Evergreen Brick Works… or as Aidan would call it- Sick Bricks

We woke up this morning with Kendall coughing pretty badly and me not feeling so well. I let Kendall sleep in a little bit so we didn't make it to church this morning :-(

Daddy still wanted us to go out as a family as it's the last long weekend until school starts on Tuesday. I suggested we go to Evergreen Brick Works.  I had heard about this place from my co-worker and she said it would be a great place to take the kids. I didn't think daddy would oblige as Evergreen Brick Works is close to downtown and he never likes going there. 

It was a scorcher of a day. I think it was close to 40°!

There was a beautiful pond at the Weston Quarry Garden where you and Kendall looked at turtles, tadpoles
and bugs. 

Lounging by the red Adirondack chairs by the pond.

You knew that these were lily pads. I don't know how you knew, but you were looking for frogs. Unfortunately
we didn't see any. 

The beautiful surroundings.

Everything is possible.

You and Kendall took turns watering the plants at The Children's Garden in Chimney Court.

You asked why it said 'Valley' and I said it's because we were by the Don Valley. I don't think you understood.

Inside the Young Welcome Centre. You and Kendall wanted to pose with your butts out. Aish!

The Kilns building. This was a really neat space where bricks were once fired. 

There were lots of graffiti on the walls and equipment. You said they weren't graffiti, but Pokemon designs.
Now that I see it, it does sort of look like Pokemon designs.

Kendall in front of the many graffiti signs at the Brickworks.

Daddy wanted you to pose in front of this cry baby photo. I asked you why daddy wanted you to and you said,
"It's because I'm a cry baby." True dat!

We went over to The Pavilion to check out the Farmer's Market and most importantly, to check out the food.
We got this pulled pork thing from Pimenton and it was delicious!

Fish tacos. This was okay. We also got Jamie Kennedy's infamous frites, beef dumplings, chorizo sausage
wrapped in pastry, fresh oysters and fresh squeezed lemonades. 

My family.

Enjoying the view. What a great day we had.

The best weekend in a long time…

This weekend was the best weekend I've had in a long time… I've been filled with so much sadness with memories of my dad that it's been hard to be happy… I was so sad to see this long weekend end.

Friday night my friend Lana treated me to my early birthday lunch at a great Japanese restaurant called Kasa Moto. Then on Saturday we just relaxed at home by having a barbecue in our backyard. On Sunday we went to church in the morning and then Kendall and I met with Auntie Jess and Uncle Wayne downtown to check out the Victorious Festival (a Christian festival with proceeds going to the Canadian Cancer Society). Daddy took you swimming so you guys didn't go with us. We tried to get halmi to go, but she just wanted to stay home :-(

Today (Civic Holiday), we went to Canada's Wonderland in the morning where we rode lots of big kid rides (the first time you were able to do so!) and then we went for a outdoor BBQ at Sunnybrook Park with Auntie Sara, Uncle Wayne, Auntie Jessica, Uncle Wayne, Emma, Noelle, halmi, Dan's mom, brother, Dan's SIL, Sophia and Isabelle. It was such a nice way to end the weekend. I just wish halbi was with us…

You riding the carousel. I realized that you were tall enough to ride a lot of the big kid rides. We ended up
riding Klockwerks, The Fly and Thunder Run. You had a blast!

Kendall stayed with daddy while mommy and you rode the big kid rides. Here she is doing the kimchi squat.

On our way to Sunnybrook Park, you guys passed out. Celebration!

It was supposed to rain today, but it turned out to be a gorgeous day. 

We didn't even have to bring any toys. All the kids had a blast running around. We must do it again!

Kendall was having so much fun. Here she is hopping towards me.

"Hi mommy!"

Uncle Wayne got all the kids (minus Noelle and Isabelle) to carry the mat to the car. You guys were being
good little helpers…

…but failed miserably #fail.

Field trip + play date

I have a pretty well-established routine every day. It goes something like this:

6:30am -7:00am

Wake up and do quiet time with the LORD

7:00am-7:30am

Get ready

7:30am-8:30am

Wake up kids (if they aren't awake already), brush them up and feed them breakfast

8:30am-8:50am

Head out the door and walk Aidan to school

8:50am-9:00am

Walk back home

During this time to 3pm, I sometimes go grocery shopping, run errands, take Kendall to the park, meet friends.

