Trip to Montreal - Part 3 - View of the City

After the day at the Science Museum, Andy drove us around the city. I was able to visit the geo dome which I had visited in 1967 when I had gone to Expo '67.





Then we went to the top of the mountain (Mont Réal) to view the city. It was bitterly COLD that day!

Trip to Montreal - Part 2 - my hosts

On Saturday, November 20, Heather, Andy, the children and I went to the city's science museum.


Here you see beautiful Elizabeth trying to decide if she wanted to sit with me for a while. We got along beautifully and she just sat and looked out the window at the harbor.




Oliver had been to the museum before and he was VERY UPSET that he had not had time to sit and read books in the reading corner! That day, Oliver got his wish!




There were lots of hands on activities for parents and children. Andy stood on a pedestal and raised a ring about the size of a hula hoop with a GIANT soap film around Elizabeth and himself!




Then there was the mind over matter experiment. Heather and Andy had to concentrate on nothing and with no brain waves, they could move a marker between them. Oliver was most interested in his concentrating parents!

Trip to Montreal in November - part 1 - From the Train

The train trip to Montreal is an incredibly beautiful trip. From Wilmington I traveled to NYC and then changed trains. From that point on, the scenery is just BEAUTIFUL. First the train travels along the Hudson River. Although it was late November, the fall colors were still visible.






Then later, the train travels along Lake Champlain. Just BEAUTIFUL!

Rhia's Trip to NCY on 10/16/10

We left very early Saturday morning - 5:30 AM - for the train station. We wanted to catch the 7 AM train to NYC. We got to the train station in plenty of time and waited for a while before we went up to the platform. You can see that Rhia was excited but tired at this hour!




When we got to the American Girl Place, we went to the restaurant where we had brunch. Rhia ordered quiche and salad from the menu and I had the same. When it arrived, she announced that she preferred her mother's quiche to what was served there.




Because it was Rhia's 9th birthday present, I had ordered a cake - forgetting that Rhia does not like cake! :-(




Rhia stated later that the best part of the entire day was getting her doll's hair done.



I must say that American Girl Place is amazing. EVERYONE we met at the store, from the waitresses to the hairdressers to the sales clerks were so very warm and friendly and very very kind to all the children in the store and especially to Rhia. After our time at American Girl, we visited the Toys R Us at Times Square. Rhia wanted to by candy for her siblings. We then went back to Penn Station and bought a magazine and a souvenir key chain and then took the train home.



Rhia's mother stated that Rhia had a blast. I am so very happy that she did.

August 25 - Cooking with Kyle and Teagan II

One of my goals for the day was to use as many kitchen technologies as possible during the day. I had purchased this apple corer/slicer years ago so I opened the box and we used it for the first time and Kyle had great fun with it. Kyle was so busy using it - I really think that Teagan should have had more time with it to master it. But, Kyle believed that he could do it better and that Teagan was a bit too young!




Teagan did enjoy pealing carrots for the salad! Notice the concentration!




Teagan was finally allowed by Kyle to use the pizza cutter on the puff pastry as we made chocolate croissants.




After I took the children home, they posed with all that they had made - meatballs in sauce (we did not have time to make the sauce so we used a jar of sauce I had on the shelf,) mini chocolate croissants, 2 apple pies (Kyle said one had to have frosting, Teagan said we had to do one without frosting as Rhia does not like frosting - how thoughtful!) salad and garlic bread (which I ended up making as the children were really too tired to do it.) We had a WONDERFUL if exhausting day!

August 25 - Cooking with Kyle and Teagan I

On August 25, Kyle and Teagan came to cook. One of the products of our cooking day was meatballs. Teagan did not want to break open the egg so of course Kyle did that chore, with no convincing.




Measuring became an important activity that day.










What surprised me the most was how much both enjoyed making meatballs! They LOVED it! They were sad when we ran out of meat for the meatballs! Mom, take notice!

Aug. 23 - Cooking with Rhia & Iain III

Both Rhia and Iain REALLY ENJOYED peeling hard boiled eggs for the ham salad. I never thought a hard cooked egg could get a child so excited!!




Rhia, the one with the most discerning pallette, loved the cheese straws! Iain was not so sure!




And - then there was my kitchen when they left! I must teach them how to clean up after themselves! Shame on me!

Aug. 23 - Cooking with Rhia & Iain II

Using the grinder to make ham salad proved to be a WONDERFUL adventure! The purpose of this cooking lesson was to use as many forms of technology as possible. I said that to Iain and he proceeded to call all forms of technology a weapon! "Now are we going to use another weapon, Aunt Helen?" Leave it to a 7 year old!




Then we prepared cheese straws from puff pastry. It was a WONDERFUL recipe from Ina Garten on the Food Network! I will definitely make them again!







And then Rhia and Iain posed with all that they had made - Enchilada Casserole, Strawberries in Rasberry Sauce to be served over an angel food cake, tossed salad, ham salad and cheese straws.

Aug. 23 - Cooking with Rhia & Iain I

Rhia and Iain and I spent a whole day cooking our hearts out! First, we prepared hard boiled eggs.




Then we prepared an angel food cake.




Then we cut onions for the enchilada casserole.







Opening cans proved to be more of an adventure than I would have thought! They were both so interested in learning how to open a can! What is wrong with this cooking lesson? ;-)

July 29 - Rhia and Teagan Bake III

Rhia sprinkled topping on the blueberry muffins.




Rhia helped Teagan and made the frosting for Teagan's cup cakes.




The girls seemed pleased with the results of their baking.




And after the girls left, this is what my kitchen looked like!

July 29 - Rhia and Teagan Bake II

Rhia wanted to make blueberry muffins.

July 29 - Rhia and Teagan Bake I

Teagan wanted to make chocolate cup cakes. She began by preparing the pans.