Bilbo Baggins and last day of school

 After gymnastics, we celebrated with refreshments at Bilbo Baggins in Old Town Alexandria

with "Hobbit Girl" who napped heavily after gymnastics.  She'll miss the last 2 gymnastics classes, so we enjoyed time with the class (Miss Cris, Miss Debbie, Miss Yve, Miss Heather, Omar, Paloma, Gabby, Leo, Talia, Dennis, and Nathaniel.)

 We walked around Old Town and by the water.  Ariel dipped her feet in the City Hall Fountain a few times.

 Ready to catch the bus on her last day of school before the big trip.

Special weekend with Ariel

 We were going to visit Mount Vernon for the Fall Festival, but it was too crowded.  So we ended up at George Washington's Gristmill.  We walked around the grounds and creek side.  

Cats and Gymnastics

 Ariel likes getting in the cat tent with Ralph and Nene because she can kiss them a lot in there.

 Nene sometimes gets a little feisty with Ralph.

 at gymnastics with Miss Cris

This is through Fairfax County Parks at Audrey Moore Rec Cetner.

 balance beam with Daddy

 Kissing Nene after school.

Celebrating Nene's 3rd "forever family" day with us!  We love you, Nene-chan.

Daddy-Daughter dates

 Sometimes I need to catch up on things around the house, so Jeff & Ariel go out together.  This day, they went to Dulles Town Center - a big mall with 2 play areas and a great food court.  They had Indian fast food at Chopati (healthy rice-veg bowls & wraps.)

 And sometimes they take a "BOB run" (BOB is the stroller) in our neighborhood.

This we call "owl bridge" on the George Washington Parkway (Mount Vernon Memorial) Trail.

more Canada pics

As you can guess, we've been busy with other tasks & paperwork in the home office these days.  But I'll catch up on the blog eventually.  Ariel is in her second day of kindergarten today.  She had a good time there yesterday with new friends and teachers.  We had one last day of swimming in a big outdoor pool on Labor Day before school started.

As I'm sitting here finding bargains on "big sister" books for Ariel on Amazon, I will give a hint for her Christmas wish list: lift-the-flap books (fun for everyone!) and small Thomas trains.  She has a great train table we found used.  It's has small wooden trains & vehicles, but is compatible with small wooden Thomas trains.  They're the kind with the faces on the front (Thomas, Percy, Emily, etc.)  She would be pleasantly surprised.

Dinner in our Ottawa place.  Hosted on Airbnb by Liane Eng.

Changing of the Guard by Parliament.

 Amphibious tour (Ottawa River)

 At the Canadian Museum of History, on the Quebec (French) side of the river (Gatineau.)

 Walking around Byward Market, a hip part of Ottawa.

 We stopped at a Canadian Wal-Mart on our way out of Ontario!

Ottawa

 Celebrating Canada Day (July 1) in Ottawa at a Vietnamese restaurant.

 Exploring University of Ottawa

 Balance beams are her thing!

 Parliament Hill

 She has to try a Tim Horton's donut! (and a green tea icy for me)

(out of order) playing on mattresses

 at Fort Belvoir PX