OH CANADA!

Canada Day is by far my Fave summer holiday...To me it is the best way to kick of my favourite season...

With 4 kids, 2 teens and 2 toddlers, it is always a chore to try and decide what to do for Canada Day. Mama wants low maintenance and indoor plumbing. Dad would prefer to pee in a bush and eat grubs off a rock. Guess who wins?

Here are a few fun, easy and some have indoor plumbing, ideas on what to do with your friends or family for Canada Day...

CAMPING

Anyone who knows me knows I DO NOT CAMP...I GLAMP...no bugs, indoor plumbing and room service are preferred. Also with toddlers,1 still in diapers, I am sorry it is not fun...So this year I have given into my husbands desire to go camping and we will be pitching a tent...right in our own back yard . So mommy can sleep and pee inside ... It is FREE and fun and the kids

could care a less where we are so long as they get to sleep in a tent...WIN WIN!

PICNIC

I LOVE picnics, with wine...I love the whole idea of the fun foods you can wrap up. The pretty blanket you can sit and eat on, the cool picnic kits that you can find, so fun. See I'm an outdoors'ey girl. The best part is you can have them anywhere!! No reservations required and they are always kid friendly.

POOL PARTY

If you have a pool, you are so lucky! if you don't , makes friends with someone who does, even better, no maintenance! I have always loved a good pool party, the sun, the surf...well sort of, Kids splashing around, so fun! This can be a great way to spend a day with the family and friends, just be sure to be safe, both around the pool with kids and with the sun screen!!

FIREWORKS

There is something about fireworks that makes me feel like a 5 year old kid, I LOVE them. What I don't like is driving to a "place" to see them, paying for parking, peeing in port'a'potties, paying $7 for a bottle of water and then waiting 60 minutes at the end of the night to get out of the parking lot. Oh goodness what a mess... What I DO like is fun, neighbourhood firework parties, lawn chairs, coolers and indoor plumbing. I suggest to talk to some families in your neighbourhood and creating a Fab HOOD firework extravaganza at someones house or a local park. Just be sure to check into your cities by-laws to make sure you wont get busted...There is no fun in spending the night in the "Big House."

BACKYARD BBQ's

By far these are my favourite as I LOVE to entertain. I do believe that Canada Day is about hotdogs and potato salad, cold drinks, family and good friends. There is nothing more invited then having people over to your own home. If you are having one, I will be waiting for my invite!

Regardless of what kind of party you are up for on Canada Day, the main thing is to be a great host or help a friend be a great host. The best way to do this is to visit...

www.deflatetheelephant.com , where you will find FABULOUS Mocktail recipes, tips and ideas on how to help make sure non of your guest drink and drive.

Be sure to also visit their FaceBook page and take the pledge today!

Here is my favourite Canada Day Mocktail recipe...Enjoy and have a Happy and Safe Canada Day...

Cheers

OH CANADA!

I BELIEVE

I believe 1 + 1 = endless possibilities...

I believe drinking an entire bottle of wine is very European...

I believe that hard work DOES pay off...

I believe my mother...

I believe love, sex and vodka cures everything...

I believe in the power of the stiletto...

I believe one day I will meet George Clooney...

I believe in karma...

I believe in second chances...

I believe you always have a choice...

I believe in my children...

I believe in the people I call friends...

I believe in change...

I believe in Santa Claus...

I believe in myself...

I believe you should never skip dessert...

I believe that I can be a better person...

I believe in the power of good coffee...

I believe in cocktails with lunch...

I believe gay is more than just o.k...

I believe a toddler running through a sprinkler constitutes a bath...

I believe in the power of good over evil...

I believe my father...

I believe in social media...

I believe in acceptance...

I believe my husband loves me deeply...

I believe in being real...

I believe bacon & Reese's Peanut butter cups are the perfect foods...

I believe facebook was created so I never forget birthdays...

I believe in tolerance...

I believe teaching a child to tie their shoe is the hardest job in the world...

I believe in accessories...

I believe reality t.v...

I believe in singing in the shower...

I believe in the perfect handbag...

I believe I will have another drink...

What do you believe...?

I BELIEVE

FASHION HURTS!!!

It is no secret to anyone that I LOVE SHOES...

High, skinny, strap'y, pointy and PAINFUL shoes...

Like these......

Ok..maybe that is a little excessive...even for a Deeva...Let's say these...

Regardless of the color , style or height...we have all worn shoes that hurt our feet for the sake of Fashion and Fabulousness...I have several pair of what I call "Sitting Shoes". I know to only wear them when very little walking is involved. Yet I yearn to wear them for longer periods of time, after all...the prettier they are...the more they seem to hurt...hmmmm kind of sounds like my dating history...any whooooooo....

So here is I am giving away.........to relieve your Fashion "Shoe Loving" Pain...

*pretty suitcase not included ;(

These amazing products from Airplus are made for FABULOUS foot ware...these are not Lunch Lady Shoe insoles...

And to make sure your Fabulous shoes smell just as fabulous...

How do you win this deevine prize pack...Simple...and FUN...

Upload a pic of your "Sitting Shoes" to my FaceBook page, the ones you bought knowing that they would kill you, but were far to pretty to pass up...This is true SHOE LOVE...

If you share the contest on your FB page or Tweet out the contest, you get an extra entry...be sure to tag my FB when you share and @cocktaildeeva me when you tweet...It's that simple...And I...being the selfish DEEVA...get to drool over all your fabulous shoe pictures!! It's a win / win ...

