Remembrance Day & Afghanistan

I was struggling in the early weeks of November to even start thinking about Christmas... I was still sorting through Halloween candy and struggled with so many people rushing to get Christmas decorations up before Remembrance Day on November 11th! I suppose I like each season to have its time... and I didn't want to rush past Remembrance Day without taking the time to remember.

For some reason, this year, I was very touched by Remembrance Day, which left me reflecting and praying for much longer then the usual 1 day (or worst, just for the moment of silence). Perhaps its because I now have friends and family members of friends who have served and are serving in Afghanistan, so it all seems much more closer to home.

The CBC put together an amazing 2-hr commercial-free television program Nov. 11th which honoured the fallen soldiers in Canada's mission to Afghanistan, giving us a window into their lives to get to know who they were. The program also gave us insight into the mission and why the soldiers serving so believe in their mission. Its well worth watching: "We will remember them" - the website has the TV special and much more.

I was also really taken by a song by The Trews, which I shared with all my classes and listened to time and time again. The song is again honouring our Canadian fallen soldiers from our Mission in Afghanistan, called "Highway of Heros" referring to the 401 on which all fallen solders drive when they come home with people gathering on the overpasses above waving their flags.

I think with all that reflecting and the talk of the government making November 11th an official holiday, it took me a while to transition to the Christmas season... lights and decorations going up all around me... I was too busy with school and report cards and wasn't ready to rush through November just yet.

We forget too easily the sacrifice of those who serve and the sacrifice of their families...

Thank you to the members of our Canadian Forces. Not just on November 11th, but all year through.

A Snowy New Year's Eve

As a follow up to yesterday's post... December 31st...

We went tobogganing today. It was apparently -20 degrees Celcius with the wind... thankfully didn't feel quite so frigid, but what a change from yesterday's mild walk in the new snow! This is just the beginning of much more snow to come! I don't think I've ever seen such a fluctuation in snow conditions in the span of 7 days! (see my last post!)

Happy New Year!

What's with the weather?

This has been the weirdest couple of weeks in terms of the weather... we've had over a week solid of blizzards and cold winds, then it got milder out and the kids got out to play with the perfect snow to make a snowman...

Dec. 24th - Snowman is built

It rained that night on our way to our family Christmas Eve party, then switched to a crazy blizzard (zero visibility on the roads!) on the way home just a few hours later...

Dec. 28th - What's left of Snowman after it rained all day on the 27th

Dec. 30th - And it begins again!

Big beautiful fluffy snowflakes fell today covering the earth with a blanket of snow again - no wind - just a mild awesome day for a peaceful walk in the snow with the girls! Looked like the first snow of the year though with the crazy thaw we had a couple of days ago!

More snow is to come this week... Who knows what my backyard will look like a week from now... it seems to be changing drastically on a daily basis! One thing is certain - I'm sure we'll have a lot more shovelling to do in the driveway before winter is out! This is just the beginning! (It's a good thing I'm a good Northern girl who loves the snow and I don't even mind the shovelling! The kids get out to play while we get a good workout!)