A WEEK IN QUEBEC

5 days ago, I boarded a plane with 60 7th and 8th graders, and 19 other adults.  We were heading for Quebec City, Quebec, for 5 days of French Canadian Culture and history.  We chose February to travel as that would allow us the opportunity to check out the World Famous Carnaval de Quebec.  The Carnaval is a huge outdoor Winter Celebration, basically, a "Screw you" to winter, a "Bring it on, Mother Nature, we will celebrate and party and dance no matter how cold you make it, kind of celebration.

 Bonhomme Carnaval, the mascot of the Carnaval!

 Quebec is a great place to embrace winter and French Pastry.

 We were blessed with warmer weather than we had anticipated, making our outdoor adventures even more fun!!

 We traveled with Jumpstreet Tours, an amazing tour company that handled everything for us. The guides were enthusiastic, engaging, flexible and so passionate about their hometown and culture that they were infectious!!

We spent an evening at a Sugar Shack where we played wooded spoons, danced, ate, sang, made our own maple butter, ate "la tire" right off the snow and even did some dog sledding!

Thursday was Valentine's Day.  We ate a traditional breakfast at a Huron Village. We learned about Canadian Native culture and then headed to the Museum of Civilization. The kids insisted on decorating Peanut with the museum entrance stickers.  Peanut got a lot of love on this trip!

 We drove out to the country that afternoon and did some snow shoeing on a trail that led us to an ice kitchen where we were served fruit and chocolate, the perfect Valentine's Day treat.
 I was one day shy of 31 weeks pregnant but that didn't stop me from hiking up to that chocolate. 

 

Some of the chaperons and I, enjoying the adventure!

If I couldn't be home with my boys for Valentine's Day, I am glad I got to spend it outside, in the beautiful winter weather with this group of kids!!

The Day Home sent me this picture, assuring me that Ryder was thinkin' about me on Valentine's Day. Here he is making me a special card, which I got tonight when I arrived home, along with some flowers, he and Marty picked up.  I love my boys!!   I had made chocolate covered strawberries and Valentine's cards for all the kids at the Day Home before I left for Quebec, so Ryder knew I was thinkin' about him too! :)

I am glad to be home. This was the first time I have ever been away from Ryder overnight. I spent 4 nights away from him and I missed his chubby little cheeks!!  We had a fantastic time in Quebec. The students were respectful, fun and I was proud to be with them, however, nothing beats the feeling of coming home!!

Vive l'hiver!

Kiss your babies, count your blessings and choose to embrace winter!!!