Today Gracen and I were very lucky to be part of a group of blogging mamas {and kiddos} invited down to the Vancouver Aquarium for a special morning.
It’s no secret that we adore our local aquarium, and this visit was even more fun as we got to mingle with friends while following our very own tour guide. After making our way to some of the very cool Luminescence exhibits and some of the regular favourites (the giant sea turtles, penguins, and sea otters), we prepared for one of the really special events – a 4D theatre experience.
The feature film was a 19 minute version of The Polar Express, and though I was super excited to try out the whole 4D experience myself, I was definitely nervous about how my sensitive little lady would react. Just to be safe, I selected an aisle seat right next to the emergency exit, made sure Grae was on my lap, and explained {as best I could} what the experience would be like.
All in all, it turned out okay. She was definitely nervous in some parts and was not at all a fan of being sprayed with water, but at the same time, she didn’t want to leave the theatre either. While I’d probably wait a little while before taking her to another 4D film, I must say, it was pretty amazing.
After The Polar Express, we all gathered around the Pacific Canada Pavillion to await the arrival of the jolly old fellow in the red suit.
It seems he had carelessly dropped his jingle bells in the tank and therefore needed to hop in and search for them…
Luckily, with a very excited audience cheering him on, he found his bells and all was right in the world again. ☺
As always, we had a lovely time at the aquarium and can’t wait to go back again soon.
♥
If you’re looking for a wonderfully unique gift for someone in the Lower Mainland, I highly recommend an aquarium membership. They pay for themselves in just two visits and allow for an unlimited number of admissions for an entire year. For more information on gifting a Vancouver Aquarium membership, click here.
If there’s one wish I have for Gracen (other than that she grows up to be a healthy, compassionate girl who finds true happiness and does something that she is deeply passionate about with her life), it’s that she always loves to read. We started reading to Grae the day she was born and it’s always been a favourite time for both of us… A time to unwind, relax, get lost in a story, and start great conversations. Words can’t explain how much it thrills me to find her, more often than not, emersed in a book (or pile of books) when the house has grown a little *too* quiet.
This is how I found Miss G this morning. I was getting ready for the day while she played independently when she came to me and asked for a bowl of o’s. I retrieved her one and went to deliver them to her room to find that she had laid out a blanket, circled it with books, and was needing the o’s in order to read her Cheerio book.
Needless to say, I’ve always got an eye out for ways to keep reading special and fun for our little lady. We borrow new library books once a week, we spend rainy days in the kids’ section of book stores, we visit our library’s story time regularly, we spend loads of time in Grae’s closet book nook, and can often be found snuggled up in my bed with a big stack of books. It’s something neither of us tires of.
Just recently, we found another way celebrate Grae’s love of reading. Through the Families Against Boredom Vancouver Facebook page, we learned about regular story times at Pottery Barn Kids and decided to give it a go. We first went around Halloween, and Gracen loved it so much that we’ve been back again since. It happens at the back of the store with itty bitty recliners and rockers all gathered around the storyteller’s large recliner.
At our location, the lady who runs story time (Erin) is absolutely amazing! She’s soft and gentle and makes a purpose to get to know each child and call them by name. She’s just one of those people who is meant to be around kids, you know? She’s got this way about her that makes you drawn to listen to her every word, and it totally works. Gracen enjoys each moment and then asks if we can go again the following week.
We normally arrive a little bit early so we can explore and take in the beauty that is PBK, and then we stay for a little bit afterwards so that Grae can play. We never feel like we’re overstaying our welcome – in fact, the staff members are very sweet and invite Gracen to play and explore for as long as she likes.
It’s so nice to have found another lovely indoor activity, and with the rainy winter upon us, I can see it becoming a weekly outing.
♥
The Vancouver location of Pottery Barn Kids is at 2835 Granville Street, between 12th and 13th. Story times happen Tuesday at 11 a.m. with special holiday story times happening on December 4th, 11th, and 18th. If you’re not in Vancouver, call your local store or click here to find out about story times and special events in your city. Even our PBK store in Kuwait had regular special events, so your store probably does too. ☺
I’ve long been a lover of summers, so I’m not sure if I’m just feeling especially appreciative of autumn in Vancouver, or if our 4 years spent in the scorching, sweat-dripping-down-your-back-the-instant-you-step-outside desert has skewed my preferences, but man, I’m loving fall this year. Crisp air, overcast days… The crunch of leaves beneath your feet… Puddles to splash in. Cozy sweaters paired with boots. And the colours… The amazing, AMAZING colours!
