The "as many as I can think of" on Thursday - Travelers journal!

1900 kilometers

147 pictures
52 Flip videos
30 degree weather
25 hours in the car

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

1.. Watermelon which traveled from AB to BC to IDAHO to BC to AB....untouched!
(One could also represent the trailer hitch that was stolen off of our car while we were in the Wild Waters water park, but I wanted to start on a positive note.)

2.. iPods full of music. Everything from ABBA to House Party to Tiesto to Dave Matthews.

3.. children (technically 2 children and a puppy) who traveled very well in the car. They were such good sports to endure endless hours drining from here to there. And back again.

4.. campsites visited on our adventure. We stayed in Moyie Lake, BC for 4 nights, we went to C'oeur d'Alene, IDAHO for 2 nights, Radium Springs, BC for 1 night and McLean Creek, AB for 1 night. Our conclusion was that a minimum of 2 nights should be spent at each campsite. To set up and tear down the trailer for 1 night was a bit crazy.

5.. new cars (from the movie Cars) for Hayden. Between the Wal Mart Super Center, Target and Toys R Us, we managed to add a few to his collection.

6.. people in the little town of Skookumchuk, BC. The waitress at the Burger Barn counted them off to us. Wow. We found this little spot on the way to Moyie Lake, and we had the most delicious lunch. A burger for Ralph, Club sandwich (with a whole chicken breast!) for me and fresh Greek salad on the side....yum!! Isn't it funny that the places you least expect to find anything, turn out to be something memorable.

7.. mosquito bites on Olivia's head. They were all acquired at McLean Creek on our very last day of camping!

8.. pieces of BC fruit that did NOT live up to expectation. There were no cherries...BOO! so we bought 2 mealy apples, 3 tough ears of corn and some plums. Very disappointing. They must have exported all of their good stuff into our Alberta grocery stores!!

9.. days on the road. I was starting to feel like a Nomad. We're thinking about doing 2 weeks next year. There were so many great places we didn't see.

10. loads of laundry when we got home. I had to wash everything. Clothes, shoes, towels, blankets and car seats all had the lovely smell of campfire.

11. handfulls of Spitz per day. These evil little seeds are a weakness of mine while camping.

12. Bud Light Lime for $13. At a gas station in Hayden, Idaho. Yes please.

13. wasps in our trap. There were a million more who avoided being caught. I have never seen so many wasps in my life. Ralph was the only one who got bit. (Probably because he was hitting them with the BBQ flipper and someone found out. And followed him to the bathroom. And bit him in the neck.

14. times down the water slides. At bare minimum. It took us an hour and a half to get Hayden in the mood, but once he had a taste......he didn't want to leave!

15. minutes in the Spokane Mall to buy a dozen Victoria's Secret panties and my favorite Estee Lauder lippie (which has been discontinued in Canada) at Macy's.

10 on Tuesday!

1.. The bridesmaid who jilted me $55 for her makeup has come through. The cheque actually was in the mail. I'm grateful that I didn't have to harass the bride to get her friend to pay up.

2.. Guess who has been driving around with expired plates on her car since April.....yes, that dumb ass would be me! I probably would still be driving around with expired plates had someone not noticed and told me. How's that for brains....

3.. We finally got a Costco membership this weekend. I sure saw a lot of things that I needed to have! A 3 pack of Starbucks Chai tea for $9......yes please! New jammies for Olivia, a new printer/scanner/fax machine, and a giant piece of pork tenderloin. How's that for a well-rounded shopping expedition?!

4.. Remember how I wondered if I was friendly enough with my neighbor to borrow a cup of sugar? She baked a cake in our oven while we were in Saskatoon. I'm not sure we're that close.

5.. The same neighbor managed to kill 2 of our tetra fish and seriously overfeed the Beta. We thought he was a goner but he seems to be bouncing back. She also let all of my beautiful outdoor flower pots dry out. Some were dead. The ones inside were over watered. I'm confused.

6.. Olivia can sit up on her own!!

7.. We celebrated another milestone and gave Miss Olivia rice cereal for the first time. There will be no surprise when I say she loved it!


8.. We were at a wedding on Friday and we took the kids with us. They were quiet for the ceremony and pretty good for the reception. We kept Hayden busy by letting him run around with a disposable camera. I can't wait to see what the bride and groom think of his photography! There will be everything from guests, the dessert table and plants to the guy who carved the roast!! Hayden was also a big hit on the dance floor. He would "shake his peanut" for anyone who asked. We lasted until about 10pm when Hayden announced he needed to get his pull-up and go to bed.

