The Playhouse is Complete!

School has started and so hopefully I will be able to get more into the groove of blogging again. Man, distractions come in many shapes and sizes. And while most of the distractions have been my family, which is a good thing to be distracted by, it sure makes it hard to carve out time for me and my thoughts. Hopefully that time will begin again soon. Although, we just started potty training Miss P and that definitely has the foreground in my thoughts at the moment!

Well we did it. We completed a project!!! We are really good project starters. When it comes to completing the project on the time schedule that I want... not so good at. But we did it. This awesome playhouse was finished before the end of summer and that is a big win in my books.

So to recap the whole idea for this particular playhouse came from the blog vintage revivals. She has really great blueprints and instructions for the frame. (note previous post) But we did have to tweak the finishes. While she used a painters canvas for the roof and walls to give it a cool tenty feel I knew that that would not work in our climate. That canvas would get weathered and mouldy and not hold up well after a winter. So my husband and I went back and forth trying to figure out what the best solution would be. We thought of detachable roofs or just using a tarp and then a light bulb moment. We decided just to use the wavy plastic panels that are used on garden sheds and other structures. Seriously when we came up with it angels were singing up above. For our house we bought four panels and cut them in half. They were the perfect length and width. Seriously, they could not have fit any better. We also re-jigged the ridgepole to be two at angles to accommodate the angle of the roof better. We also put 2x4s at the bottom of the angles so we could attach the roof at the bottom as well.

For the walls we used lattice on all three sides. If we had thought it through we may have put up something in the middle of the long walls to give it support. If the kids push too hard on the walls they could break. But they are fine for now and the girls are really good about being careful with them. We liked using the lattice because it lets in a lot of light. Some play house are so closed off they can be pretty dark. This one is great because the kids can always see, yet it still gives a sense of privacy.

not sure what the fir branch is doing on the side. must be some sort of decoration :)

So it might not be the prettiest or cutesiest playhouse on the block but we love it. It is big enough and tall enough that it should be a nice hangout for years to come. And it was way cheaper than buying those prefabricated ones from the store. I see many tea parties and games being played in this house in the near future. Yay summer projects!

Oh the Projects on the Go!

Sorry about the hiatus. We were on a two week road trip vacation.

When we bought our house we knew that we would have a lot of projects to keep us going for a while. And while time is on our side to be able to do things slowly and at a pace we can afford it is hard to be patient. I have so many ideas of how I want different rooms to be that I just want it done now. But that isn't how it is going.

This summer there are two projects that we are tackling. One will be done shortly. The other will be well into the fall and winter.

The first is a little playhouse for the girls. Miss V and Miss G have been bugging me all winter about needing a playhouse or a clubhouse or a hangout or whatever you want to call it. Well thanks to pinterest and putting our own touches on it we found one that would fit our budget, did not involve trying to find pallets (they can be harder to find than you think) and will be big enough to fit them for years to come.

We took the blueprints for the main structure from this really cool blog. We had to tweak it slightly because she lives in a dry warm climate where I live in one that is rather wet and has snow to contend with. If you decide to build this kind of framed house yourself just watch the measurements for the roof peaks. We found that the length measurement was a little too short. It was fine enough, but then, we aren't picky. Just something to keep in mind.

This is where we are in it. All we have left to do now is put on the roof and the walls.

Our other project is turning our former, not being used for anything but storing junk, kitchenette into our office/craft area. This means a lot of getting rid of wallpaper and cabinets, fixing walls, figuring out lighting, pulling up flooring, putting down new flooring, deciding on appropriate storage etc. etc. This change came about because Miss V and Miss G decided that they did not want to share a bedroom anymore and that mean that they wanted to sleep in the spare room downstairs that currently holds our office. While their sleeping arrangement needs aren't dictated by them it did give me the kick in the butt I needed to get going on the kitchenette, which really was just a waste of space.

