My Tim Hortons Double Double Drive Thru Dance

I thought I’d share a wacky Canadian story with my south of the border buddies.  The other day I have a craving for a classic double double (that’s Canada speak for a coffee with 2 sugars and 2 creams) so I load little H up in the van and head to Tim Hortons.  There’s a huge line in the drive thru but I go in anyway.  It’s much safer to keep the two year old strapped into her car seat while handling hot coffee than trying to wrangle her inside.

I order my double double and a breakfast sandwich and a couple timbits (donut holes) for the kiddo.

I get to the window and the guy says that the car in front of me has paid for my order.  I got a little flustered here because it was early, I was on zero caffeine and it was just a bit out of the ordinary routine.

So I pay for the car behind me to keep the chain going.  I am not going to be the scrooge who stops it.  No sir-ee bob.  Then for some reason I feel the need to get outta dodge.  I don’t know why – maybe it was because I got about $10 worth of stuff for $1.70.

I grab my coffee and the timbits and hit the gas then I hear “your sandwich! you forgot your sandwich!” from outside.

Well, I am NOT leaving that behind.  I throw into park and hop out.  Then I realize I can’t leave the keys in a running vehicle with my kid sitting in it.  Someone could easily hop in and take her.  So I pull a double back and turn off the car and yank out the keys.  Then I run back up the drive through to the window to grab my breakfast.  It was only three running steps but  the window guy is busting a gut and I didn’t have the nerve to make eye contact with the driver of the car behind me.

Thank god I decided to swap out my Winnie the Pooh pj pants (yes, they make them in adult sizes) for black yoga pants or the window guy may have hyperventilated.  Who wants that on their conscience?  Not me.

About the event:

Calgary, Alberta: February 8, 2010—Over the last ten years, exports of Burgundy wines to Canada have experienced a period of continual growth. In 2007, Canada became the fifth biggest importer of Burgundy wines according to value, and the seventh according to volume. For the Calgary market, which shows great potential, the Burgundy Wine Board (BIVB) is organizing a professional event “Terroirs & Signatures de Bourgogne” in Calgary on February 8, 2010.

A rich program for its participants

The event features a large wine tasting exhibition for both key influencers and journalists to meet Burgundy wine growers as well as discover and rediscover the richness and diversity of Burgundy wines.

“Thanks to the diversity and the richness of its appellations, Burgundy offers a range of wines that suit all segments of the market and meet the needs of all Canadian consumers,” comments François Labet, spokesperson for the Burgundy Wine Board. “Even if nearly all the AOCs (Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée) are commercialized in Canada, only a few wines assure the large volumes sold, which means that there is great potential for this wine-making region.”

To learn more about Burgundy wines and this event, please visit: www.burgundy-wines.fr or  click here to read my Wine Reviews

So, what do you think of the makeover?  I still have a million things to tweak but it’s getting there.  I’m hoping to have it all done for Monday so I can get back to writing!

Sure, I’ve enjoyed interviewing creative moms.  And I’ve loved sharing their work with you.

But I need to focus inward now and spend my energy on my own projects.

I will not stop blogging, however, Maternal Spark is going to change. The url maternalspark.com will stay active for a long time so you can still use it to make your way here. I will also be using a new url starting soon and that will be HometoHeather.com.

I don’t know how often I’ll post here – likely several times a week but I’m not going to sweat it anymore if I go two weeks without posting. I’ll only write when I really have something to say.

No more giveaways.

No more chasing people for their interview answers.

No more hustling for others.

It’s me time.

If you’re a writer with work published here and you have concerns please email me and we’ll work it out.

If you’re a current subscriber (I love you, that kissy face up there is coming your way! ) you don’t need to do anything. You’ll start to receive new content as soon as I start producing it.

Stay tuned. The graphical makeover will be happening soon.

Her little boy was the same age as my Little H.  If I lost her I don’t know how I’d carry on.  When I heard the news…, I really wish I could write more for her – not that it would help.  But I can’t, there are no words within me to describe how I hurt for this mother and her lost her baby.   If you have a place online to share an image, light a candle for her son Bryson and share the link here.  When and if she’s strong enough to view them I hope she’ll know how many people her story has touched.

my sweetie and me

It’s dark except for the nightlight on her dresser.

“Put your head on my shoulder and I’ll sing to you.”

“Tinkle tinkle staw?”

“No, something different tonight.”

“The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout.  Down came the rain and washed the spider out.  Out came the sun and dried up all the rain and the itsy bitsy spider when up the spout again.”

“Again!”

“The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout.  Down came the rain and washed the spider out.  Out came the sun and dried up all the rain and the itsy bitsy spider when up the spout again.”