The happy bride & groom!

I think I was the only brunette Hayden
paid any attention to....
he was all about the blondes!

Olivia was all partied out.

It's tough being irresistible!

9.. The Rico Report: Both of my ears are standing up. I look like I could bring in a new frequency on the radio with these bad boys!! I think my head needs to grow some more.....

10.. I am using a Martha Stewart craft punch for my latest project (thanks erin!) It is awesome and I want more! Not only does it punch out the shape but it embosses it too! Clearly, it doesn't take much to excite me.

"Self Soothing" by Olivia Deters

First, try your thumb

Maybe a finger.....

Yeah, one's not bad....

but TWO are better!

I almost forgot number 12!

12. My search for a bird bath is over!! I found a fabulous bird bath....it looks more like a bird soaker tub!.....at Early's Garden Center in Saskatoon! The ladies who worked there were staring at me and chuckling because I created my own. In the middle of the shop. They were just jealous of my brilliance. (I bet they will do the same trick to amaze other customers with their brilliant, albeit stolen, idea.) I couldn't find one that I liked so I put together an upside down planter pot with a matching fountain basin. I think it's beautiful in my garden.

I could use it as a planter. Maybe use it for a mini pond? Maybe float a pretty lily in it or grow some moss. Maybe a $45 Koi fish?? It's a work in progress that will have to wait until next Spring! I can't wait!!

10 on Tuesday......on Wednesday!

1. We just got back from our annual Summer visit to Saskatoon! This is the first time we have traveled such a distance with 2 kids (and a dog!) and everyone did great! We left late in the afternoon last Thursday so we didn't arrive into Saskatoon until 10:40p .....it's a much longer trip when you have to stop three times for things like pee breaks, snacks and breastfeeding! The kids weren't in bed until midnight...GASP!....but slept through the night and didn't miss a beat. PHEW! We literally 'invaded' my parents condo, and I know they are not used to so much clutter!! Mom and Dad graciously gave up their delightful king size bed to us, and we stayed in their room with Miss Olivia. Hayden had the Queen sized bed in the spare room, and Mom and Dad insisted on taking the pull out bed in the basement. Is that love or what?! The first couple of days were kinda rainy, but there were lots of fix-it projects to keep Ralph busy. The boys played 2 rounds of golf when the sun came out for the weekend, and we did lots of visiting with family. We had lots of fun, played the annual beanbag tournament and enjoyed MANY happy hour libations!

2. My Uncle Mike, Auntie Eleanor and cousin Kimberleigh were visiting from Ontario. My Uncle Tim, from Calgary, was in Saskatoon at the same time! We all got together on Thursday night and had a nice little visit.

My Grandma Pearl and her three boys.....my Dad, my Uncle Tim and my Uncle Mike.

The four Gould generations.....Grandma, Dad, Me and Olivia!

3. The boys golfed on Saturday so I took the kids to see my other Grandma. They are so lucky to have two Great-Grandmas to snuggle with!!

Great Grandma Faye (my Mom's mom)

Great Grandma Pearl (my Dad's mom)

My Grandma couldn't wait to get her hands
on Olivia for the first time!
What a couple of supermodels.

4. Sunday marked the annual visit to Kinsmen Park. They have a couple of rides and a great park for the kids to play. We were there nice and early to enjoy the sunshine!

Hayden was getting naked before we even reached the wading pool!
He bounced back and forth between the water
and the cool playground.

Olivia looked pretty tiny in the baby Lay-Z boy swing!

Chillin' with Daddy

This Merry-go-round has the craziest characters on it.....
not just Ralph and Hayden!!
You can ride a rooster, bunny, antelope,
elephant or horse. Creepy.

Olivia wasn't sure what to think of the train ride
but Hayden LOVED it!
We rode it 3 times, and each time was as exciting
as the next to him!!

Olivia looks a bit like a stunned fisherman....
but all in all, a pretty good pic!

Mommy and her babies.

5. My Dad bought me a shiny new Pontiac Solstice.......HA! I only wish this was my new toy!!

Dad and I drove over to my sister's new house for a visit

and he let me race....I mean drive.....home!
I have never driven a sports car before and I had a BLAST!
I think it looks good on me....

