What to do Without Power

 From last Wednesday to the following Monday afternoon, we were without electricity after an ice storm hit Montreal and the surrounding areas. I was worried about food, about the kids freezing to death at night, and about our sump pump. In the end, the girls thoroughly enjoyed themselves: during the day they built forts out of pillows and blankets, used their flashlights after sundown and slept in their sleeping bags. They also spent a lot of time at their cousin’s house who had a generator and a wood-burning fireplace. The city’s recreational center was open to those needing to warm up and charge their phones. We went skating one afternoon, and the grils had the entire skating rink to themselves. The weather finally warmed up right before we got our power back, and we enjoyed a nice walk along the water, although we had to stay away from the branch-covered parks. Here are a few photos:

The Little Writer

Our youngest, now 9, has been writing short stories for a little over a year. Her story lines and pictures have become more detailed with time. Here she is posing with her collection of books:

March Break in Miami

 And so it was that we got some much needed rest & relaxation in Miami over march break. Here are some photos:

Am I Really The Mother of a Teenager?

 Our # 1 child just turned 13, and I still haven’t come to terms with being a parents of a teenager…For her birthday, she requested a small party with three friends, and a PJ movie night. In the end, they watched part of the series called Wednesday. A very chill night indeed. The following evening, on her actual birthday, we had a small family dinner and a second cake. Here are a few photos of the festivities:

Birthday Girl

 And so it was that our #2 turned 11 on the 11th of February! A very special day indeed! Here are some photos:

Snowman Contest

 Our # 2 child is taking the school’s snowman contest very seriously. Here are some of her recent creations:

Graham Crackers & Lego

 It seems to have become a tradition in our household: As soon as school is out for the winter break the kids make graham cracker houses (that they learned to make in Kindergarten) and then play with Lego. I was hoping that this year’s Lego project would take at least several days to complete. Unfortunately our girls have become experts of sorts, and built the Lego globe in three hours (recommended age 18+ due to degree of difficulty). Papa made a few “quality control” adjustments to the final product: