- This video captures Molly the day before she turned 4.
And this one is pretty classic Zoë at almost 2 1/2
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
4 Year Olds Can Cook!
Molly and Jacob (and Zoë) made us dinner last night. Lettuce boats, salad bar and cheese-filled scones. Now we just need to work on laundry, dishes and mowing the lawn.
- This video captures Molly the day before she turned 4.
And this one is pretty classic Zoë at almost 2 1/2
- This video captures Molly the day before she turned 4.
And this one is pretty classic Zoë at almost 2 1/2
Back from BC - and twins turn 4!!
We're back from BC and the twins have turned four, so there's lots to catch up on.
Our trip consisted of
- 3 nights on the Gastown side of downtown Vancouver, amid the pre-Stanley Cup loss hype and excitement (we had skipped town prior to the "riot"). Rides on the Skytrain to our old 'hood on the Drive. A visit to the aquarium.
- 2 nights at Middle Beach Lodge in Tofino. A ferry ride from Horseshoe to Nanaimo (the kids loved being up on the deck). A stop at Cathedral Grove amongst the enormous trees. The best hotel ever - we had a cabin overlooking the ocean, with a loft where the kids slept, an outdoor jacuzzi tub, yummiest breakfasts ever. Walks on the beach, including the kids stripping down to nakedness and swimming in the tidal "pond" on the beach. Digging on Long Beach, watching the surfers and kiteboarders. Three days of beautiful weather, definitely a Tofino first.
- 4 nights at Luc and Lisa's. We almost moved to Port Alberni with them after residency! How different might our lives be now? Their kids were fantastic with ours - we haven't stopped talking about Sara, Eric and Max (some of whom are referred to as "the udder brudder"). It was great having some non-hotel time in the middle of the trip. And our hosts were so welcoming (not easy with our gang!).
- 6 more nights in Vancouver. Kate was at her conference most of the time (well, maybe half the time). The kids and I walked to Stanley Park most days and played at the playgrounds and beaches, rode the story train at the new First Nations Village. We had dinners of Malaysian, Ukrainian, Thai, and Naam.
The flights were easy. Zoë didn't make a squawk in either direction - she was a little squirmy but happy. And the twins were content to read books and stare at the tv screen (a rare treat). They were fantastic for the whole trip - traveling with them just gets easier and easier.
Vancouver was beautiful and urban and multicultural and healthy and fun. I had to remind myself that it's grey and miserable for 6 months every year!
I'll start with some 4th birthday photos and then work back through the trip...
- It always takes at least two photos to get all three kids looking at the camera
- Kate attempting some strange pagan ritual whereby the enormous earth was pushed around the tiny sun 4 times. I imagine Galileo had similar issues with his wife sometimes, but if he was wise he kept them to himself.
- Molly's face says it all - "yes we are the most spoiled 4 year olds in the world". Grammy and Aunt Beth share heavily in this spoiling.
- Crash mat to jump on off the dock. Hopefully not the beginning of a diving career to match their cousin Erin's!
- All other presents had to be ignored until bubbles were opened and blown
- M&J's new harp, which Jacob is now completely obsessed with. He has a bright red, blistered finger from playing it non-stop. He now plays with a guitar pick.
- Fifty blows for four candles. Better stick to the harp cause it doesn't look good for the trumpet
- Molly gets them all first try of course
- And Zoë is both effective and enthusiastic
Our trip consisted of
- 3 nights on the Gastown side of downtown Vancouver, amid the pre-Stanley Cup loss hype and excitement (we had skipped town prior to the "riot"). Rides on the Skytrain to our old 'hood on the Drive. A visit to the aquarium.
- 2 nights at Middle Beach Lodge in Tofino. A ferry ride from Horseshoe to Nanaimo (the kids loved being up on the deck). A stop at Cathedral Grove amongst the enormous trees. The best hotel ever - we had a cabin overlooking the ocean, with a loft where the kids slept, an outdoor jacuzzi tub, yummiest breakfasts ever. Walks on the beach, including the kids stripping down to nakedness and swimming in the tidal "pond" on the beach. Digging on Long Beach, watching the surfers and kiteboarders. Three days of beautiful weather, definitely a Tofino first.
- 4 nights at Luc and Lisa's. We almost moved to Port Alberni with them after residency! How different might our lives be now? Their kids were fantastic with ours - we haven't stopped talking about Sara, Eric and Max (some of whom are referred to as "the udder brudder"). It was great having some non-hotel time in the middle of the trip. And our hosts were so welcoming (not easy with our gang!).
- 6 more nights in Vancouver. Kate was at her conference most of the time (well, maybe half the time). The kids and I walked to Stanley Park most days and played at the playgrounds and beaches, rode the story train at the new First Nations Village. We had dinners of Malaysian, Ukrainian, Thai, and Naam.
