according.to.kim

Highlights of the week, part 1 (Vegas edition)

• going to Las Vegas for a couple days to attend a workshop. It was fun to go and see the spectacle of Vegas once again (I was last there in 1998 for my brother's wedding), and eat some great food, but I must say that I don't desire to travel often for work -- without my family. I really wanted them to see what I was seeing! I'm really glad I got to go though. I hadn't traveled for work for 10 years (previously, Ottawa and Winnipeg a couple times).
• attending the NN/g Usability Week conference and Content Usability workshop at Caesars Palace. The workshop was pretty good; I learned some useful things (although not a huge amount, perhaps because I often read about usability anyway). There was another workshop (re: brand tone of voice) that might have been more valuable to me. Fortunately, I was able to get the book from that one. The conference itself was very nice. Breakfast, lunch, coffee, and snacks (am & pm) were supplied and everything was wonderful! For example, the morning break included yogurt parfaits with fresh raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and granola, and the coffee bar had whipped creme, shaved chocolate, cinnamon sticks, and more. No plastic dishes or cutlery either.
• savouring the quietness of my hotel room. This is too rare for me not to enjoy it!
• walking along the strip, and within the Fashion Show Mall and Forum Shops, on Tuesday evening. Las Vegas is such a sight to see! I do love seeing all the lights, fountains, waterfalls, and so on. People watching was fun, too. (Some people wear bizarre things!) I didn't do any gambling, and I decided against seeing a show since my time was very limited and there's much to see for free anyway. Instead, I chose to spend money on a pair of shoes for myself and Ugly Dolls for my kids.
• eating a meal at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill within Caesars Palace. This was a real treat! I had an Amstel Light beer, three kinds of bread with butter (set on the table, gratis; the jalepeño bread was especially yummy), Cornmeal Crusted Chile Relleno with Roasted Eggplant + Manchego Cheese with Sweet Red Pepper Sauce + Balsamic Vinegar (entree), Chorizo-Goat Cheese Tamale with Thyme Butter (side dish), and Blackberry-Mango Crostada with Blackberry Coulis + Vanilla-Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream (dessert). Yes, I was stuffed after all this! Every bite was wonderful -- especially the Cornmeal Crusted Chile Relleno. Absolutely one of the most amazing things I've ever eaten.
• getting home safe and sound Wednesday night. I don't mind flying, but some flight delays had me feeling a bit uneasy and helpless. My flight from Denver to Regina was delayed a couple of times due to the plane having mechanical problems in Wichita. I think they actually changed the plane in Kansas, but then they announced the flight was weight restricted because it was carrying extra fuel -- just in case we couldn't land in Regina (due to weather) and would have to turn around and go to Great Falls, Montana for the night. Huh?! I was so happy when we finally landed in Regina! (just before midnight, two hours later than scheduled)

Vacation footnotes

I'm very happy and thankful that:

• no one became ill or was seriously hurt (we all suffered a bruise or scrape at some point, but nothing major. A gash on Neil's ankle from the yurt cart was the worst one and he just needed a bandaide);
• Georgia had NO pee accidents (she had had quite a few in the weeks before our trip);
• we had pretty good weather the whole time; in fact, sometimes, it was absolutely perfect;
• our camera was found and returned to us (doh! I'm usually very mindful of it);
• the girls went to sleep well every night (albeit late, but that doesn't always mean they're ready to settle down);
• we had no troubles with the van or our rooftop carrier; and most importantly
• we arrived home safe and sound.

I ran out of internet access and/or time to post updates after we left the Sleep Inn in Minot, but I made notes on the laptop while we were on the road. I'm glad I did.

I really missed having my Merrell house sandals/slippers; I will now take them on every trip.

Our purchase of an electric cooler (and AC adapter) before we left was a great investment. It worked very well on this trip, and I know we'll make good use of it in the future.

Taking a large thermal water jug and bottles for everyone was great, as always. We refilled it with water and ice several times. We also stand by our rule of consuming only water, coffee, or tea in the van.

For in-vehicle snack distribution, we changed from using cone-shaped coffee filters to those plastic popcorn pails from the movie theatre, and they worked well. I'd do that again.

