I sometimes find myself defending my parenting to the social workers in my head who would try to take my kids away because I'm such an irresponsible parent. A friend of mine told me the other day that she was registered with social services. She left her napping kids in the car once while she ran into the store and all I could think was...if social services only knew....

"I'm sorry Mrs. Social Worker, my baby was screaming and exhausted and when she finally fell asleep it just wasn't worth it to me to wake her up to take my son to preschool across the street this one time."

"I'm sorry Mr. Social Worker, I do let my kids play in the back yard unsupervised, but I make sure I can always hear them!"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Social Worker, for letting my children run around at the grocery store, and yes sometimes they are out of my sight for a second. But I always call out to make sure I know they are safe..."

"Alright, Ms. Social Worker, I only bath my baby once a week and sometimes don't change her wet diaper for a few hours and after changing her outfit for the 4th time that day finally allow her to be naked."

"Yes Mr. Social Worker, I got so frustrated the other day that my child COULD NOT figure out the difference between the number 12 and the number 20 after 3 hours that I threw the workbook on the ground." (that was a particular low point)

"I know, Mr. Social Worker, I shouldn't let my baby eat dirt and sand on a regular basis."

BUT Mr. Social Worker, these kids are my life. I have no life outside my family. My world revolves around them....hey look at this cute picture of Afton sitting on my kitchen counter playing with the can opener! What's that you say? Should never let baby sit on the kitchen counter and play with dangerous kitchen tools? Would it help if I did her hair and put a humungous brightly colored flower in it?

Today Brad came home from work and I hadn't even started supper. So, he asked,

"What did you do all day?"

Lucky for both of us he was joking, but it got me wondering, what would really happen if I did nothing all day. Watched TV and such. Well, it just so happens I fell asleep for twenty minutes while reading books to the kids this afternoon, and I got a small sampling, as this was my floor when I woke up:

Yes, Afton is in the pull-herself-up-on-stuff-and-get-into-everything stage. This time it was Breanna's leftover peas from lunch, her water, her entire container of yogurt spread across the floor and the dirt from the plant-less plant pot. Luckily she is also in "THE CUTEST STAGE EVER!!!!" (I couldn't help myself) because it's barely even frustrating she's so dang cute. Not to mention she was the happiest baby in the world when I woke up after letting loose on my living room. So I washed my floors, and that's what I did, Brad.

Here's my happy baby at her happiest:

Mom she is like you! When I looked at this series of pictures her eyes are closed in almost every one! Maybe it's genetic...

This is why I love Calgary:

Swimsuits on the beach in the morning, thunder and downpour in the afternoon. Sunshine and backyard fun before supper, thunderstorms and rain after supper. Decide I can't go for my run and start another workout in my basement after the kids are in bed. Go upstairs for some water, see the rain has stopped. 

Go for my run. Home just in time for the rain to start again.

I know I talk about my runs in fish creek park lots but they really are heavenly. One thing I love is the chance that I might see wildlife. Yesterday I was all alone down there. Except for the birds and the deer, that is. This deer parked itself right beside the pathway. That's when I stop thinking "aw, look at the pretty deer" and start thinking "oh crap. Look at the scary evil deer." I shouted and stomped my feet and did jumping jacks but this deer was not going to move  (can you see her in the picture? She was actually much closer than it looks in the picture but I couldn't zoom in because I was using the iPhone). Worst of all, after all my jumping and shouting this deer did not take her eyes off of me! So it was either turn around and risk getting rained on (it had started to thunder again at this point) or pass the deer. It took all my courage to creep past that deer! I thought I was going to die, but I said to myself, if I die, I die happy. The deer didn't move but she sure stared me down.

And that is my deer story.

After the rain after my run stopped:

Summer is...

Friends, cold water and cherries in the back yard on a HOT day!

I think the last time my family did "family pictures" was, oh, seven years ago? So it's funny to be part of a family that seizes every opportunity for a family picture.

I like this recent one at my new nephew Evan's baby blessing, because it was the best one of the bunch but as you may note, Brad is making a face somewhat similar to the little girl in the second row, third from the right. He was trying to imitate the face she tends to make in every picture, a running family joke. (That's Heidi, I talked about her in the last post). Thanks, Brad. I love my in-laws. We have fun together.

