Trip to the dentist and a kite night

After snow on the weekend the bright warm sun was sure a welcome sight. We couldn't get enough of it and spent the day out soaking up the rays.
However before all the fun could get started we had to make an outing.

For Kaitlyn's first dentist appointment. We played dentist at home for days in preparation of this. She surprised me by being so brave. With her little hand clenched in mine she opened wide and endured the examination. Turns out that she does have a cavity as I had suspected. We will keep the space clean and hopefully prevent further decay till it can be treated when she is 4. Darn crowding!
By the time we got home Dave was waiting. Off early and ready to hang outdoors in the sun.
They splashed with water balloons.
Rode bikes and scooters.
And ran through bubbles.
Between shots I ran in and cleaned. I didn't want to miss out on the fun with daddy but the opportunity to catch a few minutes sans kids to get the dishwasher loaded was pretty tempting too. I ran back and forth and back and forth and I am sure burned a zillion calories.
After getting the dishes loaded and burgers prepped for the BBQ I took a small break and sat. And discovered my knitting. Tampered with! This is the third time. The other time they unraveled about 12 rows of striped something. I hadn't decided yet if it was to be a scarf or hat. Doesn't matter now. Guess I should learn to put it up out of reach of little helpers!
Back outside in the evening light. It was still warm but the wind had picked up. Perfect for kite flying. Kaitlyn's potty treat of the day...a pooh bear kite.

Daddy got her started.
She took it from there and didn't look back.
A pro.
Ethan and I watched. 

He tried holding the string for a few minutes and then let go. Next year.
So much fun!
After watching Dave and Kaitlyn run around till they were out of breath we headed home via 7 11.
This was when I realized Kaitlyn had been wearing two different shoes the whole time. Oops!
Back home and with the kids in bed I was inspired to create. Seems after a good dose of fresh air the way to end the night was with a brush in hand.

Today isn't quite as nice out and apparently there is snow in the forcast again. Hard to believe after a day like yesterday but this is the prairies!

Laundry day now...and I only have one load left! Kami would be proud....well till she realizes there are 12 loads to be put away still. 

Gotta get at er. 

Have a great day!

Giddy

I didn't mean to leave you all hanging in suspense for so long. I really just wanted to be sure that every thing was for sure before I shared our excitement. 

No we are not having another baby...yet. Of course we discuss that kind of stuff but we are happy to wait another year before cranking out the next batch. Maybe.

You may have guessed from all my hints that we made a big purchase this week. It was a spur of the moment and crazy fast. This time last week we weren't even thinking about it. We were sitting here content and planning bathroom reno's.

Then I go on IM and am chatting it up with a realtor friend and mention that we are always watching the market for the perfect place but that we are happy to chill for a few years. 

Then I threw in that Dave always still has the lake in the back of his mind.

My friend says, "funny you should mention this, I just drove by a for sale by owner today, stopped and checked it out. It is a steal of a deal if you are ready for some work." 

We said we were interested, sounded like a good flipper, took down the number and made an appointment to go out and see it the next day.

The realtor friend calls the next day before we head out and wonders if we are serious about it, there was a line up growing of people who wanted to snatch it up.

The pressure was on. TT came with us and we checked it out.

Seemed like a solid place. It sits on two lots just a few houses up from the beach and has a great lake view.
We did the tour through the property and house. If we flip it there is great potential with some hard work for a few weeks. However after a meeting at the bank and an inspection we found ourselves falling for the idea of keeping it.

We have had this dream of living outside the city. I had a crazy dream about living on a coast feeling the fresh breeze and listening the water lapping on the shore. Dreams of a studio with a view to inspire.

Close enough!

It may not be a Mediterranean breeze off an ocean but it is a pretty darn good trade.  We are still stewing over keeping it as a cottage or doing major reno's and moving out there.  It is a home and people live there year round. If we keep it we sure aren't getting any further ahead financially, but if we sold our city house and made the move we could be debt free!

Debt free!!!!!

I can hardly even imagine!

We could travel the world every year if we feel like it. I could buy massive amounts of canvas, the possibilities are endless!

Of course there are issues such as  schools and Doctors and conveniences such as Starbucks and pizza delivery that would be further away. However it would still be within 30 mins drive of the city and 5 mins to the closest town. Water would be trucked in and a septic truck would make it's rounds too. It would sure be an adjustment. We still have so much to think about!

