Have a rad weekend!

Source: chelseawoosh.tumblr.com via Anabel on Pinterest

What are you up to for the weekend? We're getting out of dodge. Travelling with a baby is kind of like going on a business trip, you get to have a change of scene, you can drink with friends, but you still have to get up really early and work your ass off.  We're thinking of getting our daughter a pin striped suit to go with her nickname the 18 pound boss. "I wanted sweet potatoes, what is this, butternut squash? You're fired!!"

a little bit of this

I hope your day felt a little bit like this. There is so much exhilaration when you try new things.

in dreams

Do you have a recurring dream? I don't mean a recurring dream like I'd love to win the lottery or I'd love to make out with Javier Bardem... I mean the message your subconscious keeps trying to tell you through repeated dreams...
I had mine again last night: I am searching for a toilet and the ones I find are either completely disgusting (think Mexican truck stop) or completely public (think Home Depot toilet display), rendering them useless. It turns out this means that I need to let go of something or purge something that has blocked me. Do you have any recurring dreams lately? Apparently mine is quite common (placing #9 in the top 10 most common dreams) - here are the others:

10) Feeling trapped: means something/someone is holding you back from your full potential
9) Toilet dream described above
8) Drowning: you are overwhelmed by circumstances in your life
7) Flying: you have freedom to express yourself
6) Running in slow motion/going nowhere: facing hardships and obstacles.
5) Losing your teeth: feel powerless in a real life situation
4) Naked in Public: if you feel proud: you have nothing to hide and are read to come clean with a situation or that you are not afraid to fail. If you feel ashamed about being naked in your dream, it can mean you are very insecure or feel vulnerable in a relationship.
3) Lost/unprepared (You have a test you haven't studied for, can't find your classroom): anxiety about change or insecure about your abilities/performance
2) Falling: feeling abandoned/fear of abandonment
1) Chased: Running away from something (but it might be a talent you are not acknowledging or a love you aren't admitting to yourself.)

Have you had some of these dreams? When I was trying to get pregnant, I often dreamt that my teeth were falling out (#5 on the list). Do some of these dreams occur more regularly for you during a certain phase of your life?

camping with babies

oh hi! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We took Stella on her first camping trip. It ended up being a tonne of fun. We rented a tent trailer to see how it compared to our usual tenting. Also, as owners of a small SUV, there's no way we could fit our dog, baby and all of our camping gear without some kind of trailer. Have you seen how much gear babies travel with? It is like travelling with a little diva - she has four bags to our one. The tent trailer was perfect because we could load it up with all of our camping gear before we hit the road. We camped at Sasquatch Park. We wanted to pick a spot close to home in case it ended up being a shisaster and, did I mention Harrison Hot Springs was close by? This was our plan B in case camping went sideways - we could spend our weekend gallivanting at Harrison in fuzzy white robes. 

It's funny because our campsite neighbours were a group of 50-60 year olds, not the usual crew to make you feel like you drew the short straw of camp sites. But fast forward to almost 2 a.m when all you've heard is a whole lot of "Whoot whoots! "Hell Yeahs!" "Drink!Drink!Drink! "Whooohooooos!" plus the entire Def Leppard Hysteria album and you will see why I was in a private hell. Fortunately Stella was asleep through it all, but I knew she'd be up at 6 and my sleep window was quickly shrinking. I didn't want to send my hubby over, because a bunch of drunk guys could turn aggressive really quickly. So, I just curled up in a ball and tried to find my happy place. I'm pretty sure I also told Craig it was the worst night of my life, but I do tend to get dramatic rather quickly when my sleep is in jeopardy. In the morning we complained to the park ranger that we would need a new campsite because we couldn't handle a second night next to baby boomers gone wild. But lo and behold, they had 10 friends arriving that night to celebrate one of their birthdays and needed a bigger site. It was like a mirage, our eyes dewed up with tears of joy as we saw them pull down their tarps. The sun came out, and we danced like no one was watching. Our friends we were camping with had an adventure of their own when their dog Hercules rolled over on their tent trailer bed and fell out one of the canvas sides. They had to try and round him up in the dark while he did his "I'm freaking free!" sprint up the road. They caught him - partly because they love him and partly due to the fact they knew as a pug he had zero survival skills in the wild. 

