The Kids and Kahlie

The prize for the award-winning picture of Thomas walking along the trail Capilano River Park arrived this week. The contest was sponsored by TrailPeak.com, a directory of hiking trails throughout Canada. TrailPeak is neat because the trail directory is created, edited, and updated by hikers who add trails or reviews of the trails added by others. As the audience for Thomas’s blog is mostly in Ontario, know that there are lots of trails in the system from around that province.

For the techno-geeky among you, too, you can upload or download GPS trail maps for your hand-held GPS unit. The site is very useful and a lot of fun. Check it out!

(Oh, and the prize was a really cool mug/thermos with a carabiner handle. It’s pictured on the TrailPeak website.)

This is a list of Thomas’s Christmas photo albums (and a few other assorted links) in one convenient place. Click on the Album Title to go to that album.

Christmas in Ottawa

Christmas in Mississauga

Toronto Transit Trip

Hiking in Mineola (Mississauga)

8 Birch

Granny’s Christmas Album

Thanks to all the santas in Ottawa, Mississauga, and elsewhere. We had a great trip to Ontario and continue to enjoy the memories and gifts.

Perhaps the highlight of the Trip to Toronto was the ride along King Street in Streecar 4034. We left eastbound from Yonge Street on December 28, 2005, at about 10:30 in the morning and we quickly became friends with the knowledgeable operator.

The operator made the trip very special for Thomas. He announced to all passengers over the loud-speaker that there was a ‘first time’ TTC rider on board. He clanged the bells and made sounds even Gramps did not know streetcars could make. (And that’s saying something!) He also had ‘magical fingers’ with which he could change the switches with a mere pointing of his hand. Amazing!

We took this picture with our operator as we disembarked at the Broadview Station.

Thank you for making our day!

During the Mississauga leg of our Ontario Christmas, Gramps took Thomas on a trip around Toronto using eight different types of transportation in three hours. With Tad and Mariela trying to keep up with the plans, Gramps and Thomas drove to the Clarkson Go Train Station and walked towards the platform. Thomas rode an escalator up onto the platform (and then down again … and then up again). We all got on the 9:37a Go Train eastbound to Union Station in downtown Toronto.

At Union Station, we jumped on the subway and took it one stop north to King Street. There, we surfaced and caught the 4304 TTC streetcar heading eastbound along King Street. That ride took us meandering through neighbourhoods near the Danforth. (See that story in another blog post here.)

Then, it was back onto the subway. We rode from Broadview station westbound to Spadina. We surfaced again, got back on the streetcar, and rode south down Spadina Avenue. We expected to ride through the tunnel along Harbourfront before arriving back at Union Station, but the tunnel was being repaired and we had to get a bus for the last few kilometres from the foot of Spadina Avenue into the train station.

Back at Onion Union Station, we took another escalator to the platform. While waiting for the 12:43 eastbound train, Mariela and Thomas rode an elevator for kicks. Thomas fell asleep on the train and missed the final car ride back home.

Click here for our full trip album.

Fantastic!

Thomas has started adding words together. He said to me ‘More milk please,’ and mentioned that he saw a ‘red dog.’ (It was Clifford.) His language skills develop everyday!

The Boys

Originally uploaded by Thomas Miguel.

Here are some more Christmas pictures from Ottawa.

Santa Claus is rapidly approaching Ottawa and all is fine here! Check out the first stash of pictures from Rob here.

Note: You must be logged in as family for Rob to be able to see these pictures. We’ll get some pictures put up on Thomas’s account soon enough.

Thomas has taken to calling himself George these days. We don’t know why.

Ah Shucks …

Originally uploaded by Thomas Miguel.

Here is Thomas having breakfast this morning in his habs pjs. He loves his cheerios!