more pox

holy cow...layla woke up with triple the number of spots this morning. i went to work and perry had to deal with a very cranky babe today (total role reversal). she barely napped and was trying so hard to scratch. she was actually much better at it than i thought she would be. wasn't so sure she had the coordination to scratch yet. her first spots showed up sunday night so i am hoping this is about all of them.

had a great day at the store today. super busy again. sold another monte chair...seriously these chairs sell like crazy. it also seemed to be a peg perego highchair day. got lots of ordering and paperwork done too.

we got the first of our fall & winter maternity clothing in today- so cute, but very sad that fall is seriously just around the corner. it actually makes me feel like crying. i love summer so much and i feel like we haven't had much of one. our yard isn't done yet either...don't even want to talk about it!!! we had 4 trees planted yesterday and that has been the extent of the activity this week. i was told it would be finished this week...i'm thinking NOT!

anyway, i'm going to enjoy my new obsession- LOST. i am now on season 4 and am so sad that season 5 isn't out on DVD yet...anyone know when it's expected?

have a good night,
j

the pox

layla officially has the chicken pox. a few spots this morning and several more by the time i got home from work. she has a fever as well but seems to be in good spirits. we'll see how she is tomorrow morning as it takes a few days for all the spots to come out. my poor baby. we were supposed to be going to calgary this weekend too.

super busy at the store today. saw a few strollers & car seats leave the store and did up a special order for another monte luca glider. lots of people in for sale items too. maternity clothing is now 40% OFF, baby & toddler clothing 25-40% OFF, select umis, pedi peds and little soles 30% OFF!! an extra coupon was also sent to your inbox if you are signed up for our newsletter! if you're not signed up, you can do it on our website:

www.cravingsmaternityandbaby.com

off to go and watch the season 3 finale of lost!

have a good night,
j

summer sale

i thought it was supposed to be hot today? 29 degrees? i think not! it's pouring rain right now. guess we needed it after a week of wonderful weather???

dinner last night was fantastic. we went to tusq. ambience was great, food was amazing, our server was fantastic. check it out. i would highly recommend it!

http://www.tusq.ca/Tusq-Restaurant.html

waiting for my friend to call from the road. she has been living in korea and now, italy for the past few years. met the love of her life while abroad. they got married and she has brought him back with her. i think we're meeting for lunch and then she wants to see the store and our house.

as an aside, we will be sending out an email later today about our summer sale. fall & winter merchandise has started to arrive so we need to clear out maternity, baby & toddler clothing!! we only have 2 pieces of floor model furniture left! i dresser in antique white and 1 in antique black- 40% OFF!!! make sure you are on our VIP list to receive the exclusive emails!

j

10th anniversary

just waiting for simpsons to show up with our babysitter. we're all heading out to tusq for dinner tonight. perry & i are celebrating our 10th anniversary...crazy! can't believe it's been 10 years, but at the same time, so much has happened since we were married.

had a great day with the girls today- enjoying the sun. headed to the paddling pool for awhile. layla wasn't especially impressed by the freezing cold water, but ryan had a good time! perry is actually home tomorrow and i have a friend visiting from italy so i am going to enjoy a little time to myself!

have a good weekend!
j

miracle blanket

at the store right now doing paperwork. it's been really steady tonight. lots of people gearing up for the lake this weekend i think! just checked and we only have 3 of our all natural bug spray left! can't believe how quickly it sold! i used mine last weekend and love it! layla is always sticking her hands in her mouth so it's nice to know that her sunscreen and bug spray are all natural.

i came across this you tube clip about the miracle blanket. i used this product with layla and absolutely loved it. i think i even blogged about it when she was just weeks old. the blanket really is a miracle...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCwJL4Du-Cg

have a great night!
j

hiring for part-time position

oh ya, forgot to mention...we are still looking for 1 part time employee. have found some really awesome people to join the team this past week and would love to have 1 more! please drop off your resume to rebecca or jordana!!

yard progress

sitting on my couch waiting for the fence guy to show up so we can go through our specifications. it's finally stopped raining and the work has begun. we have top soil, underground sprinklers and our play area has been framed out. very exciting to finally see progress again!! shouldn't be too much longer now...keeping my fingers crossed!

perry is off playing football tonight and i've rented another Lost dvd. i am so addicted to it now! i guess there are only 4 seasons out on dvd so far and i'm halfway through season three.