I was relieved that Stella did well during the camping experience because it is something Craig and I really want her to grow up with. She slept great and didn't have any problems. A few tips for camping with babies - our friends bought their baby a great waterproof jumpsuit so he could crawl around without wrecking his clothes. (see 2nd photo from the top). They also had this great bunting suit from MEC that provided extra warmth at night, which was a lot better than the five layers I put Stella in, rendering her arms pretty much immobile. (She looked like a letter T).  Camping is definitely one of those things you either love or hate. I think it depends on what you grew up doing. I definitely love camping, it's in my blood. But don't get me wrong, I teared up when I spotted my big comfy bed last night. 

tattoos, yes or no?

photo courtesy of visualize.us

Remember when you were young and you thought someone was a bad ass because they had a tattoo? When I was little I pretty much assumed that people with tattoos are naturally members of biker gangs. Tattoos have become so commonplace now that it seems it's more unique if you don't have one. Would you get one? I saw a man on the beach who had his entire back tattooed with the band "Korn". Now, if he's a member of Korn, then yes, that makes sense and serves as an awesome reminder of the fame he has achieved. If he is in no way affiliated with the band Korn, he may be rethinking that decision at age 65, or, perhaps now.

If you got one, where would you put it? Would you want it somewhere you could see it or would you prefer to put it somewhere more hidden, like your back? What would you get to truly represent who you are? Would you get something subtle or go big? Would you design your own? I am a huge fan of meaningful quotes written in a beautiful script. More recently I've been tempted to get my daughter's name on my wrist or arm (somewhere I could look at it daily where it wouldn't lose its shape too quickly.) I think tattoos, especially full sleeves, definitely look sexy on the right body (ie-like Beckham above.) Do you have a tattoo? If not, do you want one? 

summertime and the livin' is easy

Tomorrow is the first day of summer. Do you have anything fun planned? Do you like to travel this time of year or stay closer to home and take advantage of the good weather here? Just please don't call it a "staycation", that expression makes me vomit a little in my mouth every single time I hear it uttered.
Personally, I love to explore B.C. during the summer and save our international travelling for when the weather takes a nosedive here (Nov. through Apr. par example ). What are you most excited about this summer?
Here's some fun local things to do in the great outdoors:
Farmer's Markets - fresh, local, supportive
Baseball games at Nat Bailey  - friends, hot dogs (veggie or mystery), beer, sunshine, yes please
Wine tasting! Sorry, I realize putting an exclamation mark after it detracts from its inherent class, but I get quite excited about our BC wineries
Camping - you love it or hate it. I think it usually depends if you grew up camping or not. Outdoor cooking, campfires, hiking, all washed down with s'mores? Oh diggity.
Hiking -bliss(ters)
outdoor movies
outdoor concerts  & festivals
water sports (paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing)
weekend getaways - the best time of year to explore our beautiful province
patio dining & picnics - so, food basically
riding bikes around Stanley Park
downhill biking at Whistler - love!
These are just some of my favourite summer activities. For a lot of people it is also the beloved golf season. I don't pretend to know anything about golfing - the first time I tried it, I got my very first shot onto the green and thought, well this sport is clearly too easy for me and then I think I spent the rest of the day saying "Mulligan!" So I appreciate those who play the game.
Whatever you love, fill up your calendar and savour this season!

Happy Father's Day my love!

I always knew you'd be a wonderful father and you prove me right each and every day. 

Stella is one lucky gal. It isn't surprising her first word is dada.

xo

Happy Six Months Stella!

an act of kindness

Last night I was unloading my little girl from our truck and her "I never travel light" crapload of gear and managed to inadvertently drop my wallet on the city street outside my friend's apartment building downtown. I didn't notice that my wallet was missing until I got into my friend's apartment. Searching the diaper bag, which seemed to take half an hour (are they designed to be bottomless?) - I came up empty. I started to panic a bit and after checking the truck, realized that my wallet was indeed missing. When my hubby got home there was a message on our machine (yes, we still have an actual answering machine) saying someone had called regarding our Mastercard. The really strange thing was that I also had an email (in my hotmail account) from someone who had found my wallet. I was completely dumbfounded as to how this person could have discovered my email address because it isn't something I carry around in my wallet. I called him right away. Luckily, he lived downtown and was a short drive away. One of my friends came with me to pick up the wallet (just to be on the safe side), and to see if he was cute (he was). We gave him what cash we had as a thank you. He said he had searched my name, came across my blog (which has my email address) and sent me an email. He had called my credit card company to let them know in case I call, my credit card was safe and sound with him. Isn't that remarkable? I was so amazed by his resourcefulness. His name is Sammy and I am so thankful and inspired by his act of kindness. I've even adopted his name as an expression when things go right. Late last night when I had to catch the Canada Line and make my connection with the bus, I made it within one minute to spare and thought, it's a Sammy kind of day.

a smile for your monday

Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Stella and I visited her cousins today. At one point mom and I were chatting, turned around and saw my brother's kids go streaking by. Somehow within five minutes of us turning our backs to them, they had stripped down and were running naked through the yard. They were screaming, "hey everyone, we're nude!" It cracked me up. Afterwords, they grabbed buckets and started to collect rocks and pine cones for their mom. My nephew said, "I can't wait to show mom! She's either going to love our gift or really, really hate it." Kids are awesome. 

