Thank you Charmaine...

We headed out around 6:00pm for a lovely dinner at the Rendezvous. Our favorite restaurant. We started with some mushroom caps and then for dinner Charmaine had the chicken cordon bleu and I had the mixed souvlaki. Very Yummy!

After dinner, we planned on a movie but nothing was playing until late. We finished dinner around 7:30pm. Too late for the early show and way too early for the late show. We toyed with the idea of going to Langley, Mission, or Abbotsford. We did take a drive to see Suzanne and Mike's new abode. VERY NICE! Easy to find. Can't wait to see the inside! After that, we decided to drive to Mission, maybe something else would be playing when we got there. No luck. We did stop in at the White Spot for a quick dessert and tea and coffee. We at that point were so overstuffed, you could have rolled us out of there. Charmaine had the strawberry cheesecake and earl grey tea and I had the chocolate fudge brownie with decaf coffee. Scrumptious. What were we thinking? Too Full! From there we decided to go to Towne as the soonest movie was at 9:50pm. You, Me and Dupree. What a funny flick. I did eat a little bit of popcorn, and brought the rest home and we shared a large ice tea. How romantic eh? HAHAHA

Thank you Charmaine for a lovely Birthday Dinner and a movie. I had a great time and it was nice to have some "adult" time out. Hopefully we can do it again sooner than later.

Shane has started crawling...

What a HOT weekend. I am definitely not liking this at all. This weather makes my rheumatoid arthritis act up. Not fun. Anyway, just a quick post to say Shane started crawling on Friday. This video was taken today...Sunday. He's getting better and better at it. Look out world, here he comes.....


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The last of our Toronto pics uploaded..

Ryan was absolutely mesmerized by this talking statue and snake. This was outside the Movieland Wax Museum at Clifton Hill - Niagra Falls.
This picture was taken after Ryan had taken off down the driveway below the wall you see behind him. Jo thought Shane had tugged on her dreads, but I was standing at least 3 feet away. She turned around to get Ryan for pulling them, but he was gone. I believe angels were watching out for him that day!

Outside Guiness book of records - Clifton Hill - Niagra Falls. We tried to get Ryan to sit in the chair, but no go.

All over Clifton Hill they had these mechanical men climbing up and down buildings everywhere. I took a bunch of pictures of different ones, but just uploaded this one.

Clifton Hill - Niagra Falls.

More Toronto pictures....

The Sky Wheel atop Clifton Hill - Niagra Falls

King Kong - Clifton Hill - Niagra Falls

Ryan begged and begged to go inside - The answer was no -

a little too scary for 5 years old.

Great picture considering the van was moving when I took it.

Apparently like a movie theater but the seats actually move with the movie.

Didn't check it out because of the kids. Someday though!

You all know Frankenstein? Clifton Hill - Niagra Falls

Cousins - Baby Shane and Ruby

Up at the cottage at the Georgian Bay - On Auntie Jo's new deck.

Shane at the cottage - just playing.

Auntie Jo and Uncle George and Ryan at Tara's birthday dinner.

Random pictures of our trip to Toronto

BROTHERS

CASA LOMA

RYAN AND NIGEL

On our way up to the cottage the second weekend. We

brought the cat to get rid of the mouse we saw. The cat

ended up chasing a swooping bat instead. We never saw

the mouse, just the bat.

OUR RACOON VISITER 2 NIGHTS IN A ROW ON THE FRONT PORCH.

RYAN IN THE WATER OF THE GEORGIAN BAY WHERE

AUNT JO HAS HER COTTAGE.

SHANE ON THE BEACH OF THE GEORGIAN BAY, PLAYING IN THE SAND.

UNCLE GEORGE AND SHANE, THE DAY WE WERE LEAVING FOR HOME.

RYAN BEGGED TO GO ON THE SKY WHEEL, HE HAD A BLAST!

PICTURE OF NIAGRA FALLS FROM THE SKY WHEEL.

THE HORSESHOE FALLS AT NIAGRA FALLS, SEE THE MAID OF THE MIST'S.

RYAN WATCHING DORA, AND SHANE ON THE PLANE RIDE HOME.

