A Visit from the Grandparents.

The house is pretty quiet again after a week of having the grandparents visiting.  And we are missing them.  ChouChou and Fizey brightened our week with oranges and cuddles in bed in the morning with Gabriel, playing outside at the park in the snow, hockey in the basement, beautiful suppers, treats sneaked to Abe under the table, evening guitar duets and late evenings spent rocking the baby--our resident night owl.

Here are a few pictures that capture our week:

 

Aunt Minnie, cousins Bob and Denise stopped in for dinner one evening and was graced with Magdalene's late evening appearance and even gave a few smiles.

Gabriel kept wanting to switch between the guitars.  Surely he had the wrong one, since the other one always sounded better.  Grass is always greener Gabriel. 

 As always, we are grateful for all that you do while you are here!  There will be an orange sitting on your pillow and big hugs when you return.

You might also like:

• "Sharks!!"
• Gabriel is 2! 
• Two Pretty Great Weeks.
• Merry Christmas in Toronto.
• A Canadian Thanksgiving in the County 
• The AGO 
• More favorite cottage moments.
• Cottage Life Part 2 :)
• Cottage Life Part 1 :)
• Adventure into Alaska: Running through the Irises....
• A Keno Wedding: Kiss in the Mist.
• A Drive Into the Wild.
• The Land of the Midnight Sun

"Sharks!!"

With the grandparents in town this week, we took advantage of the extra hands to get out of the house and get down to the new Ripley's Aquarium.  Gabriel has been geared up all week to go.  He's been exclaiming loudly and which great excitement "shark!!! shark!!!"  Every fish in his picture books are sharks these days. 

When we got to the Aquarium, Gabriel wanted to tear around through the crowds looking at all the tanks of fish, his eyes bright and mouth gaped open in awe.  For a Wednesday morning, the place was a little insane--lots of people, and especially children from the various schools.  (I am not sure when a quiet time is, but definitely not the weekends and not, apparently, weekday mornings!)  So if you are going with a baby and a toddler, take another set of hands (or two) because there is no way to run fast enough after a toddler with a stroller through those crowds and it is pretty dimly lit.  I am so glad I brought the grandparents so Gabriel could run around looking while I took care of the baby.  I am certain we lost something (although I'm not sure what yet) but with all the people and low lighting, how could you not drop a glove or something).

We saw some amazing water creatures.  I think the most intriguing were the paddlenose fish.  Did you know that they live in the Great Lakes?!?!?  They look like some sort of mutated swordfish combined with a platypus.  And the sawfish that looks like a chainsaw (hence the name). 

The best feature of the Aquarium by far was the tunnel where we hopped on a conveyor belt and rode through while fish and sharks swam all around and above us.  I think for Gabriel, it was a mixture of awe and terror watching them swim around us.  He clung like a monkey to me, wrapping his arms and legs tight around my neck and body and wove his little fingers through my hair while he looked up at the trio of sharks collecting overhead.

Gabriel really loved seeing all those fish and sea creatures, so I am sure that "Finding Nemo" may be a favorite for awhile. 

You might also like:

• Fishies!
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Hockey Night. In our Basement.

It started out simply.  Two rolls of wrapping paper and a rubber ball in the kitchen.  Homemade hockey night.  When things started to get a little more intense we moved it to the basement, where there is more room and less things in the way (less things to break).  Then came the hockey jerseys we dug out of boxes in the basement--the one Gabriel is wearing was one from when Jordan was a kid.  Next some nets and miniature hockey sticks.  

Before, we knew it we are now down in the basement for several hours a day playing hockey while the baby sleeps and when dad comes home.  (Sometimes Magdalene joins us and cheers on her big brother from the sidelines).  It's hockey everything, which is pretty funny coming from a house that never really watches sports.  

 

In case you can't tell, Gabriel has got some moves. And he likes to congratulate and cheer for himself while he plays.  "Nicccceshhh!" he says and "Whooooooaa!"  It's never a quiet game as he shoots the ball towards the net and runs after it.  It's all macho and mayhem and hockey hair in the basement.   I think the boys may finally have their 'man cave' which is really handy since it's been so cold outside.

 

This boy is pretty happy about it.  Rest assured it you come over to visit he will clutch your hand and pull you towards the basement to come and play a game.  And if you grab a stick and get involved in the game, you are bound to be entertained.

You might also like:

• Homemade Hockey Sticks and Indoor Rinks.
• Baby it's Cold Outside. 
• Bowling with the Nana & Bumpa.