20 JUNE 2011: day 171 (week 25)

it was angelika's last day in canada. since we still have the whole morning and early afternoon to go around, we brought her to bluffer's park! we brought some food and had a little picnic there.












i couldn't believe her visit was over and it was time to go home. i still remember the time when i invited her and it seemed like a long wait! and how nervous i was that she was finally coming and i didn't know how to bring her around.
well, everything has its end... i really had a wonderful time seeing toronto with her. and i do hope she had a wonderful time with us...
you take care always, angelika! we will miss you. until your next visit!

19 JUNE 2011: day 170 (week 24)

driving back to canada...


i promised angelika i would take her to niagara falls. we didn't get to go there during her first three days in canada. nitz said we would definitely bring her there on our way back from chicago.
so here you go...NIAGARA!!!
we showed her cliffton hill, the busy surroundings of niagara falls. we were lucky we got there a bit early, it was still bright.




then the FALLS!!!




we walked back up cliffton hill when it got dark. we saw the surroundings at night time.



then we had dinner at kelsey's, thank you angelika for the treat!


we got home a little past midnight.

18 JUNE 2011: day 169 (week 24)

the day started with breakfast at IHOP (International House Of Pancakes). i honestly love this place...but i have to admit i cannot eat there too often. just imagine having steak with your pancake or waffles!!
anyway, we were such a big group you would notice how long our table was! yet we didn't fit there. nitz, bong and angelika sat on the next table.


here is just a few of what we ordered!!


a group pix just outside the resto!!! thank you to paul for taking the photo..


after the super heavy breakfast (that made us skip lunch..!) we all headed to auntie sonia's house. the kids and the boys stayed there while the girls went to the mall to shop!



and late that afternoon we were invited at my cousin's house (aris) for dinner.


drinks...


madjong...


and food!!!

17 JUNE 2011: day 168 (week 24)

bong took us to downtown chicago to see the sights! it was such a beautiful day to go sight-seeing!


we only had half a day to see downtown chicago. it was like a hop-on-hop-off tour. bong would just park along the side street and put the hazzard lights on, and the rest of us ran and took photos as quickly as we can.
we did get to see almost all the sites in the city:
FIELD MUSIEM


BUCKINGHAM FOUNTAIN


the BEAN




NAVY PIER


UNITED CENTER


around 3pm. we headed back home to get ready for the big night...auntie sonia’s surprise party!
it was my uncle who organized the suprise party. but my aunt admitted she did sense something was cookin’. a lot of people came and i think my aunt was most surprised to see us there! her grandkids performed during the party and even isabelle shared a song with grace! then there was lots of dancing after the program. it was a bit challenging to try line dancing. but all in all it was a wonderful celebration.

16 JUNE 2011: day 167 (week 24)

after our adventure in toronto..we brought our guest to the USA!
here we are at the border..


destination...CHICAGO!


when we arrived at my cousin's place, we were welcomed very warmly by bong (my cousin's husband). he prepared a very good soup for us! my cousin was till at work that time. when my cousin arrived, it was another round of story - telling. then we tried out the rock star band game and it was so much fun.

15 JUNE 2011: day 166 (week 24)

we just spent the day at the mall to buy some stuff for angelika to bring home. then late that afternoon we headed to my brother's house again for...BBQ!

14 JUNE 2011: day 165 (week 24)

2nd day of adventure!
we had to bring sofia with us (which was an added adventure..hehehe).


first stop -- ONTARIO SCIENCE CENTER


some photos inside the OSC... i have to say we weren't as thrilled about it. too much space and not to many interesting things to see..



2nd stop -- THE DISTILLERY HISTORY DISTRICT
i thought we would be seeing a museum for manufacturing beer ..or something like that. but instead we saw old manufacturing building converted to different shops and art galleries!






now waiting for our bus...


3rd and last stop -- ST. LAWRENCE MARKET



from the st. alwrence market we walked to find the subway...it was such a beautiful day to see downtown toronto.


after dropping off our stuff at home and picking up the kids, we went to kuya ed's house for some bbq!