From the 7-8th we enjoyed the ultimate Dino adventure at the ROM with a Scout sleepover expedition. Whoa! It was too fun. Too exciting to sleep! I think by 4am, the hall was finally quiet as we snored under awesome dinosaurs...after karaoke and pizza parties, tours of the exhibits, digging for bones etc. The next day, you can guess that we all napped in the afternoon before heading out to celebrate Michael's birthday in Uxbridge that evening. We were pretty zonked and probably made lousy guests but what fun to have the experience to sleep at the ROM!
I was really impressed that when someone spilled water on Frunty's sleeping bag during the night, our Scout leader, Toby, leant his dry bag to him. I also noticed great team work and team spirit throughout the two day experience. I am so happy that our boys have found some wonderful, new friends here to enjoy their days until we are back in Singapore again. Maybe we can invite some of our Scout friends to visit us in Asia!
On December the 11th the boys and I headed down to the Glen Manor park for the annual Caroling in the Park which is a fundraiser for the Salvation Army Band. Frunty and Pit stood right beside the stage and sang their little hearts' out which is a big difference from last year when Grampa babysat them at home as they did not wish to come with Gramma and me. The Christmas spirit was surely felt by all and the three of us had a fun time, especially at the end, running around in the park. Frunty found a Scout scarf and took it the following Friday. Good job, Frunts! That's the Christmas spirit too!
Sunday, 6 January 2013
Kitchener's Christmas Market
Throughout December, our regular activities of skating at Ted Reeve's, enjoying Art with Auntie Dee and going to Scouts on Fridays continued to fill our days with fun. On the 6th we went with Gramma and Grampa to the Kitchener Christmas Market and it was great to show the boys where their Papa used to spend some of his free time while at Waterloo. The German Christmas market of course is nothing like the ones we have enjoyed in Europe but it was small and quaint and had good gluhwein and sausages. The best part of the evening was the candlelight concert at Victoria Park and a wonderful Christmas craft table for children where they made candy cane reindeers, beaded candy canes from pipe cleaners and more. After the lighting of the tree back by the town hall, the kids and I went back to the park to make more crafts. The people who organized the event did really a fantastic job and everyone was friendly. It was a lovely evening and thanks to Grampa and Gramma for taking us on another adventure!
The 1st Day of Christmas!
The boys and I kicked off the holiday season with the Beach Christmas parade on November 25th and continued the season with lots of fun activities along with our studies throughout December. On the 1st day of Christmas, we attended an anti-bully workshop at a martial arts studio at Main and Danforth. Several police officers talked to our group of parents and children and we learned that no one is immune from being bullied. We learned some great techniques to use when one is being pullied which included yelling, "Why are you saying this to me?" in the face of the offender.
After the workshop which had presentations by teachers and principals too, we played in the icy snow at the nearby Ted's Hockey Arena with some others kids who were making snowboarding jumps. It was hard to leave because it was so much fun for Frunty and Pit to play in the snow but we got cold soon enough and headed to Feathers Pub for a live band which was too loud so we left after a few songs!
We met Gramma and Grampa at home and had a hot meal at dinnertime before heading down to Kew Gardens for Christmas in the Park presented by the Toronto Beaches Lions Club with Christine Bentley. We enjoyed the annual christmas in the park tree lighting with a gluten-free bakeries free samples and lots of good cheer. Back home for some gluhwein and off to bed with thoughts of sugar plums surely dancing in Frunty and Pit's little heads.
After the workshop which had presentations by teachers and principals too, we played in the icy snow at the nearby Ted's Hockey Arena with some others kids who were making snowboarding jumps. It was hard to leave because it was so much fun for Frunty and Pit to play in the snow but we got cold soon enough and headed to Feathers Pub for a live band which was too loud so we left after a few songs!
We met Gramma and Grampa at home and had a hot meal at dinnertime before heading down to Kew Gardens for Christmas in the Park presented by the Toronto Beaches Lions Club with Christine Bentley. We enjoyed the annual christmas in the park tree lighting with a gluten-free bakeries free samples and lots of good cheer. Back home for some gluhwein and off to bed with thoughts of sugar plums surely dancing in Frunty and Pit's little heads.
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
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!
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!
Friday, 7 December 2012
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.
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
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
Late Night Snack in Food Studio
11:00 - 11:30 pm
Karaoke PJ Party!
Karaoke PJ Party!
11:30 pm –
12:00 am
Set up sleeping area in the Currelly Gallery
Set up sleeping area in the Currelly Gallery
12:00 am
Bedtime - Lights Out!
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 2nd floor Sleepover Exhibits
8:00 - 10:00 am
ROM Museum Store open exclusively for ROM Sleepover participants
10:00 am
ROM Re-Opens
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!
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!
Monday, 3 December 2012
Bowling and BBQ
