Winter Bliss

It’s one c-c-c-cold and snowy day in our neck of the woods. In my view, this is what a Canadian winter should be! I guess my childhood winters spent in Northern New Brunswick have me a bit spoiled. Despite my past grumblings about our long winters on the North Shore, I have to admit, I miss my reliable winter weather. Snow and frigid temperatures were a constant all winter long. Skating at the outdoor rink, sliding, snowshoeing, downhill skiing – all of these activities were available every day for at least five months straight.

Winters in Nova Scotia are a little more unpredictable I’ve learned. The thermometer spikes and dives regularly so one has to be ready to jump at the opportunity to take advantage of a “good thing” when it presents itself. This is exactly what my family did during the holiday break when the mercury took a nose-dive. Nature offered my definition of simple, pure winter bliss – pond skating. A short jaunt from our house is a small pond overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. What a magical time we all had during those few days when the stars aligned and skating conditions were simply perfect! Our afternoons were spent with the sun and wind on our faces, enjoying our private outdoor rink in the company of a handful a good friends. Rosy-cheeked Chi-Chi was simply glowing from the moment he stepped on the ice. As he laced up his little black skates and began gliding across the smooth ice for the very first time, the smile on his face extended from ear to ear. Before long, he was confidently and independently tearing around the ice surface with his support stool. Every now and then he would look my way and shout, “I love you Mommy!” I believe he was so filled with awe and joy over this magical experience that those were the best words he could find to express his emotion. Melt my heart (:

So, my little pond skater is now completely obsessed with the sport of hockey. Yesterday he wore his helmet for twelve hours straight. He ingeniously figured out a way to pass food through the face mask, but I simply insisted it be removed during mealtime. He would have slept in it had I allowed it! Perhaps it is simply a phase, or perhaps it is only the beginning of one boy’s love of this popular game. Only time will tell I suppose. I’ve heard the horror stories of the crazy and hectic schedules young hockey players are subject to these days. I will admit that my potential future as a “Hockey Mom” scares me!

In the meantime, I’m simply happy to see my little ones enjoying the fun physical activities winter has to offer. The helmet obsession is actually a bonus for this “safety obsessed” mom. With two little boys in the house, who I often mistake for wrestling tiger cubs, a little extra head protection is always welcome!!