Heading Home

We are now on our way back home to Maryland. We will be making a few stops along the way for a little bit of a vacation. Our first stop was in Baddeck. We stopped to get a few souveniers and also found Larry the Lobster for Tyler. Our next adventure had us on a ferry headed for Prince Edward Island. With not much sunlight to spare, we got in one geocache and a couple photo spots. Tomorrow, we will be making a bee-line for New hampshire to meet up with Mark and Angie.

Yay!!!! Steve arrives Today!!!!!

What seems like a very long time, has finally arrived. Steve is on his way up to Canada to see us and bring us home. I was talking to Steve earlier this morning and he was in Maine at the time. So far there wasn't much traffic and the weather looked good. He left his Dad's house in Rhode Island at 5:30am. Today we are busy cleaning and baking some goodies for him. We are so excited to see Steve after all this time! I've missed him so very very much! It will be so nice to have our family back again!

Tyler Meets Heather's First Teacher

Just as we were heading out the door last night to go out for dinner, we noticed Mrs Selvet walking up the street. It had been years since I last seen her. She lives on the next street over from my parents. Mrs Selvet was my grade primary teacher. Everytime my parents see her, she always stops and asks how my brother and I are doing. She has been retire now for awhile, however she still remembers most of the students she has had over the years. She said that I haven't changed very much. She was so happy to see Tyler and she couldn't get over how alert he is and that he has such a pleasant personality. We will try our best to squeeze in some time when Steve is here so that he can meet her too. She is a very special person!

The Best Donairs in Town

On the way home from town, we decided to drop in to say Hello to Noreen. Noreen is my old boss from when I worked at her store, The Subway Deli, in high school. Now Noreen has a new sub shop in Howie Centre. It has been ages since I've seen Noreen. My mom and Noreen are good friends. She got to meet Tyler while we enjoyed a donair and fries. It was great to see Noreen again! She still makes the best donairs and subs I've ever tasted! I hope that when Steve gets here, we will be able to go back and see her before we leave. Thanks so much Noreen for the donair! Also today, our little boy turns 7 months old!!! This morning as he was laying on my bed, I couldn't believe how much he has grown just in the weeks that we've been visiting. He is getting so long!!!

Tyler's Playing Field

When at Grammy and Grampy's house, we have to put lots of blankets on the floor to ensure that he has lots of soft padding. We use 3 comforters and 2 bedsheets to make it nice and safe, incase he bangs his head on the floor. We also have to use the chesterfield and love seat cushions to create a barrier so he won't go off onto the living room floor. He enjoys rolling around and playing with his toys at Grammy and Grampy's house. ******** Happy Birthday to our friend, Mike! Mike and his wife Courtney were stationed with us in Sicily, Italy and before that, Steve and Mike were in A School together. Now Mike and Courtney are stationed in California and Mike is out to sea until March.

*Gracious Sakes Alive, Our Mom is 65

Mom turned 65 today! We celebrated her birthday by treating her to lunch at Jasper's and then we spent the afternoon at the Two Rivers Wildlife Park in Mira. Mom and Tyler really enjoyed seeing the animals. Unfortunately most of the animals were in their little houses asleep, however we did manage to see two moose which are usually a rare sight at the park. She and my brother, Joey, got her a gift certificate to Swiss Chalet so tonight we are going there for her birthday dinner. Our favourite and most entertaining were the otters. They were playing around the pool having a great time. On our way home, we got a phone call from Kristin wishing Mom a Happy Birthday.Also tonight while we were waiting for my dad to get off from work, we had a nice visit from our neighbours, Mr and Mrs Baillie. They gave her a lovely card. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM, WE LOVE YOU SOOOO VERY MUCH!!!!! *"Gracious Sakes Alive" is a saying my mom says all the time that means Oh My Goodness. Happy Birthday to Danielle! She turns 1 year old today!!!! Also Happy Belated Birthday to Belle! Sorry I missed your birthday!

Buddies!

As soon as Grampy comes home for work, the first thing he asks is "Where's Tyler?". Tyler and Grampy have become great buddies. Grampy loves to give Tyler his bottle and feed him his meals. Each night before Tyler's 'Night Night Time', Grampy takes Tyler out for a walk around the yard for some fresh air. Sometimes Grampy will be sitting in the chair with Tyler and the both of them will fall asleep. It's not hard to tell that Grampy is so proud of his grandson!

Mark, Angie & Garret Visit

Mark and Angie are on a road trip to Canada and several points inbetween. Our house was their first stop along the way. We all went to Washington for the day and walked the Mall. We had lunch at a favorite D.C. spot, Five Guys. In the evening, we went to Solomon's Island and walked the board walk. We may all meet again in Nova Scotia next week when I drive up to get Heather and Tyler.

Tyler Meets Sarah

This afternoon we went to a nice buffet in North Sydney. We invited Sarah to come along too. I have known Sarah since she was three years old! My mom used to look after her and her brother David. Sarah is practically like a sister to me because Mom looked after her for 10 years! Tyler got to meet Sarah for the first time today!

