My new color is going to be pink - then you will know it is me - Kath. It is actually a miracle that my fingers are working and that I have any muscle movement considering last night was my first night of Bosu Pilates with Brandi. It was fun in a tortuous kind of way! Oh well, all in the name of a hot bod and a hot holiday:)

What else is new? The store is great - we are counting down the days until we meet Miss Gracie - tons of Fall clothes arrived this week and the furniture has been a huge hit! Thanks to all of our great customers!

What is on the Gompf agenda today! We have some photos this am with our dear friends at Gingersnaps - stay tuned I will post one soon, pre-school, a little work and then a hot date of packing and Grey's Anatomy while the kids hang with the the Macleans (we had Owen and Meg last night)

Tommorrow we are off to TO for a few days to visit my BIL and SIL and see there new place......Also, my grandma and 2 uncles....should be fun -plan to hit up the Science Museum - one of my favorite places and of course, Becky and I will shop Square 1 or Sherway Gardens out of stuff...while Ty and Kirb watch the kids and have anxiety:) Thankfully their business actually makes real $.

Over and out - let's start the day......GO team GO

PS. Evy (my dolly) now crawls, has a tooth, loves Spaghetti, and proudly says Dada everytime she sees him - seeing as she calls Dada from her crib in the morning - he is now getting up, who can resist that call:)

A big thanks to Kal -we love the updated blog - you RULE!

Winnipeg Rocks!!!

B

Okay, this blog is all about good energy! Firstly, I made up with my amazing husband - nothing like a good Riesling to ease into a family meeting. Thanks Kath firstly for always listening to me. Thanks secondly for your words of wisdom. I absolutely love good friends who pave the way - doing things first and sharing wisdom with their gal pals about what worked and what didn't!

Furthermore, I want to dedicate this song to all the girls I LOVE!!! A little Willie Nelson. Kal - you are amazing and you have gone so much out of your way to guide us - we love what you have done so far and THANK YOU so much. Kath and I can take many things from this journey we have been on so far with Anticipation. We have met so many wicked women who are changing this world. They are leaders and entrepreneurs who are molding this world in which we are rearing our babes. Our kids are going to grow up and think that women entrepreneurs have always existed. What role models for the wee gals of the future. So, bring it!

Gingersnaps. Soul, High Tea, Tiber River, KAL, KAL, KAL, there are so many that I can go on and on. I know that it is easy to shop Walmart and the Gap which we all know now has maternity. But I give kudos to the people out there who go out of there way to support local - this is changing our city, our economy and our future. Thank you to all of you out there who do support us independents. I know Small Indulgence has a sticker in her store that reads Be Vocal Support Local. Truly, it is less expensive to shop Old Navy but make a stand and buy local and be different. Stand out and Stand Up!!!

That's my two cents. If we are still here in 5 or 10 years I say thanks because it takes a special, different person to appreciate buying from people who support local economy. You can bet your ass that the mompreneurs of Winnipeg aren't buying their eggs, bread, tshirts etc. from CHINA!!!

I think I just worked up a sweat writing this blog - does that count as a workout????

B

Extreme blog makeover.

DESIGNER POST: Watch for a couple of changes around this blog over the next couple of weeks. It's Fall and that's a great time to get stuff looking top notch. I love this blog - and I want it to look and feel as great as the Anticipation Store does. Don't worry - just a few aesthetic touch ups - because I know you already love reading it. Don't forget to check out their website, too.

Kal Barteski (www.lovelife.typepad.com)

I felt a little bit sad reading Brandi's blog as we at our house struggle with these same sentiments. It is funny we both definitley have great husbands and great hands on dads to our kids. They watch the kids when we are away for buying trips, we go out with friends, we do have a life...the thing is there is no rest for the brain. But yet, Moms and women are multi taskers, many of us perfectionists....I heard the manic depressed mom on Oprah yesterday say she was striving to be the "perfect" mom - but perfect in the eyes of the world, not really her own eyes. Who is that mom? Why does it matter so much if the house is a bit messy, the kids are not eating totally organic, homemade food day in day out - we will survive? I have no answers for my dear friend. Isn't the perfect mom - the one who has happy kids - hands dpown our kids are happy. The first 6 months of 2 kids has hands down been the hardest time of my life....more of what was already little me time was taken, more planning and schedules whirl around in my head than ever before, far less time to talk to husband made me feel as though we were grwoing apart when really we didn't even have time to grow apart:), and I also want to be perfect.

