Today was a good day...

Today was waking up in a cozy bed. Hot shower. Sheepskin slippers. Peppermint tea. Christmas hugs. Baked french toast. Opening presents. Laughter. Crying. Friends visiting. Baby smiling. Stories. Christmas cookies. Skating on a frozen pond. Orange light on the hills. Reminiscing. Cold on my cheeks. Hot tea in a thermos. Meeting new people. My family. Lifetime friends. Pinot noir. Turkey. Wearing silly hats. Eating too much (again). Laughter. More stories. Surf video. Comfy couch. Cozy bed.

Yes, today was a good day... xoxo

Ice skating up at Saddle Lake, a Christmas tradition that goes waaaayyyy back. In the top 3 all time favorite things to do... and one of the best parts about growing up in a small town.

One Big Happy

We have many traditions over the Christmas holidays. Most are quite cheesy, like waiting for everyone to come home before we decorate the tree with home-made ornaments spanning over 30 years, and listening to Willie Nelson's Pretty Paper when we open presents. We find steep backroads that aren't yet sanded and race our wooden sleds we brought back from Germany, and when the river is frozen, we meet a group of friends for daily hockey games. But one of our favorites is to put on the cross-country skis and go to the local mountain where we ski up to the dacha, a small hut built by some of the locals. For me, the best part about this is that I get to spend the day with my whole family. This wouldn't be such a big deal if my parents weren't divorced. For those that know my family, they are used to this dynamic, a comfortable dynamic where my parents house sit and dog sit for one another... where my mom and step-mom hug when they see each other, where laughter and stories flow easily... where they choose to be friends. I know that this is not normal. In fact, this is exceptional... and this day of skiing and laughter and cheering each other on as we ski through the snow laden trails is the best Christmas present I could ever ask for. I have four amazing parents that have worked hard and sacrificed over the years to give me the best life they possibly could. They supported me, they supported each other, and they created a space for my brothers and myself that was filled with love and respect. Through their commitment and selflessness, they created a strong, beautiful family.

I cannot begin to thank my family for the part they have played in shaping all that I am. They are my center. And from that, I draw the strength, courage, and love to be the best person I can be and live the life I dream. I love you... xoxo.

Not Just a Bridge

This is so much more than just a bridge. A bridge of my youth. It was a gathering place in the summers; my friends and brothers and their friends meeting to jump off the bridge into the emerald waters below to escape the searing, dry heat. It was a platform on which friendships were built and tested. It was a path to my girlfriend's house: over the bridge and beside the river through a grove and then a field to a small house. It was my first kiss and my first heartbreak. It was where we went to measure the river's rise in the spring with the melting snowfall and the subsequent freeze in the winter.  It was fun and laughter and tears and friends that turned to foes that turned to friends again. It was challenge and growth and sorrow. It was therapy and dreaming and reflection on who I was and more importantly, who I wanted to be. It was so much more than just a bridge.

I Love my Canadian Winters!

 

To me, Christmas will never feel quite right unless it is white. Cold, crisp and bathed in white. And this year is no exception. One of my family's favorite traditions over the holidays is to clear a rink on a pond or river and spend part of each day skating with friends and family. Sometimes there's a fire to roast hotdogs or just huddle by to keep warm with a thermos of hot cacao. I'm not much of a skater myself (but I have to admit a darn good goalie!), so most times I sit back and take in this classic small town tradition we have all grown to love. Today though, I was so struck by the countryside covered in a blanket of white, I had to pass on the hockey game and venture out on the country roads. I absolutely LOVE my Canadian winters!