Papa had a race to do in Hamilton, so we decided to make it into an extra long road trip. So we drove up the weekend before Easter. Looking back, it was a really looonnng week. hahahaha. It was great for the kids to spend time with the family, but a long time to be away from the comforts of home and routines. To think this time last year, we hid an ultrasound picture of Clara in a plastic egg to share our news. Craziness.
We arrived Friday evening and by Monday, I knew that I needed to get things planned for the week. So we searched the web for different things to do with the kids ie. INDOOR PLAY AREAS. Surprisingly, there were many in Brampton. We planned different outings every morning, then come home for naps, and then outdoor play. I was exhausted, but the kids had a blast.
The next day, Lola and Lolo planned a bus trip. Whooa boy! The kids were excited to ride the city bus to the mall. Clara and I drove to the mall and met them there. When they arrived we went to visit the Easter bunny and took photos with him. They weren't afraid at all. Then we went for some dimsum and met up with Tita Jen. Later that night, Papa arrived. Boy we missed him!
We planned some awesome play dates with Bella, Jake, and Ethan and Abrielle. For our first play date with Bella and Jake, we went to the park close by. They had a blast. We came home and ordered some pizza and the trio became a quad when Ethan dropped by. The kids were going cuckcoo. ahhahahha
Then next day was Good Friday - which meant everything was closed. So we took the kids to Woodbine Fantasy Fair. We met up with Bella and Jake again and had a blast doing the rides. I was actually surprised Olivia did well with the rides. The last time we took her on a ride was SeaWorld and that didn't end too well. It ended with the ride having to stop mid way to let Papa and screaming Olivia off. Sigh. William also did well on the rides, but there were some that he was too small to go on. So Papa did his best to distract him while the "older" kids got to go the flying airplanes.
The kids got along so well. Bella and Olivia were kept holding hands everywhere they went. The last "ride" they went on was a HUGE play area for the kids to run around. It was a jungle with slides and crevices for children to hide and run around. It was INSANO! Thank god there was 1:1 supervision between us. It was to the point where I was managing the kids at the top of the slide and Tita Michica was wayyyyy on the other side to meet them when they came down the slide. It was starting to go really busy before lunch, so we decided to end our fair affair. For lunch we went to Mandarin and ate a ton. I was totally pooped and I'm sure the kids were just as exhausted. Actually, as soon as we got in the car to go home, William passed out. hahahha. Olivia hung in there (like we knew she would). It really was a good Friday. Clara, on the other hand, was hanging in there. She didn't like to miss all the fun, and really really missed maman. Well...a body part of maman we think. :0)
Saturday was a rest day. Just kidding. Off to the farm we went for a great Easter Egg hunt. All 5 of us, packed into the car and drove to farm for some Easter family activities. It cost a fortune to get in, but it was well worth it for the kids. The only down side was, it was MUDDY!!!! Nothing like a spring thaw out in the farm. The only person who was nice and tidy was Clara because Papa had her in the carrier for the whole morning. It was fun because not only did the kids have the egg hunt to do, they also had face painting and crafts. The "egg hunt" really was a timed activity where the kids would line up behind a piece of rope and watch helpers throw out plastic eggs in the field. Then when Farmer Fred said go, the children would run and collect as many eggs as they could. Once collected, they would them back to a girl who would trade it for Easter treats. Great idea! After the build up of racing for the eggs, we thought it was time to go. Clara woke up from her nap, William was starting to whine, and Olivia was itching to eat her chocolate before lunch. On our way out, we stopped to get our face painted and did decorated a styrofoam egg for Lola. :0)
Sunday - Easter Sunday. The kids woke up later than we expected and miss the 8:30 mass. Actually it was a blessing in disguise, because as soon as the kids were going down the stairs they knew something looked a bit different. There on the stair steps were coloured plastic eggs! The Easter bunny had arrived and hid easter eggs all over Lola and Lolo's house. They were on a mission to run around the house searching for eggs. Thankfully, the Easter bunny just left 40 eggs and they were very visible. After the hunt, the kids were able to open their Easter treats. Spolied again.
After a very crowded mass, we had lunch planned at CLARENCE. "Clarence" as everyone affectionately calls it (because it housed the first filipinos that came to Brampton through the kindness of my aunt Tita Letty) - now lives my cousin and his family. Tita B invited the family over for Easter brunch. I was super excited because it was a chance to see all/most of the cousins. It has been awhile. More importantly it was an opportunity for everyone to see the kids as well. A house once filled with kids, again is filled with tiny feet and giggles. It was such a great feeling. I could feel Tita Letty and Lola Nene's presence and love. It was a feeling of nostalgia and I miss them greatly.
We had a great lunch. I ate tons because this time I didn't have to run around and feed the kids. There were so many family members in their faces that I didn't have to watch them. hahahaha. The only time I held Clara was to feed her and they took her away once she was done. The kids had a great time because they got to run around and not have maman and papa hover over them. Sadly, it was time to go and we said our goodbyes and headed home. Then next day we would have to travel back to Ottawa. We had been in Brampton for over a week, I hated to say it but it was time to go. The excitement and being in a new place was all too exhausting for everyone even though we loved our time there.
The "end-of-the-day-I-am-done" mug shot.:0)
Would I do this trip all over again? For family...definitely.
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