Thursday, May 29, 2014

.jack's room.

jack's room is currently my most favourite space in our house. it's been completed for ages, minus a picture hanging or two, but most days i sit in my old beat-up vintage rocking chair [handed down to me from my grandma, which was handed down from her momma!] and smile while i watch jack play and explore.
with jack being our first baby, we had this little room completed well before he was born. you know how it is. it was one of those projects that just needed to be done so that my pregnancy with jack would feel real. and it really did help. once we started putting paint on the walls, nestled his crib into the corner and filled a bookcase with childhood treasures, i remember thinking 'whoa. we are really having a baby!'.
i also remember it being a daunting task to start. what colours? what theme? do we even have a theme? boy or girl? budget? baby enough? too adult-ish? how do i incorporate [fill in the blank]? it was never-ending and i probably changed my mind 100x before settling down with a simple colour pattern.
benjamin moore
since we didn't know the sex of our baby, i had to go gender neutral. and to be perfectly honest, that was fine with me. i don't really feel that you need to go pink or blue nowadays anyways. that being said, i definitely knew i wanted something that i would truly enjoy since i figured i'd be spending quite a bit of time in that space. i also knew that i wanted it to feel a little more 'adult', without the cartoons wall decals, etc. i figured as jack grew older we could always pull baby or toddler items into the room if he wanted them, with toys and stuffed animals. 

another small issue i had to work into the equation, besides it being teeny-tiny, was a dark cherry-wood hand-me-down crib that peter was determined to use, no matter what sort of begging i came up with for a modern square white one. in the end, i suppose it was where i went from thinking of a monochromatic colour scheme to soft whites and creams to the palette above. and to where a sort of 'woodsy feel' was born. remember this diy bookcase peter helped me fix up?

the room might have a bit more of a masculine feel but in the end, with jack being born a boy, it worked out to be the most perfect room. and i simply love it, which is all that really matters.
now with jack almost ready for a 'big boy room' [kidding! he's staying my baby forever!] and the twins due date only 4.5 months away, i'd better get cracking on their room! we haven't even begun to start in there! such is the life of the 2nd child [and third, i suppose! ha!].

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

.dot com.

fancy napkin got herself a .com handle! and a little facelift. 

what do you think? 
i know, not much pizzazz [or colour] going on but i am loving the clean lines and simplicity of how she looks. still have to clean it up a little, add a few more page links and fun for your viewing pleasure, but other than that...done.

i thought it might be fun if you are just joining us, or since i took a 3 month hiatus, re-discovering us! to walk you through a few areas of interest.

1] my 'hello' page gives you a little more info about me & my family. growing quickly from 3 to 5! yep, if you didn't catch this post here, i am pregnant with twins due sometime in october and we are elated!!

2] 'categories' basically send you to a new page of interest. i personally like the food section, but then again they are all my fav recipes so i may be a tad bit biased. that, and i'm pregnant so food is always on my mind. click on each link to have a look.

3] 'the skinny' link will take you to an upcoming project i am currently working on. seriously big news in these parts!! however since it's not quite ready to be published you'll have to be satisfied with my sneak peeks here and there on instagram or facebook. but i am beyond excited and happy about this and cannot wait to officially share the news with you all. coming very very soon...

4] speaking of instagram or facebook, you can go directly to those sites if you click on the little triangles above my 'hi there' picture. also applies to pinterest and twitter. obvious i know, but my not-so-savvy-with-the-computer grandmother may be reading this?! and besides, i'd really really like you to follow me. ha!

5] the 'shop' link will take you to some of my most favourite and currently loving items that you can purchase online. i update this regularly as i like to shop, a lot. however, for total and utter disclosure i may make a few cents off your purchase if you click and buy. just saying. but trust me, the 50 cents i might make doesn't affect my opinion or likes. what you see is what i've boughten or would buy. simple as that.

so that's a quick rundown of what fancy napkin is all about. i am planning on having more regular daily posts and perhaps a few of my fav re-occurring series; like my monthly favourites videos, my monthly shopping lists, book review videos, weekly recipes, bump style updates, my weekly happy things, perhaps a jack/kiddo style report and a monthly edmonton date-night review, just to name a few. 
hope this sounds like a good plan and i sincerely hope you'll check back once-in-a-while. i really did miss you.
xoe

Thursday, May 22, 2014

.big dipper spring dip.

i made this dip last weekend and after everyone kept requesting the recipe, i figured it was good enough to share on here. you could say it was deemed 'blog worthy'! ha!
what i liked most about this dip was how versatile it was. i loaded it with a bunch of spring vegetables like asparagus and peas, but you could also just use some classic ingredients like spinach and it will come out just as tasty!
below you will find the recipe i found from the april 2012 edition of bon appetit magazine, a random piece of paper i ripped out before recycling [please tell me i'm not the only one doing this still?].
Big Dipper Spring Dip
directions:
1] preheat oven to 450F. cook the chopped asparagus pieces in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. drain; let cool.
2] melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. add chopped leeks and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 10 minutes.
3] whisk in flour; gradually whisk in the whole milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened; remove from heat.
4] add in grated white cheddar cheese. stir until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. season with salt & pepper.
5] fold in asparagus pieces [save the tips to decorate the top later]; chopped artichoke hearts; fresh or frozen [and thawed] peas; fresh chopped chives, mint and parsley and the lemon zest. add 2-oz. crumbled goat cheese. mix well.
6] transfer mixture to a 4-5 cup baking dish; arrange asparagus tips on top and dot with the remainder 2-oz. goat cheese.
7] bake until golden brown and bubbling, 15 - 20 minutes should do the trick. let rest for 5 minutes before serving with crackers, crostini, or tortilla chips.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

