On the throne al fresco

Some people do everything with style, panache, flare...



Now this is living! (note that Soph is on the CBC throne no less)




What's in there?

Note that these were taken at the beginning of the week. It's been cloudy, raining and gloomy ever since. It should cheer up by the time we arrive in Montreal tomorrow morning for Westmount Family Day and Seb's annual Y Fun Run (which he plans on winning this year).

Toronto Doors Ajar

Well, sad to say but the Doors Open Event of 2009 didn't thrill us as much as last year. We picked up our friends and neighbours - John and Jack - and jumped on the College streetcar for a trip to the National Ballet School, only to find that the queue was 2 hours long and had been closed.

So we took the subway to Union Station and hung about till the next tour, which was conducted by someone who was really passionate about public transport and the expansion of the GO train system, but didn't have much rapport with children (and this was billed as child-friendly) and didn't make the building come alive with historical tales of epic drama, tragedy or well anything. To boot, we barely saw a train...

But John saved the day out by proposing we go for hot dogs at a real deli. So we sat on a patio and ate hot dogs and french fries and chocolate milk (at least some of us did).




Sebastian hasn't used a stroller for about 2 years. But if one is available, he will try to highjack it. Jack had his, so it became a bone of contention between the boys - all day long... Here, Seb is taking full advantage, while checking out the cardboard "GO" buses and trains the children were given. He collected lots of "bumph" to share with his Grandad next weekend.



Here poor John is trying to ignoring the fray at his feet and concentrate on the tour guide.


Meanwhile, Sophie did one of 2 things:

Took off in any direction....



or took off her shoes.

Then it was off to Dufferin Grove for a campfire supper welcoming summer and saying farewell to friends who will be away much of the season.


Sophie of course headed straight over to hug her baby Nikko

She does love him so.


Seb and big brother Kai wanted to share the watermelon and show everyone how strong they were!

Nobody wanted to see how dirty they all were when we finally wrestled them home and into the bathtub. What stinky feet!!!!

Things children do when one says "chocolate" (part 2)

Sebastian and I agreed that he would have a chocolate pudding for last Tuesday's dessert (he does afterall walk his regular 2 miles to school, plus an extra 2 to get to tennis and swimming lessons, plus the lessons themselves). He then decided to turn that pleasure into an architectural challenge.

Amazingly, he ate it all.

Oh what a beautiful morning!

M is working nights for the next two weeks, so we have those glorious things known as slow mornings! 2 parents (and an auntie) with 2 kids = no work to rush off for, no school kit to prepare, no mad sort through clean piles of unsorted clothes.

Instead, make some pancakes and water the garden plants. Read that third book to the children before breakfast and drink another cup of coffee. Gorge on berries and wipe sticky fingers and chins. Hang out the laundry and play Twister on the grass. Small chores get done with ease as the sun shines down upon us all.

Life is good.

Next up was ecole Trudeau and a birthday party

Here are some of the best shots of the kids enjoying the annual school fair at ecole Trudeau, which Sebastian might attend in the fall. I didn't seem to snap any at the birthday party in the park but I did get Sunshine's party at their shop.

Brother-sister collage artist duo.

Seb bounded his way through an obstacle course.

There was a tumble or two (all of which seem to add to the scabs and scrapes on his knees).

But it was all smiles at the finish line.

Sophie enjoyed the drumming.

The children rounded off the day with a visit to one of our local organic shops which was celebrating its 2nd anniversary. Sebastian got a treat of a fresh fruit drink and Sophie got to enjoy le droit de cliente (i.e. hugging the owners' one year old every other minute).

See any improvement?

First off this weekend was the community yard sale, where we got tinkertoys (wooden rods/cogs/wheels that you connect to make anything you can dream up) kids books, a magic kit (minus some items) and the odd movie. Then it was Seb's last ballet class where Sebastian knows that there are 5 positions in ballet. So far, they have covered just two.


First position

Second position

Plie in first

Plie in second

way up on your tippy-toes

And check out those wavey arm motions.

She does take gymnastics...

The stain on the pajama leg was curry that Auntie Jeet kindly cooked and Sophie reluctantly consumed /sat on in order to get the pudding. Fortunately, the summer sun has shone and got the stain out of the garment. If only it can get the berry juice out of the brand new t-shirt she wore today...

Say it loud, say it proud, Sophie

Charge those batteries

It's shaping up to be another of those M&J Toronto weekends (except M is working).

