Character Training

'Character Training' is a common phrase among home school families. But what does that really look like? So often I sit back and wonder, am I too soft on Diane? Do I allow her too much freedom? Or am I too hard? Do I snap into crazy yelling mom over the smallest issues? I know that truthfully I am both. I need to be more focused on God, then I can reflect this onto my child and we can grow in character together. For it is not so much about 'teaching' character as it is about living in character and integrity.

Many months ago, while I was in Calgary, Lisa gave me a brochure about a website sponsored by Focus on the Family. The web address is http://www.kidsofintegrity.com/. I finally went to the website today and I was encouraged by the information available. Even if you don't have little ones at home, check it out. There are 16 character traits to study. They have already done the research for you, including bible references and recommended prayers. We are going to make a lap book as we work through these. We have decided to start with honesty and I have already made up the 'Certificate of Authenticity' for her. I hope you find this useful to support your current bible study.

Halloween...we will not conform to the things of this world!

This will be our second year of not participating in the Halloween 'celebrations' and I feel that it is one of the best decisions we have made as a family. Diane understands that Halloween has nothing to do with Christianity. I've never had an appreciation for the evil surrounding the 31st, but I didn't think anything was wrong with a little trick-or-treating. But the more I've talked with believers I trust and the more I read about it, I realize that taking part (no matter how innocent you think it is) is anti Christian.

Even if you don't believe that it is spiritually harmful, consider this: Children are naturally repelled from evil, yet we coerce and convince them to approach a house decorated in death and evil, then to knock on the door and request candy from adults dressed as vampires, witches, monsters, and prostitutes. When you are in public on any other day and you see someone who looks evil do you have you child talk to them, or do you teach 'stranger danger'?

What about taking candy from strangers? For the other 364 days a year, that would be a serious offence, but for some reason, it's OK on Halloween.

Please don't take your children to haunted houses, Playland fright nights, or any other demonic event. Keep their hearts and souls protected from evil. As Christians, we need to cover our families in prayer and speak the truth.

If your unsure about 'celebrating' Halloween then maybe this might help you decide whats best for your family. I found this blog entry at http://lifeandtruth.com/2010/07/truth-halloween/
or check out this website: http://logosresourcepages.org/Holidays/halloween.htm

Feelings

So here we are in the middle of a writing exercise. Diane needs to print out the days of the week on recipe cards. Not the most difficult task I've ever asked her to do. But for some reason it is making her really mad. She politely asked me for an extra card and then proceeded to draw me a picture of how she is feeling.

I'm not happy!

I am sad!

I am mad!!

Pictures of the New Place

Master Bedroom

 Office / School

Itty Bitty Bathroom (without the 'bath' part)

Laundry / Kitchen then onto the Dining Room

From the Dining room looking into the Living Room

Diane's Bedroom

3 Times a Charm

Here we are, just settling into October and I am finally ready to settle into the home school routine of 10/11. After our horrendous experience, we moved for the third time this year. We found a great basement suite, with mature, kind landlords. They have no screaming children upstairs, and they actually care for their house. We are now living in a quiet neighbourhood, not far from all the amenities of life. I first looked at it last Monday night after work, Mike took a look the following night. We moved on the 30th. With 2 days to pack and move, I was a little stressed, but at peace with our decision.

I had so many people come help us pack and move. We are truly blessed to have friends and family to help. I am almost unpacked, and we actually got a little school in today. It feels good to have a normal life. My leg still hurts from painting the old place. I managed to strain my ligament (or tendon, I can't remember what the doctor said) in my left groin. If I overdo it at work, or while unpacking, it makes it really difficult and painful to walk. I am praying that the pain will subside soon. It gets really frustrating to be serving tables with a limp.

On a happier note, we had our first Calvary Kids Club meeting last Wednesday night. We had 16 kids come out! It was totally awesome. I love how CKC is designed for kids to get into and understand the bible. I am looking forward to serving in this ministry for the rest of the year.

Fixed...for now

So after much harassing on our part, the landlord decided to call a plumber. I think it had something to do with me mentioning that we should not have to pay full rent, due to the inconveniences of the power/plumbing issues. The 'real' plumbers arrived at 4 just as I was leaving for work. But thankfully it was Mr. Rooter. And not some guy he knows. When Mike got home at 7:30 they were just finishing up. Apparently the bill was $550. And here's why. There is a vent pipe that goes up to the roof. And it seems that someone who used to live in the upper suite decided to experiment with this pipe. They pulled out various items, including a block of wood and a CB radio antenna! Finally the drains flow properly and I don't have to worry about that particular issue anymore.

But now this morning, the power outlet that powers the all wonderful coffee maker stopped working half way through the brew. Craziness. We are still looking for a new place to live, and now Mike is a little more willing to move sooner rather than later.

It is Well

In my studies this morning I felt a real encouragement from God. As we try to figure out our housing situation, we are both feeling stretched and stressed. Again, yesterday we had another plumbing failure. I'm getting tired of this. But today as I read in Philippians 4 is was encouraged by the following: v4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! The notes in my study bible made it even clearer, that Paul was not saying to rejoice when all is well, but to rejoice in the trials we face because we know God is using those situations to improve our character. And of course, who can forget v6-7 Be anxious in nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. This brings to my mind, my favorite hymn of all time: It Is Well With My Soul by Horatio G. Spafford. When I think on the story of Horatios life, it makes my trials pale in comparison. I have not lost children to tragedy, however, when I think on these words I am encouraged in knowing that God knows our hearts and struggles. And it is well with my soul.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

After the move

Well it's been a few weeks since the big move. The weather was fantastic on moving day and we had a lot of help from friends and family. Unfortunately the toilet did not appreciate having so many people using it, and it decided to flood all over the floor and down the hallway. The landlord and local handyman removed the toilet and attempted to "fix" it. As of this morning, we've had this happen on three different occasions. Rather than call a plumber the landlord continues to pour chemicals down the drains in a feeble attempt to repair it. I'm really hoping that he calls a plumber today as we cannot use the shower or the toilet until it is fixed :-(  On another crazy note, last week (when we had no use of the shower or toilet) the power got shut off. It turns out that the landlord hadn't paid the hydro bill in quite some time. I spent most of Thursday crying. We are fully unpacked and just settling into a routine and Whammo. Looks like we are going to have to move soon. The power was finally back on about 30 hours later. Just enough time to loose everything in the fridge and freezer. It would have been on quicker, but I refused to lend the landlord $2600.00 of the $3600.00 he owed to BC Hydro. Yup he actually had the audacity to ask me to help him pay the bill. Not on your life buddy. Oh well, as I said to my mother, at least the roofs not leaking (yet).

