March 5-8

We've now been here in Toronto over a month.  It's still cold and has snowed off and on several times during these weeks--and will most likely continue for a few more.  We've ventured out to the library weekly and have done some kind of tourist-type thing on Saturdays.  And we've also just enjoyed being inside with the warmth and watching the snow from our windows.

The Toronto Public Library system has 100 branches! Woah!!  The one that is closest to us is in the bottom of the tall City Hall building.  In the square just outside City Hall is an outdoor ice skating rink with large, lighted letters spelling Toronto.  So we get to see them every time we go to the library.  We usually spend time climbing on the large mound of snow/ice that is also in this area because we aren't from here and the kids are really interested in the snow. :D

Toronto's PATH and Aussie Meat Pies

Toronto has an underground shopping area with entrances all over the downtown area.  One day in which it was particularly cold but we wanted to get out and stretch our legs, we decided to go explore the PATH.  According to the Toronto PATH website, "The PATH has over 30 kilometres worth of shopping, services and entertainment. According to the Guinness World Records, it’s the largest underground shopping complex in the world."

Sugar Bush Maple Festival

On March 10th, we drove out to Bruce's Mill Conservation Area for a Sugar Bush Maple Festival.  

Baby is a ......???

Friday, March 9 we headed south across the border to New York.  Our health insurance doesn't work here in Canada so we have to go to the USA to visit a doctor.  On March 8 I hit 20 weeks, so this visit was to not only make sure things are still going well, but also to have the ultrasound!

I'm not very good at the selfie shots, but this shows my little belly.  

(And Sarah being silly!)

Everything looked good in the ultrasound--measurements were spot on as well as the heart beat.  It's always so wonderful to hear!  

We didn't think of anything clever to announce the gender, but we thought of this:

We are looking forward to Baby #3 later this year!  (And hopefully not in Canada, for those wondering...)  ;)

Mackenzie House Museum and Burrito Boyz

Saturday, March 3rd, we went to the Mackenzie House Museum.

Groceries!!

Even though we have a grocery store close by, it is pretty small and quite expensive actually.  So we were looking at trying out other grocery stores nearby or online.  We heard from others that the other stores, while having a bigger selection, are still expensive and harder to get to and from, especially with bags full of food.  We tried out the Wal-mart.com website but was declined because we had an American billing address for our credit card.  So we tried again, this time we put in our Canadian address because we changed the billing address.  It was declined again.  We figured they wanted a Canadian-issued credit card.  That we don't have.  And we don't want to get one just so we can get groceries from Wal-mart.

So we had to find something else.  Thankfully Paul found one that delivers Costco food to downtown apartments.  You don't have to have a Costco membership and they can deliver the same day if you get the order in before noon!  

We gave that a try, but I was just waiting for an email that said we were declined.  So I was definitely happy and surprised when I got a knock on the door that evening from the delivery guy!

He brought in so much food--because I ordered so much food! 😉

Ice Fest 2018

On Saturday, February 24th we went to an ice festival in downtown Toronto.  The theme this year was "Winter Hath Come".  

New Indian Friends

On Friday afternoon (Feb. 23), after coming home from the noontime concert we heard kid voices out in the hallway of our apartment building.  The kids were really excited and ran to the door to see who it was.  They've been missing their friends so hearing kid voices was a welcome and exciting thing.

We went out to meet who was out there.  Next door to us were some families from India, one with a boy a year younger than Glenn and a little girl around Sarah's age.  Wow!  Perfect!

So we introduced ourselves and got talking with them.  The little girls wanted to show their stuffed animals and dolls and the boys wanted to run around the halls.  It was great to have someone for the kids to play with and for me to have someone to talk with.  

We found out that the boy's birthday was on Sunday but they were having a party to celebrate on Saturday.  They invited us to come.  So we went!

Noontime Concerts

While walking to work, Paul noticed that this church was advertising free noontime concerts on Fridays.  He mentioned it to us and asked if we wanted to meet him sometimes.  Sure!  This church, called St. Andrew's, is just down the street from our apartment.  I love the outside!  It's beautiful!