The Big Trip - The Journey Home via Oliver

It's been a long trip so far so it was good to start our journey home. Our total trip was over 4000 km and we still had over 1500 km to go. We left the farm in the rain and within the first few kilometers you almost couldn't tell what colour our car was anymore. We were headed to Calgary for the evening but we decided to make a short stop in Drumheller to give Carter a chance to see the dinosaurs. As much as he's a huge fan, as soon as they get larger than him he doesn't want to have anything to do with them. There were statues like the one on the right everwhere as well as the largest T-Rex in the world. It's several stories high and you can climb the inside to an observation post.

Our trip went smoothly and we arrived in Calgary in time for dinner. Kerry had arranged to meet her Aunt and Cousin at Jack Astors where we were promised the best chicken fingers ever. We weren't disappointed which was a good thing since we all ordered them. The kids meals had as many chicken fingers as the adult meals so we should have employed our money saving techniques of ordering three meals and sharing it between the four of us. We were on day 11 of our trip and the kids finally decided to break down. We eventually had to leave early and head to the hotel for Kerry to finish her visit.

We awoke early on Thursday and headed to Oliver where we planned on staying a day with Kerry's parents. We didn't expect this particular leg to be very difficult but with torrential rain, traffic and construction it took us almost 11 hours for 711 km. We arrived in time for dinner and went about our typical Oliver events.

1) A couple of trips to Tu El Nuit Lake where Callie tried out her new floatie.
2) Hester's Creek Winery for a picnic and wine tasting.
3) We checked out the Home Hardware Street Dance in Osoyoos. This is apparently the number one Home  Hardware in the world with great local ownership.
4) We hit the Penticton Street Market on Saturday which has some very high quality food and merchandise.
5) We had delicious Surf and Turf for dinner.

Finally on Saturday morning we headed home. We've done this leg several times now so it was pretty routine. We did come a cross a very friendly bear who was grazing on the side of the road.

After two weeks and 4000 km we arrived home. It was a great trip though it was very tiring. As the kids grow older all future trips will seem routine in comparison. Next up is a trip of a different sort. A Disney Alaska cruise just before school. Thankfully we don't have to do the driving.

The Big Trip - The Farm

When people in my family refer to 'The Farm' they typically talking about my Auntie Bernie's and Uncle Bob's. They've been there for my as long as I have memories and my understanding is that they've been there for 53 years now. It's a nice sized farm house with another house across the street with not much else for miles. My cousin Alan lives across the street and the family currently farms over 7000 acres. My biggest worry about this portion of the trip was getting there. Being a farm there aren't exactly nice street addresses that you follow. My directions were to take the Smiley turn off, travel 6 miles till I saw the farm a mile to the right. Luckily I've been there so many times I had no trouble.

We arrived in time for dinner and were treated to ham and garden fresh vegetables. Kerry and I were amazed by the simple salad dressings my Aunt was able to create from scratch. I believe one included salt, pepper, sugar and olive oil. For dessert we had frozen raspberries from the garden. This time I was at fault for creating false expectations with the kids. Auntie Bernie has a huge raspberry patch and I was hoping it would be ready by the time we arrived but there were only a few lone berries that had turned red. Luckily the frozen ones on ice cream are just as good. The weather was very warm so we spent the evenings on the deck with the terracotta warrior playing crib and drinking wine.

After breakfast I took the kids out to explore the farm. When I was young we would use the quadrunner to get around but they've expanded their fleet to include a couple of golf carts and a Rhino. It took a bit of convincing but I eventually got Callie to steer the golf cart with me pushing the gas. She was very cute in the driver's seat. We also headed to the 'Tractor Place' as Carter referred to it. He was initially very excited about seeing the tractors but with the wheels being taller than me he was a tad frightened.

We were only at the farm for 48 hours but there was quite a lot of activity including;
1) Auntie Bernie is a great swing pusher and Callie even let her do a couple of under ducks.
2) Carter got attached to a Teletubby from the toy box that made incredibly stange sounds. I think we've set his language back by at least 6 months.
3) While exploring a pile of rocks with the golf cart we discovered a fox den and had to high tail it out of there before the owner woke up or came home.
4) On the second night there was an incredible storm with lightning and high winds. That was probably the best sleep we had all trip.
5) The kids spent much of the trip playing with Jenny the cat who had a gimped leg. It would attempt to hobble away but Callie and Carter would pick it up and haul it around like a sack of potatoes.
6) The toy box still included a great tractor that I played with as a kid.
7) Callie picked some wheat but rather than taking it home decided to leave it behind so Uncle Bob could make cereal from it.
We had a great peaceful time at the farm and I hope it stays in the family for years to come.

