An Evening at High Park

Our family LOVES trips into the city and I like to think that we live in the perfect little town.  It's 1 hour to Muskoka where we love to engage in our "country side" and 1 hour to Toronto where we love the shopping, theatre, restaurants and parks.

One park we especially love is High Park!  Situated smack dab in the middle of the city it has one of THE BEST playgrounds we have yet to encounter.  And as you can see the kids thoroughly enjoyed their time there.

This boy loves to spin! Makes this Mama dizzy just watching him.....

This playground has GREAT towers!

This wall was challenging to both the kids!

Daddy to the rescue!

A monkey on the monkey bars!

I looked up to see this flock of geese flying overhead.....cool!

Guess What Level This Guy Is In

It's the level where you practice front glide

and front glide with kicks

and side glide assisted

and generally just have a splashin good time!

Great job in Level 2 this year Evan!!!!

Level 4 - Swimming Lessons

I absolutely LOVE being a cheerleader for my kids so I was super excited that last night was Parent's Night at Claire's swimming lessons.  Normally we have to sit up in the bleachers, which is ok, but not quite the same as being down on the deck.  Plus, last night parents were allowed to take photos! I was all over that one!!

So enjoy the pics of our little fish.  Her determination is inspiring and I have no doubt she will be flying through to the next level very soon!

Way to go Claire-Bear!!!!

Getting ready to swim the length of the olympic sized pool

1/2 way there and still smiling!

Tired with the end in sight!!

Way to go Claire - you did it!!

We love our little mermaid!

Just some sentences

I have forgotten how much energy it takes to bake a baby. And that baking a baby in your 20's is not like baking a baby in your 30's and DEFINITELY not like baking a baby in your 40's!

I have noticed that women who are 4 months pregnant with their 4th child should not attempt to play dodgeball with a yard full of 2 year olds who can now run faster than her!

I have realized that it is possible to primarily live on pineapple, popsicles and potatoes (the three P's!)....oh, and of course a good multi vitamin.

I have stiffled a chuckle when Evan declared that he went to school and told everyone that he sucked on my boobies when he was little! Good grief!!

I have smiled when Claire put her ear to my tummy and was absolutely sure she could hear her baby "sister?" swimming in there.

I have laughed when Adam did the same thing and swore he could hear something too......probably indigestion from eating too much pineapple!

I have forgotten what it's like to wake up 5 times a night thinking you are about to pee your pants only to find you need to tinkle a trickle!

I have appreciated my husband who brings me crackers, water, rubs my belly and thanks me countless times for carrying our baby.

I have felt tired, cranky and blessed to be given the opportunity to add to our family one more time and provide "baby Lauren" a sibling her age to experience childhood with.

Goodbye Brownies.....Hello Girl Guides

Presentation of badges and moving up to Guides ceremony

Goodbye Brownies!

Welcome Girl Guides!

Happy Mother's Day.....and the cats outta the bag

We headed north this weekend with kids, dog, bikes, flowers and a cooler full of food in tow.  Off to Gravenhurst to celebrate Dad's 78th birthday and Mother's Day. 

It's so hard to know what to give them every year!  Dad has never really been one to hint to what he really wants and while Mom is usually happy with whatever I still wanted to make the weekend different and fun!

Well, as luck would have it we were able to share some VERY exciting news..............and if you aren't sitting down then now would be a good time.

WE ARE EXPECTING AGAIN!!!!

I bit of a shocker to us as well but we have had 2 appointments and 1 ultrasound that happily shows our little "jelly bean" bouncing around in there!  So here I am in my 14th week and just nicely through the icky green months.  And now we are ready to shout it from the rooftops!!  ANOTHER BABY SIT!!!  WOOHOO!!!

Mom

Very good for my self esteem

Claire brought home some work from school yesterday that had been up on the classroom bulletin board since the first week of school. This time of year the teachers are always sending home piles of projects, worksheets and assignments that the kids have worked on during the year.  I usually take a quickie look through everything and then off it goes to the recycling bin (yes, I'm one of those moms who only keeps a selection of the years work and not everything).  I'm so glad I paused to read her writing asssignment titled "My Hero." Read on and you will see why I'm glad I took the time to read it...............