January 2016

2016 kicked-off with a spectacular month.  We reached milestones in this pregnancy- hitting the 20 week mark and learning the gender! We also enjoyed wonderful family time with visitors and visiting.  From frozen lakes to waterfalls, skiing and an ice hockey rink in the back yard, it's safe to say we're doing our best to embrace the winter... last year at this time, I wouldn't have believed I would be typing that sentence.  

James Robert's First Time on Skis

While in Michigan, James Robert went skiing for the first time.  After about a 20 minutes on the bunny hill with Dad, he was ready for a lesson.  And within an hour, he took a chairlift up to the big hill and whizzed all the way down.

It was remarkable to see how well he took to it and how much be improved in such a short time.  He was fearlessly waving and kept his hands up while skiing next to his teacher down the hill-- it earned him the new nickname "ski racer" around here.


We can't wait to take him again!

Winter Up North

Northern Michigan is beautiful anytime of year; if you can brave the cold, winter has a special splendor.

We visited over a long weekend in late January and were treated to  a frozen landscape, white with snow which provided plentiful opportunities to enjoy winter activities.

Within the first hour of being there, James Robert took his inaugural sled and tested out the frozen lake.

The evening sunsets were the most picturesque time of day and despite my numerous attempts, I couldn't adequately capture the blue of the sky.  Standing out on the lake you almost couldn't tell where they sky ended and the ice began.

The snow was the perfect consistency to cut blocks and make a fort.  Mat really outdid himself with this afternoon activity and James Robert was in heaven. 

We're so thankful for family with such an open door to visitors and who takes care of us so generously.  James Robert absolutely loved having one-on-one time with this Nana, Baca and Great Aunt Kris and Uncle Peter.  

Aunt Nikki Turns 30!

Aunt Nikki came to Toronto, for the first time, in late January.  While showing her around the city, we helped celebrate her 30th birthday!

A trip to the St. Lawrence Market filled our Saturday morning and fueled the birthday cooking and baking to come.  

On Sunday, we drove to Niagra Falls.  It is about an hour from our house.  The last time we visited was in the Spring, so this was a totally different experience.

 The falls are remarkable in the winter if you can brave the cold.  The area closest to the largest waterfall is covered in a a layer of thick ice and the wintery mist is absolutely beautiful. 

We're so glad that Aunt Nikki came to visit-  we hope that the trip made her 30th Birthday especially memorable!

It's A Boy!

One of the most memorable moments of the new year, so far, was learning that baby #2 is a boy!

We bought a gender reveal cupcake for James Robert which proved to be hilarious; he was a bit confused at first:

But eventually, he realized that the frosting in the center was indeed blue.

We couldn't be more excited to welcome another little boy into our family. 

December 2015

We made it! This will be the last picture collage for 2015.  It was so fun to do one each month and served as a wonderful way to recap the year.

December 2015 was filled with the magic of the Christmas season.  Our family was touched to be involved in the celebration of Advent with our Church community, we embraced new Toronto traditions and enjoyed wonderful time with Family in D.C. It was the perfect end cap to a particularly memorable year. 

James Robert's Preschool Christmas Party

James Robert's school had an adorable Christmas party this year.  The children spent weeks creating artwork that told the story of Christmas around the world. He was so excited to show off his work, visit with Santa and have Daddy come to his school!