The girls benefited greatly from my weakness for ice cream. We enjoyed ice cream four times: at Dakota Square mall, Tinkertown, Assiniboine Park Zoo, and Beausejour Dairy Bar. (And I could've eaten much more!) The girls consistently gravitate toward rainbow, bubble gum, and cotton candy flavours. They also had Smarties and Kit Kat. For me: vanilla, maple walnut, strawberry yogurt, and raspberry swirl yogurt (I felt I should cut back on calories a wee bit). Neil is not a big fan of ice cream.

Our van was very full when we left home and then we added a bunch of stuff in Minot. Traveling with so much stuff was challenging and annoying. It wasn't easy for Sophia and Madeline to get in and out of the back seat. I don't recommend traveling with so much stuff. We're happy our next road trip will not involve camping equipment!

Temps at International Peace Garden, August 2 - 8 (which I think is fairly representative of the locations we visited):

Day 8 - Home Tweet Home

Sunday, August 8, we:

• got up early so we could get away at a decent time; we hadn't packed anything up the day before.
• managed to drive away at 9:00 a.m., after a quick bite to eat in the breakfast room.
• arrived in Brandon at noon and looked for a local restaurant for lunch. Not being familar with the city and having bad luck (one place was closed for vacation; another was take-out only), it took us quite awhile to find a restaurant we wanted to try. We finally happened upon Gulliver's Grill which was very busy (always a good sign). They have great wood-oven-fired pizzas!
• had a good day of driving on the #1 highway and arrived in Regina at 4:30 p.m. We managed to use several road-side washrooms which saved time and our sanity (with the kids not begging for candy at gas stations).
• shopped briefly at Winners while we waited to drop off Madeline at a birthday party. I got some great new Adidas running shoes! I think I've had my old ones for about 10 years. Sophia was shocked to hear that.
• had a good laugh when we came up with an alternate name for a certain business: "Chunky Sneezes".
• dropped off Madeline at 5 p.m. at Chuck E. Cheese's for her friend's birthday party.
• headed home and unloaded the van. When we arrived, Georgia said, "Home tweet home!" (it's quite possible she has picked up Twitter lingo; who knows?!)
• enjoyed being home again. (Neil went back to CEC's to pick up Madeline at 7 p.m.)

A "Rest Area with Rest Room" (says our map) that we found along the highway. I kid you not. Serves the purpose, anyway!

Day 7 - Carolyn & Eric's Wedding

Saturday, August 8, we:

• went to the breakfast room for the complimentary continental breakfast. It was nice that my relatives happened to get there about the same time.
• took the girls swimming right after breakfast, as it was our only opportunity.
• went out to explore Beausejour for a bit (driving). We stopped at Prairie Scrapbooking and all four of us girls enjoyed picking out a couple things to take home. We all picked stickers and rub-ons, except Georgia; she chose an American Crafts mini-album and some metal arrow-shaped photo turns that she calls "keys" (of course she has no idea what they really are). She is so excited about these things, it's pretty funny --and cute!
• looked for lunch and found ourselves in The Copper Pot, which, frankly, did not look great outside or in, but the food was pretty good. I had a bowl of corn and ham chowder that was quite a bit like the corn chowder my mom made when I was growing up.
• rushed back to our hotel and got ready for my cousin's wedding which started at 2:30 p.m.
• attended Carolyn and Eric's wedding ceremony which was held in a small country church at Lydiatt, 1/2 mile from their acreage. We sat upstairs on the balcony so the kids could move around a bit and that worked well. They were able to stand where they had a good view. The ceremony was very nice and I loved seeing and hearing my cousin, Jayne, sing again (she also sang out our wedding 10 years ago!).
• met up with my brother and his family at the Beausejour Dairy Bar; a nice place with a big front veranda and lots of flowers. It was fun to visit with them there as we hadn't seen them for quite awhile.
• attended the cocktail hour and wedding reception in a tent on the bride and groom's acreage. They have a beautiful property and the kids really enjoyed looking around and playing outside for a large part of the evening. There were quite a few children there.
• enjoyed the supper very much which was catered by Smokin Jim's BBQ. So good! And for dessert, there were homemade apple, strawberry, and peach pies made by the groom's mother. I had peach; a favourite of mine! I would have loved to try them all.
• enjoyed the rest of the reception, too. The speakers were entertaining, and there were many wonderful details such as wooden boxes (that held potted flowers on each table) and anise cookies made by the bride's father and mother, respectively. I love that we were able to take one of the boxes home. Lovely wedding! I'm glad we could be there.
• headed back to our hotel in Beausejour about 10:45 p.m. after some dancing and wedding cake (the kids were very eager for the cake to be cut) so we all could get enough sleep before our drive home the next day.

