Coles Come To Canada!!!

This is a very belated post but I wanted to document a very special visit which happened over Easter weekend. While we have been to visit many blog friends, and enjoyed being hosted by them, we've never had blog friends come to visit us -- until now. (To be fair, Dara from Not In Jersey did come to Toronto a couple of years ago and a few of us met up for supper (see that in this post here) but this was the first friend to come stay with us.) Emily doesn't actually blog anymore but we met through our blogs and we've been in a monthly book club with some other blog friends since 2020. We've also been to visit Emily and her family twice so were super excited to host them at our house!

Emil, Adam, and their three boys arrived on Thursday afternoon. We walked to a grocery store near us to buy some milk (in bags!) and to meet Sam on his way home from high school. Then we headed off to play at Activate Games. It was Oliver's birthday so we wanted to do something special to celebrate. Then we went out for supper and had poutine, among other things.

As soon as we'd played at Activate over March Break, our kids were looking forward to playing there with the Coles. We all had a lot of fun!

Emily and me hanging out in our kitchen!!!

 

Friday morning we had a slow morning at home. The kids played Switch, the grownups visited, we dyed some Easter eggs, I baked some bread, and Dave made pancakes.

That afternoon we walked through the cemetery and took the LRT to the end of the line to see a bit more of our city. Then we got off at our town square, went to Starbucks, and walked home. We stopped at our local park, and then ended up at the kids' elementary school. The kids found a ball and played some soccer while the grown ups talked. It was the first beautiful day of the spring so it was so nice to be outside.  

We enjoyed drinks in the back yard, made salads and BBQd sausage for supper, and then made the kids do dishes!

Saturday morning we were up and out early as we had big plans for the day!!! First up, Emily's family and Rachel and I went up the CN Tower. Sam isn't thrilled with heights so he and Dave stayed on the ground. 

This was a dream come true for Rachel as she's always wanted to visit the top but we haven't done it before.

Me and Emily at the top and looking out over Toronto.

Rachel and Aaron are two peas in a pod and were super excited to check out the glass floor and go to the highest part of the tower.

 

Adam and I took Rachel and Aaron to the highest part and FaceTimed with Dave and Sam who were on the ground. In the bottom left photo you can see the lower observation deck of the CN Tower, and then part of the top of Ripley's Aquarium. Dave and Sam were standing outside the aquarium when we FaceTimed them.

Then it was time for a Blue Jays game!!!

We stopped for drinks and I got my favourite "Touch 'Em All, Joe!" which is named after when Joe Carter hit the home run that won the World Series for the Blue Jays over the Phillies in 1993. So I had to get a picture holding my drink with Adam (a lifelong Phillies' fan) looking sad.

All of us at the game! We ate so much food including two servings of poutine! To see the last time we attended a game with Emily's family, see here.

The next day was Easter so Carson helped me spread chocolate eggs all over the table for the kids to collect. The Coles left for home after breakfast.

 

We had so much fun hosting Emily, Adam, Aaron, Oliver, and Carson and cannot wait for our next visit with them!!! And if any of you want to come visit us, we'll do our best to show you a good time too :)