Jasmin has decided (again!) that she wants to potty train. She's been making it obvious that she's interested/ready off and on for ages, but as soon as Mommy begins focusing on it, she backs off stubbornly. So now, after weeks of puddles and the constant refrain, "you should pee on the potty", she's finally moving in that direction herself. This one is definitely a "Doit myself!" child! Unfortunately, now our schedule is such that we are heading out the door just about every other day, making it difficult to capitalize on her current phase of interest. Mommy is hoping we manage to be done with diapers before the colder weather appears... it could happen, even if we did need long sleeves, jackets, and socks today.

Our poor neglected garden didn't really produce what I expected: the corn was tiny (what was Mommy thinking, anyhow, to plant corn in such a small garden??), the turnip rotted, the carrots got pulled but inquisitive helpers and nibbled by neighbourhood rabbits, the cilantro we didn't harvest in time... but we have a very respectable harvest of corriander!
Grace and Jasmin got very absorbed in helping picking the seeds, not willing to wait until dry enough to shake off. We ended up with a grinder-full plus this dish-full.
Now to learn how to use it best in cooking!

Now the summer is coming to an end, our time in Ottawa seems suddenly so short. I bump up against reminders all the time now. Harvesting our tiny garden, my thoughts run to spring and what I'll do different next year to ensure better harvest - and realize there won't be a next year garden here, at least not planted my me. Watching Grace learn to peddle the tricycle, I plan for next summer when she can actually peddle to the park - and remember that we won't be anywhere near this park or her tricycle next summer. Time to think about packing away summer clothes, toys, accessories? Instead of thinking about where and how to store, I have to puzzle through what to bother keeping and how to pass on the rest.

So I find myself already thinking and planning about our coming departure: shelving books according to what I think we'll keep, jotting down a growing list of what needs to be done to the house before we leave, preparing mental lists of things to give away and to whom, trying to slowly sift through and reduce accumulated clutter, cleaning a little more thoroughly in anticipation of moving out, and mulling over the never ending dilemma of stuff: store and hope its on the right side of the world when you need it or give away/sell and buy again when you need it.
Will I ever settle this dilemma for my family? Things we have stored have yet to be in the right place at the right time, and I hate the thought of useful stuff sitting around waiting for my maybe return. Yet, things we have sold/given away and needed again, I've felt slightly not-right about the "waste" of having bought and re-bought the same item over and over! And then there is the whole world of memories and "old friend"-ness of keeping items given by friends and family or ones used for years... A balance of the two? Sounds good, but then you have the unravelable quandary of what to store and what to pass on!
Here I am, at it again! Perhaps a bit too early (we've at least 4 months left); my excuse is if Christmas is to be near the end of our stay here, I want to be on top of sorting/packing/etc. enough to enjoy Christmas!

Last week was a heavy work week for Daddy, but we managed a few Daddy times none the less... an evening river walk with Daddy:

Who knew a stroller could be a thrill ride?


Walking and counting the blocks of the retaining wall (125).

Earlier that day we had dug through stored winter clothes for a few light long sleeves for fall. Jasmin gave a happy cry of delight when she saw her "letter jacket"! She insisted Mommy help her put it on and wore it all the rest of the day even though it is really too hot for a fleece jacket! (Mommy hid it away again as soon as she fell asleep.)

Grace spent a quiet afternoon stringing foam beads while Jasmin napped. She then insisted Daddy wear it for a necklace. She even took this picture all by herself. Now every time she sees Daddy, she insists he wear it. Thankfully he could persuade her that wearing it to church was not a good idea as he might lose it :0)