So when Grae and I passed by Queen Elizabeth park {filled with rainbow-coloured trees} this morning, we had to pull over. And I’m so glad we did. Watching our little one frolic amongst the leaves while declaring “Deez trees soooo beautiful!” is like nothing else.
Though we had a particularly dry summer / early fall, the rain has officially made its way to Vancouver and it looks like it’s here to stay. It’s the time of year when park visits, beach days, and walks around the neighbourhood beg to be broken up by time spent in the warm, cozy indoors, and preferably not always in your own home. With the amount of rain we get here on the coast, coming up with new, fun ways to spend your days with little ones isn’t always easy. And though we’ve found many favourite indoor spots around our lovely city (the aquarium, Coquitlam’s Kinder Cafe, The Outpost Cafe, the many indoor pools, the airport’s public viewing area, play gyms, the Bloedel Conservatory, Science World, the local libraries and story times…) it’s always nice to add another spot to the rainy day list.
I originally learned about SweetSalt Baked Goods and Playscapes on yoyomama.ca and couldn’t have been more excited to visit. Authentic German baked goods {all made with local organic flour}, hot drinks, a play area for munchkins all in a stroller-friendly shop? Yes please. So this afternoon, with the rain doing what it does best, we made our way down Fraser Street to check it out.
Located on the corner of Fraser and 19th (not far from our other munckin-friendly cafe, The Outpost), SweetSalt is super bright and inviting, even on the gloomiest of days. We ordered some hot drinks, a couple of baked treats, and settled in.
The coffee was strong, the pretzels were exactly as they should be, and Brad’s hot chocolate was ridiculously large and served in a beautiful bowl (we also ordered a cinnamon bun, but it disappeared so quickly that I didn’t manage to get a bite… I take it it was delicious).
The cafe, though beautifully decorated, maintains a very laid-back vibe, making parents visiting with children feel completely at ease. Gracen (along with two other little ones at the cafe at the time), played freely in the kids’ corner, made her way back to our table for a bite of pretzel now and then, and then back again for more fun and at no point did we feel like she was in the way or bothering other patrons. The play area was fully stocked with a mini kitchen, cooking tools, a chalkboard-topped table, colouring pages and crayons, wooden building blocks, nesting cups, and toy trucks, which was perfect for keeping our little lady happily busy for our entire visit. And though we didn’t bring ours in, there was plenty of aisle space for strollers, not to mention a big bathroom, complete with stroller space, a change table, a step stool for hand washing, and possibly the most adorable alphabet-cards-turned-wall-art I’ve ever seen.
On the way out, the super sweet owner, who is also a local mom, sent us on our way with a loaf of pumpkin seed bread and this adorable little dragon-shaped chocolate chip pastry (we visited just before closing on a Saturday) and both were absolutely delicious. So delicious, in fact, that we may have to make a weekly trip just for the bread alone.
♥
SweetSalt is located at 3497 Fraser Street and is open Tuesday to Saturday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Take a look at their amazing space & baked goods by joining them on Facebookhere.
Though we had a particularly dry summer / early fall, the rain has officially made its way to Vancouver and it looks like it’s here to stay. It’s the time of year when park visits, beach days, and walks around the neighbourhood beg to be broken up by time spent in the warm, cozy indoors, and preferably not always in your own home. With the amount of rain we get here on the coast, coming up with new, fun ways to spend your days with little ones isn’t always easy. And though we’ve found many favourite indoor spots around our big lovely city (the aquarium, Coquitlam’s Kinder Cafe, The Outpost Cafe, the many indoor pools, the airport’s public viewing area, play gyms, the Bloedel Conservatory, Science World, the local libraries and story times…) it’s always nice to add another spot to the rainy day list.
I originally learned about SweetSalt Baked Goods and Playscapes on yoyomama.ca and couldn’t have been more excited to visit. Authentic German baked goods {all made with local organic flour}, hot drinks, a play area for munchkins all in a stroller-friendly shop? Yes please. So this afternoon, with the rain doing what it does best, we made our way down Fraser Street to check it out.
Located on the corner of Fraser and 19th (not far from our other munckin-friendly cafe, The Outpost), SweetSalt is super bright and inviting, even on the gloomiest of days. We ordered some hot drinks, a couple of baked treats, and settled in.
