Father's Day Weekend in Review

 There was a lot of activity happening in Winnipeg this weekend, and we were right in the midst of it all.  The Winnipeg Jazz Festival kicked off last week and Jason, Juliette and I were invited to join some other tots and their parents who were checking out the all the (FREE) action at Old Market Square on Saturday afternoon.  This was my first time at Jazz Fest since having a kid and, like most activities, it's preeetty different than before.  Juliette, as usual, kept us on our toes all afternoon.  I had imagined that we'd chill out on a blanket, chat with the other parents, and watch the toddlers boogie down.  Juliette's plan was more along the lines of being right up near the stage, running, dancing and  basically getting her all-around groove on.  The girl likes cut a rug, what can I say, the apple didn't fall far from the tree on that one!

Jason says he's worried that she has his rhythm, but I think it's too soon to tell.  (Let's hope!)

This was also the Manitoba Marathon weekend in the Peg.  CONGRATS TO ALL MY RUNNING FRIENDS, YOU'RE AWESOME!  Neither Jason nor I participated in any of the runs this year, but we did a damn good job cheerleading.  We live right along the full marathon route (around mile 14), so we were out there with folding chairs, hot coffee and clapping hands to hoot 'n' holler and show those running warriors some love!  26.2 miles is a long way to run, and I've been told by distance runners how much it buoys their spirits when people cheer them on.  So that's what we did!  And again, Juliette was right into it.  We taught her how to "woohoo" and everything:)

My own personal running program has been in a backslide lately, but there's nothing like watching mega-fit (and some surprisingly not-so-fit) runners out there breaking personal best records and crossing off "marathon" from their bucket lists to get a girl re-inspired and re-engaged.  So, Juliette and I were out with the Bob stroller at 9am this morning gettin' momma's run on!

To cap off the busy but fun weekend we had Father's Day dinner at our house with my folks.  Salmon on a cedar cooked on the grill.  YUM!  Alll in all, a pretty spectacular (and exhausting) weekend.  Thank God today is a mommy Monday:)

Btw, if you're in Winnipeg and looking for some fun, the Jazz Festival is on until Sunday.  You can check out their schedule here.

Thanks Dad

As I've recently mentioned, I'll soon be going through a transitional time in my life in terms of my career and although I'm feeling pretty okay about things, situations like this are always a little daunting.  I've had the incredibly fortunate opportunity to work with my dad this year which has been so, so special.  He is nearing the end of his career and I am just embarking on mine, so it's been pretty cool that we've had this time to see each other in roles other than just father/daughter.  He recently sent me this email after a talk we had wherein I had expressed some concerns about the next step in my life:

Obviously I cried when I read it.  And I still cry when I read it.  It probably took him no longer than a minute or two to write, but it was so meaningful for me to receive.

Thanks dad.

Over the years I've gone through some pretty difficult times that have led me to the place I am today, which is a really, really great place.   But it wasn't all smooth sailing, and I wasn't always the best daughter.  Now that I have a daughter of my own, whenever I think about the crap that I put my parents through I end up in tears.  That could not have been easy for them.  I know my dad was pretty worried about me for a while there, but he never stopped believing that I could become the person that the universe intended for me to be.  Today I believe I am closer to being that person than I've ever been before.  Sometimes I fall short, but I continue to strive to grow and learn and take risks.  And he always knew I had it in me.

Thanks dad.

My dad and I have had the chance to make some pretty great father/daughter memories, and I'm so grateful for each and every one of them.  I have always been a bit of a daddy's girl, and I truly believe that it's because of the incredible dad that I have that I was able to choose a partner who has proven to be an incredible dad to our daughter.  

Thanks dad.

I'm a pretty lucky girl to have been born into the family that I belong to and sometimes it's nice to reflect on that.  Tomorrow night, on Father's Day, I get to celebrate two pretty special fellas:)  Lucky me!

Date night dress

So, I'm pretty much dying over this sweet and romantic Madewell dress.  It's gorgeous, right?  I'm imagining wearing it on a patio dinner date with Jason (obviously), eating fire roasted gourmet pizza and drinking a crisp glass of San Pellagrino with a wedge of lime.  While on said date wearing this lovely dress, there are no sticky toddler hands in sight and the sky has begun to shift from blue to dark mauve just before the stars start to twinkle.  In the corner there is a singer and guitar duo crooning a sexy song.  And although we aren't stumped for conversation, we're enjoying the music and the comfortable silence between us.

Having said all that, tomorrow night happens to be DATE NIGHT!  But I don't have that dress, so it won't be that date.  And we couldn't possibly live up to that date now that I've made it sound so sexy and sultry and perfect.  That's waaaaay too much pressure.  We're off to the races!  That's right folks, we're going to see the ponies.  Wish us luck!