Toronto Continued

We're home safe and sound and couldn't be better. Our trip just flew by. We did a lot since the last post. We visited Niagra Falls, Joanne bought a new van, Shane grabbed and spilled coffee on Aunt Jo's 4 day old $2300 laptop computer. She was able to get it fixed for $160 thank goodness. Boy did I feel bad. Joanne managed to fry her video camera, so that's in getting fixed. We visited the cottage the following weekend. She got a new hot water tank installed up there. The toilet backed up, I plunged for over 20 mins. Had Jason come up on the Sunday and he fixed it. I informed her she was on septic, so they had that cleaned out since they've owned the cottage now for 3 years and didn't know they were on septic. Saw Casa Loma, which is a castle in the heart of Toronto. Very Cool. Let's see, what else? oh, put together their new patio table for them. Joanne had her friend Dorothy come over the night before we left to give Jo and I a manicure as a birthday present. That was great. Ryan and Shane were fantastic on the flight home. It was nice to see Dave and get home and sleep in our own beds. Of course, because we were running late to board the plane, my suitcase didn't make the flight. So, I received a $30 credit and because I went the next day to pick it up, they gave me another $30 credit. Oh, I did go in and see the lawyer to probate dad's will. So, this coming week, I have to make a trip to Maple Ridge to get some paperwork signed, then we can get the will probated and then sell his place. I'm going to attach some pictures now and if I think of anything I missed, I'll add in a later post.

From left to right, my nephew Mikey, sister Janet, nephew Lucas, Joanne and Janet's mom Betty, nephew Jesse and of course, you all know Ryan....haha.

Auntie Joanne and the boys, Shane and Ryan.

First week in Toronto...

Well, the first week has just flown by. Ryan absolutely loved the plane ride! He can't wait to do it again he says. Of course, we all miss home terribly. We are total home bodies. I really love my sister, but there is no place like home. Your own bed, your own bathroom, your own kitchen, your own space and your own routine.

Here at the house, Ryan is sleeping on the loveseat, which he loves because there is a giant t.v. right in front of it. I did bring the playpen for Shane, but he absolutely hates it. The first night, he cried and cried so I ended up sleeping on the other loveseat, which is too small to stretch out on, with him on top of me. Of course, we were both just sweating. Joanne borrowed a single air mattress for us, which is ok. Was it last night? or the night before?, I can't remember, I put Shane to sleep on the air mattress and at about 10pm he rolled off of it onto the hard floor underneath the coffee table. Poor guy. I don't think I put enough air into it and that's why he rolled off it. I pumped it up some more tonight so that it is quite firm. I'm scared to leave him there.

Joanne, myself and the kids went up to Joanne's cottage, just past Balm Beach on the Georgian Bay. At least there, she had beds for us. Ryan didn't want to sleep by himself, so he slept on the floor beside my bed. Of course, Shane and I Shared the bed. No mishaps there. We just relaxed up there. It's beautiful! We played at the beach. Joanne's mom Betty came up on the Saturday and Joanne and her ran out and bought a weed wacker and a bucket with shovel and toys for Ryan's beaching pleasure. There was one day that Ryan actually went to the beach with Joanne, without me and they had a ball. They collected shells and rocks and played in the water. We came back to the house on Sunday. My other sister Janet has a cottage at Balm Beach, so on our way out, we stopped to pick her up and got a burger at the arcade. This place is right on the beach. We had a burger, (not Jo tho, cos she is vegan) and Ryan went crazy. Auntie Joanne spoiled Ryan rotten by paying for a bunch of games for him. That is all I have heard about since, that he wants to go back and play. We may go up to the cottage again this coming weekend, so the arcade may be a possibility.

If you can believe it, there are actually a couple of places here that don't take debit - cash only. What the ^&*&()*. George, the kids and I, sans Joanne, went for Vietnamese food, I think last Wednesday. I was going to buy his supper, but they only take cash. Well, I didn't bring any cash with me, thinking debit would be fine. Nope. Then today, Ryan, Shane and I went for a quick walk to the strip mall a block behind Joanne's house to get some baby food etc. Well, they do have Tim Horton's here, but at this mall they have what's called a Country Style, same as Tim's. So, I got my decaf, juice for Ryan, and a dozen muffins to bring back to the house. They don't take debit either, cash only. So, I had to leave, walk to the bank, (which charges a $1.50 per transaction) just to get some cash. What a joke. Anyway, all is good, have to go and buy juice tomorrow for Ryan, I forgot. Me bad.

Tonight, we went for Japanese food, George, Joanne, Jesse, Mike Simon, (friend of George) the kids and I. This place is called Hockey Sushi. They charge a flat rate and you order anything you like, as much as you like, and they make it right there on the spot. Wow, yummy! We had gone there last year when I was here for George's induction into the Walk of Fame. Fabulous fresh Japanese food. Service was the absolute shits, and Ryan was a real pill. Shane was super good. Came home, gave the boys a bath and they are now sleeping. I'm very tired. At first the weather here was quite unsettled, lightning, thunder, windy, rainy, humid and now hot. This unsettled weather, really wrecks havoc with the rheumatoid arthritis. It's starting to settle a little bit now. Not sure what we're doing one day to the next, but will try and post again before I leave for home. I will for sure post pictures when I get home. Hope everyone is doing well, and look forward to catching up when we get home.