XL weekend in the homeland

We took a 4 day weekend up in Canada - Kanata, Ont, to be exact. My Parents arrived in the morning at Ainley's and we rolled in at approx. 10pm. Left the house at 2pm and Dylan immediately crashed for a 2 hour nap. Sophia rejected a nap, unless you count the 30 minute one she took in the beginning. Yup, 7.5 hours in the car. Fun. Sophia also took another 40minute nap at 9pm and that got her going until 11.30 or later - oh joy. Started the weekend with a end of year school recital of singing and reciting poetry. S and d were VERY tired and HUNGRY, so they didn't do so well through this. Once back home they took good naps and the weekend officially began. We lucked out and got lots of sun instead of the rain that was predicted for us. Yay! Sophia remained shy among her cousins, however, Dylan was happy to be led around by his big cousin Rhianna. It was very cute to see him take her hand and just go where she led. Even on that first day!

On day two of the trip, Princess Sophia was re-born. She first emerged in a blue dress and then the hoop skirt dress was found and she wore that ALL the time. Here she takes the arm of Prince Kieran. It was so funny when Sophia walked in the house once while Kieran was sitting in the living room. He looked up at her and casually greeted her with, "helllo, princess!" (he is 4)
This was SUPER sweet. My mom called me over to see Sophia sitting next to baby Declan and "reading" to him. She got the book herself and set herself up too. She took her "babysitting" duties very seriously.

She kept asking to hold him. It was fun to see her imitating the things we would do - shhh-ing, plugging him with the pacifier...

Partial family portrait. The ones with all of us were not zoomed in. take what you can get...

Princess on wheels.

Kieran teaching Dylan how to make lego cars.

Even Ethan got his turn being toted around in the green wagon.

And we all got our shot on a bike.

From the very young....

To the, ahem, very old? Heheh, Sorry dad. You know how they say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks? What about re-teaching an old dog old tricks?