The coffee was strong, the pretzels were exactly as they should be, and Brad’s hot chocolate was ridiculously large and serve in a beautiful bowl (we also ordered a cinnamon bun, but it disappeared so quickly that I didn’t manage to get a bite… I take it it was delicious).
The cafe, though beautifully decorated, maintains a very laid-back vibe, making parents visiting with children feel completely at ease. Gracen (along with two other little ones at the cafe at the time), played freely in the kids’ corner, made her way back to our table for a bite of pretzel now and then, and then back again for more fun and at no point did we feel like she was in the way or bothering other patrons. The play area was fully stocked with a mini kitchen, cooking tools, a chalkboard-topped table, colouring pages and crayons, wooden building blocks, nesting cups, and toy trucks, which was perfect for keeping our little lady happily busy for our entire visit. And though we didn’t bring ours in, there was plenty of aisle space for strollers, not to mention a big bathroom, complete with stroller space, a change table, a step stool for hand washing, and possibly the most adorable alphabet cards turned wall art I’ve ever seen.
On the way out, the super sweet owner, who is also a local mom, sent us on our way with a loaf of pumpkin seed bread and this adorable little dragon-shaped chocolate chip pastry (we visited just before closing on a Saturday) and both were absolutely delicious. So delicious, in fact, that we may have to make a weekly trip just for the bread alone.
♥
SweetSalt is located at 3497 Fraser Street and is open Tuesday to Saturday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Take a look at their amazing space & baked goods by joining them on Facebookhere.
Though still early, our Halloween festivities began this afternoon when our little family of three headed down to the PNE Forum to take in The Great Big Boo!, a family-friendly, non-scary musical. Audience members were asked to dress-up for the show, and since I haven’t yet made this year’s round of costumes, we pulled out last year’s owl costumes and gave them a little bit of extra play time. (FYI: Brad and I were two of a total of FOUR parents dressed up at the show. Yes, we looked a little bit silly.) Gracen was more than happy to sport her little blue owl costume again, and I was even happier that the costume still fit.
We arrived to the Forum, selected aisle seats four rows from the front (score!), settled in, and waited for the show to begin.
The story followed two children, Justin and Zoe, as well as wacky inhabitants of ‘Boo Alley’, on an adventure to save Halloween from Wendella the Witch, who has cast a spell on the street. As soon as the show started, Gracen was captivated. The glowing set, the funny characters, the catchy music, and the fantastic dance numbers made for a combination just perfect for keeping the attention of little ones. Gracen was sold.
Despite the fact that the show is intended to be non-scary and suitable for children of all ages, I’d be fibbing if I said Grae wasn’t a little bit frightened by a few of the characters (mainly Wendela the witch, but also Cranium the Mad Scientist and Vinne the Vampire). It was enough for her to ask to go for an unneeded bathroom break, as well as for her to tell us that she was sleepy and wanted to go home, but then again this is our ultra-sensitive little girl we’re talking about… The one who has been known to burst into big alligator tears during ‘Five Little Ducks’ because she feels so sad for the mama duck who’s lost her ducklings.
Luckily the “scary” parts were broken up by fun, upbeat dances and didn’t last very long. Before we knew it, Priscilla the {very cheerful and not at all scary} Princess was on stage and Gracen was happy to continue watching the show while eating her dinner.
Of course, with the help of her friends, Wendella the Witch eventually discovers the true spirit of Halloween (because we attended the very last show of five, I don’t feel badly about sharing how it ended), and all is right in Boo Alley once again. The cast celebrates with a giant high-energy dance number and at the end, kids are invited to get up and dance alongside the characters.
The show was just over an hour long with a 15 minute intermission included, which was perfect for Gracen. Afterwards, children were invited to visit the cast of characters in a separate area of the arena to trick-or-treat. Grae happily collected a couple of little goodies and then we were on our way.
Overall, I’d highly recommend this show to those thinking about attending next year. The show length was perfect, the intermission was great for bathroom breaks, the aisles were nice and wide so kids could get up and move, and the show itself was fun and engaging.
While you’re waiting for the show to come back next Halloween, check out The Magic of Santa, a theatrical holiday celebration being put on by the same production company in December.
This afternoon, Gracen and I had the absolute pleasure of attending a launch event at the Robson Street location of Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics.
