Countdown has begun...
Published August 31, 2009 @ 17:55 in School
Come on. Admit it. If you are a mom, you know EXACTLY how many days until the kids start school. If you are a little neurotic, like me, you know the hours (183 hours); if you are crazy, you may know the minutes (10,980... but who's counting?)
Today I was at the playground. My kids were crazy this morning, so we needed some fresh air and the yards weren't cutting it. The lady beside me looked almost as frazzled as I felt. Then she mentioned, "the commercial" and I laughed.
I laughed because every mom knows the commercial she is talking about! "It's the most wonderful time of the year!" She didn't even have to describe it or anything, she just said, "the commercial."
If you are a mom, and you don't know that back-to-school commercial, where have you been? I used to wonder at the crazy joy on the parents' faces as they shopping for their kids school supplies, but now, with two boys heading back to school in 10,972 minutes, I understand!
The weird part is that I am actually a little sad about back to school. Not because I will have less time to spend with the kids, but because life gets just a little more harried and a little more complicated with the kids in school.
The morning rush - definitely not looking forward to that. Driving and having to park 4 blocks away - not fun. Looking for homework and library books at the last minute - grant me peace!
Some kids are heading back to school tomorrow. Yes, right here in Ontario! How is that fair? I mean for us, the parents, not for the kids. 10,968 minutes.
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The Ugliest Bugs in the World
Published August 29, 2009 @ 12:59 in Being Mommy
OK. So I don't like bugs. Who does?
My least favourite are these really ugly, hairy, amazingly fast brown centipedes. Have you seen them? Chances are if you live in Toronto, in an "older" home, you've had these bugs.
Most of the time I see a bug and I kill it. But there is something extra creepy and scary about these bugs - I have to squeal for Husband to come and kill it. I am not a squealer. And I am not a wuss afraid of a little bug. But these ugly, impossible fast bugs just bring out the squealer in me. Maybe it is because I often see them in the bathroom, so I am already in a vulnerable position. Today I saw it run away from me when I picked up the towel after my shower. I don't wear shoes in the shower, so there was nothing to kill it with. Instead I squealed for Husband.
He came running. I got a lecture on how I should reserve that certain, high pitched yell for emergency purposes only. It was an emergency! Plus, I only yell like that when I see one of these particular bugs. He should know that by now.
Husband calls these bugs "sewer bugs" but they are actually called,
Scutigera coleoptrata Centipedes. Here is a link if you don't know the terror of finding something like this in your home.
Scutigera coleoptrata Centipedes
I think the exterminator is coming on Thursday...
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Games of Summer
Published August 29, 2009 @ 12:51 in Kids Activities
Our kids have found a new game, and now they are addicted. Much better than being addicted to cartoons!
The game is called SEQUENCE, and the goal is to get five in a row, twice.
There is the main version, for 7+ that you can play with teams and up to 6 players.
There is also a kids version with animals, for 3-6 year olds, and a math version. We now have all three.
Son One is the King, and Husband is the master. There is both strategy and luck involved, and I swear that not only are both born games-players, they have the luck of the Irish. (I was going to say that they were born with horseshoes up their butts, but I thought Luck-of-the-Irish sounded better.)
Son One plays to win. He doesn't cheat, but he really, really wants to win. Son Two, when playing with his Dad and brother, often loses and get so angry and frustrated.
However, when I play alone with Daughter and Son Two, neither of them ever want to win because it ends the game. They don't win on purpose, so that the game can go on and on. And I don't try hard to win, because I am playing against a three and five year-olds. But at some point, I just have to play the winning card. Daughter is thrilled for the winner, "YAY MOMMY! Good job!"
SEQUENCE games come recommended by Bill Barrett. There is a faux stamp on the box with his signature and everything. One question - who is Bill Barrett?
