What I'm Reading

This month I've done a lot of reading but only completed 3 books.  Let me tell you a little about the books I've read which are all very different.

1.  The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

This book was chosen for our book club read. Not my usual read but it won an award and I went in optimistically.  It is about a young boy named Theo who at the age of 14 loses his mother and has no other family to take him in.  It is about his journey surviving this horrific event and follows him into adult hood.    The version I read was 771 pages, the pocket sized version had over 900 pages!  There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed and found myself wanting to read and other parts where I was bored and forced myself to read.  Under normal circumstances I probably wouldn't have finished the book but since we will be discussing it at book club for a few minutes (lots more non book chat happens at meetings!) I finished to the very last page.   Towards the end I became very motivated to read because my next book had arrived in the mail.....

Goodreads rating: 3.86 stars
My rating: 1 star

What I found interesting about the good reads ratings was people either loved it or hated it. There were several comments that would start with 'are we reading the same book?' because one person raved about it and the next person hated it.  To each their own. I'm glad to have read it, but I was glad to move on to my next read.

2.  It's Not Okay by Andi Dorfman

I was so excited for this book. I tried not to buy it for so so long.  I had it on hold at the library but there was only 4 copies for the entire city and I was barely moving on the list. So I ordered the hardcover and impatiently waited for it to arrive.  It arrived the week before my Scottsdale trip and I devoured it in one day.  It was the perfect read for girls trip since I could still listen into the girls conversations while sharing the occasional line from the book.  I love love LOVE Nick and can't wait to see him on the bachelor so I was most excited to see what she had to say about him.  The only thing I learned about him was he is bad in bed. For reals.  I loved the content of this book but not the way it was written. It was not in chronological order.  So the book starts on the day her and Josh aka Number 26 break up and she flashes back to points of their relationship.  I do however like that she didn't use their names.  If you are a faithful bachelor watcher it was easy to decipher.  I am happy to have read this book but overall it was disappointing.  If you are looking for a bachelor read, I think Sean Lowe and Courtney Robertson's books are better.  One is rah rah Bachelor and the other one gives the dirty details. I'll let you guess which is which. Ha!

Goodreads rating: 2.97 stars
My rating: 2 star

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica

Since I read It's Not Okay in one day, I needed a book to read on the airplane home from Phoenix and I grabbed this one.  It is compared to Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train which I loved so it seemed like the perfect fit for my reading style.  It is about a girl named Mia that is kidnapped and it switches perspective between Mia, her mom, her captures and the detective's point of view.  The book had potential and I kept thinking on every page turn that something exciting was going to happen. It didn't.  There was a twist at the end that I did not expect but it wasn't good enough to make me like the book anymore.  In my opinion it is no where near as good as the other 2 books it was compared to.

Goodreads rating: 3.81stars

My rating: 2 star

Waiting to read...

I currently have the following books on my nightstand waiting to be read:

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fanni Flagg

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens
13 Ways of Looking at A Fat Girl by Mona Awad

I usually pick my books based on book review blogs then when I pick them up and read the back I sometimes wonder why I though I would like the particular book.  Two of the above books qualify for the 'why did I choose this?' award.

Have you read any of these books and which should I read first?

What I Wore Wednesday

So I have these pants I love... but I don't have many tops to go with.  Ideally I'd like to tuck the top in but they are kind of high waisted and a tad on the light color and I am not sure I feel great with my bum totally exposed in said light high waisted pants.  So here is me in the pants with the same blouse both tucked and untucked.

I initially wore the shirt out but found myself thinking that the flowy shirt with the non fitted pants just wasn't a a good match.  So... the first time I went to the bathroom I tucked it in and tried it like that.  From these pictures, I'd say I like it tucked better, however a trusted coworker said that she liked it better untucked so I quickly pulled the shirt out.

I think I need to find a shorter top that I can wear untucked for the win.  This shirt is just too long given my 5'2 frame.  I like the how the colors go together but I think I need to continue the hunt for the perfect match to this pant.

Vent over.

A Weekend in Review

To say this past weekend was busy would be an understatement.

We excitedly welcomed my brother, also named James, his wife, 4 kids, and my mom on Thursday evening ready for a weekend of fun.  After an hour of play we had to head to the rink for Grady's hockey evaluation (which are thankfully over!) and a parent teacher interview for Grady right after.  You see, James was leaving for the weekend on Friday morning and wanted to get one interview in before he left.   The night was so busy I didn't take a single photo, not one.

