Spring in the Yukon

Hi all, Happy Easter, Happy Mother's Day and Happy Spring!

 We are excited to see the winter weather leaving us behind but it seems we have a way to go yet!

We have been very busy - aren't we all? Mira wins the prize for the most exciting news. She was out skiing with friends and they discovered bison bones. They shared their discovery with a paleontologist. When bad weather prevented them from getting back to the site, they were invited to help uncover another 10 000 year old bison discovered north of the city instead. They then got to fly into the Fish Lake site a week later. Helicopter flight in and a 12 000 year old bison and a cool private visit to the offices of the paleontologist just because they were out skiing - what luck! They will be able to go out one more time when the ground thaws.

Crew flying in...

Mira got to ride 'shot gun'

Examining bones

On the less exciting front... our Guinea Pigs, Spike and Cinny are still alive.

        

Kate is still Kate.  

 Paul and I (mostly Paul) got our wood done for the next season! Yes there is still snow in the back.

 Kate and Emie en route to their ballet lesson, show off their Cross Country Ski medals.

 Easter Weekend was FANTASTIC - we haven't seen such beautiful weather since. Paul, Kate, Mira and I stopped at Log Cabin at the Pass on our way to Skagway for the weekend. The skiing was great.

Kate having fun. 

Spring skiing at its best. 

I lied about the most exciting news... our friend Jill had a new boy, Charlie on April 11, 2012. Welcome wee one. 

Seth, Charlie's big brother. He is less excited about his new brother. 

Kate puts on a show in a late season snow fall. 

Recycling day at school - Kate wears a bubble wrap skirt. 

We know that spring has finally arrived when Northern Lights School of Dance puts on their big performance. This year it was the Wizard of Oz with a second half of short productions. Mira did a production of Acro. Acrobatics with dance. It was amazing. I held my breath when they carried her out - she was as flat as a board. Great lifts and neat music. Cool. 

Kate was a Tornado and a Snowflake in the Wizard of Oz and very happy to finally wear a tutu on stage!

We went to the dark side and bought a trampoline - it is very popular!

Kate and I did the Run for Mom, fundraiser for cancer, this year. She did it on a scooter. 

 Run for Mom with friends, Felix and Sasha.

Well that is all the news for now. Hope you are all well. Take care. s.

February and March are the months to have fun....

Hi all, Thought you might like to see what real winter is like.

We are just wrapping up the March Break two week holiday. While we were a bit jealous when everyone was flying out, these two weeks have been the most sun and snow filled weeks of the winter. The first week was filled with Arctic Winter Games. Teams from Alaska, Greenland, NWT, Nunavut and Nunavik (Northern Quebec), Northern Alberta, Yamal (Russia), Sapmi (Finland, Denmark) and Yukon competed in every winter sport for the Bronze, Silver and Gold Ulus. It was great fun. We spent most of our time at the Cross Country Ski venue cheering on Team Yukon. Mira made it on the team as an alternate but alas was not called on to race. It was great fun to see everyone working hard. Yukon got a few Golds! The second week was full of snowshoe outings, long walks and runs and lots of skiing. The snow has been fantastic - we shoveled our fair share this week.

Mira has been in quite a few ski races this winter. The highlight was the Besh Cup in Fairbanks, Alaska. The kids along with three chauffeurs (Paul included) drove the 13 hours up to Fairbanks for two days of racing and then came back. The trip included lots of fundraising and was great for team spirit. The course warmed up at the last minute to let the races continue. It had been -60 the week before in Fairbanks. Burr..

Mira preparing for the ski race where the participants ski one lap on classic skis and one lap on skate skis. The transitions were great fun to watch.

Kate doing her part.... having fun.

Kate.

A tired Mira has just finished a race.

Kate and Seth our neighbour are having a dance after dinner.

Marsh Lake Loppet - Kate races. The Marsh Lake Loppet was great - Mira was busy with school basketball tournament and missed the race but Kate represented the household.

Kate is dressing up as her favourite book character Junie B. Jones for a fun day at school.

Perhaps the highlight of our March Break - sledding at the Carcross Desert - Yukon style. Friends brought two skidoos with big toboggans behind them. The kids pile in with their sleds (a record was one skidoo with 13 kids on the back). They get a lift up to the top of the hill and scream down the hill. A record run was clocked at 70 km/h. Very, very fun.

View from the top of the hill.

Can you count the heads? They are all going up the hill.

Some don't make it up but that is part of the fun.

Kate cheering on the ski races with her cow bell.

Kids find some fun during the ski races. Felix in the middle is the jump.

Arctic Winter Games Mascot Aurora Borealis.

Paul out snow shoeing.

Kate taking a rest?

Paul and Kate are taking a short cut through the woods.

Paul shoveling off the wood shed - at least two feet of snow.

AHHHHH, it is beginning to look like VACATION TIME!

Hi all - Happy Holidays (which officially started for us TODAY!)

December as every month, has been very busy. The Tim Horton's Ski Skills Day was a highlight. Kate was a participant and Mira was a leader. It was cold, of course, but smiles were the order of the day.

Kate heading off to join her team.

Kate careening down a hill - she has to pick up a carrot on the way by and drop it in a bucket. This one was more entertaining for the spectators than it was for the skiers.

Smiles!

Day finished off with tug-a-war - Kate and Hannah giving it their all.

Mira pulling for the other team.

Rowdy spectator!

Mira preparing for the school Christmas concert.

To celebrate the end of school and the beginning of the Christmas vacation, we headed off skating on Windy Arm, just south of Carcross. It was amazing - kilometers of black, smooth ice with mountains surrounding us. We skated into the wind only to be rewarded with a free ride back. The best part of the day was the 'human curling' match. Kids got ice chunks, lay on them and let others push, pull or tug them across the sheet of glass only to be shot off into the distance, to howls of laughter and only a few near missed. Pure joy.

Paul and Kate skating.

Kate warming up.

You'd never know that there were over 40 people enjoying the ice....

Mira being pushed along by the wind.

Paul in action.

Smile.

Kate walking down to the lake.

Human Curling on Windy Arm, Yukon