The flights were easy. Zoë didn't make a squawk in either direction - she was a little squirmy but happy. And the twins were content to read books and stare at the tv screen (a rare treat). They were fantastic for the whole trip - traveling with them just gets easier and easier.
Vancouver was beautiful and urban and multicultural and healthy and fun. I had to remind myself that it's grey and miserable for 6 months every year!
I'll start with some 4th birthday photos and then work back through the trip...
- It always takes at least two photos to get all three kids looking at the camera
- Kate attempting some strange pagan ritual whereby the enormous earth was pushed around the tiny sun 4 times. I imagine Galileo had similar issues with his wife sometimes, but if he was wise he kept them to himself.
- Molly's face says it all - "yes we are the most spoiled 4 year olds in the world". Grammy and Aunt Beth share heavily in this spoiling.
- Crash mat to jump on off the dock. Hopefully not the beginning of a diving career to match their cousin Erin's!
- All other presents had to be ignored until bubbles were opened and blown
- M&J's new harp, which Jacob is now completely obsessed with. He has a bright red, blistered finger from playing it non-stop. He now plays with a guitar pick.
- Fifty blows for four candles. Better stick to the harp cause it doesn't look good for the trumpet
- Molly gets them all first try of course
- And Zoë is both effective and enthusiastic
Friday, June 10, 2011
Graduation Day
We are going to miss the last two weeks of nursery school as we're heading to BC. I'll try to post from there.
So today was Molly and Jacob's last day ever. Just as well since Molly declared yesterday that her legs had gotten too long for nursery school. Hard to believe they're off to junior kindergarten in the fall. Here's a picture of them with their 3 lovely teachers, Miss Laurie, Miss Brenda and Miss Lee.
And here are a few shots from the zoo trip on Wednesday...
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Ear Update
Molly's hearing has improved since the last time we visited the ENT specialist, so rather than schedule a tubes surgery we're scheduled to return in September to have her hearing checked again. Her hearing had been getting worse, but then a couple of weeks ago she felt it pop (we've been working on blowing a pinched nose - not easy on an almost 4 year old) and that seems to have helped a lot.
Sweltering hot morning at the zoo. The heat was broken up this afternoon and then again this evening by two massive thunderstorms. Unfortunately we had biked to a restaurant for dinner, so got a little soaked on the way home. Perhaps getting wet is good practice for Vancouver.
Sweltering hot morning at the zoo. The heat was broken up this afternoon and then again this evening by two massive thunderstorms. Unfortunately we had biked to a restaurant for dinner, so got a little soaked on the way home. Perhaps getting wet is good practice for Vancouver.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
First Beach Day of the Summer
Okay, you tell me how a day gets better than this...
- Morning at the beach. Jacob and Molly rode their bikes (with training wheels) without a word of complaint. I had to walk quickly to keep up, while pulling Zoë and our beach gear in the wagon. Kids played with friends and each other for several hours with almost no adult involvement. In and out of the lake. Digging holes. Other projects, intensely worked on, that no adult could comprehend.
- Hot afternoon at the splash pad. Chilling out.
- Evening watching the kids play soccer. Jacob scored his first goal. The score was probably about 10-10, so I wouldn't say our guys are dominating the sport, but so far they're having lots of fun. Zoë definitely wants in on the action.
- Kate's working tonight so I'm home alone. So, that's how the day could have been better.
Tomorrow we're flipping a coin to see who's heading to the local zoo with the nursery school and who's going to the ear doctor with Molly. Not sure which is the short straw there.
- Morning at the beach. Jacob and Molly rode their bikes (with training wheels) without a word of complaint. I had to walk quickly to keep up, while pulling Zoë and our beach gear in the wagon. Kids played with friends and each other for several hours with almost no adult involvement. In and out of the lake. Digging holes. Other projects, intensely worked on, that no adult could comprehend.
- Hot afternoon at the splash pad. Chilling out.
- Evening watching the kids play soccer. Jacob scored his first goal. The score was probably about 10-10, so I wouldn't say our guys are dominating the sport, but so far they're having lots of fun. Zoë definitely wants in on the action.
- Kate's working tonight so I'm home alone. So, that's how the day could have been better.
Tomorrow we're flipping a coin to see who's heading to the local zoo with the nursery school and who's going to the ear doctor with Molly. Not sure which is the short straw there.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Great Weekend
Which included a run with Kate on Friday, Federer's magical defeat of Djokovic, our first canoe trip with the kids (around Pumpkin Bay and under our bridge), watching some of the Pre Meet including Lagat's amazing kick in the 2-mile, a 5k running race, Fed's good effort against the King of Clay, an epic canoe trip to Moose Beach with a picnic and ice cream before the windy return trip.