Here is my advice....please yourself, the rest will come....when you catch yourself doing something you think needs to be done but doesn't really have to been done -stop yourself and naturally you will stop worrying about it so much - it takes 3 weeks to break the habit.

Love ya B

Kath

Fall is absolutely my favorite season! We have had a great weekend, playing soccer, bbqing, going for walks, having drinks on the deck - I love fall! We even figured out how to keep peace with Hud and his dad during football season. Hud can watch Diego on the laptop while dad shouts GO VIKINGS in front of the TV! I must say though as picture perfect as it sounds, my amazing husband and I have sure been getting at one another. And, of course it is the age old thing, he can't see my point of view nor I his. I hate when that happens. It's so funny because a lot of my friends, Kath included, have told me to read Babyproofing Your Marriage and I really should. I could sum it up though for him in a few lines instead of asking him to read the entire book...

Please love me and be as excited to be with me as you are the NFL. I promise not to nag and get cranky with you if you listen to me the first time. And, lastly, recognize that I do 90% of the keeping of this house, so if I am snippety at times, please remind me to be a nicer person as I am doing all of your laundry, the kids' laundry, groceries, errands, taking care of the babe - Yes, you are AMAZING with our toddler, I arrange all of the babysitting, do more laundry and I am still kind of working. Oh right I said a few lines!

So, I finished my book, the new Kite Runner, again I can't remember the title. It was amazing, yet heart wrenching. It got deep in my soul and I can't get it out. I am thinking about the characters as I wash the dishes - oh yeah add that to my Coles Notes! This is the first book though that I have read since having kids and man I could barely get through the tough parts relating to kids.

Speaking of which, the babes are awesome. Hud last night stayed up later than I - he is a night hawk. He was busy packing his Nemo suitcase to take on his adventure with Diego. In the process he managed to take every book off his shelf, unfold all of his clothes, pull the sheets off the bed and take off his diaper only to fall asleep in - yep big boys undies!!! He has quite a curious little monkey!

Well I should run, we're having dinner at the outlaws - just teasing! Prime rib, yum, yum yum delicioso!!!!

Well as Kath's on the elliptical, I am on the treadmill - this morning for the first time with my kids home! Now that's success. Gage was sleeping and Hudson played while I power walked. I am on a mission to get my body back or a form there of!

Today was a total gong show here. Hudson woke up from his nap soaking wet which is odd because we're not really potty training. He proceeded to tell me that he took off his diaper before he fell asleep because he is a big boy who doesn't wear diapers. But naturally peed the bed while he was asleep. Anyway, after a few hours and a search rescue which recovered Gage's soother under a bush in the front yard - the Pirate Piggies had stolen it and were never giving me back my treasure - even though I demanded to know where it was in the sweetest voice I could muster! AS i was lying on my belly in the front yard, Hud pulled down his pants and pooped on the lawn. Hooray Geese - who were flying by - I pooped. Yep, I pooped! Man this potty training is more like one heck of a train wreck. Imagine if you were our neighbours!

Bath and bed for these monkeys. I am excited to jump into bed. I am reading the new book by the author of the Kite Runner. Sorry I am having a brain fart and can't remember the title - it's awesome.

Sleep tight.

Bloggity, blog....the stroller mom's are making fun of me this morning! Shani told me I was glowing which seems funny to me because I dragged my butt out of bed this morning and have to fuel myself with coffee. Then because I picked up muffins and timbits for the stroller walkers I felt compelled to pop a few in my own mouth. The funny thing is that with timbit's they are just os damn easy to eat...now, I am going to have to bust my butt on the elliptical again tonight is why I am so tired this mroning because I was busting my butt yesterday to make up for the oreo's I inhaled. It is a viscious cycle.......but back to glowing part. I am a sucker....Shania was on Entertainment last night as I was falling asleep - she said the main thing that she does that keeps her looking so great is exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate......so I scrubbed my face ridiculous with a facecloth this am.....I am not sure if glowing or raw would describe me.