Friday morning started with Cooper's interview where we finally got a chance to meet his teacher.  We walked in to find our neighbors had the appointment before us, the time I tried to get.  So happy that our kids have each other and Cooper and M are in the same class for Kinder just like Grady and A were.

After the interview we loaded all 10 of us into 2 vans and headed to the zoo.  My kids are odd and don't generally like the zoo but today seemed to be an exception.  Out of all the alive animals they could enjoy, they like the dinosaur exhibit the best.  I must admit it is cool as the dinos move and roar.  The first time we saw them Grady refused to go near them, this weekend it was Kippy that was somewhat terrified.

You can see him sitting in that pink wagon (he has three older sisters...) but not for long. As soon as that dino started to roar he wanted out of it and wanted to be safely nested in his mommy's arm.  I don't blame him, they look very real.

We tried to get a cousin pic but it proved to be easier said then done.  Some of us started in our winter jackets (Grady) but as the day went on the wagon quickly filled up with jackets.  In this one the sun had just started to peak out and ruined my picture.

This one is much better, but Madi is missing.  The colors at the zoo were phenomenal.  Such a beautiful fall day.

I really enjoyed the tigers and the baby gorilla.  The picture honestly doesn't do the size of it justice.  It was so tiny and was quite alien like.

Cooper insisted on riding in the wagon.  Believe it or not we've never had one.  Probably because both of my kids rode in a stroller until they were 5. For real.

From the zoo we headed to the mall and Grandma distributed each of the kids some spending money.   It took the girls all of 10 minutes to spend it all  in one store whereas my kids wondered toys r us for ages before finally deciding on an Imaginext toy and pokemon cards.

Between the zoo and the mall I racked up over 20,000 steps that day.   Good thing because I also drank beer and ate many brownies!

Saturday was a blur.  Grady had his last eval skate and this guy had his first skate with his new team.

He was all smiles to get on the ice and be reunited with his hockey buddies from last year as we had 3 repeats.  The best news is that someone volunteered to be manager of the team before I was coerced.  Yay for not being in charge!

After 3 hours at 2 different rinks we headed to Calaway park to meet up with the cousins.  We barely got in the gates and Grady spots the face painting place and insists we wait in line.  I was impressed with how quickly the guy worked and I came out with one cute fox and one scary skeleton.

We've never been to Calaway in the fall and Cooper was loving all the Halloween decor.  He stopped at every skeleton to look at them and insisted on getting his photo taken.

We finally met up with James and crew and he is on the phone with Visa because he lost his credit card.  Again.  We separated so they could go on the log ride and we could go on the pirate ship.  After waiting for 40 minutes for one ride and the kids were acting horrendous I texted him and told him we were leaving.  In the end, we should have just stayed home since we saw them for all of 3 minutes.  Oh well, can't say we didn't try.

After Calaway we had an early birthday celebration for my Mom who turned 61.  I forgot to take a picture of the cake that was half pink and half blue to make all the grand kids happy.  Kippy is kind of sitting where the cake would sit if it didn't have fire on it that could easily be reached by said 2 year old.....

And just like that the weekend was done.

I love how the kids finally remember each other and look forward to the visits.  The boys were excellent hosts.  Cooper set up a slide down the stairs using our sleeping mats and would hold it for his younger cousins to ride down.  He was drenched in sweat by the time the evening was over.

Grady hosted a party in his room complete with snacks, juice boxes, and beer for the adults.  My boys aren't used to be around younger kids, especially not girls so I was super proud of how polite they were. For the most part.

These weekends mean so much to me.  Seeing the cousins get along and seeing my brother with my kids is just so special.  As they get older they interact more and more. For instance, brother James played video games with the boys, even if they didn't tell him how to do the super moves and didn't always share.

I really look forward to these weekends and am so thankful that he and Chantelle are willing to make the 6 hour trip with 4 kids.  Even if they do have to recruit Grandma as the nanny.

I hope you guys had as much fun as we did.  Until next year....

Flashback: What Love Looks Like

I sat down to figure out what I was going to write about today and started with my draft posts hoping that I had some inspirational post started.  Sadly, I did not, but I did find this post that originally appeared on Deena's blog in 2014, over 2 years ago.  As I reread something I wrote so long ago I find myself still relating, so I am sharing it with you.  Enjoy!