Kate barely slept last night as she was on call, so I thought this might be my big chance to beat her in a race. I was ahead for 4k but she breezed by me and beat me by 6 seconds. Still, it was a born-again PB for me by 30 seconds (born-again, meaning that I'm not counting PBs from the 1980's when I was young, skinny and fast). Kate finished 2nd out of about 50 women and won a $25 MEC gift certificate. There goes her amateur status.
And here's a catch-up on some May photographs. I think this gets me kind of up to date.
- Japanese dinner in Bracebridge for my family dinner
- Cookie lollipops in the shapes of our favourite relatives
- Zoë rocking a new outfit from Grammy. While Molly gets as pink as possible.
- Will we get the training wheels off by the end of the summer? I'm betting yes.
- Will Zoë want "me too, me too, no training wheels" soon thereafter. Certainly.
- May 2-4 weekend. First dip in the lake for Kate and the twins. Zoë and I were too sensible.
- Our neighbours. Two families, each with 8-10 ducklings. Makes managing 3 kids seem rather laid-back.
- Obligatory, iconic twin photo
- Zoë and her bucket
Kate barely slept last night as she was on call, so I thought this might be my big chance to beat her in a race. I was ahead for 4k but she breezed by me and beat me by 6 seconds. Still, it was a born-again PB for me by 30 seconds (born-again, meaning that I'm not counting PBs from the 1980's when I was young, skinny and fast). Kate finished 2nd out of about 50 women and won a $25 MEC gift certificate. There goes her amateur status.
And here's a catch-up on some May photographs. I think this gets me kind of up to date.
- Japanese dinner in Bracebridge for my family dinner
- Cookie lollipops in the shapes of our favourite relatives
- Zoë rocking a new outfit from Grammy. While Molly gets as pink as possible.
- Will we get the training wheels off by the end of the summer? I'm betting yes.
- Will Zoë want "me too, me too, no training wheels" soon thereafter. Certainly.
- May 2-4 weekend. First dip in the lake for Kate and the twins. Zoë and I were too sensible.
- Our neighbours. Two families, each with 8-10 ducklings. Makes managing 3 kids seem rather laid-back.
- Obligatory, iconic twin photo
- Zoë and her bucket
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Photos From Toronto - Marathon Weekend
Oops, I seem to have fallen behind in my photos. Here goes...
Mom's photos from marathon weekend.
- At the botanical gardens with Joanna and Benjamin
- Parties at Wedges and Montana's. Cakes, cakes and more delicious cakes.
- Very wet marathon finish. Twins in our rainjackets. Me in red and Kate in purple, speeding towards the end.
Mom's photos from marathon weekend.
- At the botanical gardens with Joanna and Benjamin
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- Parties at Wedges and Montana's. Cakes, cakes and more delicious cakes.
- Very wet marathon finish. Twins in our rainjackets. Me in red and Kate in purple, speeding towards the end.
Thunder Bay Trip
We went to visit Kate's parents last week and spent most of the visit out at their camp. The good thing about Thunder Bay in late May is that it's still so freezing cold at night that the blackflies don't really get going until noon. So if you have kids who are up and at 'em by 6am, that's six whole hours of bug-free fun.
I jest (a bit). It was actually sunny and 15-17C most days and the kids were even brave enough to venture into the lake. Brent and Lois braved the elements in a tent, giving us free reign over the camp. We got spoiled with great meals and lots of time for exercising and relaxation.
- Here's the band doing some rehearsing. Artistic differences ensued.
- The kids got fishing rods for their upcoming birthday (so did I, but mine doesn't have a red, rubber fish pre-attached to the line). Possible bumper sticker for my in-laws: Fishing in a lake with no fish means never having your hopes dashed
- Boat photos. Zoë enjoying the ride. Molly and Jacob "driving" the boat.
- Exploring the Narrows near camp
- Relaxing at camp. Check out the view!
I jest (a bit). It was actually sunny and 15-17C most days and the kids were even brave enough to venture into the lake. Brent and Lois braved the elements in a tent, giving us free reign over the camp. We got spoiled with great meals and lots of time for exercising and relaxation.
- Here's the band doing some rehearsing. Artistic differences ensued.
- The kids got fishing rods for their upcoming birthday (so did I, but mine doesn't have a red, rubber fish pre-attached to the line). Possible bumper sticker for my in-laws: Fishing in a lake with no fish means never having your hopes dashed
- Boat photos. Zoë enjoying the ride. Molly and Jacob "driving" the boat.
- Exploring the Narrows near camp
- Relaxing at camp. Check out the view!
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