The presents are wrapped, the skis are sharpened and the house smells like shortbread. We are counting the days until Lexi and Jack are home for the holidays and we are looking forward to spending time as a family at Hilltop Lodge in Caledon.  Make yourself a cup of tea, put up your feet and let me share with you what our family has been up to in 2012.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” -This famous quote from A Tale of Two Cities, pretty much sums up our year. My Mom passed away in August, after a swift and courageous battle with cancer. Mom was diagnosed in late June, two days before our summer trip, yet she so generously and bravely kept the news to herself, not wanting us to worry while we were away or cancel the trip. My Mom was a huge presence in our lives, and she is sorely missed- her life lessons will never be forgotten.

After a rigorous academic year and a very busy social year, Lexi graduated from Branksome Hall in May earning her I.B. Diploma. Lexi spent the summer at Glen Bernard Camp as a camp counsellor and kayaking/sailing instructor. In September, Lexi headed to Queen’s University to study International Development, Psychology, Sociology, Comparative Religions and History. She is living with her camp pal, Pauline, in McNeil Hall, and loves every minute of university life. She is thrilled to be attending school with her two New Brunswick cousins, Fraser and Adam. Lexi returns home for the holidays in mid-December and will be a ski instructor at Caledon during the holiday season. It will be awesome to have her at home- the house sure has been quiet without our vivacious gal!

Jack made a bold decision last spring to change schools in order to have an extra year of high school. Always the youngest in the class, Jack knew that he would not be ready for university at age 17. He is now at Trinity College School in Port Hope taking both grade 11 and grade 12 courses and is embracing the boarding experience. Jack ran cross-country again this fall, qualified for OFSSA and won the T.W. Lawson Trophy for being the top senior runner at TCS. Jack, Lexi and I all ran in the Sporting Life 10 km in May, and Jack finished in 34 minutes, coming in 40^th out of 22,000 runners! He ran in the Run for the Cure in Peterborough in October and won! Jack is now trying something new to him- Nordic skiing, combining his running stamina and skiing ability. Jack was on staff at Camp Hurontario this summer as a counsellor-in-training and will work as a ski instructor at Caledon again this winter. Jack is eagerly anticipating becoming a licensed driver in a few weeks- buckle your seatbelts Toronto!

Ross turned fourteen in August and to celebrate, he, Paul and Jack headed to the CN Tower to do the Edgewalk- a harnessed walk on the roof of the CN Tower’s restaurant, 356 m above the ground- he loved it! Ross is now in grade nine at Royal St. George’s College. Following family tradition, Ross joined the cross-country running team and after months of hard training, qualified for OFSSA. It was held at Heart Lake Conservation Area in Brampton, just a short distance from our chalet. Ross plays the trumpet in the school jazz band, is a school ambassador, and has joined many clubs including the Speakers’ Union, Model UN, Reach for the Top, Improv Club, and Ping Pong Club. Ross is working hard and achieving high marks. His favourite subjects are science and civics. Ross went back to Camp Hurontario this summer for his 8^th year. Ross is enjoying being the only child at home, and loves his newly decorated and much bigger bedroom- thank you Lexi!

Last March, after a wonderful winter ski season at Caledon, we travelled to Half-Moon Bay in Jamaica for some fun in the sun with my cousin Harris Davidson, his wife Tina and their two boys. Golf, tennis, horseback riding and long walks along the beach filled our days, and delicious dinners and Jamaican entertainment concluded the evenings.

At the end of June, with Lexi and Jack safely ensconced in camp life, Paul, Ross and I headed off on one of the greatest adventures of our lives- a trip to Tanzania. From the moment we arrived and we were shown the monkey panic button in our cabin, to all of the “big wows” on the trip- the troop of 100 baboons passing by our truck; the animals- the zebras, lions, elephants, ostriches, warthogs; witnessing the great migration and lions mating; running with giraffes; the hot air balloon ride at sunrise; the culture shock of the Maasai village; the awesome Ngorongoro Crater; lying in bed while “glamping” and hearing the sounds of the Serengeti; hiking up Mount Meru; and the beautiful beaches of exotic Zanzibar- we had an incredible time, took hundreds of pictures and loved every minute of our trip. I can hardly wait to go back to Africa! Hakuna Matata!

On Labour Day Weekend, before the start of school, my side of the family met in Mont Tremblant for a group hug and spirit lifting activities. We hiked up the mountain and strolled through the village, we went horseback riding, and we tested our nerves and agility on a high ropes course. The men in the family couldn’t get enough of racing each other down the luge run. The nine cousins had a ball together, getting reacquainted after not seeing each other for a while. At the end of a delightful weekend, the three oldest cousins were delivered to Queen’s University and the chaotic festivities of Frosh Week.

Paul has extended his time at IBM to May, when he hopes to take the summer off to travel and work on his golf game. This year, Paul took the Director’s Education Program at the University of Toronto and learned a lot. Paul continues to travel to Newfoundland, where he sits on the board of Verafin, a financial software company. He has developed a taste for cod tongue, scrunchions and Quidi Vidi beer, and greatly enjoys the friendliness of the people. 2013 will be a year for Paul to take time to smell the roses and to decide which path to take next.

It has been a crazy, roller coaster year for me. With a much quieter household, I am ready for a new volunteer project, and in the New Year, I will be on the hunt for another opportunity where I can make a difference. My daily walks along the river with Lucy and Happy, regular tennis games and quiet weekends at Hilltop Lodge have been my solace. A trip to Miami in October with my Boulevard pals for tennis, laughs and lots of chats was just what I needed to pick myself up and brush myself off.  It is time to put 2012 behind us and look forward to a healthy and prosperous 2013. May the New Year be filled with loving family, travel, helping others and lots of tennis! Happy New Year!