Some of you are rolling your eyes at me because you know how hard I can be on myself. But a little pressure isn’t a bad thing. And there’s nothing wrong with feeling obligated to keep up with your blog. If I didn’t feel any pressure — self-induced or not — I’d never get around to writing and this place would die a sad, lingering death.

The excuse: I’ve been working around the clock (I know, as usual). I just finished some massive articles, and I have two more articles due Wednesday. My writing muscle is a little overused right now. It needs a rest day. Maybe tomorrow….

Or maybe the next day….

Or the next day….

Or maybe it’s a good thing to spend your life writing, and to routinely exhaust that muscle. I love words. And there’s no shortage of reality TV to keep me laughing in the process: the new season of Jersey Shore (just airing now in Canada), The Bachelor, American Idol with JENNIFER LOPEZ and, of course, Bethenny Getting Married, which I finally scheduled on my PVR.

Yes, the not-so-secret to my success: Reality TV.

DON’T GO! It’s background noise, okay? I don’t actually care if Jersey Shore‘s Sammi and Ronny stay together or if the hot funeral director makes it to the end of The Bachelor, or if there is an end to The Bachelor at all this time…. Okay I do. (Also, I may or may not have a teeeeeny not-in-a-Clive-Owen-kind-of-way crush on The Situation.) But I couldn’t get through all this writing without some candeh. And these days it better be calorie- and chai-tea free reality TV….

Because…. I’m doing something MAJOR with Today’s Parent Magazine (both online and in June’s print issue). So you better be ready for it, Gorgeouses. I have to be as slim as possible, too, or this might be embarrassing. And that’s not being hard on myself.

So lots of sweaty ashtanga vinyasa yoga, and no CHAI…. And HAIRCUT and FACIAL and BABYSITTER. I need a BABYSITTER for the photoshoot and VIDEO. Did I mention VIDEO? Help.

Let’s not think too much about it yet, though, Gorgeouses — lest we start to freak right out….

To take our minds off it, I give you UNFLATTERING SNOW SHOEING PICS (to match last week’s Unflattering Skater Pics) from another weekend at my parents’ beautiful cottage. Checkit:

I love being on the frozen lake — in the middle of the frozen lake. At dusk. Who knew I would THRIVE being outdoors in that cold? It’s just everything is so VAST (I can breathe), alive, still, spinning. Maybe I was an explorer in a past life…. That jacket is still awful though.

Karate snowshoe mama. Hyuhh!

Betteh White…at dusk.

The Rascal in mini snowshoes — OY!

This blog is looking very Canadian lately, eh?

Love!

xo Haley-O

Ha! HAPPY NEW YEAR, GORGEOUSES!

While my cat is sitting on my computer (actually, it’s Josh’s computer, and that picture was taken last week), I’m here beaming ear to ear and over the moon because this blog — my baby, my Cheaty Little Monkey — has won two Canadian Weblog Awards.

FIRST PLACE for Best Life Blog!

Third place for Best Written Blog!

I’m honoured, grateful and verklempt, of course. And all the other winners are amazing. So go check them out. There are of course so many other awesome blogs out there — please find my personal favourites in my links.

When the awards were announced New Year’s Eve, shortly before the clock struck twelve, I may or may not have done actual somersaults, possibly a full back flip, and lots of rolling around kicking my legs up in the air on the living-room floor in front of our little New Year’s party. Josh, my sister and her husband were very confused when I broke out of nowhere into all that gymnastics and “OMG OMG OMG”s. Half a glass of wine does do funny things to me, but still.

What a way to start the new year.

When I learned I was a finalist a few weeks ago, I started thinking about this blog in a different way. Like it was an entity separate from me — breathing and expanding and contracting on its own while I went about my day. There it stood, more poised than I could ever be, as the jury read it, judged it, graded it. I’m proud of Cheaty Monkey…. And I’m very grateful for everything “she”‘s given me. Seriously.

Sighh. I’d love to stay and chat (believe me), but I really shouldn’t be at my computer writing about life right now. I should be enjoying this brand new cottage with my extended family before we head back to the city.

I also have a Betty White to bark “COME. HERE. NOW.” at — before she gets eaten by a wolf or black bear, or before she dares step dainty paw on the (cracking) ice that’s coating our beautiful lake. I better go…!