Tyler visits the Horses

Just across the field that is in the back of my parents house is a horse farm. I used to spend a lot of time at the barn when I was younger. The farm which specializes in Morgan horses, now has two minature horses. We took Tyler over to see the horses this afternoon. There were two horses and two minature horses out in the pasture. This was his first time seeing horses. While I fed them some grass, he studied them pretty good and even smiled and laughed at them. He really liked the horses.

Our trip to Groves Point

Mom and I took Tyler to Groves Point today. I thought this was my first time at Groves Point Beach park, however my mom claims that I have been there several times when I was younger. It was a nice breezy day along the coast. Tyler had a fun time out in the fresh air. Afterwards we had a nice lunch at the General Store Cafe. Tyler was getting lots of attention from the waitresses and the customers who came in. They just loved his sweet smile. He sure is a charmer!

New Cachers

Since our arrival here in Canada, we've been out geocaching practically everyday. I've taken my parents out "caching" with us and I think I've got them addicted to the game as well. My mom is always wanting to go caching and my dad is the perfect person to take because he knows all the streets of Sydney and the surrounding area better than anyone I know. Some of the caches have actually taken us to new places that he never knew existed. Both of my parents are amazed at the places we'll find some of the caches. I'm trying to convince them to buy a GPS so they can go caching themselves after we leave. It's a great hobby for anyone who is retired; it's great exercise and it's a lot of fun!

Where's the Photos?

If you've been keeping up at all with our blog, you probably have been noticing some of the posts have been delayed. I am unable to post photos using my mom's computer because it is too old and therefore, I have to e-mail the photos to Steve and he adds the photos and then publishes the post. This week however, Steve has duty and gets off of work much later than normal so I am publishing the posts daily and Steve can add the photos when he gets a chance. He has been quite busy with continuing to unpack and doing some maintainance on our new house. We hope you still continue to view our blog daily. We really enjoy updating you all on what is going on in our lives, especially our pride and joy, Tyler.

Happy Belated Birthday!

Yesterday father and daughter, Chris and Gizelle, celebrated their birthdays together. Gizelle was born 2 years ago on her daddy's birthday! She was born in Sicily, Italy when we were stationed there. Jessica, Chris, and Gizelle now reside in Virginia. We hope both of you had a terrific day and we may all your birthday wishes come true! Jessica, I'll give you a call once I get back to the states :)

Our Lovely Visit

Just as I finished writing the Sunday Shopping post, we heard someone at the door. It was our good friend and neighbour, Mohini back for another visit to see Tyler and she had a very special gift to give him. It was an adorable stuffed puppy dog! We were in the process of getting Tyler ready for a walk and so we invited Mo to come along with us. It had been cloudy all day, however shortly after we started our walk the sun came out to greet us. We had a lovely walk around the block and as we came to Mo's house, she invited us in and showed her husband Tyler. We had a nice visit and we were on our way. Thank you so very much for the puppy! I will tell Tyler when he gets older that a special friend of ours gave it to him.

Sunday Shopping

I've noticed a few changes since the last time I was home; one of them being, the Sunday shopping. Nova Scotia has always had a ban on Sunday shopping that disabled large department stores from opening and doing business on that day. A store has to be within a certain square footage. Our grocery stores have always been in strict competition with each other and one chain decided to open on Sunday, causing the other leading chain to open as well. However to remain within the legal limitations, each store actually had to block off certain areas in the store so that they not exceed the size of the store allowed for Sunday shopping. This afternoon was my first Nova Scotian Sunday shopping experience in a grocery store. I was shocked to see aisles actually blocked off and store shelves covered! I took some pictures for all my American friends to see. They have no idea what it is like to have major chain stores closed on Sundays. After we completed our grocery shopping, we headed on over to a restaurant in Bras d'Or where Grampy treated us to a nice dinner over looking the beautiful Bras d'Or Lakes.

Stroll with Grammy

While my dad was busy fixing the chimney, Tyler, Mom, and I went for a stroll up the street. The weather is just absolutely gorgeous today. It is sunny and 24 degrees Celsius with a light breeze.

Santa is that you?

Santa isn't early this year, it is just my dad up on the roof fixing the chimney. He is installing a guard on the chimney to help prevent little innocent birds that find themselves trapped inside our basement. In the winter, it gets so cold that some birds seek warmth by flying down the chimney. Last winter, my parents came home to find 3 birds flying around inside our house!

To My Wife:

I can’t tell you how much I miss you. I don’t seem to have quite the amount of energy or interest in doing things because you aren’t here with me. The house is quiet and lonely. I think of you always and hope you are enjoying your visit at home. I can’t wait to see you. I am used to traveling away for work and it’s OK. I am usually busy and the time passes quickly. Being home alone is much different. There is no smile and hug when I return from work. There is no one so happy to see me. There is no one to share the stories of my day with. We will be together again soon and that makes me smile. I can’t tell you how much I miss you.