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Then end of summer camps
Published August 28, 2009 @ 10:58 in Kids Activities
Today is our last day of all registered summer camps. Here is what the kids did this summer:
Son One
Hockey - 2 weeks, full day
Soccer - 1 week, half day
Tennis - 1 week, half day
ROM - 2 weeks, half day
Son Two
Hockey - 1 week, half day
Tennis - 2 weeks, half day
ROM - 2 weeks, half day
Daughter
Broadway Dance - 1 week, half day
They loved all the camps. Son Two is BEGGING to go back for another week of hockey camp. I think that we all need the week off.
Camps that we are definitely doing again next year?
ROM Camp - Royal Ontario Museum Kids programs are all amazing. Son One has asked to go back full day. These camps run two weeks straight.
Tennis - Son Two has started LOVING tennis. It doesn't hurt that the instructors were amazing and encouraging.
Hockey - Son Two can go full day. May just try one week for both next year.
Soccer - Both boys want to go back to soccer. Challenger Sports Camps were so great, and focused not just on skills, but on sportsmanship and respect.
Dance - Daughter really enjoyed her dance camp.
There are so many great camps run by wonderful instructors, coaches and teachers in the city. Thank you all for an amazing summer! Next year we may also try the Harbourfront Camps.
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Let's talk about S-E-X
Published August 28, 2009 @ 09:19 in Amazing Kids, Being Mommy
My kids are 3, 5 and 7. I haven't had "the talk" and I am not sure that I ever will. That is what schools are for, right? Just kidding!
I sort of go with the flow of questions when they come up, and try to answer them as honestly and accurately as I can. I give little "bites" of information, and when the questions stop coming, I stop talking believing that I have probably satisfied their curiosity.
Also a realist, I know that Son One has friends with older brothers who will probably spill the beans before I know it. And Son Two will be told the details soon after Son One figures it out.
A friend, and ECE teacher, once explained to me that kids can only absorb and process information appropriate for their age and mental capacity; therefor, you shouldn't fear giving too much information too soon.
A great technique I've heard of to deal with questions, is to ask them what they think. "Mommy, where do babies come from?" "Where do you think babies come from?" This not only allows you to stall, but if gives you insight into what they know and how complicated your answer needs to be to satisfy. It also allows you to clear up any misinformation. Alas, always panic under pressure and forget this option.
Another alternative is the, "I don't know. Let's look it up!" Except that I've had three babies, and would look pretty stupid not knowing at this point.
Finally, you can always fall back on, "I don't know. Ask Daddy." I use this often, mostly to get out of changing batteries in toys.
My kids have questions, and I have answers. I am not answering their questions as a doctor, nor as a peer, but as a parent. This means I get to add my morals and values to the answers... I guess I won't know for at least 10 years what sticks.
When the kids were younger, we had the "privates" talk, and told them that no one was allowed to see them naked until they were 18. We also told them that no one was allowed to touch their privates, and they weren't allowed to touch anyone's privates until they were 18. Extreme? We'll see.
In the past year I've explained "periods" to my kids, mostly because they find the paraphernalia and are curious. That also taught me to start locking the bathroom door.
Last week, Daughter was curious about how babies "got out" of their mother's bellies. In the past, I had been lucky that the boys were satisfied with the, "I went to the hospital and you were cut out" explanation. After three c-sections, I even have the scar to prove it. That had satisfied Daughter for a while, until she decided to ask how her cousin and come out of her aunt's belly - no c-section there, though at over 11 pounds, it probably should have been! "Ummm...." I answered, "He came out the baby-hole. You have a pee-hole, a pooh-hole, and a baby-hole, called a vagina. He came out that hole."
Thank God she asked no more questions!
The other night the boys were asking about babies. Why do these questions always come to me when Husband is at work? I would love to hear his answers!
Son Two: "Mommy? Can Sarah have a baby?"
Me: "Nope. She is too young."
Son One: "How old do you have to be to have a baby?"
Me: "Well, girls can start having babies at around 13, when they get their periods, until about 45. But you don't really want to have a baby until you are 25 or so." (See - here are my values! Wait until at least 25 kids!)
Son One: "Can girls choose when they get pregnant?"