On a much happier note, we've added to the members of our family. We adopted a kitten. It all started when I was at work and a customer of mine asked if I knew anyone who wanted a 4 year old indoor cat. She was moving to Calgary and wanted a good home for Amber. I said I'd love to take her. I spoke to Mike that night and he finally relented and said we could take her. So a couple days latter Amber arrived. I have never met a meaner animal in all my life! She was a nasty beast of a cat. She hid in the closet and growled and hissed when we looked at her. I figured she'd take some time to adjust. The next night, she decided to stay in Diane's room and would not leave. Diane was too afraid to go to bed in there. I tried to get the cat out, but she would not move. So I called the previous owners on Saturday and told them to come take her far, far away. 

After that little experiment we decided that adopting a kitten (of our choosing) would be a much safer choice. So on Sunday the 12th we brought home Grizzly. He's a five month old black long hair. And he is perfect. He loves to cuddle. He doesn't growl and hiss. He is fabulous with Diane and of course Mike loves him. The cat actually sleeps right beside Mikes head every night. Its been great having him. He may not have been 'free' like Amber was, but he's worth it. Praise the Lord for little blessings! 

Stress and Spiders

As moving day approaches, I am starting to feel stressed out. This feeling is new to me. I can't sleep, I don't want to eat (that's truly a new feeling). I'm cranky and short with everyone around me. I think for the first time in my life I may have high blood pressure. I am so tired, and I am doing everything I can to avoid packing any more boxes.

So now I wonder, do others live like this all the time? I don't normally experience anxiety. It's bizarre. This move has taken so much out of me. The new place is almost ready and the carpets are being cleaned this afternoon (for the second time). Our current landlord it being rather difficult, and it's becoming uncomfortable to be here.

The other day, as I was leaving for work I saw the landlord pull up in his car. I did not want to talk with him. But he'd already seen me so I couldn't retreat downstairs. God in his infinite wisdom, saved me from the dreaded encounter. I walked directly into a spiders web. Full face on! The spider still in the web!!! Ahhhh. Holding back the desire to vomit, my heart racing so loud in my ears, I promptly began the "kill the spider dead" dance. There was web in my eye, and all in my hair. I feel sick just remembering it. Anyway once I managed to compose myself I noticed that the landlord had gone into the house. Uncomfortable moment averted...I think.

Movin' on

After 11 years in the same apartment, we moved into a gorgeous basement suite this past February. Its been fantastic. We are nearer to our church friends and in a much safer neighbourhood. It was so nice to go from a two bedroom into a three. To be able to stretch our legs a little and have a designated room for school / office.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. Due to the economic slowdown our landlords can no longer afford this new home. Yesterday (after paying rent) our landlord informed us that he and his family were planning to move down here and rent out the top of the house. WHAT!!! You've got to be kidding! In his usual long winded manner he explained that he was sorry and had to do what is best for his family. He then informed us that he'd already advertised to rent the top of the house. Again, are you kidding me?!?

So before I hit craigslist I hit the bible. I needed to get a little perspective on the whole thing. I'm feeling a little angry, ok more than a little angry. I just put up the last of the pictures on the wall last week! I wanted a little encouragement from God. A word to soothe my ruffled feathers. Comforting words. Something to fill me with peace. As I perused the concordance I was led to this little gem. II Corinthians 12:10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

How's that for a life verse? Well if that don't put it into perspective. So we go on. No point in looking back. Once I began looking at craigslist, it became all to evident that there is practically nothing to rent in Langley. And then I remembered that my sister drives all four of her kids from Abbotsford to Langley for work. She meets her husband at his work, he then takes the kids back home and she heads into work in Langley. If they can do this with four children in tow than surely we can do it with one kid. So I expanded our search to Aldergrove. Eventually I came across a three bedroom available now. And now is pretty much what we need.

It is anything but new. It is filthy and nasty inside. The outside is old and attached to a corner store. I'll be honest, the prideful human part of me finds it repulsive. However, it has a certain charm I find inviting. It is large and it has three bedrooms. I will be able to have my own washer and drier to use any time of any day. The backyard is not fenced and there are a couple of abandoned cars out back. But it has a back yard available for our use. Did I mention 11 years in an apartment? Our current place has a backyard technically, however, the landlord has not mowed it once since we moved in 6 months ago and it is no larger than 3 parking stalls. The new place has much more space. Room for a swing set and maybe even a trampoline!

So yes, we are moving into the country. And yes it is old and a little run down. And yes it will require a lot of work to make it habitable. But I am not afraid to take on this challenge. Who knows? Maybe God is preparing us to one day purchase our own diamond in the rough. So with cleaning supplies and BFF in hand I went there this evening to begin the clean. My darling friend tackled the horribly nasty bathroom, and now it has been cleaned and sanitized. I cannot thank you enough. I spent those two and a half hours cleaning the stove top and oven (why I started with that, when I don't even cook is beyond me). Maybe I will be inspired to start cooking.

You can stop laughing now...

NO really, I might want to cook one day...

There will be much more cleaning this week in preparation to paint this weekend. Then to move at the end of the month. I just might have us all ready to start school in the fall.

Ouch!

This morning we drove out to visit my nieces out in the Eastern Fraser Valley. They've been housesittning on a beautiful 5 acre property for the last three weeks. The mountain air was refreshing. Because the entire property was fenced we sent the kids off to explore. Halfway through their adventure Diane lost her footing and reached out to steady herself. The nearest thing to grab onto was the electrified fence. Thankfully her older cousin was there to help her out. A few minutes later she came wondering out of the trees. She was melancholy for the next while and it took her some time to finally tell me what happened. She was really frightened and couldn't understand what had happened to her. She was out of sorts for the rest of the afternoon, but I'm sure she'll be back to her usual self tomorrow.

A Walk in The Wilderness

When Diane suggested that we go on a nature walk this morning, all the usual excuses came back to me. It's too hot, there's so much housework to be done, we have nobody to go with us. But the truth is, I just didn't feel like it. But that is never a good reason not to do something. Especially something with my precious daughter.

