Packing for the Beach - With Kids

As the summer weather starts to peak out from the endless winter that we have experienced here in southern Alberta, the kids are chomping at the bit to get out to the water. Water parks do not open in Calgary before May long so there are a couple weeks where there is intense heat and no reprieve!

Luckily for us we have friends that live in Lake Communities. For those not from around here, a lake community is a suburb that is built up around a man made lake. It usually costs between $200 - $500 a year in community fees (on top of your property taxes) to get to access these lakes. Only residents who are in good standing get to use these lakes. The residents are also allowed to invite guests - but the number of guests depends on the community.

Today we were lucky enough to have a friend invite us to her lake. The weather was beautiful, the water pristine, the sand divine! My kids would spend all day at the lake if they could and I make sure that I pack enough so that they can do just that.

The first couple of times that I went to the lake I failed miserably. Forgot towels even!! So now I have a very easy routine that I have worked the kinks out over the last year and here it is to share with you!

1. Buy a wagon. Seriously.
I never thought I would need a wagon, I mean just carry the baby or wear it in a carrier and put stuff on the stroller. A stroller should be good enough right? No.
A wagon is a must for the beach. You can still wear your baby with a good quality baby carrier, but all your junk and your kids junk....well that is what the wagon is for.
My favourite wagon is the Lee Valley Wagon. It has great big wheels that will have no problem going over grass, gravel or even sand. And with little kids you go where they are.

2. Buy a Beach Blanket.
This is a must. Sure you can sit on towels and what have you but the versatility of a blanket is great! As the kids get older you may want to switch to a a beach chair - but when they are little you will either be fighting with them over who gets to sit in the chair, or dealing with a wet bum when someone beats you to it! A nice blanket like this one is a great investment!

3. Think about an umbrella or something for shade.
Many lake communities are in newer suburbs so there are no trees that are big enough to help you out! Some of the communities do have trees so it is a real risk whether you want to take one or not. If you are going with a small baby I would suggest just throwing one in.

Now that we have the basics covered, lets get down to what goes into that wagon of mine.

4. Backpack.
In my backpack I have a change of clothes for every child, a towel for every child and extra swim bottoms for my potty training one. I also put the sunscreen and bug spray in the front pockets.

5. Little cooler.

I love this cooler by Traveler's Club. It is so well designed. We usually stay for lunch and bit beyond so I pack wraps for everyone, carrots (veggies), some strawberries and blueberries (fruit), some hummus and some cheese for the kids to snack on. I also pack avocados and a knife and spoon. Sometimes if we are staying longer I bring a bigger bag and pack much more!

5. Extra Bag.
This bag has the chips, cookies and crackers in it. It also has the wipes and a couple extra swim diapers. I leave it half empty as it is also where all the garbage goes and it is used if one of the kids has an accident.

6. The Toys.
The toy bag comes in two parts. First a good mesh bag like this one is a must. Secondly, buy some cheaper plastic toys as they are bound to go missing. A couple boats, some shovels, some buckets, a squirter or two, balls etc.  All the fun things that kids love to play with at the beach. A word of advice, use a sharpie and write your name or another distinguishable character on the plastic toys so that you know for sure if that green shovel that the kids are trying to take from another kid is actually theirs!!

7. Water Bottles.
You can never get enough water. I make sure that I bring a water bottle for each of the kids as well as an extra one if they run out. I also always have water in the car. Little kids can get dehydrated really fast so it's really just good practice to bring water wherever you go!

8. Last but not least...The life jackets.
I grew up in landlocked Alberta so I am not overly confident in the water. To be honest I have never really learned to swim. Even though my children are water babies I make sure that they have their life jackets on when they go near the water as you can never be too careful. Of course, life jackets don't mean you can turn your back..... ;)


 I hope this helps you plan your next trip to the beach! Is there anything else that you think is essential that I have missed?? Make sure you let me know in comments!!

Have Fun!!

Lost Dog: Learning From My Kids Style

As a responsible pet owner I make sure that my kids are aware of how to act when there are stray dogs around, or when we come across another dog when we are out with our German Shepard Rotti.

Of course, my kids are actually useless when this happens in real life as I found out today.

