Off to Toronto

So here we are a few weeks into school and I'm still not done my summer holidays posts. A couple more and we're all caught up again ... since really, nothing much interesting happens once school starts.

During the last week before school Rob took a few days off and we had a short, but very nice holiday. We decided to leave Matthew behind for a couple days and took off to Toronto for a night. The girls finally got to see the much anticipated Sound of Music. We had told them at the beginning of the summer that we had gotten tickets for them. After that they read the book, watched the video several times and have played the cd almost none stop.

We watched a Wednesday afternoon matinee and had gotten front row seats for a very good price. We were a bit worried that we would be too close, but it wasn't and it was very nice to watch. Since Rob and I had seen the show before and last time sat in the very back we found it very neat to see the difference. Both seats were great, both seats you take in different details. At the back you see the more overall picture and are amazed by the props because you can't really tell how it all works. At the front you really get to take in their expressions and the smaller details and can figure out how the stage props work as you're close enough to see the details ... next time we'll have to try the middle :)

Cameras are not allowed, but I was bad and did manage to take a couple. Since they are without a flash and taken from my lap to be descreet they aren't really good ... but they're proof we were there :)

Waiting for the show to start













The opening scene and the finishing bows

The kids also enjoyed the walk through the city. Although I'd never want to live in the city we do find it quite fascinating to look at and see all the different buildings, peoples, vehicles, bikes etc. On our way back to the hotel we stopped at one very important building to say hi to a few people and have a look around at the place we spent many hours at a couple years ago. When I return to Mac I am often sad because it's all being redone/reconstructed/remodeled and it's changing ... it's not the place I remember, the place that holds all those dear memories. But so far SickKids is still the same place with the same noises, smells and looks ... I hope they keep it that way for a long time. We stopped in to talk to James' nurse and also seen his doctor. As well we had a peep at the floor and his room ... and were impressed that the nurses there still remembered us ... it has almost been two years, we find it quite amazing.

We made a point of finding a hotel with a pool and so in the evening the kids spent some time swimming. It was fun to kick back and relax and have that special time with the girls only. It is too bad there is such an age gap between the girls and Matthew, but it is something we have to come to accept and work with. While we hate leaving Matthew behind we realize that it's good and important to take the time with the girls also ... eventually Matthew will get his time also, for now he has no idea what he is missing.

The next day we wandered through Toronto and made a stop at Queens Park to take a tour of the Ontario Legislature Building. I'm not sure how much the kids got out of it ... especially Rebecca, but I know Rob and I appreciated the tour and we know that the girls will take something with them about it, not so much the finer details, but the overall pictures

The first pictures shows the true Legislative Chamber, while the second picture is an imitation room that they use in order to teach people while parliament is in session and then they allow people to sit up in the guest/viewers area and see the action.

The most interesting part of our visit came as we were leaving. We were just finishing up in the gift shop when the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, the Honourable Steve Peters, (the guy who sits on the "throne" in the middle) left the gift shop. Of course we had no idea who the guy was (shouldn't be of course, but we're really not that into politics), but the lady in the gift shop told us and said we should go have our picture with him. So she took us over to meet him and we took a picture of the girls with him. But he felt he could do better and asked if we had a few minutes. We weren't in any hurry so we followed him ... back up to the Legislative Chamber where he allowed the girls to sit on the "throne" and had one of the tour guides take a picture of us. We learned later that before Steve Peters became The Speaker the previous Speakers would not allow anyone to come near "their throne" ... but he quite likes to share it and let people sit in it and have their picture taken.

It was just a couple days away, but they were fun and the kids were off to bed on time so they could be all rested and ready to go on time to Bying Island the next day.