Echoes of Laughter

Thursday, August 3, 2006.Joanne, Steve and the kids came to see us. Joanne is a dear friend from my Acadia years.Love her sense of humour and it was so great connecting with her.Adorable kids Simon and Clara.It was so awesome that we got to see them.

After a busy day at Mahone Bay, we were invited to Ken & Laura’s for supper. So I gathered up the kids and we headed over at 5pm.We had a really yummy supper of BBQ salmon, rice, salad and baguette.The pool was just installed a few weeks ago.The 4 kids had a ball swimming for about 2 hours. The water was 87 degrees.I swam as well. I cannot get over what a great little swimmer Tyler is getting to be.Ken and I have been friends since Elementary School.He’s 40 and he’s still got it! Look at this trick off the Read More »

from across the water.You can see the steeples of the “3 Churches” of Mahone Bay.

This wonderfully creative display is made out of driftwood. We drove by this on our way to Lunenburg and the kids “oohed & aaahed”.

Just some of the shops we browsed through.“Teazer’s” was our favorite.

No trip to Mahone Bay is complete without a visit to Suttles & Seawinds.Famous for it’s handmade quilts, locally designed clothing, bags and scrarfs.The quilts here were incredible and started around $2000.

colors of houses. I took this pic for Grace who loves purple.

You don’t see many of these graceful ladies anymore with the beautiful circular woodwork.

On Wednesday, Mom and I enjoyed a “ladies lunch & shopping day” in Mahone Bay.We left the kids with Aunty Zelma for the day.We arrived in Mahone Bay around 11 pm and then we browsed in all the little shops and galleries.We had a nice lunch of mussels and lobster at an outdoor cafe on the water.Here is a picture of the candy store “Candy Cravings” that carried lots of old favorites. I picked up some “pop rocks” for the kids.

On Tuesday, after I picked up Hunter from the sleepover at Breanna’s house, we picked up Maddy M. for a picnic lunch and swimming at Lumsden Dam.The girls were so excited to see each other.We had a nice afternoon swimming and laying around.Then Maddy invited Hunter for supper and to watch her soccer game.She got home around 8pm.

I cannot believe we have reached the end of July already!Today we did some errands in the morning and then we stopped by to see Terry, Ashlynn and her adorable twin girls, Morgan and Taylor. They are just 12 months old and they are so fun to play with. Hunter & Tyler really enjoyed themselves.We grabbed some quick cheeseburgers at Wendy’s and then we went to Blomidan for the afternoon. It is a 20 minute drive from Highway #1.Blomidan Beach is a provincial park on the Bay of Fundy. It is truly a gem because it is quite far off Read More »

It was Dad’s birthday today and sadly, although I did take pics with the Canon Rebel, I didn’t get out the digital. I am starting to get a little weary of dragging two cameras around and getting my subjects to pose not once, but twice, which is not an easy feat by any means!Dad celebrated 58 in style with at least 20 people dropping by for some cake and sharing in good wishes. The kids made Grampie a “Build-A-Bear” Birthday Bear with a sound chip inside of them singing Happy Birthday! And the poor little Bear’s paw got squeezed all Read More »

The kids had a lot of fun with the “sleepover” except that there wasn’t alot of sleeping going on.It is just too much fun to have a cousin in bed with you to jump around with!After a slow start on Saturday morning, I took the girls to the farmers market in the morning.We tasted some yummy treats and Maddy got her face painted.We went home and Grammie made homemade pizza for lunch.I dropped Hunter off at Gemma’s house for a sleepover at 12:30.Then the 3 little kids played outside for most of the afternoon,afterhwhich we came in for a bath.Michelle Read More »

On Friday, after we dropped Gemma off in the morning, I took the kids to get some much needed haircuts at the mall.Then we came home to play with Madison & Hayden who were coming for a sleepover at Grammie’ s house.Uncle Derrick & Aunt Sheila invited us over for a BBQ. We had such a nice visit and a wonderful meal. Got to see my cousin Greg who I haven’t seen for a while.Uncle Derrick & Aunt Sheila are the sweetest people.