The Big Trip - Saskatoon

Our second destination in Saskatchewan was Saskatoon. My brother Jordan and his wife Karla moved out here to go to school and have ended up staying there. It's a great city with a lot of culture. We arrived around lunch time and due to our tight schedule we'd only be staying for a day so after lunch we headed to Kinsmen park. The park was really great for the kids with a train, merry-go-round and a water park. Grandpa Leo even went on the merry-go-round with Callie who insisted on getting on the dog. Carter was initially excited about trying out the Zebra but as he and Uncle Jordan got to the front of the line he chickened out. Kerry eventually got him to sit on one of the benches on the ride.

After some time in the water park we headed off to the hotel to check in. We didn't get a chance to see my brother's exhibit at the Mendel but I'd already seen most of the pictures. You can check it out here. It was a print exhibit and they'd used some interesting techniques to create the prints including tall buildings and a steam roller. (Not sure what to call that machine anymore considering it doesn't use steam.)

We had steak and corn for dinner at Jordan and Karlas and headed back there in the morning for breakfast. They took us to the Caswell Cafe near there house where we got a lot of food for a very reasonable price. We also hit them up for some laundry before heading to 'The Farm' in the afternoon.

The Big Trip - Kindersley

From the time I was born through most of high school my family spent many of our summers in Saskatchewan. My Dad was born in Broadacres and two of my Aunts remained in the area. Dad and Mom had decided to take a side trip to Auntie Bernies on 'The Farm' since Dad might have to fly back early for work. Our first destination in Saskatchewan was Auntie Rose's in Kindersley. We arrived in time for dinner and were treated to an amazing meal of beef on a bun as well as a number of after dinner treats. The kids got right to work trying out the 'new' toys. The Fisher Price house was over 40 years old and I have fond memories of ringing the manual doorbell. (No batteries here.)

After dinner Carter and I headed to the park followed by a second trip with Callie. Much of the park remained the same as when I was a kid. The slide on the left is probably not exactly kid safe anymore as it's over 10 feet tall and you pick up some pretty good speed by the time you get to the bottom.
Breakfast the next day was broken up into two parts. A simple breakfast of cereal and delicious cinnamon buns follwed by a brunch later in the morning. The kids were surprised to be treated to Turkey bacon which they often have at home. (They even have a song. "Turkey bacon, I love you, I love you. I love you. Turkey bacon I love you, so let's eat you.)

In the afternoon we went to the local pool. I follow the Town of Kindersley on Facebook so I knew that the boiler was broken but with 30+ degree weather that wasn't a bad thing. It was previously an indoor pool but they building had a few issue so they've torn down the outer structure and made it into an outdoor pool. There are plans to replace it in the next few years.

My parents had left on day two but we left on the morning of day three after getting a few books read to the kids by Auntie Rose. It would have been good to stay longer as we didn't have a chance to go to the local museum where there is apparently an exhibit for my Uncle Lloyd who died several years ago. He was the town barber and his clients insisted that his memory live on. My Aunt Rose has since remarried and Simon was an amazing host. For some reason my Dad had mentioned to Carter that there would be watermelon and when we arrived there wasn't any so he was very disappointed. Simon went to three grocery stores to find some. (Thankfully Carter actually ate it. Sometimes he 'wants' something and that doesn't actually eat it.) Our next destination was Saskatoon to see my brother and his wife.

The Big Trip - Heading East

After three days in Prince George it was time for us to continue our journey and our next destination was Edmonton. Although both Kerry and I have done the trip before this was uncharted territory for us as a family. This leg was a similar distance as Surrey to Prince George so we knew we could do it but it was still going to be a long day. I've now realized that the kids are fairly good travelers however the first hour is typically horrendous. I think it takes them a while to realize we're not on a regular short car ride but once they figure out they're stuck for the long haul they settle down. The DVD player has also been an absolute saviour as it typically occupies them for at least 60-90 minutes. (Until we have to pick the next DVD and the arguement between 'Barbie and a Mermaid Tail' vs 'Max and Ruby' ensues.)

