July

Bye Bye Bon Echo. Hello Calabogie! - July 31, 2011
We traded in our tent for beds, but we weren't ready to say goodbye to the outdoors. After leaving Bon Echo we made our way to Calabogie for another couple days of fun in the sun! Kaden was a swimming champ heading out into the deep water and puppy-paddling all the way to the neighbour's raft where he fearlessly launched himself into the water. Milo wasn't interested in jumping, but he happily took a ride in the oversized, motorized inner tube (don't get me wrong, that thing rocked) and splashed about with his feet.

Our fearless jumper in action.

Tenting - The Real Deal! - July 28 - 31, 2011
Today we embarked on a three night camping adventure to Bon Echo Park. We were invited by our neighbour's to join them and a gaggle of their friends. The car was even more packed that our previous excursion so Craig had to create our "poor man's pod" for the top of our car! The weather was ominous as we packed to leave, but by the time we got out of the city the boys were snoozing and the rain had stopped.

Bon Echo was a great campground. It was big and wooded and had a beautiful beach. At first we were a little skeptical of our campsite (also reserved without knowing much about the site) because it was pretty sloped, but what it lacked in levelness it more than made up for in privacy. Not only were our closest neighbours more than a stone's throw away, we weren't surrounded. We backed onto the woods where the boys could roam and explore. Shortly after arriving and starting to set-up the boys discovered their fishing rods. Our intrepid outdoorsman don't need water to cast a line! That night we had dinner at our friend's campsite (we took turns hosting dinners with two other families). It was a good first day.

July 29
After breakfast on day two the rain started to fall. We decided to go on a mini-adventure to the Bonnechere caves in Eganville. It was about an hour's drive from Bon Echo, but by the time we arrived the rain was already starting to taper off and once we were done the tour the sun was back out in full force. It was a worthwhile side trip for sure.

The very inexpensive fishing rods were by far the best investment we made in all of our camping gear.

July 30
The sun was shining today so after breakfast we got ourselves organized to hit the main beach.

We rented life jackets from the park office. Such a great idea for them to provide these.
The boys are so much more comfortable in the water when they aren't afraid of drowning!

Once we were sun kissed and hungry we made our way back to our site to roast some hot dogs for lunch. Since it took some time to get the fire started we gave the boys each a little lego treat to amuse themselves.

Apparently roasting hot dogs is a very serious affair.

While Milo had his nap we all had some quiet time reading and buiding lego.

Before dinner we walked to the beach closest to our campsite. After some fishing and tossing we were ready for dinner. One thing our campsite had in spades was chipmunks! They were not shy at all and were particularly interested in Milo who dropped crumbs everywhere he walked. This particular chippy was displeased that we covered one of his holes. Unfortunately it was out in the open and was the perfect size to twist a toddler's ankle.

July 31
Our final breakfast before we packed up and said goodbye until next summer. The boys did great on their first multi-day camp trip. It's in their blood.

Sleepy Beepy - July 25, 2011
Again with the stoller snooze - I think he managed to fall asleep in the last minute or two home from a walk to the nearby grocery store. Even after I extracted him from the stroller (it was too hot to stay outside) he snoozed away on the couch for a while longer. Tired little bear.

Happy Birthday, Mommy! - July 24, 2011
After returning from Bronte we all cleaned up and went to Grandma and Grandpa's for dinner. It was a really nice night.

Tenting - Take Two! - July 23-24, 2011
Today we ventured a little further from our backyard into Bronte Provincial Park. It's about 20 minutes from our house, in Oakville. Despite only going for about 18 hours (post-nap to pre-lunch) we still had the car loaded to the roof. We didn't know much about the campground when we reserved our spot, so we managed to pick one in the open grassland. AKA - no shade. Today happened to be one of the hottest days this summer. I think it was over 40oC with the humidex. Yikes. After getting the site mostly organized we decided it would be fun to explore the area in our air conditioned car! We were actually contemplating finding a restaurant for dinner, but when we ventured over to the day-use side of the park we discovered the giant wading pool. Fortunately for us it was open for another 30 minutes and we had our swim gear in the trunk. The dip in the water was all that was needed to cool everyone down and turn our spirits up. By the time we cleared out of the pool the clouds had rolled in helping to alleviate some of the heat.

