Good-Bye March Break 2013

March Break is over - Back to School - Back to Work . . . oh how we miss March Break!!!

We ended our March Break heading down to Niagara Falls, Ontario!  The kids have never been there and we thought what better place to go for just a few days - so that's what we did.  We found a place for Izzy to hang out - which she seemed to love.  It was a cage-free kennel, where she got to play with 14 other dogs.  I sure couldn't do it, but I'm glad that she was able to have fun while we were gone.

Izzy at the Dog Kennel playing with her friends

Braden took a couple days off of work so we were able to leave on Thursday by 8:30am - and if you know us that is amazing!!!  We decided to take the American route down to avoid a bit of traffic and made it there by 3pm!  Even with all the stops that we took!

We checked into Sheraton on the Falls - with a great view of the American Falls - and right away Brade took the kids to the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark while I waited for our room and them we all went swimming until supper time.

Navia looking out our bedroom balcony.

In the middle of the chaos is Braden, Emma, Kaleb and Navia.

Now you can see them!

Too many kids!!!

Navia and Daddy after the huge bucket of water rained down on them.

We went to the Hard Rock Cafe for a late supper and then we all went to bed exhausted, just to wake up in the morning to head back to the pool and spend until 3:00 pm swimming.  The kids loved the wave-pool and water-slides although Daddy did get a pretty nice bump on his nose when Navia's head said hello to his nose.  Can't believe that it split open, gave him a bit of a bruise and it kept bleeding as long as it was wet (which was the entire time swimming!)

Once swimming was over we changed hotels to the Hilton and were upgraded to a great room that had a hallway with the kids' room on the left (with 2 queen beds, tv, etc) and on the right our bedroom with a King size bed.  It was so perfect!  We headed out to supper, walked around the Falls and then back to the room for the kids to enjoy.  We put a movie on for them and while Emma babysat her brother and sister Braden and I were able to go on a date.  We kinda love this stage of life!!!

Our date view from the 33rd floor lounge.

The next day we went to the Journey Behind the Falls, which the kids loved, even if a couple of the openings to the Falls were frozen over.  

a frozen opening to the Falls 

Cheesy green screen photo - but at least it shows that all 5 of us were there :)

We then headed to St. Catherine's to visit with Grampa and Gramma Ralph at their new place.  We spent the afternoon visiting with family - which our kids thought was so cool.  Uncle Phil, Aunt Janny, Uncle Dan, Jon, Hollie and the kids had fun playing with Mason and Liam.  We haven't seen anyone for about 3 years so it was great catching up with everyone.  

We came back to swim at the hotel in the evening and pack so that we could leave bright and early in the morning.  We planned on heading back to Ottawa through New York again so that we could do a bit of shopping at the Waterloo Premium Outlet - which was definitely worth it!  I wish that we had outlet shopping closer to us!  Oh well . . . 

On the drive home the kids kept talking about how they had so much fun and they can't wait to go back and do it all over again - everything they did they want the exact same - hotels, activities and visiting with family.  So, looks like we just might be repeating this again!  A great March Break - and only 2 weeks until the next 4 day weekend - which the kids are already on countdown!!!

The Beginning of March Break 2013

This time last year we were in Flordia - enjoying the warm weather, our backyard pool and DisneyWorld!  It was a lot of fun and the kids still talk about what they remember and their favorite part of the trip.  Most definitely a great family trip!

We started this March Break a bit different - car shopping.  We're not buying yet, but just looking although Brade's car is needing replacing very soon.  He is sure having fun though checking out the cars and going for test drives - more the fast ones than the family ones :)

This year for March Break we didn't plan a big trip, but we have planned on having fun.  Braden is working most of the week so yesterday was a down day for the rest of us - just relaxing and hanging out - doing whatever we wanted to at home.  This afternoon I had a first.  The kids and I went out for lunch and then on a whim I asked the girls if they wanted to go for a manicure.  I knew that Navia would be excited because she's done this with me before and is always up for it.  Emma, on the other hand, I didn't know what her answer would be.  She surprised me because she smiled real big and said that she thought that would be cool!  Wow!  Emma said that it's fun to be girly sometimes and I jumped on it and we drove down the street, walked in and just leaving was another mom and her 2 daughters, so they had space for us immediately (before Emma could change her mind - hehehe!)

