Poutine and Donuts

So, Saturday, as many of you know is our diet day off so it was no holds barred.

We started the morning with Tim Horton's donuts which is a donut shop all over the city. Our favorite was the donut holes! They have raspberry, lemon, cinnamon, chocolate, powdered...my favorite was the cinnamon.

Next we did a little research to find the best place for Poutine: French fries, cheese curds and gravy. Oh my!! We went downtown to Caplansky's Deli. It was the best thing I have eaten in a long time! The key is the gravy and the squeaky curds!



Then we walked around the waterfront and contemplated taking a ferry boat to the little islands but everyone and their brother had the same idea so we walked more in town to check out the free Inuit art gallery exhibit at a bank. It was mostly sculpture and I prefer painting but it was interesting still.



Then we headed over to a very trendy neighborhood called the historic distillery district which has a number of shops and restaurants and ice cream! Chocolate, cinnamon, toasted marshmallow, vanilla, orange cream, yum!



Finally, we headed back to the hotel for one last go in the pool and dinner of fish and chips!

Today, Sunday, we are on our way back home! It just took us an hour to get through the border crossing. Oh boy.

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There's something about teeth and Toronto

Leo lost his first tooth in Toronto! Yeah-hoo! It was a little touch and go for a while and when we pulled it out Jason heard him crying all the way down the hall. Aidan was an amazing big brother, helping him all along the way. When I pulled it out, I said "did I get it?" and he shook his "no." of course I had it in my hand. He didn't even know! He said it didn't hurt but the tears were streaming. But I think it was the same for Aidan. He cried but didn't even know it was out.


Doesn't he look good minus a baby tooth?!? There have been a lot of firsts on this trip and challenging fears.

What is it about Toronto and teeth? Aidan lost another tooth the second night we were here too. We wondered if the tooth fairy would leave American or Canadian money. Is it the place or the person?? She left a US one dollar coin!


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Niagara Falls

Wow, wow, wow! The falls are so beautiful! We spent the whole day at Niagara Falls. We went on the Maiden of Mist, the boat where they take you close to the horse shoe falls and you get wet from all the mist. They give you a blue poncho to wear do you don't get too wet. We wanted to get wet though because it was warm yesterday!


We had lunch at Hard Rock Niagara Falls and Leo said "I think Crow would love this place." He knows Crow's love of rock, ha!



Then we walked down along view point from the end of American Falls to the end of the Horse Shoe falls and ponder what it would be like to ride in a barrel over the falls. We also saw a beautiful full rainbow.


Then we took the people mover way down past the falls to the whirlpool and rode the aero whirlpool which is like a cable car over 200 feet in the air over a whirlpool. The whirlpool was not too impressive but the boys going on the cable despite their mild fear was very impressive!



We ended up getting home late after 10 pm so today is a leisurely day of workout, pool, and later a Toronto Blue Jays game!

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Jeep of Fools

Here is a picture of our rental car. We decided to rent a car because we didn't feel confident that the big red car would make the long journey. We got a super awesome deal and we get to drive a jeep.




Off to Niagara Falls today!!

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Toronto FC

Today we had a wonderfully lazy day. We got up at 9:30 am. 9:30AM!! Then Aidan and I went and worked out in the hotel gym--Aidan on the elliptical, me on the treadmill.

Jason and Leo went to the pool and we joined them after working out our arms!💪

Then we went downtown and walked around an area that looks like Time Square. Lots of billboards and people. Aidan told us he preferred the country!




Now we are at the Toronto FC game which Jason informed me is a much better stadium than RFK for soccer. It is a nice stadium and I'm cheating my diet by drinking a beer because really you can't go to a sporting event without drinking beer!



I have to say it...I think Toronto has traffic to rival DC and Seattle!


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Hockey Hall of Fame

After we left the CN tower and our legs stopped shaking we got some lunch (Aidan: eat fresh; Leo: pizza; Amy & Jason: salad and chicken kabobs-still trying to stick to our diet!).

Then we went to the Hockey Hall of Fame which for a family who have never been hockey fans--it was awesome! Tonight Leo said his favorite sport was hockey. We saw the Stanley Cup and each took a shot at scoring a goal in one of the interactive game: mom scored 3 out 5 goals, the best record of the family. I'm sure that doesn't surprise anyone. Ha!!!






We also did a little shopping now that we are all Toronto sports fans. Aidan Toronto FC and Leo Toronto Maple Leafs.


After a long day we had a great meal at a Mexican Restaurant. Very good, very authentic- La Taquiza. It is a restaurant near the hotel which is about 12 miles outside the city. It's way cheaper to stay out here in Vaughan and its actually kinda nice.

Tomorrow we are taking it easy and will spend sometime at the pool relaxing before we go downtown for the Toronto FC vs Vancouver soccer match at 7pm.

Our phones don't really work here except we have free WiFi at the hotel. Thursday we plan to go to Niagara which we'll be in NY so our phones should work then!

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CN Tower

Today we went to the CN Tower. It's super tall...equivalent in height to 3 Washington Monuments!!



The have a glass elevator which made our knees weak and at the lookout center they had a glass bottom floor. It was so scary that when I took a baby step onto it my knees were weak and I was so scared I almost freaked out!



Jason of course walked right out there like it was nothing and Aidan did too but he said he just didn't look down. Leo wasn't really having any part of it until the end and then he walked right out there!

The weather couldn't be better! It's about 80 with no humidity. It's fabulous!

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When in Rome...

Oops! I mean "when in Toronto..."



We arrived at our hotel at about 4:30pm. It took us 12 hours to get here but we stopped several times for the bathroom (you'd think Opa was in the car with us - JK Opa! We love you!) and we stopped to eat a couple of times.

We didn't venture out today but swam in the pool and walked over to Mall where we found a huge hockey store. Leo now loves hockey but his parents could never afford the sport! I have never seen a sport with so much gear.


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Toronto here we come!

Well it's 4:36am and we are headed North to Buffalo and then Niagara Falls and then west around Lake Ontario until we get to Toronto, our home base for the next week.

We are leaving early in the morning hoping the kids will sleep 3 or 4 of the 9 hour drive. There were a few nerves buzzing around the house last night and this morning in anticipation of the long drive.

It is currently raining with a little lightning but considerably cooler, finally! Edward and Biscuit are home. Doris has so very kindly offered to feed them and come visit them while we are away.






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Scorching at the Nats game

It's so hot! Tonight at the Nat's game it's in the 90s at 10pm its supposed to be 92 degrees still! Yes, Peter, I wish I was at a Mariners game instead!



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Feelin' hot, hot, hot

How are you feeling?

Okay, this is crazy hot! ONE HUNDRED AND SIX!! What?!?!




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