The tent where the wedding reception was held.

Madeline was very interested in the wedding cake!

Day 6 - Assiniboine Park Zoo

Friday, August 7, we:

• made ourselves get up earlier (7:00 a.m.), as we had a lot to do before leaving. As such, we kept breakfast simple. Cereal and juice.
• packed up, cleaned up, and drove away at 11:00 a.m.
• took a quick detour to the dam to check it out (the park lake (reservoir) was created by a dam).
• picked up lunch at Syl's drive-in restaurant in Carman. We love trying places like this. It seems Manitoba has maintained their sixties-style drive-in restaurants (far more than SK); we saw many on this trip.
• arrived at the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg just after 1:00 and spent four hours there. It was overcast and damp -- perfect for a day at the zoo. No crowds and the temperature was great for most animals to be out and about in their outdoor enclosures. We all really enjoyed the zoo, and the girls bought themselves souvenirs at the zoo gift shop: a peacock tail feather for Madeline, a little zebra for Georgia, and lizard egg and polar bear toys for Sophia.
• learned that we wouldn't have to rush back to Regina on Sunday for the Aerosmith concert since it was post- poned due to Steven Tyler getting injured in Sturgis.
• headed straight from the zoo to Beausejour, MB via downtown Winnipeg. We passed the Fort Garry hotel and Neil and I noted that we had stayed there 10 years ago on our honeymoon.
• arrived at our hotel in Beausejour shortly after my mom, Grandma Mantay, aunts, and Uncle Roger had arrived. Aunt Janet invited us to her room for supper as they had gone grocery shopping already and had plenty of food for us. It was very nice to relax, eat, and visit with everyone right away.
• went swimming in the hotel pool. We had promised to take the girls swimming, so we whisked them up to our room to bath quickly (they needed it badly) and then we all went to the pool. Then, by the time we showered and dressed, it was 9:30 and time for the Rider game to begin... Neil went to my grandma's room to watch the first quarter while I put the girls to bed. They fell asleep quickly again. It is truly remarkable how well the girls went to bed on this trip compared to our vacation last August! (some of those bedtimes were dreadful!)
• watched a Rider game / started reading a book... Neil came back to our room for the last three quarters. Unfortunately, the game was terrible (as far as I can tell from the sounds and faces Neil was making) and the Riders lost badly. I knew I couldn't sleep through that, so I chose to read. I had been itching to start a book I brought along (Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal) and the opportunity finally presented itself on the sixth day of our vacation! I'm just too busy on this type of vacation to sit and read.

First things first.

Syl's drive-in restaurant in Carman. (I really wanted to get a Saskatoon sundae, but I didn't... sigh.)

Many peacocks roam free at the Assiniboine Park Zoo (as they do at many zoos).

Watching zebras.

Day 5 - Tinkertown Family Fun Park

Thursday, August 6, we:

• slept in until 8:00 a.m. again (so nice to get some extra sleep!), and showered at the "modern" bathroom not too far away. The shower was barely warm, but bearable. It was a quick one!
• used our propane camp stove to cook eggs and our campfire sandwich maker to make toast (since we forgot our camp toaster) for breakfast.
• cleaned up. It's quite enjoyable to do the dishes on a deck overlooking a lake! The weather was perfect. Maybe 17 or 18 in the morning as we got ready to go.
• left the park at noon and headed to Tinkertown Family Fun Park, east of Winnipeg. The drive was about an hour. We ate lunch there when we arrived.
• bought unlimited ride passes for all of us and spent the next several hours taking in all the rides. I don't think we missed any! All three girls rode every ride they could, with Neil and I accompanying Madeline and Georgia (as required) on many of the rides. Only Sophia was tall enough to go on the big roller coaster, so she and I went on it. Awesome weather; not too hot.
• had a major clash of wills when we were leaving Tinkertown. The girls decided they HAD to buy some junky toys, while Neil and I were intent on leaving immediately -- without any junky toys. Tinkertown was a lot of fun, but we were more than ready to go after being there for 5.5 hours! To end the battle as quickly as possible, I gave the girls 60 seconds to shop using their own money. Done. At least the girls enjoyed their toys in the van.
• ate supper at Niakwa Pizza in Carman on our way back to Stephenfield. The pizza was unusual, but quite tasty. The sauce was not tomato based, and we have no idea what it was (should've asked!), but I think it was sort of like an Italian salad dressing. Really not sure. Also, the crust was thin and remarkably crispy for every single bite. Anyway, we all liked it.
• put the kids to bed as soon as we got back to the yurt; they were asleep by 10 p.m.

