Since we bought our place furnished -and brought quite a lot of additional furniture along anyway - I must use my blog to ooh and ahh over these pieces since it will be a few decades before we actually buy any.

This Mado bed by Koji Collection is a modern take on the old European-style enclosed beds:

It’s beautiful. I wonder if it comes in toddler size? If so, two please!

And this piece – also by Koji Collection - is supposed to be a pet bed, but wouldn’t it make a most excellent fort for the boys?

I see Jonah spending a few hours each day shimmying in and out of the holes.

And I’ve always loved the idea of bookshelves lining a staircase, but Apartment Therapy put a new twist on the idea of storing books in unused space:

Alas, we do not have a staircase.

Alas, we do not have rafters.

But we do have a heck of a lot of books.

I first stumbled upon D’Andrea’s blog “Monsters In My Kitchen” because she also has two year-old twins. I keep returning because she posts an entertaining mix of delicious looking/tasting recipes, toddler activities, as well as photos of the monsters lurking about her kitchen:

D’Andrea also has an Etsy shop named Pupa where you can browse her cuddly natural doll creations – perfect for babies and toddlers - such as June and George below. (She can custom design a doll to match a child as well!)

And look at these little walnut people:

Miraculously (did I mention she has a three year-old in addition to the twins), she also manages to create cool wallpaper out of maps. I think I’ll fly her in from Toronto to do our bathroom as well. And I’ll offer her soooo much money that her husband won’t balk at watching the kids for a weekend.

On second thought, I’m not sure if I have sufficient funds. Because if it were my husband it would be a least $50K.

Jonathan gave me a phone with an MP3 player last year so I can use it while I exercise. The last time I downloaded MP3s was in 2000 so here’s what I have been listening to for the past six months…

Warming up with a selection of songs by Sarah Mclachlan:

“When She Loved Me”  (a terribly mournful way to start out, I know)

"Prayer of St. Francis" 

"Do What You Have To Do" 

"Drawn to the Rhythm" 

"Sweet Surrender"

Picking up the pace with:

"Lady Marmelade” by All Saints

“Get The Part Started” by Pink

“Because We Can” by Fatboy Slim (from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack)

“Hero” by Enrique Iglesias (techno remix which makes the lyrics seem even more ridiculous, if that is possible)

“Omnibus” by Laut Sprecher (which is also my ringtone)

Moving on to:

Rent soundtrack (I’ve never seen the play – and I just found out a movie version came out in 2005 so I must see it!)

Then cooling down with some random middle eastern music:

“Sebe Allah” by Alpha Blondy

“Mast Qalader” by Nusrat Fateh/Ali Khan

“Taboo” by Peter Gabriel/Nusrat Fateh/Ali Khan

As you can see, I have nothing at all from the past eight years.  But I just found MixWit, a site where you can create your own mix tape from their database of songs. Plus you can browse/search through other people’s mix tapes to discover new music. Then you can widgetize the tape for your blog.

So.... any recommendations to help me put together an exercise soundtrack? I can create a tape of songs to try out, then download the ones I like from Amazon.