Uncertainty is certain

If there is one thing that has been a fairly constant presence in my life over the last few years it's being uncertain about what my future holds.  Obviously we are all uncertain about the future, you never really know what life is going to throw at you.  But these last few years if you were to ask me what I will be doing in twelve months I would literally have said, "I have no idea."  And if you ask me that question now, I will tell you, I have NO IDEA.

A few years ago, in the fall of 2009, I would have told you that Jason and I would be getting engaged and buying a house.  I was sure that's what would be happening.  Then we broke up.  I was devastated.  Completely.  It was a tough time in my life, but I got through it with a lot of support from family and friends.  Once the initial heartbreak was over and my intense sorrow lifted, I started to think aout all the possibilites that were suddenly open to me, and I became kind of excited by it all.  Maybe I'd redecorate my condo?  Do a kitchen renovation?  And if you ad asked me then what I'd be doing in one year, I'd have told you, I have no idea.  I thought I'd probably be living in my (newly renovated) condo, carrying on with my studies, and spending time with my friends.  But maybe not, maybe I would move? For love?  For work?  For spiritual growth?  Who knew?  All of the sudden the answer to "where will I be a year from now" question seemed more uncertain than ever.  Turns out the first answer was correct.  I WAS  living in a house that I bought WITH Jason, who I WAS engaged to.  Oh, the irony...

In the fall of 2010 if you had asked me where I'd be in a year I probably would have said that I'd be newly married as of September 10, embarking on a new career after finishing my professional studies program in PR, and enjoying the freedom of no longer being a student.  I had no idea that I'd be nine months pregnant and due to have our first baby in late September (she arrived on October 5) and that we'd have moved up the wedding to April to accomodate the new little person who was coming to live with us.  And that instead of having new found "I'm no longer a student" freedom, I'd be experiencing "I have a tiny, helpless baby to look after and I've never had LESS freedom."  Crazy.

For much of my maternity leave with Juliette, I hadn't a clue what I would do when it was time to go back to work.  Since I was a student when I became pregnant, I didn't have a job to go back to after mat leave.  I had to start from scratch.  I was worried that while my classmates would all be moving on to start their careers, I'd forget everything I'd learned and be totally unappealing to potential employers when it was time to job hunt.  I was worried that I'd hate having to go to work and leave my baby behind.  I  was REALLY worried that I'd have to go back to waiting tables again.  Turns out I was able to line up an amazing position months in advance and could relax for the summer, knowing I had a job come fall.  Phew.  And although it IS tough leaving Juliette some days, I enjoy my work and I enjoy the challenge it gives me.  It was actually quite nice to start spending some time with adults again after being totally baby-centred for the previous year.

Now here I am, with a few months left in my 12 month contract, and what, you ask, will I be doing a year from now?  I haven't a clue.  But here's the thing: I feel OKAY not knowing.  How could I possibly have predicted the events that took place in the last few years (or, more accurately, my whole life) that have led me to having the truly blessed life that I do.  Unbelievably, I'm learning to trust in the opportunities the universe seems to always place in my path and my ability to meet them.  That amazes me.  I usually feel the need to plan things out carefully and predict the outcomes.  But sometimes you just need to trust.  So that's what I'm doing.  Up until now, it's been working out pretty well for me.

Kidsfest

This past weekend was the 31st annual Kidsfest (aka: The International Children's Festival) at The Forks.  Jason and I decided to take Juliette to check it out before we hit the road for Lake of the Woods.

Full disclosure?  Getting there was a little tense.  You know when you have these amazing family outings planned in your head, and everybody's happy and joyous and thrilled to be spending time together bonding and making memories?  And then the day comes and it's a total gong show because you have an appointment with the naturopath doctor that you've been waiting to get in to see for months to discuss your ecxema.  And your husband just got back from an eight day trip to British Colombia that was half business/half pleasure, so you're already feeling kind of resentful toward him.  And you've decided just to hit the highway for your weekend getaway straight from the event, so you need to pack up coolers and luggage and diapers and favourite story books and sippy cups and a gazillion other things you need to take now that you have a kid (and inevitably something is always forgotten).  And you want to time everything perfectly so you'll be pulling out of town right at your toddler's nap time, and she'll sleep the whole two and a half hour drive to cottage country (didn't happen, by the way).Oh, and did I mention the part about feeling resentful toward your husband for being gone for eight days?  

Once we were there things started to settle down.  And by "things" I mean me.  I'm the first to admit I can get a little high strung, but I'm workin' on it.  Sometimes it's really just a matter of restarting your day. When we got there Jason and I looked at each other and agreed to shake off all the tensions from the morning and enjoy ourselves.  Watching Juliette dance and giggle and clap was awesome, and it soothed me.  And we were both happy to have her daddy home (even if it took me a little longer...). 