.at 17 weeks, with the treb twins.

at seventeen weeks:
::we have officially announced to the world that the treb family will soon go from 3 to 5!
::i am feeling pretty good considering i am currently brewing up two little nuggets in my belly. my only complaint is a few headaches and being extremely exhausted all the freaking time.
::i also realize that the above statement is a precursor to my soon-to-be-crazy life. so i'd better get used to it.
::my 'normal' pants no longer fit. yes, at just over four months pregnant, i have had to resort to maternity pants. sigh.
::the sun is finally shining and i am excited for all those flowing maternity dresses in my future.
::my husband dotes on me hand-and-foot, and i quite like it.
::i go to bed at 9:00 basically every night. 
::i am still working full-time, but seriously looking forward to the time at home. this go-round i definitely deserve it!! a toddler and twins, my gosh!
::i've apparently only gained 3lbs, however feel as though i've gained 30.
::i am craving anything that's bad for me. chocolate, sour candies, slurpees, chips. i'm not picky, i'll just take them all.
::i am however, trying to stick to fruit. and it's not really working.
::we're dreaming of our twins sexes. boy/boy; girl/girl; girl/boy. what are you little suckers?!
::the little flutter-butterfly kicks have started and are tickling me night and day.
::i am feeling so damn blessed. 

for those of you who don't think in terms of weeks...this works out to 4 months + 1 week pregnant!
**and full disclosure - i'm actually 18 weeks + 2 days [as of today] so this post is coming to you a week late. such is my life now. 

Sunday, May 11, 2014

.i am a teepee.

i am a teepee.

comforting like the canvas, providing you with love and warmth.
strong like the poles, always giving you a place of strength and support.
i am a place of laughter. a place to play. a place of fun and games.
a place to be loud and my echo will join you in singing songs till our hearts content.
but i am also a place of solitude, allowing you a little quiet and peace when needed, but never letting you feel alone.
i am a place of imagination and discovery. here to assist you in your many adventures.
and a place to learn, reading books and talking about the day.
my walls will protect you from the inevitable rain, as i know it will eventually pour, and i am here to keep you dry.
i will also show you the sunshine peeking through the top after those rainy days.
i am a place to sleep. usually on and will always have a nice place for you to rest your tired head.
i am a place of softness, my blankets and cushions keeping you cozy in case of a fall.
and i am place to hide if you are feeling scared, and i will be your support to confront those fears when ready.
i am tall, so if you ever get lost i can help you find your way home.

my structure simple, but my entirety all yours. i will never fail you in always being their in love, support, strength or reassurance. i am your teepee, as i always will be.

happy mothers day to the other teepees out there, with their own walls of love. and especially to the strongest teepees of all, my own mother and mother-in-law. love you.

Monday, May 5, 2014

.travel: phoenix, arizona.

we had arrived in sunny phoenix well over two weeks ago and boy oh boy, did that sun feel nice. real nice. i finally fulfilled a blogging dream of writing posts pool side, one of the many whimsical envisions i had while i thought of creating fancy napkin way back when [i mean that's what blogging is all about, right? writing pool side of my exciting adventures?! ha!], and after the last 3 months of go-go-go, i think this little vacation was just what the doctor ordered. 

we stayed in scottsdale, at the links resort for 10 days and enjoyed every minute of sun and paradise before having to head home to a snowy reality in edmonton, late last week.
we choose phoenix for its family friendly atmosphere and hot weather! and had absolutely nothing on the agenda other than lounging in the sun [or shade, in my case], playing in the pool, and perhaps eating some food that we didn't have to cook. seriously a little like heaven to this pregnant girl. 
jack had an absolute awful time [i joke!], and he seriously didn't leave the pool or the spray park the entire vacation. we also learned that saying 'time to go' to a 1 1/2 year old is fun. basically it's like peter telling me we ran out of dill pickles! i mean, the pouting!!
on the trip, peter shared a pretty funny story while i was napping...apparently jack had had enough of sitting in the room so he went into his little suitcase and in one hand grabbed his waterproof diaper and in the other his swim trunks. then brought them both over to peter with a little sad face like 'time to go dad'. talk about supreme guilt trip! haha! what a character!
he also added a few new words to his quickly growing vocabulary, like phlaaane! and baay-be [baby]!  it was quite fun watching him soak up these new experiences and i think he loved having both peter and i around to dote on his every whim.

peter also quite enjoyed himself. he was constantly running after jack, which isn't as good as his usual pumping workouts, but he found the cardio pretty exhausting. i, on the other hand, didn't really leave the loungers. ha! one bonus to brewing two babies is milking the rest and having the hubby do the running! i pounded through six magazines and even started reading a book! a book!!! i haven't finished a book since the birth of jack! needless to say, it was relaxing and warm and all things family. 
one rainy morning we ventured to the new phoenix children's museum, which was kid heaven. i have never seen such a marvellous place for children! the learning, the playing, the experiencing! for all ages too! jack had an absolute blast, and i think daddy might have had just as much fun too. highly recommend!
we also visited the phoenix zoo, where jack hand fed some giraffes! which he obviously adored. the uneasiness to the smiles in about zero seconds was pretty funny. and we got some pretty great toddler leg kicking and screaming when it was 'time to go', so i'd say that meant he was having a pretty great morning.
other than doing a little shopping, lining up a bunch of blog posts for this upcoming week and working on a super fun collaboration which is coming soon, we just hung out as a family. it was needless to say, the most perfectly relaxing vacation.