We had fun and the girls decided to have shamrocks on their fingers as St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner.  They loved the finished product and couldn't wait to show Daddy!

Navia and Emma getting their names painted.

 

Emma's gorgeous nails - with little shamrocks on her ring fingers.

Navia's very pink nails - shamrocks on her thumbs.

Emma, Mommy and Navia's nails - the Bailey girls!!!

Kaleb didn't really do the manicure thing.  He sat on the bench playing his DS while he was waiting for us, but then wished that we did something for him.  So . . . we went to Brade's work and dropped him off with Daddy and all the computer games, new Mario toys that McDonald's just flew in and a room full of Furby's and other electronic toys that that the testers are testing for the website.  Yep - this is his kind of fun!

And soon we'll be headed to Niagara Falls - for the first time with the kids!  We're going down to see Braden's grandparents and staying at a hotel that the kids can swim in a huge waterpark and have fun.  It should be a great time down there - and Daddy even took a couple days off of work for it too!!!  Can't wait to spend some family time together - it always is more fun when the kids have school off and all 5 of us can hang out together!!!

February 2013 - Birthdays, Paris, London & Montreal

February started with my birthday - and I don't think I need to tell you my age - hehehe!  The kids made a cake for me while I was teaching and then the next day I had fondant waiting for them so that they could decorate the cake as they thought it should be - which ended up kinda like a Club Penguin theme :)

Emma's birthday party was the following weekend (we couldn't book it sooner as we had guests and we just a bit too busy, but she didn't mind).  We went to Clip'n'Climb with Emma's friends and they had a blast.  Definitely a place to take your kids!

Navia

Kaleb

Emma and Zichon

 The birthday girl was able to do the "Leap of Faith" - which took a little bit of encouraging to get her to jump from a little ledge to try and grab hold of the bag . . . so cool though!!!

Kate and Emma

Kaleb

Emma, her friends and her siblings

Then it was the last birthday of us - Kaleb's 10th birthday!  He loved his Pokemon cake!  The only thing was that his birthday party ended up being just 1 boy coming over - who had a cold, which ended up us having to cancel his tubing party.  Oh well - Kaleb understood and enjoyed a couple sleepovers with his friends to make it up.

Soon after Kaleb's birthday it was time for Daddy to do his first trip of the year - which was kinda nice for us to be able to have him all to ourselves until this first trip.  He was gone for 1.5 weeks.  He spent a week in London, England and had the weekend to himself so was able to do a bit of sight-seeing.

Then he took the Eurotunnel train from England to France and spend the last of his trip in Paris.  Even did the Eiffel Tower on Valentine's Day - how romantic :)

While Daddy was in Paris the kids had a long weekend here in Ottawa, so instead of just hanging out at home, I found a dog sitter and took the kids to Montreal.  We had a lot of fun going to the Biodome, water-sliding, eating pizza and watching movies!  

We hadn't been to the Biodome before and Kaleb has just LOVED the penguins!  The boy that I can't get to sit still quietly without electronics made all of us sit and watch the penguins for 45 minutes!!!  He was loving every minute of it - making up story lines for various penguins with sound effects and everything!

Navia wanted to get in on the picture taking too.

 

Watching the monkeys

Navia has to read everything about every animal and plant there.

The kids loved watching the otters getting fed.

Porcupine

Lynx

Navia the Bat - scarrrrry!

Waterfall and kids

We were going to go the the Science Centre the next day, but the kids started swimming and well, that was it.  We spent the entire morning and afternoon until 2pm at the pool!  

Part of the hotel package was in-room pizzas, pop and a movie - which was the perfect ending to the day!

Mommy and the kids - notice we're kinda missing someone :)

The month ended with Daddy coming back home and then, unfortunately, got sick and spent the entire weekend in bed.  Ug!  But, on the good side, we had lots of relaxing time to hang out, just us!