Me: (How the heck to I answer this one?) "Hmmm... Good questions! (stalling technique) Um...sort of, but not really. They can take medicine every day to try to make sure that they don't get pregnant, but you don't really get to pregnant just because you want to. It is a miracle. You can try to plan it, but you can't just make yourself pregnant."
Son Two: "Can you have another baby?"
Me: "Yes, technically I still can, but we love the three of you so much, we want to spend lots of time with you guys and not be distracted by another baby."
Son Two: "I want another brother and two more sisters."
Me: "That's nice. I love you. Go to sleep."
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All-You-Can-Eat Sushi
Published August 26, 2009 @ 08:29 in Amazing Kids
Son One is tired. After weeks of travel, friends, fun, swimming and long car rides, we are trying to get him back into a routine before school starts.
This week he is in Hockey Camp. 4 hours of ice time a day, and he is ready for bed by 6 pm. Last night, however, he had a soccer game out in Vaughan at 7 pm. Seeing his soccer friends won out over admitting that he was actually tires.
He was resting en route, but I wanted to get dinner into him, so I started reading out the options as we passed, "Pizza, Wendy's, Harvey's, Sushi, Pizza..."
"Sushi! I want Sushi!" he yelled. I pulled a U-turn on Highway 7 and went back to the sushi place I had seen.
My kids like sushi, but tame sushi (like avocado maki). I found out when Son One was 13 months old, and I took him to a Japanese Restaurant with a few friends. He loved it, and we have fed it to the kids ever since.
We walked in, and were seated in a booth. It was lovely. We both opened our menus, trying to decide what to order.
I leaned across the table and whispered to my son, "There are no prices on these menus. That is not a good sign."
"Maybe they are in Chinese" he answered. Sure enough, after the English description, there were some foreign characters. Hmpf! Unless you speak the language, you don't get to know what stuff costs? That doesn't seem fair!
We ordered a few items, and the server left us with a menu to keep reading.
At the bottom, I noticed, "Sunday - Thursday - $17.99 Friday - Saturday - $19.99 - Holidays - $19.99"
Then I closed the menu and read on the front, "All You Can Eat Menu"
Yes, now it is clear as a bell. And all in English. I can't believe that I have just brought my 7-year-old to an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant. What am I thinking?
How was I going to get Son One, who likes Avocado Maki and Plain Rice to eat $17.99 worth? I started ordering a little more...
We added two orders of shrimp tempura. Turns out the Son One likes tempura.
I had two Diet Cokes - pop was included!
We both had ice cream for dessert - vanilla for him, green tea for me.
I felt better about our dinner, but still felt like it was expensive. However, we were in a rush so even if we could have eaten a little more, we were out of time.
I went to pay while Son One went to pee. The total came to $37, tip included! Wow - kids weren't full price. I was thrilled - we definitely ate $37 worth.
Only one problem - today I am meeting a friend for lunch, and I told her how much I was craving sushi. I am a little sushi-ed out. I think I may have to go for some chicken teriyaki instead.
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Wolves!
Published August 25, 2009 @ 14:38 in
As we left Wawa and the last Tim Horton's, we realized that we were leaving civilization as we know it, behind... I know people have driving further with families. Heck - we have driving further! But there is something different when you stop seeing anything but trees, rocks, and more trees and rocks at the side of the highway. Also, these aren't like our highways, though they were mostly very well kept.
Daughter, who wouldn't pee at the Agawa Provincial Park toilet because, "it is smelly" announced that she had to pee. There are no rest stops on this trip. I pulled along side Husband and the boys, and told them that Daughter had to go to the bathroom. They promised to look out for one. Daughter and I had a long conversation about how the boys could just pull over and use the trees. Yes, sometimes it sucks being a girl. I was thinking how it is harder sometimes to take long road trips with toilet trained kids. If only she had a diaper...
Husband drove ahead with his cousin and our boys. They pulled into the passing lane, and I pulled up along side them to see if they need to chat. Instead, they were frantically pointing at the road just ahead of me, where there was a WOLF sauntering down the gravel shoulder.