Mind you, OMG!, someone’s SKATING by our cottage right NOW. CRAZY! CRAZY! LOOOOK (bottom right)!

It was the best picture I could get, bygones. That person is…CRAZY! And now I can’t even hear my thoughts because the 6 dogs who are here with us are barking at him.

Happy New Year, Gorgeouses! Thank you, as always, for being here.

Love!

xo Haley-O

Someone has a crush on the Monkey. MY HEART, Gorgeouses — IT MELTS. I’ve been hearing for a few months now about how much she loves this boy and that boy, and, mostly, this boy. And I’ve heard about how this boy calls her “little,” and I’ve assured her (based on my own experience) that usually when a boy teases you it means he LIKES you. This, of course, doesn’t make her feel better. So I’ve also assured her that “good things come in small packages” and that (based on my own experience) it’s “fun being little.”

But, never mind. There was no speculation required when I picked the Monkey up from school the other day. Someone has a crush on her. (We’ll call him M.) Immediately, as I walked in to retrieve the Monkey, there was M, all over her. “Is she missing a tooth?” he asked me, dazzled by the apparent gap….*

I chatted with M’s mom for a bit, and she was so excited to share the news: “Haley, he talks about her non-stop. I’m not kidding.” We turned to look at him, and there he was trying to hug my little Monkey.

Although this makes me endlessly proud and all fuzzy inside, the Monkey acts like she hates it: “I don’t WANT M to like me. NO, Mama, NO!” So I’m trying not to make a big deal about it. The boy talks are starting, and I have to plant the seeds for good communication! I never want to make her feel uncomfortable or embarrassed around me when it comes to BOYS. And I THINK I want her to tell me everything. So, I act interested but nonchalant. “M loves Monkey,” I say, “How cool is that to have someone think you’re extra special? So, what else happened today?”

For me, Kindergarten was, like, every little girl’s dream. I remember it vividly. FIVE boys had a crush on me. They’d line up in front of me during playtime — me, in my pigtails and favourite Olive Oyl t-shirt. I was to choose which boy I was going to play with after school by pointing at each of them, chanting….

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe,
Catch a tiger by the toe.
If he hollers let him go,
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe.

Of course, I liked Jason best and promised him that my finger would land on his knee in the end…. And it did. And we played with my dog after school, crouched under the dining room cabinet.

And (segue par excellence), SPEAKING OF CRUSHES…, who else has a humongous crush on Matthew Morrison… (or at least his voice)? BUST IT!

Move over, Justin Timberlake. I AM TELLING you!

Also — CRUSH — Sidney Crosby!!!!!!!

GO CANADA!!! Or, as the Rascal and Monkey like to say, “GO RED!” Best Olympics EVER!!!

LOVE!

xo Haley-O

*It is only an apparent gap from an old injury…. Long story.

In honour of the Olympics and of passionate athletes and artists, and in anticipation of Disney on Ice‘s most unique, exciting, and educational show yet — LET’S CELEBRATE! — I bring you the one and only Matthew Buttrey, Performance Director of Disney on Ice. I had a totally fun time interviewing him last Friday. I could have talked to him for hours! But I let him go — he was in Boston and had a show to put on, after all! So, here goes. CHECK IT.

How cute is he!? A cross between Haley Joel Osment (as people like to tell him) and Matthew Morrison!

[Note: these answers are paraphrased -- as close to the original answer as possible! I'm a novice at interviewing. Bygones!]

You began skating when you were 7 yrs old. Was it always figure skating, and what drew you to it?

It was always figure skating for me. I never had an interest in hockey, no. I saw figure skating on TV and thought, “I want to do that!” — even though no one was really figure skating in the small town in southeast Missouri where I grew up.

So, you really went against the grain — courageous in a small town, no?

Yeah, you could say I went against the grain that way. At the same time, I didn’t know any better because I was always doing things that were different than what my three older brothers did. They loved baseball, and I skated.

Were your parents always supportive of your choices, even as your choices were so different from those of your older brothers?

My parents were totally supportive. They really encouraged me. I got involved in theatre and art and creative stuff. They stood in the outdoor stands for my brothers, and the indoor stands for me! And it was great. I loved my skating. I made a lot of friends, traveled all over the US competing, met friends in competition – some of them are skating in Disney on Ice now. It’s a very small skating community.

