First Snow Day

Friday was a scheduled pedagogical day, but Thursday came as a surprise. I checked my e-mail at around 6:30, the usual school day wake-up time. The weather was deemed too dangerous for a school day. Slippery conditions, and a combination of snow an ice led to the school closure. The kids were excited and got a special (and rare treat); a little time with their iPads while Mama attempted to go back to sleep.

We worked on school projects, painted and simply hung around until swim team practice, which was not canceled. Come Friday, with improving weather conditions, we decided to venture outdoors. We could not build a snowman, as the snow was not soft enough. But with a little imagination, some food colouring and squeeze bottles, we had loads of fun:

First Kindergarten Skate

Every year, the kindergarteners at our school head to the ice rink in lieu of a physical education class. This last Friday, the excited 5 and 6-year olds took the bus for the very first time. Although the rink was only a few minutes away,  they were nonetheless excited about their outing. Parent volunteers met the children at the rink, helped tie laces, and skated around with the about 60 happy children. I was greeted with a big hug by my 5-year old. We skated together for almost an hour. In fact, anytime  I tried to speak with other grown-ups or children, she pulled me away...and why not, I am her mom after all!

The cutest 5-year old on skates!

The Bus!

First Ringette Tournament

Our 6 & 8 year olds had their very first ringette tournament this week. They each played 4 matches, some in the evenings, other on the week-end, and they even missed a few hours of school on Friday. All in all, it was an fun experience. They each scored a few goals, got a number of assists, won a few medals and our 6 year old got her very first hat trick; to which she replied "what's that?!".

Here is our 6-year old gearing up to get on with a teammate:

The Girls Visit the Science Centre

Wednesday proved to be very cold, too cold to be outdoors, so we decided to hit the Montreal Science Centre. We hadn't been in some time, and the girls enjoyed the many interactive exhibits:

The 2-week winter break flew by, what with ski school, and a visit from some cousins...Mama certainly enjoyed the break from making school lunches and doing homework, and the rush of after-school activities. However, she is also looking forward to a little break from her three little cuties...