"BUMPITY BUMP BUMP, BUMPITY BUMP BUMP"

Winterlude has been a great way to get us "out and about" in the cold weather. On Thursday we bundled up tight and went over to Snowflake Kingdom at Jacques Cartier park. We tried out the snow slides. Euan and I went on the single one and then all of us (including Romilly tucked into the Ergo inside Daddy's coat) went down the group slide. "Bumpity bump bump, bumpity bump bump look at the Gillespie's go.... bumpity bump bump, bumpity bump bump, over the hills of snow". It was a lot of fun! Euan was keen on going up a few times and I was pretty impressed with his patience while waiting in the long lines.

This weekend we met Steve after his midterm and went over to Confederation Park to see some of the ice sculptures. They were extraordinary. I took pictures of my favourites. The Veterans Memorial sculpture was so detailed and heartwarming. I wish they would build a permanent one of it. After we dragged the stroller around the park we walked over to the Rink of Dreams to watch the Ottawa Skating Club put on a demonstration. I am pretty sure a few of those kids will be joining Team Canada in a few years. They put on a mesmerizing show. Those on the Rink of Dreams were not the only skaters on ice during Winterlude. I heard on the news that over 10,000 people came out to skate on the Rideau Canal this weekend; that announcement made me glad we waited until today to skate. We parked at Dow's lake and walked down to the canal. Steve and I took the kids in the double stroller and then set Euan up for a few minutes of skating, as he doesn't last long on skates. He has little intro skates that you strap on to his boots. This was his second time trying the skates out and he did great on them.

It's safe to say I love Winterlude!