pumpkins and cakes and bones, oh my!

Juniper walks and reads en route to Linden's bus stop.  She only crashed into a pole once.

This week went by in a bit of a blur, culminating in a weekend that left everyone pretty exhausted, but fulfilled.  The main events:

1. My parents were here for a couple days early in the week, on the tail end of a road trip. This meant that I finally made Linden his real birthday cake, and we sang to him AGAIN, but... I forgot to make him his yearly crown.  I don't even think he noticed, but it is stupidly still bothering me.  Ah well.  I can blame most things these days on my broken foot, I suppose.

This cake took me way too long to make, but look at that face! I think it was appreciated.

2. We went to this awesome event that the Nature Museum hosts once a year, where they open up their Research and Collections facility (in the Natural Heritage Campus in Gatineau) to the general public.  This is where they store all of their specimens not currently on display, and where the scientists and other museum staff work behind the scenes.  They had rooms and rooms of amazing things to look at, a small blow-up planetarium, activities and crafts, and so many helpful volunteers letting us know about everything.  It was a totally worth-while adventure.

One scene worth sharing:

A palaeontologist shows Juniper a skull, in the dinosaur section.

Palaeontologist:  So, do you know what this is?

Juniper: A skull.

Palaeontologist: Do you think it's from a dinosaur?

Juniper: Nope.

Palaeontologist: Then what kind of animal?

Juniper: A pterosaur.

Palaeontologist: Whoa.  What kind?

Juniper: A pteranodon.

Palaeontologist: Do you know what it ate?

Juniper: Fish.

Palaeontologist: I think that maybe you should be behind this table.

*this is where Juniper should have dropped the mic and strode confidently away. Instead*:

Juniper:  Yeah. Me and my brother watch Dinosaur Train.

Busted.

Looking through a pretty cool telescope, just outside the planetarium

Some of the many, many bones and skeletons in the "large animals" room

So. Many. Beetles.

3. We found an elusive pumpkin patch!  There are plenty of places to buy pumpkins around here, but we specifically wanted ... I don't know ...  the whole experience, I guess.  We found some places online that boasted attractions such as pumpkin patches, petting zoos, hay rides and the like, but they all charged by the head to get in.  We were not interested in spending $40 on a couple of pumpkins.  Then - we just stumbled across this perfect place.  Loads of pumpkins to choose from, some of which they specifically left in the field.  Add in some hay bales to jump from, and a little play house, and it was exactly what we were looking for.

Mandatory pumpkin shot.  Linden is cleverly disguised as produce.

Proudly towing their chosen pumpkins from the patch.  

King of the hay bales

One happy guy, leaving with his spoils: a surprise lollipop.  

I may be out for the count again this week, as I'm going for my second root canal retreatment tomorrow.  But there are some pretty huge preparations that will have to take place for the big Hallowe'en festivities on the weekend, so there will surely be some photos to share regardless.  See you then!

The (very) full non-week

Linden's birthday morning: celebrations even before breakfast!

When I sat down to write this post, I kind of thought there would be nothing to report.  In my memory, the week was spent on the couch, recovering from my (re-done) root canal, and the incredibly painful few days that ensued.  The root canal itself was pretty horrible -- having an existing infection meant that the freezing was not able to take properly, and that there was a lot of inflammation built up.  But the post-canal was, perhaps, worse.  For three days (and nights) straight, I alternated advil and tylenol on constant rotation, in between doses of antibiotics.  Folks, if you have to get a root canal, make sure it is done right the first time.  And I have to do this all again next week as well. My broken foot's got nothing on these awful dental procedures.

Speaking of dental procedures:  Linden's first trip to the dentist! No cavities, thank God. Juniper, on the other hand, needs to get one filled.  Oh, Juniper.  You come by your terrible teeth honestly. 

Anyhoo, when I starting looking through the week's pictures, they told a much different story.  There was, for instance, Thanksgiving that happened last Monday, and multiple birthday celebrations for Linden.  There were also some pretty fabulous weekend adventures as well, so I've got a bunch of goodies to post.


1. Thanksgiving:

This year, we chose to host Thanksgiving dinner.  Not only were we back in Canada for the first time in three years, we were also living in the same place as some of our dearest friends -- that is a whole lot to be thankful for right there!  The guest list included Judith and Simon, Jane, Mike, Ruth, and Jane's brother Neil, and Erin, Mish and Zack.  It was a full house, a zoo, and everything I had hoped for.  The food was delicious and plentiful, the company was amazing, and the day itself was beautiful.  We also celebrated Ruth and Linden's birthday a little early that day - they are both born on October 14th (just three years apart), which I personally think is kind of special.  Here are some photos from the day:

Birthday buddies!  I'm not sure why or how Linden's face is so filthy

Everyone wanted in on the "pictures holding Ruth" photoshoot.  Ruth seems tolerant but bemused.

