Santa Claus is coming, strike that..... has BEEN to town! The dust has finally settled after a busy few days and I am enjoying the chance to sit here with a cup of tea and unwind. (Aren't laptops great - what did we do before we could work on a couch??) Anyway, let's rewind a week or so....
The first event on the week's calender was the school Christmas party. Knowing that 2 babies at such an event would be very hard work, I arranged a babysitter, and after being at the party I was pretty happy with my decision.The staff at the party did a great job. Each group of tables had a different Christmas themed activity, so Miss 3 and I made decorations, coloured pictures and decorated Christmas tree shaped Rice Krispy (Rice Bubbles to us Aussies!) treats (which lasted about 1 minute!) Then, we ate party food! What more could you want as a 3 year old? After that, the parents were treated to some singing of carols in the gym, complete with the shaking of jingle bells.Very cute.
We had a big dump of snow finally which was fantastic. It was snowman time! We tried the method we'd been told, which was to roll a snowball, then roll it on the ground. It works, but blimey it gets big and heavy quickly - especially when your only helper is a 3 year old! Great fun though. It was also great to just play in the snow with Miss 3...."Mum, throw snowballs at me!" "Ok!!" It'll be fantastic next year when the twins are old enough to run around outside too. Especially if they can figure out how to put their own mittens on, although not likely!
It ws a Saturday evening and we took the mob across the street to have drinks with the neighbours. Great fun, even if the children did demolish the cheese with their hands! I also got my neighbour hooked on my homemade rum balls :) We came home, ate dinner and my sister and I decided that we couldn't let all those warm-up drinks go to waste so we headed out on the town for some drinks and dancing. We'd quizzed the neighbour to figure out where would be good to go, and after having a classy cocktail, we went to a lounge/club type venue with 3 floors with 3 different types of music. We thought it would only be fair to have a drink on each level :) Our final destination was the top floor which had the best dance floor, and was where we stayed until home time, in spite of some very 'interesting' characters!
I think that as a mum it's important to go out dancing all night now and again... if just to remind yourself why you don't do it every weekend :) The next day my feet and knees hurt and I was damn tired! Thankfully, we had no real plans, so I was able to sleep it off before Christmas Eve. It was pretty cold that day, so my sister, Miss 3 and myself spent the day making bright coloured paper chains to hang around all the windows. They looked particularly good behind the Christmas tree if I do say so myself! Before bed, we arranged all the presents under the tree (always gives me a tingle of anticipation) and made sure that 'Santa' had his treats of a Freddo Frog and juice. (Miss 3's rationale - I really like these things so Santa will too.)
Christmas Day itself passed in a whir of wrapping paper, food, drink and new toys. Probably much the same as other families! Although one big difference from most Aussie families was that we all really enjoyed having hot food - a refreshing change from salads! There is nothing quite like hot roast turkey with gravy and roast veg. We had cranberry on the side too, which the kids loved. After a big, late lunch it was cheese and crackers for dinner - again! Oh well, it is the silly season :) Unfortunately, there was no snow on the day; so we'll have to hope for next year.
Boxing Day is apparantly sledding day for a few families with young kids in this neighbourhood. So off we trekked to Rideau Hall, the home of the Governor General. And when I say trekked, I mean walked a block :) Apart from the brisk air (-12) it was a beautiful sunny day. We were happy to discover that Miss 3 is quite fearless scooting down a hill; it should make our February skiing holiday more fun. We were also happy to discover how easy it is to pull a kid along in a sled.
So... that was Christmas 2012 for us here in Ottawa. Not much planned for tomorrow, just a little flight to NEW YORK CITY with my sister for a girls trip!! No, not excited at all!! Although, I must confess it will be weird to be away from the kids. I have done the right thing though, and set up play dates for hubby and kids so that he doesn't get cabin fever. I'm fairly sure that the few days will go pretty quickly for me at least. So, off to bed I go and I'll fill you in on NYC later.
Night, night!
Wednesday 26 December 2012
Tuesday 18 December 2012
'Tis the season.....
a) to have sniffles?
b) to go it alone?
c) to have a house guest?
d) to eat and drink too much?
e) to deal with ice and snow?
f) for the man in the red suit?
g) all of the above?
And the answer is g! In a way a lot has happened since my last post, but at the same time not very much. The dreaded winter cold hit our house with a vengeance, about 3 times now I think. Of course, not everyone gets sick at once: all the kids take turns, followed by the adults. By the time everyone is finally healthy, another cold comes home! I do of course know exactly how to avoid getting sick, but as that involves never, ever leaving the house with the kids and never, ever inviting anyone over, we are happy to take the risk :)
Hubby has been busy with work over the last couple of months, with 2 work trips in 3 weeks in November. That included a week overseas, which to be honest seemed to involve as much beer, food, nights out and sightseeing as actual work. (We'll see how long until he reads this and complains to me!!) To be honest I was a little worried about doing it alone with all the kids. Being a twin dad, hubby is pretty hands on and the logistics of getting 14 month old twins and a 3 and a half year old to bed every night can be a little daunting. Thankfully, the kids were mostly good, I got a little extra babysitting help and a plus was that I caught up on lots of rom coms. (Yes, I can be such a girl sometimes.) The only real downer was on his second trip away (thankfully only 3 nights) where I injured my ribs on the first night. (Short version: I had a cold and coughed while twisting to pick up a cuppa. I wouldn't recommend it.) Repeatedly picking up kids, in and out of prams and cars, high chairs and bathing - all quite painful. Luckily a few trips to the physio have made a huge difference. I still can't believe that I managed to do it to be honest!
December arrived and with it an Aussie visitor - a beloved aunt (my sister). Miss 3 came to the airport and was unbelievably excited - ran over and leapt into Aunty's arms for a very long hug with the biggest grin on her face. Of course now my poor sister now has a little voice in her ear all day every day, and even at midnight last night! We've had a chat about that :) We probably haven't done as much sightseeing as I'd hoped we might (see point a, and also some pretty cold days where little kids get cranky being out too long) but we made a good afternoon of it today traipsing around the city in the endlesss snow, rain and slush. At least it was warm - 0 degrees! And so what if all the photos have a carpet of white falling from the sky? At least there is no doubt as to when we were out and about! Anyway, the damp, slushy weather wasn't anything a Beavertail (a local treat, kind of like a flat donut) in the afternoon didn't fix.
And this leads nicely into d....eating and drinking too much. Something we all tend to do at this time of year; thanks to Jane Caro for a quote I read in The Age "If you don't put on weight during the festive season you're doing it wrong." It's also something we tend to do when we have a house guest. (Wine and cheese before dinner anyone? Out for dinner shall we? Movie munchies perhaps?) In fact, we did just have wine and cheese for dinner the other night - a 'quiet' evening with another family of 5 but we figure that the hommus with baby carrots made it a balanced meal. So much for setting a good example for your children! Even playgroup is a source of too much food, beacuse of course we had a Christmas party where everyone brought a plate (potluck as they call it in these parts) which of course were plates of biscuits and crackers and cake. (Oh my!) This week also brings a school Christmas party and drinks with the neighbours, so I may need to live on water and carrot sticks inbetween!
So there is no doubting that winter has arrived. The temperature has been more variable then I thought it would be with maximums anything from -8 to 4 over the last couple of weeks. Still, it is the sort of weather where you make sure that you have hats, coats gloves/mittens for everyone ready to go on and a snowsuit for Miss 3 for school so she can play outside. (Gosh it doesn't take long at all to get the kids out the door..................) One thing you don't think about as an Aussie (well, it doesn't come naturally to me anyway) is that you also need to consider the time it takes to get the car ready. A morning of 0 or so with fluffy snow is fine; you start the car and it is just about warm enough to drive after brushing off the snow. Colder takes longer, ice can take a while. We also have a tall car, making it impossible for me to effectively clean anything off the roof, so I end up with a constant drip of water on the windscreen, with the odd chunk of ice sliding down. We have quickly become thankful that we live on a bus route as it means our road is always cleared straight away. Interesting fact; the wiper fluid that is rated to -40 is explosive. Don't think I'd want that under the bonnet in Australia somehow....
