End of Summer Love

Oh HI! Remember me? Hope you all have had a fabulous summer! It's not over yet but I think we can all feel that it's starting to wind down with the mentions of "back to school". Gasp!

I typically take most of the summer off at Keep It Beautiful Designs. To me, summer is a time of unplugging from the routine of the year, playing, taking random adventures and enjoying the long summer days.

We've had a wonderful summer. Mr. Fix-It and I kicked off our holidays in Prince Edward County with another bestie couple. We drank, ate and relaxed. I love this crew and we all love wine. 

Escaping to the Wakefield Mill

Happy Friday my friends.

We’re all busy. Busy, busy, busy. About a month ago, I was sitting on the couch at home, sipping on a glass of wine and thankful. I was thankful that the week was over. The week had been busy, the kids had been fighting and whining and I had “had it”! I needed a night away. Away from “the busy”. So, I immediately texted my girlfriend and told her I needed a night away. In a heartbeat, she was in. I knew she would be, she needed it as much as me. We all need our me-time, our space to breathe, escape the demands that life brings and just be. When the Wakefield Mill invited me to spend the night, I knew that a Girlfriends Getaway was born.

The Wakefield Mill is only about 30 minutes from Ottawa in the beautiful town of Wakefield. Tucked into the Gatineau hills, it’s a beauty.

 First stop. The spa. Lisa and I both had a massage and pedicure.  I’ve had a lot of massages and this was by.far.the.best relaxation massage I had ever had.

There was something ritualistic about it and it was amazing. I felt like butter under those magic hands.

We finished off our pampering with a pedicure, looking out through the beautiful glass windows and the pouring rain. Having the rain stream down the windows and the sound of the rushing waterfall outside was exactly what Lisa and I needed. Away from the busy, away from the demands of life. Just the girls. Girl talk. Girl time.

Our dinner reservations weren’t until later in the evening so we spent the rest of the afternoon lounging in our robes, drinking vino and we watched a girly movie in our room J Can you guess what we were watching? So good!

The Wakefield Mill has a number of different rooms to choose from: Heritage, River Grand & Park room. We stayed in the Heritage Room with a queen bed and futon. While our room was fine, I would recommend choosing one of the others. We felt a little tight in our room and didn't love the idea of a futon for a third guest if there was one.

Muse is their fine dining restaurant. Delicious. Delicious. The staff were wonderful and the food was incredible.

Morning was lovely. Quiet, relaxing...bliss. Breakfast was delicious. Filling, rich...yum. We both treated ourselves to the eggs benny. The food truly is amazing here.

 We finished off our getaway by poking in and around the little shops of Wakefield.

I even found my hardware for the basement :) More on that later.

Overall, we were only gone for 24 hours but we came back to our families feeling rested, refreshed and happy. The Wakefield Mill is a wonderful gem for the next time you need to escape "the busy".

 Keep it Beautiful.

A Review of the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello - A Luxurious Canadian Gem!

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a fabulous place with you. Mr. Fix-It and I just returned from a winter getaway. We spent two nights, three days at the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello in Montebello, Quebec. Oh was it fab! Let me tell you about it...

In June 1930, a private Seignory Club was built in Quebec, along the Ottawa River for the rich and famous. This gorg club was built in just four months with over 10,000 red cedar logs! Later, in 1970, the club was converted into a beautiful rustic chic hotel.

I truly fell in love with the feeling in the main building. The huge fireplace anchors the room and provides guests with a cozy place to sit in front of the fire and read, enjoy a cocktail or just be.

The beams in the ceiling are incredible and when you think of the word “cozy”, this space is it. Mr. Fix-It and I sat in the main lobby a lot. He read the newspaper cover-to-cover (since when does that happen when you have small kids?!) and I flipped through my fav magazines. We returned back to the lobby in the early evening for a few warm cocktails. Perfect.

Our room was awesome. We felt like it was our own little cottage. The décor is a rustic, log cabin that feels Canadian in every way, however it has all the luxurious amenities.

 

Before heading down for dinner, we set up our own little cheese plate in the room and cracked open the vino. Something to note, you can bring your own food and alcohol into your room. I would recommend you do this for mid-day snacks. There is a small store in the lobby to grab a bag of chips and water/pop, however it’s expensive. We headed into the town of Montebello and found a little cheese store that made the most delicious blue cheese. It was quickly added to our in-room cheese plate. Also, if you don't speak French, I recommend you bring your own reading material because you wont find many English magazines or books in town.

The activities. Fab. Again, if you love winter, this is your winter destination. They have snowshoeing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, dog sledding (yup, dogsledding!) tubing, ice skating, cross-country skiing & sleigh rides. Mr. Fix-It and I went snowshoeing into the forest (you can follow the trail or make your own) and it was super fun. Neither of us had been and it made a walk in the woods a fun adventure. Is it just me or does it look like my snowshoes are on the wrong feet?!

