Twelve Twelve Twelve

Posted by the Mommy: To celebrate this once in a lifetime day, the boys and I enjoyed a wonderful experience together! Frunty and Pit got to choose 12 special things to do! And we did them all! Even the bubbly at midnight! My sip was a little bigger than their sips though. The day was nearly perfect...if only we could have received 12 hugs from Papa!

1. Tiny sip of bubbly at midnight...then straight to bed!

2. CN Tower after sleeping in!

3. Tim Horton's for snack time...12 timbits to share!

4. Skating at Nathan's Philip Square

5. Royal York...see the Christmas decorations!

6. Mocktails and cocktails at the Royal York Library (bar)

7. Movie: Elf back home later

8. Sing the 12 days of Christmas song

9. Eat 12 jelly beans each

10. Both boys received $12 to spend at Mastermind

11. We looked at all the Christmas windows downtown at Bay after skating and before the bar

12. We wrote 12 Christmas cards to 12 friends!


Now that is what I call a very special day together! Happy 12-12-12!

The ROM's Ultimate Dino Experience!!!

Ultimate Dinos

Experience the ultimate backstage museum pass at the ROM. Start the night off right with a special movie screening. Then get up close and personal with the ROM's biggest residents as you enjoy exclusive, after-hours access to the special exhibit Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana. Speak to experts, touch real fossils, dig for dinosaur bones, and make your own dino creations for home. Then bunk down for a giant sleepover (don't forget your late night snack) and dream of dinos.

Itinerary

 

Evening Program

5:00 – 7:45 pm
Check-In: Sign-in at the President’s Choice School Entrance (south end of the building) and place your belongings in a locker for storage until it’s time for bed.

 

5:00 – 8:00 pm

Explore the ROM’s Galleries and Exhibitions

 

7:30 – 8:00 pm

Change into PJs and get ready for the film.

8:00 - 10:00 pm
Film and Sleepover Orientation in the Signy & Cléophée Eaton Theatre

10:00 - 11:30 pm
Explore Sleepover Exhibits with experts on hand and take part in some Hands-On Activities

 

10:30 pm - 11:30 pm
Late Night Snack in Food Studio

 

 

11:00 - 11:30 pm
Karaoke PJ Party!

 

11:30 pm – 12:00 am
Set up sleeping area in the Currelly Gallery

 

12:00 am
Bedtime - Lights Out!

 

Morning Program

7:00 am
Wake Up

7:00 - 7:30 am
Pack up your sleeping gear for storage in lockers

7:00 - 9:00 am
Breakfast in the Food Studio

7:30 - 10:00 am
Explore the 2^nd floor Sleepover Exhibits

8:00 - 10:00 am
ROM Museum Store open exclusively for ROM Sleepover participants

10:00 am
ROM Re-Opens

ROM Sleepover Hotline: 416.586.5797 ext 1

Tis the season!

The boys have been working hard at homeschooling with the goals of finishing their Canadian curriculum textbooks so we don't have to carry them abroad when we travel next! Frunty loves Social Studies and can't get enough of learning about just about everything. He also watches lectures on Khan Academy and earns badges for completing work. On Wednesdays we have a math workshop which is really working well and our Scout friend, Beckham, comes over to play and work together. The boys help eachother and I am really impressed that despite all the giggles, equations are solved! Frunty and Pit are also working hard on practising for their Christmas performances at Scouts on December 21st. I am looking forward to a fun show and we'll try to film it for Papa.

We are also playing hard! On the day Papa left for Singapore, we cleaned the house (oh yeah, I guess that is work! but it was fun!) and scooted off to the Santa Clause Parade near our home on Kingston Road. Afterwards we hosted our family here for Jake's 5th birthday which was also a lot of fun. A few days later, we enjoyed our first "real" snow during Scouts when the cubs were outside making wax fire starts together in a mini-blizzard. After we had our second dinner, the boys and I went on a snowy hike and I am so glad we did that because very soon after, the snow had melted as the temperature climbed to a balmy 8 degrees celsius.

To kick off the first day of Christmas, the boys enjoyed opening their Lego Advent Calendar! Pit is friends of twos and so Frunty went first! They are taking turns opening the doors on the calendar with Frunty starting with uneven numbers. "Friends of two" is an expression we picked up somewhere during our travels and it lives with us now. On that very first day of Christmas, we went to an anti-bully workshop for adults/children at a nearby martial arts studio. We learned to shout at a bully, "Stop! Why are you doing this to me!" After the workshop, we practised this at the nearby park as we played in the snow produced from the skating rink. Some young men built a hilarious snow board ramp and we watched some great wipe outs. I was impressed at how polite these teenagers were and how they involved Frunty and Pit. Frunty took some fun video of these guys.