Snuggles with Grandpa....

....and Grandma.

Being silly with Daddy.

6. The Rico Report. My ears are almost standing. I only had one accident on Grandma and Grandpa's carpet. I only helped myself to treats from the pantry once. I only ate some toilet paper. And a kleenex....or five.

7. I think I gained at least 5 pounds. Why is it that all healthy eating habits fly out the window the moment I enter my parents house? I must have really been in holiday mode.....as I am every time I go home.....and ate WAY too much.

8. I noticed an old firetruck for sale outside of Flaxcombe. How cool would that be?! I joked that I would like to buy it and drive it home.....I wonder if I would need a special license? A few kilometers later we noticed a tractor for sale. Ralph joked he would buy it and then we could race home. Wouldn't we be the talk of the neighborhood.

9. Olivia is teething. She is a drooly, snotty, bum-rashy mess. I can't really call her cranky though she is a bit 'off.' Can't wait to see which little fang pops up first. I'm sure she'll be happier when it finally pokes through too!

10. The trip home was a success with the kids. We are lucky they travel so well....so far. Hayden watched some movies and Olivia was content to play or sleep. The only disappointing part of the trip is that Ralph developed a wicked 'Air Conditioning' cold. I love the cool house and car when it's so hot outside but it doesn't agree with Ralph!

11. Happy Birthday Grandma!! XOXO Sorry we had to leave town on your actual Birthday :(

10 on Tuesday!

1. What a weekend! My friend Sara got married on Saturday. I did the makeup for her, her mom and 2 of her bridesmaids. I was in the deep South for 8:30 am, did all of the makeup, came all the way home and pulled the 2 minute Superman change into my outfit, Ralph had the kids dressed cute and ready and in the car, and we made it to the church for 1pm. Whew! We dropped Hayden off for a sleepover at Oma & Opa's, and we took Olivia to the reception. It was nice to visit with old friends, have a few cocktails and even squeeze in some dancing! Olivia was an angel and fell asleep at 10 o'clock as usual. We just parked her in her stroller in her jammies and she slept through it all!

It's hard to take a good family photo. Hayden is so obviously saying "cheese!"


2. It took me about 62 outtakes to get this one right:


3. I got called 'girl-next-door' beautiful by the Maid of Honor on Saturday. I think she was drunk.

4. Sunday was equally as busy. We went to Calaway Park with our friends, the Cornthwaites, and their 3 kids. We were there for about 4 hours and managed to do most of the rides. The one that we missed....Shoot the Chutes. The lineup was an hour long. No thanks. Especially with 5 impatient little people!

5. I had to take a break from Blogging to take a picture of my daughter doing this:

It was suddenly very quiet so I thought I should go and have a peek. 2 minutes earlier she was bouncing around having a great time. I guess she got bored?!

6. The Rico Report. Olivia's soother - 0, Rico - 1. No matter where they are, he finds them. And chews them up beyond use.

Toilet paper - 0, Rico - 1. Neither our cats nor Hayden ever bothered with the t.p roll. Rico, however, gets a corner and pulls a trail of it through the house!

7. Now that Olivia is rolling.....she goes from back to front and front to back.....she wants to sleep on her tummy. Which is fine, if she can get comfortable. But I often wake up a couple of times a night, to her muffled sounds of distress, to go in and help her out.

Sleeping Beauty.

8. Olivia has been out of sorts the last few days. Kinda cranky and whiny. I'm not used to her being so high maintenance. The way she is drooling, and how she's been gnawing on the teething rings.....I think she may be cutting teeth!

9. Hayden has been breaking into song lately. He sings exactly like Ralph.....totally off key! It reminds me of the time that Ralph serenaded me over the phone with his stirring rendition of Can't Help Falling In Love With You. It was a wee bit painful, but very sweet.

10. My sister is helping us do our wills this weekend. It such a hard thing to have to think about. But it's SO IMPORTANT. We have been meaning to do them since Hayden was born. I suppose 3 years too late is better than not at all.

Ambitious??

Do people still borrow a cup of sugar
from their neighbors?

In my case, I would have needed to borrow 3 cups.
We were making muffins and I never thought to check
if I had all of the ingredients. 1st mistake.
So, I decided to run to Co-op.
'Cause that's so much easier than going next door?!
I'm just not sure I have the right
relationship with my neighbor to borrow sugar.
I almost called Keri but she lives by Co-op anyway......