A WOLF!
He was scraggly and shabby looking. Not really that impressive, except somehow also terrifying.
A half hour later, with me asking Daughter how badly she needed to pee every two minutes or so, we finally found some place to pull over. I think it was sort of a motel / diner / convenience store kind of place. Daughter wasn't impressed by their "facilities" and wouldn't go.
We stopped about 40 minutes down the road, still looking for a nice bathroom for Daughter. By this point her bladder just wasn't co-operating. We found a pull-up in the van, and forced her into it. No more stopping... straight through to Terrace Bay.
We were stopped in a traffic jam going through Marathon. CONSTRUCTION! Did you know that in the north, construction road crews work from 7 am to 8 pm? Imagine that in Toronto! I guess their construction season is a little shorter than ours.
Marathon has had 3 fetal wolf attacks on pet dogs this summer. I don't think it was the wold we saw, but you never know. We had to lecture all of the kids, especially Son Two who seems to like to run ahead on every path, so stay close.
In Toronto you may worry about the pedophiles in the bushes in the park snatching your child. In the north, it is the bears and wolves. Honestly, they both sort of scare the heck out of me!
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My Amazing Husband - the Entertainer!
Published August 25, 2009 @ 14:19 in Loving Daddy
Last Friday my Husband turned 37. We were up at Severn Lodge with his side of the family (I think that there were 26 of us in total). It was amazing to watch my kids playing with all of their cousins!
Friday night, for Husband's birthday, I had ordered a cake. Because each family had a different dinner time, we sang when almost everyone was in the dining room, and left the rest of the cake for their dessert.
The resort brought in a magician for entertainment, and the kids really wanted to go. Husband, who had seen the show a few years ago, knew that if you arrived late than the magician / comedian would call you out, took the kids over and got seats in the middle and near the side well before the show started.
Husband is the most amazing and wonderful man in the world. But he is shy. We don't see this as an issue, he just is a little quiet and a bit harder to get to know. He also HATES being the centre of attention - so much so that he tried to talk me into eloping as he dreaded our wedding day so much. I can easily recognize the sweating and the embarrassed smile when Husband is out of his element. You know those people who come early to a comedy show, hoping to sit in the front row? They are the OPPOSITE of my Husband.
Of course the magician, with a six-sense for humiliation, zeroed in on Husband for a sketch. Husband had to wear a large jacket while the magician hid behind Husband with his arms through Husband's sleeves for the trick. I laughed and then cried for Husband, who really did well.
The next night was Karaoke. This cemented the fact that Husband will never return to Severn Lodge. One large family seemed to hog most of the show, doing song after boring song. Then the host decided to do a "special" song where he selected a member from the audience. Of course he chose Husband. In a pink curly wig and glasses, Husband sang "Like a virgin" in front of 10 or so relatives and 25 other people he has never met. To know my husband is to understand how painful this must have been for him. Luckily, no one had a camera.
Perhaps there is something about being a parent, where you put yourself aside so often for the benefit of your children. Husband, while not thrilled with his new entertainer status, was a big hit for our kids, who couldn't wait to tell everyone about their father the magician, or their Daddy singing in a wig. And that kept Husband smiling.
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Back from all travels
Published August 25, 2009 @ 10:36 in Being Mommy
We have returned from all of our summer travels, and we are now going to start focusing on BACK TO SCHOOL!
Except, first I have to deal with the enemy...
LAUNDRY!
Rushing around getting laundry done so that we can take what we want on vacation, now rushing to get everything clean again. Piles are everywhere. Suitcases are half unpacked. I thought that I was pretty good at separating out the clean and dirty laundry while we were away, however now it is all just getting thrown in the dirty clothes pile. YEAH! MORE LAUNDRY!
This week Son One is at hockey camp all day, and Son Two gets half day of tennis, half day of hockey. These leads me a little time between my chauffeur duties to try to get my house in order. Please - no surprise visitors this week.
