Last Day of August

I haven't mentioned it in awhile, but I'm still on track with my 'daily documenting'. Can you believe it? Tomorrow will be the start of the 9th month of the year, and I have captured bits and pieces of the 8 months before that. It has been a big commitment, and I'll be honest, some times I look at my camera and I think... "you're despicable".

I have changed the format up a lot, so it's actually kind of fun to go back and look through the album. The pages aren't all exactly the same layout or size. Just like that, a year of our life. Crazy.

Today we're headed out to get Madelyn a pair of indoor shoes to wear to school. I'm also thinking well in advance this year, and I'm on the look-out for snow suits (jackets and pants) and winter boots. One doesn't normally think about these things THIS far in advance, but the furnace has been on for the past 4-5 days, and it's COLD in the morning. My thought is, perhaps if I 'get prepared for the snow and cold' maybe it won't arrive until January. I know, I know, it's wishful thinking. But I'm always the optimist.

I also have to clean some windows today. Check this out...

We have today and tomorrow before school starts. Yikes. Today we ran errands, tried on a few things, so we wouldn't have any surprises on Thursday morning. Below are the shoes Mad picked out, I'm pretty sure the flowers on the bottom of the shoe are what 'sealed the deal' for her. Sending a boy to school with a pair of indoor shoes was easy, runners. But a girl. What a head-ache. What is she going to wear on any given day? A dress? A skirt? Capri pants? Jeans? Skinny jeans? With a boy it's simple. Jeans or cargo pants, both go well with runners. Easy-peasy.

One more day home together. I think we're all about ready to have some of our own space back. [Or perhaps I'm just speaking for myself] There have been far too many squabbles the last few days. And to be honest, I'm extremely tired of their angelic little voices right now. At my wits end... Serenity now...

Taking Stock of What we Did

Eeeks. Has it really been two months already? It has. In fact, 9 weeks ago today Mason finished his last day of Grade 2. We had a very productive summer, I don't want to say good, because weather-wise it has been the worst one I can remember. [For goodness sakes, let's NOT get me started on the weather again...] I'm still waiting for summer to come, but judging by the fact that some of the leaves on the trees are beginning to change, I'd say that's just simply not gonna happen.

We spent a couple of weeks in the sunny Okanogan, and thank goodness the weather out there was decent. We completed nearly everything on Mason's summer "things to do list". We altered a few things, he thought it would be awesome to read in a hammock, which I totally agree with, however, we don't have a hammock. So we had to make do with reading in the tree house. [Which is actually NOT in a tree, or a house, but what we call the covered area of our outdoor play set.] Here is Mason's list:


-We didn't get around to making dioramas [though we still officially have 5 days before they [that's right, that was they, plural, as in, more than one ;-)] head back to school.
- We didn't get to Banff for the day. I'm afraid that one isn't going to happen in the next 5 days.

We did other stuff too, that was not on our list. We got to an outdoor waterslide in Salmon Arm (I'm sure they haven't made a change to it since I was a kid, but it sure made me feel like a kid again!) We managed to get to Let's Play for some indoor fun. The kids both had one week summer camps they loved. They also were a part of the City of Calgary's Stay 'n Play & Park 'n Play week-long programs, that ended up being more fun than I'd anticipated. We went boating to Little Bow Provincial Park for the day. We went to Calaway Park. We participated in Outdoor Swim Lessons. We went to Story Time at the library, we actually visited the library on a weekly basis throughout most of summer. We went to the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller. They got to have mid-week sleep-overs. And, we had movie night a couple of times.

I'd say this summer was a two-thumbs up.

Today, we got into the back to school spirit by taking Mason for a haircut. He seems to be struggling to keep his eyes open with the flash right now. Believe it or not, these were the best pictures out of all the ones I took [because he kept closing his eyes]. He HATES the faux-hawk, and I love it. He ONLY let's the hairdresser put gel in his hair, never his Mummy. So he's ready to head back to grade 3, with his hair cut, and his teeth growing in.


This weekend we're headed to Medicine Hat to visit a friend. Looking forward to one of the last adventures of the summer of 2010.

Full Moon Walk, well, ALMOST a Full Moon...

Tonight we went for our Full Moon Walk. Last night, was actually the full moon, but the kids had a sleep-over at Auntie Pat's, and I was at Clothing Club. [Yip-yip]. We didn't do it Monday night, as we'd been at the Drumheller Museum all day. I just didn't think the kids would be up for it. So, we did it tonight instead. The nice thing about doing it the day before or the day after the ACTUAL full moon, is you can't tell it's NOT a full moon. [That is to say, the 'common' people can't tell it's NOT a full moon]. It's a terrific grace period for kids that don't know any better.

