Toques and Toboggans

We had promised Jayden that we would take him sledding.  Here are some pictures of us on mom's gorgeous  new plot of land doing just that (incidently, on the same day we broke records for being the 3rd coldest place on earth but a promise is a promise).

Toques, toboggans, and having crazy fun in bone chilling temperatures - doesn't get much more Canadian than this eh?  

Initially, the snow was actually too cold to slide on.  We had to take turns pulling Jayden up and down the hill, all the while he was yelling "faster, faster!".

All this sledding sure builds up an appetite.  Time for roasted hot dogs, hot chocolate, and booze (I watched from the warmth of the heated truck, it did not take long for Jayden to join me).

Chris and his mommy

Only my husband can look so sexy in -45C weather

(I looked like the stay-puff marshmallow boy with a frozen snot fu manchu)

Edmonton - Third Coldest Day on Earth

That was the headline from the local papers.  Apparently we were second only to the South Pole and Calgary, Alberta for freezing uninhabitable temperatures.  My mother-in-law mentioned something to the extent of -45C (-49F) with the wind chill that day.

In the spirit of record breaking, we decided to assemble the world's 3rd most complicated  marble track (rated ages 8 and above).  

Suspicious that the 8+ rating may not have been a reference to the suggested age of the child but rather the number of people it takes or the number of hours it takes to assemble the toy

Nana's place has dogs, cats, horses, and few other standard Canadian pets...

 

 

 

 Getting some extra help

While we were there, we put Jayden to work feeding the horses and cooking breakfasts.  

Me posing with Chef Ravioli

Breakfast Smorgasbord

Fortunately, the old adage of working hard and playing even harder applies when you are at Nana's house.  So our days were filled with ATVing (Jayden drove), playing with the animals, and tobogganing.

Video of Jayden driving the quad

Jayden and Grandpa Dale pulling Nana in the poop chute sleigh

 Mother Nature's Skating Rink

Spending the third coldest day on earth at Grandma Terry and Grandpa Dale's was heartwarming : )

Frolicking Frosty Fun

We had a wonderful time at Gramps and LoLo's, here are some highlights (click on the link below to see video):

Video of Jayden causing roof top avalanches

 Dressed for Siberia

West Edmonton Mall!

 My Angel in Snowy Heaven

 Impromtu Shovel Sledding

 Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...on Jay's head

Family Pictures:

J.J. with Gramps and LoLo

welcome to winter wonderland...bring shovels

The Marriott's are back in Canuck Country.  We arrived in Edmonton, Alberta to snow flurries yesterday evening.  Jayden looked out the frosted windows of our plane all bright eyed anticipating the winter wonderland. The minute we stepped out of the plane, his face froze with the shock of the cold.  He exclaimed that it was "soooo cold!"  Welcome to Canada : )

Jayden and Gramps (making mischief of one kind...)

We all woke up bright and early.  Jayden went out for morning chores with Grandpa.  After almost an hour of shoveling snow and making snow angels, a snotty nosed, red cheeked Jayden came back wide eyed and grinning from ear to ear.  He proclaimed snow to be "soooo cool".  This good Samaritan had even earned his first $5 from shoveling snow from a neighbor's driveway!  Grandma LoLo rewards Jayden's hard work with a yummy pancake breakfast (which he also had to help make)!

 The rest of the day consisted of Jayden getting acquainted with one of his new best friend, Old Man Winter.  All while we watched from the warmth of the kitchen (growing up in Grande Prairie, we've had enough fill of the cold weather to last a lifetime - Old Man Winter is our mortal enemy).

Spying from the kitchen window, we find our little snow angel making snow angels

We had a fantastic first day hanging out with Gramps and LoLo, turning in early tonight in order to brave West Edmonton Mall tomorrow.

Jayden's first Slumberparty

For a couple of months now, Jayden and his best-est buddy Lillie have been talking about having a sleepover.  So for Lillie's birthday, we gave a her own Buzz Light Year sleeping bag (she is a Toy Story fanatic) and a coupon for a slumber-party at the Marriott house.

Lillie redeemed the coupon yesterday and we all had a blast!  We built hospitals, visited a petting farm, went dancing, and yes, there was some fighting, but once a truce was called we went for dinner at one of our favorite Italian restaurants - you know, one of those mom and pop's kind of place.  After that, we got our PJ party started and went to visit a Fort.  There, we watched a drive-in movie before turning into bed.  Did we mention that we did all this, without leaving the comforts of the Marriott house ; )

Fun with Legos (hospital is in the background)

 Look, a non-princess car

We were Buddy-sitting this weekend (the Scraba's furry child)

(and yes, this was considered the "petting farm")

 

 our kids loved the Budster

dueling:

 how disagreements are settled at the Marriott house

 Lillie-Joan of Arc

 Don't mess with me!

Dinner time at a cozy, family run Italian restaurant:

(this place serves up the best homemade grilled pizzas)

 

 Jayden ordering for Lillie

 Chris's impromptu Italiano lessons.

(Although I'm not sure how Italian or politically correct this is... )

"I'ma gonna tell you a story abouta corksoaker..."

 Looking at the dessert menu

Can I have the Sundae on a Saturday?

Getting ready for bed:

 

Welcome to Fort Bedsheets!

 The spectacular lights show

 

Judging by the kids' huge glo-in-the-dark smiles, 

I think they were having fun : )

 

After we watched a short movie (projected on Jay's wall), the kids declared they were completely wiped out.  Chris and I were initially concerned as whether our little guest could fulfill the "sleep" part of a sleepover, especially since she mentioned at bedtime how she missed her mommy.  We called her family to say goodnight and within a few minutes of being tucked in, both kids were sound asleep.  They made it all the way until early this morning, when we had to wake up the sleepyheads for 4:00am hockey.

Here is a picture of Lillie this morning, 

celebrating her rite of passage with a bowl of cheerios and milk before hockey practice.

Good job Lillie - we are so proud of you and love you very much : )