I think we are all itching for Spring...

grace and Jasmin both are more often asking to go outside to play. I love it, but unfortunately not very often is it warm enough to go. Days like today when I can send them out in the back yard to explore the retreating snow are so wonderful! Other times they have to settle with playing dress up with outdoor stuff...
Or perhaps Mommy will twig with another captivating indoor activity! I let Grace have a glue stick, scissors and construction paper... and she was absorbed for nearly an hour!

Didn't work so well for Jasmin... 5 minutes after start time Mommy goes to hang up the laundry, and finds this upon return... Climbing and "fishing" is so much more Jasmin's style :o)

Family day Fun - on Saturday - with our church

We went bowling. I anticipated that Grace would have a blast and Jasmin get herself perpetually into trouble :o) Actually... Jasmin was fascinated by the ball return... she continually grabbed balls, took them to the foul line and left them there with no interest in actually bowling them or watching the pins fall down.

Grace, on the other hand, was clingy and scared! She hated the noise... mommy had forgotten about the crazy loud music and the combined noise of 16 lanes of busy bowlers! But once I brought out the snacks, she was happy enough to sit at watch :o)


Afterward, we went back to the church for supper, a movie, and games. Grace was much happier just running around the big empty room of our church and hiding with Jasmin under the potluck table! The game time centered around DDR, "dancing" by touching the correct arrows as you see them on the screen. This is a good picture of how NOT to play successfully :o)But at least we were demonstrating good cooperative family spirit ;O) Lots of people had a go, from those who are amazing to watch dancing the fast songs, brave beginners like me, and even just the curious parents and pastors. It was a good day. And best of all, an early bed time on Saturday night preparing us well for Sunday.

Rainy day Activities....
drawing! This is Grace's spider... not bad, eh? She had a whole story about it, but the only bit I properly understood was that he had 8 legs!

puddle jumping! What rainy day is complete without puddle time? Both most definitely did not want to come in, but they were so cold! Jasmin especially as she managed to fall down on the ice numerous times. Their boots were so wet I could pour the water out of them! i think Mommy needs to find them some wellies...

painting! And inside, the much loved but so often allowed activity of painting... They do have the idea of paper painting too, it's just not so fun :o) Notice how delicate and careful Grace is about painting herself compared to Jasmin. Grace doesn't like to get dirty! Always, once I've set them up to paint, the next words I hear from Grace are, "Mommy, can I take a bath?" in very urgent tones!

Ever since I met Michael he has been going to take me skating on the canal. Up until this year, we were never in Ottawa when the canal was frozen enough for skating. This year, of course, I really shouldn't be skating as one fall on the ice could undo all the good done so far in the healing of my back. BUT at least I can now say I have been on the canal! Our youth group went this Saturday. We began at Dow's lake, and some of us made it all the way to Rideau and back (a skate of about 14 kms!) As much as I was longing to skate that accomplishment, I refrained, comforting myself with the possibilities of next year ;o)
We took Grace because I was fortunate enough to find some bobskates for her the day before. (We left Jasmin with a friend as she dislikes being cold and in a snowsuit so much). She was thrilled! "Look Mommy! I'm slipping!" was her proud cry at first :D She did a remarkable job for her first ever attempt...
We rented two sleighs, so after Grace had had her fill of skating, she sat and gave us a running commentary on all she saw (a big yellow tiger, a train, horses pulling sleighs, skaters....). After a stop for beaver tails and hot chocolate, our group broke up into "slow" and "fast" groups. As there were a number of us not in skates, and a few who didn't want to attempt the whole length of the canal, the groups were about even. Michael began with the fast group, but his skates were killing his feet so he had to come back to us slowbies. A good thing too, as we left the canal before the fast group returned, and guess who had the car keys? :o)

I was a very good girl and didn't endanger my back all afternoon, but I caved after the whole afternoon in boots and took a tiny skate right at the end - holding onto a sleigh so I wouldn't fall or over stress my back. felt SOO nice to skate after years of missing it! Grace did so well... we had no tears until we had to leave 3 plus hours after we arrived! Needless to say, we all slept really well that night! I actually had wakings and dreamings of being so sore I could hardly move, but when it came time to get up, I was only a tiny bit stiff.