So, kids and Christmas, you have to see the man in the red suit. We trekked to the local 'mall' to have our visit and photo and I have to say they had a fantastic set-up. When Santa arrived, the queue was let through into his little, circular area, where the line then waited around the back of Santa's chair. Around here was a slide, snowmen with benches for photo ops, a DVD playing, igloos for the kids to crawl in and out of - in short a genius idea. The kids were all amused waiting and the time went so much faster,even if a lot of them were pretty excitable by the time they reached Santa. Sadly, the twins decided that they didn't like Santa (screaming in unison anyone?) but Miss 3 leapt onto his knee for the first time ever and had a lovely chat. Of course, then Santa turned up at the playgroup Christmas party, and while happy with her book, she was wondering what happened to the Lego she asked for. Nothing a quick explanation that Santa saves the best gifts for the big day didn't fix! Wouldn't it be nice to be that innocent again?
So, that's about that. I'm actually looking forward to a quiet day at home tomorrow (well, as quiet as a day at home can be!) given that next week will be busy. I'm also hoping to redeem myself after falling a little short in mother of the year today. I somehow didn't quite click the child gate on the stairs this morning, and the twins who have always in the past enjoyed pushing it shut to hear the click, today made a break for it up the stairs. I had one on the landing and one near the top (where the world is not very child-proofed and Miss 3 keeps her little toys) when Miss 3 casually called out "Mum - my sisters are up the stairs!" Cue heart attack for mum! They were not happy about getting caught to be honest - not sure what their plan was! I also didn't hear Miss 3 get up at midnight and come down to see her aunty, after which she decided to sleep on the couch?? At least she used a blanket I guess! Needless to say, I will do better tomorrow!
So off to bed I go so I can be alert and ready! Merry Christmas, and wish us snow everyone :)
b) to go it alone?
c) to have a house guest?
d) to eat and drink too much?
e) to deal with ice and snow?
f) for the man in the red suit?
g) all of the above?
And the answer is g! In a way a lot has happened since my last post, but at the same time not very much. The dreaded winter cold hit our house with a vengeance, about 3 times now I think. Of course, not everyone gets sick at once: all the kids take turns, followed by the adults. By the time everyone is finally healthy, another cold comes home! I do of course know exactly how to avoid getting sick, but as that involves never, ever leaving the house with the kids and never, ever inviting anyone over, we are happy to take the risk :)
Hubby has been busy with work over the last couple of months, with 2 work trips in 3 weeks in November. That included a week overseas, which to be honest seemed to involve as much beer, food, nights out and sightseeing as actual work. (We'll see how long until he reads this and complains to me!!) To be honest I was a little worried about doing it alone with all the kids. Being a twin dad, hubby is pretty hands on and the logistics of getting 14 month old twins and a 3 and a half year old to bed every night can be a little daunting. Thankfully, the kids were mostly good, I got a little extra babysitting help and a plus was that I caught up on lots of rom coms. (Yes, I can be such a girl sometimes.) The only real downer was on his second trip away (thankfully only 3 nights) where I injured my ribs on the first night. (Short version: I had a cold and coughed while twisting to pick up a cuppa. I wouldn't recommend it.) Repeatedly picking up kids, in and out of prams and cars, high chairs and bathing - all quite painful. Luckily a few trips to the physio have made a huge difference. I still can't believe that I managed to do it to be honest!
December arrived and with it an Aussie visitor - a beloved aunt (my sister). Miss 3 came to the airport and was unbelievably excited - ran over and leapt into Aunty's arms for a very long hug with the biggest grin on her face. Of course now my poor sister now has a little voice in her ear all day every day, and even at midnight last night! We've had a chat about that :) We probably haven't done as much sightseeing as I'd hoped we might (see point a, and also some pretty cold days where little kids get cranky being out too long) but we made a good afternoon of it today traipsing around the city in the endlesss snow, rain and slush. At least it was warm - 0 degrees! And so what if all the photos have a carpet of white falling from the sky? At least there is no doubt as to when we were out and about! Anyway, the damp, slushy weather wasn't anything a Beavertail (a local treat, kind of like a flat donut) in the afternoon didn't fix.
And this leads nicely into d....eating and drinking too much. Something we all tend to do at this time of year; thanks to Jane Caro for a quote I read in The Age "If you don't put on weight during the festive season you're doing it wrong." It's also something we tend to do when we have a house guest. (Wine and cheese before dinner anyone? Out for dinner shall we? Movie munchies perhaps?) In fact, we did just have wine and cheese for dinner the other night - a 'quiet' evening with another family of 5 but we figure that the hommus with baby carrots made it a balanced meal. So much for setting a good example for your children! Even playgroup is a source of too much food, beacuse of course we had a Christmas party where everyone brought a plate (potluck as they call it in these parts) which of course were plates of biscuits and crackers and cake. (Oh my!) This week also brings a school Christmas party and drinks with the neighbours, so I may need to live on water and carrot sticks inbetween!
So there is no doubting that winter has arrived. The temperature has been more variable then I thought it would be with maximums anything from -8 to 4 over the last couple of weeks. Still, it is the sort of weather where you make sure that you have hats, coats gloves/mittens for everyone ready to go on and a snowsuit for Miss 3 for school so she can play outside. (Gosh it doesn't take long at all to get the kids out the door..................) One thing you don't think about as an Aussie (well, it doesn't come naturally to me anyway) is that you also need to consider the time it takes to get the car ready. A morning of 0 or so with fluffy snow is fine; you start the car and it is just about warm enough to drive after brushing off the snow. Colder takes longer, ice can take a while. We also have a tall car, making it impossible for me to effectively clean anything off the roof, so I end up with a constant drip of water on the windscreen, with the odd chunk of ice sliding down. We have quickly become thankful that we live on a bus route as it means our road is always cleared straight away. Interesting fact; the wiper fluid that is rated to -40 is explosive. Don't think I'd want that under the bonnet in Australia somehow....
So, kids and Christmas, you have to see the man in the red suit. We trekked to the local 'mall' to have our visit and photo and I have to say they had a fantastic set-up. When Santa arrived, the queue was let through into his little, circular area, where the line then waited around the back of Santa's chair. Around here was a slide, snowmen with benches for photo ops, a DVD playing, igloos for the kids to crawl in and out of - in short a genius idea. The kids were all amused waiting and the time went so much faster,even if a lot of them were pretty excitable by the time they reached Santa. Sadly, the twins decided that they didn't like Santa (screaming in unison anyone?) but Miss 3 leapt onto his knee for the first time ever and had a lovely chat. Of course, then Santa turned up at the playgroup Christmas party, and while happy with her book, she was wondering what happened to the Lego she asked for. Nothing a quick explanation that Santa saves the best gifts for the big day didn't fix! Wouldn't it be nice to be that innocent again?
So, that's about that. I'm actually looking forward to a quiet day at home tomorrow (well, as quiet as a day at home can be!) given that next week will be busy. I'm also hoping to redeem myself after falling a little short in mother of the year today. I somehow didn't quite click the child gate on the stairs this morning, and the twins who have always in the past enjoyed pushing it shut to hear the click, today made a break for it up the stairs. I had one on the landing and one near the top (where the world is not very child-proofed and Miss 3 keeps her little toys) when Miss 3 casually called out "Mum - my sisters are up the stairs!" Cue heart attack for mum! They were not happy about getting caught to be honest - not sure what their plan was! I also didn't hear Miss 3 get up at midnight and come down to see her aunty, after which she decided to sleep on the couch?? At least she used a blanket I guess! Needless to say, I will do better tomorrow!
So off to bed I go so I can be alert and ready! Merry Christmas, and wish us snow everyone :)
Tuesday 13 November 2012
Halloween
I begin by saying, well done Ottawa, well done. We had heard that our neighbourhood was one of the best to experience this tradition and it didn't disappoint. Signs began appearing early - zombie hands in garden beds, bloody handprints on doors and of course that universal symbol of Halloween the pumpkin. There were actually a lot of community events we didn't even attend for reasons various. But anyway, onto what we did do.
