Our time in Canada was filled with lots of swimming and playing in the lake, spending time with Gi Gi, eating ice cream and enjoying the beautiful weather and scenery.
Pretty much as soon as we got to the cottage Peyton was stripping down and looking for her swim suit and life jacket. They both love the water so much and had a blast walking around, playing in the sand and enjoying the lake. One day I found a inflatable boat and pulled them along the shoreline which they loved. Peyton and I also swam out to the deeper part together which was fun until I encountered large amounts of sea weed which I hate and freaked out! I don't like the lake...I like seeing the bottom but I tried hard to not pass my fear unto Peyton as much as possible!
While we were there my mom threw Peyton a surprise birthday party with my Aunts and Grandma. She was so surprised and loved that she was getting two birthday parties! She loved the cake, decorations, made everyone wear their party hats and thought it was pretty awesome!
She also got a pair of Stompeez Slippers at her party from my parents. She had seen them on TV all summer long and wanted them so badly. It really was the first thing that she has really wanted and asked or specifically. All summer she would run and get my mom to watch the commercial and was so hoping to get them for her birthday. She would run around the house singing the commercial and it was pretty amusing to watch her explain what she wanted and how to order them and the whole process.
We had the traditional summer camp fire one night before bed time and roasted marshmallows.
And we went to a theme park called Santa's Village one day and the kids sat in Santa's lap and Peyton talked up a storm with him. She has changed so much since the last time we were there in July of 2010 and it was fun to see it through her eyes now and also see Graham experience it all for the first time. Santa's Village is by far not the most impressive amusement park but it holds lots of memories for me growing up and my mom even worked there as a teenager one summer.
We rode the Ferris Wheel which Peyton LOVED and Graham was concerned about. Peyton kept wanting to shake the Christmas Ball we were in which didn't make mommy or Graham very pleased. And we had to ride the airplanes several times and she just was in love with the rides. Made me think she would love Disney and riding the bigger rides. She has no fear!
There was a place to make the kids dress up in random Christmas clothing and take pictures so I let Peyton pick everything out and had them sit on the sleigh and take their picture. Would have been a better picture if John and I participated but since I was solo I didn't want to make him jealous!
We could have been at Santa's Village much longer but it was pretty hot (which I thought was funny since in about two days we were heading back to much hotter) and I was kind of tired of being solo with the kids and managing it all so I decided to end it when everyone was happy and head back home!
The best part of the trip though was spending time with my grandma. I was so nervous about Graham warming up to her since he is pretty shy and nervous in new situations but the first time we went over there he just walked straight in, gave her a big hug and a kiss and loved on her. He just seemed to know that she was a good person and someone he should love on. He loved calling her Gi Gi and would know as soon as we would pull into the driveway that we were going to see her. He would love to sit and be rocked (which is so not like him) and would start the songs for her to tell her to sing to him. He was such a cuddle bug with her which was very out of character but so sweet to watch.
Peyton also loved Gi Gi and loved talking about she was there as a baby and telling her stories. What I loved the most was knowing that Peyton will remember this time with her in some way and she was able to have some time with her as a toddler. She loved listening to my grandma sing her songs and then Peyton would entertain by telling stories and explaining things.
A great way to end our very long time away from Saudi and I am so thankful for the time and finances that allowed me to take the kids to Canada for a week and stay in a cottage on the lake and create fun memories with them, my mom and spend precious time with my Grandmother.
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