When we first got the invite, I was really excited for two reasons. First off, because I’ve been a longtime Lush fan and seeing, touching, and trying a brand new product before the general public is always fun, and second, because the event was munchkin-friendly and Gracen was more than welcome to come along!
When we arrived, the Lush team was extremely helpful, sweet, and friendly. They helped us find a spot to park our stroller, offered us all kinds of delicious treats and beverages, and invited Gracen to play with the newest Lush innovation, ‘Fun’. Of course she had already spotted the play table on the way in and was more than ready to sink her little hands into the mouldable material.
As she played, I learned all about Fun. What it is basically, is a mouldable {delicious smelling} soap that can be used in four different ways. First off (and most importantly ☺), it can be played with. It has a texture between play dough and plastercine and can easily be cut, shaped, and rolled. The best part is that since it’s a soap, clean up is a breeze – both when it comes to cleaning your table and cleaning your kid. When used in the bathroom, it can be rubbed and used as a soap (we’ve already used it at the sink for washing hands and in the bathtub as a body bar), lathered and used as a shampoo, or placed under some running water as a bubble bath. So cool, right? I’m pretty sure some pre-bath time “play dough” sessions are in our very near future…
After playing with Fun for a good, long time, Miss G decided it would be a good time to have her face painted. Having seen {and immediately fallen in love with} a stack of pumpkin-shaped soap on the way by, a little jack-o-lantern on her cheek it was.
With a freshly-painted cheek, it was off to explore the rest of the store. There were all kinds of goodies out and Gracen very happily chose a bag of popcorn to munch on while I helped myself to a little bag of goodies at the candy bar. We explored the products, learning about them and trying them out along the way, which was a lot of fun. These were two of our favourites. I really loved the slightly shimmery Bubblebeard bubble wandbecause it made incredible bubbles with just small swishes in a bowlful of water, and Grae really loved the Calacas shower jelly, mostly because it was really fun to poke and squish.
We stopped to see a few other things, mingle with some other mamas and kiddos, and snack on our goodies, but more than anything, Grae wanted to get back to the Fun table to play.
Before heading home for dinner, bath, and bed time, we got to watch a fresh batch of Fun being made, and then play with it immediately afterwards. When fresh made like this, Fun is still pretty soft and sticky compared to the finished product, but Gracen didn’t mind one bit. It made for a great mess and lots of fun swishing it all of in a bowl of warm water afterwards.
To top off a fun-filled afternoon, Lush very generously sent us home with a bag full of goodies that Grae immediately called her ‘present’ and insisted on carrying on her own despite the fact that it was heavy and bulky.
When we got home and opened it, she was thrilled to find several rolls of Fun inside, but even more thrilled to see a Jacko bath fizzer. We chopped him up to spread the excitement up over a few nights, and before long, our pumpkin pie scented little lady was tucked into bed.
♥
Lush’s multipurpose, mouldable FUN soap is available nationwide on November 1st, 2012. It comes in five colours and scents (yellow – marzipan, green – citrus burst, blue – lavender and chamomile, red – fruity orange and mandarin, and pink – ice cream), is 100% vegan, and will be available for for $6.95 each.
In addition, a portion of the sales of FUN will go into the newly created FunD, which will help bring fun back to children living in Fukushima, Japan, an area severely affected by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster.
Miss G, in front of the HR MacMillan Space Centre / Museum of Vancouver, after her very first day of being taken care of by someone other than Mama or Papa
Because we lived overseas for Gracen’s first year and we’ve lived here in Vancouver, five hours away from her closest grandparent, for her second year, Grae hasn’t really ever been taken care of by anyone but Brad or I. We have snuck out a total of FOUR evenings after she’s gone to bed thanks to the Grandmas and Uncle Brett, and she used to spend about 30 – 45 minutes at a time with our lovely nanny and housekeeper, Amita, when we were living in Kuwait and I had to leave for tutoring before Brad’s bus returned to the Dunes, but I don’t really count those… She was so young when she stayed with Amita, plus it was such short periods of time. And because she was already asleep, she didn’t know we’d even left the house on our evenings out.
But that all changed today.