Winners will be pick by random draw...

Contest open to U.S & Canadian residence.

Only one pic/entry per person

Contest closes on MY 40th BIRTHDAY...June 21st 2011...at midnight, Toronto time whatever the heck that is...rarely sober...;)

Winner will be announced June 22 nd 2011

Prize pack includes:

2 Aloe Infused Socks

3 Ball of Foot & Stick

3 Hug My Heels

3 Ultra Arch

3 Heel Savers

3 Save My Soles

3 Shoe Comfort Kits

2 Spa Footies

1 Sneaker Balls

1 Granger Foot Odour Eliminator

Prize value- Over $70.00...sweeeeeeeet

FASHION HURTS!!!

Wine & Dye !

Some of you know about the Hair Drama that I went through only a few short weeks ago...

An upside is that it's easy to dye my hair now...there really isn't that much of it left. The down side is that because it's dark again the greys come in fast and furious.


So I need to find a good home dye that works well and actually covers greys...Dying your hair is dull and boring so I decided to add wine to the mix. This always makes anything way funner...So here is the first in my Wine & Dye series...

I tried this...L'Oreal Sublime Mouse...yes I saw it on TV and bought it...like you have not done that...

It's boasts ...Ease of application, I believe the words they use are soft...sumptuous and simple..Really? Sumptuous? What'evs...Luscious color and Grey coverage...LOVE the marketing geniuses that come up with these words...

So...how did it do...

I score them by George's ...of course...1 being worst...5 being FANF&^%INGTASTIC...

Ease of use- 4 George's - It was super easy to use. No need to be a rocket scientist here.

Cleanliness- 5 George's- It's next to Godliness you know...I LOVED this product for this...NO splatters...I would give 2 thumbs up but that would mean that I would drop my wine.

Lusciousness- 4 George's- The actual dye smells like every other dye. However...the conditioner that they give with this product smells strangely like a yummy snack food. I have to say I was mildly aroused while using it, and hungry...I know it's wrong, please don't judge.

Grey Coverage- 2 George's - About the same as any other home brad I have used...Did not get all of them and in a week or so...who knows...

Would I buy it again...? Maybe...I have a few more I want to try first...for me...Grey Coverage is key...and I am ok with that...really...*sobbing in wine*

I Drank this...

It was a gift from my divine friend Gale...xoxo...

So...how did it do...

Ease of Use- 4 George's- This is a smooth Sauvignon yet has a lovely twist to it that is like a party in your mouth...mind out of the gutter...

Cleanliness- 4 George's - Well I spilt some on my shirt but I think it will come out.

Lusciousness- 4 George's- It has really nice grassy and tropical notes ...Yes this means it tastes a little like Pineapple Grass...but hey...that can be good...riiiiiggght Duuuuude... Pineapple Express...get it...ya..ok...moving on...

Grey Coverage- Ya I got nothin...It was a lovely bottle of wine and I would definitely buy it and serve it to my friends...my good friends...after all it retails for $18.5 a bottle...Hey...I have to watch my shoe budget...

This product review was brought to you buy....ME..........

I paid for the Dye out of my own pocket...And the fabulous wine was a gift...

Thanks for reading...Cheers

Wine & Dye !

Are you a good parent....???

I don't usually blog about parenthood...but this time I could not resist...


Not my parenting abilities of course, but those of others. I received one of those silly emails filled with amusing pictures. We all get 100's of them a year, but this one I felt the need to share.

And of course add some commentary...

Enjoy...

"Hey Honey...the babies in this one...where did you put the Beer?"

"Why do I feel like I am forgetting something??? Groceries Check..."

"Did we forget anyone?"

"Babies are sold in aisle 7...right behind the slot machines next to the cookies ..."

"I am sure I dated this guy........"

"These seats are uncomfortable and the wifi signal in here is shit..."

"Oh crap...I think I missed my turn...Stupid GPS"

"Ok Kids...just walk softly..."

"Man...were we lucky to score these seats..."

"So glad mom didn't make me where the helmet, it so would of ruined my hair..."

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"




"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaw"




"I'm Lactose Intolerant.."




"Just hold still..."



"Shit, I just had it detailed...."

Well...I'm feeling better about my parenting skills today....

Are you a good parent....???

Vodka Infused Apple Sauce...

There is nothing I like more than adding Vodka to food...well there a few things I like more, but this is way up there...

Everyone I know, except me, is a fan of putting fruit on their meat...I just don't get it...

So I figured if they insisted on putting apple sauce on their pork...it at least should be good apple sauce. Not the quasi baby formula crap you buy at the grocery store.

And...since I was making it from scratch...why not add a little Vodka to it...

Recipe- Serves 6

3 large apples

2 tbs brown sugar

6 tbs white sugar

Vodka

1/2 ounce vanilla liqueur

Peel, core and dice apples. Place in a jar and add enough vodka to just cover them. Let sit for a day. Pour marinated apples into a sauce pan and add 1 cup of water, cook until apples are tender, about 15 minutes. Strain apples and add to blender/food processor. Blend in sugars, lemon juice and vanilla liqueur. Once all is blended pour back into sauce pan and cook on low heat for another 5 minute...Let cool and serve.

Cheers and Enjoy...I will be waiting for you dinner invitations...

Vodka Infused Apple Sauce...