This, that and some more stuff

Every summer when we head to Calgary I get to have fun the first week or so...then it is back to the daily grind.  However...the daily grind is alot more work when you don't have your regular stuff with you.

I make due though...with lots of nice breaks sitting on the deck watching the disney animals bounce around the yard.  Today we discovered that there is an angry squirrel making a nice home on the roof.

Angry squirrels = scary sounds

However there was a giant jack rabbit that just ran past the girls and I while we were on the front step.

We put out a handful of oraganic carrotts. Why organic? Because that is all that was in the fridge.

I am determined to get a photo of the furry dude...but I cannot guarantee anything.

Instead I got a picture of my sick chick.

Every year we get some sort of communicable disease while visiting Calgary.

We are generally a pretty healthy bunch.

Maybe one bad cold a season...sometimes none.

But when we come here...we catch the nastiest of the nasty germs.

It usually ends with everyone getting some sort of poltergiest that forces goo out every hole in our bodies.

Seriously sick.

This year, I thought we were in the clear.

With only 5 days before departure...bam. Tummy cramps.

Thank god it has ended with just the tummies...but still...we are now 10 for 10 summers of sick.

Peyton has not had it yet.

It should hit her about 10 minutes before we pull out of the driveway on sat.

Please please please let me be wrong.

So here is my sickie.

Yes, I am a mean mom for snapping pictures of sickie chickie.

But the lighting was good...and well...she is cute...even when she is sick.

I can't help it if she follows me everywhere even when she is sick:)

Poor chickie.

Another poor chickie is poor little Kendall who did a face plant into the train table the other day and well...

I have to admit...it was really really gross.

Her nosey was complety mushed.

Like...you could not feel the bone.

I am not sure if there is a bone or cartilage there yet in 2 year olds...but if there was...

it was not there for long. She didn't much care however.

What else have we been up to.

Well...while I was nursing my version of the tummy flu...the kids played in the freezing cold water.

They didn't mind.

As usual...I snap pictures of anything that will stay still long enough for me to make camera adjustments.

Someone...anyone...please tell me how you professionals take photos so quickly. Seriously.

By the time I make the adjustments...I have missed something cute.

Oh and here is a little snippit of Peyton's favorite new clothes from lululemon.

This is actually a tennis skirt I think.

Ok.  Now that I have bored you with my personal photos...

I promise to get back to regular programming come monday. 

More carnivals...bubbles...and lululemon for kids! Oh my

The weather has not exactly been stellar the past couple of days.

As in 55 degrees and rainy yesterday.

My husband was complaining that it is 115 degrees and super humid back home.

I won't complain:) I will take the 55 and rainy.

Today is a work day for me.  All I can say is that a break from "bling" is not a good thing when it comes to my hands. Even 2 days from not making patterns and my hands slow down and stiffen up. So today I am getting back into the swing o things.

I am also working on Holiday Items...so if there is anything in particular you would like to see...put it in the comments and I will see what I can do.

We went to Callaway park the other day. Basically a permanent amusement park on the outskirts of Calgary. The kids had a good time...thats all that matters right. Unfortunately I got terrible photos of it...so I am too embarrassed to post them.  I think there had to be some grease on Peyton's lens...probably from all the carnivals we go to:)

We then had a nice bbq at home.

The kids played in the bubbles. I love bubbles. I do not think there is a bubble maker that I have not purchased at least once in my life. Why I love them so? I have no idea...but they make for fun pics too.

We even had them on our feet.

Not sure what we were doing here...maybe trying to catch them on our tongue?

Did she really think this was going to work?

Anyways...we had bubbles everywhere...including our hair...so the girls needed a major shower.

My kids waste soooo much time when I tell them they need a shower back home...but here...they are like "OK!!!"  Why?  Because my mom and dad have two of the best showers ever.

The newest one being completed just a month or so ago. It used to be the hallway bathroom that my sister and I used growing up...now it is some heated floor, 10 headed steam shower craziness.