Last week, I won a free ticket to Leading Moms: Inspiring Talks by Extraordinary Women on fellow Top 30 Mom Blogger Lisa’s blog, The Sprog. When I first heard about it, I had really wanted to go. They were even offering free onsite childcare by Nannies on Call – but with tickets being $100 and us having a couple of weekends away planned for October, I had decided to skip it this time around. Needless to say, I was thrilled to find out I had won the giveaway and even more excited when I learned that there was still space for Grae in the childcare room.
Despite my excitement, I must admit that I was a little bit nervous to leave Grae at the same time… I really liked the idea that she would be right there in the same building as I was and that she would be taken care of by professional, caring nannies, but I worried about how she’d react to me leaving her there and how she’d be about going to the bathroom. Questions that crossed my mind: Is she going to bawl when I say goodbye? Will she know who to tell when she has to go to the bathroom? If she does know, will she be brave enough to go up to one of the nannies and actually tell them? How will she do without having a nap? (I hope I’m not the only mom who thinks about these things the first time they leave their child…)
So yesterday afternoon, we began talking about our special day ahead. I explained that we would be going to a special place where there would be lots of mamas and lots of kids, and that I would be visiting with the mamas and she would get to be with all of the kids to play. We filled her new backpack with extra clothes and her family and friends photo book, and her new bento box with a yummy lunch and lots of easy to eat snacks, making sure everything was labelled along the way. Bright and early this morning, we talked some more about what a fun day it would be for both of us. I explained that there would be some ladies taking care of all of the kids and that they were like mamas – they would be the ones she could go to if she needed help or needed to go to the potty.
We arrived to the space centre nice and early, took our time registering and looking around, made sure to get in a good bathroom break, and went to meet the nannies in the childcare room. They were all very nice and Grae seemed happy to stay with them when I told that I loved her and that I’d be back later to pick her up. As I went to walk out the door, however, panic set in a little bit and she decided that she wanted to “clum wif Mama and Mama’s friends”, but the nannies were great, swooped in, and invited her to go and colour with them. With that, she said goodbye and was off.
The morning was lovely. I finally got a chance to reconnect with a bunch of the other Top 30 Bloggers in person again, we enjoyed a lovely breakfast by Nature’s Path, and spent a couple of hours listening to the stories of several very inspirational moms. At lunchtime, I poked my nose into the childcare room to check on my little miss. She was doing just fine, having fun, and had already been to the potty twice, so I left unnoticed to join the other ladies for some lunch in the sun.
At the end of the day, after soaking in the tales and talents of several more influential mamas, I {quickly} made my way to the childcare room to scoop up my little lady. I opened the door, and there she was, in the middle of the floor, rolling around and giggling. Her ponies were disheveled, her lunchbox was empty, she was in the same outfit I dropped her off in, and most importantly, she was happy… A total success in my mind. She was full of wild energy (a telltale sign of tiredness), but that was to be expected. On the way home, I thought for sure she’d fall asleep, but instead, she told me {bits and pieces of } things that happened during her day – “Man and puppy upstairs”, “Laid on mamas’ laps at show” (they went upstairs to the planetarium to take in a show about seasons), “Played with yittle friends”….
It was a truly wonderful day. I left feeling refreshed, inspired, and thankful that I now know, without a doubt, that Grae can be fully content when cared for by someone other than myself. And at the same time, very grateful that she doesn’t have to be. Knowing the stories behind the bits and pieces of her days means the world to me.
Will I ever get used to the cuteness that is Tuesday ballet afternoons? Ummmm…probably not. Especially when the cute is 12 tutu-clad little ladies dancing around a studio with long ribbons in hand. Because our class is a parent participation class, us mamas gallop, stretch, plié, and sing alongside our little ones, making it very tricky to take photos of the class itself, but I always make sure to take a couple before and after. Grae’s so used to it now that she actually stops before going into the community centre, positions herself against the wall, and says, “Picture time, Mama!”
Today it was back to ballet class for Miss G and I. And though Grae was a little bit sensitive when it came to loud stomping and ‘angry feet’ last week, this week she participated in everything quite happily. We’d talked about how funny it is to stomp around loudly and make your feet look angry for the last few days, and with a couple of tiny reminders at the beginning of the class, she was just fine this time around. In fact, she was having so much fun that she spent most of the class on the other side of the room, dancing and participating without any help or reassurance from Mama.
pre-class warm-up // ribbon dancing
mini ballerina // post – class beach ball hands
Have I mentioned how cute a studio filled with giggling tutu-clad toddlers is? Trust me, it’s ridiculous.
