a cabin in the woods

it is official.  we need a cabin in the woods.  yes friends, it is a need.  and also a want.  this past weekend we headed out to beautiful british columbia with some friends to their cabin in the woods.  it was such a spectacular weekend.  weather co-operated, there was a ton of fresh air, some major relaxing and fun were had by all.  liam was a bit of a handful, but i think it was because everything around him was new and he was in over-stimulation mode all weekend.  he had his first ride on a quad, a mini bike and a ride on mower.  all within hours of each other.  who wouldn't be over-stimulated.

the husband and i have been dreaming of a cabin of our own since we met.  nothing terribly big, two or three bedrooms a bathroom, kitchen and tons and tons of nature.  because of when we bought our current house we've been able to make a little bit of a nest egg that we're going to try and grow over the next couple of years to make our dream happen.  it feels great to know that we are finally working towards owning our very own cabin and that we're potentially only a few years away.

anyways here's a photo-dump of our weekend at the cabin.

thanks a bunch mark and aleta for an awesome weekend!!  

 it was a blast and hopefully soon we can do it all again at a cabin of our very own.

the greatest outdoor show on earth

friday morning marked the beginning of the calgary stampede.  every year (for the last hundred years) our city becomes everything cowboy related for an entire ten days.  this means ten days of country music, pancake breakfasts, chuck wagons, the rodeo, grandstand show, beer tents, midway rides, beef on a bun, fireworks, and it's all kicked off with a parade.  last year will and kate were part of the parade marshals during their cross canada tour.  yeah ... we're kinda' a big deal that way.

i've experienced many stampedes throughout my life ... starting with the year i was born.  i was actually born on parade day and my mom's ob was supposed to be a part of the parade.  i had other intentions.  but from that point on the beginning of july was not only a cowboy party, it meant for some pretty stellar birthday's as well.  basically they way i see it, the stampede means different things at different points in a calgarians life.  during your childhood everything is huge and it's all about the parade and the rides.  as a teenager, it's all about spending as much time on the midway with your friends, staying out late and meeting boys.  your stampede twenties are spent buying and drinking way too much beer and basically partying all ten days.  seriously, no one really works that hard during stampede, it's all about the party.  now that i'm in my thirties and have a family of my own, stampede has come to mean something new.  first, it's all about the food.  deep fried everything.  pickles, oreos, cheesecake, macaroni and cheese, and yes even deep fried kool-aid.  second, the stampede has become all about seeing the craziness through my son's eyes.


liam had an absolute blast this year.  we took him down to the grounds for a few hours on friday and he loved every minute of it, until it was time for a nap.  in fact, i can honestly say that for the first time in about five years i had a really really really good time too.

saw some military personnel and liam went ballistic over helicopter.  we couldn't get him out of it!

poutine is a real canadian delicacy!

if you ever get a chance to come to calgary for the stampede, you should take it.

it's pretty damn great!!

i just have one question:

 if the calgary stampede is the greatest outdoor show on earth, then what is the greatest indoor show?

thirty-two weeks bumpdate

holy cow we have less than two months until we have a little girl in our arms.  i think every week we get closer the more freaked out i get.  this week has been all about freaking out.  not just because we're having another baby.  but because we're having another baby soon.  and we're packing up our house.  and potentially moving the day after baby girl is due.  and.  and.  and.  i know that in the end everything will work out and definitely not go smoothly.  but those are the "fun" things in life right?

on the up and up though, i've had a super fantastic week.  who wouldn't when they've arrived on vacation?  liam and i did some running around, got him a hair cut, trip to the zoo, splashing in the pool, making cookies.  ahhhhhhhh.  i remember this thing called being a mommy.  i missed it.  didn't realize just how much.  i'm so so so thankful that i live somewhere that values parents being home with their babies.  i couldn't imagine having to go back to work twelve weeks after having a baby.

how far along? thirty-two weeks

total weight gain:  stepped on the scale and holy crap.  up to 167 lbs.  have put on a total of 33 lbs. with this little girl.  but i'm carrying completely different than with liam.  she is all out front and i can now rest cereal bowls and glasses of water on my tummy.  i could never do that with liam.  definitely the silver lining here.  

maternity clothes?  is it wrong to want to live in leggings, yoga pants, or pajamas everyday??  perhaps it's not quite socially acceptable yet??  

stretch marks?  zero!

sleep: same as last week.  one great night and three or four crappy nights.  this week my back and sciatic were acting up and comfort just went out the window.  also it's starting to get hot here.  we've got 30 degrees C and up for the next week or so.  maybe it's time to move to the basement? 

best moment this week:  i would have to say that everyday this week has been a best moment because everyday i've played and hung out with my liam.  there is nothing else i'd rather do and being with him is the best part of my day ... everyday.

miss anything?  seeing my feet and i miss my non-pregnant body and summer clothes.  oh well i'll get to see both sometime in the future i guess.

food cravings:  still on the coconut water, but now i've found it with mango and pineapple puree too.  this stuff is delicious and super hydrating.  i'm also craving more and more water these days.  to be expected with the temperature goes up.  

anything making your queasy or sick: just the heartburn.

gender: girl

labour signs: braxton hicks, i've actually had to sit down for some of these.  they're getting stronger.  i'm also starting to get myself back into the mindset of "my body knows what it's doing".   this was the best thing that helped my through my labour with liam.  with each contraction i just kept telling myself that my body knows what it's doing and just let it happen, and that with each one i was closer to meeting our baby.  

symptoms:  heartburn and the return of sciatic pain.  boo.  i'm still taking the extra-strength zantac but i also need the tums now.  for the sciatic pain i'm doing as much yoga as possible and it seems to be helping.

belly button in or out? in

wedding rings on or off?  wearing both my rings.

happy or moody most of the time?  happy all week because of no work and all play.  

looking forward to: the continued vacation with liam.  we're heading to a friend's cabin next weekend for some r'n'r with the husband and son.  also i'm working on writing liam's birth story.  i want to do it before baby girl comes so i still remember everything.