Yesterday, we met up with Tyler’s friend Tristan and his family for lunch at McDonald’s and then we went to Aylesford Lake for the afternoon.The kids had alot of fun with the boogie boards and goggles.Hunter invited Brianna to join us for the day.Little Thomas is just one year old. Sweet little guy who tries to keep up with the big kids.We got home around 4pm.Gemma came over for a sleepover. Tyler had a sleepover with Grammie.

On Wednesday, Grammie took the day off and we went to Halifax for the day.The highlight of the day was our 50 minute tour on the Harbour Hopper. We had a 25 minute tour of land-The Public Gardens, The Citadel, Spring Garden Road, the Garrison Grounds, etc. Then we went into the water for a 25 minute tour of Halifax Harbour.Halifax Harbour is the 2nd largest ice free deep water port in the world, only after Sydney, Australia. The kids were so excited (but I think Grammie was scared.) We loved it!The Harbour Hopper is an “AMPHIBIAN VEHICLE”. This means Read More »

The Sackville is a “corvette”-a ship warm and dear to the Canadian Navy.She led the convoys of supply ships to Europe during WWI and WWII.This is the last surviving corvette.She was a clean burning diesel, home to about 80 sailors.She is painted in her camouflage colors blue & white for the North Atlantic.During the tourist season, she is docked in the jetty in front of the Maritime Museum.When off season comes, she is towed back to the jetty at the Navy Dockyards.

Tyler was excited to see Theodore Tugboat, although he has never seen the tv program.

Our final stop for the day was the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.We enjoyed exhibits on the Titanic and the Halifax Explosion. Hunter was really interested in this part of Halifax’s history.The Titanic exhibit has the largest collection of artifacts in the world, retrieved by rescue ships and their crew.It is a very sombre exhibit to visit. Articles of clothing from victims of the famous luxury ship.Examples of First Class, Second Class and Third Class cabins and menus which serve to highlight the British “class” system of the day.

Port Royal is the oldest settlement in North America.It was settled by a party of explorers and mappers led by Samuel de Champlain in 1605.This fort is amazing interpretation of life during that period.The major trade was the beaver pelt.Tyler loved seeing the canons and I had to explain to him how this Port Royal was a different Port Royal than the one seen in “Pirates of the Carribean”.

After our visit to Port Royal, we found a shady spot to eat our picnic lunch.Then we called Daddy and he told us about his awesome fishing trip.I love Annapolis Royal! There are benches everywhere for sitting and enjoying small town life.

This fort was built initially by theFrench and seized by the English.It was a hotbead of colonial rule for much of the 1700’s.It changed hands between the French and English 9 times.The grounds are “star-shaped” which was the very lastest in Fort design for maximum protection at the time. The design is called “the verbun”.Tyler waited all day to see the dungeon.The dungeon was built in 1703 and it is a dirty, damp place, even today.

A perfect example of a Victorian home in the last century.The kitchen is circa 1790 with original floor boards and fireplace.

Annapolis Royal has a beautiful boardwalk right on the water.

We stopped to play at this playground for awhile.It is right in town.

Debbie invited us over for supper on Tuesday night.She and John cooked us a lovely meal of BBQ pork tenderloin, baked potatoes and corn on the cob.Then she surprised me by bringing out a birthday cake for dessert and giving me a birthday gift as well.That is just the kind of person Debbie is. She always makes her friends feel SO special.After the cake, Greg and his friend Taylor took the kids for a swim in the pool.Then John lit the chiminea for some heat and we enjoyed the fire for an hour before we left for home at 10 Read More »

It was a rainy day.Grammie gave Hunter & Tyler some money to go shopping at Northern Reflections.Hunter picked out some jeans and Tyler picked out some “army” pants.We ate lunch at A & W.Then we picked up Gemma and went to Frenchy’s for awhile.Hunter found a pair a new GAP capri pants and a belt.I found some awesome stuff for Tyler.Frenchy’s was really busy. The bargains are the best around.

A rather rainy day.I decided to give mom a break from the kitchen, so instead of her making sausages, toast, pancakes, etc., I went to BK and got us all sausage & egg croissants.Then we went to visit Grammie Pineo for 2 hours.She and the kids had a ball playing crazy 8’s.And we looked at lots of old photos.