Of course, after all that fresh air, we needed the spa. Heaven on a plate. We opted for the couples massage (one hour, two massage tables in the room). Lovely.

The food. Are you a foodie? You can choose from the main restaurant or the bistro. We had dinner at both. The bistro is more like pub food, with a band…goodtimes. The food in the restaurant is outstanding! Melt in your mouth delish…go for the three course option.

You know how I only tell you about my fav products and places? Hands down, Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello is one of them. We were sitting in the spa and so relaxed, we called up the front lobby and booked ourselves in for another night!

If you are looking for a romantic getaway or a wonderful destination for your family, then consider Fairmont Le ChateauMontebello. I promise you, you’ll love it. Love it! They even have a supervised movie room for the kids to watch a movie in the evenings (on weekends)…and mum and dad can then have a quiet dinner in the restaurant. Win-Win!

They have a few promotions going on right now. The resort is turning 85 this year so click here and you can see their promotion package. Also, it’s a great place to go for Easter! They have lots of activities for the kids to do including a Golden Egg hunt. Adorable. The resort is open all year round so a great opportunity to visit in the warm weather also. A whole new feel!

I know we will definitely be returning to the magical fresh.fabulous.sophisticated Canadian gem and I hope you get there too!

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram - KEEPITBEAUTIFULDESIGNS and on Twitter- @keepitbeautifu1 for more photos of the fab resort. Also, here is a video that I made about the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello.

 

Keep it Beautiful.

 

*I received special perks (complimentary night& breakfast) from the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello. However, my words to you are all mine and from my heart. I truly loved everything about this fabulous resort and recommend it to all of you!

Staying Warm: Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello + Stew + Stiga Snow Kick Contest Winner!

Hey guys!            

People it is COLD outside! On the weekend, we headed to the cottage for a quick overnight and a cold quick run from the cottage to the hot tub. My dad carried the babies in a blanket right to the hot tub so they would stay warm. This is my mum, the kids and I donning our toques and watching the ice huts and fisherman brave the cold on the lake while we stayed toasty warm!

How are you staying warm? If you’re looking for a delicious stew recipe, I’ve got one here. I just made it again last week. It’s delish! Stick to your ribs, warm and scrumptious.

As you know, I’ve also been super sick this for the past 6 weeks. Yup, 6 weeks! Brutal. I’m most definitely feeling better than I did and now I’m in defense mode and want to keep the sickies at bay or maybe one of you can pack me in their suitcase for the hot sunny South?! Alas, my Aunt Mary swears by diluting apple cider with a bit of water, honey, cinnamon and lemon. Mix it up, gargle with it and then drink it if you can. Might not taste all that great but it just may do the trick!

Call it hocus pocus if you want, but I’ll do anything to stay healthy for the rest of the winter!

Another way we're staying warm is by heading to the Fairmont Chateau Montebello tomorrow.

Yup, Mr. Fix-It and I are going for an overnight getaway to the beautiful historical resort. I’ll be sharing all the details about the resort here next week but it sounds oh so fab! It sounds like a wonderful getaway for couples or a great destination to bring your family! Awesome. You can check it all out here on their site.

And, if you love the cold then I hope you entered into the Stiga Snow Kick contest because it’s closed and here is the winner….

Elizabeth Matos!!

Congratulations! Fun sled! Thanks MasterMind Toys!

Alright friends. Peace out. Off to get some serious R&R and hang out with my hubby while Nana & Poppa thankfully are hanging out with our kiddies.

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram-KEEPITBEAUTIFULDESIGNS and Twitter-@keepitbeautifu1

Keep it Beautiful.

Prince Edward County is Good for the Soul! A Girls' Getaway!

Hi friends!

Hope you had a great weekend! Last weekend's weather was so gorgeous in Ottawa that it's hard to believe it's October 1st today! I feel like it's practically Thanksgiving tomorrow and Christmas...dare I say, is around the corner! Gulp.

Although the temperature felt like summer, I spent last weekend touring around Prince Edward County's gorgeous fall leaves. Two of my girlfriends and I set out for a care-free, no plans, no kids weekend. All we knew is that we wanted to experience the food, the wine and the hospitality that Prince Edward County prides itself on.

If you're looking for a great place to getaway for the weekend, you should head into the rolling roads and wineries. We shopped in the cutest shops in Bloomfields....

 

 I loved these antique clocks and how cool are those giant numbers painted on those doors?

We visited about ten wineries. Doesn't that sound so great? They're all very different and each one with it's own charm. You can sample all their wines and learn about the winemaking process. We tried them all, I mean our fair share ;) and had delicious food throughout the weekend.

