March came in like a lion and....

Is going out like a lion... what's up with that??? We had another snow day today (I hope this is the last of the season!) It started snowing this morning and really has not stopped. I think we have at least 30 cm, and it is still snowing, although it has tapered off a bit.

So much for the + 10 C we had on the weekend and bike riding! Oh well, hopefully this will be the end of the snow and the April rain will begin!

I don't feel too bad, as I hear Alberta has had it's fair share of storms the past few weeks. I guess that's just life in Canada.

Here's to a warm summer!

Cabane a Sucre

Today was a beautiful spring day... + 10C... full blue sky... lots of sunshine...a truck, a husband, a dog and two kids... some mud... lots of snow... some slush... a walk in the woods.... all to find Uncle Albert's Maple Sugar Shack!
We learned a little bit about how to make Maple syrup, maple toffee... but did not have the chance to see them boil it yet.

It appears the conditions aren't quite right... they need a good frost at night (-5C) and medium warmth during the day (+6C). The sap was running a bit into their buckets, but not enough to do the full boil.

Apparently you just drill a hole into the tree about 1" .... attach a hose and let it drip into buckets... then boil the sap (looks like water, and has a very mild sweetness to it) to about 219 C, until it reduces and changes color - to golden- then through a strainer- a bottle of maple syrup. A little hotter t0 229 C then you get the maple toffee (lay it in the snow to cool!)

It is a lot of fun learning about things I did not have the opportunity to explore in Alberta. They will be in their cabin for most of the week, so we may head back up there next weekend- we'll see what happens!

It was a great day to be outside, and now we're all wiped and ready for bed!!

cavity free!

I finally took Shaun to the dentist (I felt like a bad mom waiting so long, but was reassured that 4 yrs is ok!) He checked out completely fine, and thank goodness he doesn't have any cavities! He was pretty good until he walked into the 'room'.... I had not really thought about it before, but I think he was quite scared, and it is kind of a scary looking place! He looked like he might cry, but just said he was tired.

He cooperated quite well, and he was pretty proud when they said his teeth were strong and healthy. Now it is a matter of continuing the brushing and flossing to keep them that way!! (Oh- and maybe our 'no candy', or virtually no candy/ pop rule has helped!!)

Weekend fun

Even though I was SO tired this past weekend, we did manage to get out and have some fun. Shaun has been bugging us the past few weeks to get his bike out. It was really nice Sunday, so after a bit of shoveling we were able to get the shed open and bikes out! Shaun actually did really well- he was nervous at first, but after a few practise runs around the block with me walking beside him his confidence was back! I am excited, as maybe we'll finally be able to spend a lot of time on our bikes this summer (as I had hoped for last summer!)
Alexa was excited to get on the tricycle- but her legs are just a wee bit short... maybe by summer she'll reach the ground?!?! She loves playing with Shaun and follows his every lead!

We have been talking about our trip to Jamaica, so Shaun decided to 'rig up' some scuba gear, and all his underwater 'devices'.... It's quite the get up!

Finally writing!

Our first born is finally interested in learning to write. I think Debbie and I in Calgary tried to get the kids practising their letters a year and a half ago, but it did not turn out to be a fun activity for them, so they never wanted to even try.

Shaun is now starting to show interest in it. He came home last night and was playing an 'alphabet game', and wrote out (virtually all) the letters! (don't be fooled- I did the middle section!) Then he wrote his name. He was quite excited and said he needed to put it in his backpack to show his teacher... hmmm it may start to disintegrate by then.... :)

The weird thing .... he wrote the first part of the alphabet like he was looking in a mirror.... I don't think this is something kids normally do, anyone have any suggestions??? He seems to be ok if I sit with him and encourage left to right, but otherwise, his tendency is right to left, and backwards.... hmmmm I may have to do some research on this.... :)

Special Sweaters

My mom's cousin, Linda is a well recognized knitter in Southern Alberta. She has knit our family so many beautiful things- sweaters, throws, crochet table cloth for my mom. My mom asked her last year to knit the kids both a sweater. Mom and Dad went to see her in November on their way down to the states. She had almost finished Alexa's, and Shaun's I don't think was started.

