in an F-18 cockpit

Next we headed to the army youth challenge were he politely refused to have his face painted and the nice private walked him through the obstacle course while I fed Sadie. Here is a shot of them coming out of the maze.

Then we checked out the petting zoo; Isaac stayed in the stroller and was interested but not so much, no photos from there.

Then we hit the junior rescue challenge (read slide and a play house and slide OMG slide!!) we played there for close to half an hour, no photos from here either; Sadie and I were hanging out. Incidentally we met another little Sadie here, she was about six months older than Isaac.

We finished off at the ‘day on the farm’ exhibit where kids get to do farm chores and collect items to sell at the market. Then they sell their wares and earn a dollar to go buy something from the general store. It was very cute and Isaac enjoyed most of the chores. Most of all he enjoyed the tractors though.

Oh and there were more slides. Then we got home and had a nap and after we woke up walked to the park for (of course) the slides.

We had a great three week road trip to visit family and friends…I’ll elaborate soon with pics.

Now we’re preparing for Isaac’s b-day party today. Expect pics on that soon too.

I am constantly on Jason’s case about his need for instant gratification when it comes to new gear and gadgets. He gets an idea in his head and decides he wants something; this quickly turns in to a need and one that must be filled instantly. I am currently trying to convince him that he doesn’t need a set of custom made golf clubs (thanks Francois for planting that seed).

When I decide I want something, I usually have the cash saved from my ‘allowance’ or petty cash. But I’m just as bad as Jason when I decide I want something I want it now. I think the only reason I do better with the whole paying for it up front is I don’t start looking or really lusting for something until I have the cash to pay for it.  Also, it helps that I have very few things that I want for me. I don’t shop for clothes, I don’t really wear jewelry, and we bought all our skookum camping and climbing gear when we were single/dating with no mortgage so we’re pretty set there. Where I become a complete and total hypocrite is when I want something for my kids.

Evidence to this fact is the Phil and Ted’s stroller that I decided I wanted before we were even pregnant, or the carriers that I HAD to have and bought before Isaac was even born. Or how about the wooden blocks* I obsessed over for months before Jason just told me to order the darn things. Or the bike** Isaac will get for his second birthday that we’ve had in storage since we lived in Kingston (we’ve been in Winnipeg for over a year people).

More recent examples would be the train table * I just had to buy for Isaac (and give him for no reason what so ever, man this kid is spoiled), or the mp3 player ** I just ordered for him on line so I can (hopefully) stop playing the wheels on the bus on you tube for him ad nauseam.

So this is me the hypocrite hoping my husband doesn’t use this as an excuse to buy golf clubs on the weekend.

* Totally worth it BTW, all great toys that he has used and loved

** My hopes are high that these will be just as popular as the first toys

my usual size, small box

That’s Fresh Option Organic Delivery

That’s right. Organic, local focused fresh fruits and veggies DELIVERED to my door weekly.

Here is a small exert from their website:

Fresh Option wants to simplify your options for accessing a sustainable food system.  We gather for you foods you can trust and feel good about.  Organic, local, fair trade, and vegetarian:  whole fresh foods produced by real people we know on Manitoban small-scale farms when possible.
It’s easy and fun. I can see what I’m getting for the week online on Friday and it’s delivered Tue nights. It has helped to break our food rut as we don’t pick and choose what we get each week (although we could if we wanted too). So far new things I’ve tried and have never bought on my own are kale, rainbow chard, and this week fiddle-heads. It’s also brought me back to things I like but never bought (for some unknown reason, likely habit) such as oranges, apples and pears. The variety is nice and the convenience can’t be beat. We can even cancel the weeks we’re away and get large orders when we’re having company.

The medium box we ordered for the week we had company

We’re not potty training per se, but Isaac is pretty obvious when he is pooping or needs to poop and tends to prefer privacy. When my mother in law was here, she was putting him to bed and he went into his closet and said ‘bye’; he soiled his diaper. She said something to the effect that if she’d had the potty in the closet, she probably could have had him poop on it.

I’ve tried asking in the past when he was headed to one of his usual privacy haunts if he wanted to try pooping on the potty and the answer was always no. Anyhow the other day, inspired by what Trudy had said I asked him if he wanted to try pooping on his potty in the closet, to my surprise he said yes.

I was even more surprised when he actually went. In true toddler fashion so was he and there was a lot of concern and ‘uh oh’ going on. I cheered, I congratulated, he said ‘no, no, no’. I offered chocolate and it all turned around.

Since then he’s pooped on the potty at least once a day. This morning he also learned that peeing gets you chocolate too. So this evening he peed, demanded his reward, let me put on his diaper and p.j’s then asked to use the potty again, less than a minute later. He pooped and got another chocolate.

Somehow I think I got played.

• Isaac humming to himself as I sing his goodnight song
• snuggling with sweet Sadie
• going for a walk with both kids in the prairie sunshine
• getting to have a bath (even a short one)
• accomplishing at least one of my goals each day
• playing in the sandbox
• the fact that Isaac has pooped in the potty at least once a day this week, all in the name of chocolate
• the fact that I haven’t had to get in my car and drive anywhere since Monday, but that the option is there if I want to take the kids somewhere

Life is pretty good. The house is a disaster and there are some trying  moments, but I think this is just going to get more and more enjoyable as the year passes.

Sadie on one of her new blankies

Isaac playing at his sand table

throwing a tantrum because he wants to go outside

off to the park