We're goin' where? Not again...

So as most of you have heard by now, we're heading back to Ontario. As excited as I was at news that we'd be closer to family, all of us have really settled here in Halifax and even started to call it "home". We have met some wonderfully amazing friends and our neighbours - couldn't ask for better. I will never regret our time in the Maritimes - what a great place! However, our chance to be closer to family and the ability for Rob to cut down on all the travel was too tempting.

As quick as they said go (or authorized the expenses) we headed to Ontario to look for a house somewhere between Durham and Cobourg. It was a stressful (what she really means to say is, it was "hell") 5 days of house hunting but we finally found ourselves something that should keep everyone in the family happy. A pretty nice house in a nice neighbourhood for me, a quiet street and an inground pool for the kids, and close enough for Rob that he's not spending hours commuting. It's located in Oshawa at Rossland and Thornton. The downfall was the day we put an offer on it, someone else did too so it got pretty stressful - but we prevailed in the end.

Photo: Rob taking the kids to see the house for the first time. (Hope they like it - guess it's too bad if they don't). And yes, there is mature vegetation in Toronto as some of our Maritime friends were surprised to learn.

Photo: View from the kids' fort.

Our house in Halifax closes November 30 so we're going to have to stay in temporary housing (aka a hotel) for a month until our new house closes at the end of December. Time to have a big going away party now! Thank goodness for the extra bedroom in the basement - hope our Maritime friends will use it!

I guess I'll need to rename my blog as it's no longer going to be "Eastern Adventures". What about "Upper Canadian Adventures" -- that would be for Nathalie. Hmm, it doesn't have the same ring to it.

Separated at Birth?

I regularly get told how much Grant and Kevin look alike or when I'm out with both of them, people ask "How old are your twins?" Anyhow, I guess there's a little bit of a resemblance...okay, maybe quite a bit.

Photo: Best Buddies Kevin and Grant

So I'm in the dentist office with the kids last month (on my birthday actually) and as I'm finishing up with their paperwork at the front desk, the receptionist tells me I'm due for an appointment and if I'm available, they can take me "right now". I explain that it's not a good idea since I have the kids with me. She explains that they're no problem and she'll keep an eye on them in the playroom. Well, an hour later I finish up and as I'm getting out of the chair the fire alarm goes off.

"Ha, if my kids weren't with Anne I'd say that was Grant pulling that alarm!" I joked with the hygienist. As I enter the reception area I don't see the kids in the play area and as I look at the receptionist, in runs Ashley from the hallway and yells...

"It's not a real alarm. Grant pulled it!"

Oh crap, but it's technically not my fault as I wasn't in charge (right???).

Anyhow, we quietly finish our paperwork and leave. Getting into the car I see all the people from the building coming outside and the stores "evacuating" their customers. Quick, quick, start the ignition, get the hell out of here.

You know what, it's my birthday, I'm going to the liquor store to get myself a few coolers, it's just across the street. I do just that and as I come out of the liquor store, I see that 3 fire engines have now arrived at the building and everyone is still standing outside. Oh man, I wonder what would happen if I just drank all of these coolers right now.

Well, another day in the life of parenting. Thank goodness that automatic fine of $800 for pulling a false alarm doesn't start until January 1. That could have been an expensive dental visit...though I'd have passed my bill to the receptionist.