Both boys wowed us with their comfort in the water. Kaden was dunking himself under water without prompting and Milo was a bubble blowing champ.
           

Back at our site the we had some "appies" and got ready for dinner. After dinner the boys helped to get water, had a lesson in fire making, and found any excuse to get dirty!

No campout would be complete without the requisite marshmallow roast.

After a pretty descent night's sleep (with perhaps a few less threats that the first time to stop the jumping maddness?) we had a yummy breakfast of pancakes (with just a hint of the previous night's burgers) and sausages. After breakfast we got ourselves packed up and hit the nearest Starbucks. Camping adventure part two was a success.

Ready, Set, Jump! - July 21, 2011
Our friends invited us over for a swim playdate this afternoon. As you can see, Kaden is getting even more comfortable in the pool. It did take some convincing and an earful of whining, but once he got the feel for jumping in with the floaties to help bring him back to the surface he just wanted to jump! Milo likes to try to get as far away from you as possible saying, "I'm going to let go...". My response? "But you can't swim." Silly monkies.

See - jumping is fun!
He gets pretty good air too.

It's Hot Outside - July 20, 2011
We spent most of July finding ways to stay cool. Milo is not a big fan of the splash pad normally, but today he got right in there.

My silly sloths.

Beach Boys - July 19, 2011
It's nice to live so close to the lake.

Double-cooling action...sitting in the pool while eating a freezy.

Beating the Heat - July 18, 2011
Kaden doesn't nap anymore, but if you get him in the car (or apparently the stroller) he's quick to nod off.

Seriously - how to they not bruise their tailbones?!

Run, jump, splash...repeat!

All Aboard - Thomas is in St. Thomas! - July 17, 2011
We got the boys up and out of bed in no time flat. We hit Tim Horton's on the road and were heading West on the highway before 7:30AM! Impressive if you know our usual morning routine. We were meeting the Chambers crew in St. Thomas (just south of London) to take a ride on the big blue engine himself! Surprisingly, the boys passed out not long after we got underway, but it helped to pass the time in the car. The heat was already cranked up by the time we arrived around 9:30AM. We played in the bubbles, met Sir Topham Hatt, visited with a clown who made balloon trains and then got ourselves in line for our scheduled train ride. All the kids had fun jockeying for the prime real estate in front of the open window (where the only whiff of a breeze could be felt) as we whistled down the track and back. Fun.

Once we were off the train we tried to seek some reprieve from the heat by going inside the area where various other Thomas related amenities were available.
The bouncy castle is always a big hit. Don't worry...Milo landed right side up none the worse for wear :]

Cooling Off - July 16, 2011
After helping Daddy shovel the ground level, Kaden jumped into the pool fully clothed - socks and hat and all!

Clearly I was not behind the camera for what you're about to see...I guess Kaden doesn't know any better. Apparently Craig doesn't either...

Tenting - Take One! - July 15, 2011
Another good afternoon to cool off in the pool. The boys practiced their bubble blowing skills.

Tonight we are taking our first test drive in the tent and camping out overnight in the backyard. After putting up the tent (and horsing around inside) we had s'more - backyard style! I think the boys would have been just as happy to eat marshmallows straight from the bag, but I gave everyone the option of dipping their marshmallows in melted chocolate and then into graham cracker crumbs. Worked for the adults! Our intent of camping in the backyard was not only to get the boys adjusted to sleeping outside in a tent, but we were hoping to breed the crazy out of them as well. The orange and yellow tent along with the air mattresses makes it hard to convince the boys that the tent is not a bouncy castle. After much running and jumping we finally got the tent set up for us all to sleep. Surprisingly we fill it up pretty well from end to end even though it's a six person tent! Kaden and Daddy assembled the dining shelter so Craig and I would have somewhere to take shelter from the bugs until we went to bed ourselves. I think by the time the boys finally settle down and we had exhausted all of our idle threats to get them to stop jumping it was about 10pm! I was curious who would get up first - the birds, the sun or the boys?! Thankfully it happened in that order and the boys slept until about 7AM.

Grandma and Grandpa may not want to watch this video...don't worry, your air mattress was not harmed in the making of this movie!