Anyhow, stroller moms are back - gotta go!

What beautiful weather! What a great weekend! I love a sunny fall day - warm wiht a breeze. We have spent the weekend enjoying the outdoors with friends and family. Evy and I walked to pick Harris up from pre-school on Friday and saw so many geese. We spent Friday night with our great friends - Julie and Mark, Matt and Kelly, and my BIL Ty and SIL Becky who are in from TO. The realtionship between us is way too uncanny but it makes for great, great times.

Julie, Kelly, and I have gone thru kindergarten to high school together.
Kirby and I have been dating (and now married since high school) so of course, Julie and Kelly know him way too well.
Kirby and Ty are best friends
Mark and Matt are childhood friends
Kelly and Matt are both lawyers and now dating.....
Kirb and Ty are brother's, business partners, and best friends
Julie and becky did their Ph.D's together

and now we are all one big happy family...................

Ok, we were spoiled we spent Saturday night with some of my other fave people (Snaps and Parnells) at one of my favorite restaurants - Massawa ...of course, being in the village we all got some Baked Expectations to go.....

During the day we got lots of fresh air with the kids....spent Saturday at the corn maze...and today we took Owen with us to ride our bikes to Fort Whyte for the annual fish fry - homemade pickerel.....it was packed and gorgeous....where are all the kids now? Well, nothing like a breeze in the chariot to put the whole gang to bed:)

I am off to relax too......Happy Sunday to everyone....Here's hoping for another few great days...

Ps. Mega breakthru is Ev's world - she is now doing the downward dog around the house...she walks on her hands and toes with her butt straight up in the air - so cute (especially in the jean mini she is wearing today!!!)

Hi Everyone! Happy Saturday. I have had a busy week and haven't had one minute to blog. I had two sick babes all week which any mom knows is exhausting not to mention filled with sneezes, wheezes and boogies! I too was quite run down as the boys alternated by hour who woke mama up! Thanks to Dimetapp, hours of TV and an extra dose of patience, we made it! We did it! Hooray - yes I am now doing the Dora dance!

Last night we had sushi with our good friends, Wendy & Craig from Calgary. It is always so nice to get together with couples that you both have lots in common with. That's how Wendy and Craig are. They have one babe Jack and are pregnant with #2 - another boys so yes we have tons in common. They came to our place so we could have the boys in bed early. Wendy - who is so thoughtful - bought me a pedicure from the new spa on Taylor - Aevi. I am excited to go, I have heard great things about it but haven't been. What a treat!

This morning we were up early, at Tim's by 8:30 and off to the Park West Y Neighbours toy sale. It was productive. We left with a drum, a bowling set, a dump truck and a Fire Truck. Brent woke up with his head pounding - too much good wine and I ended up with my head pounding from all of the new toys I couldn't resist buying! Man, between the drum and the fire truck I begged Hud to get back to his Dora addiction!

Tonight we're off to dinner with the 'Snaps and the Gompfs. We're going for Ethiopian - Kath's ordering as we've never been but are very pumped.

Have a great weekend.

PS - Thank goodness for grandmas who babysit!!!!

The perfect person! Fun, fashionable, energetic, hard working and flexible. Did we just describe you or someone you know? If so, tell them that the best place to work EVER:) is hiring. Yes, we are adding to our staff and need more people on the floor.....We are interested in part time and/or full time hours.....Apply to info@shopanticipation.com

Okay. I am trying to get some work done, but Kath has distracted me, so I might as well sit down and write my blog. I don't know about you guys but I feel very unmotivated with this weather.

Anyway, we survived the weekend and Brent is home. Hoorah! It was overall very good. I would say that by Sunday we were going a tad stir crazy. Hudson had 2 incidents of bad behaviour which we dealt with but made me upset. He was mean to my sister Crys. Now, I think that probably sounds nuts! But the Johnson girls, minus Jen are a sensitive bunch. Keep in mind that Crys is very pregnant. He told her he didn't want to talk to her after she had worked all day at the store and this of course sent her into a bawling mess. She left without speaking and he carried on the way toddlers do. He seems to know how to push her buttons - I know he's 2 - and this all sounds crazy. But, I want my boy to be a nice man and I don't want my sis to have a sad heart! Anyway, we went to Blockbuster and got her a movie and treats and took it over with an apology and a smooch. All is well except I am on a mission to make him nicer to her - especially as her due date approaches.