This is our kitchenette before we did anything to it.

the cow print wall paper is actually drawer liner

We have since taken out the cabinetry and sold it . We have also started to remove all of the wall paper which we have been slow at doing. We have also started taking up some of the flooring.

I am excited about having a blank canvas to work with and mould into my vision. Pinterest has given me quite a few ideas and I am excited to take those and make it into something new and mine. I will put up more pictures as the reno continues.

What building/reno projects do you have on the go?

Finding Joy at the Park

Last Tuesday the girls and I met up with some friends at Victoria Park in Kitchener. They have installed a new playground which is a lot of fun.

One of the new features of the playground is a structure that looks like a boat. The kids sit on it and then an adult can rock it back and forth. Now most parents usually just move it unenthusiastically just to rock it while waiting for their child to get off and then passing the rocking onto the next suckered adult. I know it is not a very positive way to look at it, but you as parents, you know what I'm talking about.

Well on this Tuesday the kids were in for a treat. There was a young man there, probably in his late teens who I'm assuming had some sort of mental special need, who was able to transport the kids into a world of fun on the high seas. He would stand near the entrance of the ship and yell "All aboard". The kids would rush on and take their positions. Then he would walk around this ship doing the safety check, mostly to make sure that no one was underneath. He would then get into position, ask someone to "ring the bell" and off he would go rocking the boat. The kids would then laugh and have fun as the boat moved up and down causing them to sway, loose balance and just have fun. After a few minutes the young man would stop. The kids who wanted to get off would and new kids who wanted to join would get on. He would then start again with "All aboard" shouted in this incredible booming voice.

While this boat thing is usually popular, I must admit I had never seen so many kids on it at once as when this young man was doing his thing. The kids just loved it. I think he loved it too. They were all just having fun and experiencing pure joy.

It got me thinking about how we as hardened adults of the world don't, as often as we should, take the time to let ourselves go enough to experience these pure joy moments. We are hustling and bustling trying to do things as fast as we can to move onto the next things. At the park I am usually on high alert at all times because Miss P likes to run, and she can run fast and silently. Seriously she must be part ninja or secret agent. Her agility, stealth and speed is quite astonishing. Anyways, because of Miss P's super set of skills it is hard to relax and really enjoy the moments at the park because I feel so preoccupied with Miss P's location. We miss out on a lot of moments of joy when we are distracted or moving too fast.

After this experience I am trying to make a conscious effort to slow down and look at the world through my kids eyes. Take in their joys. This past Friday Miss G and I had to go to the mall to find a bathing suit. Trying to find a kids bathing suit in July is an impossible task, which is kind of dumb because it is still summer and they should still have bathing suits a plenty, in my opinion anyways. So we had to go to store to store. I was feeling like I just wanted to rush it because I just wanted to get out of the mall, it is not my happy place. But Miss G showed me that even in the Mall small and simple pleasures can be found. We stood and watched the fountains for a bit. She then saw some tiles in a cool pattern that she had to investigate. Seeing the mall through her eyes helped me slow down and enjoy the experience a bit more.

I don't know why we feel we need to be running ourselves ragged, trying to get things done lickity split. While there are times when that is necessary, most of the time it is not. No wonder there are so many people stressed, strained, feeling overworked and depressed. Sometimes you really need to slow down and appreciate what's around you and find the small and simple joys that life is freely and constantly offering you if you just slow down enough to recognize it.

So thank you young man, whoever you are. You made a lasting impact on me and all the children you helped that day. Never loose your happy spirit. You are special beyond measure and you made everyone around you feel special too.

A Busy Start to the Summer

The past two weeks have been a bit of a roller coaster, hence no posts


Schools done which is awesome! For being on summer vacation for just two weeks we have done quite a lot. We have gone on a mini-road trip up to my mom's. I love going up to Bancroft, ON. It means I am super close to one of my happy places. It is a store called "The Shed" and it has the awesomest stuff. It has cool handcrafted furniture. It has awesome art work and the coolest wooden flowers. Each time I go up I buy some more flowers to grow my year round garden.

here are my latest purchases

On Canada Day we went to the movies (which is a rare occurrence for us), we got to splash around in a friends pool and then the older girls and my husband went to watch fire works. I stayed home with Miss P. and went to bed at a reasonable time.

