She's 2

Wowee Sadie turned 2 this last week. Happy Birthday Sadie. She loved it all, especially the fact that some celebrating got spread out from her birthday to the weekend. She is full of twotitude. I still laugh a little at the 2 year old tantrums. You know when her arms start flailing and her wrists go floppy, and the screaming crying begins, but mostly they are gonna get old real quick.
On her birthday we had a fun play date with some friends and Sadie loved the "pardee, take, bawoons"
On Saturday we had both her grandparents here and Lindsay came and brought Alli & James too. The party was a hit.


The kids went on a little treasure hunt, they loved it. It was just what they could handle and enough running around to burn a some energy. Here there are looking for clues and then finding the treasure. As fun as it is in my head to go all out for birthday parties, I know myself & it's hard to go to crazy when I usually leave it to the last minute, and really it's all the same to a two year old. Low expectations means less disappointment right? So for now I am all about less is better.

At first I was shocked that they were really listening to me, awaiting the 1st clue.

Sadie at 2 in a few words or less.

She is still tiny to me, I carry her around probably more than the average 2 year old I'm sure. I guess that is the perk of only being 22lbs. She is quite a little chatterbox at times, and can request all sorts of crazy things. If she sees ketchup she must have it, she insists on cold fridge water right before bed (yes she knows the difference, I tried). I'm starting to lose the what to wear battle on some days. Breakfast is her best meal of the day, she actually eats it! She gives a good cheesy smile when she wants to. She hates getting her teeth brushed, it's a funny little game she plays to avoid it. If Ryan is home she almost always insists he reads to her and puts her to bed. She loves to colour. She loves her little people and her baby. Her lack of hair and her not even wanting me to touch it stresses me out some days, lame I know. She loves the little friends she has to play with. What more can I say she is growing up more everyday and we love everything about her.

First of all......

CONGRATULATIONS!It's official.

We were there to witness the whole thing. Yipee

Ryan is officially a real lawyer. I couldn't be more proud. What a ride! It was only 5 years ago we got married & he was finishing his B.A in Economics and then applying to law school. Look at us now. I'm gonna try not to brag.. like my husband is better than yours and it gets annoying and old real fast. For real though Ryan is a ridiculously hard worker, loves to do a job well (as in perfect), he is always willing to help out, he likes to learn and take on challenges, he is well liked - probably because he almost never turns down a work assignment. They said a lot of good stuff at his bar call and I won't lie it was nice to hear it all. I'm glad I am a part of his accomplishments. The bar call was neat and very official and so it marks the end of an era.
So just a few changes in our life. I like to think I do okay at enjoying each stage in our life (even when we were poor and students -cause looking back that was really fun sometimes). I don't like to wish it all away, thinking life will be better when we have a house, a yard, a kid, real job, no debts, yummier food to eat, more money, the list goes on right? Ryan just finished his year of articling at a law firm. I knew what we signed up for when he started working there, but there were nights I wondered if we could both really keep doing it. I mean the continual suppers we ate alone. Some days we both were counting down the days till this articling year was done, and hoped it would be different when he was a real lawyer. It was a large firm that where he worked on some interesting and challenging deals, but it was also very demanding as far as hours and weekends. He basically didn't have control over when he worked and they wanted him to work a lot. What can I say my husband is a good worker and he does love it.
We also like to spend time together which was tricky to balance. It was when his firm sent us to work in New York that we really realized spending time with family is so important and what we want and you just can't get those precious years back. He loved waking up and playing with Sadie and coming home for supper and being there for bedtime. Our life while we were there was definitely not completely normal but the time we spent together was amazing and we just craved that. So we have made the decision to leave the firm he was at.

He will be partnering up with another lawyer that he has known for a while. Ryan C just started his own firm this last year. This comes with a lot of changes and some uncertainties but we are both excited for the opportunity. They are both very ambitious and dedicated to making a great law practice.

Here he is with his new partner Ryan C and Meghann & I.

I LOVE this picture of these 2.

And I love this little series of Sadie.

What do ya know. He doesn't really start work till next week so he is off on a little golfing excursion. Aren't I the best, to just tell him to go off and enjoy it. He already called and felt a little bad for leaving us behind, I'm sure it was just a weak moment and he will have a great time.

We went on a little vacation out to Tofino a couple a weeks ago & we had a great time. I of course took my camera and tried to capture some of the beauties of nature, and of our fun family time. I think I did just that. We came home and I left my camera there, fortunately I should be getting it back sometime soon. I'll stop neglecting an update and share a pic of these 2 sleeping beauties from awhile back.

These 2 did not want to be put down for separate naps, but eventually they played themselves out. I can't think of anything sweeter. I may have even had a little snooze myself. I can't think of anything better than napping on the couch with them.

