snow, dog sledding, winter and the beach... what?

Part of living in the Yukon (and enjoying it) means embracing the winter. If you don't get out and take part in some way or another, you will find yourself quite depressed and will eventually go mad. It's true. So partaking in activities like snow shoeing, skiing, winter festivals and such is a must. We have 8 months of winter so it really is important to get out and enjoy it.
This past weekend was one of those times where we felt ourselves really be a part of the Yukon culture. It was the start of the Yukon Quest, a 1000 mile dog sled race and there was so much excitement in the air as the teams were getting ready to take off! I took the kids downtown to Shipyards Park to see the race start and it was such a blast. Tons of Yukoners were out there, cheering on as the dog teams were getting ready to start off on their long trek.
The day was beautiful, warm (just around freezing) and sunny! The kids enjoyed themselves (as much as they could from their point of view) and I really enjoyed feeling a part of the day, events, and community. It made me feel proud to be a resident here.
And this leads me to my next bit about Yukon winter. As much as it is important to learn to enjoy the Yukon winter, it is also important (in my humble opinion) to escape from the cold (if you can do so). This week, we will be heading South... waaaaay South to the beautiful country of Cuba! This will be my third time to Cuba and I can honestly say that it is such a beautiful, welcoming, friendly, and safe place to go. We are heading to an all inclusive for one week and will be meeting our in-laws (well my in-laws) down there. I really can't tell you how excited I am to feel the warm sun on my skin, the soft sand on my feet and just relax. It's been a long time since we've had a break like this and we are all (even Noah!) very excited for this little getaway!
I won't be back here on my blog till we return! So happy days to you my friends!
xox

ps. Happy Valentine's Day. We had guests over on the weekend for dinner and I made chocolate covered strawberries! Don't you think they are the ultimate Valentine's dessert?