An old college housemate of mine, Emily, runs some safari lodges in Uganda, and just sent us the most amazing photos of lions, which she took herself. The photos are just too amazing to not share, so, with her permission, here they are, with the text of her message:

"Dear All,
 
Well for anyone who has been with me to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, knows that I didn’t believe that the tree climbing lions existed, I thought it was all marketing (just kidding!)…..for years I have tried numerous times seeing them….taking a ranger….driving around all day looking for them…..i finally spotted them! And saw them up really close….almost a little to close for comfort….except for the photo op!
 
These are beautiful photos, taken right at the base of the tree…..the females were not paying attention to us because there was a herd of antelope near by and I think they were getting hungry…..!  Wow…..what an experience!  It made our day and made the long drive we were on completely worth it!
 
Enjoy!"

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The other day I was at Whole Foods, quaffing a coffee and bakery samples (oh you've done it too) and I noticed a new reusable shopping bag they were selling. The Feed 100 Bag is produced by FEED Project*, and for every bag that is sold, 100 meals are provided to school children in Rwanda through the World Food Program. The bag is $30, so for that you get what I feel is the best reusable bag I've ever owned, and you get to provide 100 kids with a meal (and come on, when was the last time you fed 100 people with $30, let alone at Whole Foods). Only downside: no tax receipt. But let me tell you why this bag rocks: First of all, it folds into a wallet-sized pouch, so it fits in your purse/diaper bag, but the pouch is made of burlap, and becomes a sturdy base for the bag, so you can actually set it down without everything falling out, and it offers some protection. The next great thing is that the inside has a bunch of large pockets, so you can divide out your stuff, or even use the bag to comfortablly carry your wallet, keys, etc., which is impossible with mesh bags, and awkward with flimsy cotton bags. Thirdly, The wide straps actually sit comfortably and securely on your shoulder. They are also secured with grommets, so you can expect the handles to last a while. I've been looking for a reusable bag that I could use exclusively for non-food purchases, and I think this one is it. I took it to the mall today for some clothes shopping for my son and husband, and I fit a lot of stuff in it, and because of its sturdy square shape, the folded clothes stacked nicely and didn't get crumpled (one of my pet peeves). I'm thinking it would make a great gift for an environmentally- and socially-aware friend.

* Yes, FEED Project was founded by Lauren Bush, who is the President's neice and a former model, but I'm not holding that against her. This bag rocks.

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Yes, I know it's Saturday, but here's what I want to remember from yesterday:

Tonight was the first night that ReRe slept in his big boy bed. As soon as he saw it, he wanted to spend the rest of the day there, and demanded that all his downstairs toys be brought up to this new elevated, plush play area. He did wake up at 4am, and I went in and cuddled with him, but he kept demanding apple juice, so I went and got him a small cup of it, and then he went right back to sleep until 7am.

Red monkey has replaced red teddy as the companion of choice, which is fine with me since red monkey has much more personality.

ReRe has started making up songs, and they all start with "one, two, three..." anf end with "Hey!" For example, his song about red monkey goes, "One, two, three....MONKEY MONKEY MONKEY MONKEY, HEY!" And his song about his father's car goes "One, two, three....Oh G! Oh G! Oh G! Hey!"

And one family event of note: Friday night we went out for the first dinner that I can honestly say was paid for by my consulting work, since I did some volunteer work for a non-profit and they thanked me with a restaurant gift card. I had never been to Montana's before, but being able to doodle with crayons while waiting for your food was a lot of fun. And it turns out I can draw tank engines upside down.

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If you could leave notes for the future, what message would you have left in the past for today?
Submitted by Nameless.

I don't get this question, as I can always leave notes for the future. Here's one: Remember when the box spring for the convertible crib-to-bed didn't fit up the stairs? That sucked. Shoulda just gone with Mr. Tinto's idea of replacing the crib with a twin bed.

Here's another one: remember when the air conditioner seized up in mid-July 2008? Ya, that sucked. Shoulda let Mr. Tinto get a brand new one when it broke down the last time. They had to cut the fan out with a hack saw. Cha-ching.

Now, if I could have sent notes from today into the past, they would have read: don't get the convertible crib and don't try to repair the air conditioner - neither are going to save you any money or grief. 

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Ma Ma Sisterhood

What are some fun activities that you have planned for your kid(s) this summer?

I'm so glad you asked. Here's what we have planned for the rest of the summer:

Locally:

A visit to Springridge Strawberry Farm

More splash pad time at Lakefront Promenade Park

Port Credit Busker Festival

In Toronto:

Must make at least one day trip to Toronto Island

Riverdale Farm

In BC:

Camping with the Cousins!!

