Happy Holidays, Gorgeouses!

I have nothing to say. Mostly because I’ve been eating way too much sugar. So now, as I sit down and attempt to craft a brilliant Happy-Holidays blog post, all I hear in my mind is this: bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Eventually the sugar buzz will go away, and I’ll probably have to eat some more sugar. UGH, there are just so many sugary goodies in my house. IT’S SO UNFAAAAAAAIR! How am I supposed to eat healthy when, for example, our amazing Todaysparent.com General Manager, Elana, leaves THIS on my desk….

Of course, it’s vegan and fair trade, so there were no excuses for me NOT to devour this chocolate-mint DREAM….

Well, anyway, I managed not to eat the whole bar. But it sat just like that on my desk all day, staring at me and calling my name. “Haaaaaaley! Haaaaaaaaley! Eeeeeeeat meeeee! Noowwwwwww! I’m yuuuuuuummy and will make your world preeeeeeeeeeetty!” So as soon as work ended and I got in my car to pick up the kids, I tore open the luscious green wrapper and scarfed a good chunk of it down like an ancient, ancient Neanderthal man in winter. I probably shouldn’t bother with the metaphors, huh? Bzzzzzzzzzzz…..

Despite my extreme sugar consumption, I have been going to yoga every day — except for those two days when, A, I had a rare migraine headache and couldn’t see anything (AND I still practiced blindly in my bedroom while the kids pointed at me and laughed) and, B, my alarm didn’t go off (I swear, it didn’t go off! Why won’t anybody believe me!?). In the New Year, I’m committing to a full 6-days-a-week practice…. And I’m going to really try to lose weight. No, really. REALLY.

I’m not going to go crazy and say I’m quitting sugar and wheat and chai lattes. As my friend Alice suggested, I’m just going to keep it simple and limit sugary and salty extremes: I’m going to eat grains and vegetables at every meal (lunch and dinner, anyway), and one soup; and I’m going to enjoy a fresh juice, fruit and/or tea in the morning instead of grabbing a chai latte.

In the meantime, I’m high on sugar. Bzzzzzz….. And I have to wake up early for yoga.

Oh gosh. I need water….

In the New Year, there will definitely be fewer sugar rushes. I’ve been feeling tired from all the sweet gluttony, and I haven’t been eating lunch. And due to protruding sugar gut, my yoga twists are awful again — like the books I’ve been collecting on my shelf at work, only not as HILARIOUS….

And bzzzzzzzz…. Nothing.

As I vowed on Today’s Parent‘s Facebook page earlier this evening, next week I’m going to take a “parenting holiday.” I’m not exactly sure how this is going to go down because I still have to feed the Monkey and Rascal, bathe them and break up the fights! But I’m going to try enjoy my family and relax this holiday without worrying so much about outcomes. “C’we have cookies for breakfast, Mama?” Sure! “Mama? C’we watch ANOTHER movie?” Sure! And just maybe I’ll take a little better care of me for once, instead.

Josh and the kids say HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Betty White says HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Minden says HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Maaaarge came out of hiding to say HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Happy Holidays, Gorgeouses! All the best to you and your families!

Love!

xo Haley-O

I’m going to be on CityLine tomorrow (Wednesday). NO, not as a guest, of course! I’ll be sitting giddy in the audience gawking at…HEIDI KLUM.

I WAS supposed to interview Heidi one-on-one; but to tell you the truth, celebrity interviews are nerve-wracking…. So it was just perfect for me to sit back and watch a real pro, Tracy Moore, do it so naturally in front of a live audience. It’s not like I wasn’t nervous, though. I really didn’t know if they were going to pull me out of the audience to do a quickie interview after the show, drag me to the Eaton’s Centre (where Heidi was headed next), or what. When the interview was over and Heidi stood up to leave, I finally took a deep breath and enjoyed the rest of the show…. Makeovers!

As the Monkey likes to say, well anyway, the interview was quite fascinating, and it was really hard for me to take my eyes off her. She’s that stunning. Read all about it (lots of good deets!), and check out the pics on my Celebrity Candy blog HERE, and see if you can spot me in the audience in tomorrow’s show — CityLine, CityTV, 9am and 2pm EST (I’ll update you with the online edition here ASAP, in case you miss it)! I’ve never been in a studio audience before. It was REALLY FUN!

In other news I’m pretty sure I’ll be stalking Jessica and Ashlee Simpson this weekend. I got a vague invite to an event they’ll be at, and I’m dragging the whole family with me. Hey, it’s a Saturday! I insist on being with my family on the weekend, even if it means they go to work with me!