“Now tinkle staw”

“Twinkle twinkle…”

“Tinkle tinkle widda staaaaaaw…”

She throws her head back, her eyes are closed and her mouth opens wide.  She shakes back and forth to enhance the waver in her voice.  One eye opens to gauge my reaction and it sees a laugh forming around the corners of my mouth.  She giggles and starts to sing again only she can’t.  She can’t sing because I’m laughing now and she has become infected and can only laugh instead.

We start to sing together but it dissolves immediately into sputters and giggles and sighs.

“Ok, it’s time for your night night song now” I collect myself and look away from her sparkling eyes before she draws me back into silliness.

“Hannah night night, Hannah night night.  It’s time to sleep, to close your eyes.  Hannah night night, Hannah night night.”

I make it through the song without laughing even though she’s trying to replicate the move which set me off in the first place.

“I love you so much”

“I love you so much too Mom”

“Sweet dreams pumpkin, I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Sweet dreams Mom.”

I tuck her in with her entourage of stuffed animals and brush the fine hair from her forehead.  The door closes with a creak and from behind it I hear “Tinkle staaaawww” followed by a chorus of giggles and laughter.  I smile and turn on my laptop to pour the love out through my fingers.  I want to have it handy should I need it sometime in the future and when I am done I am content.

By the way if you’re looking for a WordPress designer click this link and visit Shan who can create a site like the ones featured here in my best mom blog designs post. Shan is patient and crafty and will give you a new WordPress site you can be proud of. Oh, and she can port your blog over from blogger to WordPress too!

Now on with the list

The Ohana Mama – She lives in one of the most beautiful places on the planet and her blog is designed to match her surroundings.

It’s My Life – adorable design that’s not overly cutesy and showcases who she is – a writer.

Mom Talk with 3 Kids and Us – Cat is a design junkie and she changes up her look often , it’s different almost everytime I visit and I love that.

Anna Maria Horner – this blog is full of gorgeous imagery even though the template is blogger basic.

The Mom Buzz – could that bee be any cuter?  Don’t think so.

Happy Camper Disaster – Another design junkie – Susan always surprises me when I visit!

What’s That Smell – Kim can tackle wordpress code and bend it to her will.  This isn’t your typical mom blog.

Pioneer Woman – Ok, I  know she rakes in the cash and has staff and everything but you gotta admit her site looks good.

The Not so Blog – I love the design theme behind this blog, very unique.

Simple Mom – this clean look helps enhance the branding.  Love it.

I only included 10 but there are loads more.  Just because there are 1000′s of mom blogs doesn’t mean they all need to look alike!  What’s inspiring you this week?  Leave a link and share!

The video speaks for itself – have a listen and watch her get jiggy!

About the Artist -

Jill Jayne, MS, RD, is the country’s only Rockstar Nutritionist. She is the leading expert in creating and delivering interactive media about health to kids and families. Jill is the creator and lead performer of Jump with Jill, as well as the Executive Producer of the show’s accompanying audio CD, Get Me Goin’
‘.

Blogs Giving!

Today, I’m thankful for Gena of  The Morris Bunch Blog. Gena is a spitfire of a gal whose energy just blasts through the screen when I read her posts.  Even when she is feeling under the weather (she’s pregnant with a baby boy!) she still sounds more energetic than I hope to ever be.  And she needs all that energy to keep up with her gaggle of kids.  Gena lives with her police officer hubby and loves to blog about everything from day to day happenings to recipes to products she loves.

Another thing I adore is that Gena is very active on twitter and the momdot forums – she’s always around and ready to chat, give advice or just share a joke.

Go check out her blog, you’ll love her personality and her posts I guarantee it!

What is BlogsGiving all about?  Find out here!

The UnMom

Today is Tuesday, and so, I’d like to share with you an internet destination that is awash in randomness.  Fellow Canuck, Keely, blogs at the UnMom. I enjoy Keely’s blog for many reason.  #1 – she’s Canadian (I know I said that already but it’s a big one ok?)  #2 – she’s funny. Sometimes I think I’m funny.  Then I go over to Keely’s place and realize I’m not funny at all.  In fact, I’m so unfunny I must actually be delusional to think anything I’ve written is close to funny.  #3 – she mixes the Canadian-ness with the funny and I end up reading a post about a decapitated moose and laughing and I realize there was no way on earth I could have predicted what I was about to read and I am thankful for it.  And this is how the UnMom has made it into my Blogsgiving post for today.

Go visit.  Go subscribe.  Go partake in Random Tuesday.

What’s all the Blogsgiving stuff about?  Find out here.