So we packed her bug catcher, magnifying glass and a bottle of water and headed up to Campbell Valley Park. Once we arrived I felt such a calmness come over me. The park was anything but busy and I was now looking forward to a leisurely walk in the beauty of God's creation. We started on the Little River Loop trail, but were soon joined by a large group of talkative women. Usually I'm the leader of such a pack of giggling crazies, but at this moment we were feeling peaceful.

We took a less used path and we soon greeted by the quiet we sought. Walking along the dirt path, we listened to different song birds and enjoyed watching the sun dancing through the forest canopy. Over the course of the next couple hours we observed a butterfly flitting from flower to flower, had a close encounter with a brazen squirrel and captured a very weird looking bug. I did not, however, regret leaving the housework for a later time.

To Calgary and Back Again

Although I spent the better part of June travelling all around D.C. and Toronto, I still had one more journey to make this summer. And this was to one of my favorite places, the wonderful and fabulous Calgary. My sister and family have lived here for 8 years and I have visited many times. This trip was a little different, though as I was travelling with Lisa and her youngest daughter, Emily. She left her older ones in the Fraser Valley to house-sit for family.

I always look forward to the drive from BC to Alberta. It is just so fascinating to travel from the green of the lower mainland, through the desert of Kamloops, up over the mountains and foothills and finally to arrive in the sprawling city of Calgary. On previous trips Heather and I have driven at a rather quick pace so as to reach Calgary in a timely fashion. Already having Lisa with me made the need to speed redundant. So I think I may have logged my longest trip from Abbotsford to Calgary at 12 hours (Heather and I once did it in 9.5). The drive was uneventful as usual, and thankfully due to the long weekend the was no construction to slow us down. I'd have to say that the worst part of the trip was totally my fault.

Lisa drove the majority of the time, but I did log a little time behind the wheel. The Subie drives like a dream and is exceptionally comfortable. As we came into Kamloops to grab a quick lunch and potty brake, I began to slow down. Unfortunately I am very used to driving a standard vehicle and the Subie is not equipped with a clutch pedal. As I approached the light my left foot naturally pushed into the closest pedal. It was a bit of a shock for all of us as the car came to a rapid and complete stop.

The next day was spent in preparations for Emily's departure for a week at camp. Not wanting to be away from the fun I decided to take advantage of Emily's loft bed. From that vantage point I could observe so very clearly all the 'fun' of packing. Both Lisa and Emily had very different views on how to pack for camp. It brought back memories of my mother and me. I found it absolutely necessary to argue about everything all the time. Thanks mom for putting up with my youthful arrogance.

On Sunday after a great church service Lisa and I gathered up Emily and all her belongings. We drove out into the foothills of Alberta to deliver Emily into the capable hands of the horse camp leaders. During the drive Lisa spotted an 'anvil' cloud. Apparently these are the clouds that can quickly turn into tornadoes. I know you may find this a little disturbing but I was totally hoping to see a real tornado. But it was not to be. In hindsight I suppose it was for the better. The camp was quite rustic, which is totally up Emily's alley and it looks like she will have a great time.

On our way back to the city we spotted 2 young elk (or caribou) just sitting 10 feet away from the road. We snapped a couple of pics and then began our visit sans teenager. We quickly transitioned from listening to the nonstop chatter of a teenager to the nonstop chatter of ourselves. It was just so amazing to connect with each other with no children/teenagers in the background. Lisa and I were able to catch up in a matter of hours without distractions. Before our trip I was concerned that only two and a half days in Calgary would not be enough, but it was just the right amount of time.

On my final day of peace and relaxation we found ourselves walking in the chilly air though Prince's Island Park. I found it a little offensive that all the skinny healthy crazy people decided to use this area as a gym. There was a "boot camp" or something like it set up all around the island and Lulu Lemon attired, pony tail haired wackos would run their skinny butts past us to their next station to do push ups or chin ups. We just walked at a leisurely pace enjoying our sweetened coffee drinks. Another bizarre sight was a hybrid squirrel we spotted running through the park. Over the course of the afternoon we spent a little time wandering through Eau Claire Market and I took Lisa to enjoy her first taste of Vietnamese food for lunch. All in all it was a pleasant and memorable trip.

Thank you wise and knowledgeable sister for a weekend filled with honesty and laughter.

In the Quiet

It's late at night, and I'm just thinking about going to bed. Suddenly I see our security light turn on. My mind instantly goes to the scary place. As I creep over to the kitchen window to take a look, I try hard not to panic. After checking to make sure the door is locked I cautiously peered through the blinds to find the intruder. A really cute back and grey cat looking for adventure, although he won't find much here as I sprayed raid spider killer everywhere earlier today. I settled myself back on the couch, I'm too awake now to go to bed.

A short time later I hear a quiet sound coming from down the hall. I look up to see Diane slowly emerging from the shadows. Shes wearing her dinosaur feety jammies and is suffering from tremendous bed head. As she enters the room her eyes squint against the light. She climbs onto the couch and snuggles right up to me. I just love these moments. We sat there a bit, quietly cuddling for a while. After a drink, and a peek outside to see the grey tabby I took her back to bed and kissed her smile goodnight. When I take the time to enjoy these moments as opposed to finding them intrusive I feel renewed and fulfilled.

There's no Place Like Home

Home at last. It's bittersweet coming home after such a fabulous vacation. There is laundry to be done, schedules to keep and jobs to go to. The first thing I noticed when I got home (besides the very cold weather) was how massively big our basement suite is. It's only about 1100 square feet, but when you've been living in hotel rooms with three people for 18 nights it feels gigantic. I'm so thankful that I don't have to rummage through a suitcase to get dressed in the morning. I'm so thankful that I can sit on a couch to check email, facebook and blog.

Since getting up at 7:30 this morning, we've driven up from Seattle, dropped off the in-laws, driven home and restocked the house with groceries. I'm just finishing up the laundry and enjoying a little quiet time before we jump back into real life. Tonight I sleep in my own bed at home. Ahhhhh...sweet dreams to me.

And tomorrow I will have coffee. Lots and lots of fantastic coffee. Coffee made with real cream, not coffee whitener (what is that crap anyway?). I will savour my coffee. I will sip and enjoy every last bit of it. Here's to sweet dreams at night and coffee in the morning.

