My little Superman

What a super little guy Rory has been through the absolute chaos of trying to sell our home. I honestly had no idea how difficult putting your home up for sale could be.  And... getting the work done/staging it before it is listed... is really only the half of it.

I feel like we have been squatting in our own home for over a week. Not really "living" there, just sleeping and trying really really really hard not to make a mess. And stay sane. We escaped the madness this weekend and took Rory out of town to regain a little of the sanity we started with, and a side of family harmony as well. 

Offers are due Wednesday and regardless of what actually results, life can finally return to normal. Our version of "normal" anyway.

Rory is 16 months now, talking up a storm, showing us his little personality and also his emerging "two-ness" as well. :)

Here is our little superman this morning and from his Halloween party with his mat leave buddies Saturday at the  Brick Works.

Good Signs!

Our house has been on the market for 45 minutes and we already have a booked showing!  Cross your fingers everyone!!

Uh Oh

Aside from just repeating the word "no" over and over again... "Uh oh", is Rory's new favourite saying... that and "ohhhhhh nooooo".  It is not lost on us that the timing of the over use of these three expressions coincides directly with a whole lotta crazy we have added to our lives as of late.

So to explain... just as we were about to kick off another major reno (adding that 3rd bedroom), we thought we'd kick the chaos up a notch and put our house up for sale instead. Told you. CRAZY

In a nut shell we asked ourselves over the Thanksgiving long weekend if we were making good decisions or not?  Why invest time, energy and money into something we don't want for the long term, when we could be spending the same time and energy removing obstacles from that path that will get us to where we DO want to be?  Makes sense so far right?   Sure...  So, together with some sound advice from our real estate agents, we've decided to throw our house on the market and see what we get for it.  If we don't get what we want, we just don't sell - easy right?  It just really begs the question of what our plans are regarding living arrangements if our house indeed sells?  Well, we've decided we'll cross that bridge later.  I know, who are we? And should we be caring for a child and a 1/2 if we're this reckless? To be determined my friends...

So, What I think we under estimated, was the work involved in getting a house market ready. Not to mention getting a house market ready while caring for a toddler AND while pregnant.  And in 5 days.

Peter and I have been working our tails off.  NOT alone thankfully. We have had amazing help from my mom, my aunt Theresa, Peter's parents and the Bubster.  And as of last night, I am happy to tell you that in 5 days, FIVE DAYS, we have completed a 9 page to do list. Have a look if you don't believe me.

We now have a brand new family space in the basement, a dry and cozy laundry room, new light fixtures, a clutter free home, and more effing lilies placed by our agents than my nose knows what to do with.

Now we just need to keep it clean until the open houses this weekend.  Rory didn't mind dinner out tonight judging by the ketchup all over his face.

You know even if we don't sell... convincing yourself that you might isn't a bad tactic to get some serious projects and de-cluttering done. I totally recommend it, just not while pregnant.

October 19th, not that long ago

We were celebrating my mom's birthday from afar (Happy Birthday Mom)!  And we were here...

 I miss Portugal. One day, just Peter and I, are going to return to this exact place.  One day...

And we are going to find this EXACT bottle of wine while we're at it.

Missing the sun on a very wet Wednesday....

Two Years

Love u baby. Two years ago today was the best day of my life. Here's to many more moments, days and years to come!

I am thankful for...

My amazing little man who grows bigger everyday, and who as it happens... is talking up a storm these days!!!  His word of the weekend was "Jenna". Over and over again he said Jenna. Even in his sleep. No doubt because his sweet cousin took such good care of him all weekend and spent so much time playing with him.

But honestly, how fun is it when kids start repeating or at least trying to repeat... everything you say? Given Rory now tries to say practically everything we do, we're on an official "watch your mouth" rule at our house.

And let's be honest, the rule is ALL for me.

And a huge apology to all the friends and family we missed this holiday.  We've returned to Toronto less one ear and eye infection and + three colds.   Consider us avoiding everyone a holiday gift really. None of us were great company. Ask my mom.

Here are some of the happier shots from what was thankfully, a very sunny (weather wise) weekend.

HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY GRUMPA!

Fall Sick-cation

The beautiful thing about photography is that you can hardly tell Rory has an ear infection, eye infection, and mommy and daddy are coming down with colds. Our cottage holiday was amazing, for the first couple of days... But then we had to cut our trip short when Rory needed antibiotics and headed up to Almonte early so Gramma can take care of us all. 

The sun has come out just in time to give us the week to rest up so we're happy and healthy to be thankful on the weekend. 

Here's to healthier holi-days ahead.

Protecting your pictures online

As most of you know, we have recently learned a hard lesson about protecting the pictures we post online. Especially when it comes to our child. But, I do not need to rant more than I have already about that. :)

So current personal bias aside about facebook, the honest truth is that when it comes to sharing your life with loved ones that are far away (like the growth of a baby, or your holiday adventures etc), facebook is probably indeed the best place to reach everyone. 

So if you are going to post pictures online, I have recently learned that one very easy way to protect yourself and your pictures, is to watermark them.  You see photographers do this all the time... but the great thing is, you really don't have to be a pro to do it.  There are some fantastic (free) online resources that you can watermark your photography in minutes. Minutes that are worth the effort, believe me.

Check it out. http://www.watermark.ws/

A click of a few upload buttons, and you get a safe and subtle watermark that ensures images are protected if some crazy wacko chooses to try and pass your child off as their own.

On a happier note, here are some photos we took on Sunday as a family at Springridge Farm. An outing to celebrate the beginning of our favourite season - FALL! Watermarked of course!

Corn Maze

 So many pumpkins to choose from... and sit on.

 Of course these warty ones were Rory's favourite

 Walking the corn maze

 Lessons from daddy about corn

 pumpkin in a tub!

 First pony ride!

 puppet show!

 Yay for fall, and funny puppets!!!

Fifteen Months

Fifteen months old already!  And such a handsome little monkey isn't he?

For his 15 month birthday Rory is learning how to FaceTime all of you on his daddy's iphone.

All.by.himself. (Which is a common theme in his endeavors lately). So expect a crank call shortly.

Happy Friday!

Fall Apples

It was a beautiful weekend here in Toronto. We decided to soak up this Indian Summer weather by checking out a local apple farm.  If you live in the Toronto area and have never been to Chudleigh’s... Like us, you have been seriously missing out. 

Complete with a petting zoo, hay wagon rides,  a country bbq, a giant straw maze and play slides, nature walks and over 100 acres of different kinds of apples that you can pick your own, sample, or just wander through. It is an amazing fall weekend just waiting to happen.  

And you seriously have to taste their pies. And I don’t even really like pie.
I have already made homemade apple sauce and apple muffins! Yum.

Rory went nuts for a real life sheep!!!

 Way too exciting! 

You could actually get right inside with the animals, 

which we did, but I didn't take pictures,

because I was afraid the animals would eat my son. Or vise versa.

It was a hay of a good time! 

Awesome nature walks

 

Look at all these apples!

I like the low hanging fruit. 

I am going to eat this? Can I eat it?

Yum! Best apple ever!

Additions to our house and family

So we have two very exciting things to share!  We've begun preparations to add an addition onto our home and to our family!    I don't know if Peter and I will ever live in a brand new home... But I'll be honest sometimes I dream about it... Until then, we are loving the character/charm/challenge of making a space that was created almost 100 years ago feel like our own.

Before the snow flies, we are going to be proud new owners of a masterful new master bedroom.  Now if only I can convince my husband before the room is ready that King size beds do not in fact cause divorces, but instead create the most peaceful slumber ever! :)

If you look at the plan below, that back room doesn't currently exist. 

And eventually will look something like this from the outside.

And in even MORE exciting news and thus the reason we are going to soon run out of space in our home.   Rory is going to be a big brother!!! We are also adding an addition to our family!

We are extremely excited to officially be announcing that our little plum is due March 29th and had his/her first official photo yesterday...

Personally, I am also extremely excited not to be pregnant during the summer months,  and a March baby sounds just about perfect to me.

TGIF & Wish us luck!