Merry Christmas from Dave, Dee, Cassandra and Samantha!

Is it the end of 2022 already?  The past few years have truly been a blur – and we even missed doing a newsletter for the last couple years!  Oops!

So, this is mainly an update on 2022 events, with a sprinkling of things from 2020/2021 as well….

Smith Family Life & Events!

With the onset of the pandemic in 2020, life changed a lot for us – no longer did we fill our weeks with drop in gymnastics fun, music classes, kung fu, wigglers classes, early-on programs and community events, but went to safer, outdoor based activities when we could and limited our in person social interactions.  It has been a challenge but thankfully, we have managed to avoid this insidious virus so far!  We continue to mask up when we go places to try to keep ourselves, and others, safe.  We hope you are all keeping safe too!

Realizing early on in the pandemic shutdowns that restrictions were likely to stick around for a while, we decided to pursue, and managed to acquire, one of the last available backyard playground sets (big thanks to Po Po and Gung Gung for making that possible). This meant the girls could still play on swings and slide at our house, even when it wasn’t possible at public parks. It has been a well enjoyed addition to our back yard over the last couple years.

We did more biking and hiking, and a lot of scootering and of course: once the courses and facilities were opened up again: golf!  Through the pandemic one of the things we missed sharing was that Dave grew out a pretty epic pandemic hairstyle! It got to shoulder length before he couldn’t take it anymore and got a haircut.

Family golfing at Braeben

Another pandemic purchase we decided on was to get a swim spa for the back yard (yes, it is getting a bit busy back there). This was quite an undertaking, and we are still adjusting to using and maintaining the spa as neither of us had any prior experience with pools or spas. We have had lots of nice family swim times where the girls have started getting used to moving around in the water, and even a few late-night hot tub soaks for the parents as well.

Sporting Adventures

Cassandra and Samantha would happily come with their parents to the driving range – and Cassandra really started to develop a liking for the game.  There is a wonderful little par 3 near us (Braeben Academy course) where we would take the girls and play best ball with them, but Cassandra, at age 6 in 2020, wanted to start playing independently.  In fact, she was able to score her first bogey and her first par last year!

Going to the driving range we also met Shafiq Masih, who is the PGA pro who teaches at that range and opted to go for some family lessons to improve our game (the first time any of us have had official golf instruction) – but also to ensure Cassandra was getting a good start.  She’s continued with lessons and in 2022 we supported her dream to become a LPGA pro one day and entered her into some tournaments. We are very happy to share that her practice, and her ability to stay calm and focus on her swing has led to one third, two second, and three first place finishes in her first season!

Coach Shafiq with Samantha and Cassandra with her hardware from her golf season

We are very happy to be able to golf as a family foursome – Cassandra has now also scored her first pars, and her first birdie.  Dee is pretty happy with her improved game as well and she scored her first eagle (a great drive and then holing her 9 iron from close to 100 yards out on a par 4)! Dave won his friend’s “Ironman” (3 rounds in a day) tournament in 2021, but was just unable to hold on for a repeat in 2022.

Samantha has also decided she wanted to play hockey this year and has joined the Brampton Canadettes “rising stars” program – its been amazing to watch her progress quickly in her skills!

Samantha practicing getting pucks in the net

Dave’s softball (Slo-pitch) team (thanks in no small part to his stellar pitching skills) was yet again victorious this year! This was the first year the team was back together in the league since the COVID shutdown in 2020, so in their minds this is actually a back-to-back championship, despite the league operating with less teams last year and having a “champion” for that season. The kids were happy to watch their dad win the games.

Dave with winning baseball team

School & Careers…

The girls participated in school last year as fully remote students, so Cassandra actually completed grade 1 and 2 fully online.  She’s become quite adept at using her Chromebook independently, and is a pro at putting together slide decks now.  Samantha did her Jr. Kindergarten online, and also has picked up quickly on computer skills.  So much for being anti-screen time parents!

That said, now that the girls are both old enough to know how to put on their masks independently, and are vaccinated, we have placed them back into their classrooms so their school experience is slightly more “normal” once again and we’re happy they are having more social time with their friends.   Cassandra has even joined the choir at school!

Cassandra & Samantha before first day of school

Dave continues his part-time contracting work with Lowes, putting his architectural technology training to good use on estimates and layouts. He also looks after the rental property and tinkers around our property when there’s time.

Dee has had a much crazier time, and finally opted to exit working with Korn Ferry in the summer of 2021.   After taking a solid month off (best August ever!) –  she then joined LifeWorks (formerly Morneau Shepell) for a short while as a Principal Consultant in their compensation practice.  But in June, 2022 she joined a new firm – Eckler Ltd. – still in compensation consulting, but now in a privately traded firm, as the Ontario Practice Lead.  So far it is great and she’s hoping there will be no more job changes anytime soon!!!  She mostly works from home these days which has been a very welcome change, and is working on a better work-life balance.

A crazy summer!

We planned a big vacation to the east coast, with our very good friends, the Boutilier family for summer 2022.  This works out very well as the kids are similar in age and play great together.  As an extra bonus to our plans, we were able to swing by Ottawa for a few days before our road trip to celebrate Roy Wallace’s 70^th birthday and score a visit with Ian!

