A fun-filled week in Feb

The last week of Feb was a busy one. Pancake breakfast for Shrove Tuesday at Our Lady of the Rosary School cooked by the teachers - YUM and THANKS! An Ash Wednesday service at OLR and Mother Theresa. Ali's job of Text book check and regular Library duties at Mother Theresa. Ski club on Wednesday nights at Red Deer. Free family Skating at the Arena on Thursday night and Farewell for Joey at OLR as he starts school at Mother Theresa next week in Grade 3 (missing 4 months of Year 3 was a little difficult but as one of Joey's grade 2 buddies told his mum "Joey is moving because he is too smart for us" - Priceless).

For what we are told is a relatively sleepy town we haven't stopped. After all this, the infamous Stanley Cup of NHL fame arrived under security at Hockey Central to celebrate the Pond Hockey Tournament that was played on the Lake. They also had speed skating and endurance events. Not to be overwhelmed by the hype we had to join in. Joey was fortunate enough to meet Grant Fuhr (one of his favourite all star players from the Edmonton Oilers who won 5 Stanley Cups) and the boys truly loved seeing the cup itself.

Oilers fans with the Stanley cup.

Joey and Grant Fuhr

Wayne Gretsky memoribilia

On the way out we met Kyle a police officer in dress uniform so not being shy to ask for a photo here we are with a Canadian Mountie.

Paddy with a Stanley Cup ring won by Gilbert Dionne playing for Montreal, the last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup. (please don't drop it in the snow!)

Charlie Simmer and Gilbert Dionne with the Cant boys.

The Lake's marina looking stunning even in winter.
Marathon Speed Skating on the lake.



Thinking we needed a drink we decided to go along with our new buddies Mel and Tim to the pond hockey dinner at the arena. Again we met lots of famous people who we had no idea were famous but loved us (well mainly Greg) for our accents.

Mel, Ali, Henry Burris(No. 1 quarterback in the CFL), Amy and Petrea

Thanks Sylvan for another great weekend and the beautiful snow!

Snow on top of our back pergola.

February Family Day Long weekend

YAY a long weekend. Family day Long weekend is a big event in Sylvan Lake where many of the locals head to the mountains to go skiing or go further afield to see family but for us it meant spending time together and having family from Australia come and join us. The Aussie accents were awesome to hear and we didn't sound strange to each other. In Sylvan Lake the annual Winterfunfest is held and fun things for all to do around town and on the lake itself. Fiona, Steve, Molly and Henry joined us from Edmonton for the fun.

I thought Greg would have been nominated for sure for the Polar Ice dip where crazy Canadians plunge themselves into a hole carved out of the ice and jump into the freezing water - all for local charities which is awesome - thankfully he didn't, but he was happy to boast he would have done it if he had been nominated.

By the end of our time on the lake we were a tad cold so to warm up the kids a quick hot chocolate at the Big Moo saw them raring to go again.
Henry, Molly, Paddy & Joey


Then a spot of indoor rock climbing which they all LOVED!!!

Joey      Paddy

We thought they may have been all worn out but they got their second wind and played bed jumping most of the evening.

Sunday saw us relaxing in our PJ's most of the day while the kids played outside in the snow, back in to warm up and back out to shovel the drive ways - only because the neighbours came out and paid them.
Sunday evening a parent from one of the girls in Greg's class took us curling. A game sort of like lawn bowls but big lumps of grantite pushed down the ice and then using brooms to speed it up by sweeping the ice so it glides onto a big target.

The curling rink.

Greg in action.

Joey and Paddy curling champions

Henry and Joey sweeping

Joey gets physical (umm not how's it's meant to look)



Greg's lucky shot

 It was great catching up with Fiona, Steve and the kids and reliving old friendships and stories.

After the family had packed up and left we took a long walk around the neighbourhood and found a new sledding hill, did some snow angels and enjoyed the freshly fallen snow.

Paddy sledding.

Oval at the back of Mother Theresa School

Joey sledding

Happy days

Woo hoo

After the snow fall (school bus in the background)

Ahchoo

Icicles

Snow angels

Snow ball

Snow ball fight

Footy anyone?

Pattern in the snow

Cold car

Mother nature