As we were coming home from walking to the grocery store, we noticed a man asking people about 2 bichons running around all over the place. He called over and asked if they were mine as we started to unload in front of my house. I said no, and continued to unpack my groceries.

The Lost Dog

When I was done I noticed that the two dogs were running in between my house and my neighbours. I also noticed that one had tags - so I called it over and grabbed a look at the tag. I called the number and got no answer. These poor dogs were sweltering and it was over 25' C. I was worried that they may get into medical trouble so I decided that I should try and help. I called our local city by-law to report them.

While I was on the phone on my front porch with by-law, my kids were in the house and had decided to get water for the dogs, but they had also let my big German Shepard cross in the house as well. So when she came to the sidelight at the front door, she lost it. Barking and barking at these little dogs.

The by-law man told me to put the dogs somewhere where I could keep them safe - so I went around to the side gate as I knew my dog was inside and pulled the latch - broken. Typical.

I brought the dogs back onto the porch and told my son through the door to put our dog in the library. (where she is usually crated). He couldn't decide what to do with the water dish in his hands and slowly took it back to the kitchen as I turned the handle of our front door.....locked.

Not Impressed to be Locked in the Library.

Seriously?!?! Now I am on the phone with by-law while my minor children have locked me out of the house. I calmly tell my son to unlock the door and put the dog in the library...he complies. (all the while asking WHY?!?!?!)

I open the door slowly and the two dogs RUN into my house. My dog can see them through the glass doors in the library and tries to eat through the door. Our cat who is more like a dog than a cat arches his back and hisses - thoroughly freaking out the skittish dog and it runs out of my house and down the street. I can't leave my kids to run after it - so I accept the loss. I tried at least.

I convince the other dog that my couch is not as nice as my backyard and take him outside. I shut the door and leave some water for it outside. My kids really want to see the dog so they open the door and it comes back in...again there is rounding up of a dog who would much rather be inside and shoo-ing of children that have no fear of a stray dog!

My "Helpers"

Finally, 45 mins later the by-law truck comes and takes the dog away - asking me where the other one went...I tried to explain what happened but by then I was just happy to see the dog go.

So Happy to see this Truck!!

That is my good samaritan deed for a couple months at least!!

These are a few of my favourite things.......

This weekend I went to a going-away party for my good friend Misty who blogs over at LifeWhereWeAre. I don't actually like to call it a going-away, as I am sure that I will see her again. I may even have to take a trip to New York just to visit her as I have heard nothing but how wonderful that city is!

The theme of this going-away party was Favourite Things. I had heard of a favourite things party before but I had never been to one. So when it was decided that this would be the theme I was excited to finally get to go to one myself.

The general idea is that you buy 5 items (all the same) that are all between $5 and $10. You need to bring something that you actually use and love. Sometimes there are rules that are placed like No Candy Bars etc... as you want some variety in the items.

When I got to the party the host, the wonderful Merry of MerryWithChildren, asked us all to place our bag of items on the table and to write our name on 5 different pieces of paper and to place them in a bowl. Once everyone had put their names in the bowl, she went around the room and asked us to pick out 5 names - not ours and not two of the same.

Then we started handing out the items. The first person stood up, introduced themselves to everyone and talked about their favourite thing. Where they bought it, why they love it, etc. They then looked at the 5 names that THEY had picked out and handed out their items to those 5 people. It was so neat to see what everyone brought and how it was all so different!

I thought that it would be fun to show you what I scored from the party.

The lovely Catherine from TheDabelsDivulge brought a book by Kim Edwards called The Lake of Dreams. She said that the reason that she brought this book was because she loved The Memory Keeper's Daughter and thought that this author was just great. I was happy to be on Catherine's list as I am in need of some new reading material for the summer, and books are always a favourite of mine!

My friend Kristina the creative mastermind over at Bouncing Off The Walls brought one of my most favourite things; sour soothers!! Who doesn't love a giant tub of candy?? It was exactly what I wanted.

Leslie the owner of Hippo Hug and who also blogs at RuffRuminations brought Arnica Gel. I am no stranger to arnica as I use it myself when I have a headache (especially when pregnant) but I have never used the gel. I joked with the ladies that with my 3 boys and camping all summer that there will be enough bumps and bruises from bike riding alone that I will have to replace it!