The week began with a playgroup Halloween party. It was great for Miss 3 to get another wear out of her (very girly I might say) pirate costume, and who doesn't like party food? That afternoon, hubby got to work carving out pumpkins. The type of pumpkin used over here costs about $3, has very soft flesh that just scoops out, and seeds which are delicious roasted. I was very impressed with the final result - 2 pumpkin faces and my favourite, a haunted castle. (In fact, my favourite of all the pumpkins I saw.)
And so the big day arrived. I hung some orange and black tinsel on the porch, stocked the 'candy' bowls and fielded yet another enquiry from Miss 3 as to whether it was time to get dressed into costume. Finally, a pirate and a witch set off, with loot bag in hand.
Our first stop was actually at the Opposition Leader's house. We went with our neighbour writes for an online political magazine, so was checking out the local government figures. All I know is that it was a grand and beautiful house, filled with lots of cowboys as well as other costumes, and Miss 3 and her friend were delighted to get a second treat bag when the photographer missed them getting candy from the opposition leader the first time! From there we really just did a block. The rule was that if there was a pumpkin (or decoration of some sort) out the front and a light was on then you knocked. There were a lot of doors answered! There were screams coming from the Governor-General's (they pay actors and set up a haunted house) so we erred on the side of caution and gave it a miss with our little kids. The queue for the Prime Minister's was long all night, so that was missed too. Apart from a fall (who doesn't stack it running to get more candy from the next house?) and a quick trip home to re-gather spirits, I think Miss 3 had as much fun as she's ever had! And where were the twins in all this? Too little to go trick or treating they were at home as hubby handed out just a bit of candy ( I mean about 400 pieces!!) trying to escape out the door every time it opened :)
Then, just to top the week off, hubby and I went to a grown-up Halloween party the following weekend. Alcohol and fancy dress - what's not to like! It was great for us to be able to get into the spirit of it too, so the Excutioner and the Fortune Teller had fun and were a little tired the next day.
So, that's about that. It's so good when something lives up to your expectations. Not much to report since then, except cold weather. I've now done the walk to school in -3 and the forecast high for Thursday is 0. A flurry of snow caught us by surprise at the shops today too - I don't think the twins knew what to think!
Off now to continue my role as domestic goddess; I'm baking for my book club tomorrow. The next report will likely be the arrival of winter....brrrrrrr.....
(Note: I apologise for the frequent use of the word 'candy' but it is quicker and easier then writing chocolates and lollies.)
The week began with a playgroup Halloween party. It was great for Miss 3 to get another wear out of her (very girly I might say) pirate costume, and who doesn't like party food? That afternoon, hubby got to work carving out pumpkins. The type of pumpkin used over here costs about $3, has very soft flesh that just scoops out, and seeds which are delicious roasted. I was very impressed with the final result - 2 pumpkin faces and my favourite, a haunted castle. (In fact, my favourite of all the pumpkins I saw.)
And so the big day arrived. I hung some orange and black tinsel on the porch, stocked the 'candy' bowls and fielded yet another enquiry from Miss 3 as to whether it was time to get dressed into costume. Finally, a pirate and a witch set off, with loot bag in hand.
Our first stop was actually at the Opposition Leader's house. We went with our neighbour writes for an online political magazine, so was checking out the local government figures. All I know is that it was a grand and beautiful house, filled with lots of cowboys as well as other costumes, and Miss 3 and her friend were delighted to get a second treat bag when the photographer missed them getting candy from the opposition leader the first time! From there we really just did a block. The rule was that if there was a pumpkin (or decoration of some sort) out the front and a light was on then you knocked. There were a lot of doors answered! There were screams coming from the Governor-General's (they pay actors and set up a haunted house) so we erred on the side of caution and gave it a miss with our little kids. The queue for the Prime Minister's was long all night, so that was missed too. Apart from a fall (who doesn't stack it running to get more candy from the next house?) and a quick trip home to re-gather spirits, I think Miss 3 had as much fun as she's ever had! And where were the twins in all this? Too little to go trick or treating they were at home as hubby handed out just a bit of candy ( I mean about 400 pieces!!) trying to escape out the door every time it opened :)
Then, just to top the week off, hubby and I went to a grown-up Halloween party the following weekend. Alcohol and fancy dress - what's not to like! It was great for us to be able to get into the spirit of it too, so the Excutioner and the Fortune Teller had fun and were a little tired the next day.
So, that's about that. It's so good when something lives up to your expectations. Not much to report since then, except cold weather. I've now done the walk to school in -3 and the forecast high for Thursday is 0. A flurry of snow caught us by surprise at the shops today too - I don't think the twins knew what to think!
Off now to continue my role as domestic goddess; I'm baking for my book club tomorrow. The next report will likely be the arrival of winter....brrrrrrr.....
(Note: I apologise for the frequent use of the word 'candy' but it is quicker and easier then writing chocolates and lollies.)
Sunday 14 October 2012
Fall
Ah - fall. It's funny, but initially I rebelled against the term 'fall'. Come on people, it's autumn - right? But now I find myself speaking about 'fall'. The name makes so much more sense here then back in Australia. For one, the leaves 'fall' from the trees at quite a rate. If it's windy, you look at the window to see raining leaves. The other good reason for the name: the temperature fairly plummets over the course of a few weeks. We counted 6 weeks between using our air conditioning and using our heating. I sit here now (in a cosy house) as rain 'falls' outside on a 5 degree day. We even had a brief flurry of snow 'fall' during the week. So....fall it is.
One of the most exciting thing about fall for our 3 year old is school. Nursery school here has lots of options - children can do anything from 2 half days to 5 full days. We chose 2 full days. (Mostly because I don't want to be walking up and back every few hours :) It's about me too - right?) Miss 3 talks about her teachers all the time. She comes home with lots of artwork (fridge space is tight), new songs and stories of her exciting days. She is not the kid that hangs on to mum or dad not wanting to start the school day. Quite the contrary - I have to remind her to say goodbye sometimes! I must confess that it is exciting for me to have some quieter time with just the twins too. She is also taking a dance class one afternoon - and I'm actually teaching it! It seemed like a good idea at the time. I had actually forgotten though, how difficult it can be for 3, 4 and 5 year olds to concentrate - especially at the end of a long school day. Felt a little shell-shocked after the first lesson, but week 2 was better. Hoping for a steady improvement!
With the start of the school year, comes the start of playgroups and other activities. It would be quite easy to book myself up every day, but I just go to one playgroup with all the kids, and one with just the twins. The theory was, that by taking just the twins to a playgroup I'd be able to relax a bit and chat with the other mums. That is not what's happened. The fact is, that Miss 3 is so happy to be at playgroup and play with other kids that she is no trouble at all. The twins are actually harder work at the playgroup without her (a familar face) to watch running around. I must confess that I'm looking forward to the separation anxiety passing.
A big community event here (all the neighbourhoods do one at some time during the year) is the community garage sale. Literally the whole neighbourhood gets involved - loads of houses have stalls, community groups have stalls, bake sales, or sell coffee and hot dog vans turn up to join in the fun. We wandered around for an hour or so. We managed to pick up some great kids stuff, and I found a couple of good books too. The bonus was that most things we bought were a dollar or less. A great community event - if only they did stuff like that at home.
We miss free TV. In the beginning we were paying the minimum for cable TV here as we couldn't see the point in having hundreds of channels. However - when we lost the only good sports channel we had, hubby took action and we ended up with a lot more channels - most pointless, but some good. One massive bonus was that we now had the channel that screens AFL football. They show the games live, which is normally about 2 in the morning, so we'd tape games, avoid facebook and watch them later in the day. We decided that it was our duty to indoctrinate Canadians into the game so we had a grand final lunch. An added point of interest for the Canadians, is that there was actually a Canadian playing; Mike Pyke an ex-rugby player. I'm pleased to report that they were all very impressed with the game and couldn't believe how fit and skilled the players are. I think we'll be able to convince them to watch more games next season.
