Kick it!

Soccer season began with a somewhat foggy cold start but Olan didn't mind it in the least. He flew into action from the first whistle and had a fantastic time. I had a great time running around too, mostly while laughing hysterically at the attempts of 3&4 year-olds and their creative ways of guarding the ball. Bring it on we say!

Olan and Libbs getting ready to kick-off the season

Nice!

Learning to stop the ball

He's got it!

In the fray in a game of three-on-three

Casting pro!

This boy can cast, the fish at the lake are looking nervous!

The cottage is open!

Weekends at the lake have begun and we couldn't be happier! Olan joyful packs his own bag each weekend and climbs into the car, full of plans for all he will do and see. It's the ultimate place for kids... no schedule, light on the rules and plenty of fresh air. It's sad to hear the little "bye bye cottage" as we get on the road Sunday but at least we know it won't be long until we return.

A well-deserved G&T

Learning from the pros

Sunset casting

Marshmellow bliss

His pet grub

Planting onions with Grandpa

Beautiful lupins!

Little boy in green

"I'm heading out to deeper water"

Hot chocolate, many marshmellows needed

Chillin' in the hammock

For Gran!

We tried out our new Starbucks yesterday Gran and it definitely passes muster.

Top secret launch, and we were there!

We saw what we thought was just a rocket going up from Cape Canaveral, turns out it was a top secret op. Cool!

There it goes!

Kamikaze Collins hits the waterslides

We visited Daytona Lagoon today and a watersliding maniac was born! My hair should by all rights be pure white after a day on the slides with young Olan. He is a maniac and spent the entire day flying down the deepest, darkest slides in the park, his height gives him a definite advantage! I had no choice but to follow and all I can say is phew, we're home!

This was the only remotely camera safe slide

Impatiently waiting for me to stow the camera and hit the slides with him

Snack break, weird little ice cream balls, quite delicious!

Cheap Walmart wine and we can't walk the line...

Johnny Cash adaptation by Bob Barton, photo by John Loch. A fun night for all, especially the little rock star who wasn't dragged off the stage until almost 11:00.

Duuuuuuude!

After a hilarious morning hearing these two trying to talk like surfers "duuuuude what 'cha doooooin'?"

And the cutest little baby surfer ever!

The turtle hospital

We were lucky enough to make it to turtle day at the Marine Science Centre. Lots of fun activities culminating in the release of some gulls, pelicans and two rehabilitated turtles back into the wild. It was so fun and well worth going. The kids loved seeing all the tanks in the "hospital" and the xrays showing swallowed plastic bags, fish hooks, etc. that the poor turtles had swallowed.

In front of the hospital tanks

The crowd starts gathering before the release

Carrying the first one down

Off he/she goes!

We are having SO much fun!

As always, Florida doesn't disappoint. The days have been hot and sunny and full of fun and laughs. So many great moments and the trip isn't over yet!

For Dad: proof that they really are coming up!

For Gran & Grandpa, Olan "hollow leg" Collins helping chef up a burger at 10:30am, after a full-on blueberry pancake breakfast at 8:30am. He declared at 10:00am that he was sooooo hungry and could he please have a hamburger and spaghetti and meatballs. We compromised and he got his burger, and he ate the whole thing, bun and all. I feel the shopping in Florida will greatly benefit us with the growth spurt that must be coming!

Happy Easter!

What a wonderful day! The weather was perfect and so was the day. Olan woke me at 6:30 (the only non-perfect part) because he could "hear the Easter bunny downstairs!!!" and sure enough, the bunny had come and left so many eggs hidden about that Olan couldn't even count them all. He counted to twenty and then said "I don't know the numbers to count them all". He did however, have the skills to find them. I thought I was being a bit tricky but he easily got them all in about 15 minutes. After breakfast; waffles for me, chocolate eggs for Olan, we got all gussied up and headed to church. The service was so lovely and all the Sunday school kids received a really nice illustrated bible from which Olan has already learned that "John the Baptist was really hairy and ate grasshoppers (locusts)", information that he proudly shared with the rector over cupcakes after the service. Lord.

Coming down off that chocolate/cupcake high, we chilled at home and visited with Aunty Mer and Dave who were just back from the airport. Then we went off to a big Newfoundland style turkey dinner at Olan's girlfriend's house, complete with pease pudding, salt pork AND beef as well as a big turkey, cabbage, turnip, mashed potato, etc., etc., etc. It was so wonderful to be at a big family gathering with cousins and noise and good food and conversation, the next best thing to being with our own and I had been missing that all weekend. Olan fell asleep in the car on the way home mid-sentence telling me what a great time he'd had.

Checking out his basket

Old eagle-eye spots another one

With his new pony from G&G, "Giddyup"

Handsome

Chatting... mostly about chocolate.

Olan receiving his bible

The frogs are out in the ponds

Car wash!

Best buds

Bubble time

I have no idea what's going on here but this cracks me up

Tessa the entertainer

Never too many cooks in the kitchen in this family!

The kids table

Cake!