Week #3 of Summer Vacation

I feel the need to keep track of what we've been doing. We've been having lots of fun. Don't get me wrong, we DO have 'moments' during the day, especially while I'm trying to make dinner, and I think I am as tired as the kids are, at the end of the day, but it is great to be home!!

This week we are getting into a groove. Champlain Park is our staple, when there is nothing to do, we go for a dip in the pool. There are always friends there so the girls love it!

Monday, we eased into the week, had a slow morning, packed a lunch and spent the afternoon at the pool. There were about 15 kids the girls know, and they had a blast. It was almost 5pm when we got home. I love days like these.

Tuesday we met Alyssa, Avery and Mikaela at the Museum of Science and Tech. The girls keep asking when we are going to go back, so they enjoyed it. I for one, found it incredibly crowded with children. I guess that is what you get for going on a rainy day. After the museum, Lyss and I, took the girls to Cora's for lunch. You should have seen the looks we got. People's concern with how we were going to manage lunch with our 5 kids. It was quite good and enjoyable...I thought!

Wednesday Maya had a play with Cleo, while Tasha, Jaida and I walked to the grocery store, before heading to pick up the van from Servicing. Had a quick lunch, did some quick errands, before having water play in our backyard. Amazing how much fun you can having with a kiddie pool and a "crazy dragon flower" sprinkler...!

Today, thursday, we walked into Westboro, looking for "sandal shoes" (as Jaida calls them) for Natasha. Got a great deal on Teva's at Bushtukah... $27! Had lunch, put super duper whiny Jaida down for a nap. The girls are packing their in van 'travel' bags, as we are leaving for Fredericton tomorrow. After their bags get an "Amma check" we are going to head to the pool.

We are off to Fredericton tomorrow. We are going to attempt what the Keans do, and leave at 4am. We are going to stay with the Mason's for a night or two, then head to Fundy, where we've rented cottages with Grant's family, for 3 nights. Last time we did a long road trip...it was NOT enjoyable...this time will be different, right?

Week #2 of Summer Vacation

HEAT WAVE.... It was insanely hot here last week, and for the first time in a long time, I wasn't able to sleep at night, even with all the fans running. We managed to keep cool during the days, playing at parks, splashing in water and swimming at local pools. We live in a great city!!

We kept ourselves very busy and had loads of fun!
- Parks, swimming and splash pads. Brewer Park is fantastic!!
- a little Hip Hop and Jazz for Maya and Tasha
- Delicious Dosa dinner with friends, catered by my mom!!
- Parkdale Market shopping, coming home with only half the fruit I bought,
and I bought a LOT!!! Hungry monsters attacked the strawberries and
raspberries...!!
- Hailey's birthday party!!
- Little pool action and dinner at a friends house!
- Backyard camping for 2 nights. Great fun for the girls! Not restful for us!!
- Jaida at 10pm out of the blue singing "uh huh uh huh, I like it!"
and waking up in the morning saying "And tonight's gonna be a good good night..I got a feeling!"
- and as always impromptu dance parties...and ribbon dancing!!

We did have to say goodbye this week, to our good friends Sofia, Giorgia, Teresa and Corey, who are moving to Victoria. Maya and Sofia have been great friends since Junior Kindergarten, they even have matching rain boots and rain jackets! We'll keep in touch!

All in all, it was a great week of fun!!

First week of Summer Vacation...

I have been looking forward for summer vacation for approximately the last 2 months. Waking everyone up and rushing the kids out of the house, packing lunches and running around for drop-offs and pick-ups was starting to wear on everyone...So when school school finished on June 25th I was thinking, ahh...relaxation time is here.

Here is a quick summary of the first week of summer vacation, followed by more details, mostly for my own recollection.

- picnics and swimming at the Park
- Perth Kilt Run
- house warming, Birthday party and BBQ
- Express renewal of Passports!!!
- hosted a Farewell dinner party with 13 kids!!! Where the parents DID get to sit
down for a meal!! The benefits of older children!!
- CANADA DAY downtown!!
- 3 kids with fevers
- NIAGARA FALLS!!!!
- spent the afternoon with relatives, including my dad's 2 sister's from India!!
- discovered 2 new wines that I liked! (not with the 'madi' relatives of course!)
- and back home to a 34 degree house...!!


Here are more details...

June 25th - Last day of school
- I had 4 four/five year olds over for an afternoon play
- walked everyone to school to pick-up Maya from school
- headed for a celebration picnic to Gatineau Park with Sofia and family. It was great, even Ajji learned how to throw a football. I hate to say, she is almost as good as I am!!!

Saturday June 26th
- relaxing morning, followed by a great afternoon/evening/night in Perth, to watch Kev BEAT Grant in the "Guiness Book of World Record - Perth Kilt Run"
- the evening was capped off with some Highland dancing followed by a 10pm Dairy Queen visit in Perth.

Sunday June 27th
- 9:00am House warming celebration at my sister's new house. That's right, 9am!!! I was hard getting the kids up and out after a late night!!
- after the house warming, the girls had a birthday party at the Science museum, and straight from there, we headed to the Keans for a BBQ to visit with the Masons..!!! Another late night, but was great to visit with everyone...

Monday June 28th
- woke up to Jaida having a fever...she was pretty happy, though it did explain her behavior for the days past.
- Maya woke up at 10:20am, and Tasha at 10:50am!!!! There sure were tired!!!
- we wandered to MEC, lunch and Starbucks with the Masons
- swimming at Champlain Park

Tuesday June 29th
- found out my aunts from India wanted to meet us in Niagara Falls
- Grant and I had to renew our passports, in a hurry!!!
- more swimming...at the park!

Wednesday June 30th
- took the girls the grocery story and LCBO, where they provided free and LOUD YMCA lessons to the customers as they entered!!
- Have you ever surounded your toddler in a double Chariot filled with Beer and wine? oh the looks you get!!
- Hosted farewell dinner, loads of kids and lots of fun!!!

CANADA DAY
- downtown Ottawa, wandering the streets. Got stuck in crowds of people, and met up with the Steiro's.
- found some Hip Hop dancers by the NAC, and the girls danced away!!
- came home to a Natasha with a raging fever!!

July 2nd
- woke up to find out that Maya too had a raging fever
- got everyone 'Advil'ed up and in the car headed to Niagara
- stopped at Maleta's winery for a tasting
- my sister stopped at Thirty Bench, where she bought delicious Riesling!
- stayed in Niagara on the Lake for 2 nights, and wandered around Old Town

July 3rd
- Headed to the American side to meet up with my relatives
- first time seeing the Falls from the 'other' side.
- saw the Falls at night, with the lights and caught some GREAT fireworks!

July 4th
- wandered around Old Town, Niagara on the Lake
- stopped at the Ravine vineyard for lunch - delicious and great place for kids to play!
- here I found more delicious Riesling!!!
- back home to Ottawa...to a hot hot house!

July 5th
- woke up to a nice warm house...pretty sure I have just stopped sweating!!!
- we spend the hottest part of the day at the Park, swimming and playing in the shade...

It has been a great week, busy but so nice for the kids to be out of school!!! Life is pretty good...!

Perhaps I'll post some pictures soon...