Saturday Sledging

We had a really lazy Saturday morning.  Small watched Star Wars, Smallest and I drew and coloured, Moo unpacked boxes and Huffle became Mr Fix-it again.

More pen on his face than on the paper, but loving every minute of it

Huffle very smug with his hanging work

Moo delving in the boxes like a hungry hobo

Smallest decided he wanted to do different 'thank yous' this year.  So he made a Christmas decoration for his friend back home.  Then we drew a thank you picture for Grandma and Grandad.  And then another one for Aunt & Unc Pear and Pest and HB.  I can't show you fully because they might be reading!  Then Small started as well - he drew a lovely picture for Grandma and Grandad too.

The concentration!

We stayed in our PJ's most of the morning, then had a light lunch and got our snow gear on and went off in search of hills to sledge down.

We were recommend a place which was gentle hills and slopes and great for kids.  Only  $2 each and we stayed their for over two hours.  Great fun.  The kids loved it - to be fair so did Huffle, Moo and I.

Moo and Smallest sledging - extreme!

Small waiting to sledge

Huffle and Smallest sledging.

A quick snicnic break again (we ate the Chappos chocolate - thanks)

Whheeeeeeeeeee - Moo whizzing down the hill

Smallest was going down on his own.  On his front, back to front - he didn't care, he just went for it.  Every time he got to the end bit he rolled off, in a very dramatic way.

It was very tiring trudging up that hill all the time.

Moo had a wetness problem - senior moment?

We had a quick trip to a supermarket, came back for dinner, bath, couple of games and then Moo put the kids to bed.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Now it's our turn.  The wine is open, a cheeky little red 14%.  The cards are shuffled.  The brownies are warming and the ice cream is chilling.  Ahhhhhhhhhh.

Happy New Year to all my readers and all the best for 2012.

 

Shovelling, Snicnic and Sledging

We had tons of snow last night. 

View from front door first thing

View from Small's room looking into back garden

View from landing window looking North

Where does Moo think she's going?  Antarctic?

Once we had our breakfast we put on all our thermals, snow pants, gloves, hats, scarves and rushed outside.  The snow was really deep in places.

Small can't understand my fascination with tree photography!

Looking back towards the house from the bottom of the garden 

Snowballs were thrown, the start of a snowman was made, faces drawn in the snow, sledging up and down the garden.

Me pulling Smallest along the garden in the new sledge from Grandma and Grandad

Small shovelling, Huffle pulling sledge and Smallest and Moo trying to take photos

Small's snow picture of a face

Me and Small

Then it was down to hard work.  Shovelling the snow off the drive.  We didn't think we had a long drive but when it's full of snow, it's certainly long enough.

Smallest and Huffle scraping the snow and ice off my car

While we were clearing the drive, the post man arrived.  Smallest went and waited till he got out, hoping that he would deliver some post to our mailbox.  Bless him, there wasn't any.  It wasn't till later that we realised it was the parcel man and the postman arrived later with some mail and a parcel from our wonderful friends the Chappos, who had sent us a letter and some Cadbury's chocs to hang on our tree.  Thanks Chappos.  There was also some post from the DotDots.  A Christmas card, a new home card, a mask for Smallest from his mate Art and a card for Small from his best friend Bomberdill.  Thanks DotDots.

When it was time for a break we had a little 'snicnic' a snowy picnic.  Moo made flasks of coffee and hot chocolate and we had a choccy bar from our Christmas supplies.

We had 'make do' chairs which we made out of my summer tyres.

The boys look like little old men drinking their tea!  They had hot Choc.

Where do you want this tyre chair?

A lovely -7 (with a windchill making it feel like -17) snow picnic.

Whoops Smallest fell in!

It started snowing again.

We messed about a bit more and then went in to get warm.

This afternoon we had a walk (well the boys were pulled on their sledges) to the garage.  Normally this would take only 15-20 minutes, but with the snow piled up and the pulling the sledges it took considerably longer.  The wind was behind us on the way there so it was fairly pleasant but on the way back it was biting.

I insisted that Smallest walk a bit of the way so he would be tired out and not go loopy around the house when we got back but he was having none of it and decided to cry most of the way home till I gave in and let him ride on the sledge part of the way.  His hands had got wet and cold and he couldn't warm them up.  Then I stopped to speak to a neighbour and Small started pummelling me with snowballs in my face while I was talking so when she stopped I got him back, then he cried all the way home too.  That was a fun walk!!

More boxes have been opened and sorted and Huffle found my knitting box.  Hurrah.  I can finish Small's scarf and my friends Christmas present and whatever else I had started but forgotten about.

Snowy Port

Last night I caught Gary truffling.

This morning Moo and Smallest were busy 'doing' under the bunting.  Moo was emailing and Smallest was cutting - his most favourite things do at the moment.

This is one of Smallest's new tops for Christmas "collector of bugs" and he chose to wear it today - quite apt considering the combing session we had to do last night!!

 

Saw these wrapped up trees on the way in the car.  Liked them architecturally.

We decided to go for a jaunt to Port Perry today.  It was raining just a little bit but the longer we were there, the more and more it snowed.

Bbbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Port Perry is a small town on the edge of a large lake.  Some unique shops, restaurants.  It was really cold and starting to snow so after browsing through a few shops we found an Italian Restaurant for dinner.  It was lovely.

Soldier and Smallest

The Grinch cake

A snowman made from drums and a trumpet

A jam jar glass - regular thing here!

I think they give you a straw so you don't dribble over the lid part!

The boys enjoying their dinner

Huffle had a lovely homemade Beef Lasagne.  Moo and I shared a Garlic soup (which was much better than it sounds and a Spinach and Ricotta Manacotti.  The boys had pizza and chicken strips.  It was yummy.

Main street of Port Perry with the lake in the background

Huffle and the boys walking towards the lake

The lake was frozen

We stumbled across a Gingerbread competition - glad I didn't enter.  Mine would have looked awful in comparison - you could smell the ginger and the cinnamon as soon as you entered the room.  They were fabulous.

This one won.

look at all that gingerbread

A toilet!

"CAMPER VAN!"

Then the snow started to get a bit heavier and we decided to head for home.

This was the view from the car driving - I'm not driving by the way (not this time!)

The snow was almost horizontal.

This was our road as we got home.

Our drive (4pm)

We all went into the loft and set up the wooden train track - wow nice to have the room to just keep going.

The view from the loft looking at the barn.  Not a great picture but you can see the snow coming down.

Huffle set up the 'gym' in the basement so we could get some exercise.

Smallest 'rocky' boxing

Huffle boxing

Small cycling

My footprints in the snow.  He he  just mine, no-one else has been out in it yet. 

 I sneaked out.  Crunch crunch crunch

The trees and snow

We decided to open more boxes and started to organise things a bit more.  Books on shelves, computer stuff, craft things away.  It is starting to feel more like home.  Little bits here and there.  Pictures up.  Magnets on fridge, photos out.

Office (under loft stairs) - We are wondering if a chair or bean bag here might make it more comfortable 

Office - computer set up.  Printer set up.  Photo albums on shelves.

Smallest's room with his car lights up.

And this was the snow at 8:30pm. ......and it's still coming down...........

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the DotDot family on their new arrival.  My dear friend LizzieDotDot had a gorgeous baby boy this morning (a little earlier than expected).  Well done LizzieDotDot.  Can't wait to see more pictures and find out his name - we've always called him Bernard, maybe it will stick!  

I can't show pictures of him yet until I have the family's permission but believe me he is adorable - now I just have to find the bonnet I knitted for him and sew the blue Pom Pom on - which box is that in!!!!!???????