Someone Wants a Boat

1. Marathon is two weeks from tomorrow. Kate and I did a 20-miler last weekend - can't say I'm excited at the prospect of an additional 10k. I feel like I'm in great shape to run a personal best at a half marathon. But I might not have enough mileage under my belt to avoid fading towards the end of the full marathon. We will see.

2. Zoë moved into a full-sized bed yesterday. We're holding out irrational hope that the move will help decrease the going-to-sleep issues.

3. Conversation from lunch today
Me: (watching a boat putter past our shore) I guess we'll have a lot of people in boats checking us out this summer
Kate: They'll be thinking how happy we must be.
Jacob: We'd be happier if we had a boat.
Kate: Good luck with that kid.
Jacob: Not a canoe or a kayak. We'd be happier with a boat.

The Next Von Trapps

After dinner tonight, "band practice" led to this performance...

















And here's Alison reading to a bunch of the kids...

Dock In For Easter

We've had a full house all week - Kate's parents plus Dan & Alison, Sam and Maeve. Zoë's sleep habits (or non sleep habits) continue to drive us crazy, but otherwise a fun week. As always, should have taken more photos.

- Kate and I put the dock in last weekend before the guests arrived. I was in the water in hipwaders. Waves from a passing boat managed to fill the waders with freezing water. Perhaps next year I'll wait until spring has properly arrived.

- Easter egg hunt in the backyard

- And a tub full of cousins

Jacobisms

Here are a couple of recent dinnertable discussions with Jacob

1. Vegetarian?
Jacob: Did a farmer kill this chicken?
Me: Yes Jacob
Jacob: That's sad (exaggerated sad face)
Jacob: Sorry chicken, but I have to eat!!

2. Easter
Jacob: (apropos of nothing) They killed Jesus.
Me: What? Who?
Jacob: Silas told me. They killed Jesus.
Fortunately no mention of Jews or other guilty parties.

Lake Opened Up Yesterday But...

Today it alternated between snow and hail, with occasional drizzle, lots of wind and general ooookiness. Thanks, Spring. The ice may have disappeared just in time for the perch festival, but we have yet to see a boat braving the whitecaps.

- Yesterday was chilly too, but minus the precipitation. Here are the kids mixing up a witches' brew. The 3rd picture is presented mainly as evidence that not only do I have all my hair (as #40 rapidly approaches), but it's all still its original colour. Kate was contending this evening that grey is taking over. Nice try.

- And Jacob's latest passion is Kapla blocks. All day if he had his druthers. Maybe a little help from Kate on the train.

Ice is Finally Breaking Up

Iceberg's Coming

When we went to bed last night there was 15 feet of open water between the shore and the ice. This morning, the ice had run ashore, tossing boulders up in the air, knocking my birdbath over, and crushing Don's old woodstove turned planter. Pretty exciting. I'm checking my insurance coverage for "house knocked over by iceberg".

Despite these photos, I did my long run this morning in t-shirt and shorts. Spring is here. I was completely done at the end of 17 miles - not making me excited at the prospect of 26!

 

These two photos courtesy of Don.

Eating Outside

Lake is still frozen but spring is definitely springing. Yesterday, we walked home from nursery school, I ran outside in shorts, and we ate dinner outside. Today we wandered downtown and to the farmer's market and spent all afternoon at a playground. Life is good.

Here are some pictures from yesterday evening.

In case you're wondering why the globe appears on the dinner table... Jacob announced after dinner that "it was a great day and now we should look at all the countries of the world!!". Love that boy's enthusiasm.

I imagine the ice will be off the lake by tomorrow or Monday as the forecast is for more warm weather. I called the cops this morning because some dude was on the ice about 50m from our house. There's open water by the shore, and it's slushy and thin everywhere. Apparently they came and shooed the crazy guy off the lake.

A New Canadian

Don't ask why it took so long, but Zoë's Canadian citizenship arrived in the mail today! Yay!!

The Next Generation of Sports Fans

- Jacob rocking his new Habs cap in preparation for the playoffs. This close to Toronto, it's hard work keeping kids out of the clutches of the Maple Leafs. Despite their perpetual suckiness.


 -And here's Molly enroute to the TFC game last weekend. First time in the Mini and enjoying the spring-like weather in the big city.

My parents have been visiting, so here are some of mom's photos:

- At the park yesterday. Getting more spring-like all the time.

 


- Molly wearing red to her first Toronto FC soccer game. Day trip to Toronto with Kate. Separated from Jacob for the longest time in 3 3/4 years. Molly decided Toronto would have had a better chance of winning if they'd had some girls on the team.






 


-  Jacob and Zoë playing at home without Molly. They came out to my final hockey game of the year, with my parents. Jacob's highlights were joining me in the dressing room after the game, me scoring the winning goal (oh no, that was only my highlight), and the puck getting stuck in the goalie's pads (the only part of the game he's still talking about)

- Out at the sugar shack today with buddy Silas and his family.

- Molly sporting her new "hat" from the one-of-a-kind show