THE GOODS BLOG: Erika's Precious Little Life ~ September Edition

And that was a summer! I know that it's technically still summer but with Archie back at school it definitely feels like the party is over and that it's time to get back into our routines (which is also nice). I really am relieved that Mom Summer Camp is now over and I can get back to my own quiet and productive daytimes (I've had zero time to write food blogs). However, we had a really great summer! Even though we generally stayed closer to home and I really did feel like I was running a one-woman summer camp, I'm so grateful for the amount of one-on-one time that I had with Archie this summer. It was really special. August started out pretty chill. We enjoyed a super fun double date night with Mary & Jonny at Rge Rd - one of the best restaurants in Edmonton. We all loved it.

I had a really nice meet-up with Susan and we took our kids to Jurassic Forest, which they loved.

There was also a great playground/splashpad hang with Amy and Nicole. The kids had a blast and us ladies got to luxuriate in the sun and gabchat.

We've been doing a lot of bike riding this summer! It's been super fun and we're usually biking to get ice cream, so that's the best. Archie is now a fully capable, fully confident bike rider, which makes things so easy and fun!

Archie and I took off on our somewhat spontaneous Jasper trip! We only spent one night but we camped in a tent at Whistlers Campground and it was nice to be reminded that I'm fully capable of doing something like this on my own. I have truly enjoyed all of the adventures that Archie and I have experienced together this summer so much! He's someone who I actually enjoy spending time with and it's so nice.

The main purpose of this trip was to go on the Fire Ecology Hike and I'm so glad that we made the effort to make this happen. The two-hour guided hike was incredibly informative and we learned so much about how forest fires work and how they're actually necessary for a healthy forest ecosystem. It was so encouraging to see how much new, green growth is happening under what is left of the fire-scorched trees. There were beautiful, vibrant wildflowers everywhere! It was all very hopeful and I'm so glad that I got to see things from that perspective. Archie had so many questions and got so much out of the hike as well.

Fireweed - this beautiful flower grows in areas burned by fire.

And then it was FRINGE TIME!!! My favourite time of the year in Edmonton!!! I saw 24 shows in total (which I think is my new record), lived on the Fringe grounds practically every day, spent a ton of time at KidsFringe with Archie, and just had the best time! Tim and I always do a Fringe date night each year and it's so much fun to meet up with friends at the Fringe too. The Fringe is such a gem of a festival and I'm so glad that I get to immerse myself so deeply each year!

Then we left for London! We spent two days with the Golems, and while this year's summer gathering was less of a "thing" I think that everyone was very happy to be together under much happier circumstances. Plus having all eight of the cousins together is the absolute best because they love each other so much!

After that we spent a couple of nights in Toronto just doing our own thing! We went to Canada's Wonderland and had so much fun there! Archie is tall enough to go on many of the roller coasters now (and he LOVES them!) so we had a total blast riding all of the roller coasters that we could! Plus Colen and Melanie joined us there and I was so happy to spend some time with them. <3

Unfortunately, Sarah couldn't make it this year so we used computer magic to take our annual ABC photo of the boys, HA HA!

We also had some downtown Toronto time, which was great. It always feels like going home!

Once back home again there was only a bit of time left in the month. Archie and I were able to do the aerial ropes course that we wanted to try this summer and Tim and I attended a fun birthday party!

I haven't talked about my menopause journey in a while... And it's because I've been feeling really good lately! Knock on wood!!! I had an appointment with the Nurse Practitioner who is managing my hormone therapy and she had my hormones re-tested. She said that everything is looking really great and that if I'm finally feeling good that we should keep things exactly as they are. Here's a chart of my hormones over the past few years. As you can see, they have been on a complete roller coaster of their own and I shouldn't be surprised at all that I've had weird symptoms in my body!! I just hope that I'm finally in a good place, my hormones are starting to regulate, and my body is now used to the HRT.

Life with Archie: He's been enjoying plenty of summertime funtime every day! (Thanks to his mother who makes it all happen!) We managed to do one more summertime baking project but we really didn't have much time for it this summer. And Archie continued to be my Fringe-going buddy, from seeing five shows with me to hanging out at KidsFringe all day.

Archie might be an only child but he had a summer full of friends!

Archie built a Space Odyssey at the latest Kids Workshop at Home Depot and also a ONE PIECE Gum Gum Fruit and a Boombox at two LEGO free-build events.

Archie really enjoyed our time in Jasper and I think that he got a lot of education out of the hike. Plus it was so nice to snuggle with him in our tent at night!

London was the best time ever for Archie because he loves his cousins so much and the eight of them just tornado'd together the whole time and it was wonderful! The five oldest kids (Archie is the 3rd oldest) slept in a room all together at night (for two nights) and it was a complete success! They all actually slept too!

In Toronto Archie went on seven roller coasters at Canada's Wonderland and he LOVES them. He has very little fear, which is the complete opposite of what I was like as a kid! There were more friend hangs in Toronto too!

This trip resulted in Archie's 74th and 75th flights!

And then just before school started I booked Archie a hair appointment. I figured that he would get a trim and clean up his hair for school (which he has done before). But he said that he wanted to try SHORT HAIR!! He has never had short hair in his entire life (except for when he was bald as a baby)! We looked at hair styles online for kids with curly hair and he picked the style that he wanted. And then he did it! I'm proud of him for trying something completely new and for stepping out of his comfort zone. It took a few days to get used to his new haircut because he looks like a different kid!! At first I think Archie was a bit shocked at the change and he was asking how long it takes for hair to grow back. But I think we're all used to it now and we all really like it.

It's September!! Which means back to school, back to routines, and back to having my daytimes to myself for my own stuff! The summer is winding down. First there is Labour Day long weekend (which we don't have much planned for) and then school starts after that on the 2nd. Archie is excited for Grade 3! Like last year, we have started a tradition of going to Regina for the Queen City Marathon. Tim has become a very serious runner and he and my brother are going to be doing the half marathon (21.1K). Archie really enjoyed participating last year so he is also running this year in the 3K Mini Marathon for 8-10 year olds. I will be cheering everyone on and eating cheese (probably). It'll be great to see my family! PLUS it's my parents' 50th wedding anniversary while we're there... So there are some special surprises in store for them. (They were very adamant that they did NOT want a big party. I tried.) I also hope to see some friends while I'm in town as well! I have a ticket to see Bran Van 3000 and Aqua and I'm pretty stoked about that! Otherwise, we'll just be spending the month getting back into the swing of school!

THIS MONTH’S SHOUT-OUTS!: September 6th is Zena Domanski's 50th wedding anniversary!

Congrats to you and dad on 50 BIG YEARS! I hope that you get to do something special to celebrate! Cheers! (I say this with a smirk on my face because I know exactly what you'll be doing to celebrate...) September 10th is Sarah Tasker's 14th wedding anniversary!

Congrats to you and Darren on 14 big years! I hope that you get to do something special to celebrate! Cheers! September 17th is Sarah Tasker’s 43rd birthday!

I'm super sad that I didn't get to see you this summer!! But I completely understand how busy the summer can get. We are forever friends for life and I know that we'll be together again soon! I hope that you have a wonderful birthday and that you get to do something special and feel celebrated! You mean so much to me and I value our long friendship so much. Love you always! <3