Across the Nation

Today is our last day in DC. This afternoon, we will fly back to Seattle. As has become custom, we fought commuter traffic to Bethesda and arrived just after 10am. Grandma was less alert today and I’m thankful that we took family photos yesterday when she was more awake. After a light lunch we allowed Diane to climb the tree some more. She almost fell out so I decided that it was time to stop climbing. The last thing I need is a trip to the hospital.

Even though our flight is not until 6, we left Grandmas at 2. There was no way we wanted to be stuck in rush hour traffic. The drive down George Washington Parkway was relaxing and beautiful. We made good time and thankfully made it through security with nothing more than a quick pat down. Our gate was situated directly in front of the runways and Diane (just like Papa) enjoyed watching the aircraft coming in and taking off. She’s just so interested in how things work. I too enjoyed observing the goings on of the airport.

The view from our plane, while waiting to take off

Connecting in Atlanta was quick and easy. But I was really not looking forward to being in the air for 6 hours. I was relieved to find that we were allowed a much larger plane this time. Three cheers for Boeing 767. Whoa girl, slow down, this is still a 6 hour flight. Although the seats were bigger and there's a bit more leg room there were only three working lavatories on the plane. have you ever had to wait in line to pee at 15000 feet? It's more than a little awkward. Add to this the fact that my seat would not recline and the cabin was horribly cold and it all equals a long sleepless night.

After some tolerable turbulence we arrived in Seattle at midnight local time. This is 3am for our exhausted bodies. Thankfully our hotel shuttle was quick in picking us up. I'm too tired to think. I just want to be home and we still have to drive home in the morning. I've loved this trip. We've seen more in this last 17 days than I ever thought I'd see. I'm sure we'll be talking about all the wonders we've experienced for a long time. As it is now 4:30 for me, I shall bid you adieu.

Fathers Day with Family

We all decided to sleep in a little for Fathers Day. The heat has been extreme down here, and tomorrow is a long day of travel. After a very restful sleep we made our way to Grandmas to spend the day. Why is it that when you are laughing and livin' la vida loca time goes by far too rapidly, but when you’re still and quiet, time seems to go in reverse? I managed to herd everyone into the same room to take a couple of pictures of everyone but that's about as much craziness as everyone could handle.

Back: Dad, Aunt Olive, Uncle Ricky, Cousin Patrick, Aunt Viviene, Aunt Rose

Front: Mike, Diane, Aunt Cherry, Mom, Grandma

Grandma is still complaining about her sore back from that fall almost two weeks ago. She refuses to do her daily exercises and wouldn't go outside at all this week. When she sets her mind to something, it will not be changed. When I think about her life, I can begin to understand where she gets her strength from. She and her husband emigrated to Jamaica when she was quite young. She barely remembers coming by boat to the US and then a train that seemed to last forever, before one more boat ride to Jamaica. As the mother of nine she was kept very busy, and when her husband died she was unable to care for her youngest son Ricky. At that time mom and dad had just been married, so they raised him for the next few years before they moved on to Toronto. There is such history in this family, I just wish I knew more. I'm trying hard to discreetly take notes when listening to them talk of their lives.

After lunch, Mike, Diane and I headed outside in the heat so she could climb the tree and run around. Dad and Patrick joined us and we sat in the shade for quite a while and talked about school and the differences in daily life here and at home. After what seemed like an eternity, we said our goodbyes and headed over to Fuddruckers one more time to enjoy their amazing Buffalo burgers. Tonight is pre packing for travel tomorrow. And yes I intend to pack our dirty laundry on top again, just in case TSA decides to check my luggage.

Saturday in the Sun

So here's our dilemma. We are exhausted from being busy every day. It's been non-stop adventure and we are back in DC for 3 days. So shall we spend these days at Grandams place in the quiet darkness? Or venture out again? We opted to spend one more day sightseeing. After leaving mom and dad at Grandmas and headed out the the now familiar Metro. We were pleasantly surprised to find that the parking was free on weekends. Our destination today was the Air and Space Museum. Although it was crazy hot outside and the air quality is at 'orange' (orange and red means free bus, but not Metro) there was no shortage of people in and around the National Mall. The mix of people was different that the previous week. Before it was retirees and school tours. Today it was families with nasty, unruly children. I much prefer a herd of school children. You can predict where they are going to go and avoid them.

Time flies in these museums. There is an unbelievable amount to see and learn about. We learned that astronauts sleep 'standing up' zipped into a sleeping bag. I also had to laugh at the high tech device used for keeping towels in the correct place. Does anyone remember the plastic circles with the X cut out? As children many of us got our fingers stuck in the hole. Well this is what they use on the international space station.

I was continually amazed by the size of everything space. The life sized model of the Hubble Telescope is beyond imagination. And the living space on the shuttle is a claustrophobics nightmare. Seeing a life sized model of the lunar lander brought up more questions than answers. Like how can it be strong when it looks like its made of tinfoil? How could they fit three people in it? Just amazing to see up close.

Time ran out again. Mom and dad liked to be picked up before 5pm. The aunties need to feed Grandma dinner and get her ready for bed and it all takes a lot of time. We left the Smithsonian late, and to avoid the crowds, I decided that we should take the Metro from a different station, and route back to Bethesda that way. This new direction took us to Chinatown where we needed to change trains. The changing of trains is nothing new to us. However, this place was unfamiliar territory. We found ourselves among a more colourful group of people. There were less families with screaming children and more young people with tattoos and colourful hair. Of course Diane doesn't prejudge anyone and she quickly made friends with the fascinating young lady sitting behind us. Sometimes I wish we could all be a little more trusting. With no train delays or mishaps, we made it safely back to the motel. Funny enough, I ventured down onto the second floor to get ice for Mike. If you remember my story from way back this will make you laugh. Even though we just returned from Toronto, we are staying at the same motel we were at for the first 8 days of our vacation. And down on the second floor, right beside the only ice machine in this motel are a washer and dryer. Oh well, there wouldn't have been a story if I could've done laundry here.

Frogger

Have you ever played Frogger? Close your eyes and think back. Hold the joystick in your hands and quickly force it left, right, back and forth. Now imagine sitting on a bus with wings while the pilots play frogger with the plane. Nauseating? Frightening? Yes, all of the above. This was the take off from Toronto that we experienced. So, as of yet I am not a fan of US Airways.

