"Down By The Bay..."

...if I listen to Raffi again within the next week it will be too soon. If I never hear him sing again (which I know I will...and this is not a personal slam as I hear he is a very soft spoken, kind man, but if I never hear him sing again,) it may possibly be too soon. "Wilabee Walabee Woo" and "Brush Your Teeth" are forever ingrained in my head, along with "The More We Get Together" and "On A Hot Hot Day In July" (which Noah will randomly spurt out).

We had an awesome time down in the States last week at Birch Bay. However, the trip - from our place to the ferry, across the great Pacific, through the construction-filled lower mainland to Burnaby (to pick up a key), across the border (yay for kind border patrol officers...an aberration!) and - down to Birch Bay allowed for many hours of sing-along with Raffi. Aside from that...

We had a week of adventures...not to mention some fabulous shopping deals. I believe I may have the world's kindest, most thoughtful and caring husband (that was a rhetorical comment, by-the-way). He kept the boys occupied for more hours than I can count, between shopping malls, outlets, and department stores...oh, not to mention my couple long morning runs. (I couldn't miss the opportunity to run on flat ground!!)

The C-Shop is an old sweet shop to many and to most. To those who don't know the store, they wouldn't think it anything but an old yellow building with lots of highly priced salt water taffy, (because tourists will pay good money for their sugar,) and with a run-of-the-mill staff. To me, it's not that at all. I've not even been able to go inside 3 out of our past 4 years down at the Bay. It closes with the summer. Labour Day is it's last day of business until the following season and we usually arrive the following day. However, every year we walk the short 1/2km down the road to visit and take a look. To me it represents a childhood memory. It reminds me of my Mama and Papa, and of my Dad. And, in a world where I don't think kids are always given a chance to be kids, to laugh, ride their bikes carefree, to run and play with non-jugmental friends, this is a priceless thing.

Our week was also filled with parks...

...with beaches...



And with hours of family time. That was the best part of all.