MY Father's Day!

Just to confuse you more! On the real Father's Day, we went up North to celebrate with my dear old Dad.

Mark and I drove separately, thinking we'd both bring home a boat or 2 from the cottage, and all we came home with was one canoe!

We got to Dad & Rhonda's house and everyone was there! Our family has grown in multitudes this past year. Well, it had a couple years ago, but I mean, it'll be legalized this year!

Dad & Rhonda got married in February. Rhonda's son Al, got married in May. To Amy and she has 2 kids, Darryl and Deana. Then Rhonda's daughter Karen, is getting married in September to Ian, who has a son Zac. Whew.

Now. Keep with me here. Karen & Ian have 2 dogs. The golden mix is named Bailey and the new pup is Britt.

Dad & Rhonda have their 2 dogs, Kimo and Skip.

Clint has his new puppy Bullet. Seen here...

We brought our 2 dogs, Cassie & Lucy.

Now lets add this up:

13 Adults

4 Kids

7 Dogs and 1 cat..who wasn't around for some reason!

We celebrated with a B.B.Q lunch and a whole lot of sunshine! The kids played in the sprinkler, the dogs played, bit and humped each other! And the adults had some cold drinks, belly laughs and good grub!

Overall, it was a nice day. One of those ones where when you leave, you feel drained! Like you were dancing all night at the bar or something. Everything tired. Farmer tanned and sweaty. Just wanting a nice cold bed to lie on. Ahhh...

Riverdale Farm Toronto

So my friend Alissa and her 2 kids Emma and Michael (who for some reason didn't make any of the photo's...sorry Michael!), as well as our Auntie Suzie. Enjoyed a sun filled day with warm manure piles, buzzing flies, a cow full of milk, and some intimidating squirrels! All put on by the City of Toronto!

Apparently Emma is used to holding hands with her friends. Tegan not so much. But it would be a healthy change for her....but...Emma is not used to the game "Ring around the Rosie...we all fall DOWN!"

Not as much as we thought would be there. I thought for some reason it would be like St. Jacobs. That there would be a market with fresh food in it, some food stands. Maybe indoor picnic tables...but no. They did have freshly baked cookies for $0.35 cents! And we bought one!

We had a nice picnic style lunch in the park next to the farm. Everyone had a variety of options. It was hard to keep this one crazy pesky squirrel away..he scampered right up to you! And he was one of those yucky ones with mange or something. Hair missing of his entire back. Looking at you with those black beady eyes. And if you listened closely you could hear him say "Hand over those bread crusts lady or I'll bite that big nose of yours!"

So I threw it..and another piece...by the third time, I ran like a crazy lady at him...without my roller blades on! Maybe that's the way I am!! Ha! Arms flailing above my head!

Tegan was tired...had a meltdown in the car and passed out by the time we got on the QEW. Thank Goodness. What to do for fun this week? It's already lined up, but I can't tell you yet....hee hee!

Father's Day!

Well, I guess I left a lot of you in suspense on what was going to happen for Father's Day! Oh...you say you forgot! Oh, because I hadn't written in such a long long time??? Oh...well, I'm sorry about that!

Okay so I ended up giving Mark his new bicycle on the Wednesday BEFORE Father's Day since we were going to be up north. I was having a hard time finding a "hiding place" for the bicycle too since our garage is full on all sides. I left it in my car covered with a blanket for 2 days and the smell of rubber in my car was nauseating...so he got it early!

The night he got it, he was too tired to put the bicycle seat on for Tegan. So she had to wait until the next night. She went downstairs and found her Dora bicycle helmet Clint gave her

for Christmas and was excited to put it on! Then she continued to help Daddy assemble the seat on herself. He also needed a kick stand. They needed a long sleeved shirt, pants and running shoes, not sandals. For safety k'know. And they were off! Except Daddy didn't wear his helmet he got because his head was TOO big...I did get the largest because I was aware of the problem already.

Since that night, we've gone out every night on the bicycle! I go on my roller blades behind them. I NEED safety gear, but don't have any yet. I'm one of those scary persons waving my arms around frantically trying to stay right side up. Legs sprawled out then back in again. Jumping on the grass to stop or now, we've got a pattern of me just grabbing Mark on the back and him BRAKING for us at the stop signs! Downtown Oakville was a challenge today, but fun. We went all the way to his mom's house and back. I'm not sore yet, but maybe tomorrow.

Back from Ohio!

Gosh, I can't believe it's been 10 days since my last entry! I left a lot on the 30th for you's but again, a dry spell!

Well, my husband is freaking out about my blog and also my Facebook participation, so I have to be some what more anonymous now. So, I would normally have TOLD you the name of his College or WHERE in Ohio we were, but I can't. You could narrow it down and it wouldn't be that hard. You wouldn't even have to be an investigator to figure it out I'm sure.

Anyway, it was Mark's 20th...yes you heard me right...20th College Reunion this weekend in Ohio.

We stayed with one of his college friends, who was the Best Man at our wedding, Scott _____(blank). Anonymity!! Ha!

Scott and his wife Betsy, just built this huge home in the fall and we were lucky enough that they invited us to stay with them. They have two kids under 3 and it's hectic to say the least!

Anyway, we drove to the College Saturday morning and walked some of the grounds. It was really pretty. Being a Canadian and never been to College myself, I had an idea of what it would look like but not on this scale. It was HUGE, like, very spread out and large, old historical buildings. Nestled among towering oak trees that 2 men would have to hug to try and reach each other. They were so lush and green and alive.

The weather was sunny and warm with a degree of 80...okay so like 26 Celsius to us Canuks! It was the perfect recipe for a College Reunion! One to bring back many happy memories for the students. (Although Mark was sad to see his "house" was ripped down and a new Dorm was going up in 4 houses of space.)

We had a small lunch outside under a tent...the kids ran wild in the soccer fields below. Then the Graduating Class of '87 got a class photo outside on the bleachers like the "old days".

They also had a kids "blow up" toy section and Tegan had a blast! Jumping, climbing and sliding! Mark caught up to his art professor and got a tour of the new art department. Reminisced about 2 girls naked in the pottery area and at the time took some photo's! Hmm...never knew that. He never did mention if that was for Photography class or not!

And then we had a sit-down, drink break in the back of our truck. Then off to the Book Store to buy souvenirs we didn't need. Luckily we came out with pottery only...for the new cottage...in a year and a half's time!

This time we got a golf cart ride to the next tent across campus that had a Banana Split Party, set up with a small band playing. Very nice touch I thought. So we had a scoop of Strawberry, Vanilla and Chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce drizzled on top. Not to mention the spray of whip cream around the sides, a wallop of crushed peanuts and a maraschino cherry to finish the job. Tegan had 3 little spoon fulls and I HAD to eat the rest myself! Don't you feel sorry for me??




Finally it was time to go. It was around 4:30p.m. Long day for all of us. Tegan didn't even sleep on the way home. Which was an hour's drive. She definitely had fun!

We left Ohio this morning. Should have only taken us 1 entire full tank of gas to get home. Which works out to 4 hours. But we stopped for lunch, then at Aunt Suzie's in Buffalo. Then Duty Free, THEN for our take out dinner. So. It was 6 hours 20 minutes later and we were in the driveway.

Home Sweet Home. My truck said "Ahhhhh."