Kaius's 6th birthday party at the point

 Kaius turns 6! Jessica took the party to the promontory point in Hyde Park

grilling hotdogs

Liz's experiment with giant bubbles 

Time for cake! Hugo was so excited that he blew off all the candles before the end of the birthday song. Big laugh! George lighted the candles and we sang again!

the kids played for a long time trying to build a dam and scavenge treasures from these waters 

a quiet moment by the water for mother and child

this image of the point will be with me no matter where I go

opening presents

more games

and the wizards arrived

Antoine as well

July 4th, or the big match btw France and Germany

It looks like it but this was not such a patriotic commune after all; for more than half of the members here (most of the adults actually), the most important event of the day was the world cup match between France and Germany. Antoine was scandalized that the kids were going to the July 4th parade (including his own daughter), or that there was a parade at all; the entire world should be glued to the TV in his opinion. But then, he had a hard time watching the second half of the game with the gang of Germans, and preferred to watch it alone with French commentaries on the radio. France lost, but the festivities continued as the Germans celebrated their victory and Lily's fifth birthday.  

the gang before joining the Hyde Park July 4th parade

thanks to Liz for the pictures... I opted out of the parade for the match

Lily's birthday party

After a big dinner, the tingcadouxs and the sipos headed to the lake shore to watch the city firework, while the rest of the commune watched some illegal firework from the LaCroix's porch. It seemed the porch was a more satisfying choice. At the section of the lake shore we were, too many incidents of teenagers setting off illegal firework too close to us. The kids got pretty scared and did not watch much of the city firework at all.

Anyway, this is a nice pic from the Ruby's porch... a rare angle for me.

Ming Ming turns SIX!

Ming Ming in a flower crown made by Jessica and a birthday dress made by me, playing before her bday party.

making fridge magnets.. the idea was to draw each of their family members in a magnet and thus for each kid to end up with a set of family portrays.

Same game as last year, but the kids did remarkable better this time around. Last year the birthday party started by making all the kids cry (for either falling or losing), but this time there was no crying at all. They not only practiced before the competition but also developed strategies to win. We played the music chair game at Kaius's birthday party last summer and Jessica had to prepare small rewards for each kid who lost the game to avoid major breakdowns, but there was no crying at all this time. I prepared M & Ms but did not use them. 

 WATER Balloons!

 Lemon cake with strawberry mousse, chocolate ganache, raspberries, and some flags!

 painting on canvass

Opening presents... Thank you for all the generous presents dear Friends and Families! Mamie and Papou's present was among the pile but I failed to get a pic.

And the day before, she already opened presents from Popo (a best friend forever scrapbook and a book to learn to play the piano).  謝謝婆婆!

 Books from Tatan Nana et Tonton Andrew, Merci!

 a doggy with a leash and a bag to hold in from Montreal (her dream present)

 and a piano keyboard from papa and mama... as requested.

addicted to "Frozen" songs

Ming Ming singing "Let It Go" from movie Frozen, video taken in mid April



in the garden, while the grownups worked the kids played

Viola Violin Concert at the logan center