They like it.

This is the heated towel bar that apparently moonlights as a blanket warmer.

And this sink...which is one of a matching set

Has a booboo courtesy of one of my family members.

Lets just say it was not either of my children...or myself.

Hmmm...interesting huh.

We might not be invited back next summer lol.

Ok...lunch is calling. Gotta go make something and then get back to work.

Oh geesh...the lululemon in the title.

Well...I love Calgary for many things...and now I can add the lululemon store for kids...it is actually called Ivivva, however it is just a branch of the lulu empire.  There are only 3 stores so far, Calgary, Victoria and Vancouver...but I guarantee there will be more...many many more...and I will shop at all of them:)

My kids were in heaven.  They love comfy, stretchy, cozy wear.  It's a genius store...really it is.  Ya gotta see it to believe it.  You can even design and make your own tees in there! Love that.

Stampede pics...5 pin bowling and other fun stuff

Finally downloaded some pictures from the Stampede.

Nothing great...and since we won the two best prizes there in the first 10 minutes...we could have turned around and gone home right after lol.

Does it get any better than Papa Smurf and Smurfette?

Um...someone is into coordinating their clothing and accessories these days.

That was SOOOOO me as a kid.

Ok.  Enough carnival pics.

Yesterday we went 5 pin bowling.

It's hard.  Yes, we have 10 pin bowling as well here in Canada...but for some reason, we also have 5 pin, which is easier for kids because as you can see, the balls are alot smaller and lighter...the problem is that there are only 5 pins and it is omg frustrating. 

Today was a lovely day and so we went to the golf course and hit some golf balls.

This is basically where I spent morning noon and night from 14-18 years of age.

It was a tough life;)

I tell ya...as sad as it is when your kids are not little kids anymore...it is a whole lotta fun when they can do "big stuff" with you.

Oh deer....

So this morning my dad woke me up at 6 to tell me there was a deer in the front yard.

I would be lying if I didn't say that for a second I thought it was one of his "elephant in the front yard" jokes that he would play on us every April Fools day...and still does.  Never gets old apparently.  But this is not April...and this was not a joke...but a nice Disney sorta way to wake up.

My sister has deer around her yard all the time...she even had a couple moose once...but to have a deer in my mom and dad's front yard...that one is kinda new.

It went from yard to yard eating everyones flowers. 

It did not care that I was 8 feet from it.

Nor did it care that I was in my jammies...hair all over the place...with barefeet.

I think the neighbors did though.  I was a sight.

I did not get a good picture as I was in a sleepy fog and the first thing I could find was Peyton's camera...but I did snap a quick video.

Ok...a couple more pics from yesterday

I ran out of time this morning before I could post some pictures of my super cute nephews and nieces.

My sister tells me I take pictures too close.

She is probably right.  But truthfully, I could care less what is going on behind them...I just love their little faces so much...I can't stop myself.

Here is an example of me not caring what is behind them.

Great huh.  Wasps!   Good thing Lili Loo didn't read that sign.  She FREAKS at bees and wasps.

We are working on it.

Seriously, how cute is Kendall?  Look at her little Oilily boots. 

She is so so cute.

Speaking of good boots...check out this random lady that I snapped a photo of yesterday.

Why? Because those were the best cowboy boots ever.

After some sleuthing...my mom found out that they were Old Gringo boots.

I need them.

I truly could have a cowboy boot problem. I love them all.

Hello from Canada

All I can say is that it is tough to keep up on the bloggedy blog when you don't have a fabulous computer at the ready.  I really need a macbook. I finally found my camera cable so I could download some pics...of course, I have no editing programs on my mom's computer so these puppies are directly outta the camera.

And what does that tell me?  That mama (me) need a facial peel and some botox. Baaaaad.

The funny part is that I never post photos of myself...so this is my Jamie Lee Curtis moment.

No photoshop.  Scary huh.

