Signing off..

I've been thinking about it for a while so now it's time to say that I'll be signing off from blogging.  It has been super fun updating friends and family about our adventures in Canada but I'm finding that now we're pretty settled into our life here we're having fewer big adventures and daily life is getting busier.

Like everyone our daily life is busy and I find I'm running out of time to do everything I need to do and a little of what I'd like to do.  Writing blog posts takes a significant amount of time each day or so and then some days there really isn't anything new/interesting happening.  I think I better way to update everyone will be a quarterly group email with some of the best of what we've been up to, starting with Fall and Halloween!

Thanks for reading and I'll be in touch!

xx

Hello!

Wow it's been a few days - sorry!  I've got a couple of good excuses though....  I went to NYC for a long weekend by myself!  Wow wee!  (Well I don't think you can ever be by yourself in New York.)  It was actually an amazing girls weekend.  It was such a whirlwind but every moment was fantastic.

A view into the cockpit on the dinky little plane

I didn't take a lot of photos (my hands were usually occupied with shopping bags....) but we did see  and do an awful lot.

Multi story stackable car park!  

We did all those things you can't do with small children - for example brunch at groovy restaurants, shopping non stop until you can't carry any more bags and a night time Broadway show (Book of Mormon) followed by a secret bar for celebrity spotting (Jake Gyllenhaal, Minka Kelly and Lea Michelle!!!).

The High Line

We were so lucky with excellent weather and a phenomenal tour guide and host (thank you!!!).  It was so great to spend such an amazing few days with amazing friends.  While it was exhausting it was rejuvenating and I was very happy to come home to my little family.  Big thanks to Fanta Pants for doing such a great job on the home front! xxx

For those of you planning a trip to NYC in the future, here are a few links of some of the things we did and totally recommend.

www.thehighline.org
www.ilovebuvette.com
www.fiveleavesny.com
www.chelseamarket.com
www.bookofmormonbroadway.com

xx

Update

There's a lot going on at our place and in Montreal so here's a little update...

Firstly, the new provincial government has just been sworn in but due to the fact they don't have a majority some of their crazier policies probably won't get up.  For example, banning French speaking students from attending English speaking junior colleges (they're already banned from English primary and secondary schools...).  

Another major topic of conversation is the NHL lockout.  The professional hockey players and the administrators are squabbling over how to divvy up the $3.3 billion revenue cheque.  The players have been locked out from training and all events and the season is in limbo until they come to an agreement. The two parties haven't sat down together in over a week so it's not looking good.  The lockout is already having an impact with some clubs having to lay off staff and cut back on others.  Restaurants, bars and souvenir shops which rely on the business that comes with the season are also feeling the pinch.

Canada without ice hockey is like Canada without maple syrup.  Hockey is a religion here - there really is no other sport and they play several times a week.  I wonder how people will fill the void?

On the home front here's a little of what Baby A has been up to.

While he's not walking yet, he can stand unassisted and does try to take a step from time to time.  He has gone from eating whatever you put in front of him to only eating yellow food!  Very frustrating!  He also thinks he's at least three years old and so doesn't play with baby toys but wants anything that belongs to someone else.  Finally, not only is Baby A confused about his age, he also thinks he's a koala and should be attached to my hip for 95% of the day (maybe this has something to do with the not walking...).

Luckily for him, he's super cute and keeps us all entertained!

xx

Vieux Port

We headed down to the Old Port with some friends yesterday afternoon to check out some tall ships that come in annually.  Unfortunately it was hard to get a good look at the ships unless you paid to visit them (a bit too tricky with two prams).

Luckily there were lots of other fun things to do along the quay in the sunshine...

xx

Firsts

When you have small children there are lots of firsts and with the start of a new school year we've had lots of "firsts" lately.

First visit to the dentist (which is partly covered by Medicare here).  This smile is deceptive - it quickly turned to tears and refusing to open her mouth!

First ballet class!  Little Miss D was so excited about starting ballet and was pleased to find a friend from preschool in her class.  The girls looked so cute in their leotards and tights but I don't know who were more excited - the girls or their mums!

Little Miss D's home life is dominated by Lego, Star Wars and super heroes so it's nice for her to have something really girlie!

xx

Time to put the cover on...

Much to Action Boy's dismay it's time to close the pool down for this year.  With over night temperatures going down to 8 degrees and dead leaves falling constantly* there's not much point in keeping it open any longer.  I can't believe summer is really over and the cold won't be too far away!

From what I gather closing a pool down involves taking the stairs out, cleaning out the pumps and filters then plugging them off and then empting a third of the water out so when it freezes it won't expand too much and crack the sides.  We'll put a cover over to try and stop the water getting too gross over winter!

 xx

*It has been a very hot and dry (by Quebec standards) summer and so the lush grass, plants and trees are looking somewhat parched!  The dead leaves are dropping early and people are starting to wonder if the beautiful show of autumnal colours will actually happen this year!  Fingers crossed because I've heard it's amazing...

Piano

I have wanted a piano for a long time and for one reason or another it never happened.  So while Aunty Red was visiting we asked her expert opinion and found ourselves a lovely second hand piano!  (Thanks - you did a great job!).

While I'm not in love with it's wood furniture, I do like it's deco styling and the fact it's Canadian made.  (I had a white piano as a child and I would love to have that now!!).

Scary low notes!

Action Boy will start lessons next month and the little ones will follow when they're older.  I might even dig very deep into my long term memory and practice a little!  

Action Boy thinks that learning piano is the first step in becoming a rock star...

xx