It's bedtime!

It's bedtime now and a little late...we just got back from a walk downtown & Drew got the honour of doing the diaper/jammie change tonight, so I'm trying to pull this together quickly--which is easy as it turns out, since we don't seem to have many pictures accumulated!

I think this was the morning of Father's day, when we had pancakes with fruit & whipping cream on the fine china. Gramma & Grampa had just visited & brought Cadence back his booster seat that we had used in Texas, and this nifty cowboy hat. He gets to clean off the wisk after I make whipping cream...looks like he's still waking up here.


Cadence & I gave Drew a red maple tree for father's day; while I cooked supper they managed to dig the hole, plant the tree, & spread mulch around the base. Here they are watering it together. Nice.


This is Cadence talking to Nana on the phone one night after supper. He's becoming more & more of a phone chatter, & generally prefers when it's not put on speaker phone. I guess even little people like their privacy!


Phew...made it, and there are a few over-tired type sounds coming from upstairs but nowhere near what I had expected...Drew is amazingly good at getting Cadence on board with anything. Goodnight!

More singing

By request, here's another "song" from Cadence when we were on vacation in Texas. Watch as he tries to hit the low notes!

Cadence sings Ol'McDonald while playing keyboard

Cadence and I hung out yesterday while Amanda was at band practice. Maybe he can join the band after seeing this video audition!

Yes we're still here...

It's been a crazy time lately--work, sleep, coughs & colds, daycare, trying to dig in the garden...but we're hanging in. I took the afternoon off today to have some quiet time to catch up on things, including a much overdue blog post. Hope everyone's well!

A bit leftover from our trip to Quebec. Our last morning there, Drew was in the restaurant while Cadence & I played outside (restaurants in Quebec are for the most part not entirely welcoming of energetic toddlers). A nun stopped by to complement Cadence.


After our big trip to Texas, and then the to Quebec, Cadence quickly became an airport & travel pro.


At home, we're settling in for a nice summer. We went to our first yard sale last weekend and we (I) scored big with a Thomas the Tank Engine train set. It's quite involved in its assembly and this actually only shows half of it--there's a big roadway system that interconnects with the railroad but I wasn't that ambitious. I spent about an hour that afternoon trying to set up the train set despite Mr. Godzilla's constant dismantling, then gave up right at the end, having decided it was just too old an activity for Cadence at this point. But then, in comes the battery-toting daddy, and the train set was an instant hit (and guess who got all the glory for that one!?) I'm exaggerating. It's put away now, maybe to resurface during the long winter.


We had a number of friends come by for a visit a couple of weekends ago--was fabulous to see Jasmine & Kaarina on their way through to KL, and our old neighbour Tony came by for a couple of days to help Drew out on a project. I teased him about it, but am very glad that Drew had us all sit & pose for a pic on the couch.


Helpful as usual, Cadence is great when it comes to doing dishes. His job is to rinse, and put them in the rack--which he actually does quite well, plus it's more fun with two!



With a fruit smoothie beard. Another moment when he really looked like his papa.


On our drive back from the Rouyn airport, we saw the most amazing double rainbow, and could even see it to the ground at both ends. The picture doesn't begin to do it justice. Anyways--this rainbow's for nana, who's embarking on a hard journey today. We're thinking of you!!

Bonjour, Quebec!

We're just back from a week in Quebec city--combined conference/vacation--and had a great time. We learned upon our return that Tofu just wasn't himself while we were away--two weeks so close together were a bit much I guess--and I think we're as happy as he likely is that we don't have any more vacation plans for the next while. We've had some great travels lately, but it's so good to be home!

While I was conferencing for four days, Cadence and Drew explored old Quebec from our home base at the Chateau. I joined them for most meals and for the last two days of our visit. Here are some of the pictures Drew took during our trip...I don't think I took a single one!

It's not all captured, either. We explored not only old quebec and lower quebec but also the downtown and some residential neighbourhoods (reminiscent of a really dense low-rise version of parkdale). Gotta go where the people live if you want to find playgrounds! A really nice city with lots of personality; we all enjoyed ourselves tremendously.

After the horsey carriage tour around Vieux Quebec on one of my afternoons off. I guess Cadence was getting tired by then...


The view of lower Quebec.


The funiculaire was pretty cheap and allowed Drew and stroller-bound Cadence to avoid the 200 steps from old Quebec into Lower Quebec. I think it was a sort of trolley that went down the hill. Looks scary/fun!


Self-portrait, in lower Quebec I believe.


What a livery streetscape! The level of culture and art in this city was unbelievable. I think we all really enjoyed this city.


I have no idea who this is. Unfortunately I think we came back with very limited understanding of the history. Small tidbits came back to me from Grade 10 history class, but we didn't do any great guided tours that tied it all together for us. Nothing I can't get from 1/2 hour with Wikipedia!