The view from where I washed dishes on the deck attached to our yurt.

One view from the top of the ferris wheel at Tinkertown.

Another view from the ferris wheel (with Neil and Madeline in the basket in front of us).

One of many rides the girls enjoyed at Tinkertown.

Day 4 - Stephenfield Provincial Park

Wednesday, August 5, we:

• slept in until almost 8 a.m. The nice thing about tenting in cool weather is you don't get the early morning sauna effect. It was a lovely morning with no wind.
• ate a simple, but much-anticipated, breakfast: mini boxes of cereal (a camping tradition for us), plus orange juice, coffee, and tea.
• worked steadily on cleaning up our dishes, taking down the tent, packing our gear, and having showers -- tasks that took a considerable amount of time altogether. I felt sorry for the girls as they had little to do for three hours. Strangely (and luckily?), there were four canoes nearby that were full of water and Gatorade cups which kept them occupied for some time.
• finally pulled away from the campground at noon. Went through customs right away; no problem.
• ate lunch in Boissevain, MB -- a very pretty little town. We drove around a bit before spotting a big ol' "Highway Lunch" sign that caught our eye. It was Veva's Diner and we were very happy with it. Tons of small-town diner charm. The food and service were great!
• spotted a wildlife museum in Boissevain and spent about 30 minutes there.
• went to the Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden, MB. It's small but quite good. The large mosasaur skeleton is impressive. The girls had fun buying themselves souvenirs there. They LOVE dinosaurs.
• picked up a few groceries at the Co-op in Morden, then headed to Stephenfield Provincial Park, about 25 km west of Carman, MB.
• arrived at our yurt at 6:30 p.m. and surprised the girls with it! They thought we were going to stay in our tent again. The yurt was fabulous! The structure and furniture are delightfully different and everything is very new and clean. A nice spacious outhouse with a compost toilet was nearby. We had our own water spigot right beside the yurt. Very handy. The fire pit was excellent. The surrounding vegetation and view of the lake were awesome. We loved it and would definitely go back!
• hauled our gear to the yurt using the supplied wagon/ yard cart, because you can't drive right up to the yurt. It worked well.
• got a fire going and made good grilled cheese sandwiches in our campfire sandwich maker, plus hot dogs on the firepit grill, and s'mores for dessert.
• explored the nearby sand beach and playground. Sophia waded into the water before and after supper. The other two were more interested in the playground.
• all fell asleep quickly. Another late night for the kids.

Veva's Diner in Boissevain, MB. Highly recommended!

Our yurt in Stephenfield Provincial Park.

A glimpse of the inside of the yurt.

One end of the sand beach where Sophia waded into the lake.

Day 3 - International Peace Garden

Tuesday, August 4, we:

• ate the complimentary breakfast at Sleep Inn, then packed up and checked out.
• went to the Walmart Supercenter to get some groceries for camping.
• ate lunch at Mi Mexico Authentic Mexican Food in Minot (near Walmart). Very generous baskets of warm corn chips and salsa on the table -- yum! Our meals were quite good too. Great service!
• headed east and stopped at the Geographical Center of North America in Rugby, ND. Who knew? Snapped a few pics at the marker, of course.
• arrived at International Peace Garden about 4:30 p.m. and registered for a campsite.
• went sightseeing. We visited the North American Game Warden Museum then walked all around the beautiful botanical gardens, to the Peace Tower and back. A large section of the garden is being redeveloped and I'd love to see it again in a few years when it's complete and the plants are more established.
• went back to our campsite for the evening. Other than the campground hosts in a spot near the bathroom, we seemed to be alone in the campground (we weren't, but couldn't see anyone else from our site). The bathrooms were super clean and quite adequate. Unfortunately, there was a bat dying on the floor when we arrived and that made Madeline reluctant to visit the washrooms even thought the host removed it for us.
• set up our tent and got a fire going.
• ate hot dogs cooked with our roasting sticks, fresh carrots and peas, Jiffy Pop popcorn, and roasted marshmallows. Easy!
• bundled up. It was pretty late by the time we went to bed and the evening air had cooled considerably. We wore long pajamas, socks, and fleece sweaters inside our sleeping bags. I think the temp went down to 8 C, but we all stayed warm enough.

