Vintage

When I first started offering photography sessions, I started to collect vintage stuff as cool props for photo shoots.  While doing this, I learnt that I really do like cool vintage stuff, and so now I've got a bit of a collection going.....

My "vintage" bread bin... which says Bread and Cake and actually says 

"made in china" 

on the bottom, but it looks vintage, and it holds lots of stuff...

 My vintage side table, that really needs to be painted another colour, with my cool suitcase that is a tribute to my husbands heritage on top.

(i didn't realize until seeing this that everything here looks like such a mess- I thought it was eclectic cool- I thought wrong)

My awesome retro high chair that I need to decide what to do with, and make the necessary repairs.  But don't you just love it?  

Ohhh my latest etsy purchase, a cool old camera that I WILL use in a photo shoot when I can.

The cool scale and retro box that I have actually used in photo shoots and also use in my kitchen as displays.

(we are going away, that's why we have no fruit and that lone banana looks all sad and brown)

My really super cool super old scale which I LOVE.  Found it in Lilloette and think it's just so neat.  Have not yet used it, but my fake fruit sits nicely there.

My lovely 50s style chair that is beautiful but catches so much cat hair.

My funky chair that is old, but not sure how old- I have used it in photo shoots.

And finally, and embarrassingly... this railcar trunk that I bought was in poor shape, I've attempted to strip it, and it's just not working out.  So it's sitting in the bedroom and collecting junk.  I had aspirations of restoring it, but the paint job someone else did on it has made that impossible.  It's great storage- and I want to get it looking better !

(proceed with the gasps that it's so messy)

So there is a tour of some of my vintage stuff, and probably a bit of a preview of some projects that might be popping up on here soon....

Happy Day!!!!

Dylan is SOO proud of himself !!!!  

For the first time

E.V.E.R

He peed in the potty !

We did the happy dance

We yelled, we screamed

We phoned Daddy

We phoned Grandma (as his potty book suggested)

He couldn't be prouder of himself.

Yes yes, ewww gross,what a weirdo... I know I know.

But he's my only baby.

And I'm proud.

And at least it's not his first poop like Kate Gosselin took photos of for her sextuplets.

Ahhhh the sound of victory.

A flush.

haha

Look how proud he is !!!!

Now let's see if we can keep this going !!

Hey everyone... I know i'm kinda a pain in the neck when I don't do a real post here and instead ask you to go check out my photography blog....

BUT 

I just did a maternity session that I'm pretty excited about... 

Soooo pretty please check it out, and leave me a comment because I tried a lot of new things in that session !

http://cherryblissphotography.blogspot.com/2011/08/tracy-cook-maternity-photography_24.html

Tracy

Ah- freedom to run, play, throw rocks in the river, and sit in long grass.

Isn't childhood in the summer fabulous?

Jack Layton passed away this morning.  Very sad- seems to have happened so quickly.  If you haven't read his open letter to Canadians, written days before his death, google it.  It's lovely.  The last line reads...

"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world"

All my very best,

Jack Layton

childhood

Maybe i'm hanging around pintrest too much lately, because i have a renewed interest in saying and poems and words of inspiration.  I stumbled upon this poem, which made me think of all the times I've shortchanged Dylan my time or attention, and how I should think twice about little boy requests.  Even when the little boy requests are annoying, repetitive or inconvenient.  This poem makes me think of how those type of dismissals affect a small person, and how they "live" inside their self esteem for a lifetime, and how I'll miss (and already do) those times, those requests, and the little voice as he grows up and changes.

{and since we've been doing respite foster care, makes me sad for kids that never get attention}

                              Childhood Doesn't Wait

                                                                                                                                   (Author Unknown)

                                                                               
I was sitting on a bench
while in a nearby mall,
When I noticed a mother
with two children who were small.

The youngest one was whining,
“Pick me up,” I heard him beg
but the mother’s face grew angry
as the child clung to her leg.

“Don’t hang on to me,” she shouted
as she pushed his hands away,
I wish I’d had the courage
to go up to her and say…

“The time will come too quickly
when those little arms that tug,
Won’t ask for you to hold them
or won’t freely give a hug.

“The day will sneak up subtly
just as it did with me,
When you can’t recall the last time
that your child sat on your knee.

