Staycation Vacation - Fredericton, NB

Summer vacation is always a fun time.  Usually there are trips all over, exploring new places and enjoying new sights.  This year, we decided we would have a staycation!  Of course it was sort of decided for us as we gifted ourselves with new windows and siding this year!!  So staycataion it was!!

My oldest son Liam told me after he had to get ready for yet another parents day (Father's day this time!!) that he wanted a kid's day!  I promptly told him that other than mother's day and father's day those other 363 days are really kids days! 

However, then he moved on to family day!  That I could get down with!  So our entire vacation was labelled by my five year old as family fun days.  I loved it!

Joel and I started out staycation vacation with a date night.  Golfing and supper sans children...more on that in another post!

We have the wonderful opportunity to use my brother's cottage that is about 20 mins from our house since he lives in Ontario!  It's very kind of him and his family.  Our staycation started with two days at the cottage, the city was a humid place to be but the lake was magical!!

Visiting with my friend Beth (check out her blog) and her family came to play.

Then Joel's family (some of them) came to play the next day.  We had lots of fun in the sun!

A day at the camp is always a good time!

After two full days in the sun, we decided to watch Despicable Me 2, it was so funny and I love to hear my little men giggling!!!!  I also giggled a little (or maybe a lot!!)

Then while the monkey's had a nap, I picked some strawberries because I love strawberry jam!!!

Perhaps another post for the strawberry jam, it's so easy and results in delicious jam all year!!


Tuesday we headed out to explore our downtown of Fredericton, New Brunswick!!

We started at Cora's for some waffles!     Next stop was Science East!

 

 

 

 

After a little break on a park bench

 

Since we rarely get the to library we thought we would venture in, we read some books, found some great readers for Liam to practice with and played!

To get the main course of our outside picnic (which was mandatory for family fun days!) in the park we walked to Jack's Pizza!  Yummy pizza by the slice!

 

We rounded out our tour of downtown with a picnic in Officer Square to enjoy the Calithumpians entertain us with a story about our beloved Queen Street!!

 

Wednesday of Family Fun week was a trip to the water park at Hartt Island Campground~  We added my niece in the mix for some added fun.  It's a simply little water park but the kids love it and it's easy to keep an eye on them!  Although I was forced to go down the covered water slide (which I hate) because my niece asked me so nicely to go.  I couldn't say no!

 

Thursday was our "rainy" day as Liam was patiently waiting for a rainy day to go to Kingswood Entertainment Park.  Where we play in the play climber, air hockey, arcade games!!  Always a fun time. 

Then they went to their favourite place......Nanny and Yaya's house!! 

Friday was our last weekday for family fun!!!  So we packed up a picnic and drove to St. Andrew's, NB (about 1 1/2 hrs away)

We collected sea shells



Explored a light house, played in the coolest park around and visited a candy store (always a favourite stop!!)

Before heading home we went to the St. Andrew's aquarium to touch some sea creatures!  I take pictures, they touch!!!





The weekend rounded out with Joel and Liam going to Hartland to pick up our wonderful babysitter for the night Kelsi!!  While Rhys and I had a date for market and errands!

Sunday we relaxed!

All in all it was a wonderful family staycation.  Normally we go away and have to pack up, drive, settle into a hotel or trailer and then pack up and drive back home.  This time we relaxed at our own home in between activities, saved money and remembered why we love this city!!   It was fantasic!

I love to explore new places but sometimes it's nice to just stay home!

What are your vacation plans?  Staycation?  Big family trip?  Romantic little getaway?

Summer fun

Summer is a term we are using loosely around here.  It's super hot one day, freezing the next, rain then sun.  But I guess that's what we expect in New Brunswick.  So summer classified as the time between the end of the school year and when the new one begins.  Regardless of actual dates or weather!

School ended and summer began, this is the Dickinson recap!

We had a little mix up with a photography session, so I snapped some pictures myself.  All was not lost, we will get some real photos in the fall!!!