Derby Girl Marlaine who is one of the most fearless and fiecest women I know in the Rockyview Rollers brought the most amazing lip stuff that I have ever tried. EOS lip balm in sweet mint.  I also love how big it is!! I am constantly losing chapsticks in my bottomless pit of a purse! Never again!!!

And lastly, Dana from CalgaryPlaygroundReview (where I recently did a guest post) brought dairy-free chocolate from Theobroma. I am pretty sure it was fate that let me get this one! I have to say that this is the one item that is all gone!

This was the funnest party that I have been to in a while, even though it was supposed to be a sadder occasion. ;) I will be doing this again for sure - maybe for my next birthday as it really was so neat to see the variety that people brought. I think in total there were over 30 favourite things.

If you decide to throw a party like this - drop me a line and let me know what you think!!

Oh, I almost forgot! You may be wondering what my favourite thing is.....

40 Week Pregnancy T-shirt Tutorial

As I said in my last post this pregnancy has hit me the hardest out of all of the 4 pregnancies that I have experienced. I think because of this I am having more ambivalence towards this pregnancy. Don't get me wrong, I am super excited to meet my new little bundle of joy, but the pregnancy is really draining.

So to get me out of my funk and to give this baby the excitement that he/she deserves I decided to make a cute pregnancy t-shirt to help me remember to take pictures - and to easily remember when I look back!

Want to know how I made this adorable shirt? Wait no more! 

First, you need to go and buy a shirt that will accommodate your bump as it grows. I know how big I get as this is not my first rodeo. For some women a bigger t-shirt from Superstore would be great, for others a maternity shirt would be a better choice. 

I chose a cheap maternity tank from Old Navy - in case I made a mistake and had to buy another one. 

Next you need fabric paint and a stencil.

I bought spray fabric paint because I thought it would be easier - but it turns out that what I had first thought of wasn't that easy.

It still worked for me. I just used a sponge tip brush and sprayed the paint on another surface and then blotted my brush and applied. 

When using the the stencils I used a lot of scotch tape to make sure that I didn't go over and mark up the rest of the shirt. 

I wish that I had bought two stencils as the double digits were a little more challenging. 

However, it all worked out in the end and I am so happy with the results!! 

So tell me, how would you mark off the dates?? 

An Apology and an Excuse - or an Excuse and an Apology.

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will have noticed that I have not put a post up since January.

If you are a long time reader of my blog - you will have noticed that I follow a pattern like this.

I made up this picture as a "surprise I am pregnant" for my blog and meant to post it again and again... However, I have had the most horrific morning sickness that I have ever had for any of my pregnancies - and for the most part (for the last 14 weeks) all that I have been able to do is scroll facebook on my smartphone.

So, yes, this is my excuse for neglecting you dear readers. I hope that you will forgive me.

I promise that I will get back on track in the next couple weeks!!

India - The History

Growing up in Canada I have always felt that we are lacking on the history part. Sure we are all immigrants (apart from the First Nations ) but for the most part Canada's real history is only a couple hundred years old. I think that this may be the reason why I am so amazed to see other countries that have and celebrate vast histories that have spanned not only decades but centuries.

India, of course, did not disappoint. We visited 6 different cities in the course of 15 days and every one of them was filled with so much history that we were barely able to get it all in.

Humayun's Tomb - Delhi

Most of the architecture that we saw was built in the 16th century by two men. Two great Mughal kings.

My husband was most interested on where the building materials came from, how they were designed and how all the elaborate stonework was executed. I, on the other hand, was interested in the people behind the buildings. Why they would build these amazing forts and palaces and wondered what they looked like in their glory days.

Agra Fort

Me at the Taj

You would think that going to India that my favourite monument would be the Taj Mahal, but you would be wrong. I do think that it is a marvel, and a wonderful thing that should be seen if you decide to go to that part of the world. Beautiful white columns, symmetry, inlaid art like you have never seen before, and a serenity that washes over you in a city of millions of people. One thing that I found to surprise me about the Taj is that I always knew that it was a mausoleum dedicated to a kings wife; but i never realized that it was a Muslim monument. I mean, looking at it now, obviously it is. It looks just like the palace from Aladdin! What I learned on this trip is that all that beautiful black scroll work on the face of the Taj are all scriptures from the Quran. This is a significant thing, as Hindus and Muslims do not typically agree on most things - but they tolerate each other. And the fact that a country that is mostly Hindu has a Muslim monument as their #1 visited tourist destination shows you just how proud Indians are of their shared heritage.

