Heading to Hanoi

I am heading to Hanoi tonight!

I will try to blog regularly about my adventures.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Merry Christmas!

As usual, the Christmas season was busy.  We didn't have a chance to visit with Santa this year but I did take the traditional Christmas card photo at home.  We managed to get to the Distillery District Christmas market (which was jam-packed) and our neighbours had a nice Christmas house party.  Of course right before the end of school, the kids have their holiday concerts.  This year Maya was excited that she got chosen to introduce the primary choir.  She did a great job... no nerves for this girl!  Aidan also had a major part in his play.  He played Santa who had gone snowboarding and broke his leg and then the elves tried to find his replacement. Aidan also handled the sound for the concert and played trumpet in the school band.

We were looking forward to the visit of Mike's parents, who would spend Christmas day with us for the first time. Unfortunately, they were turned away at the airport due to expired passports. So disappointing for all but they will come and visit us in the Spring instead. Maya did play jingle bells over the phone for them as she had been practicing for the last few weeks.

Apart from being awaken at 4 am(!) on Christmas morning, we had a nice time on Christmas day.  The children liked all their gifts, and enjoyed the visit from their cousins in the afternoon.  Maya loved everything she got, even clothes.  And Aidan liked all his gifts, especially the gift he saved up for all year to give himself. Here are a few snaps from the season....

 Christmas card photo

 Maya getting ready to introduce the Primary Choir at her holiday concert

 Here's Maya after reciting her Canada poems and singing "This Land is Your Land".  I love the red hats the teacher bought for Maya and her classmates.

 Aidan handling the sound for the Senior Christmas concert

 Aidan was Santa in his Christmas play. 

 Maya opening her stocking Christmas morning. She and Aidan had awakened at 4 am! I said they had to go back to sleep until 7:30 am.

 Maya with a new blanket and stuffed animal from Cora and Paw Patrol bank from Santa

 Aidan was happy to receive some cords and ski pants for Christmas

 Maya enjoying her new karaoke machine

Aidan happy to get a new video game from Santa

 Mike got a new ski jacket and speakers for our new T.V.

 Aidan happy to receive some video game controllers.

 Maya was thrilled with her new guitar from Santa!

 Aidan was most excited about the gift he gave himself... a new PS-4

 Aidan received a subscription to Popular Science and an iTunes card from Dexter and Justin

 Justin got two new books and an iTunes card

 Same for Dexter

 Maya was thrilled to get a jewellery making kit

 She insisted on wearing her Elsa costume instead of the Christmas dress I bought her but it did look good with the Frozen guitar!

Here she is with Uncle Johnny (who had kindly fixed her guitar strings) and Auntie Pammy

Lights, Camera, Action!

This year I finally got to go on one of Aidan's school trips.  We had not had the opportunity since he was in Grade 2 as the other parents seemed to beat us to it.  Of course, by the time your kid is in Grade 8, like Aidan, they are embarrassed to be seen with you!  

Aidan's trip was to the TIFF Lightbox where they learned about documentary film making and got to make a little documentary film of their own.  I was impressed by how bright Aidan's classmates were.  It was fun to see him in various roles, like Director, Interviewee and Cameraman.  He even relented to a photo of the two of us at the end :)

I think some of what he learned rubbed off because for his book report this term he was given the choice of doing a written summary or a movie trailer.  He chose the latter and did a really nice job!

Hangin' on Halloween

After two years of lobbying to be Elsa, I finally relented and let Maya dress as her favourite princess complete with wig.... how cute is she?!  

Aidan said he was not going out for Hallowe'en (which I knew was crazy talk).  He decided the day before he was going out and we had to grab an old costume from a few years ago out of the basement.  

Maya went trick or treating with Aidan's friends and, because it was such a lovely night, we stayed out too long and they got way too much candy!  Here are a few snaps from the evening...

Maya and Aidan

Luckily Aidan could still wear his costume from 3 years ago!

Maya in the Elsa pose

Aidan's pumpkin

Maya surrounded by Aidan and his spooky friends

Another group shot outside

The most intricate  jack-o-lantern I've every seen

Groundbreaking Photos

Ground-breaking

I received word yesterday that they broke ground on the kindergarten that I am helping to build.  So exciting!

According to the founder of the Vietnam Education Society:

"The ground breaking for the new kindergarten took place this morning.  It was truly lovely. Teachers, parents, government officials and the media were all there. There were speeches and the kindergarten children danced and the teachers sang.  I have photos and video which i will send to you later. The school principal and the teachers were very happy."

Needless to say, we are eagerly awaiting the photos and video! I will post once I receive them.  I plan to travel to Vietnam for the ribbon cutting in January.

Sad News

We learned the sad news yesterday that Dorinda Cavanaugh passed away.  She was the Director of the adoption agency that facilitated Maya's adoption.  Over the last 40 years she facilitated almost 5000 adoptions of orphans.  What a remarkable woman! She will be missed by so so many! Her obituary can be found here.

I'm happy that Maya was able to send a card to Dorinda a few months ago, thanking her for finding her our family. (This was completely Maya's idea.)

Rest in peace Dorinda! We are eternally grateful for what you have done for us.

So Long Summer!

This summer just went way too fast!  We were lucky to have nice weather on the weekends, so we got up to our cottage as much as possible.  This year was the year of boating.  We bought a new canoe and also learned to sail an old sail boat that had come with the cottage.  On top of that our friend Lisa gave us a wonderful floating mat, which was very nice when the water was cold.  

We were able to have three sets of guests visit.  Maya  also saw her friend, Ella, quite a bit.  They enjoyed doing crafts and walking to the Book Nook. Here are some photos from the summer...

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 Our cottage

 

Leaving the store with our new canoe

  

We enjoyed many nice boat rides up and down the bay

  

We got the old Sunfish sail boat out of the shed and it was actually seaworthy.  Mike and Aidan took a free sailing lesson at the marina and took it out on the bay a few times when the water was warmer.

 

Here's Aidan with cousins Dexter and Justin, hanging out on the blue raft.  

 Justin and Aidan body surfing the waves

 Aidan and Maya with neighbourhood friends Andrew and Liam

 

Maya with "cottage friend"  Ella doing crafts at her grandma's cottage.  They painted rocks and had a "rock shop"!

 On one of many walks to the Book Nook

 The Book Nook

 

 We finally got to try Ted's Range Road Diner,  a restaurant in a Quonset hut with surprising good food.

 We went to Blue Mountain once this year to ride the Ridge Runner

 And the mini jeeps

 We also went to the Owen Sound Farmer's Market

 It's the nicest farmer's market near us

 

 On Labour Day weekend, we took a fishing charter called "U Catch 'Em"

 Unfortunately we didn't!!!  Aidan was very disappointed.

 

 We enjoyed the boat ride anyway

 Although the summer went far too fast, we are hoping to enjoy a few more weekends this fall up at the cottage.