Maple Syrup and Oreos

The last day of March Break.  We capped off our fun week with a trip to the local Maple Syrup Festival.

Ev and Carson both worked today but we were able to find one more girl to join us - our Avry. She kept Leah, Vienna and Eli busy as they chased her throughout the park.

Here's Vienna checking out the sap

We watched demonstrations of maple syrup cooking methods.

Took lots of pictures

After we said goodbye to Paula, Ven and Eli, we hit the mall to buy a few birthday goodies for Evann. Made it home in time to pack up the hockey gear, pick up Ev from work and get Leah to one of her last games of the season.  The team was short a full line and a few of the girls, Leah included, were recovering from bad colds/strep throat/bronchitis.  Despite an excellent effort, they lost 3-1.  Leah was very disappointed "We should have won that game. What could we have done different so we could win?"  

Home for dinner, then Leah and Ev had an oreo eating contest.  One of those win-win contests...

 

One last job to wrap up a great week...

Somebody is turning 17 tomorrow!!!

Post-script to Saturday night

We drove to the event through pouring rain. By the time we closed the place, rain had turned to snow.  I had sensible shoes for driving in the car, but I had to walk quite a way to get there... the trials and tribulations of being the Designated Driver.

Of course I left Paula and Brigid at the door of the hall with all the silent auction goodies.  With the wind and snow whipping around us, we struggled to fit a huge framed print into my van.  And a big ornamental clock - at least 5 feet in diameter.  We finally had to take the print out of the box.  Once we had the goodies loaded, we had to pry open the back doors (they were frozen shut). And then we had to coax the doors into closing. And then Brigid had to sit with her print wedged against her all the way home.  And, the ride home took over an hour as the highways weren't plowed.

And, as we said our respective goodbyes, we all agreed "We can't wait to do it again next year!"

Rink rat Christmas

It has been unseasonably mild yesterday and today.  This has put a damper on the skating fun we have been enjoying lately.

We've been on three different rinks the past two weeks - starting at Dwayne and Janice's.

They have a natural rink out on the corn field.  So in addition to exchanging gifts, filling up on a yummy brunch and taking lots of fun family pix, the kids and uncles had a great time playing hockey for an hour or so. The rest of us enjoyed our wine and watched them through the windows.

Some family pix from that day:

Back in the city, Rob, Leah and Carson built and leveled a form, laid plastic and flooded most of our backyard.  The result, a cool little skating rink that up until the warm weather hit yesterday, has seen lots of action. 

Carson and her boyfriend were out with Leah one night for almost 2 hours. Another night she had some friends over for a skate. We weren't surprised to learn that one of Carson's many Christmas gifts from her boyfriend was a pair of hockey skates:

Uncle Adam and Avry have been on the ice as have cousins Liam and Brandon.

On Boxing Day we met a dozen or so cousins in Hamilton at a rink by the Bay.  Shelley and John braved the bitter cold to stand and cheer on their kids who have had little opportunity to skate.  

That was a beautiful rink, but man it was COLD!

Thankfully mom had hot chocolate waiting for us. We spent a few hours getting caught up with the cousins (and switching the tv channels from the world jr. hockey game and NFL football).  

We caught up with most of the gang again the next day at Aunt Pat's. I love watching Leah and Jake connect so easily after being apart for so long. This cousin thing is magical.

I was able to spend a few hours in Toronto yesterday with friends and tonight will be with friends and family.  Not a bad way to spend the last day of what I think will be known as "That Year".  

Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life. Bring it on.