Valentine's Day

Sean announced his plans for Valentine's Day!! He was going to spend the day with his 3 girls :) Given the fact that he is at the cabin every day working hard to get it read for us to return home...we get very little family time these days SO, I was one happy gal with this news!!

The day started with the early rising of our babies...Once they'd had their breakfast it was our turn!! Eggs, toast, juice & a yummy piece of chocolate :):):) with fresh coffee to wash it all down with! Sounds like our regular weekend start pre-babies (minus the chocolate) but we've not had a family breakfast since they were born!! I really miss this lost part of our routine & look forward to reinstating it once we move home!!

After we cleaned up, two of the women from the Child Development Centre arrived to meet the twins. We visited for about 2 hours, talking about, what else but, baby stuff!! Sean & I loved the visit & found the information provided, to be of great interest!! We look forward to our new relationship with the folks who work there, as we grow as a family!!

The meeting behind us, it was off to Stacie's & Ray's place for a Valentine's Day Afternoon!

We were packed... we were on the road...& THIS is what we saw...

Three stunning beasts soaking in the sun on the side of the highway! All Bull Elk & all beautiful, seaming to enjoy the warm weather & the brightness of the day like the rest of us :)

What an amazing place at live!!

What amazing creatures

What an an amazing Valentine's Day gift!!

So...they laughed when we arrived with our luggage in tow!

"Clear out the cabin, the FitzGerald's are moving in!!"

WOW it's amazing how much stuff you have to pack to go for a simple visit to a friend's house!! It's as much work as loading up the dog truck to go to a race!!

Adelaide, hanging out with Stacie...

Sarah, hanging out with Daddy...

Racie & Stay seem to have this whole baby thing down-pat !!


Racie & her Mum had a surprise waiting for us on this special day...

Two adorable sweat shirts ...

There IS a baby in there!!

"Give it a few months - we'll grow into them yet!!"

What a day...

What a HAPPY day :):)

Babies' first walk deleted!!

It must be late!! I've been typing away (again) with pictures all loaded up...all ready to save & POOF it's all gone!! & NOT "Gone to the Dogs", instead, "gone to cyber space"!! With no energy or time to repost it tonight :( this is what you get.....

....I thought that Wellington was going to knock the computer plugs out because he has found another mouse & is on the hunt...apparently it is hiding under my seat...making Blogging rather challenging! Having a relatively large dog bouncing around your legs banging into everything & knocking your stuff flying, isn't conducive to a successful & productive work space... wowza... There goes the floor lamp!! God love my dog :) I hope he catches that darn mouse!! The last one became raven food...trap and all...guess the raven thought the trap was an extra bonus & flew off with it attached to the mouse (Sean had tossed it out the front door with the intentions of retrieving the trap later!!) I wonder what THIS mouse will become in the end, Welly's hoer'dourves??

Tomorrow, Sean is taking us for babies first dogsled ride & then we're off to a friend's for a visit...a family day...that is his Valentine's Day gift to me :) SOOO I'll touch base on Friday & try to re-post those "Babies' first walk" pics again!! Heck I'll be able to post "Babies' first dogsled ride" at the same time...that is, if I've found favour with the cyber gods!!

Cheers

Babies' first walk

Marguerite & I took Adelaide & Sarah out for their FIRST WALK!! I was so excited that I almost cried! Now seriously folks...I know that must sound a bit much but really, I've been house bound for MONTHS starting with a belly out to there & then now with two little ones in somewhat FRIGID Northern temperatures, cabin fever finally set in!!! I needed the walk as much as the twins did! In our new skookum ride, off we went. Down the street and to the left...when it was time to turn around I just couldn't do it! I HAD to keep going...it was SOOO beautiful out and warm at a balmy -28C. How could I turn around?? NOT to mention, the company was stellar !

Mummy & her girls in the great outdoors!!!!!

Thankfully Marguerite was able to do the pushing for the second half of the walk...otherwise I'd not have made it home!!! We'd just done an hour & a half of yoga & by night fall my glutes were KILLING me!

By the way...you should have seen how bundled up the babies were!! A billion blankets & hot water bottles everywhere!!! I think in the end they were a bit poached - not to be confused with the word pooched - I do mean poached, like little eggs!!

Meet Marguerite...My Friend :)

A few of the reasons why I live in the Yukon

In the Yukon you never know what will be waiting for you around the next corner SO you should always carry a camera & your trusty bear spray!!!!!

Not that EVERY day brings out the wild but, when it does...there is nothing like it!! I'll have to look for some of my other wildlife shots & post them one of these days :) I've got a few awesome ones of the elk & the bison from along my travels! In the mean time, I hope you enjoy the few shots here :)

Here is a Mama Black Bear(who is actually black!!). She was with her 3 year old cub. She wasn't too impressed with him. She chased him off a few times when he tried to enjoy the same anthill!! What a sight!

And here is the poor fella, who coudn't understand why his Mum was upset with him!!

Don't you just LOVE those ears?

The little guy thought he was hiding behind that blade of grass :)

"I bet you can't see me THIS time!!"