off to work again tomorrow. becca & i have sworn to keep our office door closed for at least a few hours so we can get the ABEX application completed. always takes longer than we think. that's what you get when you put two people together that are never satisfied! always something that can be better!

off to prep the dvd so i can watch after the meeting...

have a good night
j

hot, hot, hot!

just got back from a great (and hot!) weekend with becca & family at their family cabin. weather was fantastic...so glad it cooperated! i think becca might show up a little sore tomorrow...from a sunburn and from doing her tricks on the knee board! it was so nice to get away for the weekend. kids played so well together (and we did too!).

back to work tomorrow after a week of the chicken pox. i really did think layla got them. 4 kids came down with them at daycare and she got 2 spots the day after the break out started. weird thing though...she only got 2 spots. had her 1 year check-up on tuesday by coincidence and doc confirmed they were chicken pox. i'm just not sure now. have you ever heard of a child getting only 2 spots? that would be absolutely wonderful if that was it, but i am not so sure??? what are your thoughts?

if it doesn't rain tomorrow we are getting topsoil. i checked the forecast and i don't even want to go there, but it looks like we might get $%#! tomorrow...i can't even say it anymore!

off to get ready for a glorious week of work- yay!!!!

j

ready for the weekend!

wow! the weekend is here . . . and the weather is cooperating (so far)!! we are heading up to the cabin tonight - can't wait to play on the beach, go boating, relax on the deck, drink some wine . . . the joys of summer at the lake! FINALLY!!

the store has been crazy busy today!! saskatonians NEED the sun to feel good, and when they feel good, they SHOP!!

lots of people taking advantage of our DAISY DAYS SALE - 25% OFF all spring & summer maternity, baby & toddler clothing!! UMI SHOES are still 20% OFF and we still have a few pieces of FURNITURE 40% OFF!!

have a great weekend!!
r.

chicken pox

layal has the chicken pox...go figure. ryan got immunized so she's pox free at this point, although i've heard they can still get a mild form of it. it's not bad at this point, but i guess it can take a few days for everything to show up. there are 4 kids at daycare with the chicken pox right now- argh! so, anyway this means i'm at home this week until she gets better. at least there are a couple of things i can do from home and i'll just go in in the evenings instead. nice that i have that flexibility.

on a poositive note, the sun is shining today!! it's not very warm but the sun makes such a HUGE difference. i guess it's supposed to get quite warm by the weekend. nothing has happened in our yard for a week and a half so i'm hoping things dry up quickly so we can it done already. i can't believe it's mid-july already and i don't feel like we've had any sort of summer yet :(

if you haven't stopped by the store recently, we have a huge sales going on. all summer maternity, baby & toddler clothing is 25% OFF (non-stock items), select floor model furniture is 40%OFF and we have various items marked down 30%!!

j

rain, rain go away!

weeks and weeks of RAIN - this is absolutely nuts!! i'm not sure how much more i can handle!?!?! i didn't want to get out of bed this morning...i'm grumpy!

i've lived in saskatoon my whole life...and i'm a die-hard saskatchewan fan. any time someone complains about our winters, the drivers, the lack of selection, etc. etc. i'm the first one to defend our great city and point out the positives...my favourite being our fantastic summers. come on, work with me here!! i need to feel the hot, hot sun on my skin, i want to sit outside on our deck until 11pm, i want to have to use my a/c (and have centennial busy with service calls), i want to go up to the lake and not worry what my kids are going to do for a full weekend inside the cabin, i want to put away my winter clothes!!!!

so that's my rant...i feel better already! at least the store is busy today. all those mommas sick of being cooped up in the house with their little monsters (who haven't been able to burn off their energy outside for days)!

on the upside, my lawn is looking great!

r.

a great weekend

girls day today- perry was on-call until 6pm. you never know how the day will turn out...temper tantrums, time outs, fights...well today was a great day. no time outs, just lots of fun outside together. long walk this morning, some park time and we even played on our new patio (that isn't fully finished). we had a great time and enjoyed the sun anyway! layla is sleeping and ryan is watching tv (she's up later than usual but i selfishly managed to convince her to have a small nap this afternoon!).

