Part 2 - Our Summer in Pics

African Lion Safari

African Lion Safari

Wonderful day with friends at the African Lion Safari

At Nana's house playing bocce with Uncle Dan and Trevor

Daddy cuddles by the campfire

Having a pause during our 5k hike around Kettle Lake.  Awenda Provincial Park.

Sebastian's new friend

Sebastian taking his "friend" for a walk up his arm

How the "boys" felt about having to pack up and go home

Happy "boys" sitting on a patio in Creemore ON

Our Summer in Pics

Look Out on the Cedar Trail, Pinery Provincial Park

One of Seb's fav activities while we're camping - Playing in the dirt!

 

Paddle boating, Pinery Provincial Park

Sebastian's favourite place to sit.  He calls this the "Hum"

Backing Up a Bit...

I can't believe that yesterday my little boy turned 5 years old and I still haven't even updated the blog on all our summer activities!  So, while he's at school this morning and I'm recuperating from 3 fun-filled day of birthday celebrations I figured I should back up a bit and write an update on our summer prior to getting to the birthday fun.

Our summer was a little different this year as it marked Sebastian's first summer break from school.  As he participated in a number of different programs during the school year (music, gymnastics, ice skating etc.) I thought it would be interesting to put him in programs during the summer.  I didn't want to put him in too many programs nor did I want a full-day program so we did 1/2 days.  He went to two summer art camps at Creativity Greenhouse that he absolutely loved and another week was spent doing gymnastics.  We then spent our Saturday mornings at the soccer field where Sebastian played in the U5 - TimBit league.  Overall, his soccer skills need some work but he thoroughly enjoyed himself by learning secret handshakes on the field and picking up every stick and pine cone he could find!

We also managed two 3-night camping treks this summer at the Pinery and Awenda and true to tradition, we had a thunderstorm each trip!  Since we've started camping with Sebastian when he was 18 months old we've always had a storm.  Luckily Sebastian manages to always sleep through them and they have not been too violent.  After four years, we're now pros with weathering the storm!

The rest of our time was spent playing with friends, going on adventures in the conservation area, and going to the African Lion Safari.  And as the summer winded down we managed a 3 day trek into Toronto to go to some of the places we used to frequent when we lived there.  We went to Riverdale Farm, the Royal Ontario Museum and the Zoo.  It was fun hanging out in the City again but as Sebastian noticed on the DVP when he asked, "What's that smell?" it was nice to leave the City and come back home to the quiet and clean air (on the days the "farmer's perfume" isn't wafting through our windows!), although we do miss our friends there. 

Overall it was a nice summer, although two months definitely do go by way too fast!

The Games We Play

Today while we were at the African Lion Safari Seb and I found ourselves standing in quite the long line for the train.  I decided to pass the time by playing some games with him and we were able to pass the time quite easily playing Eye Spy, Rock, Paper, Scissors and 5 questions (where one person has to guess what you are, such as a cheetah, by asking only 5 questions). 

This got me thinking of all the types of games I used to play as a child with my family and the fond memories I had.  As such, I thought I'm make a list for Sebastian of the types of games he would play with us at this age.  They are all games that Seb comprehends and can play easily with us:

-  Harvest Time
-  Junior Boggle
-  Trouble
-  Sorry!
-  Go Fish
-  War
-  Uno
-  Old Maid
-  Eye Spy
-  5 Questions
-  Rock, Paper and Scissors
-  Busy Town Mysteries Eye Found It!
-  Cat in the Hat, I Can Do That!
-  Cariboo Island
-  Snakes and Ladders
-  Dominoes
-  Kerplunk
-  Bingo
-  Connect-the-dots
-  Mazes
-  Find the Item in the Picture

Deep Thoughts by Sebastian

Tonight while lying in bed after reading a bedtime story about aliens and a frog the following conversation occurred:

Sebastian:  Is space real?

Jamie:  Yes, outer space is real.

Sebastian:  Are aliens real?

Jamie:  I have never seen a real live Alien but I have to imagine that if we are here on this planet that there are some kind of life on another planet.

Sebastian:  I think we're the Aliens.

Jamie:  Yes, we could be the Aliens to some other aliens.

Sebastian:  We could be the Aliens to... birthday cake (giggle giggle).

Yangtze Valley by Matt Hirt

Just a note for memory lane....

After searching for a good week or so for the name of this tune Sebastian's cousin Kassy recognized what we were singing and was able to tell me where this song was from and I was able to track it down.

Sebastian and I sing this song all the time.  He sings one line and I sing the other.  It's become our theme song of sorts.  It's not very complicated and we're not always in tune but all one of has to do is start singing and/or humming the song and the other follows.  We're quite the team the two of us! 

Summer! (pic heavy)

Well it's finally here!  Sebastian's very first summer break!!

I have had  quite a few parents "warn" me about summer break, stating how kids struggle with not having the same routine as the school year and how antsy they can get around the house.   So far, Seb's been great, but I don't believe things have changed all that much for him.  I am lucky enough to be able to stay home with him so he's used to it just being the two of us.  Of course, he may have more difficulty adjusting to the freedom of summer break once he's in school full-time, but we have another summer before that will happen.  However, I think I'm the one having some difficulty adjusting to Seb being home as I had become use to having two days to myself!!  =)

As we're hitting mid-July, this is what we've been up to:

Sebastian has continued with his swimming lessons and although he's not quite swimming independently I foresee that by the end of  the year we'll have a little swimmer on our hands!  He's also playing soccer, as seen by an earlier post, and this week he started going to an art class 5 days a week in the afternoon, which he absolutely loves!

We've also managed one over-night camping trek at Glen Rouge in Toronto with friends, which I would recommend to anyone who lives in TO and wants to attempt camping close to home before venturing farther.  I would also recommend camping there if you are used to the sound of traffic lulling you to sleep!  I must say, the night we came home I awoke in the middle of the night and all I could hear were the frogs in the marsh.  It was bliss!  I do not miss Toronto traffic at all!!

We are also just about to head up to the Pinery this upcoming weekend for a 3-night camping trek with friends and then we have another  3-night camping trek planned in Awenda with Nonee and Papa for August.  Between that, Seb, similar to art class, will be in a gymnastics camp at the end of this month.

In the meantime, we have been enjoying ourselves going on various adventures, hanging out with friends and meeting new friends.  Tomorrow Nonee is coming over and we are going to go for a hike in the woods.  There is a section of the conservation area near our home that reminds me of Awenda with its tall canopy, which is absolutely beautiful that we will be sharing with Nonee.  Last week while I walked and Seb rode his bike through it we were greeted by a couple of deer, which always seems to make my day.   Even though seeing deer is now becoming a regular occurrence for us, I am always in awe when we come across them.  It's almost as if they are "allowing" us into their world.  Seb and I will usually just stand still in silence and watch them, as they watch us ensuring that they have enough space to "escape" into the woods.  It's always a special moment.

Other than that, there have been sprinklers and gardening, groundhogs, baby bunnies, the African Lion Safari, friends and new friends to occupy our time.  I am amazed at the social life this boy has and am continually grateful for being able to experience these things with him.

Loving life,
Kim

Baby bunny

Silly Seb!

Mr. Deer

We are constantly being protected by Spider-man and Princess Presto!

Camping with friends, Canada Day 2011

Happy 30th Birthday Uncle Danny!

Mr. Groundhog