So we’re back in the celebrity swing of things. High energy. Lots of events. Tomorrow, I’m taking the Rascal to the worldwide debut of the “Canuck Monster Truck.” Funny little Rascal, he went right to bed this evening because he couldn’t wait to wake up for the show in the morning: “I’m goin’ right to bed, Dada! I’m goin’ right to bed.” I was warned on Facebook that I need to bring some earplugs for him. So we’ll be running out first thing in the morning to get those earplugs.

But before that, reeeeally early in the morning, I’m going to yoga.

In the meantime, I have to feed Betty White her rice….

It seems we’re both on the macrobiotic diet…. Well, I am, thanks to my gorgeous friends at the brand new Macrobiotic Centre of Toronto (website to come). Looking back at my life so far, I can’t really believe I have friends who run a macrobiotics centre. Nothing in my life really ever pointed here. But here I am. Hovering among celebrities, Monster Trucks, rice, school pick-up, fairies and Ashtanga yoga. Kind of an amazing place to be.

Oh, and Betty’s not really on a macrobiotic diet, FYI. She has DIARRHEA. The macros would cringe at that instant white rice the vet insisted on (in the photo)!

Let’s just say Betty’s hungry. She’s really, really hungry.

Arf! She’ll be back on her regular food tomorrow. Fingers crossed for no more crap! Heh. Poor dog is so exposed on this blog. But we all love her and want the best for her, right, Gorgeouses?

Love!

xo Haley-O

PS: Check out my Twitter feed (@cheaty) and Today’s Parent’s Twitter feed (@todaysparent) for live Monster Truck action tomorrow morning!

“…Piper, sit thee down and write
In a book, that all may read.”
So he vanish’d from my sight,
And I pluck’d a hollow reed,

And I made a rural pen,
And I stain’d the water clear,
And I wrote my happy songs
Every child may joy to hear.

— William Blake, Songs of Innocence, 1789

I’ve been writing a ton lately. Writing articles, editing articles, and writing blogs posts over at Today’s Parent. So, sighh, I’ve neglected our little spot here again, Gorgeouses. I’m not complaining or making excuses in saying this — not saying I’m tired or busy this time. Just saying I’ve kind of wanted to do other things than sit me down AGAIN and write! It’s just a little tricky fitting all the writing I want to do in. I still have to make lunches at the end of the day, you know? Boil rice. Read stuff. Water the catnip….

Maybe it’d be easier if I didn’t, say, start posts off with a William Blake quote.

Even though my finger tips are numb from writing (and what a blessing that is, really!), and even though I quoted Blake and raised your expectations…, I’m going to try to write little less today and just give our blog some love already, right Gorgeouses? And I know just the DOG to do it. Are you ready? You should probably sit down for this….

As you may know, that’s not a Muppet. That’s our Betty White. I promise you she’s gorgeous. GORGEOUS. Except maybe for the bottom teeth. Have you any idea how many times those adorably terrible teeth have hooked me in the nostril? It’s worth it for the kisses, though. I should probably just stop blogging, shouldn’t I. Heh. *Cough.* I’ll be alright!

Speaking of amazing little lovers (and awesome segues), check out the Rascal in karate class. Can you spot him (the blondie in the centre)?

Look at him jump! Move over, young Michael Jordan and kangaroos!

Speaking of superstars (and more awesome segues), check out the amazing Kino MacGregor! I had the privilege of watching this master yogi of whom I’ve been a fan for a long time practice and share her knowledge, wisdom, experience and sparkle….

Isn’t she amazing? I’m still processing a lot of what she said, mainly her comments on yoga, Being and suffering. Made me think a lot about how I personally use chai lattes to run toward pleasure and away from suffering. Yes, I fell back off the wagon last week, drank chai lattes and have five extra pounds on my belly to show for it. I’ve been speeding through Marichyasana C and D (major twists) to avoid being assisted by my teachers. Too humiliating. Too much suffering.

Anyway, speaking of wise ones and drug addictions, Minden’s loving the catnip I grew him….

Impressive, right? Too bad it makes him barf.

Love!

xo Haley-O (I’ll definitely try to check in more often….)

The Monkey decorated our staircase. A skipping rope, my kukui-nut necklace from our Hawaiian honeymoon, a snake doll, Smurfette, Pablo, Elmo, Micky and his bride Minnie all adorn my banister and are making my house a mess home….

