Once we returned from Fort Smith, we had three weeks remaining in Yellowknife. The weather took a cold turn and, in the first week of June, it snowed for the first few days! We were feeling quite northerly until we learned that – unlike in Yellowknife, where the snow melted when it hit the ground – some of the northern parts of NWT and Nunavut got as much as 15 inches of snow in one night.
Despite the weather, Lawful took it upon herself to finally learn to ride a two-wheeler bike with no training wheels. It had been something she planned on learning last summer, but we were all a little busy last summer with newborn babies. She and Pawful took a borrowed bike out the afternoon following Waffle and Felafel’s weekend birthday party and, within an hour, she was a bike-riding fiend!
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| with help... |
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| with sort-of-help... |
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| YAAAYYY!!! |
From then on, she went practically everywhere on two wheels. She braved the expected knee scrapes and bruises (and even got a black eye) and got right back up again each time and kept riding.
We quickly settled into a pattern with Maw-full was spending as much time on call as possible while the rest of the family spent their time fulfilling domestic responsibilities, having adventures on foot (and pedal) exploring Yellowknife, and hanging out in home-for-now #3. The weather had improved greatly by the second week of June and we were having nicer weather even than our friends to the south.
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| the barbershop trailer |
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| chili-makin' | |
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| laundry |
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| reading |
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| play |
After the second week of June, Maw-full was finished her placement and we had one week to explore Yellowknife all together as a family. We walked from our place in the Northlands all the way to Old Town one afternoon and saw many fun and exciting things.
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| we came across a race of aliens with large, bulbous, yellow heads and pencil necks. they were friendly. |
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| the new lawful |
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| duh. |
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| people hang dead animal parts from the sides of their houses here. |
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| lawful climbed the sheer face of this carved cliff wall. |
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| rotting car on ragged ass road |
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| paw-full and waffle |
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| the old one-room schoolhouse |
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| maw-full took a turn on lawful's bike |
The day after Maw-full’s placement ended, we were invited to her preceptor’s home for dinner and we were taken on a ride around Yellowknife Bay in their motorboat. It was the kids’ first ride in a motorboat and Lawful, especially, was very excited.
The next day, Maw-full’s parents arrived for a visit. We had a great time showing them around Yellowknife for a few days.
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| talking rocks |
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| at bullock's |
They left two days before we did, which was just enough time for us to pack up, say goodbye to our friends one last time and celebrate National Aboriginal Day (which is a statutory holiday in NWT) and the solstice with a hike to Cameron Falls and some fun with friends.
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| who says style and hiking don't go together? |
At midnight on June 21/22, Maw-full and Paw-full woke Lawful and we took a photo on the lawn of our home-for-now with the midnight sun shining on the longest day of the year.
And then, as though hardly any time had passed, we were on to the next stage of our adventure. We had had a wonderful time in NWT and we look forward to going back some day. Until then... we’re on the road again...
NEXT UP: The road to Smithers, including a hang with Nan and family.