Before any of this excitement was the routine processing through customs and security. We had no issues with either, but mom and dad were not so fortunate. Customs was a breeze, but when we went through security, they were subject to a more thorough search than wanted. This was the first time that any of us had to go through the body scanners. Just as we finished processing I looked up to see Mom in the scanning machine, and dad standing off to the side, holding all the items from his pockets in a tray. They looked a little worried. Dad's laptop was scanned for traces of elements used in the building of bombs, but thankfully none were found. And I was concerned about getting socks on my feet!

With everyone cleared, we found our way to the holding area. I've become a little jaded about airline travel and no longer refer to this area as the 'waiting lounge'. It's a holding area used to process the cattle. Our plane was not delayed and everyone was processed and seated in a timely fashion. All righty then, the weather is clear, let's get off the ground. Ahhh, but is was not to be so easy. After a short taxi to the runway, we were in the air. Well sort of. Within seconds, I thought for sure that one of the wings was going to gouge a large trench into the landscape while we flipped end over end into a fiery ball. I was not informed that it was 'take you child to work' day at US Airways. I'm sure there was an eight year old flying. Although an eight year old could have done a better job, considering he's probably logged more hours on an Xbox.

After arriving in Philadelphia, we were subject to another horrifically long wait for our connecting flight. This time, we were all too tired to go to the main terminal, so we foraged for lunch at terminal F. This allowed me time to catch up on my previous days' blogs, while Mike showed his parents how the new Net Book works and Diane played on the PSP. By the time we were loaded on the plane, we just wanted to get to DC and go to bed. Unfortunately Philadelphia was really backed up for take offs, so we were forced to wait, buckled up and at the ready. At first I busied myself with the view in front of me. I learned that there are 4 main ways that men 'comb over' their hair. There's the side over, front to back, back to front and then the Trump swirl. I pointed these options out to Mike for future reference. I finally got sick of following the rules, and put one earphone in and listened to my iPod for a while. I just made sure to keep my head turned away from the control freak flight attendant. Just before it was our turn for the runway, the really pretty stupid girl behind me decided she couldn't wait to pee. The second she closed the bathroom door, the pilot was forced to tell the control tower that someone was in the can. So we were pushed back in the queue. I've never seen a flight attendant get as politely angry as this one. I even yanked out my secret earphone as she stormed down the very narrow isle to give pretty girl a stern talking to about getting out of her seat and causing us further delay. I chose to keep my earphones put away until we reached cruising altitude.

The rest of the fight was pleasant and quick. Now that I've been to DC Airport before, I feel like a pro and we quickly picked up the rental van and made it to our hotel. I was not looking forward to 3 more nights in a double bed. I'm beginning to think that the floor looks really good. But to my surprise I was greeted with a King sized bed in the room. I yelled so loud that Mike thought there was a spider on the floor! Diane was more than a little disappointed to learn that, she could not have the big bed to herself, or at all for that matter. The only thing that dampened the mood, was the realization that TSA went through our luggage. As much as I feel violated, I take a sick comfort in knowing that the top half of my luggage was all dirty laundry (separated by the laundry bag itself). Dirty socks worn while touring in the heat all day...take that TSA!

Let's Get Medieval

We are all created with the innate need to know where we come from. Who we are, and to be connected to where we’ve been. Today was a chance to see some of Mike’s roots. With just the three of us in the van, I received the grand tour of Mike’s childhood. He took me to see the schools he attended, and the neighbourhood that used to be his old stomping grounds. Not too far off from the Jane and Finch area. Around the lunch hour he took us to a place called Allan's Pastry. It’s a small bakery in an industrial neighbourhood. There’s nowhere to sit down to eat lunch, so we enjoyed a picnic in the van. Who cares if it gets dirty, it’s a rental! I enjoyed a beef patty (minced spicy beef in a pastry shell) with coco bread and Ting! real Jamaican soda. It was so awesome to spend the morning and early afternoon learning about his life in Toronto. He has a real connection to this place.

Because we had reservations for dinner at Medieval Times, we had to leave time to pick up dad and head into traffic. We intentionally arrived at our destination early, because reservations do not always equal good seats! Once in the area, we noticed a wind turbine within walking distance. We had seen it a couple days earlier from the top of the CN Tower and now we had the chance to be right at the base of it. As interesting as it was to be so close to this silent machine, what I found more incredible is what was directly beside it. A Hydrogen refuelling station. Yup, they’re real. It’s a small station, and only a few vehicles can use it, but it’s there. I was fascinated and spent a little time reading up on this very renewable source of power. 

There was even enough time to allow Diane some time at the play park. Dad kept a watchful eye on her while Mike and I sat in the cool grass under a tree. It was wonderful to sit a do nothing for a time. The air off the lake was refreshing, and there were no sounds of traffic. Just quiet. I would have fallen asleep if I'd have laid down. Except the anticipation of the coming event kept me all aflutter with excitement.

At last the hour arrived, and we waited patiently in the entry all as it filled with more and more people. Suddenly the doors swung wide towards us and we were greeted with trumpets and the Royal Messenger. The King and Princess came forward and invited us into the castle to join them for dinner and a tournament of their best Knights. We were first in line and were so startled by the event that Mike didn’t even have time to take pictures of it!

Once inside we waited in The Great Hall, where people could be knighted or become 'ladies of the realm'. A few people had this done for retirement or birthday celebrations. We were fortunate enough to have a couple of minutes with the Royal Falconer. Here he is with Diane and one of his falcons, Viviene. Later in the evening, he came into the arena while we were eating, and Viviene showed off her hunting prowess. There was also a viewing area of the performance horses getting all dressed up for the Tournament. We went to the Castle Museum. Which tuned out to be a museum of prison and torture devices used in the Medieval times. We hurried our way through this. While we waited to enter the auditorium, there were any opportunities to buy souvenirs. We purchased a cheering flag, and a princess headpiece, which I happily wore all evening!

For the next couple of hours we ate without utensils and cheered our favorite Knight! What a show. Diane and I yelled so much, we were both hoarse by the end of the night. Even dad seemed to enjoy it. We had such an amazing evening. Everyone who works there does their absolute best to make you feel like you really are part of this forgotten world. I liked being referred to as 'My Lady' and of course Diane loved eating with her hands. The actors all do a fabulous job of transporting us from our hurried life, to one of chivalry and honor. After the show, Diane met with our Knight and she had him sign our flag. This was an experience that we will always remember.

Where's the Party?

