Our BC Summer Vacation Part 2

The next day took us to Kelowna to visit my cousin Amy and her awesome little son Kingston. Kingston is about a year younger than Braden and he looks JUST like Amy did as a kid! Amy and I were very close growing up, I went to go visit her a couple of times when I was a teenager and she lived out at the Okanagan, we lost touch for many years and thanks to the power of social media...we're close and keep in touch regularly! I'm so happy we'll be able to see her and her family (hopefully!) every year that we go out to BC!


They had an awesome spray park, so we made an impromptu visit there before the time ran out on our parking meter as we met Amy in Kelowna for lunch.

Braden had a BLAST running around with Jay at the spray park and the weather was in the high 20's so it was just perfect! Since he had so much fun there...we knew he'd have a blast at Atlantis Water Slides in Vernon the next day...

And boy did he ever! I was a grumpus and didn't take my DSLR camera with us...plus I didn't want to guard and protect it or carry it around with us while we were there. We got a nice picnic table and Jay took Braden around all morning down the slides! They had 2 little kid slides which Braden could do "all by 'y self!" And he LOVED it. I would be at the top to help him wait his turn, then Jay would be at the bottom to catch up  and set him on the ground so he could do the cycle over and over again! Even though he had to push himself all the way down this slide...Jay said he was ear-to-ear smiling the WHOLE time!!

I LOVE on this video you can hear the joy in his "weeee!" as he pushes himself down the slide. He had the time of his life - bar none!

And this video is why I'm so glad I put Braden in swimming lessons for the next 2 weeks! He's just thrilled and loves to swim!

I think that day was the best for all of us! Just seeing the joy that the water slides brought Braden...amazing. I hope to provide joy like that to our kids for all their lives...or at least I can hope! Later that day, we took Braden and Kihei down to the park, as we do every afternoon. Jay was playing with Braden in the park, and I took Kihei on a walk through the woods around the park. She was tracking something...and then I found out what. It was a deer having a nap in someone's front yard! She was interested (of course) but not "excited" about it nor wanting to chase it. She was very calm. So I let her look at it for a few minutes and then started walking back to the park. Then Jay said "she's following you!" I thought he meant the dog, "well, duh, Jay! Of course she's following me she's on a leash." But nope...the deer was! The deer was VERY curious about Kihei! I'd walk a bit and stop, and there she was.

The next day we would find out from a neighbor, that while we were gone in the morning and had Kihei tied up in the front yard, he would see her having a nap with 2 deer! He does have a picture of it, but we didn't make contact with him in order to get it, so I hope he saves it and Ray can get it next time they go there!

Once Braden was in bed, for dessert I sliced us up some fresh BC peaches. This picture was quite a buzz on my Instagram and had many a girls salivating...as I find myself doing right now! The answer is, yes...they are as good, and BETTER as they look!!

One more BC post and that's the end of our summer vacationing for this year!

Our BC Summer Vacation Part 1

We postponed this vacation twice. We were supposed to go in the middle of June with the Nelsons, but the guys were still really busy spraying the crops, so we thought we'd go by ourselves at the end of June. At the end of June they were still spraying and hauling grain, so we decided to go at the end of July. We couldn't (and didn't want to) find a reason to cancel, so off we went. I was looking much more forward to the road trip this year than last year on our way to Ben & Jess's wedding. Braden was only 17 months last year, vs. 2.5 years this year...what a difference!

The trip there was great. But, between bringing the dog who was acting like she had to #2 the whole way there causing extra potty breaks, a 2.5 year old who needs to pee at least every 2 hours, and a 6 month pregnant me...well, let's just say we stopped A LOT on the way there! But that's okay...! I'd rather much have a potty trained Braden than having to change diapers! We stopped at Great Cedar Boardwalk to stretch our legs and take in this gorgeous scenery...but it sadly will be our last time there. The National Park now charges $15 just to do the walk through, which we didn't know until we were leaving. Jay has stopped there all his life and has never had to pay.

Braden, as I imagined, didn't sleep. Not even for a minute! But that's okay, he's used to not having naps and was very pleasant the whole way. He is a chatty Kathy and was a broken record at times "We find more trains? We find more trains? We find more trains, Mommy!?" We looked at saw many trains, tunnels, bridges, you name it! There was really only 2 stretches of construction, and we didn't even get slowed down much because of it, which was a first. BUT, my son truly appreciates and LOVES construction equipment. It was very entertaining for him pointing out skid steers, steam rollers, diggers, dozers, everything! We stopped in Armstrong at the Log Cabin which had Dave's goat walk and Braden really loved the goats. Plus, they have the best pies EVER and we indulged in a strawberry rhubarb delicious!

The total trip took us about 8.5 hours with stops, so I figure that's not too bad. Plus, once you get to the cabin and look at the gorgeous view of the Okanagan Lake...everything that seemed to stress you out, like Braden falling into a goat's horn, cutting his upper gums on a digger toy, and Jay spilling half a strawberry milkshake into the console of our vehicle (all within a 15 minute time span!) just seem to fade away!

