Two days in Halifax

So basically our whole reason for going to Halifax was because of the train ride. But we do love Halifax after having lived there for four years. We had just a few days there, and we knew we wanted to check out the newish discovery centre, and also we wanted to take the boys on the Harbour Hopper tour that goes on land and in the water. 

I do feel like we packed quite a bit of stuff into our two days. On day one, we started out at the discovery centre. It was super close to our AirBNB, which was awesome. Cohen's favourite part was the sloth (who was asleep, of course, but did rub his eyes a bit while we were watching) followed closely by the bubble room where you can surround yourself with a giant bubble. After the discovery centre, we did lunch at the market right next door. We tried smoothie bowls and samosas and giant pretzels and perogies. All awesome. 

In the afternoon of day one, we were booked on the Harbour Hopper. Jon and I have done it a few times for frosh week when we were in school, and always thought it was pretty fun. Cohen loved it, and is still telling is facts about Halifax that he learned from the tour (did you know Halifax has over 200 species of trees?). 

For supper on day one, Jon really wanted us to go to our favourite sushi restaurant when we lived there. So he and Cohen went and picked up all our favourites, and we ate at our AirBNB. 

On day two, we rented bikes and took the ferry to Dartmouth. We biked the 3 km of bike paths they have along the water, and watched the Natal Day parade while eating treats from Two if by sea. That night we ate at Darrell's, which is known for the peanut butter burgers. I ordered one and loved it, while the boys and Jon all had normal burgers. All so good. We did some playground time at the really cool playground by the train station downtown, and called it a day after a trip to Sweet Jane's, a cute little candy store near our AirBNB. 

The next day we headed home on the bus. A few people told me a was crazy to bring our whole family on the bus, but the train schedule didn't work for us for the return trip, and the boys were excited about a bus ride. And it was totally fine. Maybe not my fav mode of transportation, but the pros included that we only had to be there 20 minutes before departure time, and the boys didn't have to be strapped into carseats for hours. We were able to do brunch at the Westin right beside the train station right before we boarded, and the trip itself was pretty quick. Jon and I were even able to read magazines while Will napped and Cohen played his Nintendo. The whole trip was just so great for us.

Our train trip to Halifax

We have wanted to do a proper train trip with the boys for a while now. We were hoping to do an overnight trip where you get to sleep on the train, but in the end, we were realistic and just did the five hour train ride from Moncton to Halifax.  I'm not exactly sure how we would have dealt with the sleeping arrangements with a one-year-old and bunk beds. Anyways, so even though the trip we took was just five hours during the middle of the day, we still opted to get the private rooms with bunk beds, just so the boys could experience all that the train had to offer.  When you book a private room, it means you have access to the dome car and the very back of the train where you can see the scenery a little better. 

As soon as we boarded the train, the restaurant car was doing a late lunch. It was so cute and good! The boys both had pizza and hot chocolate, and Jon and I got the salmon and steak. We really thought the food was good, although the novelty of eating on a moving train probably helped too. 

We hung out in our rooms for a while, where we had a private bathroom and also cute little bottles of water. The seats flipped down to make beds, which was super duper impressive to the boys. I think Jon flipped the seats from beds to seats and back again like five times.



We wore special bracelets, which allowed us to go anywhere on the train, including the recreation car where there was a kind of tour guide talking about the areas we were moving through and also doing samples of local wines and beers. If you give me a free cup of beer, I pretty much feel like royalty.

When we arrived in Halifax, the best thing was that we were already right downtown. I loved that part so much. We were staying in Fenwick towers, so we were a really quick walk to our AirBNB. We loved the train!

Cavendish 2019

We did our annual Cavendish trip last week with my sister and her family and also all of Jon's siblings and families. We stayed at our usual spot, but they had built a brand new cottage on the property that is way bigger than we are used to, so we snagged that one back in January (they completely book up for the busy season during the first week of January each year). The trip was awesome, as usual, and in some ways better than ever. 

The big change we notice each year is the relationship between all the cousins. We started going when Cohen was one and Grayce was just a few months old, so the changes have been pretty dramatic. Also this year we had Shay, my sister's 1-month-old baby, which was the best. I logged lots of time with Shay in my arms, which is the absolute best. 

One change: at Sandspit, the little amusement park in Cavendish, the two older kids were able to ride the big rides. They truly loved it. Will was wishing the whole time that he was bigger. Though when we asked the kids their fav part of the amusement park, they said the snow cones. 

We did the beach thing more than usual this year. The ocean stays really shallow for a long time, and the waves are perfect for jumping. Though sometimes it felt like the reason we went to the beach was to have snacks. Food is so good at the beach!!

