time - ABCD

stuck on you, with a modern twist

It's not often I talk about products on here.  But every once in awhile I'll come across a product that's simply worth talking about.  So without further adieu I bring you....the best ever toddler placemat.

You're thinking..."placemats...really Alissa...who cares?"

But, now both C & D are eating, yes D is eating big boy foods...post soon to follow, and...my easy-on-the-mess-and-eyes need, has been met with these adorable Modern-Twist place mats from BabyBot.

Just last week on a play date with the boys, a girlfriend of mine fairy godmothered these out of her diaper bag for her girls.  They are silicone and fold super easy into nice lil' squares, wipe clean, and looked pretty snazzy on our not-so-clean picnic table.  So much so that I think it's fair to say I had a wee bit of placemant envy.  

until next time - ABCD

Tuneage Tuesdays - Jill Barber

Over the holidays I had a chance to hear this band live...and what can I say...I'm in love.  Jill Barber is the perfect pairing with rainy afternoons mixed with vintage white gloves...a throw back to retro before retro was even considered cool.  And to top it all off, she's super irresistibly cute in person too.



What's that circus readers?  You've listened.  You're intrigued.  You want more.  I thought you'd never ask...happy Tuesday.





On a side note...you may have noticed my title "tunage tuesday" has the inner makings of a series.  Likely a music one that perhaps shows up here on the blog say every, oh I don't know,...Tuesday.  Well, that would be the New Year's go get um in me and the smarter Alissa knows never to commit.

To an online series that is, as the act of committing itself is generally not an issue.

ANYWAYS...for the record this is in no way the first of an official series.  Let's just sort of see where it goes, and if tunes pop up here every Tuesday...well maybe who knows...

until next time - ABCD

Is this driver's seat heated?

We are back...back to routines, schedules, household normalcy....well as normal as it gets round here anyways.  The boys have returned to their cribs, Brian to work, and on this fifth day of 2011 I've returned to our blog.  Meanwhile, bags from our two week stay in Michigan after visiting my family, are quickly transforming into multiple loads of laundry only to be rivalled by the vast emptiness of our fridge.

We did however enjoy ourselves over these past few weeks.  Basking in glory of off-the-grid life.  Dragging throughout the house in pyjamas for days.  Eating whatever, whenever we got around to it.  Unemailed, uncellphoned...unplugged.  And although it felt carefree while it lasted, as we routine ourselves back to reality, it now feels a bit uneasy.

You should know I was "that girl" who felt anxiously ill if I missed more then two consecutive days of school and would beg my parents to pick up my homework.  The shame of falling behind incomprehensible.

Yes, I was am a dork.

I digress...each year I welcome the New Year with a laundry list of take-on-the-world to do's.  How to better myself, better our lives, better the world one volunteer project at a time.  For a few weeks this Go-Go-Alissa emerges...until I either exhaust myself or come to the conclusion that before I can "run the marathon" I first need to "make it to the gym".  That all said, it's a good time to do some soul searching and tackle whatever it is dangling just out of our reach.

So here we are.  Back in the driver's seat.  Back to work, back to life, back to multiple loads of laundry...cloth diapers and all.  Ready to take on 2011 with a refreshed on-your-mark zealousness for life.

How bout you?  Any goals this year?  Holidays treat you well?  Deciding to buy into the world of jeggings this 2011 once and for all?  Would love to hear from you.

Happy New Years from ours to yours - ABCD