Slacker

That's exactly the word to describe me in regards to my blogging (or lack there of) lately. Summer is short here in Northern Alberta. We've been trying to soak up each moment of sunshine, bottle it and save for those long winter days of -40. Although those hot hot days are few and numbered, we've spent each one (so far) to the fullest.

Relaxing with friends in our little turtle pool. Yes, even I, a grown woman, an adult if you will, has laid out in this small, yet substantial pool. You would be surprised at what maximum capacity looks like for this poor, unassuming, turtle pool. The Husband and I have definitely not both cooled off while The Child napped by laying in the pool. I'm sure our neighbors wished they had their camera's handy that day!

Keeping cool in the pool with the ladies

So far this summer has been filled with visitors a plenty. Majority of which have been Grandparents, which really are the best kind. The Child enjoyed many adventures with Grandpa and early mornings with Grandma (helloooo sleeeep!). Something new and exciting rode (literally) into town last week. Granny (The M.I.L) & Pete on their Motorbikes! The Child was so excited beyond words when he discovered they were coming into town. He stared quietly out the window, waiting to hear the roar and rumble of the bikes as they pulled in. Motorbikes. Motorcycles. Its all we heard about for days.

What would be more exciting to a little boy than seeing a Motorbike?

Washing it!

Of course, The Child then had to get his bike in on the cleaning action.

And what's better than washing the bikes?

Sitting on them!

Tomorrow marks our maiden voyage of camping as a family. Ok. That's not entirely true. We have camped before as a family. When The Child was only a few months old we trekked cross-country (or at least it felt that way with a nursing babe... ever breastfeed in a moving vehicle while your child continues to obey the law and stay in their seat? You on the other hand need official acrobatic training to complete such a task. Or at least really large breasts. I have neither. Amazing what we do to 'save' time.) to Vancouver to camp with all my extended family. Even then we shared a tent trailer with my parents. Since then, we have been fortunate enough to have amazing neighbors, who have become even better friends, that conveniently own a trailer. That sleeps six. So when I say "Maiden Voyage", I mean, this is the first time as a family that we are officially "tenting" it. And when I say "tent", I mean "tent". I would like you to meet "The Mansion". Who needs a trailer that sleeps six, when you can have a tent that sleeps thirteen, can divide into four separate areas, and has 222sq ft of living space? Why would our small family of three require such a monstrosity? Because it was on sale for a ridiculous price and I'm a sucker for a good deal. Now our next challenge will be to see if our compact Jetta can fit the piles upon piles of camping gear that is waiting in my kitchen to be loaded. Pictures of the ridiculousness to come. As well as our Maiden Voyage in The Mansion.

I just may have popped into the neighbors yard to take a picture.. that's how big this thing is!

There is a whole other side to this beast that was unable to be captured by my small camera.

Wordless Wednesday

* The Child protesting the many hours spent at North America's largest Mall.

Not My Child Monday

The super genius and fabulous MckMama over at My Charming Kids has come up with a little twist on our classic NMM...

Not MY CHILD Monday

Its brazzilliant! One of my very first NMM's was a similar idea. You can read more about that here.

Somehow, somewhere, The Child has learned that a big belly means that there is a baby inside. (I know right now you are thinking... "Oh no... I remember when my little Jonny pointed to the 'extra healthy' woman at the grocery store, yelling loudly for all to hear... ". Thankfully, this isn't one of those moments. Although, I have a sickening feeling in my stomach that it will happen soon. I love that toddlers have absolutely no social filter.)

The other day we were lounging around the living room and The Child was drinking heaps and heaps of water, thanks to Grandmas super cool water bottle. Shortly after, I pointed to his belly (which was completely extended) and said:

"Child, look at how big your belly is! All that water is sloshing around!"

He of course, did not reply, "No, Mommy. There's a baby in there!"

"No, honey. Only Mommy's have babies in their tummies."

He did not walk up to me (I was laying on the couch), poke my boob and say,

"Look, Mommy has a baby in her nipple!!"

Nope, not my child!

Last week while the Grandparents were visiting we happened to trek downtown to take in the annual Capital Ex Parade (which is literally the most boring and underwhelming parade you will ever see. Not sure why kids enjoy it, as it was really just a bunch of politicians in cars. Whooo hooo. Maybe if they threw candy I would vote for them.)

The Child really did enjoy the whole spectacle, from the bag pipes, to the marching bands, to the cars and fire trucks. We did not see the effect of his enjoyment of said parade until the next day while driving in the van. He did not randomly start wailing at the top of his lungs, mimicking the sound of the old-fashioned fire truck horn. "Weeeeeehhoooooooooooohoohhhh."

He did not continue to repeat this wonderful noise over and over and over, until I vowed that that was the last parade he will ever see.

The Child is a very easy going kid. I am scared to have another as it most likely will not be as easy has he has been. His two's weren't so terrible, and so far his three's have been a blast. But one thing they don't warn you about is the attitude that comes with a three-year old. It is a really good look into the future when he is 13. I am beginning to prepare myself now.