So tonight, we went on our full moon walk. Barry wasn't able to join us tonight, he was 'haying' with Uncle Don. Which meant, he was doing very hard labor somewhere an hour north of the city.

The kids and I decided to invite some guests along. We had my Mum and Dad join us. [more commonly known for the past 7+ years as Ama & Baba] We hiked/climbed up Nose Hill again, it's funny, because this time we were in yet a different spot of Nose Hill. I'm glad that for the last 3 months I've been up there at least once per month. This place is a true gem people. Every time I go up there, I can't believe I don't spend more time there. And each time I vow I will. I guess once a month is better than once every 27 years though, right?

The night was BEAUTIFUL. So lucky. The mosquito's didn't bother us right until the end. The golden sun made wonderful picture taking opportunities, and the fact that the sky was smoke-free was a definite bonus. [The BC forest fires have certainly made themselves known, even in Calgary] We found the 'pond' the kids talked about. We skipped rocks, and went on an adventure through the bush. Finally, we saw our full moon. Lovely. I've noticed though, that for the last 3 months, the moon has moved further north on the horizon each time... Uggggg. A sign that the earth is moving further away from the sun I'm sure. A sign that things will get colder... A sign of winter. Eeeeeks. Here are a few pictures from tonight.


Ama & Baba, thanks for joining us! [Madelyn got blisters on her poor little feet from shoes that were too tight, so Baba came to the rescue and carried her] Thanks for coming to the rescue and thanks for the great night!

For Today - 20 on the 20th of August 2010

Outside my window... It's chilly again. I think the warmest it got to today was 14°. And there was a chilly wind, but thank goodness, because it was so darn smoggy from all the forest fires in BC, that if there hadn't been a wind, we would have had to stay indoors today!

I am thinking... We have indeed crossed off most of the summer 'things to do' on our list. I'm pretty pleased about that.

I am thankful for... pictures and memories and scrapbooking.

I am wearing... jeans, a t-shirt and a zipped up hoodie.I have my croc slippers on, but my feet are still freezing.

I am remembering... I have to cut out a letter on my Cricuit, to complete the baby album I did for a friend.

I am going... to get up first thing in the morning and go for a walk with a friend.

I am currently reading... The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan. I just started it this evening, and so far I'm hooked.

I am hoping... That we'll at least have a decent fall, since spring and summer this year have totally SUCKED.

On my mind... How I can be more prepared with meal plans and make sure to have nutritious healthy lunches and snacks for Mason starting Grade 3. [Making lunches will start up again in less than 2 weeks] Yikes!

Noticing that... There are already leaves on some of the trees changing color... It's just makes me sigh deeply, and sadly.

Pondering these words... You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands. [Isaiah 55:12]

From the kitchen...Tonight we made a quick call to Pizza Hut... Or rather Barry did. I'm afraid I was in a bit of snit when he arrived home at nearly 7 pm.

Around the house... Always something to do. The kids rooms need a good going through, so I'm going to wait until they're both at school. Then things can disappear, and I don't have to worry about being 'caught in the act'. [And don't worry, when I say make things disappear, I mean the crap stuff like McDonald's Toys or dollar store finds...] I'm trying EXTREMELY hard to NOT buy crap stuff, just to buy crap stuff. Now, having said that, I have a cute idea for a little "Hurray - You're going back to school" goodie. You see, clearly I'm part of the problem here.

One of my favorite things: Reading. I've just really enjoyed reading again this summer.

From my picture journal...

This clan went to Calaway Park today. This was a quick pit-stop to sample a new product out by Dairlyland, Cool-Ones Yogurt. My kids gave it a 2 thumbs up!

Finally, it's Summer!

We had summer today. Seriously. The thermometer in my car said that it was 31°. Holy Cow. This is one of the warmest days of the year, so far... Need I remind anyone that we're more than halfway through August.

We've been in swim lessons all week. Outdoor swim lessons to be more specific. Monday was very pleasant. And by pleasant, I mean, I was quite comfortable in my shorts and tank top. Tuesday, not so much. And by not so much, I mean it was cold. However, my dear Mum took the kids swimming on Tuesday, so I dodged a bullet there. [Thanks again Mum!] Today... Well, today was kind of weird. It started off cool at the pool, though it was sunny without a cloud in the sky. I was thankful for my capris and a zipped up hoodie. However, by the time lessons were over, it had warmed up considerably. By the time we got home, it was even warmer. [There's a trend here] So after lunch we packed up and headed to an outdoor water park. By the time we got there, it was HOT. I have to say, we enjoyed summer ever so much!

