Sickie Learning to Walk

Just in case you didn't feel sorry for Gracie when you heard she was sick, here are a few pictures to tug at your heartstrings:







The worst is when she coughs in her sleep, it sounds so pitiful, it makes me want to run in and rock her all night.

Even though she's sick, she's still pretty happy. We really lucked out and got such a happy little girl. She loves to pull herself up on everything, couches, toys, Brad and I, anything she can.





Now, a clip (very bouncy and poor) of Gracie venturing out for a few first steps all by herself. She's basically just falling forward and taking a few steps while she does, but she's so close to walking on her own..... Any day.....

Suggestions for Summer Reading

Just thought I'd share a few good books I've read recently.



The Story of Edgar Sawtelle was a great read that will make you look at your dog with a little more appreciation and keep you thinking long after you've finished. You don't have to be a dog person to enjoy this page turner.



David Benioff wrote the 25th Hour, which was well written and his format is a little bit of a change from the norm. Refreshingly different, well written and quick and easy to read.



Dan Brown can tell a great adventure story and raises some interesting questions on the capacity of the human mind in The Lost Symbol. Very interesting.... if you liked the DaVinci Code, Angels and Demons, or any of his other novels, you'll love this.



Jodi Picoult is an author that I read often. Her books make you think, are very emotional and usually have a bit of a twist. House Rules wasn't my favourite of her books, but I still really enjoyed it.

Hope you get a chance to lay in the sun and enjoy a few hours with a good book this summer.

Sick Girl, Summer and A Recipe

Gracie Girl is a sick little puppy today. Poor girl has a super runny nose, which is making my house all slimy and disgusting and very, very germy. She's sleeping right now, so hopefully that makes her feel a little better and gives me some time to run around and bleach EVERYTHING.

I decided to stay home from strollercise because it falls during her nap time and she doesn't sleep as well in her stroller so we went for a run this morning instead. (Must get back into the routine after a week of chocolate pie and fresh baked bread and haystacks and who remembers what else at the farm.... It's all a carbohydrate haze, to tell the truth). It's so beautiful out, I actually don't even mind running. The grass is green, there was a bit of a breeze, no bugs and the sun was out. Ahhhh, summer is here at last.

Just thought I'd share a simple, summery recipe I tried last night that was delicious.

Fettucine with Charred Grape Tomato-Basil Marinara

Toss a pint (one of those small, square plastic containers) of grape tomatoes onto a cookie sheet with 3 shallots sliced thin, a tbsp. of minced garlic and a drizzling of olive oil. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook 1/2 lb. of fettucine to al dente. Once done, divide it into three bowls, top with the tomato mixture, a sprinkling of fresh, finely chopped basil, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. It's yummy, simple, and fast, three things I love in a meal. Even better, I can get a lot of the ingredients right of my deck! Another reason to love summer: fresh, homegrown produce.

Hope you like!

Sleep Standing??

I mentioned before that Gracie was falling asleep folded in half.... There was a new development at the farm. She actually fell asleep standing up.

I kid you not.

I walked into her room and she was standing at the edge of the crib, with her hands crossed on the top railing and her head on her hands, asleep. Standing up. Don't ask me how her legs didn't give out, but they hadn't yet. I picked her up and layed her down and she sort of startled awake when she got parallel to the mattress, but then closed her eyes and went right back to sleep when I lay her down.

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it.

If only I'd taken a picture....

Home Again!

Seriously, we travel too much!

We're home from another fantastic week at the farm. Always so much fun and so relaxing. Sigh.

Unfortunately, Brad had to be away for his first father's day, so we celebrated a little early with him. These are some pictures of how we spent father's day with my dad, grandpa and my brother.



Gracie storing up energy for the fun about to commence.



Jada raiding the beer.... That girl! Going after Papa's gift.



A candid shot of the three fathers.



Grams and Gracie and Papa in the background.



Cutie.

A beautiful day in Drumheller by the river. Good food, good people, great wether and no mosquitos!