The next morning the cool dudes all had breakfast outside. Our first night was a success.

We'll read anywhere in anything... - July 12, 2011
Story time took place on the stairs today with a train and an astronaut!

Don't leave Milo alone at the table... - July 11, 2011
Who do you think won this battle - Milo or the yoghurt?!

Deckmolition! - Various Days July, 2011
This summer's project is to tear up about 3/4 of our deck. It's getting old and worn, but it's also higher than we'd like and we feel like we're starring down into our neighbour's yard invading everyone's privacy. Not only that, but the deck was just high enough that critters could crawl underneath, but we couldn't. We enlisted both sets of local grandparents. Gran and Grandee took the boys out for the afternoon and dropped them back off after dinner. Grandma and Grandpa leant us there muscle and helped tear out the deck as well as clear all the undergrowth. It's a good thing we got this deck up...we discovered a raccoon carcass!

The next day Kaden wanted to help as well. He'll make a good project manager one day as he "supervised" Daddy and Grandpa loading the trailer to take the wood to the dump!

Grandpa continued to help us throughout the following week. When he was in the mood for some exercise he would come and dig a trench to bury one of the six giant concrete support pillars. The boys looked on with interest as Grandpa slaved away!

It's starting to look pretty good. This weekend we worked on leveling the ground and started building the stairs.

Sportball - July 9, 2011
The boys started soccer today. It was Milo's first time participating and not spectating his older brother. Similar to Kaden's first summer at Sportball, Milo was content to participate about 50% of the time. The other 50% he was complaining/crying and asking to be picked up. For some reason he was more willing to participate with me than with Craig, so we tagged off to get him through his first lesson. Kaden is a seasoned pro now and really loves his time on the field. He's an active (and chatty) participant and is getting better at legitimate soccer skills!

Down by the Cool of the Pool - July 8, 2011
As the days are getting hotter we fill the pool with water in the morning so by the afternoon it is warm enough to swim. I'm not sure how they don't hurt themselves, but they both launch themselves into the pool as if they were jumping onto soft pillows!

After all the excitement, it's nice to come into the AC and chill-ax with a book.

Water Paint Anyone? - July 7, 2011
Always looking for new ways to keep the boys entertained I pulled out some of the painting supplies this afternoon to let them "paint" the fence! Water does the trick to change the colour of the wood so it looks like the real deal. Milo soon lost interest in painting and was more interested in replenishing the water in the trays. Of course it didn't take him long to figure out there was a more efficient way!

The beginning of dunking... - July 6, 2011
We skipped Kaden's swim lesson today in exchange for a playdate at a friend's pool (that way Milo got a chance to swim too). Already Kaden is feeling more comfortable in the water. With the floaties on his arm he has a boost in his confidence. I don't think the video I took captured him going underwater, but about one in every five times he went down the slide he went right under. He popped back up unphased (although his eyes were the size of saucers) and climbed right back up to try again. If he didn't go under he at least got a splash in the face, which is a good first step.

The Teeth are Alright - July 5, 2011
Perhaps I was quick to worry about Milo's teeth, but I was convinced one day that I saw his teeth yellowing! I booked the next available appointment to take him to the dentist. Of course, by the time we went there was no sign of a problem. Oh well - better safe than sorry. He did really well though - what could be better than your own personal chair and tv?!

It's a truck...it's a fish...no, it's Supermen! - July 4, 2011
This is what Kaden built! The lego set is "designated" for 7 to 12 year olds. He asked for help a few times, but more or less assembled this whole thing by himself. He's got the bug now :]

This week was Kaden's first swim lesson. We discovered an outdoor pool here in Port Credit that was just newly renovated. A great place to swim. Milo has his first lesson next week while Kaden is at camp and both boys will go a second time each later this summer. With all the swimming we hope they will both become a little more comfortable in the water.

It didn't take long before they discovered the swings didn't just work when they were on their bums!

