Great Wolf Lodge with our McAteers

I'm sure when you kids are older, you'll tell your own kids all about this amazing, wonderful, huge, magical place you always went to when you were a kid and then you will take your little's there and you will be surprised that it is different than you remembered from your childhood. I hope the feelings of family adventure, love  and good times you remember:). Your dad is the biggest fan ever of Great Wolf Lodge, he loves everything about it!

I packed the vehicle and had it ready for a quick departure after Alin got home from work. It's always easier to be ready and just go then try and keep the house clean with you 3 little tornadoes:) we left around 2 and driving was great, we didn't hit traffic until right in the middle of Toronto but that was mostly construction related. We stayed at the Intercontinental which was more up Alins alley. We then went for a walk to the train museum and walked around outside. It was great for some fresh air for a few minutes

Geared up and ready to go

View from hotel, poor dad

                  Train museum

Then to bed and in the morning we ordered room service which was amazing and then headed to the aquarium for 8am.  Best decision the place gets packed but early morning is great.  I love the aquarium and my favorite part is the walking sidewalk under all the sharks, fish, stingrays. 

The kids loved playing in the interactive water display, they were so excited that it had locks like Ottawa. They had soaking arms after, especially Abbie. I love this picture in front of the jellyfish of our 3

Alin and I both took a turn touching the sting rays

Then we went up to the CN Tower had lunch and enjoyed the amazing view in the rotating restaurant.  It was a little of a gong show, not going to lie.  Abbie was being a bit of a turkey followed by Dani.  

We got late check out at the hotel which was another smart thing to do.  Packed up and then headed on to Niagara Falls for the night.  Swimming, bowling, eating, arcade, special visit from Violet for the kids to our room which included cookies and milk.   Playing with the McAteers,

Building cream towers with Evie, checking out water park before it opens, McAteers, our whole group

 Trip to the Falls in between rain showers and a helicopter ride 

and you have another amazing weekend.

42 things to do in my 42nd year

Today I turn 42, and here is my list of things I'm going to do this year.

• Go camping in a tent, in a camper doesn't matter as long as there is a fire pit and stars
• Take a picture everyday for a year
• Give up something not good for me
• Go to a ball, a fancy shmanzy one 
• Do a 5km race
• Do a 10km race
• Do a 1/2 marathon  (June 20th signed up...eek)
• Do a triathlon  (Aug 1)
• Achieve my goal weight and stop wasting time thinking about it.  Just do it! (besides if I exercised as much as I thought about it I would be invisible)
• Trip to Nordic Spa
• Learn more Romanian...enough to have a conversation 
• Girls trip
• Overnight with my man (hasn't happened in 5 years)
• Make a fitness goal and achieve it
• Go skinny dipping
• Host a girls dinner party
• Take a class
• Take a Stand Up Paddling Class or join the Rowing Club this year
• Go on a date once a month with Alin
• Travel somewhere I've never been (PEI with the McAteers in August)
• Have a picnic in the mountains 
• Have a picnic on the beach
• Go to a drive in movie
• Go to a fireworks show
• Make a new friend and enjoy the ones I have now
• Read Bible
• Read Book of Mormon
• Redo wardrobe to a classy funky mommy
• Have a dinner or night out in our wedding best
• Go skiing on snow or water again (hasn't happened since babies)
• Go snorkeling or scuba diving
• Surprise someone
• Run barefoot in the rain
• Go stargazing
• Buy a meal for someone else
• Random act of kindness (12)
• Fly in a helicopter
• Tell my siblings I love them in a unique way
• Tell my parents I love them in a unique way
•  Yoga
•  Barre workouts
•  Be a little better, kinder, each day

My birthday came and went and all in all a great celebration of being another year older and wiser:) counting my blessings. The day started with the littles giving me some presents. (Wrapped in tinfoil with their initials in paint on them)Good job Premium Romanian. You know I'm a big fan of finger prints 

Then off to music lessons for kids (Amanda made homemade black bean brownies for me) and then Kate asked us over for lunch. Alin gave me a certificate for the spa(mud bath, massage, pedicure)

it was awesome.   We also had a date night went by the new office and went to a show. Calls from Bunico and Bunica along with a wonderful navy blouse and pink sweater. My parents (20$) and calls from all my siblings. Ros a frame that's super cute and bracelet blue chunky with bath products from Alicia. 