We came home for Gracie's paediatrician's appointment this afternoon and she did great! We have a dr.'s diagnosis... she's a genius! :)

She weighed in at 18 pounds and 15 ounces, so she has really slowed down in the last month, only gaining a half pound. She's perfectly average though, which is right where we want her. She's in the 50th percentile for weight, the 75th percentile for height and the 80th percentile for head circumference. She also checked off all of the milestones for a 12 month old, hence the genius moniker.

As if we didn't know that all ready :)

Anyhow, doing good. Just getting back into the routine. Hoping to plant some flowers since we'll finally be home for a few days to keep them alive. Hope the weather stays nice.

June Has Been Busy!

We've been ridiculously busy this month, and it's not letting up anytime soon.

We were in Lethbridge on the My long weekend, came home, spent the first week of June in Hanna, at my parents farm, then we were home for three days, and then off again to Lethbridge last week. Brad stayed there for the weekend and looked after Gracie (for the first time- all by himself and he did great) and I headed to Great Falls with some girlfriends. We got home Sunday night, had company Monday and are packing up to head out again. Yikes!

So, here's a fast catch up in photos, videos and stories (unfortunately, I seem to continually put my camera down, so these are so poor, it's a little funny):

During one of our stints at home, we brought out a car that Great Grandma and Grandpa Sackett gave her. It was her first time playing with it, because it was little big for her before, but she loves all of the lights and buttons.



Did she yell, "Attack!" at the end, or was that my imagination?

In May, we went to Lethbridge for a wedding and a visit. Here's the majority of Brad's brothers, sisters, spouses and kids. Just try to get a photo where everyone is looking at the same camera, smiling. Ha! Gracie's trying to leap out of my arms and Tara's directing the photo shoot...



Gracie and Kale got to hang out. Kale was a little more interested in her eyes and her hair on our first visit, (resulting in a bit of a swollen eye that we're still trying to heal), but she was ready for him when we returned two weeks later. The first time they saw each other, Kale came crawling over to say hi and before he could get settled, Gracie two hand shoved him. Apparently, she's toughened up these past weeks.

Here they are, getting along, going for a walk:



Gracie's been sleeping through the night again (hallelujah!) for about a month, which I'm hoping will help my baby brain. Unfortunately, she has been falling asleep sitting up. She pulls herself up to sitting after I lay her down, and then slowly falls asleep. She just lets her head drop right between her knees onto the mattress. We keep having to go in and unfold her, because this can't be comffortable:



Even more recently, she has started pulling herself up on the edge of the crib. Soon, she'll have a tin can to drag along the bars.

For our entire week in Hanna, I didn't take a single photo... My mom took some, so maybe I can steal some from her later. Gracie and Jada played a lot, we went to a waterpark, met up with my aunt and grandparents, got to visit my friend Kylee and her new baby girl, we visited with Curtis and Brandi and mom and dad, and we took Gracie to the Handhills Stampede. Very fun week!

This is one of the only photos I took of our girl's weekend:



Some may wonder why the driver is not looking at the road.... I'm a little curious myself, but Sam's square was very yummy. We had a blast and I can't wait for next year to go again.

We hit fantastic sales, spent all of our money, stayed in a hotel for the sick and dying, went out dancing, played rock paper scissors with a mermaid, got cheered for by a pirate, locked Lacey in the truck, ate supremely salty popcorn made by Jesus, and introduced a lot of people to flip cup and the wave game. Good times.

Okay, now to clean up and pack for our next adventures!

Home again!

We just got home Sunday from a trip out to the farm. It was a great week away, but I've got so much to catch up on I need to get back to housework and laundry before I can post anything other than a few updates for the Grandparents and Gracie followers out there:

Gracie is clapping, walking back and forth between people (with a hand to hold) and sleeping great. She had a good visit with her cousin Jada, her aunt Brandi, uncle Curtis, grams and papa.

Sorry, but that's all I've got for now. I have some cute videos and photos I'll try and post soon.