The whole gang!

Blowing the candle from birthday cake #1

Ruth's first experience with chocolate cake AND with with candles

2.  Linden's Actual Birthday:

On Wednesday, Linden celebrated his actual birthday.  I held off on making him a cake, because
a) my parents come tomorrow, and we were planning on having the real cake then;
b) there were leftovers already, and
c) my root canal had been the day before.

This ended up being perfectly fine, however, as he was celebrated multiple times throughout the day. In the morning, Juniper had cards waiting for him, and we all sang happy birthday.  Then at school there was a whole "going around the sun" ceremony for him. THEN, because it happened to be one of the two days that he goes to daycare after school, there was a celebration for him there as well, including cake and presents. I think he felt fully feted.

About to head out to school, already very excited to be 4

It may be leftover cupcakes, but it's still cupcakes

Pretty happy birthday boy in front of the banner that Val (his day-care provider) made for him

That night, we packaged up all of Linden's night-time soothers in an envelope, and left them for the "soother fairy" (you have no idea how many fairies there are in our lives).  Our dentist actually let us know about this particular fairy - it comes at night, takes all the soothers to give them to babies who need them, and leave a little present in their place.  Linden was all over that idea. He is now a big boy 4-year old, and soother-free.  No problem!

All ready for the soother fairy!

3. Saturday

Saturday was brilliant.  Weeks ago, I signed up for a day-long yoga and meditation retreat, being offered by my friend Annie, who I used to know in Halifax (but now lives in Ottawa).  This is not something I would usually treat myself to, but it seemed like exactly what I needed at this particular moment in time.  I was REALLY looking forward to it.  Then I broke my foot.  After some contemplation, however, I decided I was going to go, broken foot or not.  I am so happy I did.  I was actually able to participate in most of it, just modifying anything that involved needing to weight-bear.  The setting (The Yoga Garden Retreat in Gatineau) was beyond gorgeous (I would have happily just moved in if I could have), I met some amazing people, and I left feeling incredibly rejuvenated.

One of the many beautiful gardens

The natural ampitheater/healing circle

My favourite spot: Buddha overlooking a sparkling lake and the flaming fall trees

 Meanwhile, Clark and the kids, armed with bikes and a sense of adventure, went off to spend the day in whatever way they desired.  First they bummed around Wakefield, then went for a bit of a bike ride, and THEN, they completed a 6 km hike.  Seriously.  Apparently, there was very little complaining, even - they had an awesome day.

They found an old  train switch that they could actually move!

Beginning the hike

Mid-hike selfie

Extolling the virtues of proper walking sticks

 And finally, I will leave you with a picture of our very first snowflakes, and, for anyone interested, an x-ray of my fractured 5th metatarsal.  Oh - and a video of Linden and his brand new birthday scooter, from Grandma and Grandpa.  Within 5 minutes of trying it out, he was attempting tricks.  Sigh.  See you next week!

Here is my broken foot.  You can see three fracture lines way on the left hand side.

Snowflakes on my remaining herbs.  Winter is coming!

pity party

Running through the fall colours

A fair warning:  this post is mostly a pity party for yours truly.  Although you are all cordially invited, you are also welcome to skip the text, and just take in the pictures, or course!

Bike fixing workshop with some young apprentices

For anyone who has been following along with the blog for the last few weeks, my hearty adoration of everything autumn has been no doubt apparent.  And if you'd asked me last week, I would have happily told you that this particular fall had so far been at its very best, promising many more weeks of awesomeness to come.

This week, however -- this week I have soured.  I feel a bit like a jilted lover. The weather is still gorgeous, the leaves are beautiful, and the days still beckon for me to come take advantage of them.  But I am now stuck inside, watching fall from my window, knowing full well that by the time I'm able to enjoy the outside to it's fullest extent, autumn will have officially become pre-winter.

Hanging with Oli, who is walking now!

So what, you may ask, is the cause of this overly dramatic diatribe?  It is the result of feeling incredibly sorry for myself, no doubt.  You see, last Monday -- directly after posting the blog, in fact -- I went for what had become my daily morning run/walk in the woods. It was the absolutely perfect way to start my day.  I listened to an audio book, ran through these amazing trails in the forest, and walked the bits that were too rocky/rooty to be safe.  I got exercise, filled my lungs with fresh air, was surrounded by the woods, and was entertained all at the same time.

