day 7 - six strikes

Today we did something as a family that we've never done before...bowling!!

Before heading out, this was what Cayla's room looked like. She had lined up a bunch of her toys and books. This is a phase of toddlerhood that I think is cute, but not fun to clean up! At least she's good about tidying up!

The sister bonding continues. More and  more I find them sitting together doing things together. This morning it was colouring.

Before going bowling, Alyssa insisted she didn't want to go and wanted to stay home!! It wasn't until she started beating Daddy that she really got into playing it!! The alley we went to is right in town and has eight lanes. I am not sure why we haven't taken the girls before now! I forgot how fun bowling is!! The last time I went bowling, I don't even think Jason and I were married yet, so over 10 years ago!! Yet my score reflected someone who bowls on a regular basis!! Even the woman working asked if I bowl often!! Probably because not everyday does someone get 4 strikes in a row!! Even I was shocked!! In total I had 6 strikes and 2 spares and my final score was 223.

Jason on the other hand wasn't doing so well :) Throughout the game, both girls had a higher score than him!! Alyssa loved this!! She's very competitive, but only with her Daddy!! LOL

Five pin is perfect for little ones. Even Cayla could pick up the balls. Cayla was actually more interested in watching the balls come back up! Alyssa wanted to hand us our balls when it was our turn.

Cayla didn't hate bowling, but she really didn't love it either. There were moments where she was very happy and loved rolling the ball, but there were other times she wanted one of us or even Alyssa to do it for her. Her little shoes were so cute!!!

Alyssa really got into playing and each time she would roll her ball faster. Almost every time she would hit a pin too!

I loved that it was all digital so we didn't have to keep track of our score. This is proof that the girls were beating their Daddy early on. And that Mommy was smoking everyone!!

I love these two shots! Alyssa was super happy for Cayla and was cheering her on!! It was great to watch Alyssa coach Cayla on how to roll the ball. Than in the second one, Alyssa is excited and jumping because she hit more than one pin!!

These are our final scores. Cayla only has a higher score than Alyssa because Alyssa bowled the last couple frames for Cayla. Needless to say I was VERY happy with my final score!!

It was a fun couple of hours! We'll be going back again soon!

day 295 - pumpkin patch

A day without rain!!! Finally!!! It meant we could make a trip to the pumpkin patch!! It may not have been raining, but it was chilly out and a little overcast, but the sun broke through the clouds a couple times.

Love watching these two. It's great to see Alyssa being such a good big sister and holding Cayla's hand. What's even more fun is when I hear Alyssa ask Cayla to hold her hand and they run off to play together!

Lots of fun to do in the hay maze.

We had a wagon ride around the muddy corn field and pumpkin patch.

Not many big pumpkins in this patch!

The animals were a highlight for the girls. Alyssa loved petting them all, while Cayla kept her distance.

This is Chester. He was Alyssa's favourite. I think she could've stood her all afternoon and petted him.

They got a kick out of the donkey talking :) Made everyone run to see what was making all the noise.

Then it was off to get some pumpkins.

Most of the pumpkins were small. There were bigger ones, but they weren't the best looking ones. If we felt like looking through them, I am sure we could've found a couple, but the girls were content to get the little ones.

The tiny pumpkins were their favourites. They each found one and brought them home to put on their dressers in their rooms.

It was a fun afternoon at the patch. I am glad we did it this year, since we missed doing it last year.

day 274 - at the pool

It's that time of year again. Swimming lessons for Alyssa started today! I was very happy to see that she has the same teacher as last time! And an extra bonus is one of the girl's in her swim class is also in her class at school. As always, we were very proud of Alyssa. Despite not going to the pool all summer, she did quite well and was even swimming unassited!! She has come a long way since the spring of 2010 when she started lessons.

As always, Cayla was wishing she was in the pool. Next spring it'll be her turn. She needs to be potty trained first!! We're working on it, it's just too bad she wasn't working with us on it :) LOL

After lessons, it was the usual. Run around the rink! We're very lucky that where we live we have a state of the art arena with two ice rinks, two indoor pools and a fitness centre!!
Today there was a girl's hockey game. Who knows, maybe one day Alyssa or Cayla or even both of them may play hockey or ringette or figure skate on this rink! For now, they just enjoy running around it!

Before heading home, we made a stop at Tim Hortons. I really wanted one of the new Maple Cinnamon French Toast bagels! They are soooooo yummy!!! We waited in the drive-thru live for what seemed like ages!!! Finally, it came out turn to order and guess what, they were all out of the bagels!!!! Oh well, they had another kind I liked and the girls each got a bagel and Jason got a muffin.

day 260 - fall fair

It's that time of year for fall festivities. This weekend is always the fall fair in my hometown. It's nothing big or even that fabulous, but it's fun for the girls. I remember going to the fair every year as a kid, so it's something I want to share with my girls, since there isn't a fall fair where we live.

It was the perfect day for it too!

Every year they have the same rides and pretty much the same games, but that's actually a good thing, because now Alyssa remembers everything from the previous year and looks forward to doing things again. Like riding on the Gator ride. She was the only one on it and the guy must have let her go around at least 10 times!!! I was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to stop it! LOL Alyssa didn't care, she loved it!!

Cayla wondered the same thing as she looked on. She wanted to go on, but she wanted one of us to go with her, but we couldn't, as we were too big!! So she just watched her big sister. Maybe next year she'll want to do it by herself or with her sister.

The one ride we could all go on was the ferris wheel!

It was a blast experiencing it with Alyssa. She was with me, while Cayla was with Jason. This is a view from the top.

Alyssa LOVED it!!!! She was practically hanging over the edge trying to see Jason and Cayla. She was freaking me out a bit and I asked her to stay still. LOL No fear at all, which is a good thing!

Finally we spotted Daddy and Cayla :)

They got off before us, so I snapped a picture of them waving at us from the ground.

Next it was off to play the one and only game where you're guaranteed to win...fishing!!

Both girls got a puppy. Alyssa's was pink and Cayla's was purple. Cayla was very happy about her prize!

Then we went to see the animals.

The baby chick was a highlight for sure, as they got to pet it. Mommy got to hold it :)

Leave it to my girls to sit down and colour. There were no other kids colouring, except mine! Cayla was quick, where as Alyssa could've sat there all afternoon to colour.

Even the Queen of the Fair joined Alyssa. It was cute to watch her chatting away to Alyssa and having Alyssa give such quiet, one word responses :)

Cayla was busy visiting with the cows.

Before we left, the girls went on one last ride, together!! I can see these two doing bumper cars one day!! They sure loved riding around in a circle!

Fun times for sure!

It wouldn't be a visit to the fair without cotton candy!!!

They had to say good bye to Oprah before leaving. She was the first one they talked to when they arrived at the fair. This isn't the famous Oprah, you and I know, it's a cute, very informative puppet who rides a tractor and talks!!

A girl operates her from a distance so the kids can't see her, but she can hear them and respond to their questions, or in my girls case, their silence!! LOL

As her card says, she's a Farm Animal Care Specialist.

After fun at the fair, we headed to Grandma & Pa's house for the afternoon. That's where I snapped these ever so cute photos of my Cayla Bear :) Love the little curls she gets in her hair.

She was enjoying colouring with Grandma. We had a nice visit. It was a fun, fall day :)