Looking west, straight down the USA - Canada border.

Our campsite at the International Peace Garden campground.

Day 2 - Minot, North Dakota

Today, we:

• took advantage of the hotel's complimentary breakfast. Pretty good. And we beat the crowd.
• played games in the token arcade while waiting for stores to open in the mall (to which our hotel is attached). Quite a bit of fun for all of us, actually.
• shopped for school shoes and clothes for the girls (mostly Sophia), and a couple things for Neil and me. NOT fun for the most part. Too much whining and not enough listening or behaving. Uggggh. I did get a $40 skirt for 58 cents, though!
• played in the Splashdown water park for about an hour.
• ate supper at Roy's BBQ Shoppe (which we learned about through Restaurant.com. Thanks to Jodi for pointing us there!). Very tasty!
• strolled through the grounds of the Scandinavian Heritage Center. Nice!
• walked around the Miracle Mart grocery store and picked up a few things we don't have in Canada.
• went for dessert at Cold Stone Creamery in the mall. The girls were in heaven. I loved my "sweet cream" ice cream with raspberries and pecans mixed in.
• lost and retrieved our camera. I absentmindedly left it on a mall bench just outside the ice cream shop (guess my brain was full of ice cream, too). We didn't even know it was missing until Neil received a text message on his phone (a voicemail-to-text from our home voicemail) from the assistant manager of the movie theatre in the mall saying someone had found our camera. Huh?!!! Thank goodness I had the camera labeled with my name and phone number, good people found it, and we had voicemail-to-text set up to go to Neil's cell phone. Phew!

Okay, I'm beat. Tomorrow we're heading to International Peace Garden, and we need to buy groceries for camping before we leave Minot.

Sophia in the water park at our hotel.

Full-size replica of a Norwegian stave church at the Scandinavian Heritage Park in Minot.

Day 1 - Quick Recap (edited)

Today, we:

• left home at 9:30 a.m. and arrived in Minot five hours later. We made stops in Regina (McDonald's), Weyburn (Tim Horton's), Estevan (Tourist Info Centre -- great bathrooms, by the way), North Portal (border crossing and gas station), and once just off the highway when Georgia said she had to go pee but didn't really have to. Five stops in five hours -- typical for us.
• shopped for school supplies at Target right off the bat.
• checked into our room at the Sleep Inn.
• went for supper at Space Aliens (how could we not? it's right there in plain view from our hotel and it's quasi-local, right?).
• headed to the Splashdown water park in our hotel for a couple hours. The girls loved it!
• showered, ate snacks, and enjoyed hanging out in our room for a little while before bedtime stories. The girls coloured with their with cool new Mix 'Em markers, and Sophia and I played a good game of Blokus Duo (glad I brought it!). The girls fell asleep quickly. Great day!

Madeline and Georgia on a roller coaster simulation in the Space Aliens arcade.

Summer Vacation '08, 19-20

August 17, 2008

Map of today's route

• For breakfast, we ate our leftover pizza and enjoyed yummy lemon poppy seed loaf, juice and coffee, compliments of the Log Inn. The gift shop and patio were delightful. We took our time leaving.
• Sophia and Madeline discovered bubble blowing. They chewed bubble gum and amused themselves all day with their new skill.
• The weather was very hot and sunny again. We enjoyed the beautiful mountain views from the comfort of our air-conditioned van.
• Made a short detour into Fort Steele looking for lunch. No lunch, but we did find bathrooms and licorice laces.
• Mid-afternoon, we enjoyed Asian food at Kelvin's Kitchen in Fernie. I was craving veggies and my Garden Hot Pot was delicious. We were the only ones there and that was nice; perhaps we should always take the kids to restaurants at odd times.
• Stopped at the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre which was closed for renos. Still had great views of the slide and surrounding scenery from the outdoor walk way.
• East of the foothills, Madeline exclaimed, "Hey, we're in the middle of nowhere. I feel like we're back home in Regina!"
• Checked into the Fort Motel in Fort Macleod, AB. We had our own separate little cabin with two bedrooms. The girls and I went for ice cream at the Igloo Drive-in.

