September Forever - 3 years of HRGC at Rifflandia

September 20, 2015

Well it was time once again for one the HRGC's favourite weekends. Rifflandia comes every September and it is our third year attending the shows.  The festival is always packed with amazing music and is the most family friendly festival you could imagine.  We just love it.  During the day the whole family jumps on bikes and heads down to Royal Athletic Park. Enjoy great music and amazing food and beer.  Once again they have taken advantage of the "free range beer garden" system and it is a huge hit for us parents in attendance. 

On the last night we have the kids stay till the end of the park show but on the first two days I biked the kids back home at dinner time and dropped them with a babysitter so Lyndze and I could have some time with our friends and hit up some of the late night club shows around the city.  There are a bunch of pictures below and a couple videos.  Happy Rifflandia!  September Forever!    

I thought I would start with a little bit of Rifflandia through the ages, so up first is Seamus:

Seamus' first Rifflandia 2013 - 8 months old                                                                              

2014 - 20 months old

  

2015 - 2.5 years old

      

Finlays first Rifflandia 2013 - 2.5 years old                       

   

2014 - 3.5 years old
 

Riff 2015- 4.5 years old

Seamus, with one of his buddies, playing on a little stage at the festival.  

Finlay is totally in love with drums and electric guitar right now and never hesitates to break out the air guitar or air drums whenever the urge hits him.

More dancing!

Fin is busting a move while Seamus tries to hop over into the sound tent.

Saturdays theme was cats and was referred to as "Caterday."  Seamus refused to wear ears but we did manage to get a tail on him. Here you can see a very sad Seamus in need of a little cat nap.  

Shay spent some time in the backpack when he got to tired.  I am sporting the cat ears and tail!

Seamus was the saddest little child at Rifflandia for a while. But we got them a coconut milk chocolate ice cream bar and things got better pretty quick.

Fin was uninterested in the cat theme but was struck by these fairy wings.  He decided they were actually "Fairy Buzz Lightyear wings" Which is obviously a pretty awesome combination.

Fin taking a look at the program trying to decide who to go see next.

Sunday was a mix of rain and overcast weather  - Luckily it stayed pretty warm the whole day.

Seamus passed out from all the air drumming

A hip hop artist named Joey Bada$$ hit the stage and Shay was really unimpressed.

Shay with our good friend Alyx.

We were super lucky to have a whole bunch of close friends attending/preforming at the festival this year which was really great for Lyndze and I but also Fin and Shay were so excited to get to see them there.

Everything that can be a fire pole will become a fire pole.

Fin just chilling out and watching the music.

Such a cutie!

Peter hanging out with Seamus and Lyndze

There was this great little kids section at Rifflandia this year  - however this picture was taken as the last band of the festival, Mother Mother, was finishing their set - It has been a little trashed. 

Fun, music reacting light displays are also fun to climb!

A cute shadowy figure... 

Lots of kids showed up seeing the fun/opportunity to hurt themselves that this light display presented. 

Shay with his buddy.

A video of Fin and Shay Rocking out to Jessie Roper

Just some fun dancing!

Fun with Cleo

Had to get up close for Tacocat

Fin and Shay LOVED Tacocat. We ended up getting one of their albums

Apparently Security is lax when this guy gets bracelets

Finlay's First day of Kindergarten

September 10, 2015

So today Finlay headed off to his first day of kindergarten.  He was so excited and filled with enthusiasm to get to his new school, meet his teachers and especially excited to hang out with his friend from pre-school Emerys.  

As we waited in the school yard with the other anxious parents and kids, Finlay just started talking to random older kids.  No fear.  He played around the school yard a bit but would occasionally look for us. When the school bell rang we took him into his class. The kids were met by their teachers, one of whom began to sing a song calling the children to the mat in the corner of the classroom. That was all that was needed for any anxiousness he may have been feeling to disappear.  Fin ran to the mat and did not look back.  Lyndze and I stood at the side of the class with the other parents for a couple minutes watching.  Finlay sat on the mat calling out enthusiastic answers to questions the teacher may or may not have actually asked.  We had to leave because of our loving laughter at Finlay's unbridled enthusiasm was likely to interrupt the class.  It was an exciting but strange experience.  We are used to having Fin in all day  preschool, we have done the first day drop-offs before but there is something decidedly different about this.   We are really excited for the adventures to come but it is moments like that where we find ourselves looking back to the past.   

Here are a few fun facts about Finlay on the day he entered his first day of school

Name: Finlay - aka Fin - aka Fin-Fan aka Finner-McKinner

Age:  4 years + 9 months old
Favourite Food: "Honey-butter toast" (Toast with peanut butter and honey)
Favourite Song: It's a tie between "Shaking a baby now" (Twist and Shout) + Hard Days Night 
Favourite Band: The Beatles (not surprising considering the favorite songs)
What am I excited about at school?  Meeting my teachers and being with my friend Emerys 
What have I recently learned how to do?  Ride my bike standing up
What was my favourite moment of summer? Sleeping over at Alyx, Amy, Peter and Emily's house + Going to Ontario to see my family

Finlay was out on the driveway getting ready. I believe this is an action shot of Fin jumping with excitement.

Mid jump

We were able to get him to stand still for one picture!

Fin wanted a picture of him riding his bike on his first day of school.  His school is a bit far away for him to ride to at this point so we just took some pictures for him!

Off he goes to kindergarten

We just pulled into the school yard and Fin was looking around at all the big kids.  They were skateboarding and on their scooters. It was all very exciting.

Fin in front of his school

Fin is attending a little school called "South Park."  It is in the public school board but is a bit of an alternative school that is arts based and does not focus on traditional grading and expects a lot of parental involvement. We are pretty excited about it having had some friends that attended it when they were kids. 

Shay's First Day of Play-school!

September 9, 2015

Today is Seamus' first day of play-school and we are all very excited for him!

He has picked out his clothes and brushed his teeth and he can't wait to ride the bike through the foggy morning to Kate's place.

It was foggy this morning and the kids were amazed.  They were so quiet looking at the fog and the morning spider's webs.

Shay wasn't interested in posing with a backpack.  He went with the less traditional pose with his bike.  Don't worry, he always wears a helmut.  

We are cheering for school!  Yay!

Seamus - 2.5 years old
Favourite Food: toast and eggies!
Favourite Song: Maybe... Alabama Shakes!  And Shay-Shay's song (Welcome, by Hey Rosetta!).
What am I excited about?  Being with Kate!
What have I recently learned how to do?  Somersaults.
What was my favourite moment of summer?  Eating ma-matoes in the garden! (tomatoes)

He still says 'boop-boop' when he dips his food in sauce.
He is still a big snuggler.

Tyler, Fin and I have been thinking about him all day!  But we are also very happy for him to begin this new adventure!