PIC OF THE WEEK: Family Of The Day

Taken a little after 9 am after sleeping at midnight the night before

hence messy hair and puffy eyes

Photos taken by Auntie Tess

This is my vote for Pic Of The Week

although I think Raymond would disagree

and would want me to choose the photo from Niagara Rapids

which I am not posting ever

as the Pic Of The Week.

Sorry, hun.

(It's my blog!)

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Double Three

Happy 33rd to me!

We decided to go back to Great Wolf Lodge

for a fun-filled, early-weekend

birthday celebration.

We came with some of our relatives this time and that's double the fun.

Triple the fun would be all the blessings we received that birthday weekend.

Upon check-in on Thursday at GWL, I mentioned that it was actually my birthday.

I asked if we get any special deals since it's my birthday.

The lady behind the front desk said she'll she what she can do.

And few check-in signatures later (I had to make three since we booked three separate rooms)...

we were given five bags of arcade coins!

Then, they had this "Family Of The Day" contest everyday for guests staying at the hotel.

We filled our ballots and placed them in the box, hoping that we would be up early the next day
to be able to attend the draw that's held before they open the waterpark.

With at least ten entries, our room number was picked and we got to be "Family Of The Day" on Friday.

(Complete with a special orange F.O.T.D. seats for the whole day

with bar fridge on the side supplied with bottled water and an appetizer plate,

six mini-golf passes, more arcade tokens,

free pack of GWL palying cards, free photo from Niagara Rapids slide,

a GWL drink container to keep, and an extra 10% off at the craft store.)

Saturday morning, we got a good start of the day from the free hot buffet breakfast  

(because the manager of this little hotel at River Road was so nice

that he did not only fixed the problem with our rooms for our overnight stay,

but gave us complimentary breakfast coupons for four adults, too,

and the server at the restaurant did not charge us one single kid breakfast!)

We are so blessed that weekend, don't you think?

Not to mention the extra coupon booklet handed to Raymond by a stranger while waiting at the lobby of GWL...

And another coupon booklet that he found by the bushes while we were playing mini-golf...

And another free round of mini-golf because Raymond got the bonus shot at the end of his mini-golf round!

(Insert VERY big smiley face here)

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Easy Bake

It's my birthday month.

And hubby surprised me by telling me last night that we can go yard sale-ing in the morning.

Happy am I but not hopeful.

I realized that the best of the yard sale stuff are available in the Spring,

not on a hot mid-Summer day.

Hubby excitedly bought a huge set of Playmobil toys for the boys.

$50

Ouch!

That is not yard sale deal for a frugal me-oh-me.

But I found a great toy for my little princess chef.

Easy bake oven for $1.

Complete with box, manual and 4 packs of sugar cookie mix.

Mmmmmm!

My budding chef who likes to help in the kitchen now has an ovenof her own.

I think the boys like this deal than the $50 toys.

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Splish, splash

Summer is definitely here!

Two weeks of heat.

Great time to dip in our pool...

even if the pool heater is not functioning.

Beata and Jakob gave me some good jumps

but it's either I was too fast in pressing the shutter

or they are to slow to jump when I say, "Now!"

I thought you might want to see the good jumps

even if the neighbour's house is sharp and my kids are out of focus.

Okay,

the good focused ones now.

Splish,

Splash,

Lady with the camera...

run away!

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Summer School

We are two weeks behind our Summer School schedule.

No, my kids did not fail their grade levels.

It's my way of making Summer fun interesting.

Just an hour or two a day to prepare them for their grade level.

Jethro is really liking it so far!

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I can see clearly now...

New flash for my dslr.

An early birthday present from hubby and kids.

Thanks to our yard sale which paid for most of my SB-600.

Another bonus...a 2 GB Professional SD card inside the flash bag.

Happy birthday to me really!

I can see clearly now lalalala!!!

My very willing models for my new flash minus Jakob

(he's having a "heart-to-heart" talk with dad)

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Tickets please

Hot Warm day, perfect for a backyard party.

Happy 1st birthday, Angelina!

Happy 5th, Virginia!

Welcome to the circus everyone!

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PIC OF THE WEEK: Hat's Shade

Taken July 3, 2010
(face with food and face paint and all!)

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Wolf and Birds

We surprised the kids to a three day vacation at Niagara Falls earlier this week.

We were blessed to be able to get a $179/night rate at Great Wolf Lodge...

(and with a $150 gift card from Lani, we only spent around $30 for the hotel).

It's great to be back at GWL.

Kids enjoyed it a lot.

And Jakob was tall enough for all of the slides!

Raymond and Jakob got to go on the Vortex and on the big blue slide

(but we forgot to scan their wristbands for photo).

 On our third day at Niagara Falls, we went to Bird Kingdom.

I am sure I promised myself never to set foot on this attraction since I found out that there are lizards walking around the floor of the reptile section...

but a half-price Canada Day weekend deal is sure hard to pass.

I did skipped the reptile floor and just waited on the platform to meet the rest of the family

but honestly, my heart was racing and my eyes are constantly scanning the area

just in case that lizard comes right out of the exit door...

or a staff walks behind me with a lizard on the shoulder...

you'll never know.

(I thought I escaped that reptile part, only to find out that they have a new "exhibit" at the nocturnal section...
a monitor lizard. 
Yuck!
 Even though it's behind a glass display, I can sense that it's looking at me...
can't even continue this story, it's giving me goosebumps!)

 We crossed the border after the Bird Kingdom to do some exciting "one hour" shopping

but before that, we ate at Perkins restaurant
and an elderly man whom we met at the door,
came to our table with three stuffed toys for the kiddos

We were definitely showered with blessings those three days!
It was a very nice (and cheap) getaway.

 

(notice Raymond's eyes?

no glasses!

He lost it somewhere in the hotel.

He drove home for four hours with no glasses)

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Canada Day 2010

Happy 143rd Canada!

 The same beaver who appeared at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver

(note: no autographs, beaver was a bit tied up)

 The crowd and the bouncy castles

(note: we do not know the itchy man in red shirt)

Reptile Show

(note: Jethro is bored!)

Walking to the "exciting" reptile show

(note: the boy with the balloon hat -

I watched the clown for a good forty-five minutes while she's doing her balloon art and face paint. 

She is offering classes, too...but I decided to save my change and just watch her)

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