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We’ve had a busy summer so far. And when I say busy, I mean BUSY. We’ve seen a lot, done a lot and have hardly slept through it all. That being said, trying to keep up with posting about the big events has taken a hit. It’s not that they aren’t important, I just rarely have enough time to sit and compose, edit photos and post – so it just doesn’t get done.. July saw us taking 3 different trips. The first was to Toronto. Taking Jaia to the zoo was an absolute must this summer and we kept our word. On one of the hottest days of the summer. Where there was little to no shade. But as hot and uncomfortable as we all were, getting to see Our little animal lover’s face light up at the sight of some of her faves, made it worth it.
The best part of the day for the Bean, by far, was a visit from the cheetah. It was unreal. We approached the cheetahs and Jaia stood front and center. Like she’d called him, the cheetah looked up from the hill, got up and walked towards us. He came right up to the glass – right up to Jaia – and stared at us, licked the glass, turned around and laid down. She was over the moon. And she had a new best friend and a cool story to boot.
Dan’s favourite:
My favourite:
Nana and Papoo’s favourite:
As Dan said a few days ago, we had a blast and will go back. I just might push for a cool fall visit this time.
August 6, 2010 - 10:11 am
wow. that monkey shot is amazing.
August 10, 2010 - 9:19 am
i heart giraffes      
The Arcade Fire’s third full length album was released on Tuesday, and it’s a delight. Those of us that caught their set at Bluesfest (for shame, Dan) got a nice preview of what to expect from this album, and leaks of dubious quality have been floating around for awhile, but it’s pretty awesome to finally have the complete album in hand. Anyway, the album is great. The Arcade Fire are definitely one of my 5 favourite bands, and they could probably release an album of farts and I’d give it a 10/10. There was really no way that I was going to dislike this album, so take my glowing remarks with a grain of salt if you must. With that said, this is the album of the year to date (*SIGH* in my opinion, of course), and an excellent addition to the Arcade Fire catalog. I’m obviously still digesting it, but the songs seem a bit more stripped down than the songs from Funeral and Neon Bible (there aren’t any massive “Wake Up” or “Intervention” type songs, for example), but it still manages to maintain the Arcade Fire sound. If there’s a complaint to be made about the Suburbs, it’s that it might be a bit too long (16 songs, 60+ mins). Most reviews I’ve read seem to suggest this, but there’s no consensus on what could or should be cut out. With no obvious duds, perhaps people’s attention spans are just too short for an album this long. Early standout tracks are “Ready to Start”, “Rococo”, “We Used to Wait” and “Sprawl II”, but there’s probably another four or five songs that have presented themselves as potential eventual favourites. Final Verdict: If you like The Arcade Fire at all, don’t free download the Suburbs, go buy it – it’s great, and they deserve your money. Also, Saturday August 7th is National Mustard Day. Celebrate appropriately. Yesterday was my first day back at work after a MONTH of parental leave. My last such break from work was 4 months traveling in 2000, and before that it was 1994 when I was still in high school (assuming you count university as work. I do). It was a financial hit, but so worth it. Just after Jaia was born, I started working from home and did so for the next 2 years. I saw her every day, played with her, sang her songs, and watched her grow. I won’t get that same opportunity with Wes. Shannen texted me today to tell me that Wes laughed for the first time. I wasn’t there. I would have been for Jaia. So this month off was special. Here are the highlights: 1) Time with the little guy. I’m far from impartial but I think he’s pretty cute. He loves being outside. He hates being on his belly, and getting his nails cut. He doesn’t cry anymore when I give him a bath. He’s more generous with his smiles in the morning than the evening, and is fascinated by his big sister. 2) Swimming with Jaia. I tried to get away to the pool as much as possible with Jaia, and of course we had the week at the cottage. She has come a long way this month, and it’s been great to see. Hopefully it’s the start of a lifelong love of the water. 3) Giving Shannen a break. We had a lot of help from Wes’ grandparents through May and June, but I was the help in July. I tried to make sure she got some sleep, had some nights off, and got out of the house a few times to just get away. She does a great job with them and I don’t tell her that often enough. 4) The cottage. Our cottage rental wasn’t perfect, but the gradually sloping sandy beach made up for any flaws it had. Shannen will post soon with more detail, but it really was a great week. Jaia became a master fisherwoman, casting her pink barbie fishing rod like a pro. Wes had some naps in the tent on the beach that I was extremely jealous of. Beer was consumed in a lawn chair submerged in the water. IN THE WATER. Heaven. 5) The zoo! We went to the Toronto Zoo while we were there, and though it was stinking hot, it is still a pretty special place to take a 3 year old. We’ll likely be back next summer, and the summer after that. I love the baboons. I wonder if my work would consider income averaging like the government or teachers, so I could have July and August off every year? I think I’ll go ask now …
August 5, 2010 - 6:14 pm
I’m sure they won’t raise any objections. I’ll root for you … |
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Dominik - looks like she’s a natural. Hopefully we can have a German-Canadian match soon
Dan - Love this shot … perfect timing, great colors. And the soccer skills! Look forward to the next session tonight.