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.