By golly, I think we've got it!

After only a week of being back in Canada, I think the three of us have finally adjusted to the time change (there's a little sarcasm embedded in there).  I really didn't think it would take this long and if the boys hadn't been sick with colds it probably wouldn't have.  Yesterday Ryan had a nap that lasted three hours then both boys went to bed around 9:30.  We didn't get up until after seven this morning and Ryan was the only one who woke up in the night, wanting a glass of milk around 4:30.   Today there have been no naps so I think both boys will be ready to hit the sack around seven or eight. 

Since everyone got quite a bit of sleep last night we've had a busy day so far.  This morning we went to the rink so Nick could get back on his skates.  For those of you who don't know the story around our rink, I will tell you.  Back in the 1950's my grandfather and grandmother turned the swamp near their home into an outdoor rink for their kids.  Over the next fifty years it gradually grew and became more sophisticated.  As a child I can vaguely remember when it was surrounded by old boards and had a dirt floor.  Then there was a new fence and a cement floor, resulting in ball hockey being played in the summer.  I can remember straping on my skates and guards at home and walking down to public skating every Friday and Saturday night.  I used to enjoy watching my grandparents out flooding the ice with a fire hose and after skating seeing a bunch of people grab scoops to help clean off the snow.  We also would skate on Christmas Eve after dinner.  In the late 1980's a building was constructed around the rink to enclose it and in the 1990's an ice plant was installed.  Since then there has been ice every September to April. 

In 2006 things changed a little when the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) and Kraft (the macaroni and cheese people) decided to hold a competition to find out which Canadian community had the most hockey spirit.  It was called Hockeyville and there were about 450 rinks from across the country that were entered.  After a lot of voting and excitement, our community of Salmon River with Deuville's Rink won the competition.  It was an incredibly fun and proud time for everyone who was in some way involved.  We had a lot of hockey celebrities visit our little area, perhaps the most impressive being the Stanley Cup.  The Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators played an exhibition game in town and even Ron McLean and Don Cherry made appearances.  Things have calmed down a little since then but it's still nice to go down to the rink and see my relatives that live there and keep it running.  The boys love to sit in the room over the ice and watch the hockey games and since Nick learned to skate last year he enjoys getting out to practice.  Unfortunately we ended up not staying out too long today.  I didn't bring my skates back from China but tried using my Mom's old ones.  Not a good idea!  My toes we crunched up so bad I could hardly move.  The skates I brought for Nick didn't fit properly (he has really wide feet) so he tried his old ones.  They weren't much better.  I guess I will have to break down and buy a couple pairs.  Maybe.

After our skate and a quick visit with Darlene, Carl and Gramp, we came home and stayed outside for a while.  It was a gorgeous day, a little chilly but sunny with clear skies and incredibly fresh air.  The boys used their ride-ons to bring wood into the house for Mom and Dad's woodstove.  That's one thing I enjoy about apartment living in China.  Although the wood heat is nice, it's a pain in the ass.  Heat coming out of the tile floors is so much easier.

After collecting the wood we decided it would be a good day to go buy advent calendars.  I prefer the pretty kind that have pictures instead of chocolate but, of course, the boys wanted Kinder calendars.  We headed out to the mall and found some at Zellers.  We spent quite a while looking at toys then decided we needed to go home for some lunch.  We made our purchases then went out to the van.  I got the kids strapped in and started for home when Nicholas noticed Jungle Jim's Restaurant.  It's funny, but the places he remembers most are the ones that involve food.  Instead of going home we decided to eat out so we pulled into the next parking lot and got back out of the van.  I should know better than to try and eat out with my kids, but I did it anyway.  They only ate a tiny bit of their meals and the steak I ordered was charred instead of medium well so I had to send it back.  I miss the food in China.  By the time I got a new one the boys were ready to go so I had to inhale it. 

While waiting for our food we decided that this would be a good afternoon to go bowling.  Nick missed out on doing that for his birthday so I thought it would be a fun thing to do a couple times while we are here for three weeks.  I expected the bowling alley to be empty but there was a seniors' league going on and the place was packed.  We were able to get a lane and the kids had a great time for a total of thirty minutes.  That was fine.  I had a headache and was ready to go anyway.

Ryan has had a bad cough and wasn't feeling great today so I thought he'd want to come in once we got home.  Instead he and Nick wanted to ride their cars again.  That only lasted until Ryan went around the back of the house and tipped the thing over.  I heard him crying so I ran back and found him pinned under the Arctic Cat.  He was wet from the snow he was laying in so I brought him in to change and warm up.  Since then we have been sitting by the fire and watching Toy Story.

Friday was my Dad's birthday so we had pizza, cake and ice cream then the kids went to play outside.  Andy and Dale built them a slide off the deck and they had lots of fun on it.

Saturday I went shopping first in Truro for the morning then in Halifax with Erin for the afternoon.  We had a great time and I found some good Christmas presents.  It's only two weeks from today that we leave for Florida to spend Christmas there.  We are very excited!

Sunday I shopped again but this time it was at Louis, a used clothing store.  I found Tommy Hilfiger and Gap jeans as well as a bunch of tops.  Had the boys not been with me driving me crazy while I tried stuff on, I probably could have found even more.  I love shopping at Louis and getting deals!

Yesterday the boys and I made a gingerbread house.  Nick remembered doing one last year and wanted to make another.  It looked good for a while then I put too much icing on it and the roof fell off.  It's now on the kitchen counter in pieces.  Oh well, it was fun for a while.

Tomorrow, after eight long months, I will finally get my hair cut.  I could have had it done in China but I liked it long for the summer so I could put it in a ponytail.  By the time fall arrived and I knew we'd be home for three weeks before going to Florida, I decided that I would wait to have it cut by Joan, who I've been going to for fifteen years now.  I love to sit and chat and catch up so I'm excited to go tomorrow.

I guess that's it for now.  Thursday we get to visit the dentist then Friday or Saturday we will hopefully make a trip to the Annapolis Valley to visit my Aunt Jean for her birthday as well as several other relatives.  Hopefully the weather cooperates.

I hope everyone in China is doing well.  Drop me a note and let me know what I'm missing!