The Muslim Wife's Celing

My most favourite historical site that we visited was Fatehpur Sikri which is just outside of Agra. The reason behind this was because the king that built this palace was a very political king. Our guide told us that he had three wives to make the people happy. A Hindu wife from Jaipur (arranged marriage), a "Christian" wife to show how progressive he was to the British (Christian is in quotations as it is believed that she was actually a Muslim) and a Muslim wife. I asked our guide which of the three wives was his favourite (you know, the one who got the most attention). Our guide laughed and said that I was the first one to ask him this, and that many people believed that it was the Hindu wife as she had the biggest palace. (The king and queens all had separate "palaces" within the compound.) The Hindu queen's palace was three stories and had it's own temple. It was twice as big as the Christian wife's and three times as big as the Muslim wife's. However, our guide asked us to look closely at each palace and to notice the differences. All three were very spectacular, but the one room Muslim queens was the MOST spectacularly carved and decorated. It was also the one closest to the King's bedroom...coincidence? I think not!

Ghandi's Cremation Site

If I was to take away one thing from visiting all of these heritage sites it would be that I do not know enough world history. We also visited the house that Mahatma Ghandi lived in, and we saw where he was cremated. But until I went to India this time I had no real understanding of why he was who he was. I mean, I knew that he was an important figure and someone to be admired, but I did not know the whole story. I am going to make sure that I learn more and teach my kids more in years to come.

The most interesting part about seeing the historical side of India was that as a tourist, the history is all that people want you to see. We saw fort after fort, palace after palace and memorial after memorial. We saw "old" India and if we had not visited Delhi we would have thought that India was the same as it was years ago, slowly moving forward...however, we visited a mall on the last day and it was EXACTLY like a North American mall. EXACTLY. Even the same stores.

New Delhi Mall

In another post I am going to touch on the political and social climate that we witnessed which also touches on this phenomena.

I could honestly write four more posts on the history as it is so rich and vibrant, but it really is something that you have to experience for yourself.

India - The Prequel

Hindu Temple

When you tell people that you are going to India they get really excited. I think it's because it is one of those exotic far-away destinations that almost everyone has on their bucket list. Maybe it's because it is so far away, or maybe because there is something for everyone. They have a rich history, amazing food, an incredible culture, nice weather, and spirituality that encompasses the whole country.

While we were travelling we saw tourists that fit in every one of these categories. Families there for the sun, backpackers there to experience the "real" India, older tourists visiting all the heritage sights, and many many people dressed in what I would consider yogi, or simple clothes following a spiritual path that only they and their god(s) knew of.

For many people India is a world that is full of mystery, and wonderings. It is so far removed from our western culture that it gets romanticized in our movies and media. You hear again and again from people who have been there that India is not a destination, but rather an experience. And, it was. However for me, it was not an experience that people would assume - you see it was not my first time to India, and going back coloured my experience in more ways than even I expected.

12 year old me

When I was 12 years old my parents and my three siblings moved to Kota, Rajasthan. My dad was working with the Canadian and Indian governments on a project and so my grade 6 year we moved from Canada into a 6 bedroom house in the outskirts of a little town in north west India. We had many servants, a cook and a nanny. (her name was Shanti) It sounds like it was glamorous or something but my parents are not like that at all. We had to have the servants as it was expected that a western family would have them.  Honestly though, my mom had 4 kids under 12 in a foreign country with no support so I think she enjoyed the help at least a little. We were not the only family that lived in Kota, as the project was quite big. I was lucky enough that there was another girl my age and we made fast friends the first day of "school". All the children on the project were homeschooled, but we also went to school with a teacher who made sure that we kept on track with curriculum.

A Holy Cow

I can't really sum up that year except to say that THIS was the experience that people talk about. I think that it would have been the same had we gone to any third world country. I was an adolescent girl who was  acutely aware of myself. Incredibly self conscious and even more so as I was one of 40 or so families that were white. People noticed me. All the time. They looked, stared, and gestured. People smiled and were curious...and I, who has always been an extrovert, was incredibly shy. This was the one year of my life that I feel I took a backseat and WATCHED instead of jumping right up to the front as I usually do - even to this day.