Braden went to bed late and woke up early at 5:30 BC time which is 6:30 Alberta home time. He always does this. Don't they all? The later they go to bed, the earlier they wake up. But, with a fresh up of coffee and that gorgeous view in the morning, again - can't complain! His wake up times got better and better as the week went on too, and of course he even slept in on the morning we wanted to leave!

The first full day we were there we headed to Davison Orchards in Vernon, BC. If you are in the area and have kids...I highly recommend it. Laura discovered it last year (or the year before?) and it is absolutely amazing!

Beautiful landscaping, the hilly orchards of Vernon to look at - just gorgeous! Braden loved it too, there's a playground for kids with a big sandbox, slides, digging equipment/toys and lots of vintage tractors!

They also had a tractor that pulled a train of carts...so Braden naturally called it a "tractor train"! He was very excited about the ride...but then wasn't so keen when the tractor stopped in the orchard and the tour guide gave us a 15 minute presentation on the orchard and the history of apples!

This is a place we'll definitely be taking our kids to for years to come!

Hope you liked the photo explosion...more to come later this week!

We're Off!

Just wanted to say aloha! We left for Maui at 8AM and are due to arrive just after 12PM Maui time! Pray for safe travels for all of us and I'll be sure to blog, but with cell pics only...for now! Mahalo! (That is the extent of my Hawaiian!)

Missed BC Stuff

Our trip home did not go as well as the trip there...but maybe it's because Braden knew what to expect this time? He slept more, but still only one 1 hour and 20 minute nap! He fussed/cried when we put him back into the car seat after lunch and another break this time, whereas on the way he was a mellow fellow the whole way. Poor little guy! Can't blame him, I was cranky too and just wanted the ride to be over!

But, here are some real pictures & videos from the earlier post about our afternoon at Polson Park and everything else I missed from our vacation! Enjoy!

Braden isn't "allowed" to walk around with his soother or blankie, those are special for nap time...but if he's being a suck like he was one morning in BC...this is what happens!


It was scorching hot, above 30C one day and Braden wasn't really too keen on cooling off in the pool...


I don't know why...but I looooove a squatting toddler!

Tired face!


From Polson Park...

Boycott of hair and very minimal makeup





And going even more backwards to Canada Day...

Well that was a backwards way to blog...but it's all here anyway!

A Day in Vernon

It is 34 degrees Celsius as I happily blog in the shade on the upper patio of the cabin in BC. This is our last day here and it's a bittersweet one. I'm happy to be going back home to normal life and routine tomorrow and actually quite eager to get back to work, and more so eager for the pay cheque that follows, and also kind of a little desperate to get Braden back into his world....the bitter part is missing this view:

Braden is still struggling with the 1 nap vs. 2 naps a day thing and coming here made it worse. We're on vacation, I'm trying my best to "go with the flow" as the saying goes, but I'm really not that kind of person! Kids thrive on routine, especially Braden, especially at this age. It won't keep me at home locked in my own house, not enjoying life through this phase of his, but it's really wearing on all of us. Braden loves sleep. He has napped like poop since we got here. He got a good 2.5-3 hour nap in a couple times, but otherwise it's mostly 1.5 hrs here and there and just today he fussed for 1 hour after being up for 5 hours before he finally gave in and fell asleep. That almost never happens at home. But it's hot here, it's new to him, it's exciting, he'd rather be up and playing than resting...I get it!

So we stayed at home yesterday because we needed it, but we were very antsy to get out of the house and do something today. We were contemplating going to Atlantis Waterslides today, but decided against it because it's just too hot and I think Braden is too young to really appreciate it still. So we decided to go to Vernon to Polson Park, and it was a lot of fun. It has BEAUTIFUL green areas, trees, and lots of ponds and ducks.

We found the Ogopogo...sort of

And it's a bad picture, I got way better ones on my real camera....please check back in a couple of days for better pics added. but Braden and Jay are feeding a mama duck and her 3 ducklings

Braden finally gave in and is napping...so is Jay...even I had a nap this afternoon. We're exhausted and ready to go home. Sure would be nice to have the boat here, and we might even come back at the end of July just to do that!

SO Much to Say!

We've been busy all weekend running all over this area of BC for wedding related stuff and the wedding itself! I cannot upload my pictures onto Flickr while we're at the cabin, because it takes up too much of our internet usage and probably costs a fortune to pay per megabyte. So you have to settle for the short story with SOME iPod pictures, much more detail and pictures to come when we get home! Here's the condensed version!

Hillside Estates Winery in Penticton, BC for the rehearsal dinner

Vineyard

The view

The company

The happy couple

On the way to the wedding - woohoo, Kelowna!

Cool, old car at the gas station in West Kelowna

Hope my wedding curls hold up!

Ick, backed up traffic before Peachland because ONE person was running for cancer. Backed up traffic on a major highway on a Saturday afternoon of a long weekend!


Then the big day came, an absolutely gorgeous wedding for two gorgeous people July 2, 2011 in Summerland, BC Mr. & Mrs. Ben & Jessica Burrell

My family

I have SO many more pictures to share, and will blog when I get home! Then the morning after the wedding we went to Peachland and went zip lining at ZipZone with my cousin Amy and her husband Shaun. I was so nervous, it was a lot of fun...but it's one of those things that we've done it now, and probably won't do it again. Lunch in Peachland:



So much more to write....when we go home!