But, one of the most exciting things about fall so far, is that it brought a visitor from Australia. It was great to have one of my oldest friends here for a few days, and she paid for the guest room with a large jar of vegemite :) We drove down to Brockville (south of here, on the St Lawrence river which forms a border with the US) and did a cruise. The region is famous for the 1000 Islands (there are actually more) and it's a nice day out, seeing some of the islands and the holiday cabins people build on them. (Yes, you can buy an island.) I also took the opportunity to have a night out; we had a great dinner in a restaurant with nice ambience, yummy food and a cute and flirty waiter. Good times.
Well I think it's time to sign off for now. We are currently bracing ourselves for Halloween, so I'l report on how that goes. But with the cold, rainy weather today, I might take myself to the couch with a good book :)
Au revoir!
One of the most exciting thing about fall for our 3 year old is school. Nursery school here has lots of options - children can do anything from 2 half days to 5 full days. We chose 2 full days. (Mostly because I don't want to be walking up and back every few hours :) It's about me too - right?) Miss 3 talks about her teachers all the time. She comes home with lots of artwork (fridge space is tight), new songs and stories of her exciting days. She is not the kid that hangs on to mum or dad not wanting to start the school day. Quite the contrary - I have to remind her to say goodbye sometimes! I must confess that it is exciting for me to have some quieter time with just the twins too. She is also taking a dance class one afternoon - and I'm actually teaching it! It seemed like a good idea at the time. I had actually forgotten though, how difficult it can be for 3, 4 and 5 year olds to concentrate - especially at the end of a long school day. Felt a little shell-shocked after the first lesson, but week 2 was better. Hoping for a steady improvement!
With the start of the school year, comes the start of playgroups and other activities. It would be quite easy to book myself up every day, but I just go to one playgroup with all the kids, and one with just the twins. The theory was, that by taking just the twins to a playgroup I'd be able to relax a bit and chat with the other mums. That is not what's happened. The fact is, that Miss 3 is so happy to be at playgroup and play with other kids that she is no trouble at all. The twins are actually harder work at the playgroup without her (a familar face) to watch running around. I must confess that I'm looking forward to the separation anxiety passing.
A big community event here (all the neighbourhoods do one at some time during the year) is the community garage sale. Literally the whole neighbourhood gets involved - loads of houses have stalls, community groups have stalls, bake sales, or sell coffee and hot dog vans turn up to join in the fun. We wandered around for an hour or so. We managed to pick up some great kids stuff, and I found a couple of good books too. The bonus was that most things we bought were a dollar or less. A great community event - if only they did stuff like that at home.
We miss free TV. In the beginning we were paying the minimum for cable TV here as we couldn't see the point in having hundreds of channels. However - when we lost the only good sports channel we had, hubby took action and we ended up with a lot more channels - most pointless, but some good. One massive bonus was that we now had the channel that screens AFL football. They show the games live, which is normally about 2 in the morning, so we'd tape games, avoid facebook and watch them later in the day. We decided that it was our duty to indoctrinate Canadians into the game so we had a grand final lunch. An added point of interest for the Canadians, is that there was actually a Canadian playing; Mike Pyke an ex-rugby player. I'm pleased to report that they were all very impressed with the game and couldn't believe how fit and skilled the players are. I think we'll be able to convince them to watch more games next season.
But, one of the most exciting things about fall so far, is that it brought a visitor from Australia. It was great to have one of my oldest friends here for a few days, and she paid for the guest room with a large jar of vegemite :) We drove down to Brockville (south of here, on the St Lawrence river which forms a border with the US) and did a cruise. The region is famous for the 1000 Islands (there are actually more) and it's a nice day out, seeing some of the islands and the holiday cabins people build on them. (Yes, you can buy an island.) I also took the opportunity to have a night out; we had a great dinner in a restaurant with nice ambience, yummy food and a cute and flirty waiter. Good times.
Well I think it's time to sign off for now. We are currently bracing ourselves for Halloween, so I'l report on how that goes. But with the cold, rainy weather today, I might take myself to the couch with a good book :)
Au revoir!
Monday 3 September 2012
Shopping in the USA (and other stuff)
My dad thought it was pretty funny that we were planning a holiday. "But you just got there!"Admittedly, it wasn't that long since we arrived in the land of the maple leaf, but hubby had been working for 11 or 12 weeks and we wanted to get away and do some outlet shopping to prepare ourselves for winter. There was mixed success, but still a good week away.
On the Monday, we headed south and went to Upper Canada Village before crossing the border. It's a collection of old buildings from over 100 years ago, and people work as they would have at the time. We visited the old school (girls on the right, boys on the left), saw a blacksmith at work, were sure to get out of the way of the horse and cart, saw wool being spun and the flour and saw mills at work. They actually make enough flour and bread to use at the cafes there, as well as having extra to sell. There was also a family centre with lots of activities for kids. It was a good day out, and Miss 3 quite enjoyed herself. It's just a shame that the twins aren't yet old enough to enjoy that sort of day out.
From there, the drive was not how we wanted it to be. There was traffic holding us up, it took us a while to cross the border and it turns out that the twins are not the good travellers that we hoped they'd be. Oh well. After having to stop for dinner on the road (not the plan!) we made it to the hotel in one piece. Tuesday was outlet shopping. We managed to do most of a day with all the kids, but left before 3 to get everyone back to the hotel. On Thursday, hubby and I shopped in shifts - I have never bought so much in 3 hours before in my life. Lots of bargains, including $45 snow booots and a down jacket, so I'm feeling a little more prepared for winter. (Although the weather is still warm here - it's hard to believe how cold it will get!) Hubby didn't have quite as much success, but that's what happens when you have giant feet! Sadly, there was not much luck buying winter clothes for the kids, but we did buy them some other cute stuff - planning for next summer.
On the Wednesday we did a little sightseeing. We were staying in Waterloo (west of Syracuse) which is in the Finger Lakes region. We went to the Seneca Lake National Park and they had a fantastic water playground for kids. Miss 3 had a ball running around in the streams of water. She loved it so much, she didn't want to leave, even though she was shivering and getting tired. Quite a scene (which can be quite embarrassing). She'd been so good at the start of the week, but was beginning to get a bit worn out.
The trip home was thankfully more pleasant. We just stopped in Syracuse and found a shopping centre that had an old-fashioned merry-go-round in the food court. (Nothing like the promise of a ruide to ensure a 3 year old will behave!) With coffee and lunch sorted, we were ready to head home, and thankfully only had to make 1 stop. It is always nice to get home; especially with kids - they are so much less trouble at home in their own environment.
A week after we got home, the twins had their first birthday.Woohoo - we survived a year with twins! It ended up being a quiet affair - but presents and cake are always good. That night, hubby and I went out for dinner to a restaurant that specialised in BBQ meat. Hubby had a full rack of baby back ribs, and I had a tasting plate of ribs, chicken and beef brisket. We foolishly ordered plenty of sides too. It was delicious, but I think we both ate tooo much! While we digested, we checked out Mosaika, a free sound and light show projected into Parliament Hill (good, but very Canadian!) and finished the night with a Beavertail and a walk home.
It's the Labour Day public holiday here, so it's been pretty quiet. Tomorrow, school starts, so I'm looking forward to Miss 3 getting out - she gets bored with me at home! Unitl next time :)
On the Monday, we headed south and went to Upper Canada Village before crossing the border. It's a collection of old buildings from over 100 years ago, and people work as they would have at the time. We visited the old school (girls on the right, boys on the left), saw a blacksmith at work, were sure to get out of the way of the horse and cart, saw wool being spun and the flour and saw mills at work. They actually make enough flour and bread to use at the cafes there, as well as having extra to sell. There was also a family centre with lots of activities for kids. It was a good day out, and Miss 3 quite enjoyed herself. It's just a shame that the twins aren't yet old enough to enjoy that sort of day out.
