Tia

Tia wishes she lived in Greece. Their yogurt is the best!


We leave for our trip to Mesquite, Nevada on Friday, March 9th and will be gone for two weeks. I'll post some pictures once we are settled.

Marc

Birthdays

Another year has come and gone. In the first week of February, I turned a mighty 43 and Elise hit six years old. It's hard to believe it was six years ago that she was born. How time flies.

This year, we opted to have an after school party. Elise wanted to invite her new friends from school and this seemed the easiest way. The parents dropped the kids off after school and we had a two-hour party with a pick-up time at 5:30pm. Amazingly, the day was gorgeous (what are the odds in early February?). I put the swings on the swing set and we got the backyard prepared for outdoor fun!

As always, Elise was extremely excited about her birthday. The day started early with presents from family. When the dust settled she'd received four new Barbie dolls!


This robe was made by Grandma B!


A photo of Noel with their new dog. Elise thought it was great, despite the odd look on her face!


Off to school with cupcakes for her class!


The party started with a backyard scavenger hunt. This proved to be very popular. So much so, I think we'll do it again in the future. The kids rushed around the backyard looking for trinkets we'd hidden and left clues for.


Next, the kids climbed in the garage. This was at Elise's request, and some did very well and some did not. Regardless, they thought it was unique and had a vigorous time!


We then went inside for presents and cake. Elise had a jellyfish cake this year, staying with the marine theme. She opened her presents and then the kids played in the house until the party ended. Phew! What a day...



We decompressed with a dinner out at White Spot. This was the restaurant of her choice. She ordered the pirate pack with chicken strips and calamari, of all things.


My birthday was a little different. The day saw new snow on the mountain and forecasted clearing, so I packed up my ski gear and treated myself to a day on the mountain. The snow was excellent, and I had a good day touring. I skinned up Flute Peak three times, and then out of the Blackcomb Glacier to ski the run Husume. The weather was gorgeous. I've been plagued by a couple of rib injuries this month, so it was good for me to get some exercise and fresh air. It was a memorable day.




Finally, Elsie just finished her ski lessons. She did well and completed all but two skills necessary to move to level 4. This is a photo of her with her instructor, Oliver. They had fun together.


We had a great family ski day on the mountain. The weather was incredible. Here, Pam and Elise pose on the Whistler peak.


Elise skied the Blackcomb Glacier from top to bottom on her own. This run is 10 km long!


Her treat for completing this run? A super duper cinnamon bun at the Glacier Creek Lodge on Blackcomb.


Check back soon...
Marc

Reading Night

Last week we all attended a reading night at Elise's school library. Everyone was supposed to wear pajamas, but I declined. I said to Elise, "I'd love to come, but I'm not wearing my pajamas". Pam's a much better sport than I, and wore her pajamas. Elise was very excited. There's something about going to school at night and in pajamas that really gets her worked up. I'm glad she's enjoying it all so much.

We read books (The Velveteen Rabbit), had snacks, and Elise won a book in a raffle, which was the icing on the cake! It was a nice event and although the school is small, they go out of their way to host these gatherings to make the kids happy and comfortable.


Enjoy the week.

Marc

Ski School!

Winter is in full swing here and Elise has enjoyed her first two weeks of ski school. We signed her up for the Monday program, which consists of six consecutive weeks of lessons. Of course I agonized over which level to enroll her in. My athletically inclined ego was very tempted to put her in level 4, but in the end I caved under questioning from the ski school and agreed to place her into level 3. She would have been challenged in level 4, but the reality is she's quite enjoying the skills they are teaching her in level 3, and I think it will be good for her progression and her confidence. The only instruction she's had so far has been from me, and I'm certainly no professional ski instructor.


One real bonus is she loves her instructor, Oliver. He's from England and has a great way with kids. He jokes with them and when they won't listen, he makes his cell phone ring and says it's the police calling. And he buys the group candy at breaks. Elise loves him for that!



I've been skiing during the lessons, and had one nice day with fresh snow. I used my new skis and got quite a workout touring the mountain and skiing the various bowls. Elise and I were both tired at the end of the day.


On a more serious note, my dermatologist found a basal cell carcinoma on my forehead last week. I guess all those years of being outside finally caught up with me. These are the most common forms of skin cancer and are rarely serious (his words: fully treatable) but it was unsettling nonetheless. I've got an appointment on February 8th to get it removed by a plastic surgeon at Lion's Gate hospital. I'm sure it will go well.


Moving forward, we have planned a trip to the St. George area of southern Utah for Pam's spring break. It's a desert area with lots of good climbing and hiking. We hope to visit a couple of state parks while in the area and make a short trip to Zion, a national park we've not visited. Mostly, we are just looking forward to a warm, sunny climate. Elise is looking forward to the pool at the hotel!



It's cold here right now and we are all looking forward to some warmer weather. We hope you're all warm, wherever you are.

Marc, Pam and Elise

Italy 5 - Final Days

Our time in Italy has come to an end. We enjoyed two beautiful weeks and were told over and over by the locals how lucky we were with the weather. The climbing was fantastic and we all had a good rest in our quiet little village. Two highlights from the final week involved walks, both short and long.

The first was a hike along an ancient Roman road that traversed the coastline. We travelled from one city to the next and took the city bus back, which Elise enjoyed very much. We saw beautiful scenery and a view into the backyards of many coastal homes - a very interesting experience. The second outing was a long hike in the mountains at the top of the Pennavaire Valley. This took us four hours and we summited a rounded peak with a view of the Alps. It was a beautiful hike above treeline and had breathtaking scenery. Pictures from the week:

Via Julia Augusta, the walk along the old Roman road. The weather was warm and sunny.










A view of Albenga, the coastal city closest to our valley.


Italian treats from the pastry shop, a special event for Christmas.




Some British friends came down from Switzerland and hung out with us for a few days. Their daughter, Ellen, was just a little older than Elise and the two had a grand time together. Here they are dodging waves on the beach in Finale. Elise actually LAY DOWN in the water and got totally soaked - on purpose. This was a first - she braved cold water that I would not.


Fooling around at the cliff.



Our British friends, Laurie, Mike and their daughter Ellen. We shared two dinners together in our respective apartments.


The hike in the mountains. We started at Colle de Caprauna (elevation of 1375 m).




Elise hiking across the open ridges on the way to the summit.


We found an owl pellet (contents of an owl's stomach it spits out). Pam broke it apart and we inspected the food items.






Hamming it up for the camera.



The summit register on Mt Armetta, elevation of 1739 m.



We fly home on January 1st and should be back in Squamish by mid to late evening. We hope you've all had a nice holiday.

Happy New Years!