STAMPEDE 101 (2013)

This year marked the 101st Calgary Stampede! It was amazing that the "show" got pulled off at all after the giant flood that drowned downtown, but come "Hell or High Water" the show must go on and "go on" it did!!! 10 days of rodeo, chuckwagons, fire works, fairs, rides, pancake breakfasts, beer and good times!!  We love Stampede! The whole city embraces it by taking the 10 days to wear jeans, boots and hats to work, by enjoying free pancake breakfasts throughout the city and by partying to celebrate our western heritage!  

The whole even begins with a parade on the first Friday of Stampede. We took Ryder downtown to take in the first few glimpses of the party that is the Calgary Stampede!

 In the spirit of Stampede I took Ryder to see Uncle Dirt. I dressed him in Western duds, and let him play with the ropes and buckets and horses like normal. Since he was all dressed up, I couldn't resist taking a few pics!

 Trying to rope the "dummy"

 Helpin' Mom

 I had to get Peanut some boots too!!

 My girlfriends and I took our kids to one of the Stampede pancake breakfasts. There were pony rides, balloons, face painting, and ofcorse, pancakes!! All of it FREE!!

 Ryder and his lil buddies in line for pancakes.

 So happy to have a balloon!!

 Eating our pancakes on the grass.

 The baby girls showing their Stampede spirit with their adorable boots!

 Unfortunately, Ryder, Peanut and I got really sick just after the parade.  We got horrible colds that we just couldn't shake. We were sick the whole Stampede. Since I am the Mother of a three month old, I am also not getting enough sleep at night, so this cold hit me hard and has hung on. I just couldn't/can't shake it.  One night, we even had a babysitter booked, but I just didn't feel up to going out "Stampedeing at all!"  Marty even took Ryder one morning to the grounds on Kid's Day without me!  He was approached by a few photographers asking him to sign waivers so they could take pics and possibly publish them of Ryder.  Check out this link:

http://o.canada.com/2013/07/10/calgary-stampede-kids-day/#.Ud-FrgKbeAY.facebook


Finally, yesterday, the last day of Stampede, I felt well enough to venture to the grounds to soak up some of the excitement. We didn't think Ryder was quite ready to sit through the whole rodeo yet, so we didn't take in the show, we just took in the fair and some mini donuts!!

 Ryder and Marty watching the horses in one of the rings.

 Testing out the driver's seat of a back hoe.

Stampede is awesome! We are huge supporters of it, especially Marty who is sure not to miss a party or breakfast the whole 10 days!!! I am telling you, he is one handsome cowboy, talk a bout a "tall drink of water!!"  Next year, I won't be nursing a baby and hopefully, I wont' be so sick so I'll be able to take my handsome cowboy for a spin or two on the dancefloor!

Stampede is over for this year and I'm sorry I had to basically miss all of it because of my horrible cold, but it will be back and so will I!!!

Kiss your babies, count your blessings and teach 'em all how to holler, "yee haw!!!"

ROOKIE

Sooo, yesterday, I made a rookie mistake...I went to the park unprepared!
I was looking after a friend's two kids and a friend of mine had come over with her two kids, so when we decided to walk with them all down to the park I loaded snacks, bug spary, sunscreen and jackets into the wagon and off we went!  What I hadn't banked on, was the fact that Ryder was going to poop!! Ahhh, there we are at the park, a good 20 minute walk from home and Ryder is standing there saying, "Mommy, I pooped!!" Ahhh!! I had nothing except a diaper for Peanut, which was not going to fit Ryder!  I can't believe I had forgotten wipes, undies, a plastic bag!!! What did I do? What could I do? I pulled his wet/soiled gear off, wiped his butt with his shorts, threw both the shorts and undies in the trash and sent him back down the slide!!! He wore his hoodie home tied around his waist, but first he played..commando!! LOL

Kiss your babies, count your blessings and be prepared...or be good at improvising!!

