Bienvenue a Montreal!

So, anyone checking in on this blog knows that Spencer has been studying law at McGill in Montreal over the past 2 years and that the boys and I have been living in West Bend, WI where I commuted to Milwaukee to work full time and help off-set law school costs. As of last month, however, we are all under the same roof again up here in Montreal.

It has been a season of change, settling into our new home, forming new routines and bringing out books, toys and other home comforts that we have not been face to face with since we saw them packed up back in Perth, Australia.

It is also a chance for me to get back to my poor neglected blog. I'd like to do so by updating those checking in on what our family has been up to.

Spencer is sinking his teeth into his last year of law school and looking forward to seeing it in the rear-view mirror. Busy as he is we're still happy to be able to see him every day rather than every 3-4 months.

I am cruising along on my visitor visa here in Montreal and have been spending my days getting our home organized and acquainting myself with the city. I have met some lovely people here so far and am hoping to get a book club going soon.

Eliot started 3rd grade and really likes his teacher. We're still in the process of accessing all of the resources he will need but he's a trooper. He is in love with the metro system and every week we take at least 2 "metro adventures." He has gotten into Minecraft but still enjoys getting outside and riding his bike, reading and being read to and playing all sorts of imaginary games with Peter.

Peter is loving 1st grade and comes home with a smile every day. He also loves the metro system and is pretty good at reading the metro map. When we're riding the train he will study the map and let me know how many stops there are before we get off. He also enjoys Minecraft, playing outside (he and Eliot recently got a soccer ball and love going into the alley behind our house and kicking it around, he has also discovered the game of catch with Dad and thinks it's pretty great), he loves to read and be read to.

Finally there's Bella the Cat. She is a sweet, elderly kitty I adopted out of Toronto on my drive up here and she has been settling in nicely. She loves affection and has discovered that the boys, though loud and rowdy at times, give really good back rubs.

Peter has discovered that Bella likes to have her chin scratched.

Recently I've been reading "Charlotte's Web" to both of them and since Peter goes to bed about 20 minutes before Eliot, Spencer and I have been reading "A Series of Unfortunate Events" to Eliot. He's anxiously awaiting book 5 from the library.

No family is perfect and without challenges, but as Eliot said the other day as he was waiting for some cookies to come out of the oven "I just love our family."

Looking back: The Schows' summer visit

We had a great time visiting with Schow cousins this summer. We started it all off with ice cream.

Beach time!

All of the children enjoyed flexing their green thumbs in the garden.

Peter and Lucy giving us an impromptu dance performance.

Eliot and James pottering in the garden and shooting the breeze.

Looking Back: Christmas

Christmas seems like an eternity away. It's not even February yet and it feels like we've lived a decade or two. It's nice to be able to sit down and reflect back.

The boys were very excited for Spencer's visit. I had warned them not to go dashing past airport security in their enthusiasm to see him. They were very good and remained in place when they spotted him. But as you can see from Peter's position in mid-air they found other ways to express their delight.

It was a very happy reunion for us all.

Before Spencer arrived the boys had helped select and decorate the Christmas tree. When the work was done they each brought out their stuffed animals to pose in the tree's warm glow.

Decorating gingerbread cookies.

All in all it was a very nice Christmas.