The Amazing Race

One of our favourite weekends of the year has come and gone, the Ottawa Race Weekend, which featured close to 40,000 runners in variety of events. To no one's surprise, we were well represented by both friends and family in most of the races, the highlight being the tremendous accomplishment of Auntie Lena rocking her first marathon! It is so inspiring and heartwarming to see so many people taking part, in fact this year every race from the Family 2K to the Marathon was entirely sold out weeks in advance. The weather cooperated for both runners and spectators to make the weekend even better. Daddy and Andrew kicked things off by conquering the 10K Saturday night, having a blast zipping along the course and happy with their times, even with Dad stopping to greet his own cheering section at the bottom of our street! Of course, we had a couple of eager young spectators ringing their cowbells and banging their thundersticks to show their support for all the competitors. In addition to Daddy's usual running pals, we also were on the lookout for Katarzyna in the half, plus Isabelle's dance teacher, who saw us before we saw her! It's an event we always look forward to and enjoy and it was that much more special to have shared in Lena's big day! Awesome job, Lena, congratulations to you and to everyone else that ran or cheered their hearts out!

The women's marathon champ: 17 years old!


Practicing for next year


If only they gave prize money for cutest spectator...or cleanest teeth?


Taking a break to walk Steve


Could he be any prouder of his medal?

Happy Birthday, Auntie Meggie!

We are happy to send birthday wishes out to Halifax and Auntie Meg! Hope you have a great birthday, you deserve to be celebrated for so many reasons. First of all, you are a superb Auntie to Isabelle and Oliver, not to mention a wicked (that's wicked in a good way, not the fairy tale way) fairy godmother to little O. If that weren't enough to be spoiled on your birthday in our books, you are also a superstar Mom to cousin Olan, who is so lucky to have the coolest Mom around. But what we appreciate most of all is your dedication to family each and every day. We know we are miles apart geographically, but are always in each other's hearts and minds, and we thank you for all the communication back and forth, especially when we know how busy life can get. We wish you all the best and we hope you were spoiled rotten with presents, cake and more. It's sure to be a kickoff to another awesome year. Can't wait to see you again. Happy Birthday, Meghan!!!!!!

Little Dozer

Often as we are heading to sleep we do one last check on Isabelle. So many times she is sleeping in the weirdest of positions, as you can see! Her poor future husband that will have to deal with this pretzel sleeping next to him every night. Although she started her life as not the best of sleepers (and Oliver has followed suit), she improved immensely when she moved into her big girl bed. It's not easy to get her to actually go to sleep as she needs a story, a special drink, and several books for her to read to herself after you leave, but once she's out, she's out for good. Isabelle and Oliver have been going to bed later and later as with both parents working, evenings have been busy times. As a result, both Mommy and Daddy have been getting ready for work uninterrupted as both kids snooze the morning away. Oliver, for example, was still sleeping this morning as Mommy then Daddy left for work! They are both in very capable hands with nanny Caitlin, however,who is working out swimmingly. There have even been several tear-free mornings already!

Heatwave!

Ottawa is in the midst of a heatwave, with the mercury rising into the mid-30s, and the humidex, whether you believe it exists or not, heading north of 40! So what do you do when you are in a house that boasts only one window air conditioner? Playdate at the water park of course!


Isabelle and Oliver were happy to meet up with Brooklyn and Kaitlyn and their parents at Brewer Park, where it was all about swimsuits, sand, swings and snacking. As you can see from this aerial shot, warm temperatures have no effect on little one's ability to keep busy!


Oliver always insist being outside; he will cry the moment you pick him up and bring him into the house. So the park was a perfect place for him to hang out, lots of kids to watch and even some cuddling time with Mom.


Isabelle loves this swinging saucer that she just discovered last week. She will sit in this as long as any parent is willing to push her! Check out how pleased she is that Mom is at the controls.


All that playing makes a boy hungry for pretzels and hummus. He is turning into a true member of this family, a grazer all day long. A big fan of pretzels and crackers but his real weakness is chocolate. Don't tell him you have any or it's game over!


Golden girl munches on some goldfish. Never content with just a handful, she needs the bag to feel truly comfortable and in control of her snacking. Just a short time to refuel though, lots of playing left on the agenda!


