COUSIN FUN - Day 7 - An everywhere kind of day!

We started off with swimming at Cranberry.  There was a trip up to Blue Mountain.  Then scenic caves for some.  Picture location scouting for others. Dinner at our place, finished off with a quick trip to the Rec Centre.

No swimming pics.  But this memory I want to keep.  Kate:  We were in the indoor pool at Cranberry.  All the cousins.  The boys were enjoying themselves... they were having loud boisterous fun in the pool.  Anna and Lovey were enjoying themselves too.  Shocking to no one (except Kate) there was splashing.  Kate was growing ever more incensed at the splashing.  Jon was quite surprised by Kate's concerns about the splashing.  There were tears at one point.  Trying to explain to Kate that people in swimming pools like water, and getting splashed isn't a big deal, you're in water, you're wet, none of those things seemed to register for her.  I told Jon she was 5 going on 65 and that seemed to make sense to him.  Kate did have some fun... sort of.  The other kids had a BLAST!!

After swimming we went back to our place and had lunch.  Fiona went to sleep and Ken stayed with her while I took the other Kate and Alice up to Blue Mountain Village to meet up with Sue, Jon and their families.  They had lunch, Kate and Alice had cotton candy, and we played at a park and just hung out.  Suzanne got a cute pair of shoes, because you need closed toe shoes to do Scenic Caves.

Scenic Caves!  I have vague memories of going there as a kid and I was looking forward to going there again.  However, it was not meant to be this time!  Strike one - no closed to shoes.  Neither Ken nor I brought sneakers.  We brought sandals and crocs, neither of which are allowed for Scenic Caves.  Strike two, three and four (not that you need a fourth strike), Kate, Alice and Fiona.  Although I didn't know at the time that Kate and Alice were indeed strikes.  Lovey and Anna managed, but only barely.  So all things considered I'm glad we didn't go.  I did steal some pictures of everyone else enjoying time there.

Location, location, location!  I had wanted to drive up to Collingwood before the week and look around for somewhere for us to take pictures.  We have pictures scheduled for Friday, and we need a location.  While everyone else was at Scenic Caves, we drove around and looked for a spot that might work to take pictures.  Ken and I thought it might be fun to pick a spot that highlighted some of the beauties of Collingwood.  Our first stop was the water at the port, then a cute little Japanese Garden, the little museum with trains, then another beach area - Sunset Point Park.  I took a bunch of pictures, Ken picked up some groceries, the girls played at the park. 

We raced back to our place and Ken began preparing dinner.  We had tacos.  Andrew helped when he got back, and it was yummy! After dinner we walked down to the rec centre and the kids had fun playing some video games and with the toys.  Another great day!

COUSIN FUN - Day 6 - Canada Day and Matthew's Birthday

The plan was to get up and GO!  But that would have meant doing stuff last night, and I was just too tired.  Instead we got up, packed, tidied, cleaned a little and then we were off!

We got up to Collingwood around 2, and we met Grandma and Grandpa at Cranberry Resort and checked in.  We dropped some things off and then went up to the chalet.  Suzanne, Jon and their crews had been up to Blue Mountain for lunch and face painting fun before we got there.

When we got to the chalet the kids played, some soccer was watched (World Cup is on) and there was just general fun.  It was awesome seeing all the kids in Canada Day Shirts!

There were issues, or so it seemed with Suzanne's room at Cranberry - one of the keys given to Mom was to an already occupied room.  I went back with Mom to sort it out.  It turned out the front desk clerk had just written down the numbers incorrectly and it was easily straightened out. 

Then it was time for Matthew's birthday dinner.  Andrew BBQ'd and it was so good.  Ken made cheesecake and it was so good.  There were sides.  It was a good meal!  Jonathan entertained with a really funny joke about the heimlich maneuver.

We talked about fireworks.  My kids were nuts so we weren't sure if we were going to go or not, but at the last minute we did.  The Bates family and the Bacon family went up to Blue Mountain, and we the McCartney Family went into Collingwood.  Mom and Dad went to Collingwood too. The fireworks in Collingwood were really great.

One final thing I just have to write down because I want to remember...  When Kate was 18 months she screamed her head off during her first fireworks, and has since only watched fireworks from the van.  True to form tonight, she watched them in the van with her Dad.  Alice, Fiona and I ventured out into the field where a number of people were sitting on blankets.  Fiona fell asleep in my arms and Alice lay down in the grass watching the beautiful fireworks!