Two weeks until the boys are back in school, YAY! I can't wait... and I have decided that I am not going to do any back-to-school shopping until they have started and decided what they wanted.
I have bought a new binder and calendar for myself, to help me get organized. And some cool coloured gel pens - for me. I agree with that Staples commercial, "IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!"
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Movies of the week
Published August 21, 2009 @ 14:14 in Shopping and Stuff
This week I saw three movies - Ponyo, Time Travelers Wife, and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
First, I went with Daughter and Son Two and some cousins to see Ponyo. I had no idea what to expect, but apparently 150 million people in Japan have seen and loved it. It is a story about a little fish who is magic and turns into a girl. There is a little lesson on ecology thrown it, but the focus is love. Beautifully done, it moved more slowly than most new kids cartoon movies. It was much less jarring for Daughter.
I read Time Travelers Wife for bookclub years ago. I remember crying, and the general story, but I had forgotten all the little bits. The movie was very well done; both Erin Bana and Rachel McAdams were amazing. But I didn't cry. I guess when you turn a 500+ page book into a movie, you lose a little something. Still worth seeing.
Than Wednesday I went to see the most recent installment in the Harry Potter series. I love Harry Potter. This movie was much more subtle then the others. I don't think that the kids will enjoy it as much as some of the action focused ones, but I loved it. Can't wait for the next one!
These are some great movies for the summer. Daughter just fell and got hurt, so I have to run. No blood or broken bones, so all will be fine.
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Severn Lodge Family Reunion
Published August 21, 2009 @ 14:08 in
Hello everyone! I am writing this entry while sitting on a deck in Muskoka on a glorious Friday afternoon.
Today is Husband's Birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE MOST AMAZING MAN IN THE ENTIRE WORLD! Husband's gift fit (a new jacket, a new travel bag, and a travel coffee mug) and he was happy with everything.
We are up for a family reunion weekend, and I think that this is my first remote entry... wait - I wrote a few times from our trip to Florida.
So far today we have eaten breakfast, played tennis, swam in the pool, swam in the lake, played on the trampoline, eaten lunch, and caught up with some relatives.
Now I am enjoying the sunshine and the light breeze off of Georgian Bay. Again, if I had a digital camera that worked, I could post a picture here:
This kids are behaving at mealtimes, often the challenge when traveling. And I have no complaints.
Summer time and the living is easy.
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Holy Tornados, Batman!
Published August 20, 2009 @ 19:34 in
A week ago today, we watched a movie at Dynamic Earth (used to be known as the Sudbury Nickel Mine) called, "Forces of Nature". It was about volcanoes, earthquakes and tornadoes.
It was a great movie, however, the two youngest kids both fell asleep.
After the credits, the movie showed a funny scene (only funny because you have to assume that the guys weren't hurt, or it wouldn't be in the film). These two guys are filming a tornado for the movie. The camera man yells at the other guy to grab a 40 mm lens. The guy runs around to every door of the car, trying to get in to get the lens. Finally, he starts checking his pockets for the keys. Then he looks in the car window, and spots, the keys! You see the tornado in the background, heading towards the guys and their car.
Of course, the kids were curious about the severe weather and natural disasters which they saw. We answered endless questions, most of which were variations of, "What are our chances of dying by volcano?"
The volcano was easy - no volcanoes in Toronto. Minor earthquakes experiences, but we are not on a major fault. Yes, there have a been a few tornadoes, but not really in the city, more in flat areas outside the city.
And then tonight. Son One playing his first T-Ball game in a month (since we were away) and BANG! BOOM! Major thunderstorms cleared the field.
There are reports that at least 3 or 4 tornadoes have touched down. I hope no one is hurt.
The three of them were hiding under the stairs in the basement with their flashlights. Scared, but OK. Luckily, they are quick to grow bored, and now Daughter is yelling at the storm, "That thunder is bugging me!", Son Two is eating a bowl of cereal, and Son One is watching cartoons.
Our cat, bravest of them all, meowed to go out during the height of the storm. He is now hiding outside on the back porch, under the BBQ cover, too content to come in.
