Getting Ready for Christmas 2011

Another Wonderful day with family at Sloan's Christmas Tree Farm.


Having fun cooking over the fire with Devon


Enjoying a toasted marshmallow



After finding just the right tree, it was time to cut it down with a little help from Devon.



A ride on the tree cart before the tree was loaded


Sloan's is a wonderful place to spend the day, lots of fun things for everyone to do, pony rides, a train ride, small petting zoo, playground equipment, zip lines for big and little, tree maze, hay maze, giant sling shot, horse and wagon rides, then the search for just the right tree. After the work is done, a relaxing time by a ready made fire. Nothing like cooking hotdogs or marshmallows over a fire.
A full fun day for sure.
We finished the day with the Brantford Santa Claus parade.

Centre Island 2011

Macy and I were off to Centre Island this week for a day of fun, sun and friendship. We started with the Ferry ride across to the Island. Wandered a bit, enjoying the day, then on to Centreville and RIDES. Macy loves rides. She went on her first little roller coaster and loved it.

Here she is exiting the roller coaster




She loved everything, the swinging ship, the car she could drive,




the splash pad was a great hit and a great way to cool off a bit.




Then it was on to the water log ride, the train, the carousel, the spinning bears, you get the idea. The only thing Macy did not like was the geese and ducks trying to eat her pizza at lunch.




We ended our day with a wonderful couple of hours relaxing on a blanket on the grass, enjoying supper and a visit with a dear friend of mine who joined us after she finished work.


Life with Macy is a million times better than I could ever have imagined.

More Lazy Days

Summer Days

Lazy summer days and wonderful summer evenings with my Princess



A snack with friends


A quiet moment by the water with her precious "Dodo"


A fun moment sitting in a helicopter at a Petro Canada Station





This past weekend we had the wonderful opportunity to once again visit with other families with children from Vietnam. My sister Sandy and her husband John once again graciously opened their home and hearts to all of us.
It was an afternoon of sun, swim, fun, food and friendship.

The Big 3

Hard to believe, my little Macy is now 3 years old. Sometimes she acts like she is 30, but for the most part, a normal, happy, healthy 3 year old. I could not be happier.

Playing Dressup

We had a fun time playing dressup.







The Belle Dress from Beauty and the Beast is the favourite, 3 sizes too big does not matter.

Back to Reality

We've been home for a month, and things are starting to get settled. We are back to routine, as much as our routine ever is.

Macy had her first Dance Recital June 19, and she LOVED being on the stage. She couldn't wait to go back on for the end finale, and when she got a trophy, that was just the BEST ever. She held on to it all the way home and could not wait to show her Uncle Ron.





After the busy afternoon with dance, we had a lovely evening of relaxing and playing hopscotch.

Monday May 9, Disneyland x 3

Macy and I ventured back to Disney today, great day, great weather, no pics yet, I will post them when I get home.
As a note, Kathy fell at work and fractured her elbow, and she is in a cast.

Sunday May 8, Ocean Park and a Bus Tour

Macy admiring one of the characters at Ocean Park




Macy and a Panda (no not a real panda)



This is a real Panda


The View on the Way down the Cable Car at Ocean Park


On Sunday we ventured to Ocean Park. It is kind of like Marineland, but larger, and built on a mountain. There are animals, including Panda bears, aquariums, with all sorts of sea life. Macy got to touch a star fish. She loved the stingrays and the sharks, and of course the Panda bears. We took a submarine ride to the top of the mountain, explored a bit, took in the aquatic show with dolphins and sea lions, and got Macy a bit of lunch. We took the cable car back down the mountain, Macy went on a few rides, and then we were all tired.
On our way home, we stopped by the ferry wharfe at Central and took an open topped sight seeing bus through the old downtown. What a trip. The streets are narrow and the density of apartments and people hard to imagine.

