Summer Fun: Heritage Park

So last Thursday, I was debating about joining Laura & Luke at Heritage Park like we had planned to do for a couple of weeks. I had a memorial service I wanted to attend for a coworker who suddenly passed the prior week, but things were looking really busy for Jay and I wasn't sure if I should keep him from work, though of course he was very willing to stay with Braden so I could attend. With a little prayer in, asking for a bit of guidance, I got my answer in the weirdest way. In a desperate bribe, I said to Braden (knowing he had to do it...) "If you poop in the potty this morning, Mommy will take you to ride a big steam train!" I figured - if he doesn't I'll go, if he does it we'll go to the park. We've been having #2 issues since potty training began. He has done it quite a few times in the potty. But for some very frustrating reason, he chooses to do it in his underwear now.

But...

While I was locking the doors in the house so said toddler couldn't escape outside while I was planning to have my shower, I thought I'd better check on him one more time. Low and behold, I went into this bathroom and there was a (TMI, I know) ginormous #2 in his potty. Hip hip hooray! We celebrated! We cheered! I gave him the sucker he had been longing for! We called Poppy & Daddy to spread the good news! And I called Laura to tell her that - yes - we would be going to Heritage Park with them. I texted another coworker and told her I wasn't going to make it, she said "that's what she would have wanted anyway - for you to be spending time with Braden". I hope you're not judging me for making a decision in such a way. She was a dear coworker who will be missed greatly, but reading that my friend wrote that text, I took it as a blessing, and with a tear and a smile, I packed us up and off to Heritage Park we went.

You can see why I knew Braden would love this place, right?

Not only does Heritage Park have the big steam train, it has a mini amusement park for kids and the boys loved the rides!

Surprisingly, to me, Braden's favorite was the mini ferris wheel! He was saying "I high in a 'ky Mommy!"

Doesn't this pic look like it could be from the movie "The Notebook"?

He had a great time on the train, we did 2 full loops of the tracks with 3 stops included...he's still very "2 year old" and does not understand being patient, having to wait his turn, it's time to get off rides...but all in all, he did really really well.

 The boys really wanted to go on a horse ride...but with their mothers 22 & 35 weeks pregnant at the end of a long day in the sun...we said no and got ready to leave!

Within about 10 minutes or less of the ride home...this happened:

We stopped at the best burger place EVER - Peter's Drive In - and picked up supper for the whole family.

My brother and I, have both made special Peter's trips from Edmonton, a little 3 hour jaunt up highway 2, just for Peter's. You're not a Burrell until you've come to Calgary just for a Peter's burger & shake! (Just to reiterate...that's 6 hours of driving round-trip in one day just for a burger & shake!)

I promised myself to make this a really, really fun summer for Braden. His last as a single child and old enough to really enjoy some stuff.

Some more items on our summer bucket list:

• Braden's first camping trip - I so desperately wanted to take him his first summer but the weather sucked, and NOT last summer as he was just way too busy
• More trips to the spray park
• More trips to the zoo
• Trip to BC
• Trip to Banff (maybe we'll stop on our way home from BC to have a mini trip)
• Playing outside as much as possible with friends and family
• Swimming lessons in August
• Trips to the lake & boating

What a post! And lastly - a happy anniversary to Ben & Jess! I can't believe it's been a year!

Finally! A Day With Trains!

I get the paper. I get 2 of them, in fact. Every week. Do I read them? Rarely...usually I just flip through them. Good thing I have people looking out for me! My mother-in-law called me the other day to tell me that this town was having Train Day for Father's Day weekend. I figured I owed Braden a good day with trains from our botched Day With Thomas last month. So I woke up from a short 3.5 hour nap after my 12 hour night shift and we drove the 1 hour south to go and see these trains.

They had this awesome little train for the kids to ride on and Braden was ecstatic...to say the least!

And a bouncy house!

There was also a big train car there and he just ran right up to it and helped himself!

'Nuff said, hey!?

Then we got to go on our train ride.

Then this happened...and we got out of there right before the rain started! HA! Take that, Weather!

It was so worth the 2 hour round trip, Braden had such a wonderful time and was telling me "I ride on little train! I go on big train! Jump in house!" And here's our Father's Day pictures from Sunday....plus the outtakes of trying to get Braden to keep his darn hands out of his mouth!!

Hope you had a wonderful Father's Day weekend! I, for one, appreciate my Heavenly Father more than ever this year!

After a Nap

I've been bad at taking pictures lately. Squishy is sucking the life out of me. The nausea, oh the nausea. I can still function and I'm not getting sick, but I'm just tired and "blah" lately. But I'm going to make a conscious effort to get my camera out more often now, practice with my new Speedlite, and not neglect one of my favorite hobbies! Plus, GG always asks to see new pictures of Braden and I need to fulfill that for her!

These series of pictures were taken after a nap one afternoon a couple of weeks ago. Braden was just beside himself, didn't want to be alone, but didn't want to get out of his crib. So we just hung out in his room for a good 1/2 hour after his nap, and I snapped away.

All these images were taken with my Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens. LOVE. A great investment!

P.S. Flickr has a new size option for 800 width pictures...how do you like? Too big, or bigger is better? Let me know your feedback please!

Maui: A Boy on a Train

Want to know how to make your (at the time) almost 2 year old smile from ear to ear for almost 2 hours straight? Take him on a real steam engine! Just like Thomas!

Knowing Braden's love of trains, Braden's Papa said we had to take Braden on the Maui Sugar Cane Train at least once! I was definitely in for this, it's a toddler friendly activity, and I knew my boy would be happy...but not as happy as he was!

Killing time before "choo choo" came to take us for our ride. I got looks ranging from "oh that is the cutest thing ever!" to "seriuosly? You have your child on a leash!?!" but this is the best $20 we've ever spent on Braden...SERIOUSLY!




He was absolutely just fascinated with this whole experience!


Laura said she could tell he was smiling ear to ear even looking at him from behind!

The view was pretty great too!

Did you know steam trains literally blow off steam? I didn't!

He was very curious about the whole experience!

He was just right into everything! This is his "choo! choo!" face!

The train turned around and took us back to where we started. I bought Braden a little wooden Maui train for his train set and a special treat for his big boy room...whenever we transform it to that! This is pretty much the only family picture we have from our vacation. My poor teething dude had his fingers in his mouth for a good portion of that day!



There was also a strategically placed farmer's market at the train stop so I took advantage and bought some more fresh pineapple.


So if you are going to Maui and have a train lover in your family...this is a must! We will definitely do it again next time we go to Maui!