It is that time...

to bid farewell to this blog, Our Journey to Mei Mei. We set up this blog three years ago so that our family and friends could follow our journey towards our second child. Well, Alexia is here and she has been for almost 2 1/2 years!

So our journey is complete and we must move on.

Please join me at Spring Roll & Dumpling for the continuing saga.

Cabane à Sucre... Again!

I will have to start checking my sugar levels after today. Two cabanes à sucre in one week might be pushing it! Today we went with the Adoptive Families of Quebec gang at a traditional sugar shack in St. Eustache and let me tell you, it was yummy! The place was really nice and being there so early in the morning (10AM) really made the experience painless. By the time we left however, the lineups were crazy! After our brunch, we ate our tire on the snow (a must!),we visited the indoor petting zoo, the doll museum (creepy!) and went on an extra long horsey ride. By this time, the sugar highs had worn off and we were good to drive home for an afternoon nap. Here are a few shots of our day. Hope you all had a great weekend!

Welcome!

Spring is here! And so are my croccus!

Gourmet Cabane à Sucre

After reading a review on the Au Pied de Couchon Cabane à Sucre one year ago in the Montreal Gazette, I called to make a reservation. The young lady was kind enough to inform me that they were only taking reservations for the following year. 2010! Having forgotten that I did this, I got a call 2 weeks ago to inform me that it was our turn and that we could come on opening night. So, six of us made the trip to St. Benoit de Mirabel about 45 minutes from Montreal for what was about to be a very memorable night. Not only was the food fantastic, the company was even better! Fixer Mamma was my date as Gord is away and we were joined by C and P and their friends D and P.

So dinner begins with a split pea soup with foie gras, maple-glazed gravlax, homemade creton and maple buckwheat pancakes. Then as a little nibbler, we got BBQ chicken feet (ugh!). Found this to be a little disconcerting but tried it anyway. Then the main dishes arrived and it wouldn't stop. Scarmbled eggs with smoked sturgon and brisket, homemade tourtière with duck meat, salad topped with oreille de christ, beef tongue (more ugh!) and maple-lacquered duck leg and finally the lobster-stuffed cabbage roll and lentils.

And if this wasn't enough, on came the many desserts. Banana split with maple roasted pecans, the most gimormous millefeuille you have ever seen and grand-pères which are fried dough swimming in maple syrup. Oh and we musn't forget the traditional maple syrup on snow.

OMG! It is now over 24 hours later and I am still full. No word of a lie. I woke up at 4AM and could not sleep from the discomfort I was feeling. And I had no breakfast and no lunch today followed by a very small dinner.

I am going to yet another cabane à sucre this Sunday but this time the traditional Quebec kind but I am sure that I will be feeling the same again. Help me!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

TO ALL !

Alexia Sleeping While Skiing!

She fell asleep on the chair lift up. Gord got off, skied down and she never woke up. She then napped over an hour on the picnic table at the bottom of the hill. She was the talk of Morin Heights!

Spring Break

Last week was Spring Break for both my girls and I did manage to take a couple of work days off to have an extra long weekend to spend some time with them. I had big plans... you know, do some arts and crafts with the girls, work on some photography, organise our newly renovated cottage. In the end, we spent the entire time at the ski hill. It was a spectacular 4 days with nothing but sun and more sun! People thought I actually went down south after seeing my tan. Upon arrival at the hill, we spent every second outside including every lunch and happy hour too, of course!

Cara-Li and her friend, J, decided that they would like to try snowboarding. So, off I went to organise private lessons for 2 days. Let me tell you, by the time their lessons were over, they were both snowboard experts! Looks like we are adding another winter sport to our household. That means more equipment to lug around... But I must say, I am extremely proud on how well Cara-Li did (and J too!). Naturals at it almost more so than skiing...

After our Saturday at the hill, we were graced with the visit of N & S and their lovely M who came to spend the night with us and ski with us on Sunday. V & J with their lovely SQ & NJ joined us for a gastronomic raclette dinner. Lots of wine was consumed (Gord only noticed the next day upon emptying the receycle bin) and lots of laughs were had. Thanks all for the wonderful visit.

And for another exciting event, Alexia went up the chair lift for the first time this weekend! How thrilled she was to go up like the big people. Once at the top, Gord put a harness on her and she skied down thrilled to be going so fast!