Happy Australia Day

Happy Australia Day!!!!

We had an unbelievable time here had the whole neighbourhood over for a BBQ served them lamb and beef sausages, which they don't eat here and Pavlova and as the night wore on vegemite sandwiches.
Had a great time as you can see,

xxoo

Collecting Christmas Trees in BC

Steph doing a snow angel.

Kevin and Gord went to cut down the Christmas tree when we were in Kamloops thought you might enjoy some photos of the kids and the snow.

Uxbridge and Surrounds

This is the front lawn of our house, alot of snow at the moment.

We are kept very busy with snow shovelling

It is very beautuful to wake up to each morning

Vancouver, Kamloops, Sun Peaks and Christmas

Hi everyone,
We have been so busy and have had trouble with all the internet connections that it has been hard to put all the info down for you, I am really hoping that I can get some photos on here tonight.

We had an amazing time in Vancouver when we got back from Whistler in Dec, it turned really cold, -5 which is cold for vancouver and it snowed which it doesn't generally do, Vancouver is right on the water which also makes it quite cold. It is a beautiful city surrounded by the coastal mountain range they call it and mountains so high and all snow capped very stunning. We also drove down from Squamish to Vancouver along the Howe Sound its called extremely picturesque drive along an inlet (google Howe Sound) and islands of the mainland have huge mountains with snow caps and the water in the foreground and the fur trees all covered with snow, breathtaking.
We took a trip into Vancouver and had a look at the city which was very cold but very nice.

Then we got picked up by Gord(Kevins cousin) and he drove us to Kamloops, deep in the interior of BC, and cowboy country. It is actually dessert but is also very cold in the winter and was surrounded by snow.
We then went to SunPeaks for 4 days of skiing, (love to show you pictures but am unable with the dial up connection we have will be getting it fixed soon), anyway it was so amazing. Such high mountains, we went up 2000m tby chair lift and took around 30 minutes to get to the bottom of the mountain, there were so many runs and they were all so lovely, its weird seeing all these Christmas trees everywhere covered with snow. Anyway we did alot of skiing, drinking and sitting the hot tub in -28C temps outside it was very surreal, your hair freezes and everything.
Talk more about that later.
From Sun Peaks we were back to Kamloops to stay with Terri and Gord and their 3 kids till Jan3. We had a wonderful christmas with these guys and saw relatives and just had an amazing time. We went to Church on Chrstmas eve and it was snowing and we walked to the church and it was a pretty white wood building and there was a street light over it and it was snowing and there were Christmas lights and it was all sooo pretty. Its actually too cold to melt the snow so it stays like powder, and just brushes of you. We had a beautiful Turkey dinner for christmas and stayed inside because it was a bit cold but I have been cross country skiing on the river (which is snowed over) and on New Years Eve we went tubing at the local ski hill which is like water slides except you go down on snow, its pretty fun but very cold.
We had a huge New Years, lots of Aussie Rum and dancing great fun, visiting at 12.30 with neighbours in the extreme cold, quite crazy.
Can you believe it this year has been the coldest Canada has had in memory and for the first time in memory there is snow on both seaboards Vancouver to New Foundland which is apparently very uncommon.
We finally got to Uxbridge and found it to be not nearly as cold as where we had come from, but there is plenty of snow here, and since last week when we got here there has been another 30cm, and we are expecting more this week, plus freezing temps, fun. Its not really as bad as I thought it would be, everywhere is heated the most annoying thing is dressing and undressing all the time. Its a very strange thing everywhere you go there is tonnes of shoes in peoples foyers and coates and gloves, scarves etc.
The house is fine its in a lovely spot so pretty and we sit and watch the squirrels and birds come down and feed each morning, the kids skate on the lake and I went cross country skiing on the weekend. James has had a great time at the local ski hills snow boarding so they are settling in well. Steph is well which is good and she has settled well into school, James doesn't start school until the end of the month.
My school is very good the kids are amazing and everything looks pretty good there.
Hope all is well with everyone, sorry no photos will add some when I can.
Love The Pratts

Morning Snow

Hi Everyone,

Well yesterday we finally woke up to snow everywhere it was really beautiful, but very wet and annoying.

It also rained intermittently thoroughout the day when the temperature kept getting above 0 degree.

Anyway it was quite a dreary but very different day.See Pictures, these are taken around Shirl and Stu's house (where we are staying).

Hope everyone is well

Whistler Trip

Today we went to Whistler, there was not alot of snow but there was enough for us, these photos were taken from the top of Whistler mountain, it was a beautiful day and we had a wonderful ride on the Gondola and had lunch up there with those mountains out in front of us it was amazing.

James was dying to go snow boarding but he has to wait. It was pretty steep in some areas and a bit scary but all lovely. Apparently they are expecting an Arctic cold snap tomorrow and heaps of snow so we got up there just at the right time.

I also tried driving on the right hand side of the road today very freaky, I guess I will get used to it soon.

Flying and finally Arriving in Canada

Well after a marathon 26 hours of flying and stopovers including 4 hours in Nadi boiling hot airport and 5 hours in Los Angeles where we had to go through customs and enter the country we finally arrived in Vancouver. We decided that we would hire a taxi in LA and have a look at the city which was great, we saw Cate Blanchetts new star on the Stars Walk in Hollywood, bought lunch at Scoobys Hot Dogs, laughed at lots of people getting their photos taken with dress up movie stars and cruised down Melrose looking at the shops. We then got onto Alaskan Airlines and headed for Vancouver finally. Arriving at 9.00pm their time, very tired and worn out. Thankfully we had 2 quiet days to recover at Kevins Aunty Jeans house in Vancouver.

We then hit the shops, great shopping and a bit confusing because you have to add 2 taxes to every amount on the prices advertised, anyway we bought ski clothing, jeans, boots, kids shoes and long johns for Kevin. Had dinner at Boston Pizza in Vancouver, which was good.

We have now headed to Squamish about 90km north of Vancouver, 40 mins from Whistler. Getting pretty cold now, we haven't really felt the cold as yet but today it was cold (as you can see by the photo) . We are getting to know all the relatives, Kevin has lots of Aunts,cousins and Uncles around here and we have been staying with Aunt Shirl and Stu and been ferried around by Aunty Andrea and Doug. It was good to get out for a walk today the landscape is so different here its really beautiful, no gum trees just huge Christmas trees everywhere. Haven't seen a bear yet but we are told we are in bear country now and they are around, so we were very careful when walking today.

Well we are of to bed now still very tired, hope you all enjoy the pictures, we are of to Whistler tomorrow if the weather is kind not alot of snow yet but apparently by the weekend there will be plenty everywhere.