I received a package in the mail a few weeks ago, with the sweaters. Shaun's was complete, and Alexa's needed the ends tied up and buttons put on. There was also a note. They were just in the process of transferring her to palliative care. She was admitted to the hospital in January with pneumonia, and was then diagnosed with cancer. She passed away this past Saturday.

It is with a very heavy heart that I write this. She was a very kind and compassionate person. She had a great sense of humour and was a lot of fun to be around. We will treasure her time and effort she put into making these sweaters, at a time when life was so short for her.

Jamaica it is!

It is now 'official'.... deposits are paid, we're ALL confirmed to be going to Jamaica in June! My mom has been hoping for a family trip for several years, and now it is finally coming true! Our 'whole' family (siblings/ spouses/ children) will be leaving June 20 and will be at the Boscobel Beaches resort.... hmmm that sounds pretty nice given all the snow outside right now!!

Now I need to think about
summer wear....
hats for the kids...
lots of sunscreen....
bathing suit shopping (OH NO!!! ) ... hmm I'll have to think about how I can avoid that....
entertainment for Alexa on the plane...
headache medication for me for the plane... (haha)

oh- so much to think about and so much to plan. Only 15 weeks to go... hmmm anyone ever heard of a diet to lose 5 lbs/week??? :) let me know if you do.... !!

a mother's diary....

3:32 am wake up to 'mama' 'mama' (oh no- that's actually 4:32 am because of the time change)

Go see baby girl.... 'mih mih'.... oh- you want more milk? 'yeah' (oh wow... love it when they start talking and tell you what they want/ need!!)

Milk provided..... scream.... 'ummm do you need a clean diaper'? 'NO!'
'do you want me to lay with you?'.... 'NO'!
'do you need your soother?' ....'NO'! (ok- I'm not sure what else she could want)...

enter daddy....

'Daddy'.... 'yes sweetie... do you want to snuggle'? .... 'NO'!

baby scream again....

change the diaper anyway....

back to bed.... do you need your music..... 'NO!'

mommy.... 'do you want to rock? ' ... 'Yeah'....

Rock rock.... 5:00 am.... do you want to go back to bed? 'NO!' do you want to sleep in mommy's bed 'Yeah'....

Try to close your eyes... toss / turn, foot in the stomach, head on the back, time for more screaming....

5:30 am Ok baby, back to your bed.... 'NO'.... more screaming....

5:45 am Go out to find baby hiding in the kitchen.... pick her up and take her to the rocker, screaming.... let her back down.

Watch her painfully make her way back up the stairs, down the stairs into my arms, time for snuggles....

5:47 am fast asleep... oh wow- look at that beautiful peaceful face.... remember when she was so little and just wanted to be held? Her sleeping face makes me want to cry....

6:10 am- move very slowly, and place her in her bed... phewf... still sleeping.... tiptoe back to bed... fall asleep....

7:20 am.... 'Mama'.... agh! Guess it's time to get up....


Thankfully our kids our cute enough that amongst all the frustrating / sleepless nights we still think they are beautiful!!

(She of course is feeling better after the trip to the Dr this morning.... I can only pray we will all sleep better tonight.... )

Burden of beauty

This past week we had a freezing rain/ ice pellet storm... another east coast experience! We were very fortunate to have not lost power, but everything was coated in a very thick layer of ice by morning. Shaun tried to scrape off the car, but was not very successful!
Springhill, NS was hit a lot harder, and lost power for 2 days. Yikes! Here are a few picture from N.S. on my drive to Halifax later in the week. Mother nature beauty, that's for sure!

Too heavy for this tree...

It looked a lot prettier in person- the sun was shining and made all the trees sparkle like crystal. Here is just looks like snow. I think if you click on the picture you may see it a little clearer...

The wind was blowing a bit when I stopped, and it sounded so cool- like people were tinkling wine glasses !