Canada

Aunt Char flew into Greensboro and we started on our trip to Canada.

It was a very easy trip with beautiful mountains the whole way.  Not much else to look at other than the two big tunnels we went through.

It wouldnt have mattered if we passed a wonder of the world, they were glued to their electronics.  It was driving me crazy.

We made it to Buffalo and Char drove us right to Teds Hot Dogs 20 minutes before they closed!

We drove the kids by the house I was born in and the so very Buffalo like neighborhood and once again they really didnt care.  Charlene and I had fun looking around!

We stayed down town Buffalo over night. 

The architecture was very cool to look at.

Had a great breakfast...

and back on the road.

Oh Canada!!!

So excited to see the sweetest lady in the world.

Grandma Boyd

The twins with their crazy cousins.

Crystal, Terri, and Linda

(short story, we packed one outfit to change in the hotel so the suitcases didnt have to go up.  Char packed in SC and I packed in NC and we were virtually twins for the day.  Didnt realize it until she came out of the bathroom)

Crystal and Marks boys:

Christian and Ryan

Logan loved the attention.

What kind of fun could we find in Alymer?

We walked down the main street.

Went to the farmers market and 

Jordan went to say hello to Canadian Justin Bieber.

Had to take a picture of this one.  I dont think my kids have ever came out of a store with only healthy purchases.

We got fresh bread, apples, peaches, strawberries, carrots, asparagus, oranges, and corn.

I have never tasted fruits and vegetables as fresh as these.  Jackson got the biggest and best tasting tomatoes.  He was in heaven.  It was like having just ate a piece of candy.

Every Tuesday the Amish come in and sell their goods.

Logan and his Great Grandma Boyd

We went to Port Burwell on Lake Erie.

There was lots of fun to be had at the beach but the best was having Boydie be able to come and be with us for a while.

Aunt Caroline was able to drive her down.

Later that day Boydie told me that she loved being with the kids and in the fresh air.

She also told us of how this was the place that grandpa use to court her.

Crystal was off work so she was able to come with us.

I was expecting the water to be freezing  but it really wasnt.

Before we got to Canada, Jackson had asked if he could try Canadian food.  Not quite sure what he was expecting.

French fries with malt vinegar is my food memory of summers in Canada.

We got 2 big orders and they were quickly gone.

The birds would be sitting so nicely on the sand and then here would come Logan.  They would fly back into the water.

At this port you could go out so far and the water still just be at your knees.

The kids really loved that.

3 beach babes

Look at Boydies smile.

Was so happy being with her!

off exploring the shoreline.

I still find it so fascinating to be in the Amish country.  They would be out working on their farms.  Big beautiful horses pulling the plow.

We stopped at the Stratfordville cemetary where lots of our relatives are buried.

Larson is at Grandpa Boyds stone.

Larson Boyd was named after his great grandparents.

Haylie was up visiting with Boydie the week before we got there.

She got Boydies nails done for her.

Pretty hip 93 year old grandma.

Time was short and busy with all the kids and Sage at the house.

Will be so thankful that we were able to make this trip to see Boydie and all of our other family members.

It is really fun to bring the kids and show them where our family is from and that they got to spend a few days with Boydie.

North Carolina

I always enjoy coming back to Mom and Dads and staying in my old room.

It is so different for our kids being out in the country.  It just gives us a few days to slow down.

I dont know what it is but I can never get a biscuit as good as Biscuitvilles.    I dont even order biscuits anywhere else.

Logan loves the horse tire swing.

Jackson, Papa, and myself would take turns just pushing him on this.

Jordan was in love with the real horses.   She wanted to ride so bad but I wouldnt let her.  The horses are wild mustangs and my sister Jackie was not there to help.  Without her experience I certainly was not going to put Jordan on one of them.

I told her to go and ride the tire swing instead.  She tried but was too big and got a little stuck on it.

Every night the kids ran out to collect fire flies.

We would have the nightly freeing of all the lightning bugs from our jar.

I even love running around and catching them.

Had lunch with Wendy, my girlfriend from Williams.

So great to catch up and be able to see each other.

A little love from Pat Pat.

Papa working with Larson on learning new tools.  This was a section in his cub scout book.

Sure I could help him with this but so lucky to have your grandpa be the one to teach you.

Good Ole fashioned sprinkler.

Our baby Tyler

Such a sweet sweet baby.

Just like her Mom!

Ashley was so good to the kids.  She got them water balloons and even participated in the fight!

Not sure who won but it was a good time.

Warming up in the sun.  It was kind of a cooler day.

Ashley, the oldest of the cousins was trying for the coolest cousin award.

She baked cake pops with the others.

At age 4, it was about time I started Logan on some work books.

He loves doing them with me.

Maybe by the time to he goes to Kindergarten he may know all of his letters.

He may not know all of his letters but we have probably had the most fun with this kid.

So much more of a laid back mom with #4.

Enjoyed our stay at Pat Pat and Papas.

Love them very much.

Now onto Canada!

Road Trip to Atlanta

This picture reminds me of the Griswalds running for Wally World and it being closed.  Thats when they hold up the park and ride all the rides.  Fortuenately it was open so we didnt have to do that but it did seem closed as there were so very few people there.

Made for such a perfect day at Six Flags over Georgia!

We were expecting rain but did not see any so that was nice.

The little kids stayed with Aunt Char and I ....

 Jordan and Jackson rode every roller coaster and big ride within the first 2 hours.

These kids have some very cool Aunts that will still spend the day at amusement parks with them.

This Six Flags park just seemed so much nicer than ours.  The entire park was covered with these huge trees and beautiful landscaping.

They rode so many rides that they started to slow down a little.

Larson spotted this hat early on in the day.

Larson cant wait to be able to wear it to crazy hat day at school.

The big kids got to sneak out for a nice dinner that did not consist of amusement park food.

The girls were treated to pedicures!

A little shopping got thrown in.

The boys were treated to Legoland in Buckhead.

Jackson was building the cars for the kids and theirs would survive the race every time.

Im not sure how much more we could have done in 48 hours in Atlanta.

We all had a lot of fun.

Now to Mom and Dads in NC!

Aunt Char's House

Always love being at Aunt Chars

Dinner at the restaurant where Char is helping out.

Jordan did a little song for entertainment.  She felt like she had just sung at a retirement home, the people were so old there.

 Fun in the pool.  It looks like Jordan may have been killing her brother but they were both laughing the entire time.

 Aunt Chars pool is the right size for Logan to jump in and swim on his own.

 Lucky to get a day in at the beach before the rain came.

Jordan had the most epic boogie board crash of all times at this beach.  She was completely owned by the wave and did a 360 in the air feet first.  It was so great to see especially since she did not get hurt!

 Dinner straight off of the beach.  Logan looked like a sleepy homeless person.  (Well, I think we all actually looked that way).

 Alligators everywhere!

Off to Atlanta next.

Thanks Team Kane

Team Kane and Roberts!

Love all of these big and little people!

Andrew- 15, Jordan- 15, Katie- 14, Jackson- 12, Matthew- 10, Larson-8, Julia-7, William-4, Logan-4

Thank you to my BFF and family for a great week in Orlando.  See you next week!