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Every once in awhile I go through a phase that usually lasts for a week or two, go crazy on one thing, and then don’t touch it for a month or two. Last month I went on a baking kick and was trying out new recipes while stocking up on the oldies to have in the freezer. Cookies, banana bread, pitas and crackers were in great supply and I’m sure I gained a few pounds.

I found it interesting when I left some cracker dough on the counter after making a few batches and got distracted when the kiddies woke up. Morgan took over the operation. I am all about efficiency while Morgan likes things to be very neat. Can you tell whose is whose?

Rest assured, they both tasted the same and both were delicious and all were gone in a very short period of time. After a baking spree, it was time to borrow my mom’s sewing machine for a few weeks.

I have discovered a wonderful, free bounty of unique sewing patterns online. The measurements are usually a bit of a guessing game and I can’t find a pattern for a shirt made of non stretch cotton for the life of me but it is great fun for a spontaneous urge. Here are my last two creations. A funky shirt…

and super comfy pajama pants.

Not sure what is next but my neighbour gave me some awesome, old fabric. I think a dress is in order. It makes me want to learn how to sew my own clothes but for now Leah is definitely the better way to go.

Summer has felt so relaxing thus far. I feel so free with a much lighter work load. When I want to meet up with friends there is no rush to try squeeze in a quick visit after work but before I need to start on dinner. I can clean the whole house in one morning. I no longer need to plan play dates days in advance. I can hang out the laundry whenever I want to. I am able to pick berries and make jam on a weekday. (A luxurious lifestyle I know:) )

I’m starting to get accustomed to this relaxed lifestyle and am slightly worried September will be a shock to the system. I’ve been blessed to have some friends who aren’t working during the summer and we have lots of opportunities to hang out with our kiddies who are great friends too. September will be a little easier knowing they will be back to work as well and Leah will be able to hang out with her friends at our house during the day.

We visited Redwood Park on Friday with a few friends. We were the first to arrive so I got to enjoy some one on one time with Leah. She loved trying out all the equipment. She even wanted to try out the big slide by herself but got scared once she up to the top.

There is a big merry-go-around at the park that Leah enjoyed. She didn’t want to sit so I let her hold on to the pole instead.

Today we checked out the Tour de White Rock. We arrived just as most of the booths were shutting down and getting ready for the criterium. The criterium was thirty laps, a kilometre each, around the heart of White Rock. Leah sat and waited very patiently for the race to start. We picked out who were we going to cheer for and got Leah in on the clapping.

Leah got a little restless near the end of the race so Morgan walked her around a bit. I got into the race as the guy we were cheering for started off well, then petered out to last place but slowly made his way up to third place until the last corner where he was involved in a large pile up. He was okay and did make his way to the finish line once he got himself and his bike sorted out.

It was so nice to enjoy the outdoors and community with our whole family.

The hot weather has come and we are enjoying it as much as we can. Yesterday we visited with some friends at the water park. Leah loved meeting up with her buddies and running through the tunnel and around the water park…. until the water came on. We found a spot where water wasn’t spraying but was pooling before it went down the drain. She enjoyed pouring water into a container and then dumping it out again.

Leah’s highlight of the day was seeing Gabby. They haven’t seen each other for about a week and Leah definitely missed her.

Yesterday afternoon I finished blowing up Leah’s kiddie pool in the back yard and let them play with a little bit of water in it today. Leah had a blast. She hardly got wet, just like yesterday but that doesn’t take away from her fun. She loved watering my flowers with yogurt containers and using spice shakers from the pool to water the grass.

In ‘big girl’ news, Leah has had no nap for a few weeks now and potty training has started. I took away her nap as she was staying up later and later (past 9 pm on a regular basis) and waking her up early from her nap wasn’t helping her fall asleep earlier. It was a rough couple of weeks through the transition but she is faring much better now, going to bed at 7 (the earliest bedtime she has ever had). I’m hoping she will start to sleep in a little more but we will take it as it comes Most mornings she is up at 6:30 talking to herself and I get her up at 7.

Potty training is coming along slowly but she is making progress. I’m finding it difficult to be consistent as I still want to go out and about with her, which definitely requires a diaper. For now she is running around the back yard with just a dress so she can figure it all out and run to the potty when she feels the need to go.

We went to Crescent Park on Saturday morning with Morgan’s family. After about fifteen minutes in, I got distracted from the playground and took the two oldest to see the big equipment.

There were a few big machines on the side of the road for road building, all of which were pretty dirty looking. This big roller looked the cleanest and was the easiest to climb on so up they went.

It made Leah look so small.

Then off to the beach we went. Leah tested both her boots and rain pants ability to keep her dry.

She loved touching the sand and immediately going to wash her hands the second they got dirty.

Her boots and rain suit stood up pretty well but in the end she wanted them off.

Leah loved to play in the sand, smash other people’s sand castles, watch the kayakers and lean up against the big rock. Hopefully we can spend more time at the beach this summer soaking it all in.

We spent the morning of Canada Day with my Dad making and serving over 1200 pancakes at my mom’s work. Leah stood holding my hand while she watched me scoop strawberries and pour syrup on everyone’s pancakes. We faithfully did our job until my brother came. We hung out with Uncle Trevor for awhile until one of Leah’s best buddies showed up. We had fun showing them the animals, the fields and the scrumptious pies.

After eating pancakes for breakfast and lunch, we headed over to a huge celebration at Cloverdale Park. We had to park a fair ways away and Leah wasn’t overly impressed. We found a kid’s area for them to play along with the band. It took awhile for her to warm up on the drums but when she finally came around, she had fun. It started raining pretty hard after that so we left and finished our afternoon at home.

Who would have thought it would rain on Canada Day? Summer sure has arrived now though and we plan to make the most of it.