Long Weekend

I do love long weekends.  Especially when we are smack dab in the middle of a long weekend with little to nothing planned.  The days are free and easy and we do whatever we feel like doing with no schedule whatsoever.  It is heavenly!

My kitchen literally looks like a bomb hit it right now, after an impromptu "turkey" dinner that I decided to cook tonight.  It wasn't so much turkey as a roasted chicken from Costco, and there was no pumpkin pie, but I made real mashed potatoes and stuffing in the oven and pulled up a bottle of wine that was dying to be drunk, and it had the same festive feel that any good Thanksgiving dinner does!

Instead of cleaning my disaster of a kitchen, I am having another glass of wine, catching up on all of my favourite blogs and chilling out.  Bliss!

Sydney has been dying to make another batch of homemade playdough for well over a week!  This morning she decided to get up for the day at 6:00am, so I thought that it would be the perfect time for she and I to sneak downstairs to the kitchen and whip up a batch.  Only problem was, I was plum out of Cream of Tartar, so we decided to walk up to IGA to pick some up at 7:00am when it opened.  Sydney insisted upon pushing her baby in it's own stroller up to the store.  What is typically a ten minute walk, took us the better part of an hour as she stopped and marvelled at every flower and leaf, chestnut and pinecone on the way up.  It really is amazing seeing the world through her eyes.  Things that I would otherwise pay no mind to at all become so significant when you have a toddler!

IGA had the most fabulous fall display outside of the store, Sydney had such fun looking at all of the pumpkins and squash and chrysanthemums.  The sun was out in full force and I got the most incredible shots of her in the cornucopia of fall!

We successfully got our Cream of Tartar and made a batch of purple playdough that turned into the most beautiful shade of lavender when it was all said and done.  Sydney was so excited to play with it that she wouldn't leave it on the counter long enough for me to get a picture of it!

We spent a long, easy Sunday morning at home, Lionel Ritchie would have been proud, it truly was "Easy Like a Sunday Morning!"

When we finally decided to venture out, we headed to Bubbie's house and caught her in the middle of Sunday afternoon baking and she and Sydney made the most fantastic challah together!  Paul even got in on the action and made some of the most fabulous braided challah ever!

We took a drive down to Granville Island today too, here's what October 7th looks like in Vancouver:

In a word, amazing!  This is the most spectacular fall, weather-wise, that I can remember since moving here almost twenty years ago!

Sydney had her usual french fries and spent some time feeding the birds.  It was lovely, we basked in the sun for what seemed like forever!

We have been taking full advantage of this weather, yesterday we threw Syd's tricycle in the car and drove down to Kits Beach and she cycled along for the longest time while we walked along beside her.

This is one of my favourite views in the entire city, from the playground at Kits Beach:

Syd couldn't resist throwing her shoes off and running through the sand, it was too cute!

Paul and I finally got out for our long-awaited dinner out last night as my cousin Melanie came to babysit Sydney.  We went to The Flying Tiger, an Asian tapas restaurant that I absolutely adore.  We were so sad to hear that it has recently changed ownership and will be closing next week and opening under a new name in the next month or so.  I was so happy to go for one last hurrah at one of my favourite places to dine in the city!

Goodbye Duck Crepes, I'll miss you!

Before Cousin Mel came over, Sydney and I made a batch of gingersnap cookies to send home with Mel, and for the two of them to eat for their long-awaited tea party.  Sadly, Syd fell asleep on the couch five minutes after Mel got in the door, so the tea party will have to wait for next time!

I am so grateful to have one more full day together tomorrow to enjoy the sun and some time as a family, what a gift!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!