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I am usually not a serious kind of blogger, I prefer to keep it light and funny. I'm not sure if that is what comes across on my blog or not.   When Deena sent her suggested topic for guest posting, I hesitated, even gasped if you will, at having to come up with a deep, thoughtful post.  What does love look like?   I don't know.  After a little reflection I came up with a few non-traditional ways that shows love in my family.  While hearing 'I love you' is important, they way you show your love is as important.

Love is watching 2 children hold hands.

Love is wiping a tear when your child is crying.

Love is a grandmother acting silly with her grand kids.

Love is filling the pool for your kids on a hot day even though it is lots of work and they will only use it for an hour or less.

Love is a Nana baking a cake of her grandson's choice each birthday even if it is super complicated.

Love is separating beads after your son drops his brand new package on the floor.

Love is when brothers take a break from fighting to play nicely together.

 Love is a parent watching their baby sleep.

Love is going to a hockey game when it is not your favorite sport.

Love is a Dad teaching his son how to swim.

Love is going on vacation with your family.

Love is everywhere.

To wrap it up, this quote from one of my favorite movies was the first thing I thought of when I thought about what love looks like.  If you pay attention, love is all around.

Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around.

  -Love Actually         

Things I learned in Scottsdale

I survived girls weekend and actually came back feeling more refreshed than I expected.  Probably because we spent 12 hours laying around by the pool on Sunday recovering from the previous 2 days!  To sum up the trip, here are top 22 G-rated things I learned this weekend.

1.  Scottsdale is its own city, not a part of Phoenix.  I always thought that it was part of Phoenix but it is actually a city all of its own but we fly into Phoenix.

2.   I packed too much makeup considering I only wore makeup once.  The other 2 days I didn't so much as put on power, heck I would just sweat it off anyway given it was nearly 40 degrees with not a cloud in the sky.

3.   Kraft dinner is called Kraft macaroni and cheese dinner in the US because Canadians are smart enough to know what it is without putting it the 'macaroni and cheese' part.  Or because Americans don't want to be sued when they open the box and don't find an actual real dinner inside.  Google said it, not me!

4.   Everything I wore would inside fit inside my new mint purse.   I wore a lot of bathing suits and the same short and tank top all weekend.  I brought approximately 6 too many outfits.

5.  Don't go too hard on the first night or you may spend the next day nursing a hangover.  While the other ladies were living it up at the pool party I was busy re-hydrating with water until mid afternoon.  My fun came from people watching and trust me, there was lots to watch.

6.  Don't forget to put sunscreen on your butt.  I thought I was lying in the shade and it turns out my butt and leg were hanging out.  Putting sunscreen on my knees and feet, the areas I never want to burn, did not help me.

7.   The pool party scene in Phoenix is more age appropriate then Vegas but the pool is just as gross.  We refereed to it as the pee pool because although we were using the toilets, the bathrooms were always empty.  I wonder where those people were going....

8.  Speaking of toilets, the bathrooms were coed.  Not the actual toilet area but the hand washing area.  Awkward.  Except that I was always the only one in there per #7 above.

9. Golf cart cabs are scary.  The idea is great but there are no seat belts and riding in the back row facing on coming traffic is quiet scary when you've had a few drinks.

10.  We should have bought more peanut butter and less crackers.  Who knew that between 6 girls we could eat a whole tub of peanut butter but we bought 3 boxes of crackers and didn't even open one box.

11.  I really missed a trip to mall even if the exchange rate is terrible.  The mall is my happy place and I wish I would have walked to the mall for a change of scenery on our quiet day.

12. It is possible to not bring anything back from vacation.  I wrote $10 on my custom form for the amount of dollars spent on things I brought home.  For real.  I spent $10 on some candy and toys at the airport for the kids but nothing on myself.  I consumed all the money I spent.

13.  It is possible to get up before 7 am on  a trip without kids. Twice.  With 6 girls staying in close proximity and 2 that get up at the crack of dawn it was hard to sleep once the giggling started.  That's what coffee is for after all.

14.   I am still able to take a nap when I go to bed late and get up at the crack of dawn.  I can't remember the last time I had a nap but between the lack of sleep and a touch of a hangover a nap was exactly what the doctor ordered.

15.  Not leaving your vacation house all day and laying by the pool can be the most relaxing and longest day you've ever had.  It is actually how I imagine big brother to be, a bunch of people lying around the pool and talking for 10+ hours.  Except we did it for 1 and they do it for 90+ days.  