7 DAYS OF HOLIDAYS!

Last weekend was the Canada Day long weekend, with July first being Canada Day.  We had been originally planned to go camping for the weekend with Nic as that is our tradition, however with the flood situation around here, camping was becoming less of an option with roads to our favorite sots being under water.  Lucky for us, we received a last minute invite to join some friends up at their lake house in BC.  We had never been to their lake house before and were excited for a hot weather weekend on a lake!! Nic came down to our house so she could join us. We weren't gonna spend Canada Day without her! She knew what she was getting into when she piled into the minivan with Me, my hubby, my toddler, my three month old and my dog, but I'm sure that didn't make the caos any easier to observe! She witnessed two poop blow outs, one was the three month old's in her diaper and out the back of her shirt in the van and the other was the two year old's in his undies with sandwhich in hand in the booth at Subway restaurant in Golden BC...and that was just within the first three hours of the 7.5 hour road trip!!
We made it to the lake house at 2am, so we got settled into our beds right away, eager to wake up to sunshine on the lake!!!
All in all there were a dozen adults, a two year old, a three month old and 4 dogs at the Lake that weekend.  We met a bunch of new friends, Scout played like she hasn't in months and the kids were showered with attention!  We had a fantastic time on Shushwap lake!!  Sunday, at nap time, we left the lake (though it was hard to drive away from paradise) and headed for Kelowna.  We planned to spend some time with Marty's folks.  Nic and Marty were only going to be able to spend the night, they had to head home Monday as they both had to work Tuesday. The kids and I stayed until Thursday. We flew home, thanks to Trish being super generous with her Airmiles! 
While Marty and Nic were in Kelowna with us we: swam in the pool, went for a boat ride, ate fantastic food and basked in the sunshine. After they left, the kids, Grampa and GG and I continued to swim at the lake and splash parks, go for boat rides, eat delicious food and soak up as much sunshine as possible (except Peanut who I insisted stayed in the shade.)  We had an awesome, relaxing holiday. Grampa and GG took great care of us and they didn't seem to mind at all that Ryder pooped..in his undies at least once every day!  (He did pee in their potty and not ever in his pants nor in his bed nor on Grampa's boat, though, he did pee off the back of Grampa's boat into the lake "on the fishies" so I am proud of him for that!)

Catching up on gossip on the road trip.

One of the most beautiful places I have ever woken up to!

 Playing trucks on the retaining wall.

 Where we live our babies do not get to be naked enough, it is just too cold. I loved having my kids in their skivies all weekend. Nothing cuter than chubby babies and toddlers in nothing but their "gear."

Marty took Ryder out on the paddle board. Adorable!

KELOWNA

There was plenty of sunshine and smiles all week!

 Boat ride!

 Ryder LOVED driving Grampa's boat!

 Grampa still has Marty's super soaker from when he was a kid and it still worked!!

 GG snuggles!

 Loved driving!!

 

Lots of Beach time! Because there were no bugs, or wind, Peanut spent a lot

of the sunny days under the umbrella on her "sleep donut."

 

 

 

  

Peanut did go for a dip in the lake too!!

 It took Ryder a while to warm up to the idea of playing in the water, but once he did, he had the best time!!!

 

 

After one of the beach days, Grampa's truck wouldn't start. GG had to come to the rescue! WE got to ride in her convertible!! 

July First was Canada Day

 Grampa and GG took us to the celebrations by the lake!

Night time cuddles with Grampa before bed.

 GG snuggles!

 Bye GG and Grampa and endless sunshine!! We sure hope we can come back soon!!!

 I flew home with both kids by myself. First time flying with two! Ryder was pumped to be on the plane. He didn't want to sit down at take off time as he wanted to be kneeling so he could see out the window. Other than that, he was awesome for the one hour flight!  Peanut pooped twice (I changed her on my lap both times) and I nursed her once...all in all a very successful adventure!

I wish I had time to write more about our trip, but finding time to write these days seems to be next to impossible. I hope these photos will jog my memory of our trip when I look back on this one day. :)

Kiss your babies, count your blessings and find some sunshine!!!