Son Two just noticed a huge, beautiful rainbow outside our back door. If I my camera was working, there would be a picture right here:
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Day 4 - Agawa
Published August 20, 2009 @ 08:13 in
En route to visit the cousins in Terrace Bay, we stopped at the Pictographs at Agawa in Lake Superior Provincial Park.
We walked with the kids along a small (dangerous?) rock ledge to look at the pictographs, believed to be between 150 and 400 years old. They were painted by the natives, and show canoes, sea serpents, and Misshepezhie, the Great Lynx.
Historians are not sure how these pictographs have lasted so long. Cousin/tour guide told us that he did an experiment in school where he mixed moose blood with some of the rocks in the area (only in the north!) and it lasted the longest of the paints he tried. Husband believes that they repaint them every spring before tourist season starts. Benjamin Moore Moose Blood?
As we walk along this narrow, stone ledge on beside the rough and frigid lake, all I can think about is Gordon Lightfoot's song and the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Apparently, there is a memorial and wreck site nearby.
We also stopped to visit the Big Goose in Wawa (apparently the Ojibwe word for "big goose") where we first encountered those legendary Northern Black Flies. I rushed to the van while the northerners laughed. I grabbed the bug spray, and they guffawed. There were at least a dozen, I swear!
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Daughter's Haircut
Published August 19, 2009 @ 10:21 in
This morning I cut Daughter's hair, at home on the front steps.
I took my sharpest scissors, wrapped a towel around her shoulders and secured it with a kitchen clip. I got a hair clip, a comb, and a glass of warm water, and I tried my best to play hairdresser.
She has needed a hair cut for a while, but sees her grandfather take the boys to the barber and come back with really short hair. It scares her. She is black and white in her gender roles, and as a girl believes she needs long hair (NOTE: the boys are currently both on strike from the barber, so soon she may become confused.)
I cut her bangs once, and now she thinks that I am a hairdresser. I have spent exactly zero hours in a hairdressing school, but part of her gender biases also include her belief that all women can cut hair (she doesn't understand why I don't ask Nana to cut mine).
I managed a little trim with some sharp sewing scissors, mostly to clean up her ends which were starting to look a little scraggly. It took half an hour! She kept moving. While I still think $25 for a kids haircut is a little steep, I am starting to think that they do earn their money.
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Vacation Days 2 and 3
Published August 19, 2009 @ 08:27 in Amazing Kids
We left Sudbury after a visit with the Big Nickel, and headed toward Sault Ste. Marie.
I don't want to say that "the Sue", as it is more affectionately known, is a hole and offend those of you with an affinity for the place, but I won't be going there again.
When I called to book the hotel, I asked the what there was to do in Sault Ste. Marie with the kids. "Uh," was the only reply. But I had done my research, "What about the Bush Plane Museum?" I asked. "Yeah, I hear its good. Check out the internet."
Don't all hotels have those racks of brochures near the front telling you what there is to see? Apparently the front desk help at the Great Northern Lodge (not so great) hasn't seen them.
I looked online. Besides the Bush Plane Museum, the other big "Sue" attraction is the Agawa Canyon Tour. It is an out and back train ride that is amazing and scenic. However, I was warned that for kids, it is a little long. And as my kids were doing well enough to sit in the van for a few hours, I didn't want to push my luck.
On the way from Sudbury to the SSM, we stopped at a mine tour in Bruce Mines (this was the first of three of our mine tours. Just wait until you hear what we spent on rocks on this trip)
This was a copper mine, and they have made a lovely little tourist stop out of almost nothing. The mine itself isn't anything to see, but you do get a nice little tour and explanation of the history of mining in the area. Plus you can buy rocks in the little store. I almost lost my Perkins Brunch when she said that the stones my children had selected were $11 (no different than the stones in the parking lot, as far as I could tell).
Turns out she was new with the calculator, and they were only $5.50.
We had booked three nights at the Great Northern Lodge. It was recommended by a few friends because of its amazing water slide. New owners - slide closed indefinitely. Plus the rooms are tragically in need of an update. We only stayed two nights.
