Don't forget the Boba Tea

After our excusion to the Elgin Street Diner and then the Dance Show at the NAC, Axel wanted to stop to get Boba Tea.  He had looked up an address and checked out the hours they were open.  The boba tea shop in Aylmer where we live closes at 5pm so it's rare we get over there. But MEOW is open late in Ottawa, an and close to the NAC, so off we went.

Meow Tea

It's an adorably cat-themed shop so I made the kids let me take some photos of them. Axel chose Lychee fruit tea with Lychee gellies and Mango popping boba. You can see the beautiful layers in the drink.

 Naomi chose a Strawberry drink that has cream cheese blended into it (but no gellies or boba for Namoi, she does'nt like chewing her drinks).

By this time of the evening, they were pretty much done with photos....

Milkshakes and a Dance Show

We haven't been out to see a live show at a theatre since moving back to Gatineau in August.  I saw an add for a street dance show at the National Arts Centre and decided to get tickets for Naomi, Axel and myself -- in part because I think break dancing is amazing, and in part because Naomi's best friend from Lethbridge dances, and one of his favourite styles to dance is break dancing. I decided we should make a whole evening of it and go on a date together for dinner and a show.

So first stop: Elgin Street Diner for milkshakes and poutine.

Everyone need a favourite milkshake place in every town.  While Peter's is the go to in Calgary, in Ottawa it is Elgin Street Diner where they make their shakes by hand, the old fashioned way while hard ice cream and serve it in a metal cup. I know its sacrilege to say this -- but I like Elgin Street Diner milkshares more than Peter's milkshakes.

Axel ordered rassberry and Naomi ordered creamscicle.  I decided to mooch off them since no one is usually able to finish their milkshake. They were both soooooo good.

Next the food: bacon poutine, onion rings and mac and cheese with ceasar salad.  Again, I just mooched off other people's orders.  Poutine is Axel's comfort food.

Then off to the National Arts Centre (NAC) to see "In My Body."  You can read about it here: 

In my body

While trying to get a selfie of myself with the kids before the show, I showed them how cool the ceiling looked in our photo.  

Naomi was the one who reminded me that Miles (also known to her as Uncle Trell) had helped build those triangle ceilings a few years back when they did a massive renovation and expansion of the NAC. It made me so happy that she remebered than and then I had to take a whole bunch more photos.

It was so nice to feel like Miles and Ina were there at the show with us, even though they are actually now an hour away in Cornwall.  I hope to get down there to visit them soon. 

Fool's Chicken (was Chicken and Chives)

In my recipe binder is a printed email from 1998 written by my mom, Wyona Bates. Over the years we have added handwritten details to help us perfect the recipe (which we haven't yet).

I tried it once in the Instant Pot (I.P. in handwriting below) but it didn't work, the sauce isn't as flavourful nor was it thick enough. Just fry the chicken in a frying pan as instructed, then do a roux and the sauce, then cook it all in the oven. Serve over rice. It's so good. I never cook it for 50 like my mom did, but it is a good one for large crowds. 

Great Aunt Arta Visits a Newborn Niece

Aunt Arta always came to see my newborn babies within the first week of their birth. She loved to strip them down and count fingers and toes and just stare into their precious faces. Recently I was going through that stack of dusty papers that almost topples over if you're not careful (am I the only one with those piles in multiple corners?). I stumbled upon this letter:

Arta described events better than I experienced them. I remember that last week of my pregnancy with Audra. I was so tired and preferred not to move. It had been a hot summer, I had too many slurpees (I was borderline gestational diabetic so not the best decision) and she was my only child that was born past her due date. She was quite a large baby and I blame the heat and 7 11, but truly perhaps there is no blame because she was perfect. Here are the pictures from Arta's visit 4 days after Audra was born:

Big brother Zack making sure Arta and Kelvin are gentle with baby Audra.

Big brother Gabe pointing out Audra's baby features.

Little did I know that the Fall of 2008 would complete our family of 5. Arta came to see each of my 3 newborn babies just as soon as she could. Just before their births and sometimes right after, should would give me the most amazing foot rubs and would remind me that I only got them from her if I was in a hospital bed (or close to it). I think my last foot rub from her was the day the two pictures above were taken.

Oh great Aunt Arta, what precious memories you've left me of your care, concern and love of people. I'm sure you cradle all the babies now, wherever you are.

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo...

 We did this a long time ago, but it seems fitting to share this day with everyone.  Mary's group, and my group decided to meet at the zoo a few saturdays ago. 

Now, of course this was a good excuse to get zoo passes.  They make the passes pay for themselves at 3 visits.  So agreeing to meet up at the zoo meant that I could get another year of zoo trips with my kids.  We used the zoo as as destination when betty was 1, or maybe 2.  That was four years now it seems.  It was a good destination to get me to actually take the kids away from the house and leave Miranda with a few hours of no kids during the week.  She was 100% of the hours with kids around for a while.  That's no fun for nobody.

This is us paying for the new memberships and waiting to meet up with the Brooks.

And just inside of the zoo, about to see the penguins.

Penguins, always a favorite.  

Alices little head as she looks at the penguins.

Miranda looking hot.

All three of my babies looking at the penguins.

Alice asked to run off with my phone to capture a picture of the baby penguins.  She got it.

The whole crew as we're together walking over the bow river to the african exhibit for the hippos.

These things.

The kiddies sitting to watch the hippo as it goes a water trip and drinks from a water fountain style hose spraying into the middle of their hippo tank.

I got lots of thumbs up from this one.  Great.

This one doing something cool.

These ones wanting to stand by her while she's being neat.

Trying to get a photo of these darn lions because they were "being like my dog".  Being like chase.

Seeing the whatevers in this exhibit.

Walking around the edge of the zoo after seeing the whatevers.

Seeing the primates, I've never liked this section of the zoo, but other people wanted to see it.  Feels to close to home for me.  They look at me, they know.  Why's that guy get to be out there... he's just like us.

Out of the apes, down to the kids play ground for a snack-i-poo.

The young brooks enjoying the kangaroo at the park area.

I keep trying to catch this one, but he's elusive.

Red pandas and the girls telling me where it is.

Sad unicorn goat, mirandas favorite vampire deer, and betty's snow leopard.  Also, the kids looking at the tigers.  There were not that interesting.

Group photos on stuff before leaving for the day.  Technically we split into two groups and some stayed and some left to plan for dinner and rest.

Photos of hanging out together eating nicks pizza after the day at the zoo.  We went to the zoo, and we're going again!