August 18, 2008

• Arrived at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, when the interpretive centre opened at 9:00 am. It was already very hot out.
• We enjoyed the excellent displays and videos, and were there for three full hours (which included eating lunch in the cafeteria*).
• We had a good driving day. The girls were fairly content and we didn't stop very often. Chips, water, and sugar-free bubble gum kept everyone quite happy.
• I passed some time by making necklaces for the girls' new stuffed animals. They had wanted jewelry for their sea otter and beluga whale (and B's penguin) from the aquarium and we happened to have some stretchy cord and a whole lot of glass beads with us (thanks for the beads, Shauna!).
• When we stopped at the Medicine Hat Tourist Info Centre to use the washroom, Sophia said, "I feel like we've been here before." Yep, nineteen days ago.
• Supper at Miso House, a Japanese restaurant, in Swift Current. The girls didn't eat as much as we'd hoped, but Neil and I left there totally stuffed.
• Just west of Moose Jaw, we were treated to a spectacular sunset and then a stunning harvest moon.
• We arrived home about 9:45 pm. The girls were all awake and very excited to see Regina and then finally our house. Ahhh, home sweet home.

*Have I mentioned that I think frozen bison patties should be abolished? They're a detriment to the bison industry! Please don't judge bison meat based on a burger made from a frozen patty.

Summer Vacation '08, 17-18

August 15, 2008

Map of today's route

• While everyone else slept, I got ready for the day and enjoyed a fabulous full breakfast in the Clarion Hotel's big sunny breakfast room. Best complimentary breakfast we've ever had.
• After the others ate, we drove down to Redondo (part of Des Moines) on Puget Sound. I was delighted to see my grandparents' home still there and essentially the same. (My Grandma moved from WA to SK in 1996.)
• Walked up the pier near Salty's Seafood Grill. The girls enjoyed looking at and touching a squid someone had caught. Sophia got inked.
• Went back to our hotel to use the nice outdoor pool before noon checkout. Neil and the girls went swimming while I cleaned up our room which overlooked the pool. In the midst of it, we decided to stay another night.
• Dead laptop in hand, visited the "Genius Bar" in the Apple Store at Southcenter Mall in Tukwila. At the same mall, went for lunch at the Rainforest Cafe. The girls enjoyed every second of it.
• Arrived in downtown Seattle at 3:30 pm. Visited the Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, Pike Place Market (too late to see fish throwing; oh well), and various places along the waterfront. The girls loooooved riding the vintage carousel at Pier 57.
• Classic ice cream accident... Madeline's two scoops fell to the sidewalk just a few steps from the vendor. (You can imagine the tears that ensued.) No problem; they produced a new cone for free. "It happens all the time."
• Back at the hotel, we all went for a long swim and soak in the hot tub, then had a very late supper (9:30 pm) of cheese, crackers, and sourdough bread from Seattle. Good enough!

August 16, 2008

Map of today's route

• Packed up and hit the road. No time for the big breakfast (it takes us forever with the waffle making and so on), so we got the hotel's free bagged breakfast from the front desk.
• The morning drive was slow; fraught with minor challenges. Gas stations that won't take credit cards and numerous bathroom stops.
• Ate a diner-style lunch at the packed Cottage Cafe, a long-running local restaurant in Cle Elum (right next to Roslyn of Northern Exposure fame).
• The girls happily watched DVDs as we headed east on I-90. Stopped briefly at the Wild Horse Monument. The day was scorching hot (100 F).
• Stretched our legs at a Target in Spokane. Upset over not getting a particular pair of shoes, Madeline had her worst temper tantrum ever. It was a doozy, and rather surprising since she's not prone to tantrums.
• Coincidentally, we were in Spokane at the very same time an online chat for my Have More Fun class was occurring -- with Stacy Julian who lives in Spokane -- and I couldn't participate for lack of internet access.
• No vacancies in Sandpoint, Idaho, so called the Bonners Ferry Log Inn and reserved a room. Good thing 'cause it was booked solid by the time we arrived 45 minutes later. Loved the fabulous room with a king size bed and single-over-double bunk bed.
• Picked up a couple exceptionally good pizzas from Pizza Factory for another late supper in our room.

