Or at least really, really likes it!

We had not been there in 5 years.  I was so eager to go back.  The last four years we had Seabreeze passes and I could never justify going anywhere else.  We drove up in the morning and stayed from open to just about close.  It was gorgeous out.  The park is HUGE.  Just huge.  Not tons and tons of stuff, just HUGE.  Lots and lots of beautiful walking.  A stark contrast to downtown Niagara Falls. 

The kids went on every ride but two.  One of those was closed and one of those was outside the mommy-and-daddy-comfort-factor.  Only one child was disappointed by the restriction.

They rode the medium sized rides.  They road the thrill rides.  They rode the family style/kid rides.  They rode and rode.  And despite there being over 1600 school kids in the park (!) we never waited in line. 

Johanna only went on one ride.  She asked to go on others, but then would get turned off as we got into the seats.  You can see she isn’t all that wild about this one, anyway!!!

Mommy’s favorite part is the whales.  I was a mite disappointed, however.  To me, Marineland means Kandu, Nootka, and a host of other orcas.  Today Marineland has only one killer whale, Niska.  She is now 40 and performs no more.  She did have offspring, but sadly, none of her calves lived past a few years old.  She is living out her retirement in Friendship Cove.

We saw lots and lots of beluga whales.  They procreate and raise calves much more quickly than orcas.  The mother whale raises the calf until they are about three years old.  Orcas raise their calves until they are about 7. 

One of the beluga babies was 7 days old.  One was 2 days old.  TWO DAYS OLD.  It was huge.  It was beautiful seeing all the mommy-baby pairs swimming together.

Marie and Tabitha fed and pet Aurora.  The boys had opted not to.  I loved this.  The males are brighter white.  That whale next to Aurora is Clyde.  He got one of Aurora’s fish that one of my girls dropped.  Clyde’s gentle hanging-on encouraged Aurora to swim away and back, away and back, a few times.  That blessed us, because it extended my girls’ “time” at their station and we got to ask more questions, etc.  We were not rushed.  Thanks Clyde and Aurora. 

Stewart was delighted to feed and pet the deer.  Actually, I think they all were, but Stewart was the one who said a few times afterward, “I can’t believe I pet a deer!” 

CHECK OUT THIS 5 SECOND VIDEO!! 

When we moved in 5 years ago, we got busy updating the “must do” rooms first.  That included the kids’ rooms and the laundry room.  Soon after we did the master bedroom, the third kids’ room, and some bathrooms.  Then we tackled the BIG job of the kitchen wallpaper stripping and HIRED someone to paint the kitchen, living room, downstairs hallways, stairwell, and upstairs hallway.  He did it while we were away and it was like coming home to “Home Makeover.” 

That was all in the first eight months.

Since then, we’ve done the family room twice, the last of the “kids’” rooms, and the kitchen a second time.  And we finished the basement. 

It was finally time to attack the dining room.

The reason the dining room lasted this long was because we pretty much liked it. 

The house we left looked like this. 

And this was the house we bought! (The old owner’s furniture.)

YOU CAN SEE WHY WE DIDN’T HURRY TO CHANGE!  LOL.

But the demolition has begun.

I had great helpers!

The project will take some time.

The walls are a bit marred underneath, seemingly from PRIOR wallpaper removal.  There are score marks and bits of the dry wall are missing.

But I hope to have it done by July 6th. 

Does that look safe?

The coolest part was that the second day, I didn’t even have to ask them to work at it. 

I used a steamer to get the glued on layer off.  Burnt my foot, too.

Don’t ask how.

TO BE CONTINUED…..

I have taken to buying flower-girl type dresses at the Goodwill Store for the girls to play princess-dress-up in.  For $3.00 – $7.00 I have picked up gorgeous dresses that could have easily cost 15-20 times that amount. 

And they love them!

I am making an effort to get to parks.  There are so many great parks in our area, and we have been averaging two parks a week.  This week it was easy as a friend from church had organized a mini-gathering.  My big four were the oldest by far, but they seemed to share the equipment and play with well with all the much younger kids.  At least, I think they did.  It was fun.  Parks are fun.  Johanna tires ME out at them, though.  I am not as young as I once was.