Sorry, Gorgeouses, I’ve been too busy to update lately, filling my evenings with celebrity blogging, writing articles, putting the kids to bed, preparing for TIFF, putting the kids to bed, getting my haircut, cleaning dishes, putting the kids to bed again. In other news, I’ve been grabbing my ankles in Urdhva Dhanurasana (hollaahhh!), and tomorrow I have to collect a pee sample from Betty White first thing in the morning before yoga.

Speaking of whom, this is what’s going on on my lap right now (the black mounds at the bottom of the photo would be my curvaceous bod, FYI)….

Sibling rivalry. I know it’s not the best photo. But it’s better than this other one I got when Minden suddenly went in for a kiss (that mysterious object on the bottom left would be his creepy li’l eye, FYI)….

Sighh, it feels good to blog about my cats again — now all I have to do is knit something. The other day I noticed that Minden mysteriously lost a bottom fang. He only has three fangs now. So gorj.

I have to go to bed now so I can wake up and collect Betty’s pee sample. I don’t think anything’s wrong with her, but there was a bit of a curious pee incident at the cottage last weekend, and our vet is insisting we take a sample to make sure she doesn’t have stones or a UTI. Are you fascinated? Nay, riveted? Are you riveted, Gorgeouses?

Ugh, she’s humping him again….

I was listening to this guy‘s podcast on my way to work today (he was my best friend in kindergarten and I love his work). He said ending an addiction could take a “moment”  — or it could take “thousands of years.” A moment…, to think. I think a lot could change if I could end my Starbucks addiction this moment and begin to really feed myself and maybe vow to become a morning person.

School’s starting next week. One weekend to rest and then it starts. Again.

Love….

xo Haley-O

Tweet

I’m on vacation and spending way too much time tonight trying to get posts and pics for Celebrity Candy to load. And it’ll be a WONDER if I can actually post this blog post. The Internet gods have not been with me while I’ve been on vacation. Which is probably a sign that I should actually take a vacation….

We did have a post in mind to write tonight, and we were totally excited — we really wanted to write it. And in case you’re wondering, we’re speaking in the first-person plural because we just read a book in which one of the characters was trying to obliterate his ego by speaking in the first-person plural, and we quite liked the idea of that. What do you think, Gorgeouses?

Yeah, I’ve been doing a lot of reading on my vacation. We went to Josh’s parents’ farm for a few days, and we’re doing another week in cottage country — which would be sweet if only my Internet were working properly and I could load photos of sweet Rascal in the now-shallow lake water…. For now I can only tweet them.

So keep up with me by checking my Celebrity Candy blog, Twitter and Facebook (like us?)! I’ll be back up and running as soon as we (Josh and I) figure out this photo issue! Could be as soon as tomorrow, so check back — I got farm pics!

OH! Wait! We — well he — JUST figured it out…!

Sigh, I love this pic. Ooo! And now that we can post pics again, I’ve been meaning to share this pic from earlier this month….

That’s awesome Todaysparent.com editor Alex Mlynek, moi and Tori Spelling. Tori was totally lovely this time and felt bad for insinuating that I was short (“I feel so tall! It must be these shoes.” No, not the shoes!). Read all about it here!

Well, life can go on now. Josh put an end to the photo crisis. I can’t tell you how many back flips I want to do right now….

More to come — it’s been a long frustrating night. I plan on updating a little more regularly here. But you know where to find me now when I’m not here, right?

Here’s one more photo for the road woohoo!

Betty White! (And don’t worry about Minden and Maaarge! We have an awesome yogi taking good care of them and our home. But they do say hi…! Meoowww! Miss….)

Love!

xo Haley-O

The husband was away. I wrote two articles this week. Nine or so celebrity blog posts. Interviewed another celebrity last week. Went to another event today. Haven’t been to yoga. Haven’t been eating well. Haven’t been going to bed at reasonable hours. The Rascal graduated from preschool twice. The Monkey graduated from morning school, had a dance recital, a theatre performance, a park party, school cookout and has another graduation Friday. I apply a bottle of sunscreen a week to myself and my squirmy children. We’ve lost two hats and three pairs of shoes.

So I’m not going to write anything today. Today we’ll just chat. Grab some ice water. I hear it’s not very good for your kidneys to drink ice water, or your digestion, but it’s hot in here. So go grab a glass. Maybe squeeze some lemon in it — I need to cleanse. And I’ll share some pics from the last while. Because, as far as writing is concerned? I don’t have a word left in me. That, and I’m seeing doubles trying to keep up with my personal email, work email, my Twitter, Twitter, Facebook, Facebook, blackberry, macbook, work computer and now the new PlayBook that Best Buy kindly gave me because, among other things, I really needed another gadget to check things on, and the Rascal really needs another thing to YEARN and throw window-breaking-loud tantrums about.

