Art Show

The summer day campers' completed major project at the Art Centre are on display until the 20th.  I stopped in today to see Kevin's.  His is on the left side of a case at the front door with windows on both sides of the case, so it can be seen from outside too!  

 This project was called a totem pole. 

There was air movement inside the case so that the ribbons at the top of Kevin's were blowing in the breeze!  Very cute!  :)   He would have loved to have see it blowing.

They resemble the totem poles made by a professional on display in the center garden.

Our Last Day

Thursday is Rotary morning for Grandma.  Laura came to babysit.  The plan had been for her to awaken him at least a half hour before I came home, but since he got to bed so late after an exhausting day, I suggested she not awaken him.  But he awoke on his own and had an hour to play with Laura.  We had to rush her away, because we were on a tight schedule.

First, was a coffee date with the buyer of my house, Shelagh, who, with her husband, have become good friends!  She is so sweet!  She brought Kevin two fun workbooks to work on while flying for hours on the plane today.  She was with a friend when she bought them, and the friend referred to Kevin as "Kevin from heaven" because Shelagh has talked so much about him!  

Following our coffee date, we had to return the loaner and pick up my car. Then we were off for a haircut. 

Since we left his new digital watch we bought in Texas at Uncle Greg's house, we went to Walmart to buy another one.  They cost more than twice as much as the ones in Texas!  I wanted Kevin to have the watch to have an idea of when they would be landing. 

Then we had to hurry home to finish the laundry and pack everything up.  Kevin watched cartoons while Grandma worked.  In the process of packing, I came across this drawing Kevin made of me on our flight somewhere this summer. 

I videoed him while he played the song he taught himself over the past few weeks!  Grandma only sat with him once at the piano this summer.  He figured out how to play Yankee Doodle all by himself and practiced it diligently. 

Stefan, Kevin's 16 year old stepbrother, was scheduled to arrive in here at 5:00, but I received an email from his Dad that he would arrive 30 minutes early.  I could not change our schedule of leaving home at 3:00, and just hoped we could be at the arrival gate for Stefan.  But it was not to be.  I got into the Lufthansa line as that is the airline they are flying, but, after standing in line for 45 minutes, I was told this flight is being serviced by Air Canada.  That was another 30 minute line, then I had to get in line for a special assistance pass to be able to go to the gate.  Kevin occupied himself with a game during our wait. 

He found a praying mantis on the floor!

If we were not at the gate when he arrived, Stefan knew he needed to go to his departure gate.  However, he accidentally left the secure area and had to go through security again.  The story was a little more complicated, and he was viewed as a potential terrorist, as he said, because of his hair which is longish and curly.  I think he was relieved when we arrived at the departure gate! 

We had dinner together.  The gate area had some sculptures which made a nice jungle gym for the kids!

 Soon the boys were on their way to Munich!  Kevin blowing a kiss.   

Fantasy Island

For our final fun day together, we went to an amusement park.  We studied the park map and decided where we wanted to being our adventure.  We chose the canoes which are not on a track, but you actually paddle them around an island set up as an Indian village in the middle of a large pond. 

Our next stop was a giant slide which seemed to be manned by two incompetents making me wonder about this park.  Kevin went all the way to the top and was told he had to go back down, but he didn't know why.  I asked the staff person at the bottom why he was sent down.  She didn't know.  I walked to the top with Kevin and the staff person spoke English with a very strong accent.  I had great difficulty understanding him but finally figured out Kevin was to bring a mat to slide on from the bottom.  OK . . . So why didn't the girl at the bottom GIVE him a mat in the first place and then again when we asked why he was sent down.  Oh, my. . .   Kevin counted he navigated those stairs FIVE times to get one simple slide ride. 

 Our next experience was the roller coaster.  I know I always tell myself after riding, "NEVER do that again!"  But I did.  And we sat in the second to the front seat.  Not wise!  I was SOOO scared!  It threw you wickedly around in your seat.  I was so afraid Kevin was not holding on tight enough.  Oh, my. . . NEVER AGAIN!  But as soon as we were off, Kevin wanted to go again.  Nope!  Not with Grandma!

Ridiculous!  And then he wanted to do a spinning circle thing in the dark.  He was on his own on that one.  Next was this contraption -- which, if it had just swung back and forth, would have been fine.  But they had to turn you in circles while swinging.  He went alone again and loved it.  At one point, he was in the front as it plunged down, and I saw and heard him scream with delight! 

By this time, I realized he needed to be here with a friend his age who could enjoy all this craziness with him!

Grandma saw a chair plane ahead -- my favorite ride!  Well, outside of a ferris wheel.  But this one lifted you high in the air.  It was a fabulous ride!  Kevin loved it too.

We moved on to the "ferris" wheel.  He was worried about being on a normal ferris wheel where you are in seats looking down, but this one has gondola buckets.  You didn't even need a seatbelt.  After a couple of rides around, the operator stopped us.  I asked, "Is that all we get?"  And he let us stay on for many more rides around. 

The Log Flume was next.  I sat in the back hoping to stay drier than the person in front.  Bad plan.  I was drenched!  Kevin, laughing hysterically, said, "I knew you would get more wet in the back." 

Before moving on to the water park, he wanted to drive an old fashioned car.  He did VERY well with his steering abilities!

I had no idea this place had a water park -- a HUGE water park.  We did not come prepared.  Kevin was wearing his "silky" shorts, so he removed his underwear and Tshirt and wore the shorts as a swimsuit.  I bought him a towel.  They have at least three huge water slides,

 a wave pool (which he loved), and a lazy river ride.

He had a ball, but it would have been so much more enjoyable if someone had been in the water with him.

It is difficult to break away from so much fun.  I expected it to be a rinky-dink place and we would be home by 3.   We were there until 7!  The original plan was to go ice skating tonight, but he decided the park was better than ice skating.  After the water park, he wanted one more ride on the chair plane which was not a bad idea, as it was a blow drier to dry to his shorts before getting in the car!

We were plenty hungry by this time, and I wanted us to have a "decent" dinner.  We stopped at two restaurants and both had half hour waits.  When did Wednesday become a busy restaurant night?!  So we ended up with fast food. 

We didn't get home until 9:00.  The poor boy was exhausted and in a bad mood!!!!  Once we were home, everything was wrong!!!!  This is not a good way to start a long trip!!!!  I hope he sleeps well tonight.  His last full day with me was definitely full of excitement!!

He told me this morning he is afraid of heights.  He is NOT afraid of heights!!!!  He could not have done all the mammoth slides, roller coaster, gondola ferris wheel, and VERY high chair planes if he were afraid of heights!!!!