Hope to See You Soon Tanya!

This afternoon one of my best friends is going back to Alberta. Tanya and her boyfriend had been visiting during the past week and a half. It had been almost 8 years since we had seen each other last and she hasn't changed a bit. She is still sweet and so full of life. This morning we went to one of our favourite nearby parks to get a "stump" picture together. You are probably wondering what a "stump" picture is? A stump picture is a photo of someone standing on a tree stump, usually doing a silly pose. Tanya, our other best friend, Erika, and I started taking "stump" pictures when we first met each other. We used to hike a lot and if there was a tree stump to be found, we would be sure to do our "stump" photo to add to our collection. After our "stump" photo session, Tanya and her mom came back to our house and Mrs Boudreau got to meet Tyler for the first time. Tyler had a great time with them and loved grabing Tanya's long hair. I will miss you Tanya! I hope it won't be another 8 years before we see each other again.

Tyler gets more Visitors

Tyler is becoming very popular these days. This afternoon Mrs Decker, a long time friend and neighbour of my mom's, came up to see us. My mom used to look after her three daughters when they were babies. Soon after Mrs Decker left, we got a call from Mrs Boutilier saying she was on her way over. Mrs Boutilier is Christine's mom. Mrs Boutlier had a fun time playing with Tyler. It was a very nice afternoon spent with our friends. We very much enjoyed their company and we hope to see them again soon!

Three-Day Weekend at Home.

While Heather and Tyler are away in Canada visiting family and friends, I am home enjoying my weekend as best I can. I spent Saturday cleaning up the front yard from the storm. On Sunday I drove up to the mall for a visit to Sear's. I bought a used mower marked down 50%. I told the guy I need to use it right away and the blade was a bit dull. He threw in a brand new blade for free! After the mall I began cleaning the backyard. I am working on trimming the trees and raking up areas that have never been raked before. I have a HUGE pile of branches, leaves and debris piled up in the back yard. I will have to spend another weekend trying to figure out what to do with that pile. Well, I have to get back to work...

Tyler's First Day at Church.

Tyler went to church for the first time this morning. He was such a good boy that as we were coming out of the church after the service was over, members of the congregation couldn't believe that he was even there. He was so quiet. After church, we came home and relaxed and soon got a nice surprise visit from our neighbour down the street. Mohini and her husband have been our neighbour for years and we actually worked together when I worked for Revenue Canada Taxation. It was so nice to see her again! Unfortunately my camera was in the car, but I'm sure we will be seeing each other again before we leave. This afternoon we picked some of Mom's flowers from one of her pretty bushes for Grampy's grave. When home, I always make a special visit to my grampy's grave to pay my respects. He passed away three years before I was born. He was my Dad's father. My mother's father died before I was born as well, so I never grew up with any grandfathers, just a very loving grandmother. For dinner, we went to a lovely buffet and Tyler just totally captivated everyone's heart in the room. He had a smile for each and every person that walked by. He reminds us everyday how blessed we truly are to have such a wonderful loving baby!

Where Do You Want to go Kids?

To the Tasty Treat! No trip to Cape Breton would be complete without several visits to a popular ice cream eatery known as the Tasty Treat. I have been a customer ever since I can remember and my dad says he remembers going there in his early twenties. Steve and I love the ice cream here; in fact, I got my very first dose of morning sickness as a result of eating way too much. Tonight was my first visit here in almost a year. It was closed for the winter the last time we were in Cape Breton and I had been craving Tasty Treat ice cream ever since. Tonight I had a banana split. I took a picture of it so you could admire its' beauty before I gobbled it all up.

Visit From Ernesto

Tropical storm Ernesto came through yesterday with heavy rains and winds gusting to 50 mph. The power went off for a few hours during the storm. The cable, Internet and phone was off almost all day Saturday. Large branches from the weeping willow trees covered the front yard. The roof was covered in a thick blanket of pine needles, pinecones and sticks. The storm could have been a lot worse. I'm happy no trees fell or any branches hit the car. The clean up should be fun!

Our Afternoon

This was the first chance we got to see Rhonda and her mother since we've been home. Rhonda and I did our usual trip to one of our favourite local restaurants, The Lobster Pound, for lunch. Afterwards we went for a drive around the area and then back to her house for some cake. This was not any ordinary cake however, this was a "Woolworth's Cake." The Sydney Woolworth's closed a number of years ago, however Rhonda somehow found the woman who used to make their delicious cakes. Woolworth cakes used to be a staple at our birthday parties when we were growing up, so tasting it certainly brought back some childhood memories. I then came back home and picked Tyler up after my mom watched him all afternoon and brought him back to the MacKenzie's for Rhonda and her mother to meet. Rhonda and I go way back. We met in Grade 2 and I practically grew up over at her house. Mrs MacKenzie was like a second mom. She would bake us the most delicious things all the time. It was wonderful seeing Rhonda and her mom again and finally introducing my baby boy to them!