So yesterday - just as we were all about to jump ship - single parenting is tough stuff, kudos to all of you who do it all year long - I took Hud to the Bomber game. He had a great time. He was on TV, the Jumbotron and they threw a little football at us. I did my babe proud, jumped out of my seat, stretched to the right and made a fabulous one handed catch. Just kidding it was right a me! He went crazy - I have a football - horray horray! He was great. Our seats are on the West side which means that most people are sober and aren't wearing fruit on their so a toddler stands out a bit. He really was well behaved and we had a great time but I did go to bed with Alexander Keith.

I too am battling the bulge but I am aware the a Nip for dinner and Alexander in my bed doesn't help.

B

"Before I had kids, I was a perfect parent" - Funny but true!

Happy Monday to you all! Sad Monday for me - my sister and my neice have gone home to Cowtown! I was just getting used to them being here and somehow tricked myself into thinking they were never going to leave but seeing as my brother-in-law left last week I should have known better.

Now, I am depressed and flabby. I am doing the elliptical but it doesn't seem to be doing much. (It have to do with the fact that I ate a huge Hazlenut Lindt chocolate bar yesterday but it was calling my name)

The kids are great - Evy's first tooth is finally coming through - where have you been tooth? Harris is counting sleeps until Wednesday when he heads back to school......

Other than that I am going to get some R&R this week....

K

Both kids in bed and ASLEEP at 7:30!!!! This is what pre-school does to a little boy! Harris would argue if he read this that he is not a little boy but rather a big boy. I feel they both are true. We made it through today! He was a star - I secretly was a bit sad that we pumped up the first day of school around here so much that he was counting down the minutes to drive to school. When we got there he had a quick photo with Reece, put his stuff into his locker and went off to see his teacher Miss Candise that he had met last week. All confidence, not even a good-bye. The teacher saw my bottom liver quivering both with sadness and pride and sent him back to give his mom a hug. She handed me a note of which I only made it through one line...a poem for the parents leaving their babies at school. I was a disaster! I called kirby at work barely even able to talk and he panicked, what was wrong? I managed to stammer out " He just walked in and left me.....waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa........" "That is great, that is what we want, we have a confident little boy who is eager to learn and meet new people, we have done good!"..................waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I left for a little retail therapy in between with my sister and was one of the first parents to pick him up - he was one of the last kids to leave - HE LOVES PRE-SCHOOL!

Anyhow, here is the funny part....we met Miss Candise , his teacher last week at meet the teacher and my husband thinking he is a comic started calling her "Candi" and "Candi-Cane".....................I told him this would be disasterous on his part but he kept it up. Well, Harris gets in the car and I am asking him about the day? If he likes Candise and he promptly tells me..." I like Miss Candise but I told her Daddy calls her Candi, Candi" I said "Harris, you did not!" "Yup, Mom I did!" Funny thing - something has come up next week - "an appointment" and Daddy is going to have to pick up H" Who is the joke on now?

Off for a family bike ride to Fort Whyte before heading out to the store. Happy Weekend!

Way too funny - all though naked Gompfs running around - what an image! In case anyone was wondering if I went into hiding, nope I just had writers block from my traumatic incident with Gage. Yes, we were at the store today. It was so nice and I think I still got it. I give Crys and Kath credit though - every time I come to the store it looks better and better!

So my hubby is off to Minneapolis for a boys weekend leaving in the morning. It'll be just me and my boys. Which by the way I plan on having at my side for the rest of my life. This has come up a few times with people in various settings as of late... My boys one day having a life of their own - I don't think so!

Sherry - Hudson's day home - told me today that yes, one day my Gage will have to start day care and learn to become independent of me - his mom! Well let it be known, I want to be at all of their school events, I want to root for them as they play local sports - none of this teams away from home business - I want to lunch with my boys when they have offices in the tallest building in Winnipeg. Heck if I sewed, I would want to hem their pants and pack their lunches too but I can relinquish some of my motherly duties. I mean really I want them to be well rounded and successful and fall in love but of course still love their mama more than kids love candy. Is that so wrong?????

