Halloween 2012

This year Steve and I were invited to a Halloween party.  We searched the web for costumes and finally settled on Alice in Wonderland characters, I was Alice and Steve was the Mad Hatter.

Mad Hatter and Alice

We had a great night and were amazed at the costumes, Mr Potato Head, Twister, clowns, pirates, Danny and Sandy, Angry Birds, Elmo, Cookie Monster, B1 and B2.

The kids had a great time on Halloween also.  Cooper and Ryder both wanted to be pirates and Cooper wanted a beard! We took some quick photos before we went trick or treating around our block. 

Arrggghhh pirates!!

We went out between 5-6pm and the boys filled a whole shopping bag with candy.  Some houses were all decorated with blowups, talking bowls of candy, statues and some people were dressed up when we answered the door.  The kids had a great time and walked a long way, by the end I had to carry the bags because they were too heavy.  Once we got home we gave out about 80 loot bags by 7:30pm, we turned off the lights and went down to the basement to watch scary movies.  Happy Halloween 2012.

Trick or treat?

Ryder

Cooper starts ice hockey

We got back from vacation and minor ice hockey had started.  Cooper has done two years of figure skating lessons so we thought it was about time to move across to hockey.  First we had to go and buy all the gear, this is a challenge for a first timer, just as difficult as getting it all on Cooper to play.  This is what you need:

• Ice skates
• Hockey stick, cut to size and taped up
• Helmet with cage
• Elbow pads
• Knee pads
• Shorts fitted with a groin guard
• Socks that velcro to the above shorts
• Hockey shorts
• Hockey chest guard
• Jersey
• Neck guard
• Mouth guard
• Water bottle that fits through the cage
• Hockey bag

Cooper trying on his hockey gear for the first time.

Steve got him ready for his first practice, he hadn't been on skates since last year but he was fine after a coupl of minutes.  Being able to lean on the stick gave him lots of extra balance.  At the end of his first practice they played a short game, Cooper loved it!

Ready to go play hockey!

Goodbye Nanna

Nanna and Ryder on the verandah

A day in Hollywood and Beverly Hills

We decided to take a tour to see the sights of Hollywood and Beverly Hills. It was one famous sight after another, Hollywood Boulevard, the Grammy's theatre, Mulholland Drive, the Viper Room nightclub (think River Phoenix), the Pink Taco restaurant, National Lampoon's HQ, Capital Records, Paramount Studios, Universal Studios, the Hollywood sign, Rodeo Drive, the Beverly Hills sign, the Hollywood Bowl and many more.

Hollywood Boulevard

Another view of the Hollywood sign

We also took a Stars Homes tour, mostly through Beverly Hills which was immaculately groomed.  To be honest a lot of the homes looked old or old fashioned, I guess they are flash on the inside!

Cooper & Ryder on Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA.

Chillin' Out in Malibu

On our way back to Canada we flew via LA and decided to take a week to warm up in Malibu.  Malibu is about 45 minutes drive from Los Angeles along the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). We arrived on Sunday morning and headed straight to Malibu and our condo which was right on the beach.  We were amazed at just how 'on the beach' it was, the waves washed right underneath it!  Our condo was on Carbon Beach, a once exclusive beach that was closed to the public.  It was a short walk to the historical Malibu Pier and close to nearby shops so we didn't have to drive anywhere.

Brekky on the deck in Malibu

As planned, we relaxed for five whole days on the beach with another day in downtown LA and another at the premium outlet stores.  We stayed on the beach until 7pm most nights, still swimming and watching the surf comp at Malibu's first point.  The surf comp was the Malibu Surf Association Invitational Classic so we got to see Tom Curren surfing, it was very cool. 

What I enjoyed watching most was the cool laid back style of all the surfers at the competition, setting up home in their campers and Kombies along the PCH, changing into their wetties, surfing then cooking their BBQ's on the on the footpath next to the beach.  It was a very cool, casual feel compared to across the road where everyone looke like movie stars shopping at upmarket stores like Ralph Lauren and Vintage Malibu.


Malibu Pier and Malibu First Point



New York New York!

After flying to Montreal after work on Thursday night we took a lunchtime flight to New York on Friday.  We were staying at the Marquis Marriot right on Times Square and headed straight out as soon as we dropped off our bags.  First stop Toys "R" Us then supper at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Times Square, NYC

The following day we decided to buy a 'hop on, hop off' bus tour to see all the sites. We took a seat on the double decker bus while the tour guide pointed out landmarks and told us some interesting facts about the city of New York.  I didn't realise that the SoHo district is the area that is South of HOuston St, Tribeca is TRIangle BElow CAnal Street and DUMBO, the suburb just over the Manhattan Bridge, is Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass.

Steve took Cooper to a Spiderman show on Broadway in the afternoon while Ryder and I visited the Disney Store in Times Square.  Cooper loved it; he was so pleased to have seen the 'real' Spiderman and Green Goblin.  That night I went to the Wintergarden theatre on Broadway to see Mama Mia! I had a seat in the centre, four rows from the front so I sung my heart out.

On Sunday we took the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty and on Monday we visited Central Park. We went back to Central Park on Tuesday morning to let the boys play on the playgrounds before our long flight to Australia leaving that afternoon.

Central Park

Regatta Day Long Weekend

Another great weekend just gone! We started on Thursday night with a BBQ and fire, Friday was Regatta Day and we visited our neighbours place (the Kuhne's) for a big brekky, perfect after the previous night.  We spent an hour or two at the regatta on Jean Lake in Wabush and let the kids jump on the bouncy castles and run around crazy before the rain set in.  Saturday morning was hectic in preparation for Cooper's sixth birthday party in the afternoon.  Luckily the sun stayed out and his party was great fun.  Cooper asked for a Hot Wheels theme and he had a car pinata.  Steve lined all the kids up with Cooper at the front, he tugged on a black string and he was lucky enough to choose the string to spill the pinata!  All the kids dived in and picked up a cupful of toys and lollies.

Andrew, Cooper, Gavin and Ryder at Cooper's 6th Birthday Party

Happy Birthday Cooper!

On Sunday we celebrated Cooper's birthday a day early so he could open his presents.  It was a gorgeous and the kids stayed outside all day playing with Cooper's new toys.  I started preparing for our vacation, tidying up, packing and generally getting organised; very satisfying.  The Kuhne family had a fire and invited the kids over for s'mores.  I wanted to get the boys in bed, hoping they were too tired but after their bath at 8:30pm they were still keen to go.  "You can stay 'till nine o'clock", I said and off they went while Steve and I enjoyed our coffee in peace.  At 9pm they came home, Ryder had melted marshmallow all over his jacket and down his chin and he was carrying another s'more in each hand.  Cooper didn't have any s'more's, he just enjoyed being by the fire like his Dad.