Recently, The Child has gained a huge sense of independence along with the attitude. I find the combination quite hilarious on a daily basis. He did not inform me the other day that he had different plans than what we were presently doing. The conversation went a little like this:

Child: "I am NOT going home. (we were driving home from the store)

Mommy, YOU go home, I AM going to the SHOW! HUMPH!"

(complete with dramatic crossing of the arms)

Me: "Child, you can't go to the show yourself, how would you get there?"

The Child: "YES! I am GOING to the SHOW!

NEVER, no not EVER going home! HUMPH!"

(again, dramatically crossing the arms)

Me: "Okay then, I guess you are going to the show. But you're going to have to walk there, 'cus Mommy is going home."

Child: "That's RIGHT! I am GOING to the SHOW!

NOT going HOME! HUMPH!"

(again, crossing the arms for dramatic emphasis)

Seriously? Where does he learn such things? And how much do you want to bet that I will be having the exact SAME conversation ten years from now, only I'm sure I will be driving him there and having to shell out the cash. SIGH. Nope, Not MY CHILD!

Wordless Wednesday- Adventures with Grandpa!

3 Women Walked Into a Karaoke Bar....

Every woman needs Girls Night. It doesn't matter what age you are, there is some deep, innate need to spend a complete evening with your girls. Of course the activities that ensue when you are with your girls change throughout your lifetime. Perhaps when you were a little girl, you had all your girls over for a slumber party, complete with junk food, gossip, fights, silent treatments, movies, and giggle fits. Maybe you were really daring and snuck out of the house to play "Nikki Nikki Nine Door". As you grew up, girls night might have changed a little bit, instead of staying at home maybe you went to see a movie, or out for dinner, or to a bush party somewhere. Guaranteed wherever you were, your night was still complete with junk food, gossip, and giggle fits.

If you are a Mom, I'm sure you've come to the realization that Girls Nights are not just for fun anymore, they are essential. We become desperate to leave the house, all dolled-up (or not) and interact with other adult human beings of the female variety. I myself soon learned that Girls Night actually made me a better Mom. The ability to have an evening where I was able to just be me, was crucial to my week (or month). I would wake up the next morning with my sense of self, renewed. As Moms, you would think that Girls Night would have toned down quite a bit since we are adults, responsible and mature (we have children, for goodness sake!). It is fairly unlikely that we would play ridiculous, childish games in the middle of the night, waking our neighbors (hmmm, there was that one time in a hotel at 2am... running in underwear....ahem... nevermind...). But it is likely that we would enjoy some fabulous drinks and dessert, chatting away about all the good and bad in our lives. Of course, because we are responsible, mature, classy women, the next part of Girls Night would be a cute, romantic comedy at the cheap theatre (because we are always budget conscious, right?!).

We would definitely not change our predictable plans last minute, ditch the movie, drive completely out of the way to the best Karaoke bar in the city, just because we're crazy like that. We did not rock the house with our renditions of "Before He Cheats", " Just A Girl", and "With a Little Help From My Friends", while enjoying others make just a big of fools of themselves as we did. The most important part of Girls Night is not what you do, but who you do it with and a very large side of spontaneity.

Workin' it...

Talk about stage presence...

No Girls Night is complete without my Mom! She showed us how its done!

Not Me Monday

I was totally going to post this week's NMM last Monday, but unfortunately I decided to take a very long pity trip that day, and nothing got done. Usually, blogging is great for pity trips, but I didn't even have the creative ability to write, that's how amazing my trip was. The only thing I did have the ability to do was to not stuff delicious, large, double chocolate chip cookies into my mouth, one after another.

So here is my NMM... a week late, but amazing nonetheless!

Regularly, my son is mistaken for a girl. Very regularly. Even though I dress him in the most masculine of clothes (plaid shorts, blue shoes, brown/green shirts), people still say "Oh, she's so sweet!". Sometimes The Child notices, and retorts, and other days... he could careless. I've just come to the conclusion that majority of people are either just ignorant, or blinded by the stunning cuteness of my son, therefore they don't think before they speak. I'm hoping its the latter.

The main ingredient to his mistaken gender would be his beautiful, long, curly hair. I have cut it many times, but I don't have the heart to chop it. It has become his 'signature look'... and I love it. All this to say, that I would never, no not ever, take advantage of the fact that he has long hair to fulfill my hairdressing girly dreams. I would not spend a half-hour with The Child in the bathroom after his bath, convincing him of all the fun things we could do to his hair. Of course, I would never actually do said things, nor would I ever take pictures.

Nope, not me!

Nope, those are definitely not pig-tails in my sons hair.

At this point, he did not exclaim "I'm a dirrrrl!!!"

(aka 'girl' when all all your 'g's sound like 'd's)

He seems pretty pleased with himself, doesn't he?!

Ps. Did you notice the new "Not Me Monday" Logo?

Pretty cool beans if I do say so myself.

I am not the maker of such brilliance, but rather a copy & paster (imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!).

It is courtesy of another wonderful blogger and Mom of 4 over at

My Charming Kids, take a moment and have a read!