Notice the beautiful cinnamon colour...it's something that I LOVE about our Yukon Black Bears! Back in Ontario, I was always accustom to Black Bears only being BLACK!!

Now THERE is a BIG PAW...suddenly this cub looked less like a cub!!

This baby was far more accommodating than his Mum when it came to posing for photos..

Here is Mum!! NOT a happy looking bear!! It was time to move on & leave her in peace!!

This is Freddy. He drove us NUTS screeching from a tree just outside our cabin window & hucking objects at him only made matters worse, instead of chasing him away!! It went on every morning for DAYS! Finally we caught him, marked the back of his neck with a dab of brown paint (note the mark on the back of his neck - for identification) and released him across the river! Poor Freddy was SO upset about being taken from his home that he ran up my leg when we released him. I think he was trying to beg for forgiveness so that we'd take him back home...no such luck!

Eventually we coaxed him into the forest where we took up a new residence. Well, he never return, so I'd like to think he found a new home!

In the end, his family got their revenge by destroying Sean's Canada Goose Down Parka!!!

Now this is an animal I'd NOT evict. I LOVE the Mule Deer!!


Now, I have to ask...If these were the reasons for traffic jams on YOUR way to work...wouldn't you be in a hurry to head out the door??
Cheers :)

Ode to Wee Geordie - a sleddog

This is one of my all time favourite cards :) from one of my all time favourite teams, Shaaron & Wee Geordie :)

Do they come any cuter than this little fella?? Ah Wee Geordie, you're a sleddog in our hearts! And just think...Arctic Char is the treat of choice in these parts...interested??

By the way...I've an extra doghouse rather close to Starah ;)

Now THIS is lapdog size! Hay Sean, do you think Shaaron would notice if we snuck Wee Geordie out the door under my parka next visit??

I miss you too!

Remember, there is a humble ( & I DO mean humble) cabin waiting for you Shaaron!!
The fire is always warm,

the company entertaining and

adventures guaranteed !!
That's just how it is in the Yukon :)

Geordie meets his favourite Yukon Musher!!
Not even Wellington gets to give Sean kisses...this IS special!!
Heck, come to think of it...

Welly doesn't have a Yukon Quest tag like Wee Geordie either...hummm

I'll have to speak to the management about this!!

Oh Sean.....YOU have a lot of serious making up to do with Wellington!! There might be emotional scars involved otherwise!!

Better yet, we'll keep poor Welly from seeing these photos!!

PS: Being a Westie is VERY cool :)

OK...this obviously has NOTHING to do with Wee Geordie & Sean's get together

BUT......how could I NOT post this pic?

Adelaide is looking rather cozy in Aunt Maureen's bathroom sink!!

Nice job Sean!! I'm sure ALL Dad's deposite their children in sinks on occasion ;) hehehe

Well.....it's STILL -40 up here (& dropping rappidly) while you (in the South/East) are sitting at utterly balmy temperatures...I DO miss you all. Our visit was awesome, though in many ways, too short,
BUT...I'm "home" now :) and I wouldn't change THAT for anything in the world !!

And that -40 that YOU think is so horrid... I LOVE IT!!!

& on to something new...BABIES :):):)

Sarah Grace & Adelaide Anne

On Monday, late afternoon, Sean & I drove the girls to Whitehorse. Here, you see them sleeping peacefully in their playpen at the Westmark ! What an amazing thing to do, drive to Whitehorse!! When you live in the big city centres, there is little to be amazed by other than the ever growing population & the vastness of the 401 (or whatever highway you happen to be on).... HERE, driving 100 miles to the Dr's office or to the grocery store is a treat. On route we were side by side with the largest bull elk we've ever seen. He was charging along the side of the highway, seemingly in distress. Was he being pursued, perhaps by a pack of wolves?? Who knows what had him on the run...we just know that in Vancouver or Toronto he wouldn't run along side your vehicle, stopping only briefly to dip his magnificent nose in the snow for a drink! I hope that bull escaped from what chased, but than again, wolves are just as amazing & beautiful & they need to eat too!

I DID try to take a video of our Bull Elk as he charged on but, the batteries in my camera died as I hit "play"...It's just as well because I took in this incredible sight with my naked eyes instead of through a lens. What a magical thing...you'll just have to trust me on this one :)

My new favourite toy.....besides the babies, that is :) Thanks to family & friends, The girls & I will soon be mobile!! Just as soon as the weather warms up, that is :):):)

-40 is still a bit chilly for an out door walk so Sean decided to take the girls for a tour of the house we are stay in... Well done Dad :) You got your exercise & got the girls to sleep all with in a 30 foot area..impressive!!

By the way, that is ME in there :)

While Daddy Sean was busy playing with the new Chariot, I was bundling up to go join the local quilting group :) Val thought I resemble a Smerff...hummm...do YOU see it??

Ahhh...what a relief to get out & about :) I had a blast with the girls & then came home to sleeping babies (still in their new chariot!!) & a cooked moose steak waiting for me...God love the man I married :):):)

It's 1:20 a.m. & time for sleep but I need to feed babies & they aren't hungry! hummm...to wake or not to wake, that is the question!!

Not to wake :) Good night friends & family :)