Oh CANADA!!!

I know where the centre of the universe is, do you? Well, I went there this July 1st, just as I always do, and had a fantastic time, just as I always do. Enjoy!

Passing out the Canadian paraphernalia.

Ask anyone who's ever gone, the Raymond parade is the very best parade in the world.  Why? Because they throw candy. Lots of candy. 

It's fuzzy, but amazing how much these two fellas look alike. 

Atticus already has a favourite cousin, and Rachel is surely the one. 

And, my favourite pictures of the day:

Adventure Journal 2012 - Waterton

If you're from Alberta and you've never been to Waterton National Park, let me tell you, you don't know what you are missing. It is lovely, and wonderful, and you seriously need to go. NOW.

We really wanted to go to Waterton for the entire July long weekend. We had visions of tenting it in the camp ground there, hiking every day, and thoroughly enjoying ourselves. However, the campground was full, so we had to make other plans. We headed to Raymond, pitched our tent in my brother's back yard, and planned a day trip to Waterton instead.

It turned out a blessing, because on the first night there was a major storm in the middle of the night, and I got sick (like puke my guts out sick), and so we went into the house and slept there instead. Our day trip, due to my budding relationship with the toilet, was shortened as well. But, we were determined to make it to Waterton, so as soon as I emptied absolutely everything in my stomach, thereby reducing the likelihood of further puking, we jumped in the ol' minivan and headed out.

Have I mentioned that I love Waterton? It was really busy, being the long weekend and all, and we really just wandered around and checked out the sites, but it was still fun. We will have to go back again this summer for a real adventure, but our short perusal was even worth the drive.

We walked through town to the shores of Waterton Lake.  It's a glacier fed lake and incredibly cold.  When I was little my Grandpa Jackson used to offer us a dollar a stroke - out.  You really had to determine how much money you wanted, and how far you could possibly get before your muscles started ceasing.  I remember my brother Matt and cousin Eli needing to be rescued because they couldn't make it back to shore - but they definitely made the most money doing it. 

 

We stopped to check out the Prince of Wales hotel.  Excess Baggage anyone?  (If you know that reference, you are officially my favourite.)  Maybe one day our Waterton plans will include a room at the Prince of Wales instead of a 10 person tent at the camp ground. Maybe.  

 We stopped for a short picnic lunch, which Atticus fully enjoyed. Have I mentioned what a wonderful baby he is?  Well, he is. I love him.

And then we went to Cameron Falls, and our planned hike actually became just walking up the paved path to the lookout above the falls. It was dangerous though, at least according to the signage.  That's okay, it gives us a reason to go back, soon. 

Another successful adventure under our belts!  I'm beginning to like this summer.

Adventure Journal 2012 - Shuswap

Eight years ago this May I got my first taste of what it is like to vacation as a Wiebe.  Who knew that skilled wielding of a hammer and bathrooms with no sealings are necessary for a successful holiday. Don't tell anyone, but I don't think I have ever swung a hammer at the Wiebe family cabin, and I used that sealingless bathroom as little as humanly possible that weekend. I do do a whole lot of cooking and washing while I'm there to make up for my lack of hammer swinging... and reading and knitting, which is actually my idea of a vacation.  Anyway, this May long weekend Jared and I packed up the littles and headed out to Shuswap to enjoy the rainy weather at his cabin, and reminisce about the same weekend eight years ago when Jared first took me there and asked me to be his wife. So glad I didn't let the rustic cabin scare me away, and the fact that he threw the ring that he proposed to me with in the lake...!

 

But wait a minute, this isn't about then, it's about NOW. 

So, can I count our trip to Shuswap as an adventure.  Let's say yes, okay?  Managing to eat raw the entire weekend was an adventure in itself. 

Granny and Grandpops came along with Renee and Rhiannon; Uncle Doug and Aunt Andrea and their family were next door (Uncle Doug is Eli's absolute FAVOURITE great-uncle, hands down!); and all in all it was a fantastic, albeit very short, holiday. 

Silas cannot get enough of  his little brother (whom he still calls Baby Brother without fault).  He can stare at him and kiss him all day long and not tire.  I love it!

Eli and his cousin Rhiannon get along so well.  Here they sit, on the stairs, while Rhi does Eli's hair and Eli reads her a book.  I love them!!!

Both boys had to help daddy drive the boat, of course.  What will happen when Atticus gets a little older???

For now he didn't mind being held, snug as a bug, by his momma.

His first hike (and mine!)  

Silas didn't last.  Good thing daddy's so tough!