We rolled in just in time to catch the end of Fred Penner's set.  He was singing the Cat Came Back, and I was reminded of when I was around eight years old at a bowling alley with some friends while on spring break, and Mr. Fred Penner himself was a couple of lanes down from us bowling with his kids.  I remember thinking: Fred Penner has kids?!?!  Totally dumbfounded and starstruck.  

Juliette wasn't really diggin' Fred though, so we had to exit that tent rather quickly.  I think her favourite part was probably a toss up between pot and pan banging at setup designed to do exactly that (silly me for not taking a photo!) or sitting in a stranger's wagon while watching Splash'n'Boots.  After awkwardly trying to distract her from said wagon for several minutes we gave up, and the owner kindly said she could sit in it if she wanted to.  Thank you, kind stranger!

If you didn't make it down this year, you should definitely put it in your schedule for next June.  I still fondly remember school trips to Kidsfest from my childhood, and I think it's so important that we continue to support little grassroots festivals like this.  They're not in it for anything other than putting smiles on kids faces and that's pretty important work:)

p.s.  If you'd like to make a donation to help support Kidsfest, you can do so here.

Fam jam at LOTW

This weekend Jason, Juliette and I were oh-so-lucky to be invited out to Lake of the Woods with our cousins.  It was so much fun that we've  decided to make it an annual event, and if they should ever decide to retract that invitation I now have it in writing.  So there.

This weekend getaway was pretty different from my last trip to LOTW.  Same cabin, same hostess, more kids, more tears, and probably an equal amount of laughter:)

We got out there on Friday around 4 o'clock, leaving rainy Manitoba behind and enetering the sun-filled skies of Ontario.  Perfect.  Juliette was awake for the whole drive until we were around twenty minutes away from our destination, at which point she fell fast asleep.  We left her snoozing in the car with the windows open under the steady guard of her three and a half year old cousin Lila, who was dying her for her playmate to wake up!

We've been counting down to this little weekend retreat for a few weeks now and it didn't dissapoint!  We ate like kings and queens and relished in the cuteness of our offspring.  

The biggest news of the weekend??  This guy started CRAWLING!  Watching him on Friday afternoon it was clear that he was sooooo close he could smell it and by Sunday morning it was a done deal.  William the crawler is now a mobile baby and his parents are now on eagle eye alert for any and all choking hazards.  Way to go, Will!  Way to go, Will's parents!

FYI: hot tubbing while looking out over a glistening lake doesn't suck.  In case you were unsure, I've just given you confirmation.

Of course there was the token trip to the ER in Kenora (not to worry, everyone is fine), sleep schedules were out the window, early mornings with the kiddos somehow seemed extra early, and I was near cardiac arrest every time Juliette was on the dock (I swear to God, she nearly just walked right off the edge half a dozen times!).  Family getaways with little ones are always a heck of a lot of work!  Thank goodness adults outnumbered the children, except for when the fellas were down on the dock fishing.  (Ahem)

It's these kinds of weekends that give you a taste for communal living, and although I don't really think that's my bag, it was nice to have extra eyes and ears around to watch over Juliette, share in the cooking and cleaning duties, and just have the all around sense that everything we did was a "happening" of sorts.  Domestic chores are much less hum drum when shared.

We had a fantastic weekend, and I'm already daydreamimg about our 2014 LOTW fam jam!  Juliette will be a whole year older - yikes!  Just imagine all the funny things she'll be saying and doing a year from now.  William the crawler will be William the walker.  Lila will be doling out hugs, snuggles and plenty of instructions.  And we'll still be trying to keep up with all of them!

Thank you Pam, Robbie, Lila and William for inviting us to share the weekend with you!  We had an amazing time:) xoxo

Mommy/Daughter date night: round 2

              

Okay, so the longer the hubs is away, the more opportunities I have to whisk Juliette out for dinner dates followed by a little shopping! Not a bad deal, hey?!

Tonight we hit up Polo Park Mall for some food court action. Not the most debonair, I know. And certainly not as trendy as the crepes we had last week, but they have french fries in food courts, and my girl loves her some french fried pataters.  Also, it's a short walk from home so there was no driving involved, and considering up until now I'm a total failure at biking to work, I'm trying to make up for it in other areas.  After we gorged on some grease, we headed over for a quick snoop through the Gap to check out a denim vest I've been eyeing. As I was trying on said vest my eyes were drawn over to the loveliest pop of blue on the sale rack in the form a leather tote bag...marked down... to twenty nine bucks!  Sold.

                

Remember this post dedicated to summer purses in various shades of cream, teal and blue? Well folks, I got my blue bag! For twenty nine bucks!!!!

If Jason doesn't come home soon there's no telling what other finds I may end up stumbling across:)

p.s.  So, the denim vest, yay or nay?  F21 has some affordable options here, here and here.