Star of the Show

Since school started I have been spending a lot of one on one time with this guy. I still wonder how it happened that I have only one kid at home during the day now - can't believe I'm that mom. Getting over that fact, we are having a great time. After taking two others to preschool for two years I decided to try something different. Connor and I do things together instead of a daily scheduled preschool. He loves his trampoline class, the play class while I do aerobics, loves his un-parented class at the Rec. Centre where he gets to swim and loves going and doing. However, he does not like to come home. When he notices we are heading for home, he'll tell me from the back seat that I'm going the wrong way and turn around! Everyday he asks me where we are going. A few times he has even suggested we go to the mall so he can ride in a stroller and eat popcorn. He has been spoiled. Has gotten toys at the grocery store, a zoo pass, playdates, and numerous lunches spent not at home. I"m really enjoying our time and the house stays much cleaner when we are gone for the day. He has even made friends with the workers who are finishing our basement and asked if Steve could come to his birthday party. Honestly, I think Steve has had it with his shadow. But, I'm paying good money for a basement development, might as well get the most bang from my buck. His antics are much more charming now that he's flying solo at home. (minus his new habit of peeing in garbage cans and the unfinished part of the basement floor. Why would he do that?) But still, I'll have to agree with my girls when they say one day that Connor is spoiled. Yes he is - but what's a mom to do?

First Day - First Blood.

I'ts Back to school again here in Canada after our pathetically short summer. But, the girls put on a brave face for their first day of school. Chelsea is now in the first grade and goes all day, every day. I'm thinking it will be an adjustment for her and I expect she will be exhausted for the first little while. She was awake this morning at 5 am - ready to go for the day... excitement got the best of her. And then bit her in the butt later in the day. Keep reading.

Cala is in Grade 4 and got the exact teacher she wanted and even got her best friend in her class. It was a good day for Cala and she is ready to hit the books again.


Here's where things got messy. I got a phone call shortly after lunch. There was the first mishap of the school year. Chelsea accidentally got kicked in the face on the playground. Her glasses smashed into her face and cut her eye. She was very upset about it and I had to go to the school to calm her down/insist that she stayed for the rest of the day. She told me she just wanted to cuddle with me in bed and that maybe she wouldn't even go tomorrow if it still hurt. It was the 5 am wake up call talking and her disappointment of not getting her friends in her class. But she got the GREATEST teacher so she'll have to make new friends and she will. I'm guessing that will be easier to do once she is no longer sleep deprived.
I was very proud of her for sticking it out even though she didn't want to. I know that even though the day was disappointing for her - she'll rise to the occasion and make new friends. I wish it could have gone better for her but, she learned something today and it wasn't easy. Here's hoping day #2 is better.

No Kidding

This morning as I lifted my blinds, I noticed a bird on the deck. I looked closer. He had a rough night. It flew into the glass railing on our deck. The impact decapitated him and I now have dead bird from one end of the deck to the other. I was telling Cala about it and Connor was standing right there. After hearing about the fate of the bird he said, "Did you beat it?"

Pictures from Erika

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O What do you do in the Summertime?

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I love going to Heritage Park and if you come to Calgary, I'll make you go. It's a historical village and a very fun day. Notice the sweatshirts. It really is July here - just not going so well weather wise. We hit the rides, the old time school, planted a few seeds, ate at the bakery, saw farm animals and went home. Just before we pulled into the drive way one of the kids said, "What else are we going to do today? Now what mom?"

Here's a list of everything we have done in the last week - match that up with about 10 times someone saying, "Now what are going to do?" 1. went strawberry picking. 2. swam at the lake 3. went to the library 4. had 3 playdates. 5. bike rides 6. mother daughter run 7. took each kid for a shopping day 8. went to the lake again 9. sleepover with cousin 10. Cala visited the horses 11. Heritage Park 12. back to the beach. What else is there. How about stay home?

Viva Victoria

Long Live the Queen. This is one of my favourite (note Canadian spelling) places to visit in Canada. Victoria is a little slice of England in North America. Victorians say they are more English than the English. We decided to take the kids to the Island and visit Ben and Janell. (off the coast of Vancouver - for all the confused Americans) We had a fantastic time! Whale watching, beach walking, shopping and eating at some seriously great restaurants is how we spent our 5 days of fun. Here's my favourite food find: cream cheese syrup. Mix part melted cream cheese with maple syrup and pour, dip or just drink it straight up. Life changing.


The Gehmlichs' are the best of friends and the kids love them just as much as we do. Plus, doesn't everyone have at least one friend that looks like a super model? Mine's Janell.

The long and short of it

Here is our latest family picture. We had grandparents on all sides harassing us for a new one. (I don't know why, we didn't add a new kid or anything) Cala and Chelsea have both been asking me for short hair. We got a little carried away and Chelsea's ended up being a million times shorter than we discussed. I had to cut it shorter. I hate it when they make the front shorter than the back. Anyway, it's just hair and no matter how long or short it is - we have beautiful girls. I LOVE Cala with short hair - she looks very Ralph Lauern Polo. And Chelsea is enamored with her bangs. Incidentally, Connor is the one who really needed a haircut but he refused... and still took a sucker.