Aaaaah, nice cold water hits the spot. Like Isabelle and Olan at the same age, Oliver loves water bottles. He likes to squeeze them and hear them crinkle, then toss them back and flood his mouth (and shirt) with water. Once you've given him a bottle, don't expect to get it back without a fight.


The park princess needs her beverage as well. It happens every year but it still amazes us when the humidity hits and does wonders to Isabelle's hair. Ringlet mania strikes again. What a gorgeous girl she is.


She had a blast at the park, zipping down the water slide and running back to the top to go again, time after time. Get her on the play structures and it's the same thing with the big slide. She is a climbing fanatic and can't wait until she is tall enough to put these play structures to the full test!


The best way to keep cool on a hot summer day. Not everyone will be thrilled when the heat wave passes!

Twilight of the Tulips

Another Tulip Festival has come and gone in our neighbourhood, with this year a little less spectacular than most, especially for tourists. The warm spring brought the tulips in earlier than usual, making the last two weeks of the festival a bit more like a hunt for remaining tulips instead of a celebration. To make things worse, the first weekend, usually a Mother's Day staple, was the victim of cold and rainy temperatures. Isabelle and Oliver, however, were not on the list of disappointed tulip watchers. They have been heading over to see them regularly since they first sprouted in April, running around in the grass and charming any tourist or local walking past. The street and park will seem much quieter in the coming weeks as they transition to the summer flowers, but that won't stop these two from making it seem like their second home!

A far cry from pointe shoes!

Matinee with Mom

A big heatwave hitting Ottawa these days so it was perfect timing to sit in the cool air-conditioned comfort of a movie theatre, and, lucky for Isabelle, the new Shrek movie hit screens this weekend! Plus she got to enjoy the movie with her best pal Logan, who is spending the weekend with Auntie Shelley as his Mom and Dad are off to Winnipeg for a wedding. Mommy decided to give Shelley a break and headed off to the movies with both kids in tow. Popcorn and treats in hand, they shuffled into their seats, donned their 3D glasses and waited for Shrek and Fiona to provide the entertainment. Clearly unfamiliar with the concept of 3D, Logan asked "Auntie Aly, why is the movie coming off the screen?", while Isabelle abandoned her specs 15 minutes in and just watched the movie in her preferred two dimensional format. In any dimension, they had a great time and then headed off to the choo-choo table for some post-movie pizza and playtime. Food, friends, and fun, that's what long weekends are all about!

Oliver checks out Dance Dance Revolution in the lobby!



Best pals hang around after soccer was rained out Saturday

House Party

Isabelle and Oliver have been loving the nice weather of late, so much so that they decided to take their house from the basement and set it up as a summer cottage in the backyard. They have a blast peeking in and out of the windows and making each other laugh. Oliver rings the doorbell repeatedly and Isabelle is more than happy to invite him in for some milk and cookies! Yay for summertime!

Hey, Big Sis, come out to play!


Hostess with the mostest


Hey, what happens if it rains?


I'm taking cover! Help me get in the garage!

Game On!

Opening day of the Glebe Soccer League kicked off this afternoon and we knew two toddlers ready to take the pitch! Decked out in their turquoise blue oversized t-shirts, Logan and Isabelle were set to put the skills learned in soccer class to good use. Isabelle was sporting her new Adidas soccer cleats and brought both her soccer balls, one white with pink accents, the other pink with white accents! While Logan was slow to join the fray, Isabelle jumped right in, hoofing balls past her coaches left and right during practice. She stopped over to grab Logan and then after a quick stop for orange slices all around, the Blue Jays were ready for their first game! Not surprisingly, it was a whirlwind of activity with few kids knowing what to do, but Isabelle broke through and became a star. She hunted down the ball relentlessly and ripped 6 goals (no word of a lie!) past an unsuspecting and/or uninterested defence. Soon after it was time for water break and the group never really got back together to anything that looked like a game. Isabelle spent the rest of the time trying to protect her soccer balls and make sure other kids didn't play with them. Sharing skills need to be up to par with her soccer skills! All the time, Oliver loved watching the kids run around and spent plenty of his own time chasing soccer balls and even showing off some of his own moves. Looking forward to next week with nicer weather and a big match against Team Yellow!

