AND WE'LL BE TOGETHER

 We've spent this weekend getting to know Ottawa a little better on our bikes.  This morning we took our bikes into the city again in hopes of catching site of a few balloons. It was wet when we left but the sun came out by the time we reached Stanley park. We rode through the Governor Generals home first and weaved around Steve's old New Edinburgh neighborhood looking at all the swish homes.  The kids love being on the bikes and I could ride around city neighborhoods all day long. We ended our morning on a little pub on Wellington with some ciders and then popped in to see some friends in the area. Steve hung up the kids tree swing when we got home today and we tested it out before jumping in the pool & hot tub. I'm loving the long weekend especially the fact that it's not over!

THIS HOUSE RUNS BEST ON

We took our bikes down to Dows Lake today and went for a long bike ride around the arboretum and the new TD Place stadium located on the Lansdowne Park fairgrounds. I love the design. They have condos, restaurants, movies, shopping, a skate park & kids park on the outer core of the stadium- it's brilliant!  We stopped in at Mill Street Brewery for some beer tasting and brunch after-It was delicious!

Daddy's little Rose.

ROOTS

CRAZY LOT OF CUTENESS

Our play dates have been some of my favourite days this summer. Euan definitely loves all the ladies. School is starting next week and it's all Euan's been talking about today, that and the disappearance of his big brother... I just keep telling him he's gone back to school which seems to make him happy until the next time he ask me. 

We will be heading off to the balloon festival tomorrow. Some of the pictures posted today were amazing. Enjoy the long weekend folks! LLBC xo

SHE LOVED

PLAY BALL

GATINEAU HIKE

MAGIC

HONEY DUECE

My guest blogger L is enjoying a Honey Deuce ( envy ) as we speak at the US Open. She is watching Novak & Milos. Go Canada!! Have fun L. Xo

FAMILY

BEACH DAY

We were blessed with some more summer sunshine. We spent today at the beach soaking it up. It was so hot the boys had to bury their feet deep in the cold sand to play some catch. It's our second time at Constance Bay Beach. It's the best I've come across in Ottawa. After our morning at the beach, we came home and spent the afternoon in the pool and the evening playing Monopoly-C wiped the floor with us! 

FOUR

We've been married Four years. It seems longer to me probably because we have experienced the most important things in life, together. I have the best person I could possibly have in this world. He's loyal and he knows what is important to me. He tries hard to make our dreams reality and I love him every day for that. Thank you Husband.

LAST WEEKS OF SUMMER

The last few weeks of summer seems to be slipping through our fingers. I am feeling the weight of summers end and have been feeling very tired and emotional the last few nights.

So many fantastic memories have been made this summer.

Some really great ones last week while camping at Fitzroy Provincial Park with the Lougheeds and the Salvages. Truth be told I glamped..... I didn't actually stay the night at the site. After a gorgeous dinner and birthday cake (Ang's birthday cake) I packed up the wee ones wished Steve and Connor a dry nights sleep and drove the 35 minutes home to sleep in our own beds; we were back up the next morning in time for breakfast and to see Connor's big catch of the day, an 8 pound pike fish, he was so excited and so were we.  The Gillespies must have fishing in our blood because we all  caught a few. Dan was very patient with us while he taught us the art of his first love. Thank you Mr. Lougheed! Steve cooked up a delicious Navajo breakfast, a recipe out of our JO USA cookbook. It's was great for camping. We also packed up some enchiladas and wrapped them in tinfoil to heat up over the campfire. A few of our friends at the site had campers and I had some camper envy mostly because it was a very rainy weekend.

Romilly & Euan enjoyed getting muddy while scouring the waterfront for treasures and waving to us in the boat from shore.  They were so good. Too bad my bugs are both getting some heavy teeth in and I thought it was best to take them home. Sharing a tent with them is not my idea of a quiet night in the wilderness.

HAPPY FRIDAY, HAPPY WEEKEND

 We are getting our camp on this weekend with a few other families at Fitzroy PP.  Happy Friday!

LLBC xoxo

PEACE, LOVE & SANDY FEET

Happy Friday

It's the weekend again. It's going to be warm, sunny and fun.

C is finishing up his Bronze Medallion exam this weekend and is on his way to becoming a qualified life guard in Canada. It is always great to have another life guard around the family pool and he can make some good money doing life guarding if he ever wants to work at a city pool, lake or water slides. He could even follow in his Dad's footsteps and teach children how to swim.

After watching C get his award on Saturday I'm going on a girls cottage getaway to celebrate Tash's birthday. I'll post about it next week. The summer is passing so quickly and I'm definitely not ready for it to end. I think I'll head out tot he Lake with the kids this afternoon and take as much of it in as possible. Happy Friday!!! LLBC xo

G3

These are the smiles or lack of smiles you get when you have taken 55 family shots. 

Thank you C for being a trooper with the little ones. You are a sensational big brother to Euan and Romilly. I see your patience growing every day with them.  They love you big time! xoxo

FAMILY OVER EVERYTHING

We are spending the long weekend with my Husband's family. It will be Connor's first time meeting his twin cousins and seeing his Aunt B prego. We will have BBQ's, Birthday cake, play croquet & drink plenty of Rosé (or at least I will!)  i tried out a new class at the gym this morning called Body Flo, it is a mix of Pilates, Yoga & Tai Chi- It wasn't easy for me ( no surprise ) but a great stretch for my achey body after doing Body Attack a few times this week.