Jumpin' Gymboree

Jackson and I had a great play date with our friends Megan and Eva while visiting on the coast. Eva and I like to catch up on baby feats and achievements when visiting each others cities just to make sure that our bambinos are somewhat normal and to get a little adult time into our jam packed day of baby one on one.

We decided to try out the local Gymboree Play & Music classes. It's a great little place to take your little ones from age 0-5. We had a lot of fun with all the big balls and interaction with other kidlets ages 6 mo - 10 mo. And the best thing was that our first class was free. But like they say, the first one's free to get you addicted and now Jackson and I are wishing we had one of these locations in Smalliver or even in the valley. Oh, well! Just another thing to look forward to when visiting our coastal grandparents and family.

Jackson especially loved the big parachute and the great mini bubbles that kept sticking to his hair. And of course they sell all of their play things and equipment. Our little buddy, Megan, loved the jumbo Gymbo clown doll! You should have seen the way she lit up then Gymbo was around, so cute! Grandparents take note for future gifts...

A Busy but Manageable Week with a Little Help from Family and Friends

Since Scott has been away this week, I have been very busy with summer activities. And without the help of friends and family I don't think I could have survived this week with Jackson alone. I don't know how single parents with no family support do it. They must be super moms and dads!

When I knew that Scott would not be there to help out every day at Jackson's swim lessons over the past two weeks, I admit that I was a little panicked! I thought, 'How am I supposed to dry and change a little person who can barely crawl in a public change room. And where do I put Jackson when it comes time for me to strip down, dry up and clothe myself.' I also volunteered to run the crafts sessions of the local vacation bible school in the afternoon this week. How am I going to fit in Jackson's mid-morning nap and feeding all before I need to get to the church to teach a craft to 40+ kids from ages 3-14. These are the silly 'woe-is-me' things that cross the mind of this first time mom who is not so great at facing the unexpected. But I am slowly learning to just let things happen and manage as it comes at me. Life is not predictable and as the saying goes 'the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry'.

It is a lesson that has been hard to embrace but feels so good once followed through. Let go and let God! And it will work out even better than you ever imagined.

And I have learned that I can't do everything myself and I need to accept help from others. And when I accept this help, I learn more about the people who are helping me. So I just want to send out a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart to all those who have helped me manage without my hubby this past week. I am very appreciative of you all. Be it with organizing my craft supplies and prep for VBS, holding onto Jackson as I quickly dress after swim practice, play with and feed my little man as I help other little ones create a craft to learn about our Forever Friend, Jesus, as well as a multitude of other helpful things that enabled me have a smooth sailing week.


A special little thank you to cousin Travis for being such a great entertainer and playmate of Jackson this week when he spent the afternoons at Grandma Schaffrick's . Jackson just loves his cousin Travis!

Summer Firsts

Monday was a day of firsts for our little Smalliverite.


Jackson's has sprouted his first tooth. It must have made it's appearance overnight as it was not there the previous day and I would have noticed it as we are still breastfeeding and it's a sharp little one. He has been gnawing at our fingers a lot over the past week and I was wondering why he was getting a little rash around his mouth. Babies are prone to saliva rashes when teething apparently, who knew! And Mr. Fussypants has been having bouts of crankiness that are out of character for our happy-go-lucky guy. So at least now we know the reason for his mood swings. And while I am happy to know that he is developing on the dental front, I am not looking forward to upcoming nursing sessions with Jackson's chompers.
Update: One has now become two. Another incisor has poked it's way through, so now he has two bottom teeth on the rise!

Jackson had his first taste of ice cream. After a yummy dinner of Asian BBQ pork tenderloin with crisp green beans and fluffy sticky rice, we tucked into a sweet treat of Breyers ice cream. Jackson has finished all his dinner of sweet potatoes and rice cereal and was making noise for more. So Mommy shared her neapolitan flavours with her little sugar monster. His favourite one of the three seemed to be strawberry but the cold texture was nice for his aching gums. Then it was off to the bathroom for a little tooth brushing to wash away all the little sugar bugs and keep that new little tooth healthy. We try to practice at least once a day to get used to the feeling of the brush in his mouth. So far so good especially when we sing a little song to go along with the oral hygiene practice.