To warm up, the three of us hiked next to Feathers Pub to listen to some live music with our hot drinks. This pub is just down the street from our home and has a cheery ambiance. The music got too loud though for Pit's ears (a good sign) and we left after three songs. Just in time to meet Gramma and Grampa at home and hike down to the Kew Gardens "Christmas in the Park." Gramma brought chili and so when we got back home after singing Christmas carols, we had a beautiful fire and a hot meal. It was a great kick-off to a fabulous holiday season! Here's hoping!

Yesterday Gramma and Grampa drove us to Kitchener Waterloo where I told the boys Papa used to live during university. We came though for the Christkindl Market which had hot apple cider, German sausage and beautiful live music. The arts and craft table in the park nearby had wonderful activities for the children and we went there twice to make candy cane reindeer and ornaments. It was a lot of fun and the people working there helped make it so. We stayed so long at the table that we had to run a bit to catch up to the candlelight procession. It was well worth it because the music was gorgeous when we arrived back at the market. We thought it was a cd and then found a choir singing so beautifully by the lit tree.

Happy holidays to all reading our blog and hope the season is as jolly for you as it is for us. Pit just woke up to open his calendar! It's an exciting day as we have art with Auntie Dee followed by the ROM Dino Adventure Sleepover. Didn't Papa say and write, "never a dull moment with the Bello boys"? Yipee, luckily that's true!

Bowling and BBQ

Although the Bello Boys were not in attendance, all their friends asked about them. Instead, The Daddy represented the boys in the bowling tournament before proceeding to a great BBQ. A fun time was had by all.

Papa's Lists

Papa came to Toronto on a surprise visit with one of his lists! If you are not familiar, Papa makes lists of all the fun things we can do together. All the amazing projects and adventures we can experience as a family. We love Papa's lists. This time Papa's list included making a trap door in the shed for the boys to gain access to their secret fort, doing gluten-free baking together, and other special adventures with family and friends. We love your thoughtful lists, Papa! We can't wait to see your next list!

The Cummings are Coming!

We counted the days before seeing our dear, Canadian friends together with whom we spent many fun times in Brussels. The Cummings lived near us in Chant D'Oiseau and we enjoyed celebrating Canada's birthday together, going to a gite in France, having regular play dates and running together. In fact, Gudrun was one of the first women who signed up for the running team I started in Brussels! Gudrun, Max and Mario were there to support us after Mowgli died too. We are so grateful for their friendship and really happy they came up from the States to celebrate American Thanksgiving together. What a bonus that Papa was here too and that Gramma and Grampa could babysit Frunty, Pit and Mario so the parents could go to Feathers Pub after Scouts on Friday night. It was fun going to the St. Lawrence for oysters, hiking through the ravine and along the boardwalk, just enjoying being together! The boys particularly loved taking the Red Rocket downtown! And Mario loved the glow stick hunt at Scouts with us too! See you next time, Gudrun, Max and Mario! Which continent though!?

The boys' first badge!

All their hard work paid off as Frunty and Pit obtained their first Scout badge on Friday night. They earned their carpenter badge after drilling, sawing, gluing, hammering, nailing, sketching plans, and even using a chainsaw to explore the world of wood! Congratulations, Frunty and Pit! You are really hard workers and did more than you were asked with joy!

Baloo James told the other Scouts how proud he is that Frunty and Pit, newly arrived from Singapore, are already working hard on badges! Little does he know that we had a plan to make bird houses and do other wood projects just for fun and because we can get wood here whereas in Singapore we cannot! Working with wood with Aunt Dee and Papa was just for fun!

Carpenter's Badge

It looks like the boys' first Scout badge will be the Carpenter Badge. Although they spent three months preparing their Aviation Badge in Singapore, we have not yet heard about whether they have received it. Onwards and upwards! Now we are here in Toronto and with our new Scout friend and neighbour, Beckham, we are made privy to how many of our normal activities can lead to badges. It is hilarious! Frunty says it is raining badges here in Toronto! Well, let's enjoy it! We are currently making a bird house for fun...but...it may lead to a badge! Best wishes to Frunty and Pit who learn a lot everyday, not for diplomas or badges but for fun! Thank you to Papa for teaching us how to safely use a chainsaw (you're never too young...just ask Auntie Dee who generously leant the machine to us!)! What fun! And thanks to Beckham for clicking with us when we needed a friend right away! You are a sweetie!

A quote from the Dalai Lama

My true religion, my simple faith is in love and compassion. There is no need for complicated philosophy, doctrine, or dogma. Our own heart, our own mind, is the temple. The doctrine is compassion. Love for others and respect for their rights and dignity, no matter who or what they are - these are ultimately all we need.

Fun with Grandparents

The boys have been having lots of fun in Toronto and one of the reasons is because of more time with their grandparents. Gramma and Grampa took the boys to the Royal Winter Fair recently, Feathers Pub for poutine, and have taught them how to crochet and build a fort in the basement!

