When Winter Goes on Forever...

... pull friends around in a sled or build a fort to make the best of it...

Lots of bundling

Plenty of sled pulling

...especially for Mommy

Fort building fun

Playing with a friend and decorating the space make it homey

Three cozy kids

Tavish and Riley build a snow contraption for hockey

MOMENT: Snow, snow and more snow

Making the snowst of it!

Siblings in the snowfort

It was one of the coldest and snowiest winters in decades. There was a lot more snow than we expected from moving back to the tropics of TO. However, the kids kept it together in spite of the boots, snowpants, toques and mittens required. Heck, they even (mostly) enjoyed it with each other and a few friends...

Skater Boy

Tavish has always been keen to skate and has consistently skated well for his age, but this winter h's interest level and ability improved noticeably. He really skated up to the ice and glided off.

Tavish dons his skates

Keva catches a nap

MOMENT: Evolution of Skate

It was a process. He started more tentative than we remembered him being last year. Then we realized that he was not only much bigger (further to fall), but he was also on rink ice rather than the more roughed up canal ice he was on back in Ottawa. He and Tom took lessons together, we occasionally went to the neighbourhood rink and voila - our boy became a skater!

Baking Bonus

Now instead of just one set of small hands to help with the baking around here, I've acquired another. Several small hands make light (and tasty) work.

My baking buddies

MOMENT: Baking Beauties

Tavish organizing the ingredients

Tavish measures them carefully

Keva 'helps' to stir with her wooden spoon

Keva in charge of the taste test ... I think she likes it

You get the idea ... there was one helper who paid attention to detail and another who helped themselves. Mmm, muffins.

Family Day Weekend

It was a marathon weekend of snow-packed fun. We first set off for Torie's Farm where we snowshoed among the maples, slid down some slopes, and attended this year's ceremonial 'first tapping' of the maples. The next day we journeyed further to Torie's Cottage where we found ourselves, and our car, surrounded by deep and unexplored snow. It was a sanctuary for friends to enjoy time together as family ... and the Olympics on the big screen!

It was a snow party!

Keva and Tavish were invited to join...

The cast of characters:

Tavish and some tasty snow

Keva in her red sled

Jasper with the quinzhee

Tom on skates

Carol on snowshoes

Torie on skis

and Jode up close

MOMENTS: Snow Lovers

Warm fire with a snowy view

When winter gives you snow...

Build a snow home to play in!

Then smile...

...smile...

...SMILE!

Two toqued peas in a snow-pod

Alter-egos: Flash and Batman

There was playing... Tavish and Jasper played ... Torie, Carol, Jode, Tom and Kath played ... Keva played. There was snow, fun, a fireplace, and the Olympics. Another memorable weekend full of more moments than could be captured by my poor phone. Thanks for having us, Torie!



* Tavish became part-local celebrity when he confidently joined in to hang the ceremonial bucket from the first tapping at Torie's farm. Here's the article from the local paper:

Hope on Valentine's Day

Cupid's arrow struck a little early this year... February 12th, out of the blue, Tavish says "Mommy, know what I love? Hope". Hope is in Senior Kindergarten in Tavish's classroom...

MOMENT: Preferential Treatment

Valentine's day evening, Tavish tells me again that he loves Hope. I asked him what he loved about Hope ... he said he likes her because she's nice and smells good. Like lotion. Huh. My morning in his classroom seems to make so much more sense now that I know this... Tavish, as "Special Helper" got to pick who answered the questions I asked, and a safe 50% of the time, Tavish chose Hope. She seems like an excellent choice, she's in SK, tall and from what I witnessed, articulate. Then again, she did have preferential treatment for speaking ... Love is in the air at a very, very young age!

Special Helper

Before I returned to work, I took every opportunity to help out in Tavish's classroom. In early February, I was invited to be the "Mystery Reader". I showed up a bit early, so my identity was a bit of a non-mystery, but I had a great time reading 'Froggy Gets Dressed' and also led a craft inspired by the book - the students made 'snowball shooters' from a styrofoam cup, a cut balloon, some creativity and, of course some snowballs (cotton balls).

               

MOMENT: A Special Helper

My time in the class went off very well and continues to be recalled favourably by Tavish. He and his friends, I'm told, really enjoy when I come in... I think it was the snowball shooters more than me but I'll take the acceptance where it's given. Turns out, Tavish was chosen to be the "Special Helper" of his class that day. Below is a peak at how the morning started. For the duration of my time there, I had an extra special helper who chose who answered questions and wanted to call classmates over for their turn to make the craft...

A Sled, Snowshoe and a Ski

All that concern about missing winter after living in Ottawa were put to rest...our first winter back in Toronto was certifiably 'wintery'...

Little red sled

Jumping for snowshoe joy!

Keeping good company

Skiing along Lake Ontario at the Leslie Street Spit...

...and really making tracks!

MOMENT: Sledding, Snowshoeing & Skiing, Oh My!

There was a winter weekend where we did it all and didn't have to leave our part of the city... A trip to our nearby park for some sledding; trying out Tavish's new showshoes at the Brickworks; and a family ski on the Leslie Spit. Tavish was a snow-ficiado and Keva was keen to come along in the spirit of seasonal adventuring...