So, you basically found your niche in skating at a young age. Nice! Was there a lot of pressure? Or were you skating simply for fun?

When my hometown coach moved cities, he referred me to a new coach in St. Louis, an hour and a half away. This new coach encouraged me to compete. I started competing in ’89. Prior to that, my small town was just opening its rink, so my skating was recreational. There are definitely benefits to both recreational and competitive skating.

What was your highest level of competition?

In 1994 I went to Nationals and skated in the Pairs Competition. The Nationals are the qualifying competition for the Junior Worlds – like a mini Olympics. I came in third in the novice pairs. Actually, an hour after I competed, the news of the Nancy Kerigan/Tanya Harding scandal went live. It was pretty wild, and unfortunate.

Did you have to practice ballet, yoga, or any other forms of movement as part of your skating training?

I started practicing ballet as part of my competitive training, yeah. I did tap in high school — as part of our high school musicals. In university, I majored in theatre and set design, so I felt well rounded altogether. Yoga has been great for dealing with the stress of traveling. I’ll practice in my hotel room sometimes, or at a gym either in the hotel or nearby.

Tell us about your role as Performance Director of Disney on Ice.

Among the many responsibilities, one of the things I do is take skater and tech notes on things that look good, need work, etc.. I relay my observations to the crew and skaters. I also help with understudies, scheduling rehearsals, coordinating all those people, making sure understudies get implemented in regular shows. I do skater evaluations for all the skaters, as well as overall performance reports. I’m also an “ear” – I listen. It’s a tightly knit unit and challenging to keep everyone happy, so I make sure people are as content and safe as possible, and that things are done the way they’re supposed to be done. I’d say I’m a good listener!

What’s a typical show day for you?

Opening night is the busiest night. The show starts at 7. I get to the building at noon or 1pm, set up office, coordinate schedules for the week’s rehearsals (skaters do their own makeup), set up performance reports so they’re ready for the show. I also check the size of the ice, and look at the grid to make sure the production fits the stage. Sometimes this means making changes to numbers or set pieces.

I see one of your role models is Paul Wylie. I have to say he’s my FAVOURITE male skater, too! What do you like about him?

Paul is just inspirational – energizing. And he’s well-rounded.

On a personal note, what do you like to do for fun? What would an ideal day off be like for you?

One of the best days off I can remember was when we were touring in Paris. I loved the people watching and sampling food at the local cafes, the local flavours, and the amazing architecture. I love going to outdoor cafés (even in winter), with the Paris opera house in front of you. I just love the architecture…, and photography! I have a photo log filled with photographs of the different places I’ve been to — usually of the architecture. This obviously ties into my work, my experience in set design.

[Some of Matthew's beautiful pictures from his Disney travels -- makes me want to join a traveling performance group, too...! See if you recognize any of these places!:]

Traveling must get taxing after a while. Any plans to settle down in one place?

Well, now there is. I just bought a house in November near Tampa, Florida. And I miss it! So, yeah, I want to settle down now. I try to get back there as much as I can. So, I want to go as far as I can with Feld Entertainment because I love working for them. Perhaps a stationary position, designing sets — anything creative, anything involved with production and putting performances together.

Have you ever shown for any celebrities and their kids?

I actually had the opportunity last November to be on Regis and Kelly. I skated with Kelly! She was wonderful, and she let me pull her around the ice. It was a lot of fun. I basically turn Kelly into a princess, and bring her to Prince Mickey! It’s in the video archives somewhere…!

We just went to Disney, and my kids LOVED Mickey and Minnie. My daughter loved Sleeping Beauty, but got dressed as Cinderella at the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique…. Is Disney still as magical as ever for you, and who’s your favourite character. Mine’s Goofy.

MICKEY. I go to Disney every year: Tokyo Disney, Paris Disney…. I’ve been to all of them, except Hong Kong. They’re all unique. Orlando is the best because of the four parks – Animal Kingdom, Epcot, etc..

I have to tell you, I’m in the audience at every show, and the kids all dressed up in their costumes never gets old. The performers are totally inspired and motivated by the kids. We all love looking at everyone — including the ADULTS! — in costumes! It totally spurs us on.