I was escorted by two super heroes to Walmart to help pick out the much anticipated trampoline!!!  I haven't gotten any pictures of us jumping yet as it's rained for most of the time we have had it up!!!  AND the fact that I was so excited when it was ready to jump, that I jumped instead of documented it!!!  Living instead of taking pics on the outside....my motto for the summer!  And hopefully it will stick!

This past weekend in a freezing cold rain storm, my brave husband packed up the trailer, I gathered the kids and we heading out camping!!!

The weather perked up a bit the next day.  At least warmed up and only rained occasionally, we still had lots of fun.  Mini golfing, playing at new parks (because that is very fun!!), bouncing on the bouncy pillow, campfiring (new word?) and going on a hay ride!!



I don't know about your kids but mine #1 love to wear their bike helmets even when not on a bike, #2 don't like roasted marshmallows.  Liam is finally starting to warm up to them (pun intended) but Rhys is still a straight out of the bag marshmallow lover!

love this little guy



brothers!

 

 


Rhys loves to watch.  He did not want to participate in the songs or actions but loved watching everyone.  This is what he does, we went to the Hawaiian luau and just watched, no dancing, just watching.  Of course we had to hug Yogi and Boo boo, no picture, just hugs!

Finally a nice hot and sunny day!  The boys swam, visited with cousins and then hit the water slides.  Since I am very accident prone, no trip is complete without an incident!  I managed to fall down 2 carpeted stairs in our trailer and gave myself crazy carpet burn (pictures unnecessary, just know it sucks!) I figured the pool water would sting, so I sat back and took some pictures.  However, after taking these fun photos, I realized it was time to suck it up and get in the pool!  Soon the boys will not want me to participate in the fun, so I need to take advantage of it now in hopes that I will be fun enough later too!!

A little hick town back of the truck action followed the sliding!

I remember going in the back of pick up trucks all the time in camp grounds, back roads and sometimes city roads!  Did you do this? The boys think it's just as fun as I did!

The next day involved Joel being in charge of packing up the trailer because he's good at it! The boys and I visiting all the parks before we left (to stay out of dad's hair!)

Who doesn't love boys and Tonka???  So cute.

 

 

Our nation's holiday was on Monday and I bought some theme appropriate clothing for the boys.

 

 



As the boys are saying in the picture: "Happy Canada Day"!!

And for all those in the USA, I hope you have a wonderful 4th of July!!!

random thoughts

I have these random thoughts through out the day and I thought it might be fun to write them down every once in awhile and take note at how weird I am!

1. When the ink runs out in my pen, while I am a little sad that I have to go find a new one, I am excited because it feels like an accomplishment! 

2. Burning my bum multiple times on my leather seats; makes me remember why I didn't want leather seats!(perhaps my dress is too short but I am most definitely not giving in to that)

3. A few weeks ago, I instagramed my peanut M&M's because I was so excited to have all the colours come out of the fun pack.  I couldn't even wait for the picture to eat the yellow because of course we eat them in order of tastiness.  (I don't even need to discuss that they don't taste different)

4.  Sometimes it's nice to show other people your slight OCD (see #3) because it makes them feel better about grouping colours together or whatever their special thing is!!

5. Shoes at any cost make me happy.  My new $4.24 flip flops, very happy! 

 

6.  Why do men/boys feel it's ok to take off their shirt but wear jeans, socks and sneakers when it's really hot outside instead of just putting on shorts, sandals and a t-shirt?  Why do we have to witness that?

7.  My children are soon going to be smarter than me and I am terrified!

8.  Watching Property Brothers makes me happy and makes me think people are crazy!  Usually it also makes me feel like I can renovate my own home, which is not true!

9.  Why did no one tell me that if you blow dried your hair before you put it up it wouldn't hurt as much!!!  Where was I on memo day!! I JUST realized this a few months ago!!!  (I have really thick hair and it's heavy when wet and I still didn't figure it out earlier!!)

