Walking Paths

One thing that's fun about being a pedestrian in England is that there are always paths off the roads that are just begging to be taken.  Sometimes we take one and then have to take it back as we have no idea where it leads, but other times we've found great shortcuts and found nice new places to walk.  Here's Helena on on path that we use quite frequently: 

Since the path is so autumn-y, I can't help but post another autumn pic.  We have been really enjoying the colors this fall, as they're so much more plentiful than they were in downtown Toronto!

Spring has arrived!

There's no turning back now.  Spring has arrived, and now, no matter how cold it may get, the winter coats are not coming back out.  Wearing winter coats until April 11 is just not right.

So how better to celebrate Spring by posting a few snow pictures?

 

I am so thankful for our stroller.  It has served us so well as "our car" for 5 years.  There's no stopping us, even through snow!

The snow was actually pretty limited this year.  We had a bunch in November and then none until end of January.  When we finally got a massive snow fall in March, we got our sled out and had some fun.

Could Spring Finally Be Here?

Today the temperature reached high 40s and felt like high 50s when in the sun and out of the wind.  AMAZING!  

We went out to the playground this morning and Helena said, "Look, Mommy - sand!"  It has been forever since we saw something other than snow and ice out there.

 

Benjamin was in his element of 9-month exploration.  He's only ever crawled outside on snow, so everything was so new.  Plus there was the wonder of sand.

Then his mommy let her kids take their shoes and socks and hats off, and it really felt like a new season.

The afternoon was perfect for Grandma's egg hunt in Queen's Park.

It's supposed to be in the 30s and 40s all week.  If this actually happens, I feel like my life will have been made - a bit of hyperbole, but really, that's how long this winter has been.

A Perfect Day of Weather Amongst All the Other Days

"Mom, I'm not going to spray him..."

Last Friday was gorgeous.  Gorgeous.  I actually cannot remember another day this entire winter that was even close to as nice as last Friday.

"...I'm just teaching him how to use the spray bottle."

So we headed out to the best place around us to play in lots of snow - the lot where they dump all the snow from the park's roads!  It's a diamond in the rough.

 

Spray bottles of colored water kept both kids busy - Helena spraying and designing her unicorn horn and Benjamin chasing after them, wherever they rolled.

We even ate our lunch outside!  That's how beautiful the day was.  First picnic of 2014 - March 7!

 In the words of Helena, "I loved this beautiful day!"

Ice Storm

Freezing rain hit Toronto on Saturday evening.  It really wreaked havoc on the city: shutting down all streetcars due to icicles on all the lines, making sidewalks as slippery as can be, and killing the power to much of the city.

The trees covered in ice created quite an effect but what we really loved was this bush just across the street from us.  Look how the ice completely encapsulated the needles!  It was so beautiful.