As we continue on this never ending vacation, I wonder how many more quiet visits I can endure. I’m doing my very best to be polite and quiet, yet I’m bursting at the seams for some noise, lets have a party, I need to feel alive again!

We found some time today to visit with Lieu, Mikes mentor from 20 years ago. We met up at his shop. He’s been running the same business for decades, as one of the best stereo installers in the Greater Toronto area. He wanted to treat us to his favourite Vietnamese restaurant. I never say no to Pho. As we drove through town, I was treated to the Jane and Finch area. Apparently this place is notorious for gang violence. Sure, I’d love to take my very Caucasian self out of the vehicle and enjoy lunch!?! Unlike Mike, Diane and Lieu, I’m not trained in any martial arts. My only defence is a big sarcastic mouth, and that’s more of an offensive weapon. Once I decided to trust Mike and Lieu, I relaxed and enjoyed the best Pho of my life.

Our visit was cut way too short, as we had to get back to Aunt Daisy’s to pick up Daisy and Mom for a family dinner. Time to meet Aunt Faye and Uncle Carl, another of dad’s brothers. Living with them is their daughter Nicole, her husband Steven and daughter Ashley. OK, I can do this. I’m ready to face the quiet. Well much to my delight, we’ve found the black sheep of the family. A whole heard of ‘em. Can I stay here for the duration of our visit? We had ourselves, a rip roaring great time. Laughter to split your sides. I ate it up, it was like fuel for my soul. Thank you Lord for people who live life with a joie de vivre. While we were all relaxing after filling up on some fantastic Jamaican food (no White Fungus and tofu) I could not hide the fact that I was still suffering from this never-ending headache. Immediately Aunt Faye grabbed the 150 proof Jamaican Rum and ‘wet up me head’ (as in pour it onto my head and rub it into my hair) and then had me inhale the fumes. I love this woman! I could have partied all night. But alas, all good things must come to an end, and the in-laws and Daisy needed rest from the pandemonium. Aunt Faye made it very clear that next time we are in Toronto we are to stay with her. OK, no problem mon! In dis house we all be irie!

Up!

After our splendiferous visit at Casa Loma. We headed for the most famous landmark in all of Canada. The CN Tower. We had been warned by Aunt Daisy that traffic would be a nightmare, but at 4:45 on a Tuesday we found very little traffic. Aparently the city has been telling people to stop driving downtown in preparation for the G8 and G20 Summits. As a result driving and parking were a breeze. I'm thankful we are here this week and not next as the core will be closed to tourists and the tower will be closed as well. Everything about this place is overwhelming. Looking up from the ground is vertigo inducing.

We hadn't made reservations for dinner, but thought we'd take our chances anyway. Luckily, we had arrived early enough that we were able to get in right away. So up the elevator we went. There was a glass opening on the floor and Diane loved watching the ground get further away. The dining room of the 360 is beautiful, but even more stunning is the massive windows affording a view unequaled in all of North America. Luckily we were sat window side and we settled in to enjoy a spectacular dinner. I enjoyed a perfectly prepared peppercorn steak, the only thing missing was a glass of wine.

With taste buds and stomach satisfied we walked down two levels to the lookout. It is here that one can go outside and feel breeze in your hair and get a great perspective of how high up you really are. This is also the location of the famed glass floor. I had told myself that it would be a piece 'o cake, after all I'm not afraid of heights. I read that the floor can hold 400 elephants. I know in my head that it is completely safe. However, my brain and stomach went totally squirrely when I looked down for the first time. Diane jumped right on. She was actually jumping up and down on the floor. It took me a few minutes to get up me nerve, but I finally did it. I couldn't go all the way to the CN tower and not even try. My first walk across was quick and I didn't look down. Eventually I gained a bit more bravado and I managed to look down, all...the...way...down...

The final highlight to our tour of the top is known as the Sky Pod. This level of the CN tower it the highest observation deck in the entire world. And wow! what a view. We were able to barely see Rochester, New York across Lake Ontario. I just couldn't take it in enough. It's absolutely surreal. Finally we descended back to reality.

As the sun was setting, the city became alive. Mike drove through the city on our way back to Aunt Daisy's. He took us down Queen Street, up to Yonge Street. We passed an outdoor concert, and to my delight 'Heart' was performing. Mike drove around the block, so I could hear them a bit longer. Long live the 80's! This city is so vibrant. It's just a Tuesday night, and yet people are dressed to the nines and limosuines are about. Such an amazing place to be. I wouldn't want to live here, but I sure would like to have more time to visit.

Casa Loma

Seven years ago we were in Toronto for about 10 hours on our way to Jamaica. Mikes friend and mentor, Lieu, took us around the city and showed us the sights. Unfortunately it was at night so I only saw the outside of everything. I still remember when I first laid eyes on Casa Loma, in Spanish it means 'Castle on the Hill'. Today I was able to see the inside of this incredible place. Sir Henry Pellatt was a great entrepreneur in the late 1800's He sponsored Thomas Edison and commissioned to have electric lights through the city of Toronto. His story is both one of victory and tragedy. www.casaloma.org

In this modern age, there is no tour guide talking you through the sights. Everybody carries a small device that plays the information for each room. Its so much nicer than reading a signpost and not viewing what you came here to see. I really enjoyed wandering from room to room and learning while looking at the antiques. Henry was a visionary and a dreamer. He chose to decorate his estate as the mood took him. One of the guests suites was completely furnished in Oriental design, while the room next to it was Edwardian. I love this.

My favorite room was the conservatory. Henry wanted flowers in bloom year round, so he had steam pipes run through the soil in the conservatory to keep the plants warm. The marble floor was beyond spectacular, and as I was suffering another ferocious headache today I just wanted to lay down on the cool surface for a while. Although this would have been frowned upon by the staff, I did manage to find a corner and sit with my back against the marble wall for a bit. It provided some relief from the pain.

Well, part of being in a castle, is finding ones way up into the tallest tower. So up and up we went. From the third floor we came upon the never ending flights of stairs. Often times we would have to wait for a group to pass before we could wind our way up the next staircase. This part of the building has not yet been restored to its former glory. As can be expected thousands of people have taken advantage of the unsupervised areas and have written their names on the bricks. Funny enough, we did find a little alcove where someone had inscribed 'Enter Here Diane'. So we took some pictures of her hiding in the little space.The view from the top was spectacular. I could imagine Sir Henry and wife Mary spending time together admiring the view. Amazingly dad made it all the way up the tower as well. He's pretty fit, probably more so than myself and he's 76 years old!

