Want to vote on our baby names?

I can't promise we'll agree with you...but if you would like to vote on some of the names we are/have been thinking of, click on this link and give the thumbs up or thumbs down!

Snow Day

Last night/today it snowed about 4 inches/10 cm...beautiful! We finished school at 2pm because the roads were starting to get a little bad. I teacher aide on Tuesdays, and the receptionist didn't come in because of the snow, so I spent about 50 mins on the phone ringing all the parents. The middle school art class when outside and built an 8 foot snowman - huge! It was a real treat, because normally the rain comes and washes the snow away straight after it snows. The kids were loving it. A lot of the students/teachers are secretly or not so secretly hoping to hear that school is cancelled due to snow tomorrow hehe...but rain is forecast, so not likely.

Australia Day Activities

Yesterday afternoon we had vegemite sandwiches, fairy bread, real scones and Tim Tams. We were quite full actually. Nathan was well enough to come out as he is gradually feeling better. We went from that afternoon tea straight to a welcome home to Canada party  for our Australian pastor and his wife, even taught the Canadians the Heel and Toe Polka! Probably the strangest thing was going to an Australia Day event when it was snowing. :)

Almost Australia Day in Canada

This weekend is Australia Day - we'll celebrate by having Vegemite sandwiches with some fellow Aussies and Canadians for arvo tea. Maybe some fairy bread if we're lucky.
Nathan has been pretty sick this week, he's had some kind of cold/virus. He had a fever for 3 days, chills, head and chest cold and therefore feeling awful! I was very relieved when his fever broke, although he still feels alternatively hot and cold at times. So some more early nights and Advil for the next few days. I seem to have missed the sickness praise God, and am generally feeling fine.
Last weekend we went to our first weekend of the course Exodus and Liberation which Nathan is taking and I am auditing. We got a lift to Burlington in Washington State with another couple, and stayed one night as the course is Friday night/Saturday. The professor is involved with Mexican immigrants and prison ministry, which gives an interesting slant to the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt. We did the first 3 chapters last weekend, and we go down for two more weekend during Feb/March. Hopefully Nathan will be able to write some of what he is learning when he is feeling up to it.
The weather here is still fairly consistent, and we are coping fine with the frost and occasional snow. We'll be thinking of the hot, sunny beach this weekend no doubt when we wish we could be in shorts and a t-shirt having a BBQ! We'd love to know what you are doing for Australia Day - add you comment and tell us what you are up to!

Whistler in the snow

On Thursday we drove to Whistler with Nathan's mum, dad and two sisters. It was a rainy day, not that nice really but realistically Vancouver. It was snowing a lot when we got closer to Whistler, and Nathan had to take it easy when driving. We made it in time for their 1pm Dog-sledding, which they said was fantastic. Carolyn and Ellen got to 'mush' their own dog team! Nathan and I went snow-shoeing and it was absolutely beautiful. We were in a small group of 5, and our guide took us up the mountain and I can see where they get the name Winter Wonderland. Despite being metres from the ski-slope, it was perfectly quiet. We trudged through knee-deep powdery snow, slid down a snow slide on our bottoms, and saw lots of 'mushrooms' on tree-tops. The humidity means the snow is sticky and stays on the trees longer, sometimes forming a big ball on the tree-top - we needed to watch for when it fell off the tree though! We went to the UBC ski lodge to check in and unfortunately got stuck in the snow when we were leaving for dinner. It had still been snowing, and as Nathan finally got out of the snowy driveway, a snow-plough almost took out our rented minivan, and Nathan accidentally reversed towards a snow-bank trying to get out of the way. Some friendly locals helped us out. That night we went on a horse-drawn sleigh ride at a the Nicklaus North Golf Club (a good use for the fairway during winter!), followed by a 4 course fondue dinner. A bit extravagant, but it was like our Christmas dinner. The next morning we slept in, and then tried to shovel the car out of the snow - it had snowed all night. A snow plow came in clear the driveway and that helped a lot. We had brunch in Whistler, looked in at the 2010 Winter Olympics information booth and grabbed some souvenirs before heading back to Vancouver. This time the weather was clear, and we could look past the construction to see the beautiful views of the islands and mountains as we drove home.

Lyn had her handbag stolen at Granville Island Markets on Tuesday, including all their travel documents which had put a definite damper on their holiday, however when we returned home we had a phone message from Canada Post saying their travel document wallet had turned up - maybe the thief put it in a mail box? So we made use of the rental car to drive 30 mins south to pick that up. It was such a huge relief, despite all the other things that will remain missing. Although the Australian High Commission has already issued them Emergency Passports, it's good to know they are not being impersonated. Also, having all their accommodation and tour vouchers will make the rest of their trip a bit easier.

Saturday morning we had a walk to the beach, and a tour of Regent. Currently Nathan's family are shopping back in Downtown Vancouver. Tomorrow we hope to take them out for some local Cinnamon Rolls before they head out to San Francisco.

Going to Bonny Doon

Actually we're going to Whistler! Picking up the minivan in 30 mins to drive to whistler - dogsledding and snowshoeing to follow....and then a sleigh ride and fondue dinner tonight! Will have some pics when we get back. Let it snow!

Cunneens arrive Today!

In 5 hours we'll be picking up the Cunneen's from the airport! Not Vancouver's finest weather today, but at least it is realistic (rainy). We've got a little bit of tidying up to do and some shopping before we head on a bus over to the airport.

Yesterday we went to Whistler with Matt and Ramie - there is lots of snow up there! Had some lunch with Ziggy and Sarah who were skiing/boarding, and drove past the lodge we will be staying at on Thursday night. It was a kind of trial run for the roads and our clothes, making sure we'd be warm enough.

Looking forward to 2008...

Happy New Year! Vancouver is one of the last cities to bring the new year in, and we celebrated by having dinner, games and a movie with our friends Matt, Ramie, Thomas and Christina. We brought along large (3kg!) chicken which we roasted and ate with Gravox chicken gravy (thanks to my mum for the Christmas parcel :) ). We played Carcasonne and Canasta for the first time, and watched Regarding Henry. We saw 7 firecrackers go off, and heard the fireworks downtown but could not see them from the apartment.

Things coming up for us in 2008: A visit from the Cunneens in January; Finishing one year of bible college; Teaching chemistry; Moving to a bigger apartment; Our first child in early July; A new niece/nephew in July/August; A visit from the Dibbens in August...any other visitors during the year who want to drop in!