January is motoring along...

this one is ready to move - but hasn't quite figured it out yet... that'll be a game changer!!

I can't believe - no wait, YES I can believe - how quickly this month is motoring along. It's been mild and the kids needed little convincing (which came as a surprise) to head out for a nature walk Sunday afternoon in Arva, where we found the frozen bog dotted with dead little tadpoles AND a frozen-to-the-surface little salamander. The kids were very interested in the salamander, and Hendrik asked me to take several pictures (close-ups) of the poor creature before he hid it under a bed of leaves where, to quote Alana, it might warm up and get better. The snow was almost all gone and with an icy path (no mud) we had to tread carefully (Steve and I did - the kids were slip-sliding all over the place on purpose); but the warm sun meant we could spend some time on the swings and the playground at the end of the walk (yay). Afterwards we checked out the Arva Flour Mill, the oldest continually operating flour mill in Canada, where we picked up a big bag of flour; will we be able to taste the difference? We got to peek in the back doors for a brief explanation of how the almost 200-year old machinery works (still partially powered by water) - check out this video that explains their operations and history. 

dad and alana

Alana had a friend over this past weekend and Hendrik surprised everyone (especially me) with what I'll call a random act of sweeteness; while the two girls were upstairs looking for Barbies to submerge in a pool of water on the kitchen table, he cut out two hearts, placed them by their seats, and then hid under the table. Oh what a guy...

siblings read 

happy birthday dad!