As we were on the road to Co-op I actually looked at the clock.
8:32a. Is the grocery store even open?
I guess most days I think that because I am up,
everybody else should be too!

Back home again.
Finished making our delicious pumpkin muffins.

Whew! That was more of an adventure
than it started out to be.
And, I had to sacrifice my shower!

....Only until Ralph gets home.

5 months old...

What?@#!
5 months old....
how did that happen?

I can hardly believe that this sweet little girl
came into our life 5 months ago.
Seems like the blink of an eye.

She is pretty much this happy all of the time.
She's content.
She wakes up happy.
She just patiently waits for you to come and get her.
She sleeps through the night.
She LOVES bath time.
She squeals like a little girl
and she loves to laugh.
She absolutely adores her brother.

She has learned to roll from back to front
and back again.
We've caught her sleeping on her tummy.
She really wants to move.....she's a skoocher.
I think she'll be crawling soon.

She's getting strong,
so we're working on those abs for sitting!

The bottom line......
she's precious.

10 on Tuesday!

1. I GOT INKED! I GOT A TATTOO! I'm so hardcore. Just call me Kara Von D. I have wanted a tattoo for years, and I finally decided exactly what I wanted. I'm not going to lie, I almost chickened out. The "what the hell am I doing?" thought did cross my mind. My beautiful wedding bouquet was the inspiration.....so I went for it!

I'm breathing through the pain. I'm trying very hard to find my happy place. That is really hard when there is a tiny and very sharp needle piercing your skin! I made jokes ('cause that's what I do when I'm uncomfortable) and tried to laugh. Without moving. I was also thinking that I must be totally insane for going through with this! An hour? A whole hour under the needle for a little orchid? Omigod. Seriously? Whoever says it doesn't hurt is a LIAR! Let me tell you the truth, it hurts like hell!!

OUCH!!
**Insert many other more colorful expletives here!**
I had to remind myself to breathe. My shoulders were in my ears.
I was sweating so badly that when I got up,
there were pools of sweat at my ankles!

Olivia held mommies hand for support!

Yes, I know, I took my 5 month old daughter to a tattoo parlor, but
the boys had tickets to go and see Ice Age.
Auntie Tessa came and got a tattoo too.

I am SO HAPPY with the finished product.
It was worth the pain.
When all is said and done, I guess it wasn't that bad.
I'm proud of myself for being tough.

Today, however, it looks gross.
All peely and flaky.
And tender.
But super hot.
I love it.

2. Does anyone else sing in the car like they belong in a musical? My singing is only suitable for inside the car.....with the windows up. I have been rocking out and singing at the top of my lungs to the Mamma Mia soundtrack. Loved that movie. At least I sound better than Pearce Brosnan.

3. This heat is horrible for sleeping. We went in to check on the kids on Friday night and Hayden was sleeping on the floor! Poor little stinker was all sweaty and disoriented. Olivia was sweaty but sound asleep. We were sweaty "don't-touch-me-or-look-at-me-or-breathe-on-me" star-fish.

4. Keri and I went and saw The Ugly Truth. VERY funny. There was some "off-color" comedy, but I'm personally okay with the odd sick joke. We laughed out loud and ate popcorn.....is there a better way to spend an evening??

5. Friday night was a beautiful night to sit outside. After the kids were in bed, we grabbed a beverage and the cribbage board and relaxed on the deck. No breeze. Quiet and still. We were the only people sitting on their decks! Why sit in your stuffy and hot house?? Maybe everyone else was hiding in their basements?

6. Apparently, our kitty Gia is a mouser. While we were playing cribbage, we heard what we thought was a squeaking noise. Didn't think much of it. Until Saturday when Ralph found the victim in the grass. I guess I should be happy she didn't bring her kill into the house?!

7. I had my second official BLINK wedding on Saturday. A bride, maid of honor, 2 bridesmaids and the M.O.B. In Okotoks. I was gone from 9a-4p! Everyone looked beautiful, and everything went great until......I got stiffed by the maid of honor!! I was dumbfounded! I didn't know how to react! She knew about the $55 fee in advance so why couldn't she have her cash ready like the other girls?? What is it about money that turns a professional like me into a stuttering idiot? Even though I provided a service, I felt bad for asking for the payment?! What gives?? Long story short, I left her my address so she can send me a cheque. If I don't receive anything within a week....I will have to call the bride!! I seriously hope it doesn't come to that.