10.  My children think I am fun when I play lego and jump on the trampoline and that reminds me that I don't need to always plan for fun!


10 seems like a good place to go to. 

Kindergarten

My little man Liam finished Kindergarten last week. 

Graduation was on Wednesday, I was such a proud momma!  All of the kindergarteners sang a wonderful song about leaving Kindergarten behind to the beat of "summer nights".
So cute and yes I teared up a little!!!

Of course, once they were all done all the parents clapped and my son is the only child to bow!

Reflecting back on his first year at school I am still happy with my decision to send him.  I know he's not at the top of his class, we have some work to do but I have to remember that I didn't know how to read or write when I entered grade one!  I turned out just fine, some might disagree but luckily they don't contribute here!!

I love to read and have made the promise to pass that trait off to my children.  They both love to be read to so this summer Liam and I will continue to practice him reading to me!  I have to remind myself that it's important to practice reading and writing all summer, so grade one will be that much better!  Sometimes I even get side tracked with so much fun!

He made lots of friends, like I knew he would do.  He learned to read words, write letters, words and numbers, math and a ton of other things.  I was so proud with every new thing he told me. 

Next year I will have to try to get the same picture for a better comparison but it still shows how much he's grown in a school year!  Every day I notice how's grown, he's turning into a wonderful little man and loosing his toddler ways.  I am so proud and happy but a little misty eyed nonetheless!!!

Living the plan

My dear friend Beth just started writing a blog last week about her plan to be essentially a happier person.  Please check is out here For the Girls, it's hilarious even if you don't know her.  I find it is even more hilarious because I do know her so well.

She has a plan, she always has a plan but this plan is more about learning to make a plan and then actually live it instead of just planning it and seeing the plan through.  She wants to start living the plan and letting it happen.

I think it's fantastic and while perhaps not all of us feel as much need for control as others, I think it's important to take some of those aspects to heart all the time.

I know myself, I have to sometimes think it's time to just say yes instead of no.  See here!

This past weekend, I found myself saying yes!  And just like that, two happy superheroes accompanied me to Walmart!

Saying Yes

I started this post awhile ago and was happy to relive it.  It's a nice little reminder to say yes more often.

Saying yes, it's a simple act but sometimes so hard to do.

This past weekend I said Yes and it was perfect!

I am going to assume that I am not alone.  Since I am work full-time and am still a full time mommy and wife, the weekends are when I get things done.  The laundry piles up, the groceries need to get purchased, things need to be put away and general crap needs to get done!

So usually I am either taking the kids placing and organizing "fun" or I am encouraging my kids to play alone so I can get said "crap" done.

This Saturday I said yes!  Rhys asked me very early Saturday morning to go for a walk in the rain.  So we dressed up in our rain gear and headed down the street!  It was wet and cold but super fun!

Then because we still have to get stuff done, I convinced them to go grocery shopping with me.  After that the afternoon was theirs.  We played hockey in the basement, played Pokemon cards (however that is played??), played outside and had an amazing time.

My kids are growing up so fast and I want to remember to do this more and enjoy them.

I miss it!

I miss my little blog.

It's a been awhile and I thought I was ok leaving it alone for that long.  And in truth I think I needed a break.  Things haven't been the peachiest over the past several months and I just needed time to deal with that and life.

Like the part of my life that was still amazing.  My little monkeys, my amazing husband, my friends, that part of life.  I needed all of my energy to try to really appreciate those parts while perhaps other parts weren't so good. 

I think (or have chosen to believe) that things are on the up hill.  As Joel and I were discussing, coming out the gully and on the way, really there is nothing but up.  So it's getting better. 

Perhaps I am getting more used to the stress and pressure and learning to do things I think are right and be ok with that.  I like to think that and am working hard to keep that attitude.

I don't think I am ready to post this on facebook yet, just incase I am not quite back.

I hope everyone is doing good.  I hope to be back.