Although this trip was the same distance as Surrey to PG we found it much more enjoyable. Possibly because we've made the other trip 30+ times now and this was a pleasant change. This road is also a bit more remote with less local vehicles turning onto and off the highway. We made it to Jasper in great time where we stopped for breakfast and checked out some wildlife. Kerry was thrilled to see Mountain Goats as there are several signs near Spences Bridge yet we never seem to see any.

We managed to make it to Edmonton by 4:00p local time where we checked into the hotel and immediately made our way to Red Lobster. Kerry is a bit of a Shrimp lover and her mouth waters everytime she sees the Red Lobster commercials yet we don't have one in the Lower Mainland. The food was good however it wasn't amazing. This probably isn't surprising as it's a seafood place 1500 km away from the sea.

After dinner we headed to the West Edmonton mall. We only had a few hours before closing but we'd decided Kerry (I suppose the whole family really) would get an iPad for her Birthday and Alberta has no sales tax. We'd borrowed one from Kerry's school and Steve Jobs has now convinced us that we need a device we didn't know we needed. (Based on the picture above he appears to have hold of my children as well.)  We've managed to find several reasonable uses for it including;
1) A second computer means less fighting over the one we have.
2) We've signed up for Netflix and now we can stream all sorts of programs to our TV.
3) Angry Birds is addictive.
There are also a number of applications that the kids will probably enjoy including a constellation finding one that Callie and I use.
Our next leg is Edmonton to Kindersley to visit with my Aunt Rose.

The Big Trip - Prince George Leg

We arrived in Prince George on Sunday. This year we're spending Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday here before heading to Edmonton. Our first destination on day one is always a trip to GG's. (Great Grandma's) The kids enjoy playing with the same toys I played with as a kid as well as exploring the attic. The steep stairs make it seem like you're entering another era. We always sit and enjoy her baking and I make plans for any yard work she may need done or odd jobs around the house. I wish I could come up more often as these are the types of tasks I enjoy.

In the morning on day two we took a trip out to our family property on West Lake. This year I was able to turn Callie on to the family past-time of collecting agates. (See through rocks). The picture on the left is a great shot of Callie testing each rock out. Carter was much more successful, at least in his own mind, as every rock he picked up was an agate. Callie did manage to find a couple and by the end of the day we had 7 or 8 for her to start her own collection. My own collection has several hundred now and I think my Grandma has wheel burrows full. (Perhaps a slight exaggeration.)  In the afternoon I went to see a baseball game at the World Baseball Challenge. This is a week long event involving national teams from the Cuba and Asia. Day two also included a trip out to Kerry's fiend Sandi's house. She lives on some great property right beside the Fraser River. A scenic spot but not where I'd want to live this year. There has been a lot of rain this year and the river is running very high.

Our final day involved arranging trips with various friends and family and included a trip for Callie and I back out to West Lake to finish up some of the work I'd been doing and for Callie to continue to build her agate collection. The rest of the family hasn't been spending much time out there so I usually get the chance to do the some of the seasonal cleanup. The water levels were quite high this winter so this included repairs to some of the beach. I found several good logs and dug them into the bank. Hopefully they don't wash away again this winter.
Our next destination is Edmonton via Jasper. Another long trip.

The Big Trip - Part I

This year we (I) decided it was time to embark on a grand trip across western Canada. When I was young we would often make the trek from Prince George to Saskatchewan to visit my aunts. Since I moved to the Lower Mainland this trip became much more daunting and kids certainly don't help. Now that Carter is almost three though I figured it was time we gave it a shot. Our plan is to hit Prince George, Edmonton, Kindersley, Saskatoon, Major, Calgary and Oliver. Almost 4000km.

Luckily our first leg is the longest so it should be a breeze after that. Surrey to Prince George started off a bit rocky with Carter having a meltdown just outside of Chilliwack because Callie took a cheese cracker from the full box that he was was eating. We solved this by giving them each a bag of nacho chips but he started crying again 10 minutes later saying that he wanted Callie to give the cracker back. (He doesn't forget.) As you can see from the picture above he was all cried out by the time we hit Clinton.