What do you think about Toronto?

I LOVE TORONTO! I love walking up and down Bloor, Yonge — there’s a great theatre scene there. I’ve seen Wicked, Sound of Music…. The crowds are great here. Toronto has a really intelligent skating crowd – they like the jumps and spins and lifts. It’s great.

Do you have a favourite restaurant in Toronto?

Fire on the East Side (near Isabella), a really small restaurant. I love the atmosphere. And just generally, I love going out on the road and finding restaurants with great atmosphere.

Tell us a little about this show. What can we look forward to in Disney on Ice‘s Let’s Celebrate?

This show is totally unique — like none of the other shows you’ve seen from Disney on Ice. It celebrates festivals and holidays around the year, features 7 Disney princesses (including the newest princess, Tiana), Woody and Buzz Lightyear, Jack Skellington (who brings on Halloween), Enchanted, and so many more. It’s all told through Minnie’s dream. We go around the world with Mickey’s DGD, which takes us magically anywhere we want to go.

The audience is really involved in this show — starting with the opening number, when Lumiere invites the audience to BE OUR GUEST, and come celebrate “Unbirthday,” which is basically 364 days of the year!

This is definitely one of my favourite shows. The special effects are so much fun, and there’s so much energy, crazy lifts, and, just, a party throughout.

It’s great that your kids love Mickey and Minnie because, in Let’s Celebrate, they have the largest presence ever in a Disney on Ice show. And they have the best costumes. Wait ’til you see Minnie’s 1930s flapper dress for Mardi gras!

Are you excited for the Olympics? Is there still a special jump to look out for? Is it still the elusive quad?

There are so many great skaters this Olympics. It’ll be a real showcase of new talent. I’m so busy with my job that it’s hard for me to keep up with what’s going on. The quad is definitely the big jump still, but technical steps are also really important.

How about in Let’s Celebrate? Will there be a lot of fancy, difficult skating? And do skaters ever get used to falling in front of hundreds of people?

Yeah, there are several back flips, triple jumps and pair elements that you won’t see on TV. In amateur (competitive) skating, you’re really limited in what you can do. This isn’t the case with Disney on Ice. And we have amazing skaters in the show.

As for falling, our main goal is to make sure everyone’s doing their best and feeling good about their performance. I give them all encouragement and make sure they have a healthy attitude. That’s my job. Falling happens — it’s a part of skating.

Are you reading any books in your limited spare time?

The last book I read was The Art of Racing in the Rain. I’m now reading Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now — just little bits here and there when I have time. It helps me escape and think of things other than the show, while helping me do my job managing others, etc..

Cats or dogs?

In southeast Missouri, we had cats. So, I like cats. Or calm dogs….

One of the things I love about going to Disney on Ice is that it’s ALL for kids. I mean, they go ALL OUT to give the kids a magical experience. I get verklempt when I’m there, and sometimes cry at the effort put in to entertain children. If you were in an Olympic-sized skating rink filled with children, and their parents, what would you like to say to them? What advice would you have? And what would you like them to get most out of the show?

Let’s Celebrate offers a great escape from our issues or woes. It’s a total escape — just like Disney World. And it’s a ton of fun. When I think Disney, I think fun and happiness, and I get a bit of a sad feeling when I leave. I want the audience to leave with the feeling “I want to come back!”

I would tell the children to celebrate something EVERY DAY of their life. There’s nothing too little to celebrate. Be present, enjoy the audience participation – GET INTO IT! Fairy Godmother and Mickey will ask for help. So, get right into it and take advantage of the escape. Be present in the moment, have fun, be all about who you are, be part of the moment here.

Thank you so much, Matthew, for taking the time to share yourself and your photos with me and my readers, and for helping us get even more into the Olympic spirit and good and psyched for Let’s Celebrate!

CHECK CHEATY GOODIES FOR A SPECIAL DISCOUNT ON TICKETS TO THE TORONTO SHOW (MARCH 3rd – 7th) JUST FOR CHEATY READERS.

Love!

xo Haley-O

EDIT: THIS POST HAS BEEN MOVED (AT THE GENTLE REQUEST OF MY SPONSORS) TO MY “RECOMMENDS” SITE. IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN ‘EM, GO CHECK MY HOLIDAY VIDEOS NOW OVER HERE!