And so, after a few days in Ottawa, we packed up belongings and off we went on our grand road trip adventure with the plan being to have a couple of hotel stays, an Airbnb in PEI, a second Airbnb in Nova Scotia and then a few hotels on the way home.

On the way out, shortly after leaving a fun stop for lunch and mini adventure at Magnetic Hill near Moncton NB, we were hit by bus on the highway.  Dee was driving at the time, and was in the left lane (of two) – and the school bus driver decided to come into the left lane, too, not seeing us! To the left us of us was a couple feet of gravel and a large ditch – and so Dee tried to speed and get out of the way before the bus could complete the lane change but couldn’t quite in time, and the bus ended up clipping our back wheel.  We then went into a spin and slide backwards into the ditch.

As absolutely awful as this was, we were incredibly fortunate as we were not harmed at all! The car’s frame was bent with doors not operating properly and the rear bumper hanging down, even the roof bin popped open. It’s truly a miracle that we were all a-ok!  Thankfully the Boutiliers were able to go to PEI, drop everything off at the house and Joyce came back across the confederation bridge to pick us up (again so incredibly fortunate as their car seats fit our kids a-ok!!!). So, we packed up our most essential things in their smaller vehicle and carried on to our first destination on PEI, while our wrecked car was towed to a lot in Moncton. We would later retrieve the rest of our stuff “on our way” to the next stay near Pictou.

Then ensued the insanity that is logistics while on vacation after losing your vehicle. No car rentals were available, and insurance was absolutely zero help (apparently Aviva would like you to only have emergencies during their business hours in their preferred provinces of operation despite being a Canada-wide operation they said).  The next few days were a flurry of activity and lots of driving (thanks to our friends for loaning their car!) around the island to buy a vehicle, get new car seats, and tada:  we are now minivan parents!

Brand new (to us) van to continue on our vacation

We managed to salvage the vacation with the van purchase, and though our short stay in PEI was not as we planned, we did squeak in a visit to the Canadian Potato Museum, Cavendish Beach and Anne of Green Gables, and partake in a traditional lobster supper.

Dad and girls wading in first Ocean water @ PEI Airbnb (Malpeque Bay)

Two Families @ PEI Airbnb house

Kids @ Anne of Green Gables House – Cavendish PEI

The next week in Nova Scotia was lovely – including lots of beach time, visiting “The Hector” in Pictou (a replica of the boat the Scots arrived to Canada on!), visiting a lovely local wool store and sheep farm where the children also got to meet the sheep, enjoying the smells and colours of a lavender farm, and golfing the par 3 at Fox Harb’r (a very beautiful ocean side course).

Cassandra running through the lavender field

Samantha & Cassandra photo op @ Pictou

Samantha chasing birds @ Fox Harb’r

Restoration project for replica ship “The Hector” @ Pictou NS harbour

Feeling like we missed out on some of our planned PEI adventures, we did a day trip back on the ferry to go to the singing sands beach, and have a family round of golf (Dundarave).

Dave teeing off @ Dundarave GC PEI

Two families at Pictou NS Airbnb house

Thankfully, our drive home was completely safe and we enjoyed stops at the Hopewell rocks, Grand Rapids and enjoyed the scenery in Riviere du loop, and picked up some Montreal Bagels and smoked meat on our trek home too! Dee was very happy to have learned to shuck oysters with Joyce’s great training, and many oysters, lobster rolls and other delicious foods were enjoyed out east!

Hopewell Rocks NB @ high tide

Cassandra & Samantha on the “world’s shortest covered bridge”

Feeling like summer wouldn’t be complete without a trek to Southampton ON, we also made a quick weekend trip out to enjoy our favourite sunset piper, and Sauble beach.

Smith Family Southampton Sunset

We also were very happy to celebrate the wedding of Michelle Desroches & Duncan Brain in August, and wish the happy couple a wonderful married life!

Life…

In other things that make our kids very happy, we recently informed Samantha that one of her dearest wishes was going to come true:  She would be a middle child!  She is absolutely thrilled and declared that her parents had solved one of the major problems in her life with this news – and Cassandra has begun teaching her to be a good big sister.

Cassandra teaching Samantha about being a good big sister

Birthday parties & events have been fun this year – Dave turned the big 4-0 in 2021 and for that celebration we rented an indoor golf facility to celebrate his, and Cassandra’s 7^th birthdays together and had loads of fun! We also had a fancy steak supper with the Smith clan to celebrate Cassandra, Dave and Isabelle’s birthdays together.   Cassandra wanted a golf themed party last year (which was great since her present was new golf clubs!), and Samantha wanted a Mandalorian themed party for her birthday this year (which was great because she also wanted to be that for Halloween!)

Samantha aka “Mandalorian” & Cassandra aka “Catwoman” with matching pumpkins for Halloween

Farewell, Misty Smith

In less happy news, we were sad in November to need to let Misty go – at 17.5 she was quite senior and was not enjoying all her usual things.  We greatly enjoyed our years with her, and how cuddly she was and participative with the girls activities.  She will be missed greatly.

Looking forward to 2023!

We are looking forward to 2023 – along with our new family addition, Cassandra has also now started her preparation for her first reconciliation and communion, and we are very happy for her!

We wish you all a very merry Christmas and wish you all the best in the New Year!

Love, The Smith Family