just percolating...
I went shopping to create a meal to celebrate Chinese New Year as part of my membership with the Collective Bias Social Fabric Community. And yes, I was paid to do this. I hope you like the post I wrote as a result! #CollectiveBias #shop #cbias As you could probably plainly tell from my post on the Christmas Holidays, I am missing the holiday season. So I thought that celebrating the Chinese New Year would be a perfect excuse to help our … [Read more...]
Hard to believe the holidays were only a couple of weeks ago! They seem like forever ago now, don't they? We had a really nice holiday and I feel like re-living it a bit by sharing some photos. So I hope you don't mind indulging me a bit here ... We often do a "cut your own" option for a Christmas tree and this year we went a little crazy and ended up with a seriously HUGE tree. Yes, we had to pull out a ladder to decorate it. I was … [Read more...]
NYC with kids? Yes, it's do-able and we did it! We are fortunate enough to have friends in NYC, so it makes taking a last minute trip a whole lot easier. Usually, however, it is either Hubby or I taking a solo trip. This time, we took the kids. With Max now 5 years old and Stella now 11, travel is also a whole lot easier. So we felt that the Christmas school holiday break was a window we couldn't resist. We left on December 30th and drove … [Read more...]
In 2013, I published 122 new posts. And that brings the number of posts I've published in total here on Coffee with Julie to 14,477. But what did you actually like on Coffee with Julie in 2013? In 2013, these were the 5 posts that had the most views: 1. Hot Cars Kill (published in July 2013) 2. Arbonne Makeup Primer (published in November 2012) 3. Favourite "Eco" Shampoos (published in January 2013) 4. Achray Campground (published … [Read more...]
I'll give you one hint (and I promise to tell you all the fun bits real soon!) ... … [Read more...]
Hubby was looking for something new to add to his usual repertoire for Christmas brunch and decided on this Raisin Bread Breakfast Cup recipe. Everyone loved them (except for my son who won't eat foods that are mixed! I am hoping he will grow out of this one day soon). So I thought I'd share the recipe with you because they're super easy and light on the belly, so they'd be a nice weekend breakfast treat any time of year. Breakfast Cups … [Read more...]
Merry Christmas to you and yours! xo … [Read more...]
I was at the mall today. So I can personally vouch that if you have yet to pick out a perfect gift for someone special, you are definitely not alone! It is a busy world out there. But thanks to Staples, I can recommend the ideal gift for that person who seems to have everything: Beat Studio headphones by Dr. Dre. Whether they're a music lover, business traveller, or public transport devotee, these headphones will make life just that much more … [Read more...]
Do you still send out Christmas cards? I lapsed on this a few years back (okay, so maybe it was more than a "few" years back ... more like almost a decade ago!) and never got back on the wagon. But I still really enjoy the act of crafting with paper. My friend Kerry and I recently got together and spent a Sunday afternoon making handmade Christmas cards. There is something seriously calming about crafting. I had a great time and came home with … [Read more...]
Are you reading this post because you haven't finished your Christmas shopping yet? Eep -- I haven't either! But, hey, there are still SIX WHOLE DAYS before Christmas Eve. And you know what that means? Yep, anyone who has all their shopping done before Christmas Eve is a super-organized super-star! So if you have a young boy on your list, like I do (my son Max is 5 years old), I have some great gift ideas for you! Playmobil Puzzle For … [Read more...]
I was working late, so I put a call into home to see how everyone was doing. My daughter's first words were: "A huge package arrived!" (My son's next words were: "Is it for me?") I asked Stella to check the label and see who had sent it. When she told me it was from Posterjack, I too felt excited and couldn't wait to get home! Remember this family photo that I loved so much, taken by local photographer Sarah McCormack? I had told her that I … [Read more...]
Ah, the "tween." Such a silly, awkward moniker for that age when your child is no longer a "little kid," but not quite a full-on teenager yet either. But it really is a stage of its own and sometimes picking up a perfect present can be a little more challenging. You don't want to make the mistake of getting something too juvenile, but you also don't want to push something on them that's too grown-up either. If you're looking for ideas this … [Read more...]
Okay, fine. I guess I *will* have to accept that winter is here and I will reluctantly bring in my patio furniture. This time of year is hard for many of us. We simply just want to hibernate and/or run away to a beach and live on coconut juice. I think this means it's time for me to crank up another Winter Resolution series, eh? Want to join me? I could sure use some company to keep up my morale! … [Read more...]
I'm not particularly religious; so for me, Christmas is about children and the spirit of giving. That’s why I am excited to talk about Plan Canada’s Gifts of Hope program, which lets you give meaningful gifts by helping children in developing countries. Each of the Gifts of Hope are unique and bring real change to children in communities around the world. For example, one of the gifts that you can give is a goat. That’s right – a goat! The $75 … [Read more...]
Wine and girlfriends go together like peanut butter and chocolate. If you're looking for a special little gift for one of your wine-loving girlfriends, here are my top 5 favourite picks. … [Read more...]
This time last week, I was madly searching throughout my basement for my scrapbooking supplies. My poor scrapbooks have been terribly neglected and ignored for years. But somehow I had gotten myself signed up for a weekend scrapbooking retreat with my long-lost scrapbooking buddies and now I needed to resurrect the stuff. … [Read more...]
I'm not sure why, but lately I feel like baking cookies. And I don't want to bake cookies that I can't include in my kids' lunches, so I was browsing about looking for peanut-free cookie recipes when the most obvious thing occurred to me: "Ask my baking-savvy blogging buddies!" But it seemed selfish not to share all this yummy goodness with you. So, here, my friends are some fabulous recipes for you to bookmark. … [Read more...]
I will remember World War I. It began in central Europe in 1914 and in my home city of Ottawa, this is how many families experienced the loss of a loved one: CBC: click here to view this map online, with interactive links. I will remember World War II. My grandparents lived through this time. It is impossible for me to imagine the turmoil, fear, and grief that they must have all experienced. But I will remember. … [Read more...]
Photo Credit: Kris Krug (Creative Commons) I have a confession to make: I've never seen an NHL game live. I always figured that if I said this out loud someone might revoke my Canadian citizenship, but you won't tell anyone will you? Sure, I've been to events at the arena where the Sens play (the most recent one that comes to mind is Oprah). But I guess I'm just cheap when it comes to watching live sports. It is seriously expensive to take a … [Read more...]
I'm not sure why, but I have developed a massive crush with tree stump furniture. By "furniture," I mean side tables or stools. I love the natural textures and the casual look of them. Plus, they are versatile and can be easily moved around to different rooms. I've been collecting images in a Pinterest board and here are some of my favourites: … [Read more...]
I like to save giveaways for Mondays. It just seems right somehow. So it gives me great pleasure to offer you something that I'm sure every single one of you could find a use for: CASH! Yep, that's right -- cold, hard cash. Not a toy, gift certificate, or coupon code. Just the straight cash this time. How? Well, it's because I've teamed up with some fabulous blogging friends (with big thanks to the two organizers: Tales of a Ranting Ginger and … [Read more...]
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