“Like those sacred, pre-dawn feedings
when we cherished time alone
Our babies grow and leave behind
those special times we’ve known.

“So when your child comes to you
with a book that you can share,
Or asks that you would tuck him in
and help him say his prayer…

“When he comes to sit and chat
or would like to take a walk,
Before you answer that you can’t
`cause there’s no time to talk”
Remember what all parents learn
so many times too late,
That years go by too quickly
and that childhood doesn’t wait.

“Take every opportunity,
if one should slip away
Reach hard to get it back again,
don’t wait another day.”
I watched that mother walk away
her children followed near,
I hope she’ll pick them up
before her chances disappear.

                                                                                                 

you are loved... even when you are naughty

We are pretty lucky with Dylan, for the most part he's a pretty good kid.

Few tantrums here and there.

Seems to be learning to "touch nice"

Listens a decent percentage of time.

Reads his manners books

But occassionally there is need for the time out chair.

In my last post I showed you the blah-before

AND... 9 months later... ta-da !

I've had my eye on the "you are loved" saying for a while.

and frankly, I love it.

I thought it was fitting here.

Because it's a positive message for him to see as he goes fighting and screaming mad to his time out chair.

And because I have humour... here's what the chair seat says....

and because I have even more humour.... I distressed the chair.... how ironic hey?

Have a good weekend !

ps for my American friends- I didn't make a spelling mistake... us Canadians spell it behavioUr
same with humoUr.
:)

You've maybe heard me mention before that I seem to always have a million projects on the go.

One that's been hanging around for about 

9 months is an unfinished

"Naughty Chair"

Raw wood- super cute- child sized.

Indeed used when said child is "naughty"

Well, I can tick it off my list as completed.  

I'll be back tomorrow to show you the finished project.

Tracy

xoxox

wordless wednesday

Whenever we go to my mom's Dylan, and the other grandchildren for that matter want to play with the weebles treehouse.

It's as old as I am 

(watch the rude comments people !)

but they love it.

For Christmas my mom bought little D one.

But it was a bit of a bust.

It was too electronic.

Didn't really let them play.

So it's kinda just sat there.

BUT

the other day I picked up a slightly older version of the one he got for Christmas and he 

LOVES it.

I know my mom was looking for one that was less electronic then the current model that was for sale- and this new to us one fits the bill !

I couldn't pass it up even though we already had one.

I had to get it for nostalgia reasons, and because it's the kind my mom had intended on him having.

So he has it.

And when we combine it with the electronic one, the electronic one is more fun now !

So it's win-win.

Slight adaptations and more free play option ones make this one better !!!  

ps. I paid $4.99 for this one.

Dylan has been repeating a phrase  that he learnt from a neighbourhood friend his own age.  It keeps popping up in different situations.

"I win"

and I, 

his Mother,

HATE IT !!!!

It drives me bonkers !

I just think it's rude and unsportsmanlike.

Dylan uses the phrase correctly.

But I hate it.

Like HATE IT !

Ever notice that as a parent, when you hate something

and the toddler knows it...

they don't stop?

Ahhhhh.

Things I'd never do in Calgary but would in Kamloops

Dylan and I have had many busy weeks lately.

Good busy, but busy.

I've been working two afternoons a week- sometimes three.

Meeting up with friends, a walking group, a few relief/respite foster kids have been in our care, photography work, so for the first time in a long while, it seems like
I'm pulled in many directions.

But it's good.

Tonight I was telling Mat what Dyl and I are up to this week when it occurred to me how life is different in Kamloops then if we were in Calgary.

How so?

Well, I just joined a local green and garden group on facebook.

Someone offered free green beans.

Anyone who knows me knows I like to can, and i like beans, so I messaged her.

Example #1 of things I'd never do in Calgary but would in Kamloops

I went to her house

let myself into her backyard

and picked her beans.

And what are we doing on Monday?

Example # 2  of things I'd never do in Calgary but would in Kamloops

I'm going to some random acreage of someone I don't know... with another person, that I don't know to pick free apricots.

More examples?

Example # 3  of things I'd never do in Calgary but would in Kamloops

Last year on the advice of someone ELSE that I don't know, I went to an address and picked apricots from a tree.  I then made friends with a lady that lived next door to that house, and went to her backyard for more apricots.

