Today is our last day in the North. Around lunch time (in about 3 hours), we’ll be taking a bus to a place called Dawson Creek, where we’ll catch another one to Kamloops, B.C. This’ll be the longest Greyhound ride of our Canadian leg, and all told we’ll be in Greyhound’s nasty clutches for about 18 hours. It makes me shudder, but we have no choice. At least we’ll be leaving this snowy tundra behind.

Luckily, we’ve also had the pleasure of spending the last week or so visiting with my sister Kelli and her family. It’s always nice to see the kids, even though they seem to be giving her a bit more grief than usual by not always doing what they’re told. We did a lot with them, including getting to attend Kindergarten for Delaney’s Special Helper Day. That was pretty cool. We also brought a late haul of Christmas presents with us, and finally let the kids get into them last night.

The whole gang gathers around to see the calendar Auntie Laura made.

I can haz electrizity?! Their cat Tiger.

Tiger again. Meeeow.

Ryley, like all soon-to-be-9-year-olds, knows a good thing when he sees one: Second Christmas!

Gregory gets groovy with a new lava lamp.

How come they're all laughing at the page with pictures of Uncle Chris? Is there something I should know?

Emotions ran the gamut from delight to frustration, apparently.

Auntie Laura, Delaney and Tiger enjoy a quiet moment.

Delaney got to have two special helpers on her Special Helper Day. Here she is entertaining her kindergarten friends during show and tell.

The ladies of the family cuddle up a bit after a steak dinner at the Keg. The Keg makes me sleepy too.

This is the Canadian winter we will soon be leaving behind. Why yes, that is an 8-foot pile of snow. Thanks for noticing.

There are a few more pics up here. Thanks for having us Kel and Dean!

Onward!