THE GOODS BLOG: Erika's Precious Little Life ~ July Edition
Hello friends!!! I'm a few days late because I've been busy enjoying summertime funtime! Summer is here and we have been experiencing a packed month! It feels like a whole new, normal, optimistic world is happening around me again. I almost can't believe it. Part of me still has trouble letting go of the trauma of the past year and a half but more of me is incredibly ready to move on. Again, I’m not a fangirl for our Premier but I do agree with him on this: "At this stage it's not responsible to constantly be spreading fear. We need to accept the good news about the protective affect of vaccines. We need to embrace and accept the science." <- I'm there. This is how I feel. The pandemic really does feel like it's "over." (I know that it's not over but my perspective of it feels like a huge weight has been lifted. This is the most normal that I have felt in a long time.) As things currently stand, in Edmonton there is 0.008% of the population with known active cases. It's practically nothing. The active cases in Edmonton have gone down to 134 which is practically nothing. I was able to get my second dose of Pfizer on June 24th, only six weeks after my first dose. It feels WONDERFUL to be fully vaccinated!!! Again, it's as if pounds of weight have been lifted. I am so grateful for the ability to move on with my life with renewed confidence.
Archie made it to the end of his preschool year and the elementary school that his preschool is in had still not recorded any cases at all. It was a completely safe, Covid-free school year with a perfect record! Alberta is completely open again, which is very bizarre. It's challenging to re-program myself after everything that we have been through. Most of the month was spent in Stage 2 which meant that movie theatres, yoga studios, and restaurants indoors (dining with people not from your own house) could open again. So basically everything was open. It honestly felt really good. I'm ready. June had FRIENDS and HUGS again! It has been so wonderful to have a social life again and to see people that I care about. Girls Nights are back! The Core Four even had a group hug again and I cried. (We haven't done this since February 2020.) Carrie even came over from Regina and spent one night at my house - making her our first official house guest after having lived here for ten months!!
Returning to you guys, my people, has meant the world to me. I'm generally pretty content as a fairly solitary person but the pandemic has really highlighted how much I need you guys. It's kinda like the idea that you don't realize how much you want something until you can't have it. I want to hug all of you as soon as possible!!! And speaking of house guests... CHEZ GOLEM is now accepting visitors! If you feel like coming to Edmonton, you all have a place to stay at my house, any time. The door is open! The guest room is ready and waiting for you!!!
There was a craze of everyone turning themselves into animated characters this month and I had to participate, of course.
June is Pride month and even though there wasn't a parade this year we made a celebration out of it anyway. I really want to make a big point of teaching Archie that everyone is allowed to be exactly who they are (including himself). I never want him to think that anyone is "weird" for being different or living their own truth. We will celebrate this always! The best thing that I can contribute as an ally is to raise a beautifully accepting and loving and kind human.
We had a really nice Father's Day with WAY too much food involved and I think that Tim really enjoyed it and had a great day. I had a good time arranging some surprises for him!
Archie and I did a little photoshoot in the woods for International Yoga Day. Because when you and your kid have matching boho pants you kinda have to.
I had my first-ever mammogram done, which was exciting! I've always been curious about what it's like. Mainly you just smush your boobs into a machine, ha ha. My maternal grandmother and aunt both had breast cancer so it's definitely something on my radar, although because my mom has not had it my doctors have never seemed too concerned. I also still have not gotten my period. I am now on day 70 of my cycle. So no idea what's going on with THAT... I mentioned it to my doctor and he just said that this "happens" when you go off of birth control. Another exciting thing that happened is I wrote a review for a high-end Indian restaurant called Guru and the manager of the restaurant called me and thanked me for my review. He then invited me to return for another dinner on him! I can't wait to take advantage of this opportunity! I have also been attending a lot of Yelp Elite events. I am really loving where my whole food blog life is at right now!
Archie had his last day of preschool and I'm a bit sad that the school year is over! He got SO MUCH out of this experience and his teacher was wonderful. I'm really looking forward to him going back again in the fall.
And then we left on our summer vacation!! (Although there was some drama first. The day before we were leaving Archie got sick with a runny nose/cough and we were like F*CK HE HAS COVID. We quickly took him for a Covid test. THANK GOODNESS IT WAS NEGATIVE. It's sometimes hard to remember that people can still get "regular sick." I was definitely freaking out that it would come back positive and our vacation would be ruined and we would be stuck at home isolating for basically half of the summer. We've all had two Covid tests each now.) First we drove down to Lake Louise and camped at the campground there. We stayed for two nights and it was great to be outdoors. We have taken Archie camping (in a tent) each summer of his life so far and this was BY FAR the easiest time. We're no longer concerned about him falling into the fire or running off into the woods with the bears. He also fell asleep at night super easily. The only slight issue was that this was when the insane heat wave happened and we were dealing with +40° each day and it was intense. It cooled down at night though, so sleeping was still pretty comfortable. The mountains were magical, as always. We spent time enjoying the whole Canmore/Banff/Lake Louise area. It was SO HOT that we were even able to go swimming in Lake Louise! And I even got to see Lacey, which was wonderful!!