The reason behind this is because I was a complete outsider. Not only did I not speak the language, but I was also a girl (becoming a woman), and at that time women were expected to act differently than they would be in North America. I had to learn new ways to carry myself, to talk to elders, to men, to my brothers. Having always been the oldest in my family, it surprised me when people would comment on how I must pay so much respect to these two little brats that made my life miserable, how there were celebrations for them, how I was to respect them. I can't really explain what it is like to grow up in a culture with such freedom for women and girls, and then living within another one that marginalizes them.

Experiences are the things that shape you. I credit India for shaping me.

When I came back to Canada I was again the outsider. Of course it was Jr.High, but how can one girl go back into the social pecking order that is adolescence when her whole idea of the world is vastly different than that of all her classmates?

I had felt racism directed at me. I had felt inequality in my soul. I saw true poverty with my own eyes. True desperation, and real suffering. I had witnessed squalor, filth, hopelessness and death. But I had also witnessed understanding, compassion, joy, and a work ethic like no other. This changes you, especially if this happens in those formative years when you are just learning about yourself. My experience made me more compassionate, more empathetic, and more understanding of all people around me. It also made me incredibly grateful for the life that I have been so lucky to be born into - that of a middle class Canadian woman.

Wearing a Sari as an Adult

And yes, India was amazing. I will share what I learned this time around in a series of posts. I am not sure how many I will do as this one wasn't really supposed to go into this direction - but I have a feeling none of them will since it is about a country that has touched my very soul.

Winter Solstice Fun

If you are a regular follower of my blog you know that Christmas is not my favourite holiday; Halloween is!

Lighted Luminaries

So when Christmas comes around in December I go through the motions mostly because both my husband and I were raised in families that celebrate Christmas - so it is just something we do. 

But there is something else that we do in December that I love a whole lot more. Every December 21st we celebrate the solstice. 

I don't consider myself to be a Pagan or a Wiccan, I just like to celebrate something that has a much less commercialistic approach close to Christmas so that my kids are not completely taken in my the gimmies of the holiday season. 

I wanted to share with you, dear reader, what we do on this day so that you may have some ideas and may even implement them yourselves.

The winter soltice is the shortest day of the year. The day when winter is officially here. We spend a lot of time talking about the science invloved as well as the connection to the changes in season. 

We make garlands out of popcorn and cranberries and this year we will be making a bird feeder using pinecones and peanut butter and seeds.

Popcorn and Cranberry Garlands

We go for a winter walk and listen to the sounds that the animals make in the snow and hang up our garlands and bird feeders. We also collect sticks and berries that have fallen on the ground for a craft later in the afternoon.

Adding Raisins to the Bread.

We come home and have hot chocolate and marshmellows to warm up. 

Some years we go ice-skating, or tobogganing, we may bulid a snowman or an igloo. We like to spend most of this day outside experiencing the winter and celebrating it. 

When we are done outside the children help me bake braid bread and we put raisins in it. Each and every raisin is a wish for the new year. I love to listen to the wishes that little children make. They are so innocent and simple. 

Making the Luminaries.

When the bread is in the oven the children help me make Ice Lanterns. We place all of the sticks and berries into old hummus containers and put yogurt containers with rocks in them in the middle. We place them in the freezer. Once they are frozen we will put candles in them when it gets dark. 

We have a wonderful hearty meal all made with locally sourced ingredients, and I light our Yule Log. 

I love my Yule Log. My husband made it last year and it sits all year long on my mantle ready for the night that we give thanks for everything that we have.

Wonderful Feelings 

I seriously made this. 

We finish our dinner with a Yule Log Cake, and then go outside and light the Ice Lanterns to mark the shortest night of the year. 

The kids get ready for bed, and instead of watching TV or a movie as we do on Christmas Eve, we play board games until it is bedtime. 

The whole day just leaves me warm and fuzzy. 

I hope that this post was helpful to some of you and will maybe give you inspiration to do something like this with your families, or take some of the ideas here and incorporate them into different holidays that you may have. 

Have a Wonderful Holiday Season.