Bring on the new!

Well folks, it's a new year and a new start for Team Jardine. No longer the victims!

Since we last wrote we've pulled off a move across the planet with two children successfully, have enjoyed a great holiday season with friends and family, have bought and moved into a house in Saskatoon, and even relaxed a bit if you can imagine. Yes indeed, things are feeling pretty peachy in our household. We are waiting for our shipments from Brisbane, Fredericton and Coldbrook to arrive within the next two weeks, so until then we're getting by without our typical conveniences like measuring cups and can openers and proper beds, but it's nice that this is our biggest complaint.

So Tim left for his first day of work on Monday to catch his bus in the dark. In January in Saskatoon it doesn't get light out until 9:00am which is definitely taking some getting used to for the team who are generally up between 5 and 6. I had a good chuckle as he prepared to leave though, with a pink lunch bag (the only one we have at the moment), a dora watch (his watch is MIA) and a tinkerbell key on his keychain (it was given to us with our housekeys, apparently the previous owners were persuaded to get a tinkerbell key as a replicate by their 3 year old- we totally understand). It was funny because anyone who has children and happened to meet Tim on Monday would definitely know who's calling the shots around here. His day (and week) went well, the bus system seems promising and ya, it was good news all around.

We have bought a 2007 Subaru Forrester to cart ourselves around the city in. It's red and I like it. I hope it likes us.

Well apparently this winter is unlike any that Saskatonians (yes, it's what they're really called) have seen in recent decades. It is actually pretty warm...warm being a relative term...It's not -20 or -30, which is typical for this time of year. The temperature has been hovering between -5 and 5 for the most part, which is so manageable! We count this a huge blessing as it is torture to get Edie to even wear a jacket, pants or socks even in this 'cold'. Hopefully layering will get easier over time.

I won't drone on for too long since there are a fair few good pictures to look at. I had the girls on my own (usually with family) for about a month (Nov 28- Dec 22) while Tim was back in Australia. Tim had the camera so I didn't have much opportunity to take pictures. If I could have, the picture I would love to have taken was of Edie and my Dad (who we lovingly refer to as Buppa Goldtooth, on account of his gold tooth) in the garden pulling up turnips. Edie had on an orange hunting touque, my mom's jean jacket and gardening boots and was loving every minute of the unpaid labour. My dad still has the uncanny ability to get work out of kids without them knowing it. Edie loves him a lot.

We got to spend time with all of the rellies over the month, and it was lovely to spend some quality time with the people we love and who have made us who we are. We're so glad to have such great people in our lives. Other highlights: spending time with Rachel in Boston, a white Christmas, and a great meet-up in Saint John on the 30th with well-missed friends.

Take care friends, and here's to a great new year.

January 14, 2012