16. I learned about the benefits of pro biotic drops and ordered some to try.  Keeping this G-rated, I learned that they help with digestion and we'll leave it at that.

17.   You can never order too many chicken tenders.  One day we had chicken tenders twice!  These girls love their chicken!  

18.   I can still bust a move on the dance floor after a few drinks.  Even though I tell my friends I don't dance.  I wish I was wearing my fitbit Friday night as I think I would have gotten many steps.  I left it at home for the record.  I didn't want it to record how inactive I was all weekend.

19.   It gets dark by 7pm. Like pitch black.  Reminded me of Hawaii.  Made it hard to walk anywhere in the evening since we didn't know where we were going and they only had like 1 streetlamp per block.  Hence the use of the golf carts!

20.   We learned that Instagram hacks are real.  One of the girls had her internet hacked while we were away with a link advertising casual hook ups.  She wasn't all that concerned but we certainly had a laugh or two over it.

21.  The men to woman ratio is high in Scottsdale.  There were so many guy trips and us on the airplane.   

22.  Always check your VRBO rental for toilet paper.  Two rolls is not sufficient for 6 girls for 3 nights.  

As you can see, this trip was full of learning opportunities and life experiences.  It is a very good thing that I went since it turned out to be more about education than having fun.  I wonder what I will learn next year.....

My thoughts on... Lagree

While I recovering from my weekend in Phoenix we are going to talk about Lagree.  I am going to need a lot of Lagree to work off my weekend food and drinks because trust me there was no exercising while I was away!

I'm guessing most of you have never heard of Lagree, I certainly hadn't.  Then a studio opened in my neighborhood and was offering a free class and an additional 3 classes for $5 and I just couldn't resist the offer to try a new fitness class for such a reasonable price.

Per the Lagree YYC website, Lagree is defined as the following:

The Lagree Method™ is the best core-strengthening, calorie-burning workout designed for full body conditioning available in Calgary. Moving effectively out of the borders of conditioned stimulus (doing the same old thing the same old way), this workout integrates the key elements of resistance and counter-resistance in a sequence that allows for periods of zero gravity at peak muscle contraction (you get more out of everything you do). The composition of this method is significant in that it encourages maximum exertion in a low impact workout thus reducing the risk of injury and also allowing individuals with some injuries to participate in a meaningful manner.

The Lagree Method™ strengthens the body, tones and elongates the muscles, improves endurance, jump-starts the metabolism, burns fat, increases flexibility and postural alignment, and restores the body’s natural balance leaving participants with the potential for a lithe and powerful body, resistant to the everyday stresses of work and life.

After reading this, I realized it does not explain Lagree at all!  So in my words, it is pilates on a reformer machine.  What is a reformer machine you ask?  Let me show you.

This is the torture chamber of exercise machines.  The 2 platforms on the end are static and the middle platform slides from end to end like the seat of a rower.  It is spring weighted so you can change the resistance of the platform.

The first class was a bit intimidating trying to learn all the new terminology... pockets, rails, curly bars and the list goes on.  While it looks complicated it is actually not that bad once you get on it.

After my first class my core hurt from one hip to the other.  Bad.  It hurt for 3 days. No pain, no gain, right?  Along with my core, my inner thighs were on fire.  Those are 2 areas that I never seem to target in my other exercise programs.  I was sold and I quickly registered for 3 classes in one week for $5.  I may have gotten a good deal but my body paid the price. I was sore all week.  I better have smaller thighs after all that shaking!

I tried to find photos of the different exercise you do on the machine but came up empty handed.  I think this video helps understand the movements much better.  It is very slow.  You do the same exercise for 1-2 minutes depending on upper or lower body and the object is to go as slow as you can.  The slower you go the more you shake.

After my bargain classes I decided to buy a 10 pass card.  The classes are quite pricey.  A drop in class is $30 and a buying a 10 pass at 20% off brought the class down to $22 a pop.  Still expensive but more manageable.  There are only 9 machines in the class so a very small class on a very expensive machine makes the cost skyrocket.  Because of the price I will only go once or twice a month when I feel like my core needs a good workout.

If you have one in your area, give it a try and be prepared for jello legs after!

five on friday

{one}  This week is birthday week on the blended blog!  If you haven't already, stop by and enter the giveaway to win a $150 gift card to the store of your choice!  My questions were featured on Monday.  As a teaser, here are the questions related to my blog that can get you one entry each into the draw.

