Canada Day

My girl waiting for pancakes at the church Canada Day breakfast.
























Juju monkey playing golf with Daddy at the lpga display. The nice ladies gave my kiddos some of those clubs to take home since we were there at closing:)

My beloveds in front of the Legislature building.






















Watching the fireworks.



JuJu Monkey fast asleep during the fireworks.



Hope everyone had a celebratory Canada Day! We haven't ventured far from home the last few years, but when I was in Calgary last month, Heidi and I took a little jaunt to Gymboree and I bought Baby Girl a cute Canada Day outfit. So of course I wanted to take her out and show her off;) After church and a shopping misadventure, we headed down to the arts festival downtown in the square. As I am walking around pushing the toddlers in the Chariot, a grandfatherly type-gentleman stops me and says, "They will grow up and take care of all your needs and desires when you are our age, it is wonderful." I start to smile and he says. "No they won't, but it is a nice dream to get your through the next few years." and he and his wife chuckled heartily. I had a great laugh. But now this morning as I think about it I think of it as a reminder to not forget the elderly people in my life. My parents are still really young, but I have grandparents and my dh's extended family that at least would like our attention if not our help.

The kids walked around enjoying the sights and sounds, then the kids took part in some activities. The babies golfed and the big boys played chess and we wandered city hall. When we came out our Spidey boy was not playing chess with his big brother anymore. We got a little freaked and had to go looking for him. Thankfully he was safe and sound, he was looking for us. So he got a lecture he has heard a few times in his almost 10 years. STAY PUT! don't wander! argh, scary for mommy.
All the kids couldn't wait to jump around in the water fountains. Daddy told them we would go back to the van and grab their swimsuits and come back and splash. We also wanted to go down to the Legislature grounds and maybe over to V. park to take in the festivities over there. We started walking, taking a detour through E. Centre to use the facilities. While we were in there, Daddy suggested feeding them supper since it was around that time. At first I resisted, thinking they had eaten not that long ago, but then I remembered they ate lunch early and it probably was a good idea.
Instead Daddy started walking and we followed. All the way to the Leg. without stopping to get the swimsuits or food or cash. By the time we got down there we were all hot, tired, and a bit surly. I stood in line for the bathrooms for half an hour, and when I came out the family was all gone. I called dh and found he had gone down the pedways to the lrt station looking for an atm-that wasn't there. argh.
When they made their way back to me, we wandered around outside for awhile. More fountains the kids want to splash in and still no suits. Vendors selling ice-cream and hotdogs and still no cash. So what do we decide to do? Take the lrt back to the van and get their suits and feed them. It was a day of indecision and time wasting. Dh decided that instead of going outside the car park and taking the kids for some food, and to splash in the fountains, we would walk through the pedways and back into Ed Centre to eat at the food court. Of course the food court was closed. Now I am a bit frustrated. Not feeling so celebratory. My feet hurt. I am surrounded by 4 hungry, tired and sweaty children. We need to stop and feed them. Dh starts back through the pedways. I put my foot down and insist we go outside and find some food. We walk 2 blocks down to the restaurant I saw on the way to the Leg. Huge line-up. So we head back towards the Churchill square to let them splash and eat from the food vendors there. We pass the movie theatre and half a block later dh suggests taking the kids to the movie and feeding them hotdogs and passing the few hours til the fireworks start. I ask the kids if they want to do this and get excited yes's! So we turn around again, lol.
We go watch Ratatouille, which is more than a little disturbing to me after this week, but cute movie. Daddy gets them some junk, the hotdogs sell out before he gets to the front of the line, argh. He does get some a bit later when they make some more. It was nice to sit for a bit, in the cool. I was sure the girl would go to sleep while we sat in the dark, but once Daddy brought some food, she was no longer sleepy.

She did eventually have a nap, so did my Monkey boy. When we loaded them back into the Chariot to walk down to the Leg ground for the fireworks, juju didn't even wake up. (this was after driving back home to change) We decided to watch the fireworks from in front of the fountain that sits at the bottom of the Legislature steps, so we could see the beautiful building with the fireworks behind. It was so pretty and far enough away that baby girl wasn't afraid of the noise-she loved the lights and juju slept through the whole thing. Spidey was bored and played in the fountain.

All in all it was a fun day celebrating Canada's birthday.