She can bend it like Beckham!


Coach, what's the game plan?


Watch out for the superstar coming down the wing!


Is this sport supposed to be hard?


Cutest soccer spectator of all time

Morning Glory

Celebrating the Moms

Wishing all the Moms out there an awesomely happy Mother's Day. We hope you all got the special treatment that you give to others each and every day of the year. We had a quiet day, primarily spent around the house but most importantly, spent together as a family. Isabelle and Oliver adore their Mom beyond belief and were glad to recognize her for all she does. She is the family's rock and we would all be lost without her. Her love, affection and dedication to family is unmatched and we can't thank her enough for who she is and what she means to us.


And to our Moms, thanks for always being there for us and for teaching us all that we know. Only now do we truly understand the sacrifices you made and how hard and rewarding your jobs are. We love you so much.

Rained Out

The first weekend of the annual Tulip Festival brought with it weather reminiscent of our wedding day,with winds, single-digit temperatures and lots and lots of rain. So, with tulip touring and any other outdoor-related activity pretty much off-limits, our playdate with Brooklyn moved indoors to the Children's Museum across the river in Hull. Seems we weren't the only ones with this idea as the place was so busy that the parking was completely full. The two girls had a wicked time doing crafts, playing make-believe and just plain having fun with all the props and exhibits the museum has to offer. Oliver was simply content to just tool around, but especially loves the big tour bus and the giant boat. He went up and down the steep ramp to the boat about 25 times, perfecting a difficult trip with not one pratfall on his record! We stopped to snack and then finished up the day with dressup in the big theatre, where Isabelle was thrilled to see a bridal party come in and take some shots! Hope the weather turns soon, what's with the March temperatures in May?

Hey, Bus Driver, speed up a little bit!


The Arts and Crafts gang


Julie and Julia in action

Happy 4th Anniversary, Mom & Dad!

Four years have passed since that chilly day in May and Isabelle and Oliver are thrilled to wish Mom and Dad a Happy Anniversary! Seems like every May 6th since has been sunny skies and warm temperatures, so clearly Mother Nature wanted everyone to truly remember our special day by gracing it with wind, rain, and a mercury that dipped near zero. Nevertheless, a wicked time was had by all in attendance and we never drive past Rockcliffe Park without fond memories of that day. Looking forward to a fifth year that will be as busy, fun and filled with happiness as the first four have been. Oliver and Isabelle will make sure of that!

Bedtime Story

When Oliver was born, he received so many gifts from all of our generous friends and relatives, more than we could have ever imagined and many of which we have used regularly, some we still use today. Many of the clothes or toys he has been given have shown up in pictures on this site and have become daily favourites of our little tyke. But only one of those gifts has become our ace in the hole, an essential tool anytime we need Oliver to settle down or just want to make him happy and see him smile. He will dig this out of his toy box and bring it to you, arm outstretched, making many sounds that, if they were words, would be "read this to me!". Sit down, open the first page and you have not only a big smile but his full attention. Such a happy kid, and one that loves books too. We are lucky parents. Special thanks to Auntie Mer for finding a book with his namesake and one that struck a chord with him like no other. Once retired, this book will find a place in Oliver's special box.

Hanging Around

A rarity in this family's busy lives as we spent the weekend relatively close to home with little on the pressing agenda. We are all experiencing various degrees of sickness lately so it was best to keep things low-key in hopes of quick recoveries for everyone. In addition, Ottawa is a busy place these days, the university students might be on their way out but there are tourists aplenty with the tulips being out in full force. They are up early this year and even though the festival hasn't kicked off, the neighbourhood is already jumping. Too bad we aren't renting out spots in our driveway! Aside from a trek downtown to check out the spider and run errands, we stayed around the house to enjoy the atmosphere and hit a few nearby parks to burn off energy. Hopefully we will all feel better soon, because more busy times are coming with Nanny Caitlin arriving for her first week on the job!

"Near" and "Far" at the giant spider


Sweetie on the stairs


A trip to feed the ducks...Oliver fed himself instead


I'm not giving this to them!


Two more tulip tourists


Recuperating with lunch and a movie