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Me: What do you want for breakfast, honey?

ReRe: O-meal.

Me: Ok, I'll make you some.

ReRe: And tea!

Me: ?

ReRe: Pease.

Me: Ok, honey. (Make oatmeal and tea, which is warm milk and honey). Here's your breakfast.

ReRe: (Chugs the milk, hears Daddy upstairs) Go see Daddy!

Me: Honey, eat your oatmeal.

ReRe: No. No yike it.

Me: Come on, honey, eat it.

ReRe: No Yike It! Go see Daddy!

Me: Honey, just one bite, and then you can go see Daddy.

ReRe: ...........Ok. One bite! (takes a big mouthful and runs for the stairs).

Daddy: (From the top of the stairs) Hey honey! Are you eating your breakfast?

ReRe: No! Mummy said "Come on honey" but I no yike it and Mummy said "Just one bite" so my UM!! and see Daddy now.

Uh, dude, I'm like, right here.

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I don't know why I hadn't heard about this playground before, but in High Park there is a community-build playground called the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground that is truly amazing. Here is a picture:

For anyone thinking about making a trip to Toronto with kids, the playground, and the rest of High Park, is a must. ReRe liked it so much, we went on both Saturday and Sunday. It has areas for smaller and bigger kids, and very innovative, yet low-tech, activities to try. But if you are thinking of going by car, get there early. At 9am, there is no trouble finding parking. At 11am, the nearest parking lot is full. We've only taken advantage of a very small portion of High Park (including the small zoo) but we still have not made it to the splash pad or onto the trackless train ride.

We also made it to Afrofest again this year, but for us it is turning more into just an opportunity for a family picnic, rather than a chance to really listen to the music. It is very different from other music festivals, which is both good and bad. It is good in that it is free, there aren't all those barriers up to keep out the non-payers, there is a great children's area, and it is just so free-flowing and fun. On the other hand, there is no schedule published ahead of time, so you don't know when or where you will see certain performers, and it is getting busier and busier every year, so when we are with ReRe we tend to stay on the fringes. But it is still a wonderful place to go, and it's so much fun to see our little guy running and dancing to the beats.  

And could we fit in any more free fun in one weekend? Hard to believe, but yes. This is going to sound strange, but Dixie Outlet Mall is a great place to go for free fun with a toddler, since they let you use their car strollers for free (other nearby malls charge $5) and they always seem to have coupons around for free stuff - like this weekend, you could get a free cup of coffee at Cinnabon (not for the toddler), and a free popcicle (ok for the toddler) at Sears. Posh, this mall is not, and no where near as chic as saying you spent the day at High Park, but on a rainy day, it is awesome.  

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All this talk of bananas has made me crave a Rocket Fuel Smoothie from Fresh by Juice for Life. One of my favourite restaurants in the T-dot, since it is vegetarian, but I always leave feeling stuffed. Since I can't get downtown, I looked up their on-line menu, and it looks like it includes espresso, banana, maple syrup and cinnamon, and your choice of milk. Hmmmm, my choice is Silk Vanilla Light soy milk, which just happens to be in my fridge right now. Gotta go get fueled!!

Man, I'm blogging about my mid-morning snack, what am I avoiding???

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How are you celebrating the 4th of July?

By wishing all of the Stateside Voxers a most excellent long weekend. Happy 4th of July!!

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Last night was the first night that ReRe went right into his crib after stories without needing an extra cuddle or rocking to help him fall asleep. The reason he was eager to get into bed was because Red Teddy, a little red teddy bear that was a Valentine's gift from his grandmother, was in his crib, and ReRe wanted to cuddle with him. He's shown little interest in cuddling with toys, even though I have actively encouraged it as a way for him to fall asleep without myself or his father. The reason that Red Teddy made an appearance was because yesterdat was Teddy Bear Picnic Day at preschool, and he randomly picked him as his +1. I'm glad, because I'm awaiting the delivery of the mattress for his big boy bed, and the more comforts he will have for the transition, the better. I'm just so surprised how the order of his stages of sleep are so different than any book I read, and doing what was right for us, rather than what was prescribed, has always been the best decision. Yes, it has made it difficult for anyone other than us to put him to bed, but we've worked so hard at getting a predictable (and peaceful) bedtime routine together, that I don't want it compromised.

According to ReRe, ambulances pick up people with big boo-boos and take them to work.

While falling asleep the other night, ReRe spontaneously said, "Simon Says, tickle your ears!"

While I'm very happy to hear his speech coming along, I'm also just a little sad at hearing the end of some of his own words for things. For the longest time, he called bananas daddle-la's, watermelon was watermetton, and oatmeal was o-o-oatmeal.

That's it for this week! 

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