Then on the weekend my church had a BBQ and then we went to some other friends new property and swam in their pool. (I don't think we will have to worry about not having a place to swim this summer!)

Then on Monday we went to Kiwanis Park to swim. Tuesday we went mini-golfing. Wednesday we went for a bike ride. Thursday we went to Music and Movies in Waterloo park. One of our favourite local entertainers, Erick Traplin, was the musical presenter. We always enjoy his sets. And the the movie we watched was Sponge Bob... definitely not my first choice, but the kids liked it.

Miss V waiting for the movie to start

There have also been trips to the library, the optometrist, other errands and hanging out. What a busy time!

the supersquad

Now we are trying to turn our focus to building the girls a little play house in the backyard and refinishing a part of the basement to make it our office/craft room. I will definitely have more posts on that coming up.

What fun things have you been doing this summer.

The Sustainable Market - How Awesome!

I am blessed with kids who will sleep in relatively late, or at least, allow me some quiet time in the morning before the hustle and bustle of the day. My favourite thing to do is wake up with the 8:00 news and then listen to the last bit of the KW CBC radio morning show. Yes, I know that most of the day is already gone by that time, but, this is the season I am living in.

A couple of weeks ago they had on one of the founders of a new online market in the Waterloo Region area. After the interview I knew I had to check out their site. The market is called The Sustainable Market. You can go to their website here. Once you have registered (which is free and there is no membership... honestly can it get any better). You can look at what they have that week to offer. The prices are pretty reasonable. You then order what you would like. Then they give those orders to the producers (who are local) and they have it ready for you to pick up on the Market day. The produce is picked to order so there is very little waste, and you get to pack your own bags, so you get to choose which fruit to take. What an awesome idea.

In this region we do have a lot of other farmers markets. But, sometimes it is hard to make it out to them, or they are so ridiculously crowded that it makes for a less than ideal experience. (Parking can be a nightmare!) It also takes time having to walk up and down the aisles to see what is available and who has the best prices. With the Sustainable Market, you can do all that from the comfort of your own home and then go to the pick up Market to get your produce. No pushing through crowds or herding of children needed.

Does that mean I will never go to the "regular" markets? Of course not. Sometimes it is nice to go there for the atmosphere and to get yummy fries, or sausages, or freshly squeezed juice. But when my weekends are packed and I can't make it out during the week, I definitely like this online option.

Do you have a market like this in your area? Or if you are from Waterloo Region have you used this new market? What do you like about it?

Baby Gear 101

I don't know whether it's the water or what but a lot of my friends had babies recently or are about to have babies. That got me thinking about baby stuff. It is so tempting to get every gizmo and gadget and cute outfit you can see. You want your baby to have the best of everything. But let's be honest, really, the baby won't care what it has or what it wears, it's more about satisfying you.

For one of my friends I had a devil of a time trying to figure out what to even get her for her baby shower. I think I spent about 40 minutes in the store walking up and down and swapping out items. It was so hard! I wanted to make sure it was something that was useful and that the mother would like. I also wanted it to represent a bit of me and what I thought was important but, without imposing my values too strongly on her. That is a tall order. I ended up giving her some books and a cool looking wooden toy that will be good for when the baby is a bit older. By the time I reached the check out I felt I had gone through deep soul searching and I was exhausted. I then asked for gift receipts and was on my way. (Thank goodness for gift receipts. They really do take the pressure off.)

But this has got me thinking about what you really need when you are preparing for little ones. After three kids I have definitely wittled down the necessities. So here is my list and thoughts of what baby gear you really need. This is my own personal opinon, but it has been built through my own trial and error, so hopefully this will help you not go through the same stumbling blocks as me.