The first day we got here...it did not rain...but we did get the most beautiful rainbow.

It was a double rainbow at first...but by the time I found my camera...we were down to one rainbow.

Check this out.  Again. No editing.  That is really how bright the rainbow was.

Kinda goes with my rainbow cupcakes huh.

Every July for 10 day is the Calgary Stampede. A big rodeo and carnival.

It has meant different things to me over the years. In my "youth" it meant rides...in my single crazy days (ya right) it meant hanging out at all the Cowboy bars around town.  Who doesn't like to pretend to be a cowgirl for 10 days?  And now...the Stampede is back to being about the kids...the rides...and the carnival food.

I took some pictures the other day when we went, they are on Peyton's camera. I will download those this afternoon...but yesterday we did the "stampede funday" at the golf course.  I will take Peyton there as long as she still thinks it is fun. She has been going now for the past 8 years and she still loves it. She WILL be too cool for it very soon...but since I told ya she is easy cheesy...she still just loves to go have fun. She does not care that she is 3 feet taller than everyone else.

Ususally we have hats and boots and cowboy shirts, however my mom and dad renovated since last summer and my "cowboy closet" is empty:( 

I am going to have to crop Peyton out of this photo.  Sorry Papes.

Gotta run.  Have to be somewhere in an hour and I am not dressed yet.

I promise to post more vaca pics this afternoon.

And just like that...a decade flashed before my eyes

Well...my big girl is 10.

I can honestly say, that the last 10 years has been a breeze.  Seriously.

This is one easy cheesy kid.  And funny.  Oh how funny she is.

We have no issues.  There is no strange phase that we need to grow out of. 

She is just herself and I would not change a single thing.

Ok...maybe I would make her try a little harder at Tennis lessons because seriously...we have lead feet some days.  But whatever.  I don't care.  In the grand scheme of things...she is perfect.

And she is 10.

And I love her.

It was a simple birthday.  Some family came into town.

We ate at her favorite restaurant...Smash Burger (we are high class here) and now we are off for a swim.  But first...I must share with your my cake creation.

Sure I could have done layers of different colors.  I have done that before actually.

I did not do the fun swirled colors...I just did different layers of colors.  It worked.

This time...I decided to do different colors of icing.

10 different colors of icing.

It worked too...and it was probably way easier.

 

Ahhh...rainbows make me smile.

I tell you...the cake is the most important thing to me at a birthday party. Why? 

I have no idea.

But I do remember my cakes that I had. I do not remember the presents.

So if there is a chance my kids will remember the cakes I make them...it was worth it.

Not that this one was alot of work...clearly it wasn't.  But it makes for fun pictures.

And finally I will leave you with this beauty that miss lyra lyra sent me this morning.

We did a shoot a month ago...she probably took 1 million photos...and yet...I swear she never gets tired of trying to get the perfect shot.  She just never loses her cool.  She needs to be a mom.  She is beyond great with kids. Shhh. I am not pressuring her at all.  Just sayin'.

The shoot was at the Garage so if you want that Jottum dress...call them.  It is sooo worth it.

I put a pettiskirt under it to make it extra oomphy (real word) and then we stole Katie's (the owner of the Garage) necklace.  I love it.  I love that my big chick looks like such a big chick...yet the balloon in the background and then the funky polish bring her back to 10.  Yes she is as sweet as she looks.

Did you know that Lyra will travel for pics:)  She is in Chicago today.

She is a hot commodity.  Call her.  You will not be sorry.

 

I let lyra take some pics of me too.

I am not prepared to share;)

I have only seen one so far.  

It was Lyralyra good...but I cannot STAND to look at photos of me.  I am not kidding.

You would think after 34 years I would be used to looking at my face.

I am not. I don't enjoy it. 

But I enjoy the fact that Lyra took a picture of me and my girls...for my girl's sake since getting a photo of me is like getting a photo of bigfoot...a pretty rare thang.