Athens' Cornfest a huge hit!

With summer soon coming to an end,  attending The Athens' Cornfest was a great way to celebrate and welcome the approaching autumn. A parade, a steam engine to cook the corn and a ton of local vendors, it was the perfect Saturday morning. Don't worry though, we aren't ready to put away our flip flops just yet!

My three year old was up at 7:00 a.m. and had already picked out her best "Cornfest"outfit. I am not sure she understood where we were going, but she sure was excited! Explaining there would be a lot of outdoor fun, we compromised on a pink ensemble, stowing the tutu for a later date. Once we woke daddy and all got ready, it was off to catch the parade.

Admittedly, it's been awhile since I have been to Athens. Although not far, there is usually not a reason for me to visit this town. Upon arrival, I quickly realized this was a place I'd have to come back to more often. The town has a charm about it, with beautiful hanging baskets lining the thoroughfare and well-kept shops. We could not find a place to park on the main street, so we turned up a side street and thankfully found a spot. Once the strollers were loaded up, we were ready to have some fun!

The first place we stopped was the raffle table for the Elizabethtown-Kitley Firefighters. They had an adorable "firehouse" for kids as the prize. The guys were very friendly, agreeing to smile for my picture and talk to the kids. Who doesn't love a man in uniform? Next up we spotted the always popular "Bouncy Castle". Quickly, my daughter was in line to have her turn. We started to get hungry and headed towards the steam engine that was cooking the local corn. It was delicious, easily the best corn I have had all summer.

 

 

 

 

We continued on to the paintball gun shooting range, Little Ray's Reptiles, checked out the vendors and finally ended up at the pony rides. This was the creme de la creme for my girls. Even my 4 month old was wide-eyed upon seeing the petting zoo and her big sister atop a pony.Everywhere I looked, there were happy families. With our youngest, people stop all the time to adore her cooing and her smiles, today was no exception. There were so many adorable babies and smiles everywhere- we were in good company.

 

 

We left a few hours later, exhausted by all the fun and a bit surprised by what this festival had to offer. Who knew this small-town Cornfest could hold their own with the best of the bigger festivals? A huge congratulations to the Cornfest Chair, Hendrick Pape and his hard working team. Our family had a great day and we hope to attend for many years to come!

New season, New addition

With spring approaching, warm weather is setting in and our family is getting set to welcome a new addition in the coming weeks.  I've been MIA from blogging as a result of winter cold and flu season passing through our home as well as all the hectic last-minute tasks in preparation for the impending arrival of our new bundle of joy.

I have used this time to rest up in anticipation of the big day, while also focusing on our two toddlers and how the change to our family is going to affect them. With a three year old and a 20 month old, there is definitely going to be an adjustment period.

We have read books, online articles, consulted friends and family for advice and support and feel pretty prepared for this new adventure. Well, as prepared as one can be with three children, three and under!

It is our parenting style to run a fairly scheduled home. Not because we feel it’s the “right way” to parent, but because it is what has proved to work best for our children. We are a somewhat newly “blended family” and after much trial and error, we now know what works best for our kids. We like to plan dinners, nap times and outings in order to stay as organized as possible and to keep our kids on track. That being said, we also like to encourage their creativity, humour and let them just be kids.

This past weekend my spouse and I re-did the kids playroom, stocked up on craft supplies and spent some quiet family time together. We are determined to make this transition as smooth as possible.

Thankfully, my family is close by and very supportive and my fabulous in-laws will be making the trip from British Columbia to be with us for this exciting time. My mother-in-law is a fantastic cook and has offered to make Easter dinner for everyone and to help out with the children. My own mom will be by my side for delivery. Although I consider myself pretty strong and my spouse very supportive, sometimes you just need your mom!

I am looking forward to the end of pregnancy for many reasons. All who know me will understand that I am not the most patient pregnant person and I cannot wait to meet our wee one.

Also, with spring and summer quickly approaching, there are many activities going on in the area that I just cannot wait to get out and enjoy! Some of the exciting upcoming events in the area include:

1. May 4, 2012- May 5th, 2012 - Brockville and District Multicultural Festival;
2. May 26, 2012 (9:00 a.m.) - Sidewalk sale in downtown Brockville;
3. June 15th, 2012 – June 17, 2012 - Prescott Harbour Days; and
4. June 22, 2012 – June 23, 2012 - 1000 Islands Food and Wine show.

In addition to this, those of you who have small children should stay tuned as I may have some upcoming news about a few fabulous playgroups that are in the works. Mum’s the word for now, but I promise to update you as soon as I get confirmation.

 As always, thank you for your continued interest and support in the area and what it has to offer. There is always something wonderful going on in our community, make sure to get out and enjoy it!