For the Love of Halloween

For us, Halloween is only second to Christmas when it comes to loving on a holiday.  We love the preparation involved.  There are pumpkins to choose, houses to decorate and costumes to locate.  It all leads up to a culmination of fun on the big day.
So in honor of Halloween and in keeping with the theme of Stasha's Monday Listicles, I present you with ten things I adore about Halloween.

1.  I Love the Pumpkin Patch-  Our road to Halloween begins at Thanksgiving when we make our annual trek to the pumpkin patch.  It has become a family tradition to get our pumpkins early.  There is something about the hay ride and the "You are my Sunshine" sing along out to the patch that makes me verklempt every time.

Photo taken by Allan Attridge

2.  I Love Helping my Kids Choose a Costume-  I learned pretty quickly last year, that when your child says what they want to dress up for Halloween, unless it is one hour before trick or treating is to begin, don't believe them.  Sarah changed her mind about what she wanted to be no less than four times last year.

Sarah in her Jessie costume back in August.

3.  I Love the Treats-  An excuse to have mini chocolate bars and chewy Swedish Berries in our house, what's not to love?

Jack counting his loot.  How do I get my hands on some of that?

4.  I Love the Community Trick or Treating- Local merchants host a community trick or treat the Saturday before Halloween.  Hundreds of families trick or treat through the little village. It is crazy busy, but a lovely social time.  Sarah couldn't go this year because she was sick, but Jack loved trick or treating with his cousins.

5.  I Love the Pumpkin Carving-  It was the third annual Schwakida pumpkin carving event Sunday.  We always have a great time with the H family.  Good times and lots of laughs.

6. I Love Making the House Festive-  I love it when our house looks festive.  I like it even better when someone else makes it that way.  Captain Canada did an excellent job of setting up the pumpkins and adding lights and other paraphernalia around our front yard.

7.  I Love Dressing Up- I love the idea of dressing up, but can't always think of a really good costume that I am happy with.  I get a lot of joy out of checking out other people's costumes and storing the idea away for next year.
The kids proved me wrong this year and both went as their original choice for costumes.
Captain Canada, in keeping with his love of super heroes went as Super Dad.  I enjoyed the excuse to try out a new do and donned a purple wig.  Seriously that is quite a salad on my head.

8.  I Love Handing out Candy-  Sarah likes handing out the candy as much as, if not more than the actual trick or treating.  She loves to sit on our porch bundled up waiting for kids to come.  She sits amongst the pumpkins with a big grin on her face, eager to drop the chocolates into the big treat bags that come our way.

9.  I Love Trick or Treating Take 2-  Handing out the candy is fun.  I also enjoy seeing the costumes and talking to the little ones.  But I also look forward to watching my own kids trick or treat.  Watching their excitement and trepidation as they creep towards a house that is decorated with creepy crawly things.  Their cute voices as they shout, "trick or treat" and they way they remember to say thank you at the end.

10.  I Love Family Time-  There are definitely some themes that run through this blog.  One is how much I love spending time with my family.  I probably say it too much, but we have a good time together.  Tonight we went to our first fireworks show as a family.  The kids thought it was pretty spectacular until some of the noisier fireworks went off.  After that, they wanted to enjoy the rest of the show from the car.  As I stood there beside Captain Canada holding Jack and holding Sarah in my arms, I was filled with a feeling of gratitude.  It was simple, we were standing in a field watching fireworks, but it felt so right and good. I guess Sarah felt the same way, as I tucked her into bed, she was crying.  I asked her why she was crying,  "I am sad because Halloween is ending.  I had such a good time.  I never want this day to end."

Double the Fun: Wednesday of Few Words and Weekend Wrap Up

Another weekend of beautiful fall weather and fun family activities.  I always look forward to weekends with my family and by Sunday night, I wonder why they are so darn short.

We like to call this pumpkin patch remix.
We took in the sights at another local pumpkin patch this weekend to help our friend baby Emily and her parents pick out the perfect pumpkins.  Sarah prides herself on being somewhat of a pumpkin expert and so her services were necessary.

The only thing better than having a photographer at your family outing, is to have two photographers.  You are sure to get every angle and catch every special moment.  Both hosers of the Two Hosers Photo Show were in attendance at the pumpkin patch this weekend.

Wheelbarrows were the chosen form of transportation.

The best pumpkins are the ones you can barely lift.

When I see these photos, the Wonder Pets theme song rolls through my head, "What's going to work?  TEAMWORK"

We take our fake tractor driving very seriously.

After the pumpkin patch, there was still a sliver of the weekend left, so we headed to our favourite local park.  The playground equipment was not top of the priority list.  They were all about the old railroad tracks on this day.  Balancing and jumping.  Running and posing.

This moment made my heart sing, big sister helping little brother.

When we went to leave, things got a little crazy.  Jack got loopy and ran around the park with no pants. In his defense, his pants were falling off because they were too big.  When he noticed them falling, he ran right out of them. He thought it was hilarious.

 Anything wild and crazy happen on your weekend?

