23 August 2010

22 August 2010: DAY 234 (WEEK 34)

back at the border, now entering canada.


we left charlotter at 5 am and got home at around 9pm....home again.

21 August 2010: DAY 233 (WEEK 34)

we decided to have lunch at the poolside. nitz was in charge of the grilling! we had porkchops, burgers and vegetables for lunch.




then me, my sister, my neice and sister-in-law left to go to the mall to buy some stuff. we left the kids in the pool with nitz and my brother.
we didn't take long in the mall because my sister was not feeling well. but we had enough time to buy the things she needed.
as soon as we got back home, cooking time again!..and of course photo here and there!!




after dinner, we surprised my sister-in-law! her birthday is on the 28 but we decided to have an early celebration.


then my sister gave gifts for all the kids and my sister-in-law.



and we ended the night with lots of singing and dancing! it was a wonderful night...it was our last night in charlotte.

20 August 2010: DAY 232 (WEEK 34)

we arrived in charlotte (nc) at around 1:30 am.
the kids got to sleep so when we arrived they woke up. see them all energized watching tv.


and even though we were all tired from the long trip, we stayed up for a couple more hours to just catch up.


and as soon as we woke up and had breakfast, we ran to the pool to have a splash.

19 August 2010: DAY 231 (WEEK 34)

what can i say...here we are back on the road!
we left the house at 7:30 am..and we are targeting to get to charlotte (NC) at 11:30 pm.

18 August 2010: DAY 230 (WEEK 34)

started our day with a buffet breakfast...heavy breakfast!
i took a photo of their plates...i just love them!!


after breakfast we went to the gift shop. the kids (and even the adults!!hehehe) were amazed with all the candies in the store!! but would you beleive we didn't buy any?!! yup! the kids asked but we said no...and besides the reason we visited the gift shop was to get the complimentary toys!!



so here are their toys!.... the candies were forgotten...


then we went to the activity centerto claim more surprises for the kids. each kid was given a souvenir item (they could choose between a bag and a shirt) and they could color it themselves! isabelle chose a shirt, rafael chose a bag and i chose another shirt for sofia. since sofia was not interested in coloring her shirt... i did it for her.


then we headed outside the resort to play mini golf.


it was the first time for my kids to play golf, they had so much fun.


and after our scheduled activities that morning, it was swimming time again for the kids. isabelle and sofia didn't swim anymore, only rafael and grace went.





it was indeed 2 fun days at the great wolf lodge...
and here we are at the front of the lodge having our souvenir photos!!!



and rafael had to hold sofia while sleeping on our way home.



as soon as we arrived at my brother's house, we had a meeting. we found out that my sister who was visiting in north carolina extended her stay because she couldn't get any early doctor's appointment. she planned to be in nc from august 11-18. initially she wanted us to come visit but since nitz was arriving on the 14th and the great wolf lodge was already scheduled way ahead of time, we couldn't visit my sister. but now that we found out the she WILL stay in nc until the 26th, my brother suggested that we visit her. after looking at all the available dates before the 25th, the only day possible for us to visit is ----TOMORROW!!!

17 August 2010: DAY 229 (WEEK 34)

the most awaited day of the kids.. (next of course to nitz arrival!), the day we went to great wolf lodge! my brother and his family went there last summer (i think...or maybe the summer before that) and they had so much fun. this time they wanted to take us there too. since the check-in time was at 4pm, we decided to just leave the house early and have a picnic in a park somewhere near great wolf lodge. we had lunch at the niagara park where the flower clock is.



then after lunch, we headed to great wolf lodge. it was still early but we wanted to get in the water park and just see the place. luckily, we got our rooms early.



we enjoyed the whole afternoon splashing!! the kids had a blast!!!



and after dinner we all used up our complimentary tokens in the arcade....



we earned 215 tickets!!!



that's it for the first day!!! more adventure tomorrow....

16 August 2010: DAY 228 (WEEK 34)

these 'macarons' are hand carried by my husband from paris. they are not just any macarons...they are macarons from LADUREE....

in my 5 yearS of stay in paris i never entered this shop... seemed too fancy for me (and too expensive!!). i never asked nitz how much these macarons cost...i just enjoyed every bite...hmmmmmm!!!



just a little info about 'macarons':
A macaron is a sweet confectionery. Its name is derived from an Italian word "maccarone" or "maccherone". This word is itself derived from ammaccare, meaning crush or beat, used here in reference to the almond paste which is the principal ingredient.[1] It is meringue-based: made from a mixture of egg whites, almond flour, and both granulated and confectionery sugar.

The confectionery is characterized by its smooth, domed top, ruffled circumference, and flat base. Connoisseurs prize a delicate, egg shell-like crust that yields to a moist and airy interior. The French macaron differs from macaroons in that it is filled with cream or butter like a sandwich cookie, and can be found in a wider variety of flavors that range from the traditional (raspberry, chocolate) to the exotic (truffle, matcha tea).

15 August 2010: DAY 227 (WEEK 33)

tess mabalot and her family visited us!

tess and her husband jun were our colleagues during our days in lafarge philippines. when we moved to paris, they visited us when she had her training in paris. then early this year we heard that they would be moving to canada! they arrived here in canada last april...2 months ahead of us. and now here we are again together in canada.



thank you for visiting!!

14 August 2010: DAY 226 (WEEK 33)

nitz is back from paris!!!
we are all so happy that nitz is back.



sofia never left nitz' side... she missed her papa so much.



and we had a little celebration at my brother's place for nitz!!

13 August 2010: DAY 225 (WEEK 33)

sofia loves to be thrown up in the air by her ninong ed. as you can see, she would even spread her arms as she floats for a second up in the air. she would ask for more until her ninong ed gets really tired.

13 August 2010

12 August 2010: DAY 224 (WEEK 33)

would you believe this lego was a gift for isabelle for her 4th birthday?!! (and she sill be turning 6 this year..) i never let her open it because she was too young then and sofia (who just turned 1 that time) was too young for lego toys...

since now they are old enough for this toy, i let them open it.


11 August 2010: DAY 223 (WEEK 33)

this dvd is a gift from olympe (isabelle's friend). this is the first time they will watch it.... thank you olympe! isabelle misses you so much...

10 August 2010: DAY 222 (WEEK 33)

nothing much today...

i have some left over spaghetti sauce so i made this for dinner...



a photo of the kids before dinner.

09 August 2010

09 August 2010: DAY 221 (WEEK 33)

sorry for the bad lighting on this photo...

my kids are fans of 'the next star' and they have followed the auditions all over canada...and now they watched the elimination round.

08 August 2010: DAY 220 (WEEK 32)

sundays are usually 'no-activity' day for me and the kids...unless of course my brother comes to visit or invites us somewhere...hehehe. but this sunday is 'cutting-the-grass' day for us.
me and sofia at the backyard waiting for my brother as he sets up the lawn mower. she was giving me her tightest hug!!



and sofia wearing her brother's helmet...hahaha.



and me in action!! my first time to mow the lawn!!
please forgive that i am wearing socks..hahaha i know it is summer but i love socks! (and it was a little chilly that day...or maybe not according to my brother). and i have to admit mowing with socks on was a bad idea...hahaha.