Summer Fun

It has been a busy summer at the Gilbert house!! So, I don't think I mentioned it before, but many of you know that we had a little house fire at the end of June! Fortunately, nothing as major as a family a few blocks away a week later, but it was still a big enough fire to cause some pretty sever damage in the living room and to totally disrupt out lives for the past month! Almost all of my fabric had to be sent for cleaning, the living room floor was burnt, including the carpet that was on it, the blanket that was used to smother the fire and there was smoke damage like crazy through the whole house. We had to leave for a few days just at the end of the June and our house hasn't been put back the same since! We still haven't got everything back from the cleaning company, there are still things that have to be taken to be cleaned and things that are waiting for stuff to come back before everything can be put away! Talk about topsy turvy! Also at the end of June, my cuz got married! It was great fun. For more pics, check out our family blog. In July, we went to Chinook Lake, one of our favorite camping sites! We have gone there almost every year. We usually go for Thunder in the Valley and this year was no exception! I didn't take any pictures of the acutal fireworks because I have about a zillion from the past few years. I did, however, take a zillion pictures of TJ camping! Let me just say that camping with a 3 month old is SO MUCH easier than camping with a 15 month old. I need to go on a vaction to rest from my last one!

TJ using Uncle Terry as a resting place!
All tuckered out from so much exploring!
Me swimming across the lake with Tara. (This is as close a picture as will be taken of me in a swimsuit, so enjoy!!)
TJ playing on the beach.
TJ swimming with Daddy. He LOVED the water as soon as he got used to the cold.

TJ and Uncle Tem!
Chillin on the steps.
PRETENDING to take a nap in the basket of his stroller.
Tara took this picture while TJ was sitting on her lap. I love how her shirt was covered except for the "me". Completely unintentional!!

Chillin' by the fire.
TJ's favorite place: where he gets food!
Camping, of course, means junk food and dirty faces!
Look Mom! An acorn (which he proceeded to try and eat!)
MMMM. Ice cream!!! Believe it or not, TJ's ice cream is a kids cone and James' is a single!! Crazy, huh!

After camping, we got home and our living was taped off and said "Wet Paint" They we supposed to seal the floor while we were gone, and they didn't get to it until the Saturday before we got back, so it was still sticky and we couldn't go home! So, we packed back in the car and headed to a hotel in Lethbridge for the night. Tuesday was spent wasting time until we could get back into the house. Finally, we went home. Wednesday and Thursday were full of appointments and Friday we had to take our truck in to get fixed, so my week was shot! I was banking on Monday and Tuesday. Sometimes, life just doesn't go your way! So now, I've got lots to catch up on and even more busy times ahead. Thats ok, though, keeps me out of trouble!!

On Friday, while we were waiting for our car, we went golfing with BIL Trevor and his wife Cheri. I have never been golfing before and was quite shocked to learn that it is actually kind of fun! Who knew! Now James and I have decided to take golf lessons together. Not to become pros, but just so we can actually have some intrests we share. I'm kind of excited!

Hope your summer is slightly more relaxing, but just as much fun as mine!!

Memory Tag

I stole this from Amelia's site! Such a great idea!!

1. Add a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments. I can't wait to see what people remember.

Wishful Thinking...

Last night, actually around 3 o'clock this morning, I had the perfect post floating around in my head. It was funny, touching, entertaining, all things a good blog should be. Sadly, I was trying to fall asleep, so I didn't get out of bed and now I don't remember a word of it! Sorry, you're stuck with this post!

Yesterday, as I walk into church, our elderly neighbour calls me over and says to me (and I quote) "Tisha, do you beat that little boy of yours? Because I can hear him screaming all the way at my house." Now, keep in mind, she's old, so her hearing can't be that great, and we are on the edge of three quarter lot, so the sound has a way to go. And she can still hear him.

My little monster has hit the terrible twos early - very early. If it gets worse at two, I'm moving out. Seriously, at least once every half hour, he has an all out tantrum . I'm not talking a little crying and the occasional yell either. I'm taking all out kicking, thrashing, bloodcurdling screaming, biting, pinching, slapping, lay-on-his-back-and-flail-about, bright-red-in-the-face tantrums. I am at a complete loss of what to do. He's too young to understand the naughty corner (isn't he?). Holding him still just makes him scream more and ignoring him causes untold damage to my house, not to mention my nerves. Please, any suggestions would be immensely appreciated.

Don't get me wrong, when he isn't screaming, he is one of the best kids around. For example, the other day we had Subway for dinner and we had got a cookie for each of us. Terry's cookie was still in the bag and TJ found the bag. He pulled the cookie out of the bag (a chocolate cookie with white chocolate chips) and held up his new prize. I said "TJ that's Uncle Terry's cookie. Its not for you." (We didn't get TJ a cookie because they're so huge!) "TJ, can you take the cookie to Uncle Terry?" TJ went into the kitchen and looked at the table where Terry had been sitting. Terry wasn't sitting there anymore, so, without any coaching, TJ turns and walks right down the hall and into Terry's room and hands him the cookie. I mean really, what kid passes up a chocolate cookie so willingly! I was so amazed I gave him my cookie.

The trouble is in remembering those moments as he is screaming non-stop. Argh! Really, I am just lost. I am seriously terrified about when he actually turns two. I keep hoping that maybe he is going to get this stage over with now and it won't get any worse when he is two. Wishful thinking, I know!