The Essentials

Carseat
This probably doesn't have to be on the list because it is so obvious. Yet, when it comes to carseats there are so many different options. There is the bucket seat there is the convertible and more. The best thing to do is to get a demo model to check to make sure the carseat will fit in your car, check out the heft, and see how easy it is to install and to take off the padding for washing. (My sister once bought a carseat and found out later that the only way to take off the cover involved a screw driver! That is insane.)

I use a bucket infant carseat for when they are first born  and when they out grow that they go into a convertible carseat that can be rear-facing and forward-facing. Experts suggest that the longer kids are rear-facing the safer they are in the event of a crash (2 years at least). Often the kid will outgrow the bucket carseat before it is safe to be forward facing, hence the need for the convertible. I don't use the convertible carseat for little babies because the one we bought wouldn't fit properly in the car for it to be at the correct angle. Though my sister's convertible carseat has a removable headrest which makes fitting it in the car for an infant a breeze.

Stroller
A stroller is definitely essential. It allows you to lug a lot of stuff around without you having to do the lugging. While you can get a carseat stroller combination I wouldn't do it unless you absolutely love the stroller that is part of the combination. Most strollers will come with or you can get a universal carseat adaptor.

This is what I would look for when going out to get a stroller

• It can fold up compact and unfold easily. Nothing is more frustrating when you can hardly fit the stroller, and your stuff in your trunk. The stroller won't be useful if you can't fit it easily into your car. Also, you may be leaving your stroller with others. If there is only one or two steps to collapse it, it will make the sharing of the stroller less stressful for all. I remember one stroller I had needed 4 steps to collapse. Loved the stroller, just didn't want to leave it for a sitter.
• It can be steered one handed. I know from first hand experience how essential this one is. Most strollers on the market cannot be steered with one hand. That is frustrating when you are pushing the stroller and have a cranky toddler walking with you. Trust me on this one. Even my big double stroller that doubles as a bike trailer can be pushed and easily handled one handed and I am thankful everytime I use it.

There are other considerations to give but they are too individual for each person. These two are ones that, no matter who you are or your lifestyle, you should make sure the stroller can do.

Highchair

Some people have the talent of being able to hold their squirmy toddler while feeding them. I am not one of those people. I make a mess. Thus, a highchair is essential for me.

My favourite highchair that I have seen is this one from Ikea. It is the one we ended up getting and after three kids it is still going strong. It is cheap, easy to clean and very portable. Other highchairs probably work as well, you just need it to be sure you can wash it easily without junk getting in seams and crevices.

Clothes

Babies really need very few clothes, but there are so many cute things on the market it is hard not to get carried away.

Really all babies need are some sleepers, onesies and socks. When they start staying awake and moving more then pants, shirts can be easily added to the mix. For ideas on amounts click here to my post about clothing amounts. I would also check out second hand stores or children's consignment stores. You can get great quality stuff for very little. Or just wait for the hand-me-downs to start pouring in. Seriously I suffered from too many clothes and it drove me nuts.

Soft Structured Carrier

I love my SSC. I have a boba that can be used for newborns all the way up to toddlers without the need of an insert, which is so nice. I use this more than my stroller.

When my kids were younger I would use a wrap. When buying a wrap make sure their is a bit of stretch but not too much otherwise the material will stretch out too much and you will always be retying. 

More and more you can get used SSCs. New ones are a bit expensive, but seriously they are worth every penny. Most stores will let you try before you buy. I would recommend you do this.

Somewhere to Sleep

When it comes to the question of where babies sleep the answers are varied. Some want a co-sleeping arrangment, others want the baby in their own room from the beginning. Really the choice is yours. From about the months 0-4 I prefer to have the baby sleep in a bassinet by my bed. It is hard for me to get a good sleep if someone is touching me, so the bassinet is nice because they are still close, but they aren't touching me. I also usually have it on my husband's side because the baby's breathing is weird and wakes me up. Once they out grow the bassinet then they move to the crib. The crib we got second-hand from my sister. If you get a crib second-hand make sure it matches the standards of the day and has not been part of any recalls. Bassinets are also available second-hand. Bassinets aren't essential, but they sure made my early baby days nice.


