Family Fun - Week 10

Our New Year's resolution was to do at least one family activity or outing, just the five of us, every week this year. This is week 10 of family fun.

Before we went to France, we visited the Westfield Heritage Village for their maple syrup festival and really enjoyed it. It was 9ºC on Sunday (3 Sundays ago now) so a perfect time to go again. We had a fantastic time, my favourite family fun so far. Finian is at a great age for outings now, he is curious about where we are going ("Where we going Mummy?" times 100), and wants to do everything once we are there.

The heritage village taps their maple trees and makes maple syrup 3 ways, as the Native Canadians made it, as the early settlers made it, and as it is made in a current small scale sugar shack. There are people in costume reenacting so it really holds the kids interest. This is a bumper year for maple syrup in Ontario, yum!

The Native Canadians heated the sap in hollowed-out logs using hot rocks.

The early settlers heated the sap in big cauldrons over fires that they kept burning day and night.

This is the modern way, the sap goes in the top where all the steam is, and the maple syrup drips out the bottom. We tasted it, so good!

Westfield also has historical buildings, a trading post, general store, print shop, bakery, church, and more, all staffed with people in costume reenacting various roles. We plan on going back again during the summer.

Family Fun - Week 12

Our New Year's resolution was to do at least one family activity or outing, just the five of us, every week this year. This is week 12 of family fun.

Spring seems to be coming very slowly this year, so we are ready to take advantage of any signs of it we can. It was 4ºC and sunny on Sunday so we decided to go for a hike for family fun. There is still a lot of snow on the ground, we knew it could be wet and muddy but that's a bonus for Fiacra.

We went to Synder's Flats and hiked/climbed trees/picked up sticks/walked on dubious ice for 2 hours. As we were walking back to the car, Fiacra said "this was awesome" and I agree wholeheartedly.

We did do week 9 and 10 family fun, I just haven't had a chance to write them up yet. They are on my list for this week. We move house 3 weeks today, we are all excited.

Family Fun - Week 9

Our New Year's resolution was to do at least one family activity or outing, just the five of us, every week this year. This is week 9 of family fun.

We scrambled a little this week, thinking of something to do. It's that odd time here, not quite winter enough for winter activities, not quite spring enough for spring activities, or should I say for mud-free spring activities. We thought about going bowling but the bowling lanes close to us were booked up. Then I remembered the art gallery. Once a month the art gallery hosts a Family Sunday, with at least 3 art activities for the kids to work on. The activities often tie in with the current exhibits. Perfect!

After the art gallery, we went to Balzac's for hot chocolate. It was so quiet when we walked in. There were at least 10 other people there but no-one was talking. Fiacra and Ailbhe were completely oblivious to the silence and chattered away at their usual too loud volume. Connell and I felt a bit awkward but no one seemed to mind the kids. In fact, when Fiacra asked, "Why does that sign say Red Demon Coffin?", many of them laughed. (It actually read Red Diamond Coffee).

Fitness Goals - Week 7

My hip was still sore after running on Sunday, so I went on the bike trainer on Tuesday instead of running. I love having the bike trainer as an alternative to running if it's really icy, or I have a bad cold and don't feel up for a run, or as in this case a sore hip. I watch a show on the laptop when on the bike trainer, usually The Amazing Race.

Runs

Tuesday no run.

Thursday 6am 0ºC  53 minutes. I was really surprised when I came outside to a new layer of snow. Snow at 0ºC coats everything, so pretty. The skunks woke up today. I could smell one close to home as I was leaving, and later Tyandra and I saw one just ahead of us about to cross the road. I thought it was a squirrel so would have kept running, but Tyandra thankfully, has keener eyesight. 

Sunday 7am 0ºC feels like -2ºC 42 minutes. Spring has come in the past few days, there is still a lot of snow but it is starting to disappear. I could smell a skunk again as soon as I came outside. A resident skunk would not help us sell our house. It's time to switch to spring running clothes, I just need to find them!

I have been stretching my hip a lot and it feels fine now.

Fitness Goals - Week 6

It's starting to feel like winter running is coming to an end. I'm so looking forward to switching to shorts.

Runs

Tuesday 7am -4º feels like -11ºC 37 minutes. 

Thursday 7am -1ºC  43 minutes. There was a few centimetres of wet snow overnight and everything was coated in a layer of snow. This only happens when the temperature is close to zero. It made for a lovely run in a winter wonderland. I saw some people biking through the snow. I don't know how they manage to bike.

Sunday 10am -8ºC feels like -17ºC 42 minutes. It was very windy. My hip was achy after this run. I am terrible at stretching, in fact the only stretch I regularly do is an IT band stretch. For some reason, I haven't been doing it recently, I need to make sure to do it after every run. I hate getting injured.

Family Fun - Week 8

Our New Year's resolution was to do at least one family activity or outing, just the five of us, every week this year. This is week 8 of family fun.

I am behind on our family fun posts. We are busy getting our house ready to sell. We are slowly ticking things off the long to do list, but it doesn't leave a lot of free time.

For week 8 family fun, we went to the circus exhibition that is currently running at the Waterloo Region Museum. The exhibition was created by the Ontario Science Centre and is travelling around to smaller centres.

Entrance to museum

This was our first time at the Waterloo Region Museum. I think Fiacra and Ailbhe would have enjoyed exploring the rest of the museum but Finian was ready to go after the circus exhibition. We will definitely go back another day.

Scenes from the circus

 Ailbhe, Fiacra, and Connell all tried walking the tightrope, with varying degrees of success.

Fiacra and Ailbhe both said on the way home, that this was their favourite family fun so far.

Fitness Goals - Week 5

I love my trice weekly running schedule - it's enough to feel fit without feeling like I'm running all the time. I also love running early morning, I run, shower, and I'm done for the day, generally before 8am.

Runs

Tuesday 7am 2ºC feels like -5ºC 42 minutes. This was my wettest run so far this winter. There was a few centimetres of wet snow on the ground, which due to a mixture of snow, rain, and freezing rain, was rapidly turning to complete mush. The traction was okay but my feet were soaked. I had to stuff my sneakers with newspaper when I got home.

Thursday 6am -12ºC feels like -22ºC 60 minutes. My balaclava got in another run. I felt fine but Tyandra was freezing for the entire run.

Sunday 9am -4ºC feels like -10ºC 45 minutes. I was actually too warm on this run, yep, there is no pleasing me!

Weights
Once again, weights were replaced by washing and painting doors, baseboards, and trim, but it looks so good when it's finished. Our house will soon be perfect and then we'll sell it!