Happy Holidays!

Love!

xo Haley-O

Lesson #1 of cottage week: PLAY, GODDAMMIT! For once in your life, Haley, PLAY. And, oh, I played. And every time I played, my Inner Child tsk-tsk’ed at my grumpy-arse Ego and huffed, “WATCH ME.” And then I jumped on the raft and tubed my li’l heart out while screaming in my brother’s ear the entire time…. Wheeee!

Lesson#2: FEAR BITES; CAN SUCKIT. Ever since I was a kid I’ve been terrified of the lake — or, more specifically, ever since I took flipper (flicker, remote control) in hand and stopped at a curious little movie, cocked my little head at sweet vision of father and son fishing, and then freaked the hell out when they caught — what? — a seaweed covered SKELETON. GAHH! I grew up fast after that.

Anyway, even though I have this deep-rooted fear of swimming in the lake, I swam 60 lengths from the big dock to the raft every day….

It helped a lot when Cat Stevens’ “Peace Train” came on and then Cold Play’s “Viva la Vida” — thanks to my brother’s infinite playlist. Pumped me right up. No, seriously, it was hard work combating that fear. Every time I swum out to the raft, the massive red-brown seaweed-covered ghost hand appeared beneath me, opening itself up like a venus fly trapper, menacingly threatening to grab me by the belly. I swum on. “You don’t scare me, Ghost Hand — Ride on the Peace Train… Oooo Ahhh Eeee Ahhh Oooo Wahhh…. Come on the Peace Train.” Yeah SWIMIT!

It was a metaphor for my life. Me and my compulsive fears all the time. What’s the point? LIVE ON. NEXT.

Lesson #3: Look before you walk RIGHT THROUGH a screen door. And then maybe you won’t tear it down and waste all the duct tape to fix it….

Peek-a-boo!

Lesson #4: If there is a Chip Wagon, Josh-O will find it….

Lesson #5: If you want good cuddles, get in the lake with your children — they will cling to you like Monkey’s half-eaten red lollipop to Josh-O’s leg hair *COUGH.*

Lesson #6: If you want your almost-2-year-old son to nap, take the family out for a canoe….

Lesson #7: HOT TUB GOOOOD.

Lesson #8: Shrek for the 56th time STILL GOOOOD.

Lesson #9: Family bonfires are da bomb even if you can’t eat the roasted marshmallows because you’re vegan and they didn’t buy the Kosher (sans-gelatin) ones but you’re not bitter.

Lesson #10: Always set your son loose in the local Blue Notes store to dance his li’l booty off.

Lesson #11: Don’t bother bringing your makeup kit to the cottage. Just wear big sunglasses.

Lesson #12: Celebrating your 35th birthday a week early is great. In theory…. But, for the record, I’m STILL not 35. Not ’til THURSDAY.

Note: Look at Rascal’s little head on the left…. Tenth percentile, BABY! OY! He’s very serious about the cake….

Lesson #5: Enjoy every freaking minute because, before you know it, Cottage ’09 is over and you’re left crying big bulbous tears at the exquisite sunset totally uncapturable by my Canon….

*Many thanks to CottageCountry.com for enabling us to find this truly magnificent cottage. It was perfect.

So you thought you can dance, eh America? Well HOW BOAT DOZE Canadians…!

Love!
xo Haley-O

Josh and I took the kids downtown at, ohhh, 10am or so to fit in the entire show before I had to meet it’sgrandma at the mall to buy clothes for BLOGHER (more on that part later). It definitely wasn’t enough time to peruse ALL the finest of Canada’s (and some US) artists. But, I got enough of a taste to get me excited!

One of the things I use my internet “fame” for is to bring Canadian (and “mom”) artists to the PEOPLE. I don’t know why, but it’s a passion of mine. I love animals, and I love artists. So, I “give back” by helping to heal the earth and by supporting peeps who make it extra beautiful. I mean, Earth itself — I always think — is a work of art. So, I guess my two causes aren’t as different as they’d seem….

Check this piece by the brillers Michelle SaintOnge who, in case she looks familiar, is the one who taught Martha Stewart and audience to silkscreen their won bags! Ahh, the eye-catching beauty of the pink ELEPHANT in the room….