Don't Bother

Here is a list of things that I wouldn't bother with.

Infant Tubs
While in theory they might make sense, they are just more hassle then they are worth. I usually would bring them in the bath with me or in the shower. Other mom's I know would use the kitchen sink. Babies really don't get dirty and don't need to be washed everyday as it strips natural oils from the skin leaving their skin dry and in need of lotions. So really, just sponge washing them on an as needed basis is fine.

Soaps and Lotions
If you don't bath them too often using harsh soaps, your babies skin will be fine. Using water to bath is fine and then if their skin is a bit dry use some olive oil or some other natural oil.

Change Table
While it might be good for storage or to "complete the look" of your nursery, I found it was much easier to change diapers on a change mat on the floor or the bed. Change tables can be cumbersome and there is a greater chance of your baby rolling off. I would usually have some diapers, wipes and a portable change mat on each level of my house. I found that more handy and useful than having a change table.


To Consider

There's other baby paraphernalia to consider. They can be helpful, but if you don't have them it's not the end of the world.

nursing cover - I have never used them. My kids didn't want to be covered up when nursing. Other moms I know have used them with success. It is really about your comfort level, and your babies comfort.
wraps -  sort of a repeat from before, if you have a nice SSC then this might not be necessary. If you do buy a wrap test it out first. Either borrow a friends or usually the store will loan it to you for a week. Some wraps have too much stretch and makes for an awkward time.
swaddling cotton blankets - these seem to be everywhere. If your baby likes to be swaddled go for it. My kids did not like to be swaddled at all, so I never bothered.
swing - my oldest loved the swing my middle didn't and we didn't try with the third. I would see if I could get it used or borrow one.
baby monitor - If you have a small enough place you won't need one. We haven't used one. If your house is big or you hang out in a place that is not near your babies room then it might be useful.
comfy chair for nursing - you will be nursing a lot, might as well be comfortable.
exersaucer - these are great, especially if your baby likes to stand up a lot and you need to give your arms a break.


So these are my thoughts on different baby products. If you are in doubt about a product or item just remember to keep it simple. Most things on the market or not essential. Babies really don't need a lot. They just need to feel loved and secure. Remember that you won't have to buy everything. There will be showers, gifts from family and friends, hand-me-downs, workplace gifts and more.  Check out children's consignment stores before you buy new. Hopefully this little guide is helpful and gives you something to mull over.

Any links to companies websites are done just so you can see what the heck I am talking about. I am not getting compensated in anyway from them.

Region of Waterloo Eco-fest

Yesterday I had the priveledge of being a parent volunteer for Miss V's field trip to the Eco-fest. It was a the perfect day weatherwise and the exhibits were very cool.

What is eco-fest. It is an awesome hands on experience for kids and anyone to learn about water and the importance of keeping it clean. They learned about how watershed work, how water contamination can be caused and dispersed. They learned about water cycles, aquatic animals and the importance of keeping foreign species out of our ecosystems. And there was much much more. We weren't able to do all the stations because there was just so much to do! It was a great day and the kids had so much fun. To learn more about eco-fest you can click here. If you are around the region you can check it out tomorrow. Admission is free and it is well worth going.

I liked the day because no one sounded too preachy and it helped the kids start to think about how their daily actions could affect others. Sometimes it is hard, especially as kids but even as adults, to think about what ripple effects our actions have on those around us. Quite often it is out of site out of mind. It is so easy to just toss something or throw something down the drain and then not think about it anymore. Probably if we were all more cognoscente about what happened after we got rid of something we would be more careful of how we dispose of things, and try to use reusable things and limit the amount of waste created.


I am so grateful for the time I got to spend at eco-fest and for the time for inner-reflection I was able to have about my actions. There are little things I can do to help the planet be more sustainable. I am looking forward to the challenge.