My niece always preferred to drive with us, much to her younger brother's disappointment. Makes me want to buy some type of van so we can have all the kids with us. Hehe. 

We have been trying to take this family selfie on the train at Sandspit each year. My sister and Shay missed out this year, but this is a tradition that will go on and on I think.



Of course we did Cows ice cream. The kids set up a lemonade stand one afternoon, and made enough money to buy fancy cones of ice cream. They were in heaven.

Other things:

- We mostly ate at the cottage, having a barbecue each night. We did cereal and yogurt for breakfast #1, then eggs and bacon and toast for breakfast #2 (all parents with toddlers know you need two breakfasts: one at the crazy early time they get up, then one when we have had coffee and been up for 3 hours). we did lobster rolls and oysters and tried to eat the local potatoes and beans and such. My sister and I weirdly enjoy planning the meals and grocery shopping ahead of time, and then trying to empty the fridge completely before we leave.
- There are so so many things to do in Cavendish, including a waterpark right beside our cottages, and miniature golf places, etc. I think because our kids are still so young, we just don't ever bother with those things. Beach and pool pretty much do the trick for us.
- The past few years, the Bachelorette finale has been while we are there. My sister-in-law and I love it so much. It's pretty much a highlight of my week to sit with her and some wine and everyone else watching. The truth is everyone gets into it and we end up with a crowd of 12 people watching. Love it.
- I will say that trips like this aren't all polaroid pics and ice cream for us. There were meltdowns and disappointments and lack of sleep and high emotions. And some of the best moments of the summer. So worth it.

Some super random thoughts

(always going for those grainy family selfies)

- We have been biking so much more than I ever imagined we would. Cohen bikes every single day, even if it's just for half an hour around our court with the neighbour boys. As a family we bike at least twice a week. I never dreamed I would be comfortable biking with the two boys without Jon, but here we are. On the biweekly Monday I am home with the boys, we are definitely biking around the town on the sidewalks and trails after school. I love it so much. Sometimes I feel like a lot of activities we do with the boys are just for them, and we only enjoy them because the boys are having fun (like visiting the playground). But biking is something I loved doing before kids. So it's just so cool we get to enjoy it together now. 

- Jon and I have been trying to learn French for forever. We both took it in a really spotty way in school. I even chose it as an elective in high school, and did so bad. A few years back we bought audio books with workbooks and stuff, and went through it faithfully every weekend for probably 6 months. And now Cohen is doing French immersion grade one in the fall, so we are newly interested. Our new thing: we listen to French radio in the car all the time. I heard "tomber la chemise", which I think means "put your shirt away." And I have been listening to French podcasts.

- Related to the whole French thing, I just read "Educated" by Tara Westover. OMG so good. One thing she said in the book was that she learned how to read with the Bible. And she completely didn't understand it but she read it anyways. And she said it takes a lot of patience to read something you don't understand, and that's a skill that came in handy for her so much over the course of her life. And so I'm trying to read and listen to French, even though I don't understand it, and it would be sooo much easier to just listen to English podcasts. 

- I have tickets to see my absolute fav author and reader, David Sedaris. I am so incredibly excited. What I love about his stories (other than they are so funny) is that he writes the exact thing I have been feeling forever but I didn't even know it. It's this sense of recognition that makes me feel so seen and connected. It's a lot of feelings just for a few sentences. 

- Jon and I just watched the Raine Maida and Chantal Kreviazuk documentary on Netflix. Wow. I was super reluctant to watch it because it sounded boring to me. But I was glued to the screen the whole time. And I cried basically the whole time. I LOVE hearing/seeing couples getting therapy. And the whole thing is about the time their therapist told them to get away together, so they go to this little French island off Newfoundland and write beautiful music and fight and make up. Just so good. Also watching really talented musical people do their thing is pretty much breathtaking. Also Jon and I visited the same island pre-kids. 

Some recent pics

My whole entire life has been hectic in the best possible way. I have moved every couple years, and changed everything in my life a dozen times. These last few years have been no different. Jon and I consciously decided we wanted a few quiet years after Will was born. And we are living the quiet times now. There is nothing better for us than spending the weekend biking around our town, visiting the park and the Saturday morning market. I'm sure in another few years we will be itching for international travel or moving to a different house, but for right now, we are really enjoying our time with the boys staying pretty local.

Cohen is on a mission lately to master the monkey bars at the playground. 

A baby swing just does not work for this one-year-old. My nerves are gone with this little guy.


This is our spot at the market that we always like to sit and have a snack and people-watch.


Our little soccer player, who got a black eye when a kid bumped into him at school while waiting in line.


J and I got to have a little date the other week. We did a downtown date, visiting three different restaurants for drinks, then appetizers, then dessert.