From there, the drive was not how we wanted it to be. There was traffic holding us up, it took us a while to cross the border and it turns out that the twins are not the good travellers that we hoped they'd be. Oh well. After having to stop for dinner on the road (not the plan!) we made it to the hotel in one piece. Tuesday was outlet shopping. We managed to do most of a day with all the kids, but left before 3 to get everyone back to the hotel. On Thursday, hubby and I shopped in shifts - I have never bought so much in 3 hours before in my life. Lots of bargains, including $45 snow booots and a down jacket, so I'm feeling a little more prepared for winter. (Although the weather is still warm here - it's hard to believe how cold it will get!) Hubby didn't have quite as much success, but that's what happens when you have giant feet! Sadly, there was not much luck buying winter clothes for the kids, but we did buy them some other cute stuff - planning for next summer.
On the Wednesday we did a little sightseeing. We were staying in Waterloo (west of Syracuse) which is in the Finger Lakes region. We went to the Seneca Lake National Park and they had a fantastic water playground for kids. Miss 3 had a ball running around in the streams of water. She loved it so much, she didn't want to leave, even though she was shivering and getting tired. Quite a scene (which can be quite embarrassing). She'd been so good at the start of the week, but was beginning to get a bit worn out.
The trip home was thankfully more pleasant. We just stopped in Syracuse and found a shopping centre that had an old-fashioned merry-go-round in the food court. (Nothing like the promise of a ruide to ensure a 3 year old will behave!) With coffee and lunch sorted, we were ready to head home, and thankfully only had to make 1 stop. It is always nice to get home; especially with kids - they are so much less trouble at home in their own environment.
A week after we got home, the twins had their first birthday.Woohoo - we survived a year with twins! It ended up being a quiet affair - but presents and cake are always good. That night, hubby and I went out for dinner to a restaurant that specialised in BBQ meat. Hubby had a full rack of baby back ribs, and I had a tasting plate of ribs, chicken and beef brisket. We foolishly ordered plenty of sides too. It was delicious, but I think we both ate tooo much! While we digested, we checked out Mosaika, a free sound and light show projected into Parliament Hill (good, but very Canadian!) and finished the night with a Beavertail and a walk home.
It's the Labour Day public holiday here, so it's been pretty quiet. Tomorrow, school starts, so I'm looking forward to Miss 3 getting out - she gets bored with me at home! Unitl next time :)
Sunday 19 August 2012
Busy life
Well, I've been meaning to write for a couple of weeks now. I feel a bit like a naughty student who has been avoiding her homework. In my defence, Ottawa and the people who live here do seem to arrange an endless merry-go-round of social events. There have even been lots of events in our neighbourhood that we didn't go to, such as the Lumiere Lanterns and the fireworks festival. I think that everyone is making the most of summer before the long winter that we'll face.
One of the first thing we did with free time on a weekend was visit the Governor General's to see the changing of the guard. (Yes - full red uniforms, bagpipes and all.) His residence, Rideau Hall is....hmm... let's see, at least a 5 minute walk from our house :) (We can hear the bagpipes from our backyard.) There is also a great kids playground, so Miss 3 was well entertained and the twins happily sat on a picnic rug and watched the world go by.
The following week, hubby had to go away for work, but I easily kept myself entertained. Visitors for coffee, playgroup and summer camp meant that the week flew by. I also arranged a teenage babysittter for one afternoon; I took myself out for a coffee and read a book in peace and quiet - bliss! We tried out another babysitter (because we can!) on Saturday night and went out for dinner. I had the Kitchen's Choice - I had no idea what I'd be eating until it turned up at the table! It was fish and it was delicious. I was also impressed with the price of cocktails :) It was a busy weekend - we also managed to get a last minute babysitter on Sunday so we could go out for drinks for one of hubby's work friend's birthday. I was stuffed on Monday!
More of the same followed the next week. Miss 3 is still loving summer school (lots of play and art from what she tells me) and we had visitors for morning tea and went to playgroup. On the weekend, I went to a Van Gogh exhibition at the National Gallery with a group of other Aussie women here for postings. The exhibition was nice, but I think I enjoyed the coffe and chat beforehand and the lunch afterwards more! My uncle and his wife (Canadian relatives yes - but a long story) came to stay with us on the Saturday night - so more wine and food. Although the drinking done on the next weekend took me back to my youth! An English couple had a drinks party. Yes - that's right, just come over and drink, the sort of thing you'd do BC (before children). The delicious strawberry gin cocktail I was handed at the start signalled a great night, and only the fact that we had a 15 year old babysitter dragged us home.
The next week was quieter during the day (just playgroup and summer camp) but there were other interesting events. The first was that I joined a gym. I actually had no intention of joining, but it was cheaper to do that, then to go to one casual class during the week. Odd? I think so! I was also invited to a book club, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It's such a refreshing change as a stay at home mum to actually get out and talk about something other then kids. The week was followe by the biggest weekend I've had in a while. On Friday evening we had our neighbours over for a drink. They have daughters similar ages to ours, like a drink at the end of the week and live across the street - perfect! Saturday night we had hubby's work friends over for dinner. I knew it was a good night when we ran out of red wine. One of those nights when everyone is chatting about anything and everything and the time flies. It was hard to pull up for Sunday - we had an Aussie couple and their daughter over for lunch. Next time I think I need to stretch out our social engagements!
Thankfully the next week was much quieter although with summer camp finishing and no playgroup on, it was looking a bit dull. I did arrange visitors though (Miss 3 loves an audience) and I thought a trip to Ikea would make for a fun morning. The plan was to drop Miss 3 off at the playground, meander around and pick up a couple of things I needed, then have meatballs for lunch. Well, at least the meatballs worked out. The playground was closed, and Miss 3 did not react well. I was extremely close to leaving, but couldn't face the thought of getting her back into the car! Apparantly, someone had an accident in the ball pit the prevous day and it takes 6 hours to clean and sanitise. Whie I find it reassuring that they do take care with the cleaning, I was not happy about dealing with the resulting tantrum! Thankfully, she decided that she did want meatballs for lunch and I managed to get her around the shop to get what I needed. I think next time I'll call first!
This has ended up being a quiet weekend which is kind of nice. It gives us the time to just play with the kids. The twins are on the move since my last entry - what started as rolling and dragging themselves around the floor has become proper crawling for T1 and a fast commando style for T2. It's cute to watch and they are happy to be able to get to things. Unfortunately, I now need eyes in the back of my head! Luckily, Miss 3 is a good big sister and will let me know what they're up to.
Well, it's getting late here (well, late for someone who'll be up to kids in the morning) so I think it's time to sign off. I'll try not to be so tardy with my next entry!
One of the first thing we did with free time on a weekend was visit the Governor General's to see the changing of the guard. (Yes - full red uniforms, bagpipes and all.) His residence, Rideau Hall is....hmm... let's see, at least a 5 minute walk from our house :) (We can hear the bagpipes from our backyard.) There is also a great kids playground, so Miss 3 was well entertained and the twins happily sat on a picnic rug and watched the world go by.
The following week, hubby had to go away for work, but I easily kept myself entertained. Visitors for coffee, playgroup and summer camp meant that the week flew by. I also arranged a teenage babysittter for one afternoon; I took myself out for a coffee and read a book in peace and quiet - bliss! We tried out another babysitter (because we can!) on Saturday night and went out for dinner. I had the Kitchen's Choice - I had no idea what I'd be eating until it turned up at the table! It was fish and it was delicious. I was also impressed with the price of cocktails :) It was a busy weekend - we also managed to get a last minute babysitter on Sunday so we could go out for drinks for one of hubby's work friend's birthday. I was stuffed on Monday!
More of the same followed the next week. Miss 3 is still loving summer school (lots of play and art from what she tells me) and we had visitors for morning tea and went to playgroup. On the weekend, I went to a Van Gogh exhibition at the National Gallery with a group of other Aussie women here for postings. The exhibition was nice, but I think I enjoyed the coffe and chat beforehand and the lunch afterwards more! My uncle and his wife (Canadian relatives yes - but a long story) came to stay with us on the Saturday night - so more wine and food. Although the drinking done on the next weekend took me back to my youth! An English couple had a drinks party. Yes - that's right, just come over and drink, the sort of thing you'd do BC (before children). The delicious strawberry gin cocktail I was handed at the start signalled a great night, and only the fact that we had a 15 year old babysitter dragged us home.
