The unexpected overnighter

Ottawa trip

Before I start with the Ottawa trip I have to mention something very yummy...we have some friends that tap maple trees every year to make maple syrup. This year Sean went out and helped to gather and boil the sap. After he was done he bottled it and brought it home...wow...the best syrup I've ever had...it was like a really sweet aunt jemima...but so much better! You've never tried syrup until you've tried this stuff!

So Tuesday morning we ventured off to Ottawa to see Parliament Hill with the kids. I've never been there and Sheri wanted to bring Aymie and Meshach especially since they were all the way out here. We left a little later than expected and got to Ottawa just after the last tour had started at the Parliament building. It kind of felt pointless to come all that way and not see inside...so we decided to stay the night, totally unprepared and all! This is why I love Walmart! We made our way to Walmart and got overnight stuff (jammies, shampoo, makeup, undies, etc)...it was secretly my way to go shopping and get new makeup really...no I'm kidding, but it was fun. So we spent about an hour at Walmart and finally made our way over to our hotel back downtown at the Marriott. Now I love Marriott and we try to stay there everywhere we go, but this particular one was so sweet...on the 4th floor right beside the pool was a kids play place with a but playhouse and slide, air hockey, pool, video games, toys and game tables! Now why wouldn't every hotel make a floor specifically for kids...the best idea ever! The boys swam for a bit and we ordered some fatty pizza to settle our stomaches and Sean and I watched "Juno". It was actually a good movie, I really liked it and so did Sean!

So the next morning we ate at the buffet downstairs (yum) and walked our way (3-4 blocks) to Parliament. It was windy outside but the kids enjoyed being outside and walking downtown Ottawa. It actually reminds me a lot of Calgary downtown!

When we got there you have to go through security and luckily they didn't make me take Taylor out of the baby carrier (She was asleep). We went through the tour and thought it was interesting. The kids got a little bored of course as it's not really in their age interest...needless to say we won't be going there on the tour for another 10-12 years! I have to say that as interesting as it is inside the building, I feel a disconnect to the Canadian Government. I don't know if its because I grew up in Alberta so far away from the government or something else but being inside reminded me how much I don't know about the country's government past. There were school trips doing tours that day and I realized that kids in Ottawa/Quebec probably learn more about how the government works being so close to these interesting places. Their interest is perked a bit more anyway.

Well by the time we were done my back and feet killed from carrying Taylor the whole time and I was ready to get to the car! We wanted to make our way to the Museum of Civilization that has a kids museum inside (across the river in Quebec), but figured that would probably be a whole day adventure so we'll have to do that another time. On the way home we found a Lone Star to eat at to get our yummy fresh tortilla craving done with and then headed out!

Last night after we got home the kids finally decorated their easter eggs which we'll hide at some point today! With Sheri and the kids being here after Easter we have been putting off the egg hunt until we can get around the coloring the eggs but each day has gone by and no egg hunt! It's turned into an Easter week...maybe a tradition for us? We'll have to see!

This post is long but I have to finish with a quick story about Brayden. This morning Sheri brought him up to our room and when they entered I could tell something happened with Brayden. He looked different. She finally said that he had put a tic-tac in his nose downstairs...and not just any tic-tac...cinnamon! The right nostril was a little bit red like it looked like it was bleeding (the dye from the tic tac). We layed him down and tried to suction it out with our baby nose suction but that didn't work. I think once the tic tac started to melt it started running down his throat and made him gag. I brought him over to the toilet and luckily he ended up horking it out on his own! Right after that Sean came upstairs with some surgical tools so we're glad it didn't have to get to that! Hopefully he's learned his lesson...but I have to say, I don't know what possesses kids to put things up their nose? Isn't that the most uncomfortable place for anything? I just don't get it...I wonder if I ever did that?