evolving

Last weekend one of my friends asked me to tell her something she could improve on about herself. I didn't want to answer because the last thing I want to do was is insult them when I absolutely adore them. I would feel way more comfortable giving her a list of all her strengths. But, she persisted that I answer, so I did. She wants to grow and wants to know in what areas she could improve. Would you dare ask someone that? I thought it took tremendous guts. Some people have the philosophy, "this is who I am, like me or not" but I truly admire those who want to keep becoming their best selves and are willing to change. Don't get me wrong, I don't think people should strive to be perfect. How boring would that be? The big question is, which quirks should we embrace within ourselves and which ones should we overcome? I think the answer lies in how it is holding you back in your life or negatively impacting your relationships with others. Are your anxieties/phobias/issues limiting you? If you were told you only had one year to live, what would you regret if you didn't achieve/accomplish? Don't you find it inspiring when people push themselves to grow and try new things? I love surrounding myself with people who are positive by nature, enthusiastic to try new things and are excited about their life.
My biggest list topper has always been to work on my confidence. A lack of confidence can make you believe that every negative thought you have about yourself is a truth and can distort your sense of who you are. It makes you afraid to take chances, on account you might fail. I'm happy to report that being a mom has been a great help in improving my confidence. Each time Stella and I go out together and encounter a new situation, meet new people, or if she has a meltdown in public and I handle it with ease, it adds another building block to feeling more confident about myself. It makes me want to get out there and try more new adventures with her. Children pick up on their parent's anxieties/insecurities/etc. so for  my daughter's sake, I want to continue to grow to be the best possible role model for her. What's your "thing" that you'd most like to improve upon?

I'll drink to that!

Happy Friday friends! I hope you have a fun weekend lined up for yourselves. Here are a few things I've tried lately that I highly recommend: 

Infused water. Throw some frozen mixed berries in a jug of water or try slices of lemons/limes or oranges, strain and pour. Get creative. It will get you drinking more water and keeps it interesting. I also tried this refreshing recipe: mint and ginger lemonade. If you want to get the party started, the mint/ginger lemonade would be delicious mixed with gin over ice. Just sayin'.  

Easy appy: chopped figs, olives, crackers, goat cheese (I topped it with a few spoons of pesto) - it literally takes about 5 minutes to throw it all together. I guess I've got food on the brain because tonight I'm meeting up with yayas: a group of past and present co-workers(friends) where we eat delicious food that some of our in-group gourmet cooks whip up. We used to have our dinners on weeknights, but I think the sampling of vino has pushed our get togethers to Fridays. After all, no one wants to work with a pumpkin on their shoulders. Food and friendship, my favourite pairing. Bon appetit! 

Victorious

Chillin' time after a tough day of strolling. 

Beakin' off in Beacon Hill Park

Dressy casual

one of those 'where are they now?' moments

Not quite like the chalk art I used to create

Royal BC Museum

Bastion Square Grand Prix - I wish I could say I participated, but I was more of a supporter

The Elite men racing in the grand prix -the speed was incredible

Early morning Inner Harbour stroll

oh HI!

oh Hi there friends! We're quite new at the whole travelling-with-a-baby gig, so we've taken a few little weekend jaunts to easy, walkable cities. This past weekend we went to Victoria. Gone are the days of riding mopeds, dining on fine French food and hoisting Belgian beers at the pub. In its place were early morning walks, cafes, parks, take out sushi and in-room drinks. We stayed at the lovely Magnolia hotel, which I highly recommend. The location/staff/rooms are excellent. We called ahead and they had a crib set up in the room for our arrival. The hotel also supplies you with a complimentary breakfast from 6:30-10, which was such a bonus because it allowed us to go for an early walk, get her to sleep in the stroller and then enjoy a leisurely breakfast together, sipping coffee, reading the paper, ah bliss!  It's definitely an easy city to travel with a baby - you can cover it all by foot. Beacon Hill Park, the Royal BC Museum and the Inner Harbour are some of my favourite spots. I had the giggles checking out some of the artists along the inner harbour. Don't get me wrong, I'm a massive fan of the arts, but wouldn't it be funny to say, "Happy 50th birthday, here's your name on a grain of rice!" Or, "Thanks for the 30 years of service with the company, here's a neon spray painted picture of Jupiter!"

The art displayed along the inner harbour is hit and miss, but that's the cheesy fun of it all. 

We were enjoying patio seating, watching the Bastion Square Grand Prix bike race when an old (elderly? distinguished? meddling?) lady joined us at our table (due to the lack of available seating). She said, "that's what I like to see, a mature mom." I looked around. Nope, it was definitely me she was looking at. Awesome. You win this round old lady. Then she says, "enjoy it while it lasts, they grow up fast, move away, and you never hear from them again." Ah, I see bitterness will be the victor in round 2. Before she continues, Stella looks at her and makes farting sounds at the lady with her lips. That's my girl. She's going to be a fun sidekick to travel with.