Do you love those little red cowboy boots Afton wore to Brad's work stampede breakfast? I think they belonged to Brad's sisters when they were babies. Look at how savvy I am. Vintage stuff. Wow me. Could I have co-ordinated the outfit better? Maybe. But luckily she's cute no matter what!

 Jesse loved his face-painting job, and it did look really cool. When we got home he got me a tea towel and a shoelace and a butter knife and made me put it on him like this. He cried when we had to wash it off and he also got a real black eye from Brad trying to rub off the black paint.

One of the kids took this picture of our garden and I like being surprised by all the random pictures on our camera thanks to my kids. I love our little garden so it made the cut. I hadn't weeded yet this day but I'm pretty obsessive about keeping weeds out of this garden usually.

Here's another random picture I found of me washing the dishes. Not sure who took it (and my underwear's kinda showing), but I had to post it, and I'll tell you why. I was surprised by how small my butt is! Vain? Yes. Do I want to document it for future reference? Uhm, yes!! I'm not sure if this picture is accurate but I'll take it!

Just FYI, here's a link to my workouts. I LOVE Lindsay Brin. Her workouts are amazing, she really does her research, and she comes out with a new workout every month for only $5. I started doing them right after I had my baby and was able to start slow but she is still kicking my butt 5 months later. If you want to get in shape, she is such a good resource. Trust me!!

http://www.momsintofitness.com/

I weaned Afton this week. It just sort of happened. We fed her a bottle one night and she took it so well that we kept feeding her bottles. It's definitely bitter sweet. I love breastfeeding and am going to miss it so much. Not to mention I go a LIIIIIITTTTTTTTLE bit PSYCHO in the months after I wean as my hormones adjust. Also bittersweet, I got released from my calling. I know it was time, but I love those girls so much. I hope they remember that I loved them.

So, after Young Women's camp and the roadshow (which was basically my baby, on top of my actual baby, for a while there) was over my life kind of came to a lurching halt. I'm making a new life plan and it involves mostly soaking up every wonderful summer day with my kids!!! Also hopefully more blog posts so I can stop posting the smorgasbord of pictures and random thoughts ! 

G'Night!

The Many Faces of Afton

Okay so I'm a stay at home mom with a baby, but…this was the funnest thing I've done in SO LONG!!!!  This is a waterside from the Gough family reunion.

Too Much!!

 There's just too much to blog about! I hate the feeling of being "behind" on journaling. So instead I'm going to post one thing every day of things I want to talk about until I feel like I'm done. Here is today's:

Breanna:

With the infamous kitty! This kitty found Grandma's house and provided hours of fun.

Breanna was sick.

She wanted to be alone a lot.

At one point during the reunion she literally flittered herself away so she didn't have to go down the slip n' slide waterslide, over a hill until she was out of my sight and I had to follow her. I wondered what her plan was. She danced merrily along, picking clover and singing to herself. The same thing happened on another hillside before dinner. This time all the kids had left and I went to get her but she didn't want to go. So we sat there in the sunshine and quiet, just us. Breanna made me cookies out of leaves and grass and clover. She even put them in her pretend oven.

What I know about Breanna:

She has quiet strength

She's not one for big crowds, but loves to be one on one or in small groups, just like her Mom.

I think I will learn a lot about myself by watching her. She did NOT want to wear this number shirt and had the biggest tantrum over it! A few days later when we got home I was putting it away and Breanna saw me. She asked "do you like that shirt?" I said "Do you?" She said "No. I don't like it." Very matter of fact.

My favourite was listening to her on the drive to Taber and back from Waterton. She is like her Dad in that she is a quick thinker, witty and funny. She likes to tease Jesse and it's hilarious to watch her get under his skin! But they both always end up laughing.

Breanna loves all her cousins, but after this weekend I have a special place in my heart for Heidi who was so sweet to Breanna. She gave her a walking stick on our hike to Crandell Lake, she helped her across the log over a stream, she would always try to comfort her. Heidi is number 43 (and this is not a good picture of her, but it's the one where Breanna is least miserable!). She is really just nice and thoughtful, how I want to be.