I can’t believe we are in the month of September and as much as I welcome fall (oh, how I welcome it!), I am still holding onto the very last bits of summer. This labour day long weekend, we took a little family road trip to celebrate Aaron’s cousin’s wedding + it was so lovely. Like, so lovely and the time away as a family was very needed.
We left on Friday night after hubs was done work + we drove to Sudbury, Ontario. George did very well in the car + even managed to fall asleep in his car seat at his regular bedtime! The transfer from car to hotel room was a disaster though and I spent a good hour trying to keep him relaxed + in bedtime mode and rocked/nursed him to sleep. Hubs was hanging out in the room and whispering things like “maybe he’s hot, take off his pants” and I was so tired and frustrated and through clenched teeth I fully snapped “stop talking“, haha…parents of the year, obviously. GBB eventually fell asleep + in the morning, woke up to Cheerios and cartoons and his obsession with hotel toilets began. Honestly, what is up with toddlers and toilets?!
ANYWAY.
We visited the big nickel + then hit the road to a small town outside of Sudbury called Espanola. We stayed at a cottage-like motel (hello pine everywhere!) with a number of the wedding guests and party. We visited with family and then got on the bus to the wedding venue (which was out in the country on a stunning piece of land!) and GBB experienced his first school bus ride (he looked super dapper in his little bow tie!). It’s pretty obvious in our photos that George is obsessed with the puppy filter on Snapchat + pretty much every time we take his picture, he sticks his tongue out!
The wedding was held on the groom’s family’s property and it was so beautiful–the house was draped in lights + the big white tent was dressed in burlap and hanging lanterns, and oh my goodness, you guys, there was a massive raised dance floor surrounded by hay. I loved it. Oh, and when the bride was walking down the aisle, the groom was so overcome with emotion (I always look at the groom during the aisle walk!) + I had all the feels, you guys. All of them. I flipping love weddings.
The food was yummy, the dance floor was popping, and the bride looked sooooo gorgeous!
Oh, and there were chickens! They were the happiest little chickens in their coop + the kids and guests were visiting with them and I wish I had held one…although if you ask hubs, he will fully tell you that there would be no way that I would actually pick one up and hold one, but I really want to hold a happy chicken! Ha. Someday!
The next day we were off to the Manitoulin Islands to explore and our first stop was at Bridal Veil Falls–a stunning waterfall that you can swim under. I didn’t go in and neither did George (it was a little too chilly for us) but hubs was all about it. We took a little hike there too + it was so insanely beautiful! I’m so happy we made a little stop at these falls (and we enjoyed some ice cream too, which is always a highlight for me!).
We stayed the night in Little Current, Ontario and what a little ghost boat town, it was!
We stayed at the Anchor Motor Inn + it was hilarious. Our room was super vintage and hubs + I had a laugh about how everything in the room seemed to be a shade of yellow. We walked around the docks and attempted to get George to take an afternoon nap in his Ergo…and then he didn’t. He fully wouldn’t fall asleep + we finally gave up and decided to go to dinner. The moment we sat down, I knew this wasn’t a good idea. There’s really nothing you can do to calm an overtired toddler who is the biggest squawk-a-saurus. And the weirdest thing is the town seemed to be super sleepy but everyone was at this restaurant…so, of course, I experienced my first time mom restaurant shaming with some cut eyes and loud coughing from neighbouring tables. Hilarious. Hubs took George for a walk (after trying to offer him water and he fully put his whole hand in the cup!) and I drank (read: chugged) my glass of red wine + changed our order to go so we could eat in our yellow-tinted ghetto room. Nothing says family vacation like prime rib in styrofoam containers while your toddler walks around your hotel room opening and slamming all the drawers…and squawking. Needless to say, GBB went to bed early and hubs + I sat in our room and ate Annie’s cheese bunny crackers on the floor.
We left that inn really early in the morning because we had to catch the Chi-Chemaun ferry to Tobermory. The ferry was gigantic (I couldn’t handle how many cars fit on the monster!), George napped in the Ergo the whole ride (which was close to 2 hours), and even though it was windy, it was so beautiful + relaxing.
Once we docked in Tobermory, we explored the town + then hit the beach! We wanted to see the infamous Grotto but the park was full + we were turned away. Hubs was so excited about the Grotto and it was super unfortunate that we didn’t get to check it out, I guess we’re going to have to make another trip up there! We enjoyed Singing Sands beach and then ventured home.
The car ride home was madness. We were all incredibly tired and George totally protested his afternoon nap (again!). I spent the duration of that car ride trying to help him go to sleep + I was going nutty in the back seat. He did eventually fall asleep…25 minutes out of the city sooooo that was awesome, ha. Hubs sat in the car with him while he napped + I took a long shower; I needed to decompress like, woah. Honestly, George was an incredible traveller + it makes me excited for our future adventures as a family; ball park road trip, I can’t wait for you!
What a wonderful family weekend away full of love, weird hotels, laughter, and a thousand versions of “the wheels on the bus” sung over and over and over again.
Although I feel like I am experiencing a post-vacation hangover, I am happy to be home. I weirdly missed our cat, Charles (who really can be sweet underneath his jerk demeanour!) + I thrive on our routine.
Now to get back into the every day and gear up for all things fall!
XO
lovveeeeeeeeeeee