OMG love…. I HAVE to have this….

And ZEBRA….

MY EYES. This is too much for them. Oof! Stunning….

Another one of my favourite artists hails from NYC, and AMAZINGLY managed to secure a spot in this very elite art show — so elite that the “reject show” was supposedly INCREDIBLE (I didn’t get to go, but I heard this from friends). Her name’s Tracey Silva Barbosa. She’s a mom of a sweet three-year-old. And I want this painting in my bedroom because it’s dreamy and whimsical and quite simply utter perfection….

I can’t even handle the beauty that is this painting. Particularly the juxtaposition of hummingbirds and bonsai trees, and the numbers and gold ribbons. I love a good mixed media…. One day, I’ll buy THIS ONE….

I can’t HANDLE the gorgeousness….I am SO looking Tracey and her hubs up next time I’m in NYC. They are AMAZING. We had an awesome chat — about Rascal’s stinky diapey, among other things….

THIS GUY was also awesome….

His art is ridiculously realistic. I mean — LOOK AT THAT. And this….

My blackberry (which will soon be a PURPLEBERRY, if I have my way…, or maybe pink camo) camera does NOT do this beautiful art justice, so check Olaf Schneider’s website…. You WILL enjoy. I ASSURE…. I especially liked Olaf because, even though he was steeped in a phone call several feet away from the booth, he managed to nod and wave to me about three times while I was checking out his booth. I really appreciated that he gave me — a short, busty (BWAH!) poorly dressed mom — the time of day. Really. And he’s a SUPER HUGE Canadian artist (just look at his bio page, like OMG).

Of course, since I’m in the biz…, I had to check out the CHILDREN’S STUFF! Among various children’s art booths, I LOVED Mara Minuzzo‘s art — she obviously didn’t realize her graphics aren’t stealable (even via a MAC) on her website, so do yourself a favour and just check ‘em at her website. I love the horses, the black-and-white bed, and the little girl running in the water most! Mara’s not a children’s artist per se, but the deer and chipmunks and the little girl in the water? — would all look FAB in my monkeys’ rooms….

Finally (yes, finally…), I was SO EXCITED to meet Ms. Adrienne Gibb of Fabricawakuwaku, and I’m secretly hoping she’ll join my crew at Kids Deserve Art one day (like maybe when I actually get a professional to design the site…). Her handmade stuffed animals — made with recycled and vintage fabrics (AWE-SOME) — are seriously DA BOMB….

Of course, we splurged and bought Monkey and Rascal each a Fabricawakuwaku “Patch Rabbit.” Monkey chose the purple-and-pink one and Rascal the beige….

…Then she decided she wanted his. So, now he has the purple bunny and she the beige bunny. Evs.

I love that my kids have works of art for toys. Delish!

So, yeah, 1pm arrived SUPER FAST after all the artistic excitement. And, off I went to Yorkdale. I probably should have gone downtown for this new WARDROBE, but the big mall was convenient, and, besides, I don’t exactly want to STAND OUT at the BlogHer Conference (in, like, a week and a half, in Chicago). I kind of want to blend. I, at least, want to be myself. Which means…, you got it…, LULULEMONS. If none of you absolutely object, I WILL be sporting LULULEMONS at blogher. Probably with one of my signature funky tees and black running shoes. And, baby, it’s a BITCH to find black running shoes that aren’t leather. SO, I will be heading downtown some time this week to check what I’ve heard is one of the world’s best vegan shoe stores — right here in TO.

…Seriously, we looked at every shoe store in the mall. The salespeeps in one store even INSISTED that a pair of black canvas wedges would look HAWT with my Lulus. But, ermm…, NO. All the other canvas shoes in the mall were TOO FLAT, or too RIDICK….

I need the height — believe me — but I don’t need it THAT bad. I’m no TOM CRUISE.

I can’t BELIEVE how long this post is. I feel like I’ve been writing it for 20 years. SO, in case you haven’t had enough of my writing today, go check my ANOTHER post of mine over at Canada Moms Blog — “I’m not Pregnant. Just FAT.”

But, feel free to leave a comment here. I notice comments are lacking on ALL my fave bloggers’ blogs, and WE LOVES THE COMMENTS! Especially when we write long-arse posts…. We are a sensitive, needy people.