The water front looked pretty in Sault Ste. Marie, but it was a little cool and the kids were tired. We went bowling one night. The kids loved it! They only had 10 pin, but they put the inflatable bumpers in the kids' lane. The kids whipped us - 143 was their best. I think Husband got 100. Damn - bowling is harder than it looks!
The highlight for us of Sault Ste. Marie was the Bush Plane Museum. It had a great movie (that also plays at Science North), the kids could climb in and out of planes, and we learned a lot about fighting fires with planes, and the history of flying in the north.
They had video games and flight simulators (Daughter crashed). Eye tests for pilots (Son One may be slightly colour blind). And they have exhibits explaining how planes worked. Really amazing.
Did you know that Roberta Bondar was from Sault Ste. Marie? Neither did I! They had her underwear from her trip into space on display - let's just say that Victoria's Secret won't be making a version of space underwear anytime soon.
I hit the Walmart, as it would be the last one for a while. And off we went...
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And then we found the Big Nickel
Published August 18, 2009 @ 10:18 in Kids Activities
Day two of our vacation, we woke in Sudbury, packed, and went to find the Big Nickel. Somehow, driving around the night before we had missed every sign on every lamppost and at every interesting with an arrow pointing toward the Big Nickel.
We drove up, and saw the 30 foot stainless steel nickel up on a hill.
Paid $4 for parking, and when to see it. Wow. It is a big nickel.
While there, a mother and her son walked by. He asked, "Is that really the biggest nickel in the whole world?" She just shrugged.
The kids looked at the Big Nickel for about 3 minutes, then ran over to the playground beside the nickel and played for 30 minutes.
The mine tour, movies, and exhibitions at the Big Nickel is called Dynamic Earth. We decided that we would check it out on the way home as our plan for Day Two was to get to Sault Ste. Marie.
After a not-so-quick, $45 brunch at Perkins, we were on the road again.
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Good-Bye Co-Pilot, Hello Peace Officer
Published August 18, 2009 @ 09:49 in
There is something about car trips that I've always loved. The idea of escape and freedom. The fun of listening to the songs, non-stop, and signing along. Potato chips and Diet coke. And a map.
I bought a map of Ontario for our trip. Yes, we have GPS, but I like to visualize where we are going. However, I realized on this trip that we rely too much on GPS, and it isn't perfect.
Our first night in the Big Nickel, we tried to find out hotel with GPS. I am not sure if it took us the shortest route, but it was convoluted and through scary side streets (yes, there are scary side streets in cities other than Toronto).
GPS also couldn't find the Big Nickel. After dinner, we tried to see it. No luck. We tried the GPS - it took us to the Big Nickel Hockey Tournament. I don't think that the Big Nickel Tournament is played on Long Lake, but that is where it took us. An hour we drove around the Greater Sudbury Area, and found nothing.
Before kids and GPS, I was the navigator. Husband has his pilot's license, though he hasn't flown in at least 10 years. Because of his training, he takes travel very seriously. The vehicle has an oil change, new wipers, fluids topped off, maps have been review with destinations and via points plotted.
My role, as navigator, as to read the maps, advise on turns, highway changes, pit-stop options, and to keep the music coming. Husband and I were a great team, and I think I only got us lost once somewhere in France.
Since kids, my role has changed. I hand back snacks and kleenex. I collect garbage. I help change movies, supply head sets, listen to complaints, plan bathroom breaks. I try to improve the kids comfort with blankets, pillows and foot rests. In short, I have been demoted from co-pilot to flight attendant.
My other new role is Peace Officer. I break up fights and negotiate movie choices. When the kids start yelling or complaining, it is my job to turn around and yell, "BE QUIET! Daddy can't drive with your yelling!" This usually gets me a dirty look from Husband, who find my yelling in his right ear much more distracting than the kids bickering in the back.
Really, it is a wonder that we drive anywhere. Thank goodness for minivans. I just don't understand why they have come up with a soundproof barrier between the back and the drivers. Then I could go back to being a co-pilot in our adventures.
