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Christmas 2012

Homeward bound. We’re driving south on the I-81 as I write this. Or rather, Pierre is driving…

We just spent the last 12 days in Montréal. It was a great visit. Family, friends, fun and relaxation. And apart from feeling under-the-weather for a day or so (nothing that some cold meds and a good, long nap didn’t fix), we had a blast. Here’s a run-down of some of the highlights of our trip, in no particular order (I’ll write ‘em as I think of them!):

  • Christmas Eve with the Morissette family and extended loved-ones. The boys helped play Santa Claus by handing out presents, we had a delicious dinner with everyone contributing a different course (I made beet soup, thank you to my brother Chef Kevin for the recipe), and we spent the better part of the evening tracking Santa on Norad's Santa Tracker.
  • Christmas Day with the Barrett Clan. We more or less ate our way through the day, starting with a huge brunch and ending with turkey dinner. Probably the best turkey I’ve ever eaten. We gobble-gobbled it up! In between all the eating, there was a whole lot of present opening. I’m pretty sure that three-quarters of the gifts were for Benjamin and Nicholas. Our mini-van is packed to the ceiling.
  • The Montréal Biodome with Grand-Papa. We ventured out on Boxing Day, and had so much fun exploring this treasure at the Olympic Village. The boys loved the penguins the best. Pierre’s dad and I were fascinated by the diving ducks. And the playground at the end of our tour kept the boys busy for a solid hour.

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With Bobo Le Perroquet at the Biodome.

  • The snowstorm of the century! 18 inches (yes, inches!!) in about ten hours. Now that is a whole lot of snow.

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The view out Grand-Papa’s front door during the storm.

  • Date night!! For the past several years, my parents send Pierre and me on a date night in the Old Port of Montréal, and watch the kids too. Benjamin and Nicholas love it because they get spoiled rotten by Grandma and Grandpa, complete with a trip to Donald-Mcs….that’s McDonalds, where you get to each your dessert before your meal (Benjamin even made a new friend during dinner…a little boy who spoke only French. Ben spoke to him without any trouble at all!). Pierre and I love it because we get some much appreciated adult time. We stayed at The Auberge du Vieux-Port, ate poutine, explored the Old Port, and had a romantic dinner out. Thanks Grandma & Grandpa! Ben and Nicholas already want to know when our next date night is!
  • Lunch at Deville Dinerbar. Kevin is the chef at this trendy upscale diner on Stanley, just above Ste-Catherine Street in downtown Montréal. The food was so, so good. And I’m not being biased. Promise! I ate the most delicious ahi-tuna salad, and Pierre had beef ribs that literally fell-off the bone. Oh, and I am now addicted to Deville’s French fries. The staff was friendly, and the service was top-notch too. No shameless plug here: if you are in Montréal, you need to go have a meal at Deville. Ask for Chef Kevin!!
  • Learning all about trolls with Grandpa. Did you know that trolls have two noses? All the better to smell out cookies!
  • Sledding! My dad and Pierre built-up a sledding hill in my parents’ backyard for the boys. Benjamin named it Candy Cane Mountain. This led to hours of fun with the new sleds that Santa left under the tree. Each night, Grandpa and Papa iced-up the run for a faster ride down the slope. New Year’s Eve saw the boys up until almost 10:00 p.m. sledding down their hill. Grandpa even made ice lanterns to light their way. A true Canadian way to ring-in the New Year!

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Nicholas and Benjamin on the two-man luge!

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Pure sledding joy!!

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Grandpa’s ice lantern.

  • New Year’s Day dinner with the family…perfect way to start the year.

We did a whole lot of visiting, and would have done even more if I hadn’t come down with a bit of a bug. Benjamin and Nicholas even had a pre-Christmas playdate with a new friend who was kind enough to share all his toys. Meeting new friends is so fun! And seeing old friends is always sweet. Thank you to our gracious hosts!

We’re about an hour away from home now. Until the next visit Montréal…

Happy New Year everyone! Here’s wishing you much health, happiness and love in 2013.

xo Naomi

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