♥
Photos edited with Instagram. Find me under jkossowan.
After a particularly crazy registration day, filled with chaos, confusion, and papers carelessly strewn about the table and floor, I must admit I was a little nervous about our first day of Grae’s Strong Start Program today… The good news? Today was much calmer. The people were fewer, the atmosphere was friendlier, and there was plenty of fun to be had.
As part of our effort to use our car less and spend more time walking and biking, Grae and I walked to the school first thing this morning, parked our stroller outside (despite the secretary’s warning), and headed into the classroom. Gracen very excitedly put her things in a cubby and jumped into playing right away. Puzzles, paint, play dough, dolls, blocks, books, and games filled the class and begged for her attention. She slowly made her way around the room, playing at each station for a good long time before tidying up and moving on. After free play time, we all went to the gym, where Grae worked up an appetite throwing and chasing balls. We returned to the room to find a small snack set out at each table spot (each family contributes fruit for the snack) and Grae was extremely pleased to see the strawberries she had chosen especially for the occasion out and ready for her friends to eat. She happily gobbled up her fruit while visiting with friends, and then it was off to the carpet for circle time.
After a great morning, circle time was the only part of the class that was a little too much. Though the teacher has a great repertoire of songs and action poems and stories to share with the kids, it’s difficult to have the kids quiet and engaged when the adults in the room are not demonstrating good listening skills themselves. I must admit, the mix of visiting, cell phone talking, and toy playing all happening while the teacher was trying to run a fun, but structured carpet time for the kiddos made my teacher skin crawl a little. We stuck it out for most of it, but near the end (after nearly 3 hours at school), Gracen was reaching her limit and it was becoming increasingly difficult to explain why she couldn’t have toys to play with although many others did. Rather than dragging it out longer than necessary, we very quietly dismissed ourselves before the end of class, as did a couple of other parents and tots.
Other than the circle time being a little disappointing, the only other thing I found a bit surprising was how little English was spoken throughout the morning. Not a terrible thing… I think it’s great that Grae is exposed to different languages, and living in the Middle East for four years certainly got me used to situations like these where I have no idea what people are saying around me… Yet it definitely makes it harder to connect with other parents and it is a little surprising in a program that {I think} is intended to prepare children for what will eventually become their public school education. Oh, well… I think it’s still going to be a great experience for Miss G, English or not.
Overall, I’d say it was a pretty good morning. Better than expected actually. Gracen had a great time and left with a couple of new art projects in hand and a couple of new friends to come back to next week.
♥
Photos edited with Instagram. Find me under jkossowan.
For more information on Strong Start BC programs, as well as a complete list of SS programs offered around the province, visit here.
With fall soon approaching, I knew that I wanted to get Gracen in a couple of organized activities. Though our days visiting parks and beaches and playgrounds will continue through the winter months, it’s nice to have more than just our usual play gyms, pools, and libraries to sneak away to when we want to escape the cold. When I came across Ballet with Billie, a parent and tot class held at our local community centre, I knew Gracen would love it. Music, dancing, singing, and little friends… It sounded perfect for our little lady.
So today, the first day of classes, we got her dressed in her little leggings, her brand new leotard, and the tutu she’d specially selected for the occasion. As I packed up our bag, she came to me with the handmade scarf she received for her birthday and said, “Mama, Grae Grae wear scarf. Windy day. Sooooo windy, Mama.” I explained that it wasn’t really all that windy, but she desperately wanted to wear it, so out the door we went.
We arrived to the class and met several lovely mamas and babes right off the bat, the teacher was beyond fantastic with the little girls, and Grae really enjoyed herself {once we got passed the loud stomping part that left her feeling a little frightened and clingy}. The best part? She left the class, star sticker on hand and first ever goldfish cracker in belly, asking when we’d be going back.
Today, Miss G and I met up with our good friends Cheri and Jaiden for a little play date at the aquarium. The girls are so sweet together that it just melts my heart. Here’s our morning in photos…
Today Miss G and I made our way to VanDusen Botanical Garden for Musicfest Vancouver’s Family Day. It was the perfect morning for it too – not hot, slightly gloomy, but no rain. The morning involved bouncy castle fun, face painting, flower sniffing, games, arts and crafts, balloons, a picnic lunch, making new friends, and watching both Charlotte Diamond and The Kerplunks in concert. Needless to say, Gracen pretty much loved every minute.