Happy New Year! Welcome 2022!

What a great way to ring in the new year - a three generation party with food, games, dancing, and cold with a REALLY cold backdrop!

MOMENT: A Toast to the New Year!

Fondue is always a great way to celebrate. We didn't get to all of the games Mommy planned, but don't worry - she is committed to getting Pictionary into the memory banks at the next one! Thanks to Keva for her awesome dance show and to the two teenagers for abiding Grandma for a NYE dance for making these memories happy ones. Bring on 2022!

Christmas 2021

'Tis the Christmas season and it wouldn't be complete without decking the halls of our home, having a celebration with Grandpa Mike, and making a voyage to somewhere. This year - it was back to Fort Frances! This is Tavish's second Christmas there (he was 9 months old the last time) and a first for Keva. It was lovely...despite the near-covid crisis as Mommy's Teacher Candidate tested positive for covid less than a week before we left! Ack! All were negative ... a Christmas miracle!

Urban Tree "farm"

Dear Santa...

Covid Tried to Cancel Christmas - NEGATIVE!

Journey Begins

Keva trims the tree with Grandma

Ready for Santa

Hope Santa and the Reindeer are Hungry!

Good books and a first CELLPHONE?!?

Family Christmas

Wintery Wonderland

Christmas Cheer

MOMENTS: Looking Like Christmas and Feeling Festive

Getting the tree from an urban walk is a tradition that continues! Even covid couldn't wreck the journey to Fort Frances, though it tried. (sigh) It was snowy and cold-cold-cold but that just made it feel oh-so-Christmasy! Auntie Colleen and Grandma greeted us and we got lots of time with Uncle Kevin and Logan, a frigid (but, again, fun) Christmas day outing in the snow with Logan, some connected time with the Bedfords in Ottawa, lots of memories, and a few new gifts. Some gift highlights this year included: homemade wooden boxes from Uncle Kevin; matching white glowing hearts for the window for Grandma, Colleen, and us; google home mini for Keva, a first cellphone for Tavish; and Santa's gifts awaiting our return in Toronto for the kids (hockey net for Tav and a Barbie campervan for Keevs). Memories. Memories. Memories.

Uncle Kevin's Birthday

Celebrating Uncle Kevin turning 51 together in Fort Frances is fun and brought out a few memorable zingers too...

Background story:
Grandma has been known to offer food that is... well... it's beyond being expired. It's well intentioned and entertaining, if not a little, um... icky.

Grandma: They tease me a lot about all of my old things
Mom: Mostly about you, Kevin

ZING!

Tavish and Logan sharing a game on Logan's phone. Each wore one wireless ear bud and took turns trying to beat the score of the other. Meanwhile, Uncle Kevin, Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Auntie Colleen were trying out a new game called Ticket to Ride. While Tavish was on his turn, Logan came to the kitchen for some soda, still wearing one ear bud to hear Tavish playing....

Meanwhile, at the table, the board game shenannigans are heating up as someone explains to Grandma what she can do to secure more points on her train route.

Grandma: I like the sound of that...
(without missing a beat, from the other side of the room)
Logan: Know what else sounds nice? The sound of Tavish failing.

ZING!

Casual Cousin Competition

Friendly Family Fun

Green or Blue Braces

Traveling through the snow to Fort Frances after our flight to Thunder Bay, kids are working to find ways to cohesively pass the time. "Eye Spy" - a classic.

Tavish: I spy something that is green

(a few incorrect guesses later)

Keva: Are your braces green?

Tavish: No, they're blue.

Keva; Oh, they look green to me.

Tavish asks for my phone to look at them in selfie mode and declares they are, in fact - blue

(a few minutes later)

Keva: I spy something that is green

(a few incorrect guesses later)

Tom: Tavish's braces?

Keva: YES!

Halloween 2021

 This year we added a witch and stick-person to our costume history and kept the creepiness up on our haunted home!

MOMENTS: Witch, Stick-Person, Pumpkins, and Sugar

Even on-going Covid cannot quash Halloween traditions! Our house looked spook-tacular, with a special nod going to Keva's creative touches of homemade signs and creepy notes! Our pumpkins were unique and fantastically carved once their guts were gutted - a pumpkin witch and a pumpkin jail! Cookie decorating is always a sweet perk and much looked forward to. An outdoor alley party with our peeps - even the rain couldn't stop us! Trick-or-Treating with our local friends was, as always a blast. Witch Keva made a side stop at her teacher's and to Isabel's candy chute, then hit up Coady to trick-or-treat with Adele. Tavish loaded up the candy with his motely crew of Coady costume-ers Charlie, James and Riley. Oh, and there was sugar. Ample yummy sugar gathered, sorted, enjoyed and some was swapped out with the Switch Witch too. Halloween and happiness do go together as a repeat-worthy tradition!

Thanksgiving 2021

We made the trek up to Ottawa for the long weekend. It was lovely family time with some football tossing, dog walking, and general chit chat. As always, thanks to Michele and the boys for hosting this Toronto-based clan! Nice looking crew, if I do say so myself!

Jays Game

It's not often we splurge and send us all to the big league ball game, but when we do, we really love it!

MOMENT: Take Us Out to the Ball Game

Tom and Tavish went early to watch warm up and batting practice. Keva and Kath took the TTC, the first is a long, long while. It added to the adventure. Add a hot dog, some ice cream, some quality baseball, and cheery fans - you've got yourself some great memories... <3

Part of the Fun - Getting There

Baseball from Warm-Up & A Ballpark Hot Dog

"...take me out with the crowd"