full of hot air

We are just wrapping up a wonderful long weekend - I'm watching K and R play our new Wii game, Happy Feet, while I upload some photos! We started out the long weekend by taking K out for dinner to celebrate his birthday. We took him to one of our favorite Ottawa restaurants, Lone Star Texas Grill, where R and I secretly told our server it was K's birthday {so they would make him wear the big cowboy hat while singing to him - embarrassing for K, fun for the kiddies and I}! The other times we have been there and seen birthday celebrations, Miss S always said "no me wear big hat". I promised her one day we would get daddy to wear the big hat - mission accomplished! Miss S loves the fresh salsa at Lone Star - who knew two year olds ate spicy salsa!

Friday was also R's pre-school graduation {although it seems like just yesterday he was just starting there}. It was so sweet - there are no words! I was so proud of my big boy! Can't wait for the next step - kindergarten here we come!

On Saturday we headed to Quebec for the 21st edition of the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival. We watched all the balloons take off from Parc de la Baie, much to the kiddies delight!

On Sunday we spent the evening celebrating the long weekend with our new neighbors - about 75 of them! Apparently we moved onto the party street of the neighborhood! They are all out having fun together on the front street so often, that this weekend ended up being the unofficial Labor Day street party. BBQs were pulled out onto the street, a tent and a keg {really, one of the neighbors works for a large beer company}, even a projector TV to play Guitar Hero {they were still playing at 1am when I finally went inside}! There was so much food...and SO many children running around, sharing toys, catching bubbles...some of the guys even put on a fireworks show. {Miss S refused to watch the fireworks, saying they were scary, but "when me bigger I watch fireworks. Pink fireworks. Pink fireworks not scary" - that is good two year old logic, right?}. Good times! And a great way to get to know all our new neighbors.

And finally, today we spent the day lounging around the kiddie pool at Renee and Mark's. R and Miss S love to play with their little girl, and with Renee and Mark apparently, {when we got home R asked when Mark can come over here to play with him again! Note to Renee: send your husband over here anytime to hang out with K, and we can go shopping, my kids will never even notice I am gone}!

Twilight Saga update - finished the first book in a couple days...and loved it. I passed it on to Renee to see if she will like it too, and have been wanting to get the next book from the minute I finished the first one! Who knew, I do like vampire books! {Auntie M - I think you should get these books too, you would like them}.

So with the long weekend behind me, I am so ready to move into fall. Can't wait to experience fall 'out east' {have heard it is just beautiful}, to see the trees change color in Gatineau Park, to have R start school, to watch the new fall TV shows {bringing back 90210 - can't wait, and the new season of America's Next Top Model, yippee!}, to wear cozy sweaters {I hope we are finally done with the crazy heat, but it doesn't seem like it yet}, and to get settled into a new routine! I love this time of year - it always feels like 'back to school' to me, even though it has been a long time since I've been in school myself. September feels more like ''the new year" to me than January ever has...