What’s the deal with boys and games, anyway? He’s been begging for an “iPot” since he was two. Poor guy NEVER gets to play because I’d rather see him do low-tech things, like colouring or kicking a ball. But, yes, he does enjoy the “finger slide,” whenever he gets the chance, every now and then. But he does think my new PlayBook is for him.

Anyway, how’s that ice water. Mine’s great. Gulp gulp. So here are some pics from some of the last week or so since I’ve blogged, you know, since I’m flat out of words. So, Gorgeouses, checkit….

Rascal, the reality TV star!

For the full scoop on the Rascal, Tori Spelling, the kids and my interview with Dean McDermott (and, come on, Dean haters, everyone makes mistakes — he was LOVELY), go to Celebrity Candy. Grab some vegan candy, enjoy the story, and I’ll wait right here….

What’d you think of those pics! My hair. I know. It was WINDY. I have since rediscovered my hairbrush. The barrage of complements I got on my freshly brushed hair today have incentivized me (I know that’s not a word) to use a brush more regularly.

Get your minds out of the gutter, Gorgeouses, IT’S A FISHING ROD WITH A FISH ON IT. The Rascal asked me to hold it while he enjoyed his organic lollipop.

FISHING ROD!

Look out for our Rascal (and me!?) on the next season of Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood. Ha!

The cottage.

I’m going to go get more ice water. While I’m gone, check out these pics from the cottage last weekend. I feel really lucky that my parents let us use the place like it’s our own…. We don’t hold back….

Bygones…!

Tomorrow I’m meeting with Warren Kramer for a private macrobiotics counseling session. I’ve fallen off too many wagons lately, and I’m feeling it! My friend Alice would say I’m too yang. Way too yang. My yoga teacher David would say, “Don’t let the vrittis win.” They won. I can’t bring myself to go back to yoga now that Josh is back in town…. I’m just exhausted. So I’m hoping Warren will give me a nice, cushy, energizing, happifying wagon to stay on long term. We’ll see.

Love!

xo Haley-O

Photos of Tori, Dean and the kids: Haley Overland/TODAYSPARENT.COM

Gorgeouses, I come bearing gifts today! I’ll give you the best one first. Here. TAKE HER!:

This dog, Betty White, is a mud magnet! She loves to get down and dirty. So we bathe her, as the Rascal would say, “a lot a lot of.” It’s obviously great having an entire lake at our disposal for just such a purpose….

The second gift is actually a poem I heard when I got in the car the other day and spontaneously turned on a Deepak Chopra radio show. I guess it was poetry night, but I’m not sure. I was in the car for 5 minutes, just long enough to hear this poem start-to-finish — kismet. The poem’s a little extremely intense, but it speaks to me, so I thought I’d share it with you….

The grapes of my body can only become wine
After the winemaker tramples me.
I surrender my spirit like grapes to his trampling
So my inmost heart can blaze and dance with joy.
Although the grapes go on weeping blood and sobbing,
“I cannot bear any more anguish, any more cruelty,”
The trampler stuffs cotton in his ears: “I am not working in
ignorance.
You can deny me if you want, you have every excuse,
But it is I who am the Master of this Work.
And when through my Passion you reach Perfection,
You will never be done praising my name.”

– Rumi (1207-1273).

I know. Woahhh. Still, it’s hard to get through entire novels these days. So there’s kind of nothing like a good poem from the dark ages to brighten your intellect, at least for a little while, right?

The third gift is a song and an idea mixed into one. I got this idea from the fabulous Kris Carr, and my kids and I are loving it (plus it’s great exercise)! Here goes: Dance to one song every single day. Inevitably, if you dance to one song, you’ll find you want to dance to two, three, etc.. Here’s what we’re dancing to today, one of our faves…. DANCE!

The fourth gift is just a gift I got today. I got to go to an ashtanga yoga conference. I brought the Monkey with me because I love the community so much, and I thought it’d be good for her to absorb some of the culture and positive energy.

While she drew pictures on my notebook, I listened intently to the wise David Robson explain why ON EARTH we do this extreme style of yoga 6 days a week, come hell or high water, children climbing on me or dog pawing my head, cats licking my mat or self-defeating thoughts plaguing my brain. And he talked about issues that really hit home for me — given my recent newsflash.