Ten Tips for New Moms

A few weeks ago, thanks to my friend Amanda, I stumbled upon Northwest Mommy's, Monday Listicles.  I have started joining in and love finding new blogs and reading other people's lists.  When I read this weeks topic, Ten Tips for New Moms (chosen by Cookie's Mom), I knew I wanted to participate.

1.  Yes it hurts. And I am not just talking about labour.  There is a good chance that breastfeeding will hurt like hell for the first few weeks or even longer.  For most people, it does get better.  With both my kids, it was really painful at the beginning, but we managed to find our groove around week four or five.  After that, I loved breastfeeding. But it is not for everyone.  If it does not work for you and your baby, don't let other people make you feel guilty.

2.  Commiserate with other Moms. Join a baby group as soon as humanly possible.  In our area, they are put on by the health unit, once a week, and they are free.  Sarah was born in May and I finally got up the nerve to attend a meeting in July.  I was always worried she would scream or cry or throw up or poop her pants.  But guess what, that is standard procedure at these things and it doesn't matter.  I made some very good friends at the baby group.  We spent our maternity leave going for walks, meeting at cafes and doing mommy and me fitness classes.

3.  Advice is a buffet.  You will get unsolicited advice from everyone and anyone; families, friends and complete strangers. Listen, nod your head politely, you take what works for you and the rest goes to the cutting room floor.   One day, the cashier at the grocery store shouted over Jack's shrieks as I was madly trying to bag my groceries and get out of dodge, "Sometimes if you give a baby milk, they will stop crying."  Umm, thanks tips.

4.  Save your money.  You will need about half of what you think you need in terms of baby equipment. Babies use stuff for such a short period of time that even second or third hand, it is in pretty decent shape. If you can, check out swap meets, Craig's List or borrow baby equipment from friends.

5.  There will be crying.  Babies cry.  Some more than others.  There is a good chance, there will be times that your baby will cry and no amount of rocking, shushing or swinging the car seat will stop the crying.  This is normal.  There is nothing wrong with you or your baby.  In the same breath, this may make you cry and it is o.k. to ask for help.  There is nothing wrong with calling your mom, your sister, your friend or asking your hubby to come home from work early.

6.  Babies don't just fall asleep when they are tired.  This is one that I wish someone had told me.  When they are tired, babies don't always just fall asleep.  Sometimes they need help.  It may be a rocking chair, a snuggle in a carrier, a boob or a bounce on the exercise ball.  An over tired baby can lead to an over stimulated baby and this can lead to a lot of crying.  So do what you need to do, to help your baby fall asleep.

7.  Trust your partner.  From the beginning, let your hubby/significant other help you, be a part of things and do it his way.  It may not be exactly the way you do it and that's o.k.  He wants to be a part of things, let him.  This will also pave the way for you to leave the house for short periods of time without the baby.

8.  Say YES to visitors.  The days can be long when you are home alone with a new baby.  Regis and Kelly can only keep you company for so long.  Visitors will hold and love on your baby and they often bring snacks.  Don't worry, they understand that you just had a baby and don't expect your house to be immaculate.  When I had Sarah, my sister T would come over every Thursday night to hang out while Captain Canada worked late.  She held Sarah and we watched Thursday night t.v.  I looked forward to those Thursdays, every week.


9.  Take time for yourself.  It might be as simple as a walk around the block or a trip to the store to pick out a new lip gloss, perhaps it is something grander like a pedicure.  Take time for yourself.  Shower, change into a fresh pair of yoga pants and get out.

10.  Hold On.  Being a first time mom is quite a ride.  There will be times when you want time to go fast.  Then there will be times when you want everything to just slow down so you can cherish those chubby cheeks, kiss that nose and snuggle that baby that smells so darn good.  Those are the small moments that you will not get back and will think about longingly.  So grab a camera, use a pen or keyboard and record those moments.

"There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one." ~Jill Churchill

Hanging Around

These photos were taken during an outing to the park last Wednesday.

This is our boy Jack.  He is now 2.5 years old.  

He is happy most of the time and talks a lot.  He loves his big sister, dinosaurs and Mater from Cars.

He doesn't like wearing jackets or hair in his bath water.

He sleeps best when he is close to someone, so although he starts in his own bed, he spends many nights in our bed.

We love him to bits, our Jack Jack.

Party People in the House

Last week we were at a great family party.  Everyone had a blast.  The party was a big success, kids played and adults were able to visit and enjoy each other's company.  The parties I go to look different now that I have kids.  My idea of a good party has also changed.

1.  Arrival:  In the past, the concern was never getting to a party too early. I wanted to arrive to a room full of people.  Now being the first to arrive is not a concern, I just want to get there early enough that the kids are happy. Also if I get there early, I get dibs on the snack table.

2. Guest List:  Who is going to be there has always been an important part of a good party.  In my single days, I hoped that cute guy from my lit. class would be there.  Now I just hope the guy with the bouncy castle is on the guest list.

