happy times and a city tour.

this weekend we took a road trip to burlington, ontario. i absolutely love it there! not only is it jam packed with lots of friends and some extended family, it is just down right beautiful. we always have a wonderful time whether it be just for the weekend or a one-night stay. and even though the mantra of late when taking a vacation with kids has been " it's not a vacation - it's a TRIP" this did feel like a vacation. this time we stayed at the waterfront and soak up all that it had to offer. i have really only seen the outskirts {where the husband's friends are}, never much of the downtown and was shocked at all it had to offer! we strolled the sea-walk, played in the park and even indulged in gelato -a real treat in october!!! this weekend the weather was absolutlely phenominal you couldn't help gaze about with wonderment thinking in your head "it's october 10th!! and we are worried about sun burns!! and eating ice cream outside at 8:30pm!". 

we took the jaw dropping drive along lakeshore to our friends house, gazing at the for sale signs and dreaming along the way of the day we could live here. something major would have to happen in our lives to make that dream come true but that's why they call them dreams, right?

we were fortunate enough to catch up with friends, meet some extended family for the first time and to be invited to a thanksgiving dinner to remember. you can't beat their location/property and the weather was so gorgeous that we were able to dine alfresco and the kids got to swim outside! swimming on thanksgiving!! who would have thought! and aydan jumped off of the diving board with no life jacket for the first time! who knew she could swim like that? or do such a good cannon ball? pretty proud moment. all in all an amazing time and we are already planning for the next visit. just wish the drive wasn't 6 hours.....as the husband said yesterday - it's just 2 hours too much.

hope to see you soon burlington!

ps: sorry for all the photo's, once again i find it hard to edit! i had to take the photo of the weeping willow - they are my absolute favorite and are everywhere in burlington. i think i might have to commission someone to paint one for me so i can have one with me always - i just love them so much! and those swimming photo's will be burned in to my heart forever. thanks for the great thanksgiving brian & marsha, couldn't imagine a better setting!!

new york, yo!

douanes means border crossing in french - didn't know that one.

on last monday, queen victoria day, we hit the road, yo!

ROAD TRIP!!!!

having moved to the east coast we have not yet explored the united states of a that are directly below us and i felt that monday was the perfect opportunity to pounce! and we actually did it - i talk a lot about doing things but there is not always follow through.

it was just me and the chickens - the husband hung back to finish his big project (post soon on that - very exciting! hook) - and we were on our way to new york, yo! well plattsburg, new york - same thing right? haha.

yeah not quite.

i had been to new york once as a 17 year old for one day - took in downtown new york and actually saw a show! we took a road trip - 6 girls, one mini-van, vancouver to myrtle beach, 3 1/2 weeks. now that was a road trip. lots of singing, self-discovery and friendship. back when we lived in vancouver we would go to belligham/bellevue/seattle tons and loved that area but had yet to see the eastern states to our "new" south.

the drive wasn't too bad although very windy, the border was a breeze and we got there in good time. the only problem was i had no idea where i was going once i got there!! people keep telling me to go to plattsburg but no one ever gave me directions. eventually we did find the mall but i have to say the deals were few and far between. we had a focus - shoes, party supplies and food. well 1 1/2 out three ain't bad. i got shoes, the husband got shoes but no for the kids. the selection looked like it had been picked over by locusts and only the crap no one likes was there. thumbs down. target was a definite  disappointment -not the neat items i remember it once having and wal-mart really was nothing special -i was looking for items to have at aydan's birthday party but i came up bust - neat little pinwheels, little bags for packaging, different crafting items. we never made it to k-mart and maybe that's where it is all hiding......

had dinner at applebeas - that was new for us. really liked the atmosphere, just like red robin.

we got some neat food items as well - the flavour selection really differs from o'canada - but again the prices weren't really any different. so we didn't come back with as much as i thought but i always love a road trip and everyone was really well behaved - amazed at that. we came back super late (long border, holiday weekend), saw the wonderful finished __________ and fell into bed. maybe we will have more luck in vermont!