This was Sunday where 5 mins before Ryan said, " do you think Sadie is done with napping?"
NOPE! We love our Sunday naps and relaxin time. She thinks she is getting too big for her crib, and pretty much insists on sleeping in the spare bed sometimes. As long as she sleeps it's fine by me.

little victory

When it comes to being a domestic housewife that are a lot of things I come up short on. Most of them are in the kitchen. I keep waiting for the day that the magic cooking wand is waved and I am a kitchen goddess. I've created my fair share of excuses along the way (none of which included, "well my my mom was a kitchen failure," nope she fed me well). First of all I was a student living on my own and nobody to impress and only myself to feed, I survived. Then I was a newly wed & inherited all sorts of kitchen tools, still nothing. Then I was staying at home with Sadie, surely the delicious meal planning would begin and sweet smells would be lofting from my kitchen, nope. It's been a good 5 years of me trying to cook and even bake and still not found my groove. The good news is I have a lot of years ahead of me to work on it.

You like the apron? Don't worry I didn't sew it my crafty sil Rhonda made it. Yep, she is amazing.

There is so many things I have yet to do in my own kitchen: bake bread, make jam, can anything and the list goes on. One thing I have tried to do many times & failed miserably is make good chocolate chip cookies, you know the ones you crave. UNTIL today my streak ended. I don't know what I did differently but they worked I got yet another new recipe from bakerella. I'm not sure what made the difference this time. I just got more and more giddy as I pulled out yet another perfect batch from the oven. Either way I am pretty much beside myself waiting for Ryan to come home and see what I made. He has told me to give up on making them previously. So if you're in the neighborhood please stop by I will gladly invite you in for cookies and milk. mmmm
I know to some of you this sounds ridiculous, but whatever go back to your crafty craft room and your perfect Martha Stewart kitchen and do your thing. I'll probably just be sitting here dunking cookies and milk.

On the topic of delicious food. My friend Carla has an amazing catering business. I can't lie I have never actually eaten her amazing food, but I have heard many times how fabulous she is at this fine art. She now offers classes too, I'm thinking I need to sign myself up. If it goes good I'm pretty sure Ryan will sign me up again and again (remember I have a long ways to go). I would love to go to her class she is a HOOT to be around she is so full of energy and I'm sure I would walk away a better person if not a better cook. Right now she has a giveaway for a FREE cooking class, so go check it out.

the best Nana

The best Nana lives in Taber & will invite you down for the annual Corn Fest & will make sure you leave better than you came. Seriously you will not be disappointed!

She insists you get right in on the cookie making action, and eating too.

She will hold your hand so you can have face paint on your hand for your first time.

She will take you to the park and push you endlessly on the swing.

She will buy you a cute little orange soda pop, because you look hot and thirsty.

She still thinks your hilarious and cute when you squish your face and saliva all over her screen.

She takes you out in the morning to watch your mom run the Taber fun run (good thing I'm not too quick or they would've missed me). She babysits you for the night and lets your parents go out. Night # 1 I pretend I know how to golf and am so glad we only do 9 holes and have plans to go eat out. Night # 2 we pretend we are young and cool and take in the midway, dancing and of course mini donuts. She sends you home with an adorable quilt so you will be nice and warm when you make the switch to a big girl bed. She will personalize breakfast, lunch, supper for you and isn't even bothered if you take one bite and throw it on the floor.


Dad didn't disappoint either, he made sure you at least had a chance to pet the animals at the petting zoo. I'm not an animal hater but come on they are stinky and gross and I am quite happy to be the one trying capturing it all with the camera.

not done yet.

I never really know how many blog readers I have out there. I do know that this blog is how my brother Peter knows the gist of what is going on in our lives. What matters most is what his nieces and nephews are up to. So when we only see him a couple times a year he already knows that Sadie's pigtails are a big deal, that she is not the greatest sleeper. He loves to see them and they love him too. His visits still confirm that yes for sure Sadie is still the loudest screamer, and earliest riser, that she can hail a taxi, and despite his efforts to invade her space and upset her she still gives out slobbery kisses and hugs to him.

Here is Pete & James high fiving. Peter could get James to try any crazy stunt, it was guaranteed to entertain the rest of us.

My other loyal reader that does not leave comments but still often makes mention of recent pictures seen here is my dad. When we were visiting them he took way more pictures than me and he sent me a few and informed me to add them to the blog (actually he said "jazz up the blog"). The adventures down at my parents wouldn't be complete and I know my dad won't be satisfied until some of his pics are on the blog.

Grinell Glacier Hike in Many Glacier. It was an amazing day and hike. I for sure look like the biggest dork in this one.

Ryan stopped and waited for me, Yeah. I was always like 20 steps behind him.

We made it.

Our mini hike with the kids. It's a good thing Dad took a picture, I hardly remember this view, I think I was too busy making sure Sadie didn't slip through the railings.


It's a solo shot of me on the wakeboard. I love water, wakeboarding and spending a day outside soaking in the sun. It just seems every year I get out to do this less and less. One of my 2 times out this year. So far I still got it. right dad.