Bates! - Day Five - Centre Island

Centre Island.  I just love it so much.  It's a great place, but I know part of the reason I love it so much is that it is more or less the same, as when I was a kid, and it holds so many fond memories of family.  We didn't go last year at all, and two years ago when we went it was without Suzanne and her crew, so I was so excited when she said Centre Island was on her list!

 

Our first stop on the Island was a park.  The park is on the side furthest away from the city.  It was there two years ago, but I don't remember it being there before that.  There was a little bit of drama, (no pre-teens will be mentioned) but everyone got through it and soon after Andrew and Rayna joined us.  From the park we walked to the beach intending to walk to the pier, but somehow the sand was distracting, and we never quite made it.

Next was the maze!  The maze was gone for a few years. It had fallen into disrepair, but a private citizen put up the money to redo it!

After the maze and silly pictures, it was on to Centreville and RIDES, oh and lunch.  I'm not sure why, but I thought it was really funny that Suzanne had a Nancy bottle of coke.  I called her Nancy all through lunch.  Sometimes I am weird!

And then it was time to go.  Andrew and the boys were off to a Toronto FC match and the rest of us were off home.  It was a lovely, lovely day.

Bates! - Day Four - Canada's Wonderland!

Last year I took Kate and Alice.  This year Fiona was going to join us.  The plan - Suzanne and Me and Seven children.  I pictured Suzanne staying with me and all the little girls, that we'd do all the little rides and that the big boys would go off to do their rides, but that isn't really what happened.

Thomas just turned ten, so he isn't into all the big rides yet, and he's a little too tall for the little kid rides, Joey was ready to do almost everything, and Isaac wanted to do everything.  It's too bad Andrew wasn't able to come with us, but we did all right.  Suzanne and the boys went back and forth between the big kid rides and the little kid rides.  Alice had a minor melt down at lunch, but we went on so many rides, the girls did great. 

Fiona was almost tall enough to go on everything.  Alice went on the Ghoster Coaster with me.  The forecasted thunder storms never materialized and although there were a few sprinkles, the rain didn't take away the fun at all!

Here are the Ghoster Coaster pics.  Isaac and I planned our seating hoping that we'd all get in the same picture, and Suzanne bought the one of Joey and Thomas - fun!  Alice was terrified when we went down the first hill, but she had fun.  I was sad her hair was all in front of her face in the picture but it still captures it though.  I wonder if Kate will go back on the Ghoster Coaster next year?

We really had an awesome day, so much so, that I'm considering getting passes for next summer.  Suzanne and the boys stayed later and I took all the girls home.  We picked up McDonald's on the way home, and as we pulled around the corner from the drive-thru window... Double Rainbow!  It was the perfect end to a great day. 

Bates! - Day Three - Swimming and the Keg

Today was Simcoe Day - a civic holiday in the province of Ontario.  We had talked about going to Canada's Wonderland, but with it being a holiday thought better of it.  We decided that we would swim at G & G's and then go out for dinner in Ajax. 

The kids had so much fun swimming.  We had the pool to ourselves which was good because we are loud!  Grandma bought goggles for the girls - well, except Fiona, but Fiona got to borrow Alice's for almost the whole time.  Then it was dinner time.

Andrew has been one of the managers at the Keg in Ajax for, a year now?  I think?  I can't remember.  He loves it.  He's doing really well too.  He's getting a promotion in September and will return to the Richmond Hill store, so it was fun to go out to Ajax - which isn't really very close to Tottenham, and see him.  We had a great dinner - MEAT!  YUM! It really is so lovely to go see Andrew in his element, doing his thing and shining. 

We decided that it would be fun to go down by the lake after dinner, find a park, go for a little walk - however the province being on holiday, made this a completely unoriginal thought!  After buying a pair of shoes for Fiona at the Superstore (oops - she was shoeless at the restaurant - shh) we made our way to a park in Pickering which was no where near the lake - but not before trying to stop in at a sporting goods store, which was closed. 

It was a fun, yummy, cousin day!

Bates! - Day Two - Sunday

Suzanne says that she has gone to church with us in Orangeville before.  I don't remember.  It bothers me a little that I don't remember.  Ah well!

Funny church story - Isaac was in the youth Sunday school class that was taught by Sis. Grant.  He said that he was the nephew of Wendy McCartney (I suppose he might have mentioned Ken as well...)  Then in Relief Society, Suzanne introduced herself as the sister of Wendy McCartney, and Sis. Grant said, I had your son in my class, who is this Wendy McCartney?  And everyone chorused, she's in nursery!  So funny, Ken and I really are cut off a bit from the ward!  I do love nursery though, and I think Ken mostly does too!

After church we had a mostly quiet afternoon.  Grandma and Grandpa popped in for a bit.  I didn't take any pictures for a second day, but picture taking or not, it was a lovely day!

Bates! - Day One - Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's

Suzanne and the kids left early.  Their plans were to go to G & G's and then come up to us.  She wanted us to come down but I thought they should have some McCartney free time with the Grandparents.  Well plans be darned because when the girls found out we could be hanging out with the cousins... we decided to go down anyway.  What a happy reunion!  Let the week of cousin fun begin!