As I type this post, Frunty and Pit are hiking with Nonna and Nonno in Mississauga. It is a beautiful, mild day.

Not only is the time with the grandparents special and fun but it also supplements our homeschooling! Home Economics, Physical Education, yard clean-up...there is more to education than math and more math. What a wonderful opportunity for Frunty and Pit! Thanks to the grandparents!

Compliments.....

Compliments sure do feel great and I let the one below from our cousin, Daniela, in Bangkok wash all over me when I read it this morning. I invited her to join our blog to see photos of Nonno on his birthday. Daniela wrote me by email to say:




Thanks Kim for this beautiful present. Your blog it's really great .... I liked so much.

You are a fantastic mum, and .... you and Claudio ... fantastic parents.

A big hug, kiss to all the family!!

Thanks, Daniela! Same to you!

Buca's with Andrew

We sure had a great night with Andrew! Minus Mowgli, it was a Val d'Isere reunion but Italian style with great company, food and ambiance. Thanks so much to Andrew for inviting us out and fitting us in during his busy work schedule while in Toronto! It was a super fun evening!

Bird Houses

One of the projects we wanted to work on while in Toronto was the building of bird houses because you can go to Home Depot and buy the materials whereas it is hard to buy wood in Singapore...or maybe even impossible. We wanted to do this project for fun and for no other reason but it turns out that the boys can earn a Carpenter badge for Scouts as a result of working with wood. Two weeks ago we got the cedar from Rona and last week we borrowed some tools from Auntie Dee. And then today was the day and we really worked almost from morning til night. We had to go to Auntie Dee's again to borrow a few more tools and then to the Home Depot again. So it was a big production but the boys are now in bed with their bird houses illuminated in their room. Tomorrow we will put them outside. It was a fun project even though it took a lot longer than we expected! Yes, you can buy a bird house for $9.99 that looks similar at Canadian Tire. But that's too easy and would not earn the feeling of satisfaction and...a badge! Well done, Frunty and Pit! And thanks to Papa for lots of guidance and to Auntie Dee for lending some of the tools! Hopefully the birds will be happy too!

Shaken not stirred!

We, the parents, enjoyed going to see the new Bond movie "SkyFall" with Uncle Chris and Auntie Laura last night in Whitby. We had martinis, of course, and dinner at Milestones before the IMAX movie while Grampa kindly babysat the boys back on Willow. Grampa took Frunty and Pit to Scouts and ordered gluten-free pizzas. They had a ball! Back in Whitby, we really had some good laughs too and it was great to have a double date! The highlight was not the movie but being together!

Happy 82, Nonno!

On November 8th, we enjoyed celebrating Nonno's 82nd birthday together!

The boys gave Nonno a chocolate Monopoly to play next time! And Pit made wormy cupcakes sprinkled with "mud" for Nonno! Frunty took great pictures and was the perfect waiter in his tux!

It was really fun to be together and especially great to have Papa here for the birthday celebrations!

"At Auntie Dee's...

we get to use a glue gun, we get to saw wood, we get to do stain glass, we get to spray paint our treasure boxes with shiny spray after painting it by hand, we get to repair a canvas, we get to draw an object with our eyes closed and with our right and then our left hands, we get to look in Auntie Dee's basement with her for interesting items we can use for projects, we get to rake leaves, we get to be together, we get to eat lunch on wooden tv tables in her livingroom, we get to be kids..."

by Frunty and Pit

"You know what mommy?! Auntie Dee is like Mary Poppins!"

by Frunty

More photos at the Longstaff's Cottage

 I had a problem accessing all my photos the other day but Papa to the rescue! Thanks for helping me get the photos off my card so I can post them on our blog, Papa.

 The boys played hours of Monopoly...the never ending game that is somehow always fun!

We got to spend time with puppy Fenwick...what a cutie! What a cozy cottage and a fun time together. Thanks again to Scot, Ninon and Kyle!

The Longstaff's Cottage

We finally made it to the Longstaff's cottage on Christian Island near Barrie, Ontario. We had a beautiful weekend together and it was great to be in the fresh air, sit by the fire later with hot chocolate, play Monopoly and other games and eat chili con carne! Just being together was fun and we hope to visit again in the summer! Thanks for a great time!

Art with Auntie Dee

I was looking for an art class for our boys in the Beaches and then it hit me! Who is the perfect art teacher in the whole world who continues to take art classes in her eighties!? Auntie Dee! How fortunate that Auntie Dee is very open about the idea of spending time with us and can demonstrate how to use a hand saw, glue gun, paint brush all the while displaying great patience and love while Frunty and Pit learn how to paint, sketch, do calligraphy, make stain glass and more...

 Frunty painted this scene based on an image in his mind of a vista he saw in Prince Edward Island.

Pit used his tiny fingers to paint this scene. No paint brush required!
We love Auntie Dee and our time together! Thanks so much and see you next week, Auntie Dee!