We survived our first family winter in Newfoundland. Real winter weather started in December with the kids getting their first snow day on the 4th.  It's sort of unusual, but anything goes here in terms of weather.  

The good thing about selling most everything you own is that you don't have much to move. We packed our suitcases (which were picked up in Chicago) and easily settled into our furnished rental house in St. John's. Then we registered the kids for school just a few days before it started.