Love!

xo Haley-O

I probably SHOULDN’T have gone to the Bunch Family Dance Party on Saturday — to celebrate the launch of Canada Moms Blog. By the way, have you seen my latest post there yet — where I get very close to controversy again, but tread MUCH more carefully this time, so help me GOD. We all know I don’t DO criticism, so why DARE I invite it?? MIND YOU, I was just listening to THE Erica Ehm on my favourite radio station this morning, and SHE said that if everyone loves you, you’re boring. That made me feel better…. And, by the way, and speaking of which…, did you hear the Canadian Olympic team REFUSED to wear seal fur on their uniforms (after Canadian parliamentarians proposed it) to protest the European Parliament’s ban on Canadian seal-fur products? HOLLAHHH! And, here’s a cute video with typical great Canadian humour LAUGHING at the proposition that the team wear fur and demonstrating that most of us Canadians (over 60%), in fact, do oppose the hunt…. I care. I really really really freakin’ care about this….

And, by the way, how do I get my little Rascal to stop HITTING everyone. Feeling as carpy as I do right now, the LAST thing I need is all this HITTING me in the achy head with a metal toy school bus. ARRGH.

AND, by the way, I now have 2 cats on my lap…. Here’s Meeno (aka Minden, of course)….

MWAH!

ANYWAY! Happy Mother’s Day to all the MOMS out there — including moms of pets (this is your day, too, Gorgeouses!). I spent the day in bed, freezing and then sweating and then freezing and then sweating. It was awesome.

This post is all over the place. I’m too sick to write coherently. Hopefully, I’ll be better tomorrow. So, we’re just chatting today, right? This is aiight, right?

So, as I started saying earlier…. It’s kind of exciting! I actually went to a blogger event this weekend to celebrate the Canada Moms Blog official launch! Now, I SHOULDN’T have been there with this DREADFUL cold. But, I KNEW if I didn’t show up, everyone would think I copped out — because who can REALLY tell if your sick from behind your computer screen. I NEVER go to blog events (because I sort-of made this deal with myself early on that I’d stay behind the screen), so I KNEW that if I didn’t go, they’d all think I wimped out and wasn’t committed. But, AM COMMITTED. LOOK HOW COMMITTED. I went to the event SHVITZING with fever!

Again, don’t worry, it’s not The Swine…. (Although I cannot IMAGINE being any sicker than this…!)

So, the party was well worth going to — even sick as a DAWG. (Bunch sure knows how to throw a PAR-TAY!) I hung out with some of my favourite bloggers! SWEET Katie ~ Motherbumper, the one-and-only Her Bad Mother Catherine Connors, Sandra from Mamalooper, Emma Willer from (I love this…) Where there’s a Willer…, and, last but NOT LEAST, my good ol’ friend Ali, of Cheaper Than Therapy whom I haven’t seen in MONTHS (because I am a BAD FRIEND, BAD!).

I really didn’t get enough pictures. Mostly because Rascal was clinging to me FOR DEAR LIFE for the first hour and a half of the party. After that, he warmed up and started running to the middle of the dance floor and, erm, dancing!! It was so adorable. I was so proud….

I also didn’t get enough pictures because it was just too much work for my sick self to keep digging my camera out of my bottomless purse…. It was also too much work for my sick self to say NO to Monkey getting a cotton candy — which, I (and my strong opinions!) think has to be the grossest excuse for candy ever invented….

You know you’re sick when…you let your daughter eat COTTON CANDY. Ew. I managed to steer the Rascal away from it with COOKIE….

Best of all, I think, has to be the picture Monkey drew at the party. I HAVE to share it….

Yeah, Happy Mother’s Day to ME. I’m the big POTATO in the middle of the picture. Rascal is the hilarious sad thing on the left (seriously? how funny is that?), and Josh is on the right…. Just when I was feeling SLIMMER (after a 5-pound weight loss, courtesy of being SICK AS DAWG), Monkey draws me LIKE THAT? A big fat potato. Oh man….

Okay. BACK TO BED.

Happy Mother’s Day, Gorgeouses!

Love!

xo Haley-O

If you haven’t already, go check CHEATY GOODIES for our EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS contest. Only Canadians are eligible for this one, but (again) the post and video will make everyone think.