scribbles, scratches and scrawls: July 2013

Monday, July 22, 2013

Ukraine - Green Cow!

Postcard from IreenL from Ukraine. I’m not sure what it says, but J likes it, especially the green cow!

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

You’ve got mail…lots of it!

We were only away for one mail day, but today there was lots of mail stuffed in our mailbox this morning…besides six postcards, I also got two letters! What a lovely day!

Postcard from Lyy-Yi from China.

Description: From 26 Moment From A to Z About You

Postcard from paras from India

Description: Elephant on road

Postcard from Suzie-L from Russia

Description: Wild pig (which looks a lot like these guys)

Postcard from OliaChelsy from Russia

Postcard from ameliajosephine from the USA

Description: Passing the Time Away at Fort Sheridan. The U.S. Army base at Fort Sheridan, Illinois was active from 1887-1993. Horse shows and cavalry training were part of the pre-World War II regimen. Postcard originally printed by Ekmark Photo, circa 1930. Reproduction of this postcard sponsored by Melissa and Randolph Kahn.

Postcard from Lyonika from Russia

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Belarus - Fauna of Belarus

Postcard from Nadea from Belarus

Description: Wild boar

Tuesday, July 09, 2013

Portugal - The kindness of strangers

Postcard from animalsfriend from Portugal

Description: This card is part of a set of seven postcards by students at animalsfriend’s school. The cards were designed to fundraise for a children’s charity. The quote on the card says “A child is a flower. Let’s help it to grow.”

I didn’t just receive a card though. The card was part of a parcel stuffed into our mailbox. I held onto the wrapped gifts until J got home because one of them was just for her.

And here is what the parcel contained:

A little red pinocchio doll for J, a bib and a cloth for baby C and a little soap.

We sure feel spoiled…all we were supposed to get was the cool postcard!

Thursday, July 04, 2013

USA - Hawaii via Texas

Postcard from emeraldmist from the USA

Description: Hiking in Haleakalā Maui. Hikers travers through the peaksand valleys at Haleakalā Crater, a dormant Maui volcano.

Long weekendness

Yeah, yeah, it’s Thursday, but it feels like the weekend just ended as the weather has been beautiful all week (although it is a bit cooler today) and my birthday just made it feel like it should still be the long weekend!

These two happy little ladies were glad to see the long weekend arrive because it meant lots and lots of DADDY! Check out the smiles just for Daddy! We started our Saturday off slowly, sleeping in because we’d all been up late waiting for our hot house to cool down a bit. While Alex ran some errands, J and I took C to the library and C got out her first ever library books. Then it was time for some fun at Granville Island.

We started out at the playground, but that was just the appetizer. What we really came for was the water park!

J thought it was a bit chilly at first, but she quickly got over that and spent almost two hours playing in the cool water.

Looks like she had a great time. Once Alex joined us after finishing up his errands, J decided to brave the waterslide. She’s been down it once before at her third birthday but she rode down it with her friend I’s parents (one at a time obviously) because she wasn’t tall enough. Well, this summer she is!

She wasn’t too sure about it the first time and then she decided she loved it…we had to bribe her away from it with promises of gelato…she loves the little gelato guy!

Sunday was more of the same – Alex took J to the waterpark for a bit (so I could have a nap…ahhh…) and then apparently they stopped for gelato…again! Then it was home for burgers (apparently J likes peas in her burger?) It truly felt like summer at our house – something that I rarely feel in Vancouver because I’m so accustomed to Kelowna summers. But there was the heat and the white noise from the fans and a small girl, dressing up her burger, still in her bathing suit and smelling faintly of sunscreen. The only difference is that in Kelowna we would have eaten outside…good thing we have plans to head up there at least once more before September so we can do just that!

After dinner attempted to calm Baby C down with one of her new library books – Baby Happy, Baby Sad – she spent most of her time commiserating with Baby Sad…not crying, just complaining!

And then it was Canada Day. It was hot and I haven’t been able to find a small hat for C, so she got to wear a 6 month sized hat…it’s a bit big and floppy!

J remembered Canada Day 2011, so we had to get her a Canada flag tattoo – only one this time!

Of course, since it was Canada Day and she was with me (Alex had to work…booo) we went for more gelato. Auntie Rebar joined us and J was so happy to see her. And then there was more water sliding. J actually went down once before we got gelato but she waited (very patiently) in line for over half an hour. She was happy to keep waiting, but I convinced her we would go for gelato and come back. Good plan! When we got back the line up was about 5 minutes long and it was shorter after every slide down because it was close to closing time and people were heading home.

Check out the face!

We had a great weekend. We’re so lucky to live in a neighbourhood with all of these things within walking distance…and that the city provides us with such amazing parks and they’re free!

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Germany and the Netherlands were busy

Our mailbox was stuffed full this morning. I couldn’t believe it when I pulled out this stack of lovely mail and there were NO bills and NO flyers! There were lots of smiles at our house at mail time!