Edmonton - more parks and a birthday dinner

Mike and Aimee have been eyeing a particularly pretty development in Edmonton, tossing around the pro's and con's of moving there, so, on Mike's day off, we walked around it.

Or should I say "ran" around it?

"No Mum, I don't want to hold your hand". Not even to cross the road.

"I said NO"

Quite happy to be carried up the hill though. Yes, it's Edmonton and there is a hill!

After playing in a park for a while it was home for ice cream cake for my birthday.

The next day Aimee was off work and the kids were home from daycare so we packed a picnic and went to a park down in the river valley, hoping it would be cooler there.

All the new equipment to explore was a little distracting

but Maya can always eat.

And Avery can always play.

Christine and Mike used to love playing on the spring animals in Jury Street Park in Paris. (The duck and the elephant). Chris even wanted to buy them when we saw them years later in an auction.

Something in her shoe?

Oh well, just have to eat,

and swing,

and swing,

and then go home for a nap while Rene and Vanessa were preparing my final dinner. A Filipino, army tradition......

called a Boodle Fight. Banana leaves laid out on the table and the food served in the middle. A huge mound of rice covered with 2 kinds of marinated and roasted pork, sausage, shrimp, cucumber, tomato, spring rolls and mango. Two sauces for dipping and you dig in with your hands. After your done, just roll up the banana leaves and put them in the garbage.

The kids thought it was a great idea.

Edmonton - the pond

The pond is about 3 blocks away from Mike and Aimee's home. It is also on the way to Starbucks so on the days that the kids are at Daycare, I walk Iggy to Starbucks via the pond.

There is a path most of the way around and large houses overlooking.

Some kind of grebe?

Red winged black bird.

A Mayabird.

Edmonton, where the sun always shines.

This is the third time I have been in Edmonton in May and the weather has always been amazing. This time is no exception. 1 day of rain in the 14 days. Some days up to 28 or 30 degrees! This has resulted a lot of outside time with the kids; in the backyard, the park or walking around the pond.

Maya would rather ride than walk but loves to hold Iggy's leash (Iggy is a cross between a Jack Russel and an Italian Greyhound and is amazing with the kids)

She does get out and run around when we get to our destination.

Avery ready to go to work in Daddy's tie and Maya's sun glasses.

Quiet time is family screen time. Maya wants to watch "babies" and Avery watches "PJ Masks" or "Ryan".

It does buy all of us a bit of peace and quiet

but things are a bit tense when the i-pads need charging.

Aimee's cousin, Vanessa, and her fiance, Rene, bought me a plant and balloon for my birthday. The balloon was a big hit.

Breakfast, at their own little table. Multi-tasking; food, crayoning and i-pad.

Next was an expedition to the pond to collect pine cones.

They both took the project very seriously,

the collecting,

the searching,

the examining,

and dumping

them in the wagon.

Avery rode the tricycle to the pond, Maya tried it out there and

every thing ended up in the wagon on the way back. Nana was tired!

Avery too

Just kidding.

Port de Soller, Mallorca, Spain - the Firo

Liz sent me some pictures from the Firo, the celebration of the last attack of the Moors on Soller.

Both of them worked on Liz's reno while I was there. On the left, Poli (I'm not sure how to spell his name) is dressed as the King of the Moors, his brother is actually the chief of police (not a costume).

Liz looking suitable terrified!

Liz and Martin, dressed for the occasion, in Port de Soller. (Yes, Martin is that tall!)

Edmonton - Another day, another park.

This post will be random grandchild pictures. On arriving in Edmonton it was 7 degrees but since then it has been sunny and in the mid twenties. Perfect park weather!

Most of my pictures of Avery are a blur. But that's Avery for you - he is a blur.

Maya, on the other hand, a little more cautious, a little more sedate, and always happy to pose.

This is how Avery starts down a slide

and Maya, of course, has to copy him.

Home and quiet time is

spent with the i-pad, watching kids you tube videos.

Sometimes its not a park but a walk to the pond to see "ducks and goose"

and collect sticks.

Maya's attempts to keep up with Avery resulted in an "owee", so she climbed into the wagon and we went to Starbucks for a cookie and milk.

Then there's the pool in the backyard

watching ants,

sliding,

splashing,

being an alligator

then warming up.

Another hot day means a visit to the splash pad

but the water was rather cold

so over to the park and

Maya was happy to just hang out in the swing.

Avery's on the go

and go

and go.

Careful climb

and woosh down.