anyway, had a wonderful family weekend and now i am looking forward to work tomorrow! i was thinking about how lucky i am that i am living my dream of owning and operating a successful business. i have an amazing business partner and i love the gals we work with...makes for a pretty good time!

have a good night!
j

weekend update

my parents are in town to celebrate layla's 1st birthday and i was trying to explain twitter, blogging, facebook, etc to my mom. she just can't grasp the concept. i have to admit it took me awhile to get used to the idea of blogging...now it seems like a normal part of the day...although it does take awhile to keep up with everything! my parents are supposed to be leaving tomorrow but i'm thinking if i beg long enough, they might stay another day...wishful thinking...oh to have parents in the city.

i hear it's supposed to be "nice" out tomorrow. think we might get together with the simpson's and get the kids out of the house. haven't seen them for awhile...well, the kids anyway...i see becca all the time! will be nice to enjoy some time in the sun if mother nature allows.

landscaping guys are supposed to be back on monday if everything is dry...will see what tomorrow brings. also have a conference call with a friend of mine that owns several businesses, online businesses and has since franchised...looking forward to picking his brain about a few things...yes, always thinking of the next project!

off to bed!
j

1 today!

my babe is 1 today...and the sun is shining! yay! my parents should be here mid afternoon and are staying for the weekend. i should really get my butt in gear and clean up the house...darn black hardwood that needs cleaning every 30 minutes!

so hoping the weather dries up the swamp we have in our back yard so they can resume the work they need to do to get this project done. what i would give for sod right now!

i guess i've been put on lunch duty...perry is at home so we actually eat a meal...when i'm at home with the kids i just kinda pick all day...chicken kabobs, rice and salad on the menu...mmm...i'm hungry!

have a great day...keeping my fingers crossed for a weekend of nice weather!
j

feeling better

i think i went to bed at 8:30 last night...woke up at 7:30 when ryan got up. i feel much better tonight...ready for an evening of paperwork.

so, little layla is 1 tomorrow! i can hardly believe it. my parents are coming in to celebrate and perry is on-call of course. will be celebrating together on saturday- family photos and dinner at fuddruckers. no formal birthday party this weekend. hoping to have a backyard bbq to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries at the end of the month. now that would mean it would have to stop raining so they can finish our yard...this weather is ridiculous...worst spring and summer i can remember ( i feel like i say that every year...is it getting worse or am i making this up)....hmmm...somehow pushed the french button and now all i get is ÈÈÈÈÈÈÈ...anyone know how to turn this offÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ

anyway, hope you have checked out our new website and are signed up for our newsletter. we have a spring & summer sale going on right now, as well as a floor model furniture sale- up to 40% OFF! you can sign up for our newsletter from our website

www.cravingsmaternityandbaby.com

stay tuned for more project announcements!

j

not so hot

not feeling so hot today. not sure what's up (i'm NOT preggo!), but was really nauseous for awhile. it seems to have passed but i'm exhausted and ready for bed...well, after i wash the grey right outta my hair!

had a productive day at work despite the fact that i disappeared for 2 hours. dealt with our defective list and finished all the vouchers in the file, had a great meeting for our next project and we hired someone!

getting ready to put babe #1 down for the night and looking forward to heading there myself!

have a good night
j

rainy day

gloomy day with the girls today. curtis & trevor came by to see the driveway and they helped me pick out tile for the front step. i think it will really add to the street appeal of our house. tomorrow was supposed to he top soil day...i'm thinking it might be friday after hearing the weather forecast for the next few days :(

here is a picture that curtis took this morning of our driveway and front step from his phone...posted on his twitter account @atmosphereID. everything is soaked from the rain!

had a great playdate with the johnston's today. love it when the girls play so well together. very little intervention needed so we could enjoy some adult conversation over coffee! layla slept most of the time they were over and little nathan was such a good boy. this kid is freakin cute and so cuddly...i just want to squish him!

tomorrow i'm back at work. we have a few meetings, including one interview! we are looking to hire a couple of people, so if you are still interested (or know someone who might be), please drop off a resume.

becca & i have a few projects to work on. one project due at the end of this month and one that we are just doing research on right now. that's one thing about the two of us...we never sit still...always thinking of how things could be better! good thing we found each other!

have a good night!

driveway success!

whew...our driveway looks amazing! i am so happy with it. it was such a huge risk to try something new and athough the color is a little more grey and a little less beige than originally intended, it really works with our house! i will take a picture tonight and post.