The next week was quieter during the day (just playgroup and summer camp) but there were other interesting events. The first was that I joined a gym. I actually had no intention of joining, but it was cheaper to do that, then to go to one casual class during the week. Odd? I think so! I was also invited to a book club, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It's such a refreshing change as a stay at home mum to actually get out and talk about something other then kids. The week was followe by the biggest weekend I've had in a while. On Friday evening we had our neighbours over for a drink. They have daughters similar ages to ours, like a drink at the end of the week and live across the street - perfect! Saturday night we had hubby's work friends over for dinner. I knew it was a good night when we ran out of red wine. One of those nights when everyone is chatting about anything and everything and the time flies. It was hard to pull up for Sunday - we had an Aussie couple and their daughter over for lunch. Next time I think I need to stretch out our social engagements!
Thankfully the next week was much quieter although with summer camp finishing and no playgroup on, it was looking a bit dull. I did arrange visitors though (Miss 3 loves an audience) and I thought a trip to Ikea would make for a fun morning. The plan was to drop Miss 3 off at the playground, meander around and pick up a couple of things I needed, then have meatballs for lunch. Well, at least the meatballs worked out. The playground was closed, and Miss 3 did not react well. I was extremely close to leaving, but couldn't face the thought of getting her back into the car! Apparantly, someone had an accident in the ball pit the prevous day and it takes 6 hours to clean and sanitise. Whie I find it reassuring that they do take care with the cleaning, I was not happy about dealing with the resulting tantrum! Thankfully, she decided that she did want meatballs for lunch and I managed to get her around the shop to get what I needed. I think next time I'll call first!
This has ended up being a quiet weekend which is kind of nice. It gives us the time to just play with the kids. The twins are on the move since my last entry - what started as rolling and dragging themselves around the floor has become proper crawling for T1 and a fast commando style for T2. It's cute to watch and they are happy to be able to get to things. Unfortunately, I now need eyes in the back of my head! Luckily, Miss 3 is a good big sister and will let me know what they're up to.
Well, it's getting late here (well, late for someone who'll be up to kids in the morning) so I think it's time to sign off. I'll try not to be so tardy with my next entry!
Thursday 12 July 2012
House and kids
Well, I'm writing this a bit later then I had planned. Now we're in our house, with some kind of normal routine, I don't think I'll be writing as often. A daily schedule of nappy changes, housework and play isn't all that exciting. However, it's been a busy fortnight getting here.
The plan was to move in over the course of 2 days, and be completely sorted at the end of those days.(Optimistic? Yes!) Our furniture was supposed to arrive early Tuesday morning mostly assembled, so we'd just have to put a few things together (Ikea of course!) and be ready for our consignment from Australia on Wednesday. Hubby left the hotel early Tuesday, and rode to the house. When I arrived at 10am, I was surprised to find that nothing had arrived. After a trip to Costco to stock up on non-perishables, I returned to find hubby surrounded by boxes that contained our dining setting, as well as many more boxes from Ikea. We also had a problem, as due to the sloping ceiling in the main bathroom, the bed head and frame didn't fit. We now have a matttress ensemble on the floor. Needless to say, that when our stuff arrived on the Wednesday, I was trying to unpack alone as the endless furniture assembly went on. A week later, I finally unpacked the last of the clothes. Whew!
On a sad note, Mum headed home on the day we moved in. Poor thing - she had to help us get sorted in the house, and never got to stay there! I soon realised just how much help she'd been when hubby went to work and it was just me and the kids. Three against one isn't good odds! Miss 3 had also really enjoyed having Grandma around as a captive audience. Oh well, thank goodness for Skype.
We were really lucky with our house in lots of ways - great location, good yard, beautifully renovated. The other bonus was that the owners who vacated are actually moving to Singapore. This meant that they left loads of stuff behind. Kids winter clothes, trampoline, a swing set and loads of toys and other clothes. The first day here, Miss 3 was so excited she didn't know what to do with herself: swing, trampoline, tree fort, toy kitchen.... In other news fron the world of Miss 3, she started summer school (at the school she's starting in September) for 1 day a week. She was so excited to start today (I think she gets a bit bored with just mum) and was very proud that she opened a banana and unwrapped her sandwich by herself.
News of the twins - I don't think they've had much of a mention in this blog! They are good (apart from a cold) and seem to be enjoying the new surrounds and a wider range of toys. The funny thing is meal time. For the first time, they have quite compact high chairs so can sit very close to one another. They began by pulling hair and holding hands. Then the figured out they could pull each other's bibs off. They are also supposed to eat while doing this! The other night, we were outside (lovely summer evening) when T1 pulled her bib off and started shaking it around. T2 watched with interest and finally succeeded in grabbing it off her. T1 promtly burst into tears. So T2 gave it straight back and T1 smiled. Very cute!
Only one day until the weekend. It should be nice, as we have nothing we have to do. We'll probably explore our local neighbourhood instead. I'll post again a few weeks, when hopefully I'll have something goood to write about!
The plan was to move in over the course of 2 days, and be completely sorted at the end of those days.(Optimistic? Yes!) Our furniture was supposed to arrive early Tuesday morning mostly assembled, so we'd just have to put a few things together (Ikea of course!) and be ready for our consignment from Australia on Wednesday. Hubby left the hotel early Tuesday, and rode to the house. When I arrived at 10am, I was surprised to find that nothing had arrived. After a trip to Costco to stock up on non-perishables, I returned to find hubby surrounded by boxes that contained our dining setting, as well as many more boxes from Ikea. We also had a problem, as due to the sloping ceiling in the main bathroom, the bed head and frame didn't fit. We now have a matttress ensemble on the floor. Needless to say, that when our stuff arrived on the Wednesday, I was trying to unpack alone as the endless furniture assembly went on. A week later, I finally unpacked the last of the clothes. Whew!
On a sad note, Mum headed home on the day we moved in. Poor thing - she had to help us get sorted in the house, and never got to stay there! I soon realised just how much help she'd been when hubby went to work and it was just me and the kids. Three against one isn't good odds! Miss 3 had also really enjoyed having Grandma around as a captive audience. Oh well, thank goodness for Skype.
We were really lucky with our house in lots of ways - great location, good yard, beautifully renovated. The other bonus was that the owners who vacated are actually moving to Singapore. This meant that they left loads of stuff behind. Kids winter clothes, trampoline, a swing set and loads of toys and other clothes. The first day here, Miss 3 was so excited she didn't know what to do with herself: swing, trampoline, tree fort, toy kitchen.... In other news fron the world of Miss 3, she started summer school (at the school she's starting in September) for 1 day a week. She was so excited to start today (I think she gets a bit bored with just mum) and was very proud that she opened a banana and unwrapped her sandwich by herself.
News of the twins - I don't think they've had much of a mention in this blog! They are good (apart from a cold) and seem to be enjoying the new surrounds and a wider range of toys. The funny thing is meal time. For the first time, they have quite compact high chairs so can sit very close to one another. They began by pulling hair and holding hands. Then the figured out they could pull each other's bibs off. They are also supposed to eat while doing this! The other night, we were outside (lovely summer evening) when T1 pulled her bib off and started shaking it around. T2 watched with interest and finally succeeded in grabbing it off her. T1 promtly burst into tears. So T2 gave it straight back and T1 smiled. Very cute!
Only one day until the weekend. It should be nice, as we have nothing we have to do. We'll probably explore our local neighbourhood instead. I'll post again a few weeks, when hopefully I'll have something goood to write about!
Monday 2 July 2012
Canada Day!
Well, we'd heard that Ottawa was the place to be on Canada Day - as the nation's capital there were lots of events planned. We'd also been informed by a local that patriotism was up since their involement in war in the middle east, and also hosting an Olympics in 2010 (where they actually managed to win some medals). We were excited about the weekend ahead.
