Day 7- Beyond van Gogh

For this adventure, we got Macy a babysitter, and the 7 of us went to the Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park.

We've walked behind this building many, many times walking down the Rideau Canal during the Tulip Festival, but we had never gone inside.

The immersive exhibit of Vincent Van Gogh is what brought us here.

(And now I'm anxious to see other exhibits like this of Monet and Klimt.)

This place used to be called the "Cattle Castle" as it was used for many agricultural exhibits.

I loved this weather vane with the flying cow on 4 wheels!

We were all thoroughly impressed with this experience.  Even the little ones!

There were several letter excerpts between Vincent and his brother Theo that were quite touching.  I agree with Vincent's sunshine remedy!

For this part, first the pencil sketch was drawn...

...then it was colored in.

Vincent's bedroom.

(Which he painted multiple times.)

Ali was most excited to see Starry Night come to life (as she made her own artwork based off it earlier.)  It truly was mesmerizing.  Of course, I had to play Don McLean's song for my kids on the car ride home.

More good advice.

The message of the exhibit was "Beyond Van Gogh was Vincent."  I really enjoyed learning more about the man behind the art.  He wasn't just a crazy man who cut off his ear and sent it to a prostitute.  He loved his family and friends dearly.  His nephew was named after him in the hopes that he would be as determined and courageous as his uncle was.

Leonard wanted to take my portrait after the experience.

Coming home, I had to snap a picture of our neighbor's sunflower.

This is my favorite quote of his.  However, he always signed things just Vincent.

Day 6- National Gallery of Canada

Our next museum- was the art gallery.  I could visit this gallery weekly and never tire of it.  I love art!!  I also have grown to love this spider, Maman.

I love all of the beautiful buildings downtown- the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica is a great example of the beautiful silver-spired churches here.

Don't mind the construction cranes, but don't you want to grab a snack under one of those red umbrellas beneath Parliament?

Here you can see the US Embassy, the CRA (IRS equivalent), and Fairmont Chateau Laurier, as well as part of Major's Hill Park.

Now to all the beauty inside!

This lovely young lady had me missing my Noé.

Long before cameras, mamas loved capturing the images of their precious children.

Macy's great-great-grandmother was from the Cherokee tribe.

I love this painting of a mother, her two daughters, and hydrangeas. 

These murals were from an actual room inside the museum.

I don't know how they constructed it, but it was really cool to visit inside.

Macy was being cranky, so I took her and the younger kids home, while Leonard and Kaleb stayed to explore the whole gallery.  I love these charming old homes downtown near where we parked.

They have so much character.

And charm!  Please can have I have this one?

Day 5- Canadian Museum of Nature

We drove downtown to see the "castle"...

AKA the Museum of Nature.

It is such a beautiful building, truly a castle.

I'm glad the only thing left of dinosaurs are their bones.  Scientists, please don't bring them back, did you see Jurassic Park?

Public Service Announcement:  Caribou are Reindeer.  My husband grew up in Canada and had no idea that they are the same animal.

We also learned there is a real Pika mouse, he must be the inspiration for Pikachu.

I want to see a living Puffin someday.

And I'd love to see this blue-billed duck.

I'd rather swim with this cute little turtle though.

(The museum has many living animals as well as stuffed.)

I hope I never swim with this scary guy.

And if I'll ever swim with these crabs or worms, just kill me now, because I would for sure have a heart attack.

I wouldn't mind walking the beach and tossing these guys back into the ocean.  I call them sun-moon-and-star-fish.

I'd love to live in a butterfly garden.

The kids wouldn't mind living in a cave.  I like this safe spelunking.

Cool stalactites and stalagmites.

And beautiful crystals!

I want something made out of this cool rock flower.  A dress print, a necklace pendant, artwork to hang in my home.  I love it!

I also wouldn't mind adding this to my rock collection.

Meteorite, wow!

The 10 year-old in me still wants to walk on the moon someday.

For now I'm grateful to walk on this amazing earth!

Whenever we can, we drive the backroads home.  Can you blame us?

Macy doesn't mind, she's comfy in her throne.

Welcome 2022!

I love reading different versions of scripture. In one of the Christmas cards we received this year it said, "I will bless you...and you will be a blessing." ~Genesis 12:2 CSB

I have been so blessed by our loving Heavenly Father. My goal is to be a blessing to everyone I encounter in this earthly realm and to be a blessing to my God.

2022, let's make heaven on earth!

I also have a goal to get caught up on this blog.  I'm clear back in last July, so here's hoping I can do one post a day until I'm caught up again.