bouncy bouncy

We celebrated cousin Matteo's 7th birthday on Saturday. And the rain cleared just long enough for the kids to enjoy a little trampoline fun. Skye loved her first trampoline experience and got to jump high with cousin Nicole. We found the swing as well!

AND we got to visit Bugs (bunny) who is having a vacation for the summer at the cousins house. Daddy got him an outside cage so he can enjoy some sunshine as well (perfect size for a toddler too...just sayin...).

Thanks to cousin Nicole for all the cute pictures!

July long weekend at the farm

We hadn't visited the farm since February! so it was time for a road trip. And the weather finally cooperated - it was beautiful. Skye LOVED be able to run around outside (in the gravel), play with Grammy's 6! new baby kitties, go for quad rides with Grampy and splash in her pool.

Skye's kitty at the farm - Phenula
(Skye calls her NuNu)

"oooooooh!! mow mow!!"

mmm...McDonalds!

tuckered out!

Vroom Vroom

Careful little kitty

I saved you!

oh no! don't fall

While she was having fun outside, mommy and Auntie Cora were tackling the dreaded mess under Grammy's stairs and in her closets! Years of 'stuff' (read junk) had congregated and needed to be purged. We found some treasures and had a few good laughs with old photos, books, dress up clothes. And we did quite well with a total of 15 or more bags either going to donation, recycle or garbage. There is still more to be done, but it will have to wait for another time. Maybe this will give me incentive to do my own purge...but to find the time?!

kitty - take a sniff

He loves me...

He loves me not...

Oh no -

it's starting already!

bubbles!!

things that go bzzzz

So the weather is getting nicer, which means more time outside - hooray!  That also brings about some unwanteds...

I tend to get a little (a LOT) freaked out by things that go buzz. Not flies, but pretty much everything else. You could say I go a bit crazy if they come near (Dino would say postal...). Now how on earth do I deal with that where my baby is concerned?? Besides making sure she doesn't get a sunburn or fall down and smack her cute little head as she is learning to walk, now I will be worrying about her getting stung or trying to play with that fuzzy little bee in the flower!! Or poking at the spider crawling near her (we won't even think about her trying to eat it!!).  I'll probably be a wreck all summer and yet I do want to be outside as much as possible - Skye LOVES being outside. Not sure how I will get over it?

Maybe kids make us braver? The whole thing about being a role model - in other words running around waving my arms and screaming probably does not say "bees are our friends" (like Grammy claims...). It's not so much the bees (ok maybe the big elephant sized ones). Even though if you supposedly leave them alone they won't bother you. I call BS.

Anyone have any suggestions?

I came across this article on what to do just in case your little one happens to get stung (hoping to not have to use it): Treating bee stings in children.

And while we are on the topic of safety, I find myself thinking I should review the basics on Choking/CPR in children. It is the scariest thing to see your child gagging and worry that it's going to turn into a full on choke. Sure gets your heart going! And I seem to take the First Aid course and then forget what to do 2 weeks later...

Here is a little refresher for all - you hopefully will never need the info, BUT it could make all the difference! Even if you don't have to use it on a human...which reminds me that I actually did have to use the Heimlich once in my lifetime already.

We were at the farm and our very old dog (16+), at the time, didn't like sharing his table scraps with the cats. So he would gobble them up, usually whole! The weather on this particular day was beautiful and we (my whole family) just happened to be outside walking around and visiting the animals. Mom had brought out some left over hamburgers for the pets. Teeko (our dog) decided he should have them all and inhaled them. But we were close by and noticed the wheezing noises coming from him. We kind of stood there, not sure what was going on, but then realized he was choking. No one was sure what to do, and we were yelling over to the quonset for my dad to come over and do something??! I was getting more and more panicked and upset, and Teeko was almost to the point of unconsciousness, and I thought "I can NOT just stand here and watch our dog choke to death" so I put both arms around under his stomach and just started frantically pulling up to try and force the food out. It wasn't working at first, but I couldn't stop trying, so I kept on. It maybe took 6 or 7 tries, but something actually came up!! and you could tell that Teeko was beginning to get air again. He was very quiet and lethargic and immobile for awhile, but after that he was my best friend all day!! :-) He was the best dog!

Point of the story is - I probably wasn't doing the procedure the correct way (who knows if I even broke any of his ribs in the process - which is common), but it was enough to make a difference. Our Teeko went to doggie heaven about a year after that incident, but at least it was a more peaceful way to go (in his sleep).

I found these on the SJA website.

Happy 2nd birthday to cousin Vann!

mmm bbq!

Skye and I went to Edmonton the weekend of May 24. It was a fun, busy weekend. We got in late afternoon on Friday and stayed at Auntie Jess'. Skye got to play with cousin Vann and see Dorothy puppy and kitty. She was very excited.

Saturday Grammy and Grampy came up as well. We all went for dinner at Brett's sister's house - there were 3 family birthdays, in as many days, to celebrate. Robin makes the BEST ribs! She made them for us many years ago and I got the recipe from her back then. They are Dino's favorite. And the way Skye was gobbling them up, I would say they are her favorite too!! She was like a little animal chewing on them. She ate 4 all by herself and a ton of other food. I don't know where she puts it all.

who says farming isn't fun??

Sunday morning was Vann's party (farm theme) at the nearby community center. The weather turned out to be sunny and warm finally.

Perfect for the outdoor mini petting zoo that was set up. The kids loved the wee tiny baby bunnies (about a third the size of our bugs!), the giant guinea pigs and 1 lone chicken (Vann loved it??!).  Also along for the ride (on the way to another party) were THE cutest little baby miniature goats. There was even a set of black & white twins. They were the size of a puppy and so adorable! 

Skye got in some swing time - she LOVES the swing. And some play time with Vann's ball pit, which she also LOVES.

ball! ball! ball! ball! ball!

vann's new tricycle works pretty good

our little buddy Nicolas 

I was hoping she would be all tuckered out (I definitely was) and sleep the whole way home, but she only slept for half of the way. It was a tough drive home for both of us Sunday afternoon. But we managed. Hopefully next time daddy can come with. This time he stayed home to work and attend cousin Leighton's baptism - which we wished we could have been at as well.