More Photo-Opping: Windsor Park

Cute

Cuter

Cutest?

Nah. They're all 'Cutest'!

Outings: Rideau River

Nothing much going on here but a photo op in front of the river -- see how high it is? -- for your adorable children!

Aren't they so cute?? (I think they're shouting "CHEESE!!", but I'm not entirely sure now.)

Menu Monday

Monday:
First course: cucumber raita
Second: basil-coconut chicken/tofu
Dessert: whole wheat muffins

Tuesday:
First course: Moroccan salad (cucumber-carrot-apricot)
Second: lentil-rice cakes
Dessert: bananas

Wednesday:
First course: chef salad and cauliflower au gratin
Second: coconut-lentil soup
Dessert: dried apricots

Thursday:
First course: sweet'n'sour green beans
Second: pasta bake
Dessert: apple slices with peanut butter

Friday:
First course: tabouli
Second: ginger-baked tofu
Dessert: gelato

Reading Buddies

Spring-time Yard Clean

A yard of last year's leaves, a mild and sunny day, four toddlers and a simple task: Put the Leaves in the Bin. They didn't always stay 100% on task (the big girls seem to be having a coffee break while Ada does the work), but they were pretty good!

Ella found a tiny hoe in the leaves. The right tool makes the job so much easier, no?

Busy, busy...

Happy, happy...

And this face? Seems Ada does not like to be told to stay off the street. It's terrible, you know, the things a baby has to put up with around here!

Outings: Stella Luna

On your marks...  In fact, we're practicing the now-standard "No one starts eating until everyone has been served", and you see that metal pole just in the left side of the frame? That's the number-holder that tells the nice man who's making my latte where he's to bring it when he's done. So, until Ilona gets her coffee, we wait.

It doesn't bother us too much!

Ah. Coffee is here, eating can begin!

Eating for some, boot-cradling for others. Heh.

(Not to worry! She got her scone, too!)

Outings: The Glebe

Something has caught their eye! (Addie appears completely overcome.)

Ella finds it funny. (Now Addie is dubious...)

It is Erik who is most approving, though. What is it we're watching?

Construction at Lansdown! Complete with BIG TRUCKS! "VVVVVvvvmmmmm!"

Ada was the only one not enthralled. She had other things on her agenda.

The Climbing Tree

We haven't clambered in this tree since the fall. They were very pleased to scramble around it again!

Though it's been months, they hadn't forgotten their favourite games. Here, they're riding a bus. (Addie, counter-intuitive though it may appear, what with her being at the back and at the bottom, is driving the bus.)

The littles watch from the stroller. There are only so many bodies I want to monitor on a tree, and given that these two can't be trusted to stay in the vicinity of the tree (as opposed to, say, going for a quick dip in the river), never mind climb said tree without falling out of it, I opted to keep them in the stroller today.

A wise decision, since this was the day that this (presently undamaged) head got itself a great big blue goose egg!

The bus is done. Now we are baking things in the Cookie Store!

So happy that spring is coming!

More painting

They tired of the egg cartons, but wanted more painting. That's easily accommodated!

April Showers...

... and a few egg cartons and some paint!... bring springtime flowers. Erik loves the whole idea of painting. His aim's a bit off, but painting? He's a fan!

Ada's aim is better, though her creation ended up being more a Teeny Bowl of Paint than anything obviously floral.

A happy boy, a brush, a painted tray, and an untouched flower. Perfect!

But when your aim is good, it takes a great deal of Focus and Concentration. Ella chose purple for her flower, of course!

Nora was the only one who tackled a two-tone flower: red on the outside, yellow on the inside.

Busy, busy, busy!

I love the intensity of the concentration. Who says toddlers have poor attention spans?

Sorting it all out

Ada has been attempting this toy for several days now. It looks like she's achieved a higher degree of success than is the case: she's dismantling it here, not building it! But still, I love the persistence. She'll get that thing sorted out eventually!!
 

Princesses and Gracious Behaviour

Here we have three little princesses. Three little happy princesses. There is a bit of a story behind these happy faces, a bit of finessing on Ilona's part, and a fair amount of grace on Ella's.

Ella arrives with two princess outfits. Two. Too bad there are three wannabe princesses in this house. Now, Ilona does have a small dress-up bin, but, predictably, no one wanted to wear the boring old dresses when there were brand new! exciting! bona fide PRINCESS DRESSES crying out to be worn.

Hmmm...

I tried to get someone to choose the dress-up clothes, on the off-chance that it could happen voluntarily.

HAHAHAHAHAH... you all laugh.

Yeah, I know. But it never hurts to give them the opportunity to surprise you. Even when it's not at all surprising when they don't.

So. What to do? Well, what I opted for was this: Pulling Ella aside, I suggested that since she got to wear her princess dresses any time she liked at home, and that Nora and Addie could only wear them today, that it would be a very nice thing to let them wear her dresses.

With absolutely no hesitation at all, she said, "Okay!" That was surprising in and of itself. She put the icing on the surprise cake when she did it cheerfully. Now, you could see it cost her, but she did it. Cheerfully.

Wow.

And so Ilona decided that such gracious, unselfish behaviour could be rewarded with a little something. So up we went to my room, where Ella chose my blingiest shawl (those are red sequins! the shawl has SPARKLES!!!), and my sparkliest bracelet, so that she could be a Very Fancy Princess.

Ooooo, sparkles...

Please note that the possibility of shawl and bracelet was not offered until after Ella decided to let her friends wear her princess dresses.

I was very proud of her! And she looks pretty pleased with herself, too -- as she should be. Lovely to see them growing up!

Busy, busy-ness

We'd been inside for a few days, and the tots were needing an OUTLET for the ENERGY!

Which is really a fairly simple thing when you're only three feet tall.

Just push that bench away from the fireplace and in front on the window!

Suddenly, by virtue of being moved a few inches and swung at 90 degrees, it's no longer furniture, but is a Play Structure.

.

Whee! Sufficient to keep four small people busy for quite some while.

Busy for a long, long time. Climbing, sliding, balancing, jumping...

taking turns, going up, going down...

Falling. (It was inevitable, really...)

But it wasn't long before he was back into the thick of things!

Clambering, concentrating, (resting)...

Busy, busy, busy.