I then gave her my # so she could call me to come get apples when they are ready.

Example # 4  of things I'd never do in Calgary but would in Kamloops

Almost a year ago now, Dylan and I were kind of short on play friends, and all of a sudden someone posted on facebook that they lived in our area, and were getting a bunch of moms and kids together.

I said it sounded cool.

Then I got an email.

Did I want to come to someone strangers house, with my young child?

HELL YA- of course I do.

So off we went.

haha.

Sounds stupid, but turned out that I met some really great people, and we still hang out.

So, living in a smaller city allows me to do things I wouldn't normally do.

And actually, in big cities like Calgary- you wouldn't get these offers either.

Am I saying I like living in a small city of 100,000 people where everyone seems to know everyone?

No, I don't love it.

But I don't hate it like I used to.

Gotta love friends.

and good free fruit.

It's been a busy week, so the posts have not been as consistent as I could have hoped for.

The weather has been nice here, except for Wednesday when we had a crazy wild storm in the evening !

So I'll title this post

One Summer Evening in our Backyard

Daddy reads, Dylan reads....

Naked Bike Riding (which was preceded by Naked sprinkler running)

Wild Flowers in our backyard.

HAPPY FRIDAY !!!

tracy

appreciating my little man

As an at home mom- I see almost everything that my child sees.  I know everything he's doing, saying, and is exposed to.  Because I'm with him so often, sometimes although I see him, I fail to notice.  I was reading a blog by my favorite blogger who has a son a bit younger then mine, and started thinking about my boy.  I change so many diapers a day, offer so many suggestions, tell him no so many times, wish that he was out of a stage, wish he did something, or didn't do something.  But as he moves on and move into a new stage, there are lots of little things I want to remember, and know i'll miss.

I'll miss the chubby toddler double chin.

 and the very few quiet moments I get from this rambunctious little man.....

 The diaper bum, and long lean little boy legs....

 The sweet round little tummy that peeks out....

 The busyness that is really curiosity and zest for life but sometimes mistaken for negative terms such as out of control and wild....

The upside downs and various antics that he thinks are so funny.....

 The toothbrushing battles that even the cat rolls his eyes at.....

It's important to document and remember this stuff in a positive light even when it seems to be a negative.  I'm certain that I'll miss these things when he's older.

Have you been to my photography blog yet?  If you haven't, click here to check out a lovely portrait of my husband.  

And then head back here to see what else I've got up....

Fly by the seat of my pants Friday

So I totally had NOTHING planned for Friday's blog.

But I'm up late Thursday night after reality TV bliss.

Big Brother

& 

new season of

Jersey Shore.

LOVES IT !!!!!

stupid Shaw cable 

(oh ya, I'm publicly naming you) 

has been acting up

well to be honest, 

CRAPPING OUT

at the worst times.

So I missed a valuable part of BB.

So as soon as Jersey Shore ended, and Mat's snoring began 

I came down to check who is the new HOH on BB.

(still with me??)

AND

discovered, no Friday blog post.

CRAP.

Think Fast.

Make Something up.

And thus 

Fly by the seat of my pants Friday is created.

Dylan and Rowan playing on the Wii- dancing to Micheal Jackson.

Rowan did well.

Dyl had no idea what to do.

So he copied Rowan.

And held the controller that doesn't work.

Happy Friday.

Spontaneous is my middle name lately.

One night last week I decided last minute to plan an evening of a picnic, waterpark, playground, and music in the park.  When Mat called to say he was leaving work, I told him to meet us downtown- and didn`t say why.

It was a fun night.

With it being the long weekend, we decided to be spontaneous again and Sunday we picked up some pizza, and drove out to Paul Lake for a picnic and beach fun.

Unfortunately Dylan hasn`t been sleeping well and was really tired.

We have gone through a few renters in our suite, and recently got a new couple who have a dog.

Dylan has begun to refer to Oakley as his dog.

We have been down to the back yard 

A LOT

to play with him.

I'm thinking of ways to steal him and adopt him.

He's a sweet sweet soul who is so loving.

We really like him....

and he really likes us....

but as for Diego...

I'm not so sure....

this was their first "meeting" through the door.