But last week, as I was on the return loop, I suddenly just... I don't even know.  Hit a rock, I guess.  I rolled my left foot in some unholy, unnatural way,  and could barely breathe from the resulting pain.  I called Clark, and he came to rescue me as best he could.   He got me home, procured some ice, and for two days I hobbled around very slowly and painfully, willing the sprain to get better.  At that point, however, I showed the picture of my brilliantly blue foot to (among others), my sister Andrea, who is an orthopaedic surgeon.  She ordered me to get straight in for an x-ray, and, 4 hours later, I was home with a walking cast, protecting my broken foot.

Father and son walk through the grasses

That's right folks - I am spending the rest of the most glorious time of the year hobbling around with a broken foot.  Don't worry, though - I will still get out of the house, as I have some appointments booked to go redo my two root canals!  Hurray! (what's better than getting a root canal?  Getting it done AGAIN!) I found out this past week and a bit that the two root canals I had done in the States were both done poorly, and I have had ongoing infections in my mouth for the last 2 years.  So now I need to go (hopefully) fix them both - if they can't be fixed, they'll have to just get extracted.  So. This is why I have been feeling so very sorry for myself.  Between my foot and my teeth, I feel like fall is enacting some long, drawn-out joke at my expense.

Practising on her very own violin

But the good news is that my foot will heal.  As Andrea so helpfully informed me, a 5th metatarsal fracture is one of the "best" breaks you can get in your foot.  And though it will cost me a fortune that I do not have, and a whole lot of pain and suffering, getting these botched root canals taken care of will hopefully mean that I will start feeling a whole lot better, as my body will no longer have to be fighting off continual infection.  These are things, I suppose, that I can be thankful for on this Canadian day of thanks.  That, and the fact that I will soon be surrounded by some awesome people who will be coming over to celebrate and partake in a large Thanksgiving meal with us.  And the fact that, despite the fact that it has forsaken me, autumn is as gorgeous as ever - especially today.  And I have a lovely little family. And I finished that hat out of the luscious alpaca wool, and it is warm and soft.  And that next week, surely, I will be able to post about something other than myself and my woes... perhaps the awesome thanksgiving we are about to have, and the birthday of a soon-to-be 4 year old?  Stay tuned for that!

You know it's been a good weekend...

Doing some nature drawings mid-hike

 ... when:

1. You can fill an entire blog post with pictures from only two days
2. You were barely inside
3. Everyone is ready-to-collapse exhausted by the end of it
4. You got to hang out with friends and run around and explore places you've never been.

These past two days were all that and a bag of chips.  They included just about everything one could hope for in the crisp, sunny, fresh, first weekend of October.  There was a new, delicious breakfast joint; a farmer's market where I treated myself to some alpaca wool; an impromptu apple-picking adventure at a farm that also boasted a huge array of fall-time activities; some good old-fashioned off-the-trail nature walks; some dear friends; and some pumpkin-finding.  I honestly don't feel as though I need to explain much more, but let me take you with us, shall I?

Linden asked if he could explore off the trail.  How could you say "no" in a setting so idyllic?

Gathering Empire apples at Mountain Orchards

We had two VERY enthusiastic pickers

Because I know Juniper will tell you if I don't: Yes, I got them to climb up that ladder for a photo op, and yes, it was the teeniest bit rickety.  No one was injured in the process.  And aren't they cute?

The apples were much more expensive than they should have been, but there were so many other attractions, like a tractor ride to and from the orchards...

... tether ball...

... a super fun playground...

... tractor tires piled high for climbing on and into...

... a really, really huge pile of dirt...

... TWO corn mazes...

...where you could snatch cobs if you so desired...

... and freshly made apple cider doughnuts to finish it all off!

The next day, we visited Ruth, Jane and Tom (Mike was out canvassing).

Juniper was in heaven.

Even Linden got in on the big brotherly action.  Check out Ruth's extreme... fear?  Amusement?  

And what is better than trying to control and boss around a dog that is easily 3-4 times your size?

Running with a gentle giant

Next we met Zack and Erin at the Byward Market...

... and chose some early small pumpkins to take home and decorate...

... then posed with the big ones!

Whew.  Good thing I brought the camera with me as we set out of the house each day - we packed in more than I had even anticipated, and it was all such a blur that the photos tell a much better story than I would have this time around.  I feel exhausted, rosy-cheeked (from a combination of sun, wind, and fresh air), and I have a belly full of supurb, fresh apples (honestly one of my very favourite things in the world).  I am anticipating that next weekend will be at least as full, it being (Canadian) Thanksgiving and all.  See you then!