Due to our late start from the flat tire the day earlier we had to stop in Quesnel for dinner. Callie enjoyed looking for the painted fire hydrants. As long as we can keep her from tormenting her brother we should be okay for the rest of the trip.

A Visit to the River - Part II (Sort of)

On Friday we headed to the River Rock Casino and when I told Carter we were going to the river again on Saturday it took me a minute to figure out why he was so excited. Our destination was to a friends house who was hosting a summer BBQ for people at work. We missed the one last year due to our vacation schedule so this year she made sure to schedule it on a date that we can make it and I'm very glad she did. She has property on one of the rivers that flows through North Vancouver and it's an absolutely amazing spot.

Callie had great fun throwing pine cones into the river and playing on the swing. Carter enjoyed picking up sticks and attempting to arrange the boule balls into constellations. (His sister taught him that. I had nothing to do with it.)

Unfortunately we were a bit behind on our packing for our vacation so we couldn't stay for as long as we liked. As it turns out we probably should have stayed longer. We ended up picking up a screw in our tire on the way home. Our neighbours were walking by and noticed. We're lucky they told us as it gave us a chance to plan a trip to Canadian Tire the next morning to get it repaired. Our plans to leave at 6:00a were shot and we ended up leaving around 10:30a. That would have been plenty of recovery and packing time. We'll know better next year.

Reg's 65th Birthday

I had an unnerving case of Dejavu on Friday as we headed to the River Rock Casino for Reg's 65th birthday. Corey, Carmen, Ronnie, Kerry and myself all pitched in for a one night stay for Barb and Reg. When I walked in the room I felt like I'd been there before but couldn't remember when, which was a bit worrying. Then I realized that we'd done the same thing for Reg's 60th. Apparently 5 years is long enough for me to only vaguely recall events.

The whole family met in the room before dinner where the kids took full advantage of the free house keeping and trashed the room like rock stars. The picture on the left is of Callie and her cousin Kristen who is almost two. They both have the same birthday and are starting to look very similar. Callie's new cousin is due September 6th so there is a slight chance that she could end up on Carter's Birthday.  I'm calling the papers if that happens. I'm sure the local news would love a fluff piece with pictures of cute kids.

Uncle Ronnie and Uncle Corey were busy corrupting Carter before heading down to dinner. I'm not certain I should let them take Carter on any unsupervised fishing trips.

Dinner was an amazing buffet paid for by Barb and Reg. The adults were a bit pricey but the kids only had to pay one dollar for each year old. (Barb didn't even lie about their ages it was so cheap.) The menu included shrimp and crab legs, roast, sushi and a dessert table as long as a bus.

The Casino also has an amazing pool with a full sized water slide. Callie wasn't quite ready for it but Kerry managed to convince Carter to go with her. Unfortunately he may be traumatized for a few years as she couldn't keep his head above water when she landed. Kristen had much better luck with Uncle Corey.

I can't wait to do it all again in 5 years time.

Happy Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day! For almost every year since we moved to Surrey we've spent Canada Day in Cloverdale. This is one of the largest Canada Day events in Western Canada and has lot's of food and entertainment. The entertainment typically ends with some ancient Canadian band (This year was 'Trooper'.) and then fireworks. With the kids at such a young age we don't usually stick around for the fireworks but we do get in lot's of food and this year mascots.

For some reason we had a bit of a role reversal with the kids. Typically Callie is quite shy and doesn't engage these types of characters very much. Carter on the other hand will start telling them his life story. This time though Callie was hugging mascots left and right and Carter had to be coaxed up to each one. Callie loved hugging the Orca and Carter did manage a high five with the Eagle. (Ducky got in a high five as well.)

My favorite mascot of the day had to be Surrey's tree. You would have to pay me a lot of money to dress up as a tree. This costume had very short feet so he wasn't very mobile and I had to stay back as I had this terrible urge to roll him down the hill.

Canada day was a lot of fun with a lot's of good food. (Kettle Corn, Fudge, Lemonade, Cotton Candy, burgers, Jamaican Food and more. The food was pricey on it's own and I'm pretty sure both Callie and Carter will notice the rides next year so we'll have to bring some extra cash.