These two were having so much fun today! I'm so glad they have each other.

More pretending...

"Mummy, check out my new friend".

This guy is SUCH a card these days. His sense of humor is really beginning to develop. Sometimes I'm on board with it, sometimes not so much. [Unfortunately for him, his 'humor' sometimes comes across as 'sass' and doesn't go over too well] We're working on it though. We set this photo up, you see, he's pretending to run, in front of the no running sign. Hee,hee,hee, we so funny!

Then little Monkey-Do had to get involved. [As in Monkey-See Monkey-Do] But let's face it, it's still kind of funny!

I don't listen to the forecast too much anymore, it just never seems to match up. We just take each day as it comes. Today we lucked out with the water park!

We Walked with the Dinosaurs!

We took the kids to see Walk with the Dinosaurs last Thursday night. We didn't tell them we were going. We didn't tell them anything at all about it. We have kept it quiet since April, when we bought the tickets. It was a good show, and the best part about it, was the sudden interest both kids have taken in dinosaurs lately. It might have something to do with the interactive dino exhibit at the Calgary Zoo [only there until October 31st, don't forget] But the timing couldn't have been better. I think I mentioned that a couple of weeks ago, Mason got out a ton of dinosaur books from the library. 13 to be exact. He's got his nose in them, reading interesting facts... Of course he shares much of that info with us [and more] So we were tickled that as the date for Walk with the Dinosaurs got closer, he seemed to get more and more interested.

The night before we went, the show opened up in Calgary, and there was a blurb on the news. Madelyn heard it and came running. She gasped, covered her mouth and said "People are WALKING WITH DINOSAURS?" She asked then and there, "Can we go?" We didn't lead on that we were going.

In fact, we finally got to the Saddledome the next day, and they STILL didn't know what we were doing. Once we got inside, and found our seats, they realized what we were there to see, and they were both beyond thrilled. They kept thanking us and telling us it was "The BEST day of my life". It's so very rewarding to do something like this, and KNOW that they really appreciated it.

Here are a few pics. We weren't allowed to use a flash [not that it would have helped any way]. The pictures aren't great, but they're still a memory of what we got to see. It did seem like the dinosaurs were really there in front of you. A combination of mechanical robots and people in costumes. It was very well done.

It was a bit on the pricey side, but if you have a budding young paleontologist, or dinosaur lover, you won't be disappointed.

10 on the 10th - August 2010

1. We're still semi waiting for summer to come. Yesterday we were outside and it was HOT in shorts and tee's. Today, the weather is totally opposite. It's chilly, actually border-lining cold. Today was day 2 of the Park 'n Play program that was offered in our community. The kids are having a great time. They were both thrilled because today was Jammie Day... Only in Calgary do you wear a pair of 'summer jammies' [shorts and tee's] then change to winter jammies [long sleeves and flannel] by 10:45 am. Layers... Anyone who is a native Calgarian knows it's ALL ABOUT the LAYERS.



2. Every time the sky gets full of big grey clouds, I start to feel a little bit nervous these days. We've had too many severe storm warnings in effect for our city this year.

3. This is the summer of book reading for me... And I love it. And I've missed it. I don't even feel like I'm neglecting my kids too much! I used to read and love to read so much. Now that the kids are getting older, I've been able to pick it up more again.

4. I'm also LOVING the late nights, and sleep-in mornings. I can't believe that I have slightly more than three weeks left. Then school starts up and I'll have to get to bed at a decent time [so that I can wake up in the morning, and be pleasant to my family...] That usually means I need 8 hours of sleep. [Hard to believe that for the 14+ years I worked, that I made it on approximately 6 hours of sleep a night] The kids won't be the ONLY one's disappointed when school starts.

5. Speaking of the days I used to work... On Friday I took the kids on an adventure. We took the bus downtown. It was kind of a humid overcast day. We had a great time. I can't believe I haven't worked for 5 years now. I felt a little bit nostalgic being downtown. I miss the hustle and the bustle... I miss the coffee's and lunches with colleagues and friends. I miss having my OWN OFFICE. I miss Friday donuts and after work drinks... Hmmmm, let me just put this out there, I miss the socializing part of working, but not really the work part...


6. Lately Madelyn has wanted to "do my hair" for me. And, because I LOVE when someone brushes [or yanks on] my hair, I'm always up for it. This is typically what one of her masterpieces look like after she's done. [This is only the front...] Then I have to leave it in for awhile, so she doesn't get hurt feelings.