Jackson's first day of swim lessons. Lots of fun with so many new friends. Two weeks of splashing and learning in the local community pool. It's been a little bit of a schedule change as it is smack in the middle of morning nap time. But nothing that a little early nursing doesn't solve. Then it's right to sleep as soon as he hits the car seat on the ride home. Great for Mommy getting some early afternoon chores done!

And of course, with Jackson's first lessons came his first set of raisin wrinkly pool feet. What cute little tootsies my aqua boy has!

Out and About in Smalliver

We stuck close to town this weekend with family and friends visiting from the coast. But we were not short on finding fun outings and adventures. Here's a quick run down of our full weekend of fun...

-Diving, swimming and general beach lazing at Gallagher Lake. Our friends from the 'Wack stayed in these funky little cabins at the local campground. Scott & Mark did a little diving, the kids did a little swimming and Jackson & I took in a little sand digging. Our little guy loves textures and just couldn't get enough of the stuff between his fingers and toes and mouth and nose and ears and clothes. Oh well that's what the bathtub is for...

-Picking cherries for the first time of the season with our city friends. The cherries are not quite fully ripened but we found enough on the trees to fill a few buckets which thrilled our urban friends with a first time orchard experience of picking their own fruit.

-Scott took in a tube ride down the Okanagan River with Spencer, Mark & his kids. It was a fast, fun ride down the river with the water nice and high and the currents were just right that you didn't have a slow lag just a strong steady stream to the end. Wahoo!

-The evenings are so nice with just enough breeze to cool the heat of the sun that is just starting to set. A perfect time to take an after dinner walk with the JackMan. On one such night we picked up a movie in town and then headed here for some summer treats of an icy milkshake and float. Yum!



-Mommy's passion for books was let loose on the local library book sale that I happened upon while on a walk with Jackson. We didn't even know that it was being held this weekend but were returning borrowed books when we totally lucked out. My little bookworm was so well behaved as I hunted and searched through all the treasures in the library parking lot. And as the pile of finds grew, Mommy decided that she had to call in reinforcements to help transport them all home as we would not be able to manage it all with just our little stroller basket, especially after already stopping at Aunty Linda's garage sale and picking up a few items there. So a call to Scott was made to bring the van down for a lift home. And Daddy found a few titles for himself while waiting for me to finishing my perusal of all the boxes and carts of beautiful books. And the deals we found. By the time I had rummaged to my heart's content, with a few of Scott's 'That's enough!' every few minutes, the prices of the books went from $0.50/paperback & $1/hardcover to $1 for a whole box. What a bargain!!! So Scott was very glad to have stayed the extra moments. But all the funds were going back to the library so we left a few more dollars than required. All the more for the next time we borrow story time books for our reader.

-Family picnic at the lake. Again, just the right amount of wind to keep the hot sun at bay while lazing in the afternoon sun. We picked up a 'Picnic Lunch for Two' from a local deli. Yum Yum Yum! Look at all the goods that we munched on while spending some quality family time with Jackson. Smoked Gouda, Dry Italian Salami, Smoked Pacific Salmon Dip and Crisp Green Grapes were just a few of the gourmet items in our picnic basket. We tried out Jackosn's new beach cabana sun shield from Grandpa & Grandma P. It was great for both sun and wind. We will definitely keep it handy in the van for our future excursions in our hot desert climate region.

And now the weekend has come to an end and our little guy is plum tuckered out. Time to recharge and get ready for a new week of adventures in Smalliver.

What We Did On Jackson's First Canada Day Long Weekend!

Catching some rays and waves with the family in the local pool...
Don't me & my cousin, Fynn, look like the ultimate loungers just chillin' & relaxing in our matching floaties! Ah, this is the life in the sunny Okanagan.




Canada Day Parade with friends. Oooh, can't wait until I can eat the candies, but this flag will do in the meantime. Boy, Canada even tastes great!




Jackson and his bathing beauties! Such a flirt, already!




My first fireworks show and I slept right through it. But Mommy & Daddy had a great time enjoying the good music, pretty sparkles in the sky and amazing company of friends and family. What a great first Canada Day Long Weekend!