In the beginning of July we spent a week in Canada visiting Mike’s hometown and getting to catch up with lots of family and friends; notably Mike’s sister, Wendy, and her kids had a few days overlap with our visit! Cam hasn’t seen Ella and Ollie since Spain two summers ago (wow how did that go by so quickly?!) so it was extra special to see them bond and play together as well as they did.

With the time difference to Toronto, we arrived in the late evening on Friday but since Cam was still on California time, he was wide awake and ready to play with his older cousin Ella – instantly enamored by her! The next morning was a late start for our family, still adjusting to the time change. Then brunch on the deck and a relaxing day spent lulling around Nana and Papa’s house, catching up over coffees in the garden and venturing out to the splash pad across the street in the afternoon heat.

That evening we were treated to a pasta and chicken parm dinner by close family friends Nikki and Sarah – who are getting married this Fall in Mexico! It was great to see them and hear all about wedding planning. We were also treated to an evening “show” put on by all three cousins, with Ella as the lead. The boys were so cute shaking their musical instruments as directed. It was nice to see how well they all got along and played – basically needing no adult intervention all day!

The next morning we all piled into cars and set out for Great Wolf Lodge, a waterpark and resort near Niagara Falls. There is also a Great Wolf Lodge near us in California that we have yet to been to. I have a hunch the one in Canada – near pretty Niagara and it’s wine country – is a tad better of a location than the one here… Nonetheless, we will likely visit the California property eventually given how family-friendly we found the lodge to be.

Some highlights included the themed cabin we stayed in, that was both spacious and cozy. The pools and slides (obviously) for endless kid entertainment, a round of mini golf with all of the little ones, and s’mores every night by the communal campfire!

On our way back to Mike’s parents, we stopped for a family BBQ. Cam briefly met some of this side of the family on our trip back a few years ago but he was so young. It is nice that he’s getting to see family as he grows up (although somehow we didn’t seem to get a picture with anyone but his cousins)! Plus there was a beautiful, WARM pool at this shindig, which just can’t be beat.

Wendy and the kids flew back to Melbourne the next day, missing some rainy summer weather that hit next. We barely get rain in the winter in California, let alone in the summer! Experiencing a bit of gloomy weather was actually kind of novel and nice. Particularly when it involved a pretty countryside drive to meet our friends Melissa, Dav, ane their little one, Oaks.

We caught up while sipping cappuccinos and hot chocolates and nibbling on sandwiches at Heatherlea, a small cafe + farm oasis that offers local snacks, treats, and produce. Cam and Oaks also had a good time bursting through the store aisles, picking out the best tomatoes and baked goods. Which I can vouch, best walnut fudge brownie I’ve ever had.

It was still rainy when we got back – perfect for a trip to the mall! Cam stayed and played with his grandparents while Mike and I spent a rare afternoon just the two of us. We hit up a few stores hoping to clean up due to the exchange rate right now but were left empty handed. Oh well, it was still nice to spend time together, especially when grocery shopping, one of Cam’s least favorite things to do it seems!

After dinner we still had about an hour before needing to start the bedtime routine. With a wet backyard and most activities exhausted by that point (plus two tired parents lol), 60 minutes seemed long and daunting. Until I remembered Youtube! I searched Kids dance videos and was met with limitless Floor is Lava options. We haven’t done these before but Cam loved the dance moves before the ominous timer went off (“5, 4, 3, 2, 1…”), signaling to jump up on couches and chairs before the FLOOR was LAVA. In actuality, he probably loved that me, Mike, Nana, and Papa were all participating in the same thing he was! It’s truly special to see how engaging Mike’s parents are with Cam. My heart was warmed at their willingness to jump right in and be silly with him. That daunting hour actually turned out to be a sweet highlight of the trip for me.

The next day was back to sunny summer weather – perfect for another backyard BBQ! This time with our “cottage crew” (as whatsapp would describe us, starting as a thread to plan a cottage weekend a few years ago). Ah, how nice it is to hang out with friends who also have kids who can play and plot together!

On our final day of the visit we ventured to Oakville, one of my favorite spots about 20 minutes away. We enjoyed coffees, strolling down the avenue, and lunch at Colossus Greek Taverna, where we noshed on feta fries, hummus and pita, fresh olives, and flatbread.

The rain hit again that afternoon but we embraced it, spending time on the driveway getting soaked. Overall we had an action packed week full of fun and great memories.