Oh, here is the beach just a few houses down. It is public and not the main beach so it would be more locals. Perfect for us!

Anyway, I am excited but also a little reserved. I want to get out of the city yet at the same time fear the isolation. This house is in a community and there are at least 5 other year round families on that street alone, and some have kids. I wouldn't have to worry about being as isolated as I would if I was out in the middle of no where with no neighbors.

It is private and treed and yet there are people around. It seems like a good fit!

The yard has two cherry trees, a plum tree and apple tree. I hope we can put in a nice big garden and a clothesline, gosh, this still feels like a dream!

Kinda like an answer to prayer when we weren't even seriously praying it. Kinda crazy!

Anyway, that is it. Maybe not so exciting to all you out there but to us this means big changes for our future. No matter what we have a lot of work ahead of us. I think we are still kinda in shock at it all but we are also like giddy school girls and spend evenings laying on the bed chatting away about all the options.

Saturday morning was the inspection so I dropped Dave off and headed over to my Aunt and Uncles, only a 10 minute drive from the lake.

They have new baby goats so we had to check them out.

So cute and yet so bouncy and full of spunk. Here one is trying to wiggle out of my cousin Erika's arms.

After a short visit we headed back to get Dave and come back to the city.

Now we sit pouring over kitchen design websites and a debating. My memories of being at the cottage as a kid are my best memories. The place we bought is just down the lake from my parents and when I think about all the fun times there I want the same for our kids.

However we have to take into consideration what is best for them and their education as well.

So much to go over, I should get back to my lists!

My stomach is in knots I am so excited, it hardly feels real!

Googly eyes, lady bugs and blooms

OK, so here is a not so quick update on the last few days. I still don't mean to be all quiet and boring but we have so much going on, I should be able to fill you in on it in the next post. Life decisions are being discussed, we may have a big change ahead of us. Saturday should be decision day then I can blab, blab, blab, whew!
Googly eyes,
and paint and brushes plus two little crafters equals...
little green monsters and purple polka dot bugs with great big eyes.
This was a fun day, well for me anyway. It turned out to include work as well and I am so grateful!

Kami came over for a playdate with her new fancy shmancy absolutely gorgeous new camera. She clickety clicked away as the kids twirled and crafted. If I had one I would be addicted too, it is worse than coffee! I think it is also a great workout, and looks pretty good on her too, don't ya think?!

Anyway, we played upstairs for a bit and then the kids wanted to go downstairs. I was hesitant. It was a huge mess down there. Laundry piled high and toys everywhere.

And you know what Kami did. She helped me. She sorted, folded and then helped me carry up and put away laundry. She helped me with advice on a system to keep it under control....she is so smart!

Not only was I thrilled with the help Dave was pleasantly surprised to come home to a freshly stocked closet and wondered when she'd be back to help again. Thank you Kami you made my day!
As a small thank you I sent her home with a new tote. Now of course I was going to give it to her anyway just for being her but I felt a little less guilty being able to give back a little for all she did.

The tote is just like the one that we use for our library books. It is made of re purposed upholstery fabric, is super strong, huge and great for shopping. Not only that is is earth friendly since you can eliminate plastic bags. Something I am working on but often need a swift kick in the butt to remember to put the bags in the truck before I leave.

So aren't you digging it?

I love em. Simple yet so great for hauling stuff stylishly, want one?

Well....I have a few in my shop so far with lots more to come when I have more time to sew.

Oh, don't feel pressured, I am just so in love with them! (Toot-tooting my own horn, tsk)

To check out the other ones I made go to my shop here.

Ok, so that sums up a little of our business. I have also been painting some more but am not finished anything. Time is sure an issue! Eventually they will get done just not within my timeline. 

On to today. We painted birdhouses this morning and hands and faces. So messy yet so fun!
After naps we headed outdoors to play and take a break.  I love hanging out in the yard. Sometimes I just sit back and watch the kids explore and it amazes me how they communicate and are growing. Above they seemed to be discussing daddy s lawn mower. Even though Ethan barely makes a squeak they gibber gabber anyway.
It turned out that we spent the whole afternoon out there just pittering around at kid speed. 
No supper got made, no cleaning house done, but a whole lot of great outdoor fun was expelled.
A little lady bug checked out Kaitlyn's boot. 
Ethan then swooped in to check it out more closely. He loves to hold bugs, yeck, boys!
After a while the kids headed out to the street to play the pine cone game and then came across the storm drain. We sat and plopped little pebbles down the cracks one after another for a good half and hour. I wish these moments would last forever. Giggles and squeals with every splash, they make my heart sing.
Kaitlyn had picked flowers at the grocery store the other day and we brought them out for fresh air as well.
They were so pretty in the natural light I couldn't help but snap a few shots.