 If you're into antiques, this is another great reason to visit this area.

 

It really was a magical weekend for us. If you love food, wine, cute shops, winding roads of beauty and no schedule then you need to head to Prince Edward County...fresh.fabulous.sophisticated.

It's amazing what this little fruit can do for three friends :)

Keep it Beautiful.

**Prince Edward County has no connection to this post. All the words are mine, I just wanted to share the love with you for such a gorgeous and fun place**





Here Comes the Sun!

Hey everyone!

I'll be taking a bit of a break to head down to sunny Mexico with my kiddies and Mr. Fix-It. We're really excited to get away! I'm pumped for the sun, the delicious food, the mucho drinks and to be together. I hope you have a fantastic week my friends!

xo

BRING ON THE SUN!

Keep it Beautiful.

Get Your Pack On!

Happy Friday everyone!

It's been a busy week in our household trying to get our kiddies healthy and rid of the flu, but one of the things I've started to do is pack for our trip to Dominican next week. Do you write down lists of everything you need to do? Or are the lists stored in your head? I'm a write 'em down kind of girl. I definitely got it from my mum. Since I've been little she's always had a few running lists going on post-it-notes stuck to the kitchen counter.

I find writing them down keeps me in check and organized, otherwise I will definitely forget something (especially at 8 months pregnant...the baby has stolen my brain).

Are you planning on going on vacation soon? If you're looking for packing lists, just google them...there are tons online (although I often find they include the most random things). Here are a few tips and tricks that I thought I would share with you that help me when travelling to a hot destination with kiddies.

BE ORGANIZED!
Most families I know, the mama does the packing. This is no different in our family. I pack us all up and Mr. Fix-it packs the car (it's his responsiblity to figure out how to play Tetris with our luggage).

I find, the more often you pack, the better and more efficient you get at it. We packed the car so many times last summer with trips here and there that I'm sure I could pack us all up and in the car in an hour by the end of the summer. It makes you realize that you really don't need as much stuff as you think!

TALK TO YOUR KIDS!
Get those kiddies amped up for your vacation! Last year when we were heading to the sunny South we had to wake up around 4am to get to the airport. Normally if I woke up our big guy at that time he would be a bear. However, he was so excited to go to the beach that it didn't matter what time it was, he was ready! Hopefully this tactic will work again this time.

Talk to them about what they want to bring on the trip so that you don't pack the wrong thing or forget something that they just assumed you would bring. For example, I was going to pack our big guy's Trunki (see pic) to stash his stuff for the airplane. (On a side note, I love this little case. Its sturdy and they can ride on it through the airport!).

However, he quickly reminded me that he didn't want to bring his Trunki this time, he wanted to bring his Thomas the Train suitcase. He looked at me like I had two heads, like of course I would know that. Okay...now I know. Glad we had this discussion.

PACK FOR THE PLANE!
In a dream world, your kids will sleep through the whole plane ride. In reality world, prepare for them to get bored and want to walk the aisles. You might want to pack a few fun things for them to do. Check out my post Oh the Places We'll Go for ideas on what kind of activities to pack for your kids.

DON'T FORGET THE LOVEY!
If you don't remember anything, just don't forget the lovely or pacifier!! In our house it's called the "binkie" and God help me if I forget them. I'll have a sticky note on the door before we leave..."Did you bring the binkie"???

SHOP EARLY!
If you know that you're going to be hitting the beach in December or January, try to pick up summer clothes at the end of the summer prior. You'll get great deals, but most importantly trying to find summer clothes in December and January is tough! I know I've had that challenge this year. The stores are just starting to get their Spring/Summer lines in now, so the selection is limited. If you are going in the next little while, I found that Children's Place and Gap has the biggest selection of kids summer stuff.

DON'T BRING YOUR WHOLE CLOSET!
The beauty of packing for a hot vacation is that your clothes are light and take up much less space then packing for a ski vacation where you need mucho sweaters and gear. Remember, when your spending a week or two at the beach, you're likely going to be in your bathing suit all day and really just need clothes for dinner and going on any excursions off the resort.

A tip that I found works really well when packing for everyone, including myself, is I pack outfits rather than just a bunch of random pieces. So if we're there for 7 days, I pack 7 different outfits and an extra one just in case. For the kids, I'll probably pack an extra few outfits bc Lord knows our little guy can't get through any meal or snack without having his meal all over him ;)

And don't forget to pack (or remind your guys to pack), a couple pairs of pants. Often, restaurants on resorts require men to wear full pants in the evenings.

Also, do you really need your giant stroller? Likely not. The travel strollers have come a long way since these flimsy babies...

Even when our little guy was only 3 months, we brought down our travel stroller and it worked like a dream, held all our beach gear and didn't take up much space.

