Tales of Summer: Ottawa

We spent the last three days in Ottawa as a family.  It was wonderful to get away for a while and spend some time together doing nothing but fun.

We left home early on the first day and had a picnic breakfast and lunch in the car; the girls thought this was the coolest thing.  They were amazing for the whole seven hours we were on the road - they sang, read stories and played with their small toys.  I was surprised but thrilled with how smoothly the car-time went.

The first thing we did when we got to Ottawa was walk around the Parliament buildings.

It was very hot.  Not even the slightest breeze.  And my new sandals were giving me a brutal blister.  But we enjoyed taking some pictures and talking a little about what this place is all about.  

We went for dinner at an Irish Pub in the Byward Market.  

The nachos were a huge hit!

And dinner was delicious.  I had fish and chips that were out of this world, though I may have reached my yearly limit for grease intake. Yummy!

The next day we went to the Canadian Children's Museum.  The exhibits were completely interactive and the girls had so much fun playing and discovering. Daddy had fun playing too.

There was a bus to drive.

The ship's captain was very busy.

Mopping was serious work.

And corn needed to be ground.  

These two were constantly on the move; there was so much to see and do and so much fun to be had.

We ended the day with a small snack and coffees for Mommy and Daddy beside the Rideau Canal; some much needed quiet time after the excitement of the day.

We spent our last day at Calypso - a huge water park.  The girls had the time of their lives on the water slides and are still talking about it - discussing which slides they went on, which was the fastest, which was the scariest, and how they want to go down the slides head first the next time we are at the water park.  What daredevils they are, completely fearless.  I have no pictures to share from this adventure; I am not comfortable posting pictures of my family in our bathing suits on the internet. 

Of course, no holiday would be complete without a little crafting.  I took two portable crochet projects along for the 15 or so hours that we were in the car, and for the evenings when the girls were in bed and Steve and I were hanging out in the hotel room.

One project is so close to being done; I just need to put the ends in and then I can show you what it is.

And I got a good colorful start on another.

I came home relaxed.  Rejuvenated.  Ready for everyday life again.  

And I am really looking forward to the other trips we still have planned for this summer.