7. We have a surprise in store for the kids. We are taking them this week to see "Walk with the Dinosaurs". It was recommended to me by a friend, who said it was worth every penny. And after buying 4 tickets, it darn well better be... The last month or so around our house has been extremely dinosaur oriented. And it's just all kind of fallen into place. This is one of the many scenes around our house lately...

And these books were picked out by Mason on our last trip to the library. All on his own accord. He's been reading all about the dinosaurs and researching them all on his own. I can't wait to see their reaction when we arrive at the Saddledome on Thursday night. I hope it's as good as they say!
8. I was insistent on purchasing park passes this year, and I haven't even made it to 'said' park yet. I know I only have to go ONE TIME to make it worth the investment... But the flip-side to that is, if I didn't purchase the passes in the first place, I wouldn't feel obligated to go... And we're having fun doing lots of other stuff! I'll try to keep this in mind next year, when I'm suddenly in a panic to pick up park passes.

9. I think the kids are eating better. And by better, I kind of mean more. Or, one might say the kids are actually eating... I've been waiting for a long time for them to be excited about food that's being served to them. We just might be onto something here. I hope it keeps up.

10. Love, love, LOVE all the fresh produce and fruit that is available to us right now. And I'm so glad that our family loves fruit and veggies. What I hate about all the fresh fruit is the fruit flies. My goodness, they are beastly little things. But it seems like they go hand in hand. Even Dora can't seem to attract them fast enough. And yes, Dora, is Madelyn's Venus Fly Trap... The one she asked Santa for last Christmas. And yes, we've kept her alive all this time...

Nearly Done

After my last post, the guilt riddled me, and I got to work on my baby album. I'm about 80% complete. And baby is only going to be 4 weeks old this coming week. It's all good.

And because I got the album completed to the point where I ran out of paper, I worked on a couple of my own things. Being summer, it's great. It's meant some late nights scrap booking and not having to get up super early in the morning. We have a month left before school starts, and I'm loving it!

I Committed to Something...

And now I feel totally under the gun.

A friend of mine had a baby, and I got those first baby pictures, you know the ones, we've all seen them. Those brand new itsy-bitsy swollen little faces looking towards the camera, the flashes going off, and they must be thinking "what is THIS all about? And why am I so cold? And why is it SO bright and loud?"

So I got those first few pictures, of that itsy-bitsy sweet little baby [and yes, my ovaries might have twitched slightly] And I found myself blurting out, "I'll make you a babies first year scrapbook". And she said, "I'd LOVE that...I don't have anything like that yet"

So now, itsy-bitsy baby is 3 weeks old, and I have yet to begin her scrapbook. And EVERY time I come down to my computer or into my scrapbook room, I KNOW I have to get it done! So I feel guilty... Because I want to work on some of my own things, but I know I have to get this done, and I have to get it done quickly! [After all, I want it to stay as current as possible for this brand new Mum] I know once I start, it won't take long... So why don't I just get started already? Yes. I must get it started already...

One Month Down, One to Go

I shouldn't be surprised that it's already August... Life somehow seems to move in fast forward. I don't know if it's because I'm getting older... I prefer to think that's NOT the reason. It seems for the most part, my friends all agree with me, that yes indeed, life does go by at a rather alarming rate.

So here we are, into August... The days already are growing noticeably shorter. The kids are well into their summer routines. The fighting most days is kept to a minimum. We've conquered a little less than half the things on our "What to do this Summer" list. Of course, we were away for 2 wks in July. The weather hasn't been awesome. There have only been a handful of run through the sprinkler days. The last few days have been rainy and a bit chilly. I hope the rest of the month will pull through, and we'll have some decent days. We've had freaky storms. We've had warnings and watches put in place for our area. [And I do indeed have my emergency stash ready] Let's hope we never need to depend on it. But I do like to be cautious. And I HATE to be interrupted with the emergency broadcast warning in effect, as it was on Friday...

The forecast for the weekend, was rain. But we woke up Saturday morning to bright blue skies and the sun. We headed to Little Bow Provincial Park for the day. We're so glad we did. Although it wasn't hot, it was just fine. I think the temperature topped at about 22°, but we tubed, and boated, and snacked. We had a picnic lunch, a BBQ supper, and got out of there, just as the thunderheads made their way towards us. [Surprise, surprise, but if there wasn't a severe storm warning issued for the Vulcan area] We learned that upon our arrival home that night.

Here are a few pictures from the day at Little Bow.