looks like the top soil is scheduled to arrive wednesday and then sprinklers, curbing, sod and planting...did i already write about this? seems like i'm saying the same things over and over again!

perry is bathing the kids right now so i had better get the kitchen cleaned before i'm caught on the computer!!

have a good night!
j

we're hiring!

great news at cravings...nicole has accepted the management position and she will be starting her new role in september! also some sad news as carson leaves us to return to her university studies. she will be missed but we're hoping she'll come back and work a few shifts here and there...hint, hint!!

anyway, lots of changes at cravings and we're looking to hire a new team member! if you are outgoing, enthusiastic and reliable and are interested in working part-time or full-time hours, please drop off your resume to rebecca or jordana.

lazy day

what a lazy day i am havng today. weather is very gloomy and i don't seem to have any energy. i am listening to layla talk away in her crib while she is trying to fall asleep. both kids' sleeping schedules were really thrown off while we were away. layla has been sleeping in until 9am trying to catch up. i'm hoping they get back on track soon. the routine will start again tomorrow when i go back to work and they go to daycare.

so, layla turns 1 on friday. i can't believe it! my parents are coming in to celebrate and then i think we're going to have a backyard bbq when our yard is done. lots of birthdays and our 10 year anniversary to celebrate this year. just hope our backyard is done before september so we can do this!

going to try and get a little nap in right now while perry is playing in the basement with ryan...maybe no one will notice!

j

2009 rookie team!

so excited to see that cravings maternity & baby was awarded the "2009 rookie team" for the ms walk...way to go gals (and guys!)!!!

j

home sweet home!

we're back and i'm ready for a vacation after our "vacation". layla slept a total of 30 minutes today...2o on the way to the airport and then we had to wake her and 15 on the way from the s'toon airport home. we got home and we were running around trying get things unpacked and somehow she hit her eye on the corner of ryan's piggy bank and she cut it open- poor baby! at least we are home now. nothing feels better than walking in to our house after being away. it actually even smelled new when we came in today...i love being home.

so, i was anxious to see all the work that happened over the last week. the stone work is not complete, but very close. not much left to do at all...i'm thinking 4 more weeks...ha! guess i will touch base with them on monday and see what's up. got a letter from our fence company that we need to get all our lines marked. i've offered perry the job of making all the calls...good luck with that. guess i have another job to add to my list!

anyway, i'm going to read my metropolian home mag that came in the mail while i was away and go to bed!

good night
j

one more day

on the last leg of our holiday. supposed to be 30 degrees today. layla woke early this morning so she's aready down for a nap. perry & ryan are at the pool and my family should be meeting us in about an hour. i love vacation but it's just so much work. guess that's why it's been a year and a half since we've been anywhere...hawaii was our last trip and that seems like forever ago. as layla gets a bit older, it'll get easier...we're already talking about a couple winter vacations this year...i'm definitely not making the mistake of sticking around for an entire saskatchewan winter after the last one we had.

looking forward to dinner at my bros tonight...and maybe a few cocktails! also looking forward to a few drinks on our new patio some time in the (near) future! i'm hoping they have the stone work complete when we get back. this 2 week project has somehow turned in to 4 weeks, which will soon turn in to 6 weeks i'm thinking. oh well, it's looking amazing and we'll have most of the summer to enjoy it.

hey, stay tunes for the launch of our new website...becca "tweeted" that it should be live today!!

have a good one
j

sunny days

the joys of vacationing with a babe...i am in the room right now while layla is napping and perry, ryan, my parents and my brother are all at the pool. i was strategic with calling the morning nap...it's supposed to be 27 degrees at harrison hot springs this afternoon! we are going to enjoy a day in the sun followed by a picnic and fireworks.

it's a good thing we are away from any sort of shopping as i've officially entered retail rehab...i mean seriously ridiculous amounts of shopping took place in vancouver...but it was so much fun!

have a great canada day!
j

happy canada day!

just a reminder that we will be open 12-4pm today! come and get geared up for summer! we have a great selection of summer necessities: natural sunscreen & bug repellent, UV suits, sunglasses, PFDs (life jackets), watering cans, sprinklers, picnic blankets, all terrain strollers, travel cots, bathing suits, sandals . . . and much, much more!!