Question #1: What is the very first show that Christy binge-watched with her hubby?

Question #2: From which side of the closet does Christy choose her shirts?

Question #3: In what year did Christy join her first gym?

{two}  This week I was featured on the blended blog's series behind the blogger where 3 of us answered the same questions.  Head on over there to see how I answered mine.  You'll learn about my first car and my most memorable summer vacation among other things.

{three} Hockey evaluations are in full swing here.  I forgot how stressful it is to watch your kid skate then not so patiently wait to see the results posted at midnight the same day.  To say it has been a sleep deprived week would be an understatement.

{four}  My book came in!  I can't wait to dig into It's Not Okay (the bachelorette book!) on the plane this weekend.

{five} It girls weekend!  I am headed to Phoenix this weekend with 5 other girls to enjoy sunshine, shopping, and bevvies.  I am going to miss my boys, both big and small, tremendously.  James is more than capable of the 4 days with the kids and it is good for them.  When I come home after being away a few nights James always tells me how much he enjoyed it.  It is like he is asking me to take a few days to relax with my friends.  I love getting away, but my favorite part is always the hugs when I get home.

Have a great weekend, I know I will!

What I wore Wednesday: Mint for fall

I love mint!  Next to Christy Blue it is my favorite color.  I have way too many accessories in the this color and a few tops and sweaters as well.  This month I added a new bag!

I was walking through the bay and there was a sale table with hand bags and totes.  I was obviously attracted to this one and when I checked the tag it was on sale for $179.99 with AN EXTRA 25% off.  They were practically giving them away at that price.  With very little convincing from my friend I walked out of the store with my new tote!

Mint is really not a great winter color so I decided to wear it all of September and then pack it away until spring.  So the question is, how would I incorporate my pretty new bag in to my fall wardrobe.  Because trust me, summer has ended here.  Why you ask?  Because hockey has started, the flip flops are packed away and we have woken up to frost.

To make a long story short, this week I set out on mission to turn mint into a fall outfit.

What you can't tell from this photo is that my tee is a light shade of mint as well.  In the summer I would wear the tee with a pair of whit jeans or shorts, but to make is September appropriate I added a multi color sweater and my black booties.  And of course my new mint bag!

We have our family photos later this month and I chose mint/light blue as our color.  Well, for the kids and I any how.  James will likely stick to neutrals!

Summer Bucket List Revisited

With the kids back in school and summer officially has come to an end, it is time to revisit our summer bucket list of 2016.  When I first sat down to write this post, I thought our summer bucket list was a big fat fail.  I feel like we had so few weekend days in the city this summer that we couldn't have possibly completed may items on our list.  It turned out I was wrong.

Build a Bear - Completed

Can I just say that I never plan to go back to this store?  My kids loved it, but my wallet certainly didn't.  The kids each chose a bear and accessories of their choice.  Cooper chose a storm trooper bear and Grady chose a hockey themed bear.  The total for these 2 bears was over $120 and I can't say that they have shown much interest in these bears all summer. #fail

C-train ride - Completed

We completed this task with Sara and her kids when they came to visit.  I think Sara was just as excited as the kids.  We rode it on a Sunday morning and our entire train car was completely empty for the first leg of our trip.

Swimming pool - indoor - Fail
Swimming pool - outdoor - Fail
Mini Golf - Fail

Calgary Tower - Completed

We also did this with Sara and her kids, it is like she was helping me complete the bucket list!  Ha!  I wouldn't say it was a huge success but I'm glad to have gone.  Why is it that the kids are never scared of the glass floor?  Sara and I got on to take a picture and quickly hopped off.

Zoo - Fail

We failed at going this summer but we have plans to go this fall with my brother so it is only a half fail.  My kids are weird and don't really like the zoo.  They like the playground and the dinosaur area but have next to no interest in the real animals.

Bike Ride - Completed

Sadly, we only went on one family bike ride and I don't have a photo as evidence.  We joined some friends for a short bike ride at a park and Cooper got stung by a bee.  Twice.  I think I was more scared than him.  I must admit I was a touch of a basket case and Stacey had to come to my rescue to get the bee that was stuck on Cooper's leg off.