In total we spent three and a half hours touring this magical place. We went up and down secret stairs. And through the 800 foot long secret tunnel to the stables. These stables were used during WW II for government research. All the while tourists were enjoying their visits in the castle.

Arriving in Toronto

Today was one of those days where I think we'd have been better off driving and not flying. The hotel we stayed at was comfortable, and I kinda wanted to stay there a while. Our transfer van was full from the hotel to the airport. Besides us, there was a flight crew of 4. Diane chatted with the flight attendant who sat behind her. It makes me so proud when my 6 year old can have a discussion about the things she's experienced so far on this trip.

Ronald Reagan Airport is massive. Everything is done with touch screens, and the customer service here sucks. I had difficulty logging into the US Air check in screen and the stress kept mounting as the employees were cattle calling everyone to keep moving, meanwhile I've got four other people watching everything I do. At long last, we checked in, had our baggage weighed and processed, then moved towards our gate. The place is crowded. Insane. We found a small area for mom to sit where we could be close. Eventually we were called to 'board'. Rather than walk down a jetway, we are herded like sheep down an escalator. Do they load coach passengers through the belly of the plane now? Oh no, it gets better. We are shoved into a transport bus and moved across the tarmac. Our baby plane is waiting at the other end of the airport for us. It's so small that the big planes won't let it play with them.

Once we are seated on the Dash8-300 we were off for the duration of our trip...to Philadelphia. We were in the air for about 20 minutes. I think it would have been faster to drive there than to be processed through the airport. Ahhh, the joys of travel. Our connection to Toronto was not for another two and a half hours and we were stuck at Terminal F, where there are no shops and only a sad little sandwich place for food. It took some convincing on my part but finally everyone was willing to take the shuttle bus to the other terminals. Now we had options of how to spend our time.

Arriving back to our terminal we were greeted with the information that our plane to Toronto was delayed over an hour. Once it arrived we hustled down the jetway and onto another Dash8-300. This Greyhound with wings seats 50. I'm pretty sure that there were 80 people on board. I decided that it was time to ignore the rest of the world. Once Diane was set up with her PSP and a pile of snacks I set my iPod to TSO's Night Castle and closed my eyes for an hour. Thank goodness for noise cancelling earphones. I could hear nothing outside my own little world.

Flying over Toronto and Lake Ontario is a fantastic sight. The city just goes on forever. The line up to get processed through Canada Customs rivaled those of Expo 86 (for those of you seasoned enough to remember). We had no issues through customs and our luggage was waiting for us on the carousal (thankfully). Due to issues with the car rental company we were really late when we hit the 401 on our way to Aunt Daisy's. We still had to stop by our hotel to check-in. Mike and Dad quickly went in to register while us girls stayed in the van.

Aunt Daisy had prepared a beautiful traditional Chinese dinner for us. First up was her famous tofu soup. For anyone who knows me well they know that I absolutely cannot stand to eat tofu, mushrooms or lima beans. I don't care how fancy the restaurant is, I will pick these offending items out of my food, but this is not a restaurant, this is Aunt Daisy, and she made this meal just for us. Crap. As I was doing my best to pretend to enjoy the tofu, I stupidly asked about the other ingredients in the soup. She listed off a couple things I've never heard of. Then I asked what the jellyfish like stuff was. Bad mistake! Aunt Daisy proudly told me that it is a traditional Chinese ingredient called White Fungus, and it is not always easy to find in the stores. You don't say. It took all I had to eat that soup and the rest of the meal followed in similar fashion. At long last with bellies full and our initial visit complete Mike, Diane and myself left the in-laws and ventured towards our hotel with the anticipation of a great nights sleep.

In the daylight, the hotel had looked clean, and friendly. However, under the blanket of darkness, it had become a scene from a bad horror movie. As we drove around back, I noticed a lot of random garbage in front of the rooms. There was minimal safety lighting in the parking lot, and a few undesirable people about. I tried to convince myself that I was just tired and overreacting. Biting my tongue I woke Diane and gathered our suitcases. As we entered the hotel, it was all I could do not to cry. Were we really going to stay here for 4 nights? Would we survive the first night? The hallways smelled terrible and again the lighting was dim. It was so very late, and I didn't want to burden Mike with my selfish wining, so I just started praying to Jesus to protect us from harm and disease. There are people who have no roof over their heads, I kept telling myself. Once in the room I started to go about settling in, no point to putting it off. Mike attempted to lock the door to our room, and found that it wouldn't close properly. Thank God. He told me not to unpack while he went to the front desk. After what felt like half an hour (Diane and I huddled together, while I prayed for safety) Mike returned and said that we were leaving. Thankfully we were not charged for the room. My eyes welled up with relief.

We still had no place to go, and it was very late. The next hotel was a Delta, although beautiful, clean and safe $250 a night is too much unless I'm resorting it. We then found another hotel, the exact same price as the one from the ghetto. We are not much further from Aunt Daisy's. It is clean and safe. There are actual guests here that are not renting the rooms by the hour. Thank you Lord for answered prayers. And thanks for the added bonus of an indoor pool and hot tub!

Planes, Buses and Hotels

Too exhausted to get into the details right now. We've had a very long day of travel and just arrived at our hotel in Toronto. Goodnight

Needs vs. Wants

After living for a week in a hotel, it has become clear to me what is a need and what is a want. Living on less has not been as difficult as I had anticipated. Our daily routine involves being together 24/7. If Mike hadn't had 6 weeks off work earlier this year I'm sure we'd be having a more stressful time. But we have been blessed with good communication skills (if only for a couple weeks...) Diane manages to fall asleep before us, by facing the wall while I blog and we watch TV. We've settled into a nice holiday routine.

We spent the afternoon at Grandmas. In total there were eleven people in the house, yet it was surprisingly quiet. I'm so used to a plethora of children, not to mention the cacophony of laughter coming from the grown-ups in the kitchen. Besides us and Grandma, there were Aunties Viviene and Cherry. They live with Grandma and Cherry cares for her full time. Aunt Rose lives nearby and walks down every day to help Cherry until Viviene comes home from work. All three sisters are not married, and have no kids. Aunt Rose was married a long time ago and she had two children, both of whom died around the age of 5 from birth defects. When mom shared this story with me, it explained why Rose takes a special interest in what Diane is doing. The two of them will go outside to collect sticks or watch ants busy at work.