Each morning, Drew and Cadence would go exploring in the stroller (again, thanks, Sharilynn!) and then find somewhere to run around & play. I think one day they found a vending machine area near/in the citadel. Just goes to show that it doesn't matter the setting; space and safety are all a little man needs to have some fun!


Our "fort" as Drew and Cadence liked to refer to it. Our room was up there somewhere...


It's bedtime...and time to read every single of the books that we brought along with us! Dora is a big fave at the moment.

We went to Texas!

In case any of our faithful readers haven't seen the film "How's your News," I highly recommend. Known for its hit song "We're going to Texas." Which we did just last week!

We had a great time, Gramma & Grampa were happy to hang out with Cadence so Drew and I could have some nice couple time. A day to Mexico, a day hiking & wildlife watching, a nice dinner out, and of course lots of family time at the beach & playground. Cadence was a great little traveller; we're so proud.

Cadence & I on the drive to North Bay, first leg of the trip. So far so good! (Except for the fruit smoothie that was spilled EVERYWHERE on little C. travel mug & moving vehicle not a great combo)


On the beach, I think this was our first day.


At the national wildlife refuge Drew and I went to. Lots of cactus (cactai?)


Posing with the alligator I saw! We visited during a massive drought so this little creature wasn't going anywhere; that pond was likely the only water for miles.


Standing above this landscape, I was just waiting for a T-Rex to walk into view. Can't you just see the dinos roaming around here?


In the nearest town on the mainland, I quickly climbed the historic lighthouse. Then Cadence (small dot in blue jacket) saw me way up there, and arms outstretched started trying to find his way to his mommy.


Ok, so corn dogs are big in Texas (known to us Ontarians as Pogos). There we were in the grocery store, when lo & behold I found vegetarian corn dogs! So everyone had one for lunch, with mac & cheese, and boy did Cadence like his! Wish I could have brought a few boxes home.


Drew and I went for a bike ride to the park on the island in search of a surfing contest that ended up being postponed. It was a VERY windy day, and I actually rode for about 5 minutes (even a bit uphill) without pedalling...interestingly the wind blew me right to this big statue of Jesus. Hmmm. We paused long enough to take a picture.


Mom & I took Cadence to a turtle rescue place on the island. He got a blue t-shirt & liked the water & the blue pools of water more than the turtles themselves.


We bought a kite (none of the pictures actually showed the kite as much more than a speck). Cadence wasn't actually all that interested in the kite, preferring to splash about in the water, but we adults had quite a good time wtih it.


On our way to the short boardwalk/wetland/bird sanctuary on the island.


No home base is complete without access to a playground for after-dinner playtime!

Drew & Cadence brought a big Bob the Builder puzzle home from the Early Years Centre this week. Last night Cadence & I did it together, and here he is illustrating its lifelike scale.


Cadence has found a lot of joy hiding. His favourite is our bedroom closet, but the kitchen cupboards are pretty fun too.


Last weekend Drew and Cadence took a tin of cookies over to our neighbours down the road, along with some empty jam jars (which before the end of the summer, if patterns hold, will come back to us full of jam!)


Last Saturday we all went for the afternoon & dinner to our friends the Quintons. We had a lovely visit, and played outside for a bit after dinner. This is Cadence with Sandman the dog in the foreground, Rosie in the background.


Cadence and his friend Clayton took turns riding the tractor. It's funny, but Cadence was actually pretty indifferent.

Spring is here!

And it's not the robins that indicate it when you live in the north as the mud. And tricycles. And smiles!





I took this the other day after Cadence had one of grampa's chocolate chip bran muffins for breakfast. He ended up with a chocolate beard and I thought it made him look like Drew.

Easter #2

We had a great Easter with Uncle Steve and Auntie Lee, and Cadence loved having them here. We ate, we hiked, we napped, and we hunted for Easter Eggs!

Auntie Mer sent Easter gifts up for Cadence, including a little wooden whistle. Cadence mastered in a very short time.

Cadence got this great easel for Christmas from Nana, but it was too big to fit in our car so he got it delivered straight to the door this past weekend. He loves it--we pulled out the chalk, the crayons, and it's likely to be a fixture in the living room for years to come.

Our friend Kim came by at the beginning of the weekend with a little backpack for Cadence. He put in his ball and a book, and won't let us take them out now, but does enjoy wearing the bag around. He also seemed keen on wearing the bunny ears that Drew bought last Easter. Our little school bunny.

Family Sesame Street time before bed.

Easter morning was lots of fun. Cadence got into finding eggs and putting them into his basket (no one told him there was chocolate under the foil. Worked for this year, but not likely to hold water again next year!)

After a short hike out at Pete's Dam on Easter afternoon


We built up a great appetite and had Easter dinner after the hike. Cadence loved playing with Uncle Steve and Daddy--actually, I think it was a lot like having 2 of daddy.

A friend shared this picture from our snowshoe trip a few weekends ago.