Friday night - math group for Jo, Seb & Soph; M & Jeet went out for a bite and beer

Saturday
earlyish morning - traipse round the Roncesvalles community yard sale (over 60 households participating); each child will have a dollar / year of age

mid-morning - attend Seb's last ballet class

lunch - attend l'ecole Trudeau's annual festival to check out where he might attend next year

early afternoon - 6th birthday party of a classmate (fortunately, very casual and in the park)

mid-afternoon - attend the 2nd anniversary bash of a local organic shop we support

early evening - a movie (the Pool) with Jeet at the local indie cinema back over in Roncesvalles

Sunday
morning - hook up with neighbours and friends John and Jack to attend Toronto Doors Open event at the National Ballet School

early afternoon - then head over to Union Station for a 2nd event - a tour of the building

late afternoon - plant / tend to garden, including oiling our new patio table

dinner - take out!!! and then post all our photos and stories on the blog!

Seb got one too!

Before....


During....



After!


He was mighty pleased and raced to school to show off his "do".



Sophie was looking dapper too.

Yum, yum, yum fruit pizza

Sebastian wanted to add pomegranate seeds to his savoury pizza last week, which gave me the idea of creating a chocolate pizza. Why had no one ever enlightened me before?

Some members of the family used melted chocolate as the sauce over a plain cooked base, while others mixed it up with mashed banana. Either way, we garnished and garnished and garnished - pomegranate, banana, strawberries, figs, kiwi, etc. It was awesome!!!!! The pictures do not lie.

Yet another great weekend

We were out and about this long weekend - a ballet lesson, a pilgrimage to the local Value Village (where we became firm fans of K'nex), some gallery hopping, a trail and a cafe around the village of Kleinburg, the international circus festival - and still had time to play with the neighbours and have a tantrum or two.


I think Sophie had fun...


I know Jeet did.


At least, she did when she wasn't minding the stroller.


Lego needs concentration, dontcha know.




Sebastian must take after his Auntie Roberta because he always comes prepared - to bike, boat, swim, fish, you name it.


Meanwhile, Sophie is learning how to get in and out of a canoe, so she can go out with Gramps this summer.

I think Jeet has some other great shots which I will try to add.

What next?

For bedtime reading we are zipping through Peter Pan. Sebastian knows the story and has seen both the Disney and live action movies. But there is something that is definitely gripping him in a way that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Wombles, Fat Stanley, Wind in the Willows, etc. haven't. He has enjoyed them but not been mesmorised.

He still loves his picture books and we love those that cross the 2 1/2 - 5 1/2 age divide, but any suggestions for "chapter books"?
Stuart Little?
The Borrowers?
Charlotte's Web?

He's still a bit young for the Swallows and Amazons, Grandad.

1/2 birthdays

If you hang out with anyone under the age of 7, then you probably know all about 1/2 birthdays (under 5, you might even do the 1/4 year tally - and under 2 you do the months count).

Well, last week Sebastian turned 5 1/2 and next week Sophie is 2 1/2. Our delightful neighbours, John, Jack and Jenny (dubbed the 3 Js by Seb) brought over mini cupcakes as Jack shares the exact same birthday as Sebastian. The boys have been playing (usually streetcars) beautifully together for weeks now. It's great having a playmate over the road.



Seb continues to love boardgames. My DRC trip bribe was Clue Jr, which he played frequently - including with our other boy neighbours on a rainy afternoon. Unfortunately, one piece is already missing... Nana, we need your detective skills.

Sophie got a haircut, Sophie got a haircut!

OK, so I splurged (i.e. wasted money) and went to the kiddie salon. She had a blast. The train was her favourite, even though the very gendered hair stylists steered her to the pink convertible.

To save money in the long-term, her bangs are now, oh, about 2 inches above her eyebrows. But that way, she doesn't need another cut for 3 months.

The blue session

I don't know what it is about this dress and those eyes, but they mesmerise me. I know I can't have eyes that shade but I am still looking for the tights.

Dig that girl

Tis the season for planning, digging and planting (except for the frost warnings every other night). This patch of dirt is the last bit of the raised vegetable beds M demolished last summer, and is along the back, side of the house.

M is working this long weekend, so has today and tomorrow off. Right now, he has taken the kids to the garden centre. He must be really into this gardening thing because he even agreed to plant green peppers which he loathes.