I think, to borrow his words, I’ve given my negative thoughts about myself and my body “a home” since I gained all this weight, to the point where I haven’t been able to even imagine myself slim again — which is problematic when your doctor gently suggests you better lose weight or else! By practising the very challenging Ashtanga yoga every day, I’m practising recognizing, and hence changing, such (negative) thought patterns.

So, eureka. Gift. I hope that helps you too. Even if you don’t practice yoga, it’s helpful to recognize the thoughts that contribute to what ails us.

When I get on my mat every day, I do in a sense go to battle. Not only against (or alongside) some of the more challenging poses of this practice, but against anxious or self-conscious thoughts that get in the way, attachments, and against time — which might actually be the biggest, most telling battle of all.

Love!
xo Haley-O

Something’s shifting. Maybe it’s temporary, or maybe, more likely, I’m really tired.

I haven’t blogged in over a week and, by self-imposed law, I never miss a week! But it’s what I needed. Even today I feel like closing this Macbook right this second, and just being quiet. Working as an online editor means writing — a lot. And I love writing, so I don’t forget for one minute that this is, to borrow the Monkey’s favourite phrase, the job “of my dreams.” But it also means that I’m on my computer a lot.

This weekend I couldn’t stomach turning on my computer. And I think I still need one more night, at least, not to type on this keyboard, not to look at this bright screen. To read, to splash in the freezing cold lake — youch! To wear my crocs, sip a grande soy-no-water-tazo chai without guilt and despite challenge. To play soccer with the Rascal and Betty White. To practise my backwards somersaults with the Monkey in the grass. To be a mom and just celebrate that with my mom, my sister and sister-in-law at a cottage-country spa — thanks to our husbands. Happy Mother’s Day to us, indeed, and to all you Gorgeous moms out there!

I had a massage for the first time in years at the spa this weekend. The massage therapist said I was crazy tight around my forearms and shoulder blades — “Are you on the computer a lot?” Yes. Forearms.

Tomorrow I leave for yoga early. And I think I’ll wear something sparkly. I’m just so freaking malleable, so easily swayed, definitely nervous, and wracked with frustrating OCD lately. It comes around faster these days — or maybe I just notice it more. It’s tough battling this thing without medication sometimes. But I’m determined. Partly because my OCD makes me not want to pee meds into our lakes and oceans….

But the yoga helps a lot. And writing it out helps. And being open and laughing about it helps. And taking a break helps.

And so, silence. For at least a little while. So I can collect myself (again) and relax and not perform and enjoy my work and then turn it off and get some sleep and do what I do for me.

Something sparkly.

You know how I love to write? It seems I also love to take pictures. And I’ve really enjoyed loading these up here for you this evening. So here’s another story for the road — no words.

Thanks, as always, for being here.

Love!

xo Haley-O

Gorgeouses, I’ve been writing so much lately that the thought of writing this. next. word. is actually making me a little nauseous. But still. I’m dedicated, or something. And so I persevere and write through the nausea. Ahhhhh.

Still nauseous.

I think it might be the rain that’s making me nauseous actually. Or, more likely, my diet. My diet has gone to carp. And I think I gained five pounds back. BUT I finally did weigh myself this morning and saw that I lost a total of 8 pounds since I started my fitness challenges. Which means I’d probably lost about 18 pounds before Passover — when all that matzah flour effectively unleavened my willpower….

So we need a challenge. And we need one fast. Because David gave me another new set of yoga poses! And it was a disaster this morning.

I’m doing dropbacks now (with help, of course)! Here’s my gorj friend Miss Stan, my teacher David’s wife, demonstrating dropbacks when she was pregnant. And, in case you’re wondering, it was totally safe for her pregnancy because she was a pro at them before she became pregnant and just LOOK AT THEIR BABY (I rest my case):

Yes, I’m more obsessed with yoga than ever. It’s good that you noticed. And thanks, really, for indulging me. As a thank you, I give you a virtual mwwwwwwah and cottage pics from the long weekend!

The lake has defrosted….

Betty White demonstrated the utter brilliance that Malteses are known for and JUMPED IN the freshly defrosted water. It was so cold that she swam right back to shore, so I couldn’t get a good pic. But oy….

Oh, and dammit we lost our ball…!

But the shells we found made up for it….

And now….

CHALLENGE IS ON. Who’s with me? No sugar, no flour, no eating after dinner, awesome vigorous Ashtanga yoga practice daily.