3:00pm-3:20pm

Pick Aidan up from school and walk home

3:20pm-4:00pm

Give kids a bath and give them free time to read/play

4:00pm-5:20pm

Prep dinner, feed kids

5:20pm-6:00pm

Eat dinner with Dennis

6:00pm-7:15pm

Play in the basement

7:15pm-7:45pm

Get kids ready for bed, read them books, sing, tuck them in bed

7:45pm-11:00pm

PARTY TIME!

This was taken during the 8:30am-8:50am mark- on our way to drop off Aidan at school. Today, Aidan's class
went on a field trip to Kortright Centre. 

Aidan was supposed to have a play date with his friend, Maddy from school, but she was sick and didn't come to school for a whole week. You were so upset with me that Maddy couldn't make it to the play date so I scrambled to organize another play date with your friend Mateo. Luckily, Mateo's mom had asked me earlier that week to do a play date with you, so I called her up and it all worked out in the end. Daddy and I had a little mini date at our local mall and had dinner with Kendall at the food court. How exciting.

Kendall at the food court.

Twins- Daddy and Kendall.

First snowstorm

You knee-deep in the snow after school today.

It is not easy doing the pick-ups and drop-offs when you have more than 1 child. And make that 10X worse when you live in a cold climate. 

We had our first major snowstorm yesterday. It snowed all day and I had shovel 3 times. I woke up with body aches this morning :-(

Because parking is nearly impossible by the school, I usually park at my friend's house who lives right by the school or I walk over with Kendall in the stroller. Yesterday, I was going to leave Kendall at home in the morning while she was still sleeping to take you to school since the weather was so bad. I knew that Kendall wouldn't wake up while I stepped out for 15 minutes. However, my friend Jenn (the one that lives near the school) wouldn't allow me to do that. She got her husband to walk over with a sled to pick you up. She also picked you up from school and dropped you off. That was so helpful. 

However, I decided to go out today with Kendall to walk you over to school since the snow had stopped falling. BAD MISTAKE! The sidewalks were still not plowed and I got stuck several times with the umbrella stroller. By the time I got to school, I was a sweaty mess. Luckily, daddy came home early from work so I didn't have to bring Kendall with me to pick you up.

That was yesterday after my 2nd time shovelling.

Walking home from school this afternoon. You can see that the sidewalk is still covered in snow :-(

An apple a day keeps the doctor away

We've been having an unusually warm fall. It felt almost like Summer today. I hope it never ends!

We took the opportunity to go check out an apple orchard not too far from where we live- Country Apple Orchard. It was the first time we had gone to an orchard so we didn't really know what to expect. Turns out that everyone else had the same thing on their mind because it was packed with people! However, I was able to get some great shots of you guys and I think you guys really enjoyed it. That's all that matters.

The orchard had many different varieties of apples. I wasn't able to find any that I love to eat, but I thought
this sign was super cute. 

It was near the end of the season because most of the trees were picked over.
The house far in the distance is the family house. It was gorgeous.

We got a bag to pick our own apples. 

Kendall was so excited to go outside. I feel bad for her because we don't really go out much with her since
she is a lot harder to take care of than when you were her age.

One of my favourite shots. You look so adorbs!

I spy with my little eyes… something that is RED!

All the fallen apples. Such a waste…

My sunshine boy.

And my princess.

So long Summer

I can't believe August is already over… And you start SK tomorrow! Where has the Summer gone?

I haven't taken photos of you too in so long so I busted out my camera and took some quick snapshots of you guys. Daddy wanted to get in on the action so he grabbed both of you and asked me to take one of you together. So cute, right?

I asked you to make your "Ee-pun-ee" face. It's translated from Korean as "pretty" face.
You are doing it right, but Kendall's is looking not so pretty… haha.

I die!

I took some portrait shots of you two. I can't believe how big you guys have grown. It boggles my mind…

Kendall is such a girly girl. I put her in an outfit I bought her a few weeks ago and she was walking around
like a little super model.

Trying to show me your coolest ninja moves. Lately you've been obsessed with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.