Library - Completed

We went to the library once as a family although I went plenty more to take books out for myself.  Have I ever mentioned that I don't buy books?  I put them on hold at the library and pick them up when I get the email saying they are ready.  That is how I decide what to read.  I only buy books before vacation if there is one I really want to read.

Pool Party in the back yard - Completed.

The weather here was crappy this summer.  It rained.  A lot.  We had one pool party in the yard.  Actually James had a pool party in the yard with the kids and their friends while I was out.

Heritage Park - Completed

I took the kids to Heritage Park the very first Monday they were done school.  I've never seen it so busy.  Some of the other school weren't done yet and they were there for school trips.  Despite the line ups, we had a great time and the kids conned me into paying for them to play games.  I've learned my lesson and we only play the games with guaranteed prizes.

Calaway Park - Completed

We went to Calaway park a few times.  We have a season pass so it is practically free.  My kids aren't really ride people but they managed to go on the log ride once each only to decide they didn't really want to go on it again.  They were a touch more adventurous this year, but they have a long way to go.

Trampoline Park - Completed

The kids loved this place.  Loved.  They came home sweaty and tired.  My thoughts on this place?  It was far away from home and expensive.  James and I planned to jump but it was $20 a person.  I didn't need to jump that price.  I probably had more fun watching anyway.

So as you can see, we made use of every single day that we did have free and covered some great territory on our 2016 bucket list.

Celebrating one Year of the Blended Blog

Exactly one year ago, a group of woman from across North America decided to collaborate and create one blog where they could all have a voice.  The Blended Blog was born.  We are a group of woman ranging in age, living miles and miles apart brought together initially by a love of fashion.  While this is what brought us together, our unique voice combines all things from parenting, to crafting, to fitness, to recipes.

This week we are celebrating 365 days of blogging success.  We did it, we made it.  We met milestones, we faced setbacks.  We said good bye to old friends and welcomed new ones.  We worked together to make this a meeting place for woman of all stages of life.

I wrote a post in September of last year admitting that I had reservations in joining the group since I was not looking to increase blog traffic and wanted blogging to remain a hobby and something I looked forward to doing.  Now, a year later, I couldn't be happier with my decision to take a risk and join this exceptional group of ladies.

I now I think of the other contributors as my friends.  After reading some of their blogs for 2+ years I feel like I know them.  Some of them have older children that are just leaving home and remind us moms of younger children to cherish the years since they go by so fast.  For those with kids younger than mine I am able to offer them a light at the end of the tunnel.  I look to some for for the next book to read and others for a great summer cocktail to enjoy on my deck.  While I've only met 2 in real life, I just know that I would love them all and look forward to the spring where we hope to have our next get together.

To celebrate our year of successes, the Blended Blog will be hosting a scavenger hunt across all the contributors blogs.  My blog is featured today along with Sheila and Katie.  Head on over to The Blended Blog to answer the questions and enter the draw!

Good luck!

five on friday

{one} We survived our first week back to school.  I thrive on routine so I am happy to see my little people off the TV and in the classroom.

{two}  Grady is having his first sleepover party at someone else's house tonight.  I was unsure if he would want to go but when I asked him I got a resounding YES.  So we'll drop him off and hope that we don't get a call in the middle of the night to come and get him!

{three}  While Grady is off partying the night away... James and I are going to see the Book of Mormon at the theater.  We've wanted to see this for some time and even had tickets once and had to sell them as we were on vacation.  I am really looking forward to a date night with my handsome hubby.

{four}  Have you heard of Lagree?  Is is Pilates on a reformer machine, check this video out.  A new studio opened in our neighborhood this month and I tried a free class.  While the class is quite slow, it was way harder than I expected.  My core is my weakest link and I woke of the next day and hurt from one hip right across my core to the other hip.  For their grand opening week you could register in 3 classes for $5 and that starts tomorrow.  My core will thank me!

{five}  We kick off hockey season on Sunday with Grady's first evaluation skate.  He will skate 5-7 times over the next 2 weeks to make sure he is on a team with a similar skill set.  Last year I had no idea what we were getting into this, this year I am preparing myself.  It was a stressful 2 weeks and I am most certainly looking forward to it being over!

Back to School - Grade 3 and Kindergarten

This weekend got off to a not so good start.  Last year at the school they started sending emails out to the parents to tell you who your teacher would be, which I actually loved, but this year it caused a little stress in our house as the first day of school quickly approached.....