I love this picture of us, I love this guy

On Saturday night the girls got together and had a party at Amy's it was fun

Kate commissioned Dan to do it but melted the chocolate chips to make the tag, awesome cheesecake. Cheesecake is my krypton it'd (Alin aren't you proud I made a superhero reference) 

Nina, Elizabeth, Tracy, Kate, me, Michelke, Amy then in the front row Eileen, Amanda, Bianca and Shona. 

So here's to another year, a year of reaching some goals, finding balance and loving every moment

Masons birthday and Firetruck birthday party

Today this little man was my "gift" albeit delivery would have been easier if UPS had taken over. Every single day I am thankful for this little boy. I love how cuddly he his, how he always wants to "snuggle and be cozy" how he is a sponge and wants to learn everything about anything, how he loves Lego, trains, cars. How he tries to negotiate. He is a protector of his sisters, a carbon copy of his dad and the reason this mommas heart got bigger. I love you "this much" and "forever and a day" xxox

So today for his birthday we had a little family party, he woke up to balloons and a decorated table and cutouts and opened his presents from us. Then we went to Monkey Around and after dad came home we went to A&W for dinner( (we told him we could go wherever he wanted and that's what he chose) then to Dairy Queen for his birthday dessert. 

In the background is streamer "fire" To keep with the fireman theme, compliments of artistic dad. It was a great day and I love celebrating birthdays!!! We are going to have his little friend party on Saturday

Saturday was his little friend party and here's all the details. He wanted a fireman birthday party. 

The invitation

The firetruck cake, homemade delicious chocolate cake. Alin saved the day with his decorating skills

March 24,2015. Grama and Grampa Waldie arrive!!!

I was so excited and the kids are too that Grama and Grampa Waldie were coming today. They have had a countdown going for a while now so when Dani woke up she peered out of her bed exclaiming " today is the day". We made signs and went to pick them up.

Then since it was a nice spring day, we went to the Experimental farm

Grampa Waldie and Dani

Love this picture of Daniela surveying the cattle

Grama and Abbie they were making sure all the cows got their hay so they would walk one step then kick the hay closer to the cow, walk another step and repeat:)

We wrote a list of things we wanted to do when they were here, some of the things the kids wanted to do cracked me up

We did these and more:)

Airplane Museum

Mason my blue eyed boy is turning 5!

All week I've been thinking how in the world has 5 years come and gone. Why does it feel like I blinked and here we are... It might have something to do with you being allergic to sleep for the first 3.5 years of your life so I've technically only been blinking for a year and a half:)  The worst part for me is I am dreading sending you to school not because I don't think your ready because  I think you are, but because I will miss you terribly. I will miss you calling my name anytime I am not within sight, just so you know where I am. I will miss your hugs and snuggles, how you still want dad and I to snuggle with you every night. How you love Lego, how you stick up for your sisters if anyone bothers them. One day you told a little friend" be nice, this is your last chance with your little finger waving" I was kind of wondering what would happen next. You and Dani are little buddies and Abbie adores you. I am nervous about school because I don't want you to lose your innocence about certain topics yet, I want you to be a kid for as long as possible and not worry about or hear about grown up things.  Honestly if I thought I was capable enough I would home school you all.  That being said I loved high school and had a great time, so I don't want you to miss out on all the social aspects of school, meeting new people, experiencing things on your own, but if I could be a fly on the wall, you bet your bottom dollar I would be there.  So here's to all the great things about being 5 and things to come.  This is a learning experience for both of us:)  Love you "forever and a day" "this much"  Love Mom