Then we drove up the Icefields Parkway and stopped at the Columbia Icefield Skywalk which is a cool glass floor that hangs over the mountains. We arrived in Jasper to spend three nights in a cabin and my parents met us there from Regina! We enjoyed more mountain activities while there!
We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary in Jasper, which will always be the plan. We visited Maligne Lookout at exactly 12 noon (the time of our wedding ceremony) and went out for a delicious anniversary dinner at Maligne Canyon Wilderness Kitchen. (Highly recommend! The food was great!!) We also brought a big rock home from the location of our wedding ceremony to put in our garden. <3
It was a wonderful vacation and the mountains are always the best. We will return soon, always. Life with Archie: Archie's class hatched a baby chick and we got to babysit for one night!
Archie is getting to spend more time with friends these days and is excited for summertime fun. His best friend from preschool is named Jona and I've gotten to know Jona's mom Mary. We do playdates with the boys so it'll be nice that they'll still get to see each other over the summer. They're both returning to Green Circle Preschool in the fall as well. This picture is Archie with his other friend Brendan.
Archie had his last day of school, loved being in the mountains, and is generally really happy and clever and funny.
We spent the start of July (and Canada Day) in Jasper with my parents and then we all returned to Edmonton together. My parents are planning to stay in Edmonton for over a week. I'm looking forward to having them around and eating in lots of delicious places with them! But I am MOST excited about July 10th, my half birthday, which is when Tim and I are finally celebrating my birthday properly!! I loves me a summer birthday!! (I actually used to throw myself "summer birthdays" when I was in my 20s and they were always a blast. So this whole event tracks.) All I know is that it is going to be an overnight event and I am SO EXCITED that we have free childcare because my parents are here!!! The following weekend is Archie's half birthday, and guess what? That's when we're throwing his birthday party too! We couldn't do it in January because of the pandemic so he is finally getting his party as well! We're going to have the kids tie-dye shirts (the hottest pandemic fashion trend), we'll have a campfire with a s'mores bar, and we bought a TRAMPOLINE(!!!) so the kids can enjoy that! Rachelle bought a house and I'm excited to go see it and have a housewarming party of sorts with her! Plus Taste of Edmonton is happening and I'm very excited because it's one of my top three favourite Edmonton festivals. Near the end of the month we are heading to Regina! We are stopping for one night on the way in Richard (which is a tiny town near North Battleford) and are going to be staying in Regina for a week. The main point of the trip is to celebrate my parents' 70th birthdays because they are both turning 70 this year. We have a bunch of nice plans for them! Unfortunately, we will not be going to Muskoka in July this year like we usually do. The pandemic made things too unpredictable to book air travel, etc. I'm really looking forward to getting to do it again next summer. I'm SO EXCITED to have a wonderful summer ahead doing all of the normal things that I would do in real life! I hope that all of you enjoy this summer as well and truly embrace and appreciate this time in a more normal world once again. We've certainly been through a thing. I love you all!!!! <3 THIS MONTH’S SHOUT-OUTS!:
July 5th is Candice Weingartner’s 39th birthday!
Wishing you a wonderfully special day! I love so much that we have been more in touch lately and appreciate being more involved in each others lives. The pandemic really did bring people closer in a way. I hope that Ryan totally spoils you and as always, I will picture you cocktail in hand, on a floatie. Love you! <3 July 8th is Crystal Hawker’s 39th birthday!
I could not have been prouder of you this year. Life gave you a lot and I know that it wasn't easy. You were faced with challenges and you have become such a beautiful version of yourself through it all. You absolutely deserve to be celebrated and I love you very much! <3 July 15th is Robin Checkowy’s 39th birthday!
I wish you the most fabulous day and hope that Noel completely showers you with surprises! You're a wonderfully caring person who gives the best hugs. Please hug me when I'm in Regina!! I have loved being more in contact this year and I can't wait to see you again soon! Love you! <3 July 26th is Nadine Ottenbreit's 7th wedding anniversary!
I hope that you and Kyle can ditch the kids and do something special!
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