A good omen appeared on Saturday - we managed to buy some cheddar cheese that was yellow (instead of a bizarre orange) and actually tasted like proper cheese! The humble ham and cheese sandwich suddenly tasted much better. Another exciting event was managing to get a phone contract - I've been feeling a bit naked without a phone. Back at the hotel, we could see everyone setting up for the festivities, and it was looking good.
Canada Day dawned warm and sunny. We headed off to a city park that was staging some child friendly events. The thing that stood out as we walked, was that we were the only people not wearing red and white. Thousands of people on the streets, and all wearing their nation's colours. Very impresive. We'll be sure to blend in better next year! First on the agenda at the park - face painting. It was all Canadian themes. So Miss 3 didn't get the tiger face that she had hoped for, but was a vision in red, white and sparkles, including red hair with a white maple leaf. Even I joined in - there were many adults with full face paint and coloured hair.
There was a giant dance class, blow-up horses to bounce and race around, as well as lots of other displays and food and drink. The twins were pretty good, just hanging out in the pram and watching the world go by. Apart from Miss 3 deciding that the ice cream I'd bought her as a treat was too cold (too young for the cold? Just too precious I think!) a fun time was had by all.
A quiet afternoon at the hotel was in order, and after some Timmies to recharge (as well as pizza and beer) we headed out to the free night concert. Optimistically, we took Miss 3, we thought she'd enjoy gettting out and there were fireworks at the end.But after 20 minutes in a crowd, with only repetitive dance music, she wanted to go home. Luckily for me, hubby took her home so that I could stay and enjoy the show. (He'd seen a shorter concert at midday when I was taking kids home.) I'm glad he did, the opening act was Sinple Plan and they were great. The other acts were hit and miss for me, so we left before the end to get a good vantage point for the fireworks.
Ah, fireworks. What is it about fireworks that makes you feel like a kid again? There we were, grown adults, surrounded by other grown adults, gaping open-mouthed at the sky. Ooh, aah, I like that one! A great end to the night.
But it wasn't the end of the weekend. With a public holiday, we headed to the zoo, as it was another beautiful warm sunny day. The zoo was quite small, but great for kids - it had a petting zoo area where you could feed animals, as well as being able to view other animals getting fed throughout the day. It was also great to see animals you wouldn't see at home; although the coyote looked nothing like Wile-E :)
And so ends the weekend! We are currently getting sorted out in preparation for our move into our house - finally! I'll let you know how that goes next week...
A good omen appeared on Saturday - we managed to buy some cheddar cheese that was yellow (instead of a bizarre orange) and actually tasted like proper cheese! The humble ham and cheese sandwich suddenly tasted much better. Another exciting event was managing to get a phone contract - I've been feeling a bit naked without a phone. Back at the hotel, we could see everyone setting up for the festivities, and it was looking good.
Canada Day dawned warm and sunny. We headed off to a city park that was staging some child friendly events. The thing that stood out as we walked, was that we were the only people not wearing red and white. Thousands of people on the streets, and all wearing their nation's colours. Very impresive. We'll be sure to blend in better next year! First on the agenda at the park - face painting. It was all Canadian themes. So Miss 3 didn't get the tiger face that she had hoped for, but was a vision in red, white and sparkles, including red hair with a white maple leaf. Even I joined in - there were many adults with full face paint and coloured hair.
There was a giant dance class, blow-up horses to bounce and race around, as well as lots of other displays and food and drink. The twins were pretty good, just hanging out in the pram and watching the world go by. Apart from Miss 3 deciding that the ice cream I'd bought her as a treat was too cold (too young for the cold? Just too precious I think!) a fun time was had by all.
A quiet afternoon at the hotel was in order, and after some Timmies to recharge (as well as pizza and beer) we headed out to the free night concert. Optimistically, we took Miss 3, we thought she'd enjoy gettting out and there were fireworks at the end.But after 20 minutes in a crowd, with only repetitive dance music, she wanted to go home. Luckily for me, hubby took her home so that I could stay and enjoy the show. (He'd seen a shorter concert at midday when I was taking kids home.) I'm glad he did, the opening act was Sinple Plan and they were great. The other acts were hit and miss for me, so we left before the end to get a good vantage point for the fireworks.
Ah, fireworks. What is it about fireworks that makes you feel like a kid again? There we were, grown adults, surrounded by other grown adults, gaping open-mouthed at the sky. Ooh, aah, I like that one! A great end to the night.
But it wasn't the end of the weekend. With a public holiday, we headed to the zoo, as it was another beautiful warm sunny day. The zoo was quite small, but great for kids - it had a petting zoo area where you could feed animals, as well as being able to view other animals getting fed throughout the day. It was also great to see animals you wouldn't see at home; although the coyote looked nothing like Wile-E :)
And so ends the weekend! We are currently getting sorted out in preparation for our move into our house - finally! I'll let you know how that goes next week...
Monday 25 June 2012
Kids, colds and festivals
Are we locals yet? Maybe when we actually move into our house we will be. I am looking forward to starting 'normal' life here; living in a hotel just isn't quite right. Living in the city has been kind of fun, but it really isn't the greatest with kids.
The twins have actually been pretty easy. They are happy hanging out on the floor with toys and each other for company, rocking on al fours and wriggling backwards everywhere. A 3 year old is not so easily entertained. So we found the closest park, which is nice and only a few blocks away. However, leaving the park is a problem. We haven't been back since, when leaving, she ran towards the road (a busy city street) refusing to hold my hand for safety. The walk home was embarrassing to say the least - I'm sure that people we walked past were convinced I was abducting her as she was protesting so vigourously! Maybe I'll have the strength to try again this week.
I also think that a slightly different diet has had an effect on the twins. Together with the terrible quality of the nappies (I'm not kidding - they don't keep baby bums dry at all) it leads to terrible nappy rash. After a week long battle, I think we finally have it under control. Maybe it's a conspiracy with the 'diaper' companies and the nappy rash cream companies, as we seem to be using more of both in an effort to keep bums healthy.
A shocking cold has also put a damper on the week. Hubby brought it home from work, and the kids had it, now I've spent the last 3 days unable to smell, or breathe through my nose. I suspect the first year will be bad as we will be exposed to lots of new germs. I shudder to think what winter will be like with a child collecting germs at school. So far Gramdma has escaped, and I'm crossing everything that she stays healthy, as she is doing lots to help me out!
Because summer is short here, they go mad with festivals and events during the warm months. Last weekend, we went out to an Italian Festival, which also had a cycling race through the middle of it. The dragon boats were on this weekend, as well as a Teddy Bear's Picnic at the Governor General's residence. The Jazz Festival is also on this week. The only problem with this, is that it's impossible to get a park if you go anywhere! After a failed attempt to see the dragon boats (shuttle buses don't work well with twin prams) we eventually got a park near what will be our local playground. We will be more prepared next year.
So, I'm hoping that everyone gets healthy for next weekend - it's Canada Day! Until then...
The twins have actually been pretty easy. They are happy hanging out on the floor with toys and each other for company, rocking on al fours and wriggling backwards everywhere. A 3 year old is not so easily entertained. So we found the closest park, which is nice and only a few blocks away. However, leaving the park is a problem. We haven't been back since, when leaving, she ran towards the road (a busy city street) refusing to hold my hand for safety. The walk home was embarrassing to say the least - I'm sure that people we walked past were convinced I was abducting her as she was protesting so vigourously! Maybe I'll have the strength to try again this week.
I also think that a slightly different diet has had an effect on the twins. Together with the terrible quality of the nappies (I'm not kidding - they don't keep baby bums dry at all) it leads to terrible nappy rash. After a week long battle, I think we finally have it under control. Maybe it's a conspiracy with the 'diaper' companies and the nappy rash cream companies, as we seem to be using more of both in an effort to keep bums healthy.
