Where did the winter go?

Although we are heading tentatively into spring, it was definitely a busy winter. With teaching 8 classes this term (each 3 hr long, once per week), I let the blog slide into inactivity. To balance out that vacuum, I thought I would show the whole season - all at once.

I know, not the greatest solution, but it is better than making 10 short posts and getting all those notifications at the same time.

Shall we dive right in?


Christmas morning with a 5-year-old who has never experienced Christmas (and might not again) was a blast! Fanfan took no time at all figuring out the process.

No translation needed.

It was great to share traditions but it was sometimes a challenge to explain their purpose.



in January, Parker moved to a single room at Waterloo for his second term. More space and less need to interact with others...

We went to our friends place (Terry & Theresa) for some sausage making and sledding. Yes, sausages (I thought the sled part was pretty self-explanatory). 

Terry is a master at making sausage

Wendy chose to make honey garlic

Once you got used to the cold meat, all was well

Fanfan's first time on a sled

The snow cooperated and gave us about 5 snow days where schools were closed - unprecedented in these parts. Sure picked a wild winter for their first winter experience!

Ying made her own birthday cake - a first (she doesn't own an oven!).

Tobogganing was a big hit (video - may have to use link at bottom of post)

Maddy's 8th birthday (dog) cookie

Maddy loved (past tense) her cookie

Potentially the last chance for a winter sport, Wendy took Ying and Fanfan skiing in the Kitchener area. I took photos and drank hot chocolate.

Adam and I went into Toronto (his spring break) for a 1.5 hr experience in a 737-800 simulator. Of course, a lunch at Five Guys was the proper way to start the day.

No MCAS to turn off...

We took a trip to visit Niagara in the early spring. Fanfan sat on a motorbike and got to hold some butterflies. She also got some ice cream from Cows in Niagara-on-the-Lake (much smaller than the one in P.E.I.).

No trepidation - probably gets it from her father (an edible insect scientist)

Wendy taught Ying how to make brownies (her mom's recipe) and just recently discovered DQ orange creamsicle dipped cones!

To finally prove that winter is over, our flowers are already blooming!

What does spring have in store for us in the next few weeks? Well, you will have to wait for some posts from our annual "term is over" trip. 

Here is where Wendy and I will be over the next 3 weeks:

• Munich
• Dachau (concentration camp memorial)
• Nuremberg
• Rothenburg ob der Tauber
• Garmisch-Partenkirchen
• Berlin
• Barcelona
• Lisbon - just the airport :-(

Take a look at this Google album to see more photos and videos from this past winter.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oEGNh2wssXvEX4wQA

March and April - summer, winter, summer, winter, etc.

Since March, we have kept as busy as usual and were able to get outside more.

Eric and Murray decided they needed to just get out and do something active, so they took a trip down to Niagara Falls for a day long photo safari on March 12th. They hit the Butterfly Conservatory, the Niagara Floral Showhouse, and went on Journey Behind the Falls tour. Here are a couple of Eric's pictures.

For a theme day at work, Wendy decided to have pink hair colour sprayed at the back of her head. That stuff got absolutely everywhere...never again!!

A few weeks ago Parker completely shocked us by asking if we could get him some....





...wait for it...

....JEANS!

After getting over the shock, we went out to the stores and got him his very first pair of jeans. Both Parker and Adam despised jeans (in favour of sports pants of various types). Not sure what came over him, but they look pretty good on him. Yes, he is getting taller - around 5' 8" now!

His very first pair of jeans

The weather in March and April has been, well, kind of changeable. We have had some summer-like weather and some decidedly winter weather recently. Our taking off the snow tires probably is part to blame for the cold weather bit...

Our crocuses decided to bloom in mid March - they actually wilted because of the heat soon after.

Of course, after the heat came the snow! Here are the same flowers a while later...wilted and frozen!

Not long after, we got yet another winter/April storm and this one 'almost' closed the schools. Below are a few pictures of it getting started.

Maddy was not impressed at having to plow through snow in the back yard. She was just getting used to playing on the grass.

Maddy, ready for spring...

Adam needed to shovel in the morning, as close to 6" fell overnight.

This week Eric turned 52 and Wendy took him out for dinner at a small restaurant in Dundas called Il Fiasco. Nice little restaurant right in the middle of downtown Dundas.

Maddy needed a haircut really badly, so this weekend she went for her spa day in Ancaster. Below are a few pictures to show how much she changed after a simple grooming. She was almost completely grey before she went.

Muddy feet from the back yard, just before leaving for her haircut

Once she returned from the groomer, she was an almost completely different dog. From grey to brown in just a few hours!

Not impressed to be feeling so "naked"!

Despite feeling chilly, Maddy is happy that the grass is no longer covered in snow. Unfortunately (and not unexpectedly), we are expected to get yet another winter storm (snow then rain) tonight, so it will be messy for her to go outside. She will at least be easier to dry off than before her haircut!