3.  Bathroom Line Ups:  Past parties have included long bathroom line ups.  Much alcohol consumed made for many trips to the bathroom.  Now less alcohol is consumed and many guests wear diapers, therefore shorter line ups for the can.

4.  Clothing Optional: You knew a party was getting good when someone started taking clothes off.  Now with kids at a party, clothes being removed is par for the course.

5.  Departure:  I was never one to leave a good party too early.  As far as good times were concerned, I wanted to squeeze out every last drop.  Now I want to leave the party in time to get the kids in bed at a reasonable hour and be in my pajamas before 9:00 p.m.

Have you noticed anything different about the parties you attend since having kids?  Please share.

Some of My Guilty Pleasures

I am linking up with Monday Listicles on Tuesday, brought to you by Northwest Mommy.  I may be a day late and a dollar short, but I have quite a few guilty pleasures, so it took me a few days to narrow it down to just ten.

1.  Jeans-  I realized recently that I have a jean problem.  Anytime I am shopping I always end up looking at jeans.  I currently have nine pairs of jeans in my closet.  Except for one pair, I have worn all of them in the last year.  Now don't get me wrong, these are not super expensive jeans, but I love them all the same.  The way they fit, the way they feel, I want to wear jeans all the time.

2.  Sweet Treats- Except for cheesecake, I don't think I have ever met a sweet treat that I don't love.

3.  Coffee-  Coffee in the morning.  Coffee at night.  I love the smell and the taste.  The only problem is, when I drink coffee, I immediately want to pair it with a sweet treat.

4.  Moisturizing Cream- I am also trying new face creams.  I always use the same day cream, but often have two or three night creams in rotation.

5.  Screen Time- Every day, I look forward to reading other people's blogs, catching up on twitter and just generally looking everything up on the internet.  I get an adrenaline rush from researching a new product or a vacation destination.

6.  Thursday Night T.V.- There is nothing better than getting the kids into bed, grabbing a coffee, a sweet treat and settling down to watch Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice.

7. Chocolate-  I know this is a sweet treat.  But my love for chocolate needs a category on its own.

8. Chilled Red Wine- I know it is considered "low brow," but I drink red wine chilled.  What can I say? I like my cold drinks, cold and my hot drinks, hot.  I hope this does not get me crossed off the Mother of all Tweet-ups invite list.

9. iphone- Although my phone is considered ancient now because it is a 3G and it is not that fast and freezes once in a while, I still love it.

10.  hotels- Staying in hotels is a favourite.  I love the big, fluffy pillows, daily fresh towels and the fact I don't have to cook or clean up.  If the hotel has robes, I am in heaven.

If You Give a Boy a Puddle

If you show a boy a puddle, he will ask for his boots.

If you give him his boots, he won't want to wear a jacket, but his mommy will make him.

If you show a boy a puddle and give him his boots and make him wear a jacket, he will run to that puddle and jump really high.

The boy jumping in the puddle will land with a splash and ask, "One more time?"

After being dragged away walking away from the puddle, that boy with his boots and his jacket will take one look at his soaked clothes and ask for new pants.

If you give the boy new pants, he will ask for his boots again.

Weekend Round Up: To Fall with Love

It was an amazing weekend.  I fell in love with this weekend and asked it if he wanted to go steady.  He wasn't too sure about the whole thing because he had a lot of offers after the performance he put on and he really wanted to play the field. What was it about the weekend that made it so great?
Well the weather sure helped.  The cool, crisp air.  The sunshine.  The fall colours all around.  All of this was part of the recipe of love.

Hello fall colours

Along with that, we had a good dose of family time.  The kind of family time that I love best.  Family time that included adventures, outings and very little crying.  It is easier to love on each other when crying is kept to a minimum.

Saturday afternoon found us at the park playing with cousins and soaking up all that lovely sunshine.

I love watching Jack explore the park and take it all in.  Sometimes he likes to be on his own and do his own thing.

 I love watching Sarah play with her cousins. She loves them a lot.  She is gentle, kind and protective of her younger cousins.  As you can see from Declan's face, the feeling is mutual. It makes my heart happy and reminds me of when I was young, playing with my cousins Dave and Jo.

I love watching my sisters love my kids.

I love watching my girl accomplish something she has never done before and revel in her achievement.

This was the first time she managed to get to the very top of the pole.

I love watching Captain Canada take pictures.  Sometimes I even help him by carrying an off camera flash around the park, chasing the kids and holding it near their faces to get just the right light. It makes him happy and that makes me happy.

I love BBQs when the weather cooperates and we can spend all our time outside.  Sunday was just that.  The kids played while the adults chatted.  Delicious food was consumed and everyone left full, happy and tired. The way it should be.

One of our lovely hosts and the other half of the Two Hosers Photo Show

The kids all got special meat patties created in the shape of the beginning letter of their first name.  Yummy and creative too.

I love Declan's snuggles.  He gives the best ones.  I managed to sneak one in at the party.

There was a lot to love this weekend.  I fell asleep last night with a big grin on my face, grateful for all that we have.  Good family, good friends and a beautiful city and country where we get to spend time together.