A shocking cold has also put a damper on the week. Hubby brought it home from work, and the kids had it, now I've spent the last 3 days unable to smell, or breathe through my nose. I suspect the first year will be bad as we will be exposed to lots of new germs. I shudder to think what winter will be like with a child collecting germs at school. So far Gramdma has escaped, and I'm crossing everything that she stays healthy, as she is doing lots to help me out!
Because summer is short here, they go mad with festivals and events during the warm months. Last weekend, we went out to an Italian Festival, which also had a cycling race through the middle of it. The dragon boats were on this weekend, as well as a Teddy Bear's Picnic at the Governor General's residence. The Jazz Festival is also on this week. The only problem with this, is that it's impossible to get a park if you go anywhere! After a failed attempt to see the dragon boats (shuttle buses don't work well with twin prams) we eventually got a park near what will be our local playground. We will be more prepared next year.
So, I'm hoping that everyone gets healthy for next weekend - it's Canada Day! Until then...
Saturday 16 June 2012
Settling in
Well, another week has passed here in picturesque Ottawa. It is a nice place and every day we're finding new things to do and getting more comfortable driving around. That said, driving hasn't been all smooth sailing...
So, we were heading to playgroup in the area where we will be living. The kids were in the back, and my mum was watching the GPS to make sure we didn't miss a turn. Either it was my imagination, or the GPS took us past the street a couple of times before it finally took us there. Fast forward a few days and the same GPS drove us around in circles on the opposite side of the road to our destination. I soon decided that my guesswork would do a better job of getting us there. Thankfully, that GPS is now back with the hire car and we have our own for our new car.
The Honda Odyssey we bought is great - very comfortable. We did find out though, that is was originally bought in Quebec. Hubby discovered that when he was reached for the manual (to rearrange seats) and found all of the text in French. Now, as my French lessons did not have a unit on cars and mechanics, this was not particularly helpful. Thanks god for diagrams. Another small problem is that the car park under the hotel is fairly tight, and if you actually park between the lines, odds are the doors (sliding doors mind you) won't open without hitting a pole. Oh well, we'll just be car park hogs.
A couple of things have struck me as odd this week. The playgroup we went to was fantastic, no question, but I found the craft session strange. Instead of glitter, the kids used crushed up fruit loops and cheerios. Safer? Perhaps. But where's the fun in that! Unless it was designed to be edible? The paper would be tasteless though, surely. The othet strange thing is kids clothing size. Now I know my kids are tall for their age, but I couldn't believe that I bought my 3 year old size 5 bathers. Maybe we just breed then tall down under.
And finally, an issue I'd like some opinions on. The diferent vocabulary is starting to be tricky for Miss 3. Muesli is granola,, nappies are diapers, capsicums are peppers, cots are cribs, rubbish is garbage and a footpath is a sidewalk to name a few. Part of me wants to hold on tight to the Aussie language - she is Australian after all. The other part of me realises that we're living here and she needs to be understood by people (especially her teachers when she starts school) so talk like a local. Being so young she'll likely end up with a bit of an accent anyway. Realistically I'm unlikely to have a say in the matter - she's fairly determined and headstrong so my opinion will make no difference to how she talks!
More news next week :)
So, we were heading to playgroup in the area where we will be living. The kids were in the back, and my mum was watching the GPS to make sure we didn't miss a turn. Either it was my imagination, or the GPS took us past the street a couple of times before it finally took us there. Fast forward a few days and the same GPS drove us around in circles on the opposite side of the road to our destination. I soon decided that my guesswork would do a better job of getting us there. Thankfully, that GPS is now back with the hire car and we have our own for our new car.
The Honda Odyssey we bought is great - very comfortable. We did find out though, that is was originally bought in Quebec. Hubby discovered that when he was reached for the manual (to rearrange seats) and found all of the text in French. Now, as my French lessons did not have a unit on cars and mechanics, this was not particularly helpful. Thanks god for diagrams. Another small problem is that the car park under the hotel is fairly tight, and if you actually park between the lines, odds are the doors (sliding doors mind you) won't open without hitting a pole. Oh well, we'll just be car park hogs.
A couple of things have struck me as odd this week. The playgroup we went to was fantastic, no question, but I found the craft session strange. Instead of glitter, the kids used crushed up fruit loops and cheerios. Safer? Perhaps. But where's the fun in that! Unless it was designed to be edible? The paper would be tasteless though, surely. The othet strange thing is kids clothing size. Now I know my kids are tall for their age, but I couldn't believe that I bought my 3 year old size 5 bathers. Maybe we just breed then tall down under.
And finally, an issue I'd like some opinions on. The diferent vocabulary is starting to be tricky for Miss 3. Muesli is granola,, nappies are diapers, capsicums are peppers, cots are cribs, rubbish is garbage and a footpath is a sidewalk to name a few. Part of me wants to hold on tight to the Aussie language - she is Australian after all. The other part of me realises that we're living here and she needs to be understood by people (especially her teachers when she starts school) so talk like a local. Being so young she'll likely end up with a bit of an accent anyway. Realistically I'm unlikely to have a say in the matter - she's fairly determined and headstrong so my opinion will make no difference to how she talks!
More news next week :)
Sunday 10 June 2012
The beginning...
Just over a week ago, I was wondering if we were crazy. There we were late Thursday night, headed to the airport in Perth with more gear then we could carry, a 3 year old who hadn't slept and 9 month old twins. And so began 35 hours of travel time...
It actually wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been (although my husband may beg to differ). Little Miss 3 was remarkably good, thoroughly entertained by the movable seat and TV on demand. The twins had moments which 'tested our patience' (ie we wished we could give them away) but slept enough to get by. The big plus of the long trip is that everyone was so tired in arrival that they were fed, put to bed and mostly ended up on the right time zone (a 12 hour change).
Another saving grace is that my mum made the trip with us - and is here for 5 weeks to help us settle in. This has meant that buying a car, looking at houses etc is infinitely easier. I am thinking I may hide her passport so she can stay and help a bit longer.
We arrived on Friday evening, hubby started work (the reason for the move) on Monday. That meant I had to do some driving. Being on the wrong side of the road isn't really that weird, the wrong side of the car though is pretty freaky. I luckily made it through the week without hitting anything, although there was a close call with a parked car. Fingers crosses I'll manage with the tank (Honda Odyssey, bigger here then in Australia) when we pick it up.
Shopping here is also an adventure - lots of reading packets and trying to get my head around orange cheese. A big plus is that nappies (sorry - diapers) are cheap, but Weetbix cannot be found. The English Weetabix will have to do.
So to sum up week one - sleep, Tim Horton's, Costco (where everyone thought we were mad to go jet-lagged on the busiest day of the week), shopping in general and familiarsing ourselves with the neighbourhood. Looking forward to a good second week.
It actually wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been (although my husband may beg to differ). Little Miss 3 was remarkably good, thoroughly entertained by the movable seat and TV on demand. The twins had moments which 'tested our patience' (ie we wished we could give them away) but slept enough to get by. The big plus of the long trip is that everyone was so tired in arrival that they were fed, put to bed and mostly ended up on the right time zone (a 12 hour change).
Another saving grace is that my mum made the trip with us - and is here for 5 weeks to help us settle in. This has meant that buying a car, looking at houses etc is infinitely easier. I am thinking I may hide her passport so she can stay and help a bit longer.
We arrived on Friday evening, hubby started work (the reason for the move) on Monday. That meant I had to do some driving. Being on the wrong side of the road isn't really that weird, the wrong side of the car though is pretty freaky. I luckily made it through the week without hitting anything, although there was a close call with a parked car. Fingers crosses I'll manage with the tank (Honda Odyssey, bigger here then in Australia) when we pick it up.
Shopping here is also an adventure - lots of reading packets and trying to get my head around orange cheese. A big plus is that nappies (sorry - diapers) are cheap, but Weetbix cannot be found. The English Weetabix will have to do.
So to sum up week one - sleep, Tim Horton's, Costco (where everyone thought we were mad to go jet-lagged on the busiest day of the week), shopping in general and familiarsing ourselves with the neighbourhood. Looking forward to a good second week.
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