Spring is here...finally!

May is here, and I think spring has finally sprung!!  Lots of sunny, warm days where we can enjoy picnics and play time outside.  Love it!

This girl has a fashion sense all her own!  

On May 10th, Ben's school hosted their Penny Carnival fundraiser.  And boy, what a carnival it was!!  Food, drinks, cake walk, games, prizes, and more!  We had a great time, and Ben was quite pleased with his game prizes...mustache and vampire teeth were his obvious favorites.

Happy Mother's Day to me!  The day included:  wonderful gifts (including a flower that Ben potted for me from school), church, a stop at the farmer's market (for dinner items, donuts, and lattes), and a walk/bike ride by the river.  So lucky to be the Mama in this beautiful family.  :)   

May 18th started a long holiday weekend for us (Canada celebrates Victoria Day), so we kicked off the fun at the zoo.  Greg had not yet been to the zoo, so the kids were more than  happy to show him around.  We ventured into the penguin house this time, and it was super!  Nathalie was so cute, laughing out loud each time a penguin 'fell' into the water for a swim.   

When we got to the Canadian Wild area, Ben saw one of his classmates from school and his family.  We walked around with them for the next hour or more, a really fun time.  Warning if you are particularly fond of rabbits to skip the wolf picture below.  Apparently he had just been given his lunch, and he was quite proud to parade it all around his enclosure.  Ewww.  Thankfully, we saw the cute prairie dogs after this, followed by even cuter kids enjoying their picnic lunch.  :)

Monday, May 20th was Victoria Day, a Canadian holiday honoring the late Queen Victoria's birthday.  It also informally marks the beginning of summer in Canada, kind of like Memorial Day in the States.  The weather seemed to agree that it was summer, and so it was a great day to explore a new place in Calgary - Prince's Island Park.  This park is in the northern part of downtown Calgary and offers a great view of the skyline.  And yet even though it's downtown, it is a great place to feel like you are escaping from the city...all the green space, flowers, hiking trails, playgrounds, etc.  Sounds like there is also a large Canada Day celebration held in the park on July 1st each year. 

Cute, cute, cute!!  Mommy, Daddy, and their babies came out of the water to say hello!

Centre Street Bridge, crossing the Bow River, was built in 1916.  This bridge is actually the central point of the quadrant system of the city...all locations being NE, NW, SE, or SW from this spot.

More picnic time.  Ummm, I think Nathalie enjoyed the strawberries, by the fistful!  Ben has happy to have a break after all that bike riding.  A beautiful day to enjoy the outdoors and the city with family...thanks Queen Victoria for being born!