از سرزمین های شمالی(from the northern country (Japanese TV Series)

Canada 2011 - The Animals

Throughout our journey to the Rockies, we came across creatures that we won't see at our shores. Here are some...
Swan lake at Stanley Park
Man, racoon, and bird
Cat at Artists House Heritage B&B overlooking Shuswap Lake
Elk in the woods at Banff
Some kind of fowl in the forest
Another excitable squirrel
Our biggest catch, a bear cub along the highway en route to Vancouver
and a Ginseng monster at Kamloops

Canada 2011 - Gastronomic Experience

Tojo Japanese Restaurant at Vancouver

Omakase...When you order Omakase, it means that you are entrusting the chef to arrange your meal. We took the 5-course Omakase at Tojo. It was really yummy.

A&W Restaurant (enroute Vancouver to Banff)

"D" Dutchmen Diary at Sicamous

Breakfast at The Artist's House Heritage B&B at Sicamous

The Old Spaghetti House at Banff




Overcooked seafood fettucine

Buffaloberry B&B - Breakfast on second day

Apple pancake and yummy sausages

Home made banana cake with cranberries

Lunch stop at Suwapta Fall


Suwapta Burger - Sirloin Beef

Decore Hotels' Tonquin Prime Rib Village at Jasper

Complimentary bread to fill our empty stomach
AAA pure Alberta beef, aged 21 days and then cooked for seven hours to tender, juicy perfection.
Black & Blue Tuna from Hawaii served with ginger wasabi beuvre blanc. Heavenly...

Happy Birthday ... Heidi is 3!

Chocolate muffin in Cars Cup

Nursery 1 Class Photo

And 4 of us!

Heidi's birthday coincided with Teachers' Day celebration this year. We celebrated her birthday on 1 Sep. Starting from this year 2011, Teachers' Day not longer falls on 1 September every year. Instead it falls on the first Friday of September, so that the teacher could have longer weekend.

This year, I decided to bake the birthday cupcake for Heidi. When Gina shared with me that she started learning cake baking so that she could bake cakes for her boy... the idea totally inspires me. Since then, I have been thinking of realising this little dream of making birthday 'cake'. It started off us getting the goodies for Heidi's classmates , and we found Cars cup to give away. Then we thought that it was good timing to have Cars as the birthday theme, since CARs 2 just have its debut. As we went places, we found Cars ring and mats and miniature cars. Exciting! We spent almost around $200 for just the cars accessories. The most expensive item is the London Bus which we bought in Takashimaya. Good thing is that there was a 20% discount. Phew... amazing how we could spurge money away so easily.. and hope that Heidi can remember her 3rd years old birthday many years down the road.

London Bus

It was crazy yet fun when we did the preparation work for the big day. Oliver and Heidi played their part by washing the cups. They enjoyed playing water and enjoyed feeling like useful engine. Next, Oliver drew almost 30 paper bags so that we could pack the cups into these bags. Exhausting but Oliver made it. Some of the drawings were quite funny such as Japan Tsunami, all of us in swimming pool, grandma open the door, car under the bridge, spinning top. Heidi did her part by stamping and also drew one bag. Hers was Strawberries drop on the floor. Actually, I think the strawberry drop on the floor because Heidi does not like to eat strawberries. That scenario would be quite unlikely to happen for food she really likes.

Now the next challenge.. Oliver's birthday celebration... same car theme for sure!

2 of Heidi's favourite complaints

WHY SO LONG????????

WHY NOBODY WITH ME??????????????

East Coast Park

Our new weekend ritual... swimming and cycling.

Goodbye Smelly Shoes

The smell from these shoes can probably wake dead people. Totally intoxicating. I had tried my best to wash them. But the smell returned once worn.