Geek Mom Supreme!

I think that I did the unthinkable. I

 have never in my life been cool, nor have I attempted to be. After all I am a math teacher! However, I do pride myself on not being one of those geeky moms who dresses the same as her children, or ensure matching outfits for family photo shoots (no offense to those who do!). 

So, call it insanity, or call it thrifty, my most recent endeavour is shocking even to me. 

Last weekend I painted the kids bathroom yellow. It was looking drab and boring, and I had patched a bunch of holes, so it was time for a new, clean look. The yellow brightened it up, and with a cute little owl theme, it looks like a cute kids bathroom. However, when I finished sewing the window toppers, I had a bunch of extra material, and goodness knows you can't let perfectly cute material go to waste. What better to make with leftover curtain material?...apparently a dress for Nahla! And, if that weren't bad enough, her dolly got a new dress out of it too!

For those of you who know me well, you are currently shaking your head, and feeling uncertain whether to be worried about my mental hearlth or laugh your ass off, but it is true, I can't take it back, and Nahla loves her new dress!!!!

With that said, I had to redeem myself a little bit, so when I finished, I built the kids a fort in the trees in our backyard. Nahla has taken to climbing trees and both kids love to play outside, so with some string, an old tarp and the kids play centre, I put together a "tree fort". Now this is definitely more my style!

The Kids' First Wedding

Yesterday, I received quite the surprise when, as I was getting the kids ready for a sleepover at Ouma's house, Adam called to tell me that the kids needed to be at the wedding we were going to. Adam was a groomsman, and had been at the wedding site setting up, when he noticed the kids place settings. Apparently, the bride and groom assumed we would bring them, and we assumed we wouldn't...so at 10:45 I had exactly 5 hours to buy an outfit for Ty, prepare food for Ty to eat (because wedding food all has Gluten), get clothes together for Nahla and I, put together some quiet activities to entertain the kids during the ceremony and speeches, ensure that both kids had a nap so that they would make it through without a major meltdown., buy a wedding card and wrap the present, attempt to make myself look presentable, and get to Tsawwassen (an hour away).

With 10 minutes to spare, we made it! Here they are dressed in their outfits. Not the outfit I would have chosen for Nahla, but I hadn't built in an additional twenty minutes to convince her otherwise, so the purple flower dress with winter leggings and summer sandals it was!

Prior to the ceremony starting, Nahla had a quiet moment with her baby.

And the kids managed to catch a few minutes with Daddy before he was pulled off to do the lasts minute speaker set-up!

And, as the ceremony was about to begin, the kids were ready in their chairs to watch the beautiful ceremony!

And fortunately, the preparation of quiet activities paid off for our kids and a few others, as they sat and created sticker pictures for the bride and groom during the ceremony.

 We could not have asked for better weather.The clouds covered the sky keeping it cool enough for the men, and warm enough for the women, and ideal for the photographer.

The location was beautiful, and the details were perfect.

Congratulations Sarah and Garett  Bailey!

Thanks for a wonderful day, and a memorable experience for our little munchkins.

Backyard Camping

I am pretty sure that it is a right of childhood to camp in your backyard, so when Adam mentioned it today, the kids first ever backyard camping trip began to take shape.

Sure, they have camped in a tent in the wilderness, and in a motor home on a river, but what can be better than pitching a tent in the backyard, last minute, and cozying up with your brother and daddy for the night...yes that does mean that I will be cozy in my own bed tonight! I may take Daddy's place tomorrow night, but besides liking the comfort of my own bed, there simply isn't room in our little tent, and the big one may be a tight squeeze in the backyard.

So, once the tent was up, the kids had brushed their teeth (inside, much to Nahla's chagrin), and put their jammies on, we read a story on the patio...

Had a cuddle with Daddy in the tent...ok it was more silly time than a cuddle, but what can you expect on their first backyard camp out!

Then the kids were on their own to go to sleep...

except of course for the bathroom break by the blueberries (there is a potty there, so no blueberries were watered in the making of this camp-out!)

And, a couple of hours, many more trips to the potty, numerous hugs, and a few arguments later, the monkeys are sleeping soundly!!!

Also, in the past month, the kids got bunk beds and now share a room. They are loving the new adventure and the joys of having 2 playrooms now!

I threw a birthday tea party for my grandma and was quite pleased with the results, so here is my little brag...I made all of the food you see!

Adam and I took a trip to Seattle, while the kids spend the weekend camping with Grandma and Papa (neither of which I have photos of...sorry)

And we took a family day trip to Gold Creek. The camera died after only one photos, but here are Adam and the kids looking a the crystal clear water

So, with only a few weeks of summer remaining before starting in on my new teaching adventure, I am feeling relaxed, fulfilled, and generally very fortunate for my incredible husband and 2 beautiful children. I couldn't be happier right now!