It was after 5:00 Friday evening when all the parents started texting which teacher their child was allocated, because of course, they don't attach a class list to said email!  We were the last to receive the email only to discover that none of Grady's best friends were in his class.  Grady was disappointed, I was disappointed for him.   Over the course of the weekend I heard of 3 other boys in his class and he promptly told me that they were not his friends.  Well, they may be by the end of the year.....

On the other hand, from the email with Cooper's teacher I knew that he had 3 kids he knows in his class, so he was a happy camper and eager to get the show on the road. 

In the end, I told Grady it will work out, and I was right.  When we picked him up after his first day yesterday we got the news that 3 out of the 5 Grade 3 classes were sharing a 'learning space' and that they would do most subjects together as one giant class. Four of his friends are now in the same class. At the end of the day, I had one very happy boy.

As for the learning aspect... I'm not sure how that works but they know better than me. Personally I think having 60 eight year olds in one class sounds horrendous. Good luck to them!

Moving right along to Mr. Coop all ready for his very first day of Kindergarten....  They have a staggered entry process at his school which I am personally not a fan of.  Just throw them in and get them started already!!  He went for one hour yesterday to meet his teacher and 4 other classmates and he goes Thursday for a full morning with 10 classmates before finally starting next week with his whole class.  He was a lot more shy with the teacher than I expected him to be but I have no doubt he will quickly warm up.  This kid is a ham!

Just like that, my babies are in Grade 3 in Kindergarten.  Instead of being cliché and telling you my babies are growing up so fast and I wish it would slow down, I am going to tell you that I am excited to see my boys developing their personalities and independence.  While I have enjoyed the joys that the baby and toddler years brought, I am looking forward to seeing if I have a mathematician or an artist, or one of each!  I still find that I like each age a little better than the last.

While my kids are getting older I am taking time to cherish and remember the things in the moment that melt my heart. 

Last night before bed I heard a little voice coming from Cooper's room, almost a whisper...

Cooper:  Mom, will you be at home tomorrow for my first day of Kindergarten.

Me: I wouldn't miss it for the world, I will be there.

Another successful first day of school in the books!

August in Numbers

Another month, another recap to link up with Dee.

8:  The number of nights we were away in the Okanagon for our vacation.

25:  The number of hours the kids spent in the pool. About half of those hours I had a book in my hand.

3:  The number of very large spiders we saw in and around our vacation home.

1:  The number of ears that were infected with swimmers ear while we were away which made a trip to the walk in clinic inevitable.

15:  The numbers of beer consumed on vacation.  There is nothing like a cold beer on a hot day.  Oddly enough I don't have a photo of me and my beer.  Right, James takes no photos of me.

4:  The number of healthy eyes in our house per their back to school eye appointments.

0:  The number of eyes that need glasses.

16:  The number of glasses the kids tried on anyway.

5:  The number of days that the kids were in hockey camp.  I can't believe it is hockey time again already. While I missed it at first, I am now dreading going back to the intense hockey schedule and early mornings.

8:  The number of episodes of Stranger Things that we watched in less than a week.

12:  The number of episodes of Big Brother I watched.  I think I am officially cheering for Victor to win.  Who gets evicted twice from the house and still wins their way bay both times.  Not sure if that will work for or against him yet.  I think Paul has a really good chance to but I just don't like him. Maybe it is the beard.

10,870:  The average number of steps I took per day.  This is really not a great number. I'm sure that the fact I was on vacation where it was way too hot to think about running reduced my average. 4% less than last month.  Sigh...  On a positive note, it should be easy to beat next month.

33: The average active minutes per day in August, down a whopping 19%.  I have some work to do this month...

6:  Online orders that arrived at my house or have yet to arrive.  I bet the Purolator guy knows our address by heart.  To my defence, lots of stuff is for the kids. I ordered their back packs, outfits for family pictures (our these color is teal this year!), and protein bars, are mixed in with my clothing purchases.  Don't parents get back to school outfits?  No?  Well they should.

11:  The number of hours Pokemon Go was played by the boys.  I really dislike it. Some like it because it gets kids out and active.  Yes we get outside, and yes we walk, but every 10 steps we take, we stop to catch a Pokemon or look at if there are any Pokemons around.  Those 10 steps we do take are very very slow.  I prefer to just stay home and read my book.  But I do get out the odd time....

1:  The number of sleeps before I send my kidlets back to school after an amazing summer!

Have a great September!