Uncle Ricky came over today with his son Patrick. Patrick is finishing his first year of university and working towards his MBA. I haven't met or heard of Rickys wife, and so I'm left wondering whats not being said. We had a nice visit with everyone. I'm so thankful that they have air conditioning in the house as today was insanely hot and humid. Grandma was very lucid today, and that makes for an easier visit. She is such a stubborn old bird. She fell a couple days ago and she blames her walker for it. It's quite amusing. With such pain in her lower back, she didn't want to walk from the living room to the kitchen for lunch. Aunt Rose just looked at her and said "well than why am I wasting my time coming over here, if you won't get up and eat lunch than I'll just go back home". Within a couple minutes Grandma joined us in the kitchen for lunch.

Later in the afternoon, we decided it was time to head over to our new hotel for the night. We need to be closer to the airport for our morning flight to Toronto. I just cannot get over how beautiful the highways are. It was a lovely drive from Bethesda to Alexandria near the airport. When there's not rush hour traffic, it's so much nicer.

After dinner, we had planned to take a dip in the indoor pool at our new hotel. But it's just a pool. No water slide, diving board or floaties. Nor was there a hot tub for Mike. So Diane opted to have a bath instead. But what to do about bath toys? Well let's see what do we have here? A shower cap, a plastic cup, a facecloth, a bar of soap, and what else? A rubber chicken. Yep you heard right. At one of the souvenir shops Diane purchased a small rubber chicken to go with the two she has at home already. And so we ended the day. Clean and content.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My

"Are we going to the zoo today?" asked the small person relegated to the very back of the minivan. Finally the day had come for us to go to the zoo. With mom and dad comfortably at Grandmas and the morning pleasantries over with, we headed off in the direction of the National Zoo. Knowing that there was an octopus feeding at 11, we attempted to make it in time, but the need for coffee was just too great. The urge to stop at Starbucks overtook us and we succumbed to the desire. The hotel room coffee has left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. The coffee at Grandmas is not much better, the best we've found so far is Dunkin Doughnuts, as the in laws don't 'do' Starbucks. So yes, we decided on coffee over the octopus feeding.

As with all the Smithsonian Institutions, there is no admission. It was a little unsettling just walking into the zoo. There are no front gates. You just park your vehicle and walk in. Or should I say 'hike in'. The zoo was build on a hill, of which we were unfortunate enough to park at the bottom of. The first thing I noticed was that the zoo is exceptionally clean and beautiful. Like the Seattle Zoo, there are pathways to each exhibit, trees line the walkways, and there are grassy areas to sit and enjoy a snack. I could spend a lot of time here. We purchased our zoo map for $2.00 from the vending machine, then we planned what to do first. The Big Cats were in the area, so it seemed fitting to get a look. But something unusual caught our attention. Something I never thought I'd see. 45 feet up in the air and heading my way was an orangutan. She was on her way from the Ape House to another enclosure along what is called "The O Line". We were encouraged to step back away from the splash zone, to avoid being inadvertently peed on. Following closely behind, was a large male. He was a little more adventurous than the female. She moved along the cables in an upright position, while he swung along in true monkey fashion. Thankfully we didn't get anything on us because shortly after the male passed our way he chose to leave behind a present for the other guests.

After our close encounter with the orange kind we continued on our path to see the cats. Surprisingly, the enclosures were not behind bars, but open for viewing, safely on the other side of a moat. The cats were all having their mid day naps, so we snapped a few photos and went about the zoo. On our way to the Amazon exhibit we visited the local farm animals. Once in the fabulously air conditioned Amazon house I was once again impressed by the grandeur of this zoo. The displays are truly world class. We were greeted with the sting ray pond, visible from above and on the side. Great photo ops! Considering the extreme heat and humidity of the day and the vast amount of displays available to us, we spent over an hour in the Amazon house.

After some time in one of the outdoor sprayers to cool off, we ventured into the Reptile Exhibit. While waiting in a short line to enter, we were treated with the up close and personal view of a sleeping alligator. Unlike other reptile houses there was no stench to contend with. Again, the displays were great. We spent some time in the discovery room, a place (like in most Smithsonian Museums) that children and adults can learn about and touch the artifacts. We touched the skin of an anaconda, the shell of a tortoise and a sea turtle. We learned about snakes (did you know they can shed their skin 10 times a year?) and watched a zoo keeper chase an escaped iguana. Many of the worker areas are walled with glass, so we can see what really happens. One thing that I noticed in the worker only area, was the many “press in case of snakebite” buttons. I guess that takes workplace hazard to a whole new level.

We soon found our way to the Invertebrates House where we watched the afternoon octopus feeding. Did you really think I’d choose coffee over watching an octopus feeding? It was here that we came upon a giant lobster. This thing was massive, it must have been at least 2 feet long. On our way out of the exhibit we had to pass the ‘Orb Spider’ Apparently this particular breed of spider never leaves its web, so there is no glass separating it from us. I was NOT ok with this scenario. Upon leaving the Invertebrates House we ventured over to see the Komodo Dragon, like most of the animals today, this one was sleeping, but he woke up enough to move his head and give us a great picture.

We began the long walk uphill to the Giant Panda exhibit, this was the most crowded part of the zoo. They were both sleeping, but we were able to get pictures of one of the male. The female was asleep inside behind the exhibit in another room. But we could see her on the zookeepers monitor. Again, because the zoo allows you to see behind closed doors, we could watch the zookeeper, watching the Pandas.

From here it was back to Grandmas to pick up the in-laws. We headed over to Fuddruckers for dinner (dad's new favorite place). After dinner, with a storm approaching, we had time to shop at Burlington Coat Factory. It's a fabulous place to get a great bargain. Surprisingly they sell coats there and we managed to pick up a new winter coat for Diane. It's raining, but still hot out and the sky is a beautiful array of pink, purple and stormy grey. So we are back at our hotel, tomorrow, we are going to change hotels to be closer to the airport. Early Monday we will be flying to Toronto for a few days to visit with mom's side of the family.

As I sit here recalling all the moments of the day, I look up just long enough to see both Mike and Diane, in separate beds roll over at the exact same time, in the exact same way. I love my family.