I love me some fresh flowers!

Especially when they are on sale for $2.50 a bunch!

So now to get on with the weekend. We have so much to do and now it is snowing out like it is the middle of January, not exactly the beach weather I was hoping for. Blegh!

Oh ya there was one other thing we did today. We watched this commercial singing along, over and over and over and over. Ethan sat riveted and Kaitlyn would squeal, again, again!

I have been singing it all day. Don't watch it more than once or you will too!

Have a great weekend all!

Projects

Making faces in the mirror is a new pass time of Kaitlyn's and when she finds one she thinks is super cute she freezes it on her face and comes to find me waiting for me to exclaim how adorable she is. I snuck this shot, I am lost in those eyes.

Anyway....I have not meant to post so little lately. Really. Thing is we have a ton going on...some will have to wait to be blogged about. 

I will try to get back on here in the next day or so to share with you  all of what we have been up to.  Many projects have been tackled and finished and some are still on the go.....how vague!

Sorry.

I will have to write a proper non babble post when my mind is clearer. For now I will share one of my completed projects. I am excited to be making a dent so for those of you waiting so patiently for paintings promised...they are in the works. With all the modern art I have been doing I was itching for reality, a portrait was the fix.   
More on this and all the other projects in a bit. I have a zonked out little Ethan on my lap who needs to be put in bed.

Nighty-o!

Potty talk

I don't really know where to start this post. I have no big stories no ramblings from my brain. If you are not a mom or family you might find this post to be extremely boring.

However this has been our little life the last few days.

We have been busy with the potty thing. The self potty training-if it should be called that I don't even know-is going really well. She had one accident on Thursday night because she got so excited over me coming home from shopping with goodies that she couldn't make it to the potty in time. So far this was the only time she didn't make it, I don't think she liked the wet feeling.
However....Ethan has been another story. You may have gathered this by now from my twitter updates, he has developed a temper!

We had to leave the house on a few occasions in search of my sanity, it had flown the coupe!

Every time Kaitlyn goes to the potty Ethan undresses. He then piddles wherever whenever and will not have anything to do with clothes. 

The other day he needed a change so I changed him and threw out the old diaper. He flipped and wanted it back on. I took the garbage out thinking it would be out of sight out of mind.

Not so.

He sat at the open screen door screaming his lungs out for all the neighbors to hear. I am sure they think I am running a circus!

I finally got him into a fresh diaper and he did not like that either. He ended up sitting there screaming mad at me for a good 15 minutes. He was so mad I couldn't get near him, his face was purple and his nose was running. 

I had enough and ripped off the diaper, nursed him and put him down for a nap. 

Naked. 

He was sooooooo happy!

He loves to be naked.

What is with this? A guy thing?

We had to roll up the area carpet to avoid him peeing on it and he then had a huge fit over that, silly little man!

Anyway, he has had these tantrums over anything that seems out of place or out of routine. I think a lot of it has to do with Kaitlyn's potty time and he is wanting attention. I hope he is over them soon. He sure doesn't like change.
Once we get out of the house he forgets about being naked and has a blast. We take the potty with us and go. Being happy is good so we go out a lot and stay out for a while.
I love it when they are happy and distracted.
Kaitlyn finally pooped out after a long day outside put on a pull-up and settled down for a nap in the rocker.

She seems to have grown up over the last week, she is a "bid dirl now mom."

Her independence seems to have grown with the potty training. It is amazing.

Despite Ethan's outbursts he has been changing too. He seems to be making more of an effort to talk. Not just a word here or there, he is actually putting a few together and they make sense.

I am glad, I was a little worried there.
For potty treats the first few days we gave Kaitlyn craft supplies and toy stuff. Here she is making window stickers. The paint dries somewhat transparent and then you peel it off the plastic sheet and put it on the window.

This craft inspired me to break out my paints and get back to work....they are all in the progress stages but I should have 3 to share shortly.
I am now off to put down a sleeping Kaitlyn who is curled up in my arms at the moment and try to make a little more progress painting.

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!