I’ve got rice on the stove….

Steamed cauliflower and miso soup made….

Alice’s Tahini-Lemon dressing….

I’m all set. One week. NAY! TWO WEEKS: no sugar, no flour, no eating after dinner, daily awesome vigorous Ashtanga yoga. Are you doing a challenge with me? What are your challenge “rules” (for lack of better term)? LET’S DO IT! We’re BACK! TWO WEEKS.

Challenge ends: Friday, May the 14th. You in!?

Next week, we’ll talk sauerkraut and ardha baddha padma paschimottanasana. Bwah! LOOK AT THE TIME! I gotta get to bed! Tomorrow’s the Royal Wedding, and I’m getting up at 3am to live blog and tweet for Today’s Parent. So come visit me on twitter and over at my second home Celebrity Candy! The Monkey thiiiiiiiiiinks she’s waking up at 3am with me. She’ll NEVER do it. But we’ll see. I do have a pretty pink cupcake waiting for her (not me, blergh).

Love!

xo Haley-O

I’m not sure if my brillers yoga teacher minds if I quote him (again), but I’m too shy to ask. And yesterday, in yoga class, a funny thing happened.

In Ashtanga yoga, which is the style of yoga I practise, you do the same sequence every day, 6 days a week. Once you’ve mastered the poses your teacher’s given you, you get to add on another pose (or more). So I’ve been “stuck” at Bhujapidasana for over 9 months now. UNTIL YESTERDAY!

David: How was your Bhujapidasana today?
Me: Umm, uh, good. I, erm, was a bit stiff in the neck, but I got my feet off the ground.
David: Okay, do Kurmasana.
Me: Umm.

DO KURMASANA. Just like that. After 9 months. NINE. NINE MONTHS.

SURE! No problem. Do Kurmasana. You want to see Kurmasana, Gorgeouses? Let me show you Kurmasana. Actually, let DAVID show you Kurmasana — LOOK!

And here’s a woman named Maria Villella demonstrating Bhujapidasana and Kurmasana (aka Hell on Hamstrings) very fancy-like on video — because you have to see these Kurmasana poses in action….

Right!? RIGHT. Do Kurmasana, he tells me. Just like that. And would you believe it’s even harder than it looks? I promise to video it when I can finally do it, ohh, 9 years from now?!

Anyway, I’m still in shock that I got a new pose. So I had to tell you all about it — even if you don’t share this crazy passion of mine. But, you know, this is my blog. And this yoga is my life saver. It makes me a healthier, happier, less OCD-anxious person. And it makes me a better — stronger, more focused, present and less nervous — mother. It’s kind of basically me. In a nutshell. Or nutshell-shaped pose. Hmmm….

And now for farm pictures.

We went to the farm near Montreal to spend the first night of Passover with Josh’s side of the family. And it was beautiful as ever. Except for that one bitty thing Betty White did. My in laws aren’t dog people, but they graciously allowed the dogs to roam free in the house, and, well, Betty White thanked them for it….

We had crated her in some cheap thing when we went out to the sugar shack (below) for a couple of hours, and the crate collapsed on poor Betty White! From the evidence we gathered, she then freaked out and started running all over the house looking for us — pooping in the living room and and AND decorating the entire upstairs with diarrhea….

A-ny-way…. She’s a GREAT DOG! I love her — like crazy.

So here are the pics! (Click to enlarge….)

We started at the sugary-sweet Sand Road Maple Farm. I was in a really good mood the first day — a true Canadian!

The whole family enjoyed an “authentic Canadian maple meal,” as I watched (since they don’t serve anything green or remotely vegan there other than orange juice). And the kids tasted their first authentic taffy stick…

…in their own special way….

The Canoe Race was a hoot. I was still in a good mood for this…. I was really into it!

…Of course the view helped…!

Unfortunately, none of the rowers opted to go through those RAPIDS OF DOOM. They all portaged. Boooo. So we stood out there for an hour for nothing….

But it’s okay because I was in a good mood and Betty White was warm….

Other than that, I planted my butt on a country chair and transcribed a couple of interviews (for hours!), and I started to get moody after feasting at the Passover Seder. Maybe it’s the yoga finally sinking in — but if I don’t eat clean (no sugar or overeating), I feel awful. Kind of like how Betty White’s puppy-cousin Kugel felt in a kippah…..

But the yoga helped. Saved me. And it’s always a treat to be out of the city and immersed in nature….

Birds….

Betty….

Love!

xo Haley-O