RED PINE CAMP! - June 30 - July 3, 2011
This year we joined our good friends the Chambers family (and their extended family) for a family camp adventure at Red Pine Camp. The camp is located on Golden Lake just outside of Eganville (closer to Ottawa than Mississauga)... We took part in the Canada Day Long weekend camp, which is a 3-nights long. It was SO much fun. The weather was awesome, the staff were great and the boys had a blast. The accommodations are pretty basic - but with electricity and flush toilets around there's really nothing to complain about. The cabins are used pretty much just for changing and sleeping so you don't need much more than a few shelves and bed. The meals are provided as is the entertainment. The long weekend was a great intro and we hope to go longer next year. They try to give you a taste of what the week-long campers experience including a campfire, Camper Show and a Dance Night along with other programs for the kids (big and little) during the day.

After we arrived and checked-in we explored the amenities just outside our cabin - the playground and the shuffle board courts. That night was an outdoor BBQ to welcome all new and returning campers.

After dinner we went down to check out the waterfront. Milo was still a little hesitant about getting his feet sandy, but was much more amenable with his water shoes on. Kaden didn't hesitate at all and jumped right in to Daddy.

That night was the opening campfire; complete with marshmallow roasting (or face stuffing in the case of my boys).

A little glimpse of our cabin...fortunately there was just enough room for the pack 'n play. Kaden and I each took a bottom bunk and Craig hosted himself up to one of the top bunks. Kaden did slip out once during the night (those sleeping bags make it quite slippery), but the next day we had the staff build us a railing to keep him in place.

July 1
Happy Canada Day! We donned our red and white and got organized to take part in today's activities. The mornings are programmed for the kids so we dropped them off to their designated groups (Milo in the Beehive and Kaden with the Junior Birdsmen) and then we had free time...we almost didn't know what to do with ourselves! The first challenge - shuffle board. Once we actually learned how to play, I quickly cleaned the board with Craig.

After we picked the boys up we got ready to head to the waterfront.

After swimming we were back at our cabin to get ready for lunch. The boys took a turn at shuffle board themselves. We helped celebrate Amy's niece's first b-day at lunch and then were back at the cabin for Milo's nap and some quiet time. Craig wasn't doing so well in the winning department as Kaden annihilated him at checkers! One of the best things for the kids was something that was probably not meant to be a permanent feature of the playground. There was a huge mound of sand that is probably meant to be spread across the park, but had yet to be moved. It was the coveted place to sit and play - making sand castles on top of a giant sand castle! Once Milo was up we hit the tuck shop for some popsicles and ice cream and enjoyed an afternoon snack.

Today's afternoon program was a wide-game. At first Kaden was a little leary about playing since some of the counsellors were dressed as goblins who were trying to catch the kids and they completed tasks to collect gems. But once we got past that hurdle, both boys had fun running around helping the Blue Team.

I "stole" Amy's son Liam for a little bit until he decided he no longer wanted to be stolen :]

A picture of us in the dining hall enjoying the Canada Day feast and then back to the cabin for a little sponge bath before the evening program (thanks to Amy for the use of her tub)!

The Camper Show was hysterical. Both boys participated with their Junior Program groups (Daddy accompanied Milo for moral support). Kaden was sporting his superman pjs and was hamming it up for the crowd - not shy at all that one.

Here you can see the boys in action - stars in the making.
           

July 2
The next morning while the boys were in their JP groups, the Craigs took advantage of the water ski facilities. Both of the hubbies tried water skiing and wake boarding. Craig unfortunately hurt himself when we fell water skiing...twice! You would think after the first time he might pack it in, but no. He got up again in order to hurt another part of his body (ribs first and collar bone second) and then still decided to give wake boarding a try!

After morning program is was back to the waterfront and this time we convinced them to open the slide. All the kids had fun slipping into the water.

Our family outside our cabin.

Some quiet time with the boys.

This afternoon we treated ourselves again to a cool treat and then decided to try some of the other activities at the waterfront. It was a particularly choppy day though so we didn't last too long in the pedal boat. Kaden and Daddy took water bike for a spin before we were back up to the sand pile. Tonight's activity was a kid's dance.

July 3
Our final morning at camp. In the first picture Kaden was actually having a time out underneath a tree. Milo likes to do pretty much everything his brother does so he gave himself a time out as well :] We spent our last bit of money at the tuck shop for a pre-travel trip and then we were off. See you next summer RPC!!!