And a family picture before we left.  Typical Wiebe photo.  

Adventure Journal 2012 - The Enchanted Forest

When I was young we used to spend our summer vacation at Seclusion Bay in Kelowna, BC.  I don't remember much, but I do remember loving it there. One of my memories of our yearly 8 hour trek to Kelowna is of stopping off at a quiet little place called The Enchanted Forest.  I'm sure it's changed drastically since the Evans family last walked it's paths, but this year I finally stopped their with my own family, and it is still just as magical.

 That's right.  The Tooth Fairy still lives in the Enchanted Forest!

 

It was rainy and a little chilly, but we still had to drag the boys from there.  I pretty much loved the excuse to get out of the car for a few hours.  Summer adventuring success # 1!!!

Labour Day Labour

I was quite determined to get out and get physical with my family this Labour Day.  So, on Monday morning we headed out bright and early for Banff National Park to hike Johnson's Canyon.  We invited the masses, but only Jared's mom and sister Renee and her family came along.  Everyone else missed out, let me tell you, it was a blast!

 Here we are, after the hike.  We wanted to go all the way to the ink pots, but I've been sick as a dog for two weeks and just didn't have the energy, and while Eli was a real trooper, but was pooped by the upper falls.  5.2 km wasn't bad for either of us. Plus, I helped push my niece Rhiannon in her wheelchair most of the way up to the lower falls.

Not sure what face Jared is making here, but Eli is showing where we hiked. He was pretty proud. 

  

It was crazy busy, so we didn't get a chance to get a big group shot, but I did get a few gooders. 

 

 
And afterward, as a reward, we drove out to Lake Louise and got icecream.  The boys couldn't have been happier!

These are a few of our favourite things...

Well, the adventure is over.  Nothing like a whirlwind move across the country to a place you may never go back to.  We did it all.  Well, at least we did all we could afford.  It was wonderful, and amazing, and we will always love our memories of Victoria.  As I think of all the things we did and learned, there are many things I want to always remember, and the boys have some things, too.  Oh Victoria, we love you!

Mama loves:

Juniper Walls.  Juniper bushes in Calgary are just that, small little bushes barely a foot high. Well, in Victoria Juniper doesn’t know it’s a bush, it is a WALL!

The sea. I love the sea. I love everything about the sea.

Crazy Monkey Trees.  Kay, they are not really called that, but it's something like that, and I like them. Half cactus, half evergreen, all love.

Crosswalkers.  Random cross walks at random times have grown-up cross walkers making sure people of all walks of life (my point is it is not just school children these walkers are out there for) make it across the street safely.  I love it!

Knitting on the beach.

Silas loves:

Throwing stuff in the ocean. Anything, really. Sticks, stones, sand, seaweed (Apparently Silas's love has been brought to you by the letter "S").

Daddy loves:

Anenomes, even when they are deflated and snotty.

Co-sleeping star fish

Ferries.

Eli loves:

The goats biting me.

All the beaches. I love our secret beach. 

I love the swings and the parks.

I love all the pirate adventure ships and pirate stuff.

I love caterpillars too.


And with that my Victoria posts are over and I can make my scrapbook to remember it by.  Goodbye Victoria, hopefully our paths will cross again some day...

Our Digs

Living in Victoria was our seventh home since we've been married.  It was definitely the smallest place we've ever lived in, but certainly not the worst!  When we went there we looked for something furnished and cheap.  Anything cheap in Victoria has to be very small, and that's exactly what we found.

The entrance to our castle:

 Our kitchen, which was too small to even open the cupboards with more than one person in there:

 Looking back toward the door:

Here's looking from the kitchen into our "bedroom/family room"; notice the tiny table with only two chairs:

 

 Here's a 360 degree tour or our room!  The couch, which was barely big enough for Eli to lie across it:

 Our queen size bed that we all ended up sleeping on together every night:

The closet and TV, on the one dresser:

Here's the window, which was actually pretty cool because the walls were two feet thick, so the window sill made a great climbing spot and shelf:

And our bathroom, which wasn't bad at all, and actually pretty cute:

There you have it. Awesome, eh?  What did we learn from it?  That we can live in 450 square feet, but that we never want to again.  And, that we no longer fit in a queen sized bed.  And, that we can easily live without all the junk that we have.  We went to Value Village for toys, spent $10, and were just as happy as we are with all the hundreds of dollars of toys we have at home.  Although, with a beach two blocks away, I'll admit that's a little easier. We'd do it all over again, if that's worth anything.