My dear friend Wendy is coming in to Winnipeg, from Calgary and so I will get to have dinner with her this weekend. She has one boy and is pregnant with another, so we can stuff our faces and talk about how we want to be first in our boys hearts forever!

On a side note, I am getting Gage on a real routine, he's been sleeping three naps a day at quite regular intervals and hooray!!! he slept from 8:00 until 5:30 three nights in a row. Every day the balls become easier to juggle. You know it's funny that we all feel this way. We recently got an email from one of our amazing moms at the store and she recently chose to stay home with her babes. It is so hard! I think I finally get Shakespeare - To be or not to be? I ask myself that everyday!!! Until I figure out this crazy life, I will daydream about my babes staying little forever!

B

Our first incident (well, major incident) as a family of 4 (ok, if you do not count Miss Evy rolling down the stairs last week)!
Picture this (but go a bit blurry on the pciture so not to be tramatized)

I am getting out of the shower in our room. Evy is playing on the floor beside the bed. Harris is in the bed watching Calliou and building a fort as per usual with the duvet. Kirby is naked getting dressed - he just came up from the shower downstairs. So 2 naked adults scrambling to get ready for a work day.....

Evy FREAKS out! She has been hit in the head from outerspace with a flying remote. Harris is stripping the bed of everything to boing!!! I yell at him and am saoking wet naked consoling Ev. Kirby hauls Harris off naked to get a time out. Both kids are crying and both parents are naked................what a way to start the morning.
Anyhow, both kids are fine! You readers are now tramatized - ah such is life. Ps. Am reading a great book - Between Interruptions - The compilation of short stories of Canadian Moms (many somewhat famous) on adjusting to parenthood. it was featured in the Free Press and is very good.

Had great visit with Brandi and Gage today! So nice....

I am back to blogging. The week was slightly hectic to say the least, and although I thrive on being busy - this was a bit over the top and the house of cards (or my baby) may have fell....but more on that later.

We made it through the birthday party! It was awesome! Harris enjoyed every minute of it and has only just stopped talking about Goldie as though he was one of his best friends. To those of oyu in our section that saw the 20 of us leave mid way through a great game. We had no intention of staying just the fun of it! I would recommend a party there to anyone. Lots of stuff for the kids and a beautiful summer day! Harris was spoiled and has been outside mastering his rollerblades from the Macleans - his athletic ability is just awesome.

The rest of the week folowd with a form of organized Chaos at the Gompf house...I had my brithday and a week full of dinner dates, with friends, we made our Breakfast TV show (even Gage made a small appearance - Thnak you Gage), I ellipticalled (I did do it every day but it has oly been offsetting my eating frenzy from so many festitivies) and I worked extra because Crys was very sick.....

Oh yes, we met H's pre-school teacher on Thursday night and it was great! He loved it and slid into the open house with a quiet reserved manner but was not too shy! I am going to love going to pre-school.

The piling up began to get a bit overwhelming Friday with the arrival of our new furniture line - Yes, it has arrived and it is unreal. Solid furniture you can have from baby to wedding - it looks awesome. We worked all day and all night to get it in for Saturday! We did but we were exhausted.

Anyhow, I may have been multi tasking way too much Saturday morning when Evy rolled down th efirst 4 stairs to our basement half landing. I heard her cry but thought I would quickly finish up the dishes - what am I thinking????? I heard it the distinct cry and when I couldn't immediately looked for and took a miute to find her down at the landing. She is unscathed except for what looks to be a rug burn eye instead of a black eye....Me, I had the melt down - it took me 5 minutes to consle her and Kirby an hour to console me. I broke. I am taking the weekend off - R&R - I am not going to mulit task around the easy going baby just because she is so easy! We are going to play all weekend and make up for it!

That is why I jusped out of bed at 6:30 am to play with her - no complaints.....Don't worry as I write this the gate is closed and her big brother is teaching her to crawl ( all I need:))

Happy September long!

K -B: I am now in full running lead for the world's worst mom.