There are no photos at present as the hard drive is full and I cannot download from the cameras. I will add pictures when I get home

If I Were A Rich Man-The View and Beaches of Stanley

If I were a rich man I would have found a view I could look at for a VERY long time. Today we went to Stanley! It is another part of Hong Kong. The part where the real estate prices are WAY up there. But, the VIEW! I loved it. We met Kathy's friend Kate at Central, got into a cab and headed to Stanley. It is a fair distance and the traffic stop and go on a narrow road, but the sightseeing made it worth while. We wandered a bit then stopped for a delightful lunch at a waterfront cafe. After lunch we headed over to a beach area with Kate. She is a dragon boater. One of those long thin boats with 18 or so rowers. She admits it is mostly for the social aspect of being involved, but they seemed to be having a good time. We saw Kate off on her practice row, stayed for a few minutes after the boat left, then wandered back over to the cafe area for an ice cream. After relaxing in the shade for a bit, we headed over to the market area. It is a series of alleys with stalls that sell just about everything. Watches, costume jewelery, Chinese lanterns, trinkets, art,luggage, shoes, baby items, clothes, scarfs, T-shirts, postcards, kids toys, dress up clothes for kids, socks, you get the idea. We bought our fill, keeping Macy content with a sheet of stickers. We took the double decked bus back to the subway line. What a trip, as the view was amazing. Beaches, condo's, ships and boats on the water, the mountains, it was wonderful. All too soon we were back home, but ended the day with a fantastic meal of Indian food.

Science Museum, Kathy's school and Noah's Ark

The last couple of days we have done a few other things. On Wednesday Macy and I ventured over to the Science Museum. We had a very fun afternoon. The science museum is very interactive so Macy was in her glory with all the buttons, levers, floating balls etc that she could play with. She got a real kick out of the TV studio, where she could see me on the screen as she sat at a control panel. She got to play on a make believe crane and other construction vehicles.



Street view on the way to the Museum



Thursday Macy and I hopped on the bus and took a picnic lunch to Kathy at her school. We stayed and joined the afternoon class of 2 yr old's. Give me my hectic floor at work any day over 19 children who are 2. What a zoo with so many of them, and some do not speak English. No pictures as they have a no picture rule. We had a wonderful supper out with some of Kathy's friends from work, then a long bus ride home with standing room only and a sleeping girl.


Today, Friday, Macy and I took a couple of buses to a small island here in Hong Kong called Park Island. No private vehicles, only a few delivery ones and government vehicles, eg. buses. We went to a place called Noah's Ark. Yes, there is an Ark, and animals 2 by 2. Lots of displays. We checked out all of the animals and Macy got to feed live rabbits.


The view on Park Island

Disneyland Part II

Well Tuesday was a great weather day so we were off to Disney again. This time is was just Macy and I. We had a great time again. The crowds were minimal, with almost no waiting time for the rides. We had a fun filled day. Several highlights, including Macy having a long conversation with Repunzel, where she told the lovely young lady all about her fun times here in Hong Kong. The young lady from Tangled was wonderful, and patient as Macy told her "I went to the Big Buddha, I went on a bus, I saw Buzz Lightyear, I went on the carousel", etc etc. At the end of the conversation Macy leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. It was very sweet.......And Macy had her picture taken with one of her most talked about characters, Buzz Lightyear.
We climbed Tarzan's treehouse, went on the Tea Cups, the River Ride, Blasted the Robots in the Buzz ride twice, (as we were getting off Macy asked if we could go again, as it was lots of fun to shoot the robots). We rode the train, had 2 turns on It's a Small World, etc etc, we filled our day. The only glitch was as we were leaving Disney. I wanted to take the elevator to the lower level to get to the subway train. I had the stroller and I do not like using the down escalator. So into the elevator we go. The door closes, I push the down button. Nothing happens, I push it again, Nothing happens, I push button for the level we were on, nothing happens, I push the open door button, nothing happens, I push the down button again, nothing happens. OK, so now we are stuck. Good thing it is glass walled, a pretty good sized elevator and we are alone, because I am VERY stressed in close spaces. I push the help button, and of course the person answers in Chinese, but after I start rambling in English, he asks me in English what is the problem, (what he thought I rang to chat?) Before too many minutes had passed, 2 young men arrive to help, it took them a few minutes to get us out. And we were on our way.
On Wednesday we headed down to the Science Museum. Macy loved running all over the place pushing buttons, levers etc. After we arrived back here, we had a lovely swim and play in the pool.
The plan for today (It is Thursday morning here)is a visit to Kathy's school. Our plan is lunch with Kathy and the afternoon with her class followed by dinner out.

The BEST

It is hard to remember how Macy was when these pictures were taken back in May 2009, Hanoi, Vietnam




And this is Macy now, May 2011, Hong Kong

Two years since our Forever Family Day. It has been the BEST Two Years I could ever have imagine. Macy exceeds everything I could ever have dreamed of. I am having so much fun with her. She keeps me entertained and on my toes. The travel is great, but the everyday is Wonderful. Macy exceeds everything my heart could ever have hoped for.