Happy Mothers Day week! Yup...I think it should be a week long. =)
Here are some things that we got up to at sixtyone45 that didn't get blogged about.

1.  If you have never been to Lee Valley I highly recommend it. If you need a knob or a hook or a Flexzilla Pnewmatic Hose they have it. I scored some fun turtle and elephant knobs  for Little's coat rack in the mud room. And while the people working there are lovely, its an efficiency model from 1952.  The inventory is all kept in the back with one of everything in the front.

First, you look around the store. They have one of everything out for display.
Then, you pick up your own little clipboard, write down the item number of what you want.
Then, you go take a number.
Then, the person goes to the back to get your stuff and you make sure its what you want. If its not, they run back and forth as many times as you need. (like I said, they are lovely).
Not done yet...
THEN,  you go to another counter to pay for what you want.
RI. DIC. U. LOUS.

But like I said the people are lovely and their stuff can be pretty cute.

2.  I love that on Wednesday both my 16 month old all-things-wonderful son and my Alberta raised, country living, trout fishing, chicken hunting, pick-up driving dad shared sushi for lunch.

3. We visited the Swedes. Again.  Gotta hand it to them. Its a pretty joyful shopping experience with a toddler.  Added a crocodile to our bath tub.

4.  This was fun. And I may go so far as possibly, one of the next "things". The woman behind BentOnBetterLunches was my inspiration. Maybe I am behind the times and it already is, but I am new to the world of bento.  As a big fan of Japanese food, I have enjoyed the occasional bento or two but never really considered translating it to North American cuisine. I think this could actually be something fun for office catering...I'm going to tuck that idea away. During my banking days, I would have much preferred tapas style catering for meetings then trying to navigate half a dry, overstuffed turkey wrap.  Annnnyways....I took the egg holder that came with my fridge (side note - I am all for getting organized and doing it pretty-ily but I cannot see reason to remove eggs from a perfectly good cardboardy carton and put them in a plastic one) and while Little was sleeping I filled it with 12 small snacks. I figured, I would love to wake from a nap to 12 small snacks. It was fun and as evidenced below...

... he liked most of it. (contents: cantaloupe, cheese, mini pumpkin muffin with fig jam, cukes, yogurt raisins, puffs, cheddar bunnies, watermelon)

5.  Spent my 2nd Mother's Day in Victoria, BC with my Little's other grandparents. Had a beautiful dinner at the Italian Hall where in my late thirties I won the coveted youngest mother award. In addition to the YUMMY baking, cheese and homemade sauce we brought home, we also scored four tomato plants that last year, produced this type of harvest....

...I can't wait!

6.  There was a reason I had to google this.  NOT cool.

7.  I'm in!

8..  We are drinking a lot of smoothies around here these days. I think its a great way for all of us to get our daily greens and fruits. Then I came across this one and realized...hey, this is a great way for all of us to get our daily cheesecake.

Blueberry Cheesecake Smoothie (recipe and photos courtesy of Bianca Sasha)

2 cups frozen blueberries
3 tablespoons simple syrup or honey
3 tablespoons cream cheese
1/4 cup coconut or soy milk
vegan cookie or graham crackers for topping
1 tbsp fresh blueberries for garnish

Combine berries and honey or simple syrup, cream cheese and coconut milk in a blender; and pulse until smooth. Pour into serving glasses  and top with crushed cookies and fresh blueberries.

 Happy Long Weekend.