Do you need a crib for your room? Don't forget to bring a crib sheet, sometimes they will provide one but sometimes not.

PACK A BATHING SUIT IN YOUR CARRY-ON!
Often times when you arrive at the resort your room isn't ready (especially if you have taken an early flight). If you have a bathing suit for each person in your carry-on or beach bag then it's easy to change into when you arrive at the resort and hit the beach!! Otherwise you'll have to open up your nicely packed suitcase in the lobby of the hotel and look through everything.

IRON and UNPACK!
If you are going to a resort, you're likely there for a week or longer. Unpack! Make the space your own and you'll feel organized. Sometimes I iron my clothes before I pack them. Once we arrive at the hotel, any wrinkles that have happened en-route usually just flatten out when you hang them up with the humidity.

WASH IT ALL WHEN YOU RETURN!
You might as well just park your suitcases next to the washing machine when you get home. I find that with the humidity in the air down in the resorts, that everything usually needs a good wash.

Those are a few tips and tricks to help you stay organized and sane when heading to a warm destination. Do you have any to share?

We're very excited to feel that hot sun! See you in February!!!

Keep it Beautiful.



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ROAD TRIP - Oh the Places We'll Go!

Happy Friday everyone!

Its vacation time for us and we're heading on a little road trip. Do you have family road trip memories? Did you love them? Or was sitting in the hot backseat with your sibling a setting for disaster?

I have very fond memories of the road trips I took with my family growing up. Even though we would be in the car for hours, my brother and I loved it. Dont get me wrong...there were many times that the imaginary boundary line was drawn down the middle of the backseat where my stuff was on one side and his on the other...but for the most part it was good times!

One of my favourite memories is making "forts" in the backseat with my brother out of our sweatshirts, pillows and blankets. Not sure how Dad saw out the back but I'm sure he didn't care...as long as we were relatively quiet and not screaming at each other.

One of the best parts of the trips was our surprise backpack. My mum would pack our backpacks with tons of new stuff "to do" in the car. We were allowed to open our packs when we got out of the city and on our way. Sooo...seeing how Mr. Fix-it and I will be bringing our kids in tow for hours in the car - a backpack of fun "to do" stuff is in order.

Nana just bought our big guy this new backpack for school so we're using it a bit early. So cute eh?

If you are looking for a road trip sanity saviour...here are some ideas from what I've created for my big guy:

1. Keep Things Organized

You dont want little pieces, random craft items and crayons all over the car. I bought a binder to hold a notebook for colouring as well to hold a pencil case full of crayons and markers. I also bought a tray for the carseat that will allow my big guy a hard surface to colour on and eat his snacks. I haven't tried it out yet, so hopefully it will strap on okay.

2. Keep Them Entertained

Oh the portable DVD player...a lifesaver! These little gizmos are fab for long car trips. You can also attach headphones to them if you have multiple children watching different DVDs. Our DVD player just attaches to the headrest and voila...an hour and a half of movie entertainment and no "are we there yet"?.

While I'm a huge fan of the DVD, I would get the mommy guilt if my big guy watched it the whole trip. So I've packed books, colouring books, crafts etc to keep my big guy busy along the way:

I also made "I SPY" games and printed them out. I just created a few pages of clip art for my big guy to look for on the road (ie: cows, barn, stop sign, red car, truck etc). Super easy and my big guy will love it.

You can also go on this website for printable roadtrip games...http://www.momsminivan.com/

3. Snacks and Treats

Who doesn't get the munchies in the car? Its a good idea to have yummy snacks for everyone in the car. Hungry kids = cranky kids! Obviously its good to have healthy snacks but I can't help it if a few chocolate bars and chippies also happen to jump in our bag!

4. Surprises!

My big guy loves the Dollarstore. Who doesn't love the Dollarstore? I picked up a few cute toys or little things that I thought my big guy would like (ie: dinkie cars, playdough, silly putty, slime, trucks, Pez (I used to love Pez) etc) and wrapped them up. Throughout our roadtrip I'll give him one to open.

All wrapped up...hopefully he wont notice that some of them are wrapped in birthday paper ;)

I suggest organizing your road trip items and snacks in plastic ziplock baggies. That way they are organized and you can see what and where everything is.

That's it. Hope this gives you some ideas for your next roadtrip with little ones. As long as you have a few things to keep them busy, your roadtrip will be fresh.fabulous.sophisticated.

Its hard to make a "roadtrip backpack" for my little babe but I'm hoping he takes long naps in the car and is entertained by his brother in the backseat ;)

I'll be away for a couple of weeks but will be thinking up lots of blog ideas on our vacation and hopefully bring back some inspirational design ideas.

Until then,

Keep it Beautiful.



Twitter: keepitbeautifu1

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