8. I know I'm a geek but I dug out my Cabbage Patch Kids for Olivia today. I have 3. I washed the bedding and blankets for their little bunk beds. I found a tote for all of their clothes. I know that she's too little, but I want her to have some girly things in the playroom too. She can't have all hand-me-downs and trucks! She gets all of the Barbies too.....when she's older.

9. The Rico Report. He loves to be comfy. His favorite places to lie all belong to Olivia.....in the bouncy chair, on the nursing pillow and on the play mat. He's a suck. His latest escapade....he helped himself to 1/2 a box of puppy sized Milk Bones! I caught him standing on the pantry shelving having a snack!!


10. "Use ups" are one of my favorite things. I get unbelievable satisfaction from using the rest of something. It can be food or a personal product. Doesn't matter. If I get to use the item up and then throw out/recycle the container.....whoa, that's big fun.

Guess what?!

I did something CRAZY today......

but you have to wait until Tuesday to find out what it is!!

12 on Tuesday!

1. Squeaky Green Dryer Cloths by Method are my new favorite thing. I LOVE all things by Method. Nothing chemical about their stuff. And it's effective. Theses little sheets smell delightful and they are like a moist baby wipe. 1 sheet does 2 loads of laundry. 40 in a pack for $5. Sweet deal. (By the by.....did you know that other dryer sheets have animal fat in them?@#! that's why they feel waxy. Gross.) This is all part of my effort to be more environmentally conscious. I use my recyclable shopping bags. I am fanatical about the blue bin. I want to get a rain barrel to save water. I figure I should do something considering how many Pampers I put in the dump each day. Baby steps, people.



2. Is there anything better than clean sheet day? (Especially when you use environmentally friendly dryer sheets.)

3. I bought Olivia her first bikini yesterday. I figure now is a good time to start her on the road to being comfortable with her body. If you're chubby and you know it.....show it off!

4. I have already started making my list for our trip to Saskatoon. Packing will commence shortly to ensure I don't miss anything. There is an awful lot of stuff we need to take with two kids and a dog. Not sure there will be any room in the car for us when I'm done.

5. Hayden has never loved water. He'll tolerate a bath. He didn't love swimming lessons and has just now begun to put his face in the water to blow bubbles. He's so much like me in that regard. He liked the Rocky Ridge water park.....that surprised me. We're still working on getting him to love his pool/sprinkler in the backyard. I think my kid is the only one on the planet who doesn't like a cool sprinkler on a hot day!!


6. Home Depot has the coolest program for kids. Every month they get to build a little project. They get a pin for their apron and a certificate each time they complete their project. Handy Hayden is available for all your household repairs. Most days he'll be rented out VERY CHEAP!


7. Is it me, or does everyone have a sound? You know.....like I know when Ralph is holding his keys or my keys because they sound totally different. My sound was off last week. I lost the charm off of my Tiffany bracelet. Boo! Daily activities without the familiar tinkle of my bracelet were just not the same. I didn't feel quite like myself. I am happy to say that Ralph found the charm and I sound more like myself this week!

8. I hate Monday's. Not because I have to go back to work.....although what I do is considered work......but because Ralph has to work. It's so much easier to parent with two people.

9. I knew the day would come. My baby isn't so much of a baby anymore. Olivia is moving so everything is changing. No more leaving her on the change table for a quick second. No more lying her on the counter while I run her bath. No more effortless diaper changes. This morning I woke up to her muffled morning noises because she had rolled over in bed. I love that she's growing and developing.....but I also love it when she's still.

10. Has anyone seen the ad for the Slap Chop by the Sham-Wow people? Check it out at https://www.slapchop.ca It's hilarious and I was tempted....

11. Heat does weird things to a kids appetite. Hayden won't eat. Olivia wants to eat more often.

12. I read an interesting perspective on ear piercing in infants. One woman said that you don't ask a little boy if he wants to be circumcised later in life, so why wait to have your little girls ears pierced? Now I really don't know what to do. I didn't circumcise Hayden, so does that mean I can't pierce Olivia's ears? Am I awful for wanting to 'maim' her lobes 'cause I think it's adorable?
Maybe it is like the age old circumcision debate.....I have to stick with the decision I make and live with it.