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Day One of Our Vacation
Published August 17, 2009 @ 19:03 in Kids Activities
Two weeks ago we left on our vacation. The plan was to have a driving vacation, leaving Toronto, visiting cousins in Terrace Bay, spending a few days in each of Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury and Algonquin Park. I booked some hotels.
Monday morning of the August long weekend, we prepared to leave. For Day One we planned on driving to Sudbury, and I had secured lodging for the first night at the Radisson.
Because we had planned on camping one night, there were sleeping bags, tents, and fishing equipment as well as our suitcases (Daughter packed two), food for the trip, and every electronic thing you could think of.
Electronically, we had:
- 2 cell phones
- 1 Cell car charger
- 1 Cell outlet charger
- 2 GPS systems
- 2 car chargers for GPS
- 1 Camera
- 1 Camera battery charger
- 2 in car DVD players
- 1 car-to-outlet charger
- 3 ipod Nanos - synced, 2 with movies
- 1 ipod in car charger
- 5 sets of earphones
- 1 cord to plug the ipod into the van's stereo system
- 2 miscellaneous chargers
- 1 set of miscellaneous video cords (from old DVDs?)
- 1 Camcorder charger
- 3 Nintendo DSs
- 1 Nintendo DS car charger
- 1 Nintendo DS outlet charger
- 3 extra Nintendo DS stylus'
YES - all of that was packed. The kids didn't use their DS ONCE! We couldn't locate the camera charger when it was needed. Half of the cords are in a pile on my coffee table, waiting for me to get them untangled and organized.
Remember the days when your parents would throw you in the car with a colouring book and some crayons and you would drive to FLORIDA? The Sony Walkman was the best invention EVER because you could listen to Depeche Mode and the Smiths, and your parents couldn't tell you how awful "The Queen is Dead" was.
For myself, I had packed five books (almost finished the last one), Daughter's sweater and knitting stuff, and my make-up. I didn't as much as moisturize the entire trip, never mind wear my make-up. But the tweezers did come in handy for slivers.
The van was all packed and ready to go. Everyone was strapped into their seats - a van that seats eight barely had room for the five of us with all of the stuff. Suitcases were doing double duty as footrests under each of the kids' feet.
And we were off. It was 12:32 pm. 12:37 pm we stopped for gas. As Husband was filling us up, Son One, a notoriously bad car travel, remarked, "I've been really good so far, haven't I?"
It had been five minutes. "Yes. Yes you have, honey."
Back on the road. Turning onto the highway, I asked, "Honey, did you pack the Toys 'R' Us bag?"
"What Toys 'R' Us bag?" Husband asks.
"The bag with all of the gifts for the kids that we are going to visit. It was right in the hallway with all of the other stuff."
I look back and notice Son Two trying hard not to smile.
"Do you know where the bag is?"
"I put it behind the couch."
He hid all of the gifts which I had bought. GREAT!
"I am NOT turning around," says Husband. Of course not, I think. 12 km into a 3400 km trip, why would you?
We were on our way.
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Two weeks MIA
Published August 16, 2009 @ 18:35 in Amazing Kids
It has been a while. I am sorry! I was away on vacation, and I've neglected you.
We were far, far away. And I didn't have access to a computer. Over 80 emails awaiting me (about 10 about what would be on Oprah each day).
Our family took an amazing road trip to Northern Ontario - going just past Thunder Bay. We spent time in Sudbury and Algonquin park. Saw and did lots.
I've made some notes, and I will be sharing with you the hilarity that was our trip. We survived. The kids may never crawl into the van again without asking exactly how long we are going for. Flying is looking really good for our next trip, regardless of cost.
Son One decided to eat himself out of a booster.
Son Two could have been eaten by a wolf.
Daughter dragged her rolling Heys Minnie Mouse luggage around a camp site and wore dresses every day, maintaining her "princess" attitude.
I need a mini-vacation, preferably alone, just to recover.
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