Summer Vacation '08, 15-16

August 13, 2008

• Went for breakfast in the hotel's busy breakfast room/lobby.
• This was our Stanley Park Day...
• Took the long way: rather than going straight over the Lion's Gate Bridge, we headed east, crossed the Steelworkers Memorial bridge, drove through Chinatown, past BC Place etc., and through the West End. Great views of Vancouver.
• First thing (1:15 pm), we took the Stanley Park Horse Drawn Tour. It was an hour long and very enjoyable! Relaxing and educational with beautiful views. The girls enjoyed getting close to the giant horses after the tour.
• Heather and Brad met us after our tour and we went for lunch on the patio at Stanley's Park Bar & Grill. I enjoyed my Pacific Seafood Chowder and I'm pretty sure it included baby octopus.
• We all took a stroll through the lovely park and stopped at the horse stables. The girls were delighted, of course!
• After Heather and Brad left, the girls enjoyed playing in the playground, riding on the mini train (we rode too), getting balloon animals from a clown, getting t-shirts at the Aquarium gift shop, and eating Itzakadoozy popsicles.
• For supper, we ate Romano's leftovers in our room (we kept them in an electric cooler we had borrowed from Mom). Everyone was too tired to go out, and not terribly hungry.

August 14, 2008

Map of today's route

• Packed up to move on... but first, took the laptop to a computer clinic in West Vancouver.
• We had about three hours to wait for the computer, so decided to go to Granville Island. Why not? We grown-ups needed a good diversion.
• The day was hot and Granville Island was busy! Parked a few blocks from the market (near the Granville Island Hotel) and enjoyed the walk. Lots to see.
• Love the public market! The sights, the sounds, the colours...
• The girls and I devoured blueberries that were picked that morning. Yum! We also bought wildflower honey, handmade lollipops, and dark chocolate "myrtles". For lunch, we had Mexican food from La Tortilleria at the market.
• Picked up the computer (unfixed) and headed to the border. Crossed to the U.S. at 4:00 pm.
• Stopped at the outlet mall in Burlington, WA. Practically had the place to ourselves. Bought some back-to-school clothes for Sophia and a few other items for G, M, and me at the Gap outlet.
• Continued on to Federal Way. It was dark when we drove through Seattle on the freeway, so we enjoyed the big city lights.

Summer Vacation '08, 13-14

August 11, 2008

Map of today's route

• Mid-morning, we headed to Parksville about 45 minutes south of Union Bay. Jami came with us for the day.
• Good lunch at Lefty's Fresh Food.
• Checked out the entries in the 2008 Canadian Open Sand Sculpting Competition and each of us voted for our favourite. It's pretty amazing what can be done with sand!
• At the beach, the girls had fun playing in the water. The beach at Parksville is wide with shallow water a long way out (several hundred metres). The tide was coming in so our first spot on the sand was under water about 30 minutes after we arrived.
• It was a sunny day, but not hot. There was a cool wind on the beach.
• Before heading back, we visited The Old Country Market in Coombs again (our first quick visit was not nearly long enough). We enjoyed eating ice cream and exploring all the neat foods and items from around the world.
• The girls bought a few trinkets at the market -- a hula skirt for Madeline, a bamboo and paper fan for Sophia, and six cute clothespins for Georgia.
• After supper at Jami and Steve's, the girls had much-needed baths and I gave them all manicures and pedicures complete with purple and blue nail polish.

August 12, 2008

Map of today's route

• Up early to pack our things again. This time, we were headed for Vancouver.
• After a tense drive to Nanaimo (because we were worried about missing the ferry), we missed the ferry -- by just 10 cars! Doh. We'll book ahead next time.
• Spent the next two hours in and around the ferry terminal waiting for the next ferry (12:55 pm). Snacking and choosing jewelry (four items for $20; one for each of us girls) helped pass the time.
• Nice to be one of the first vehicles on the ferry this time. We had a parking spot with a view.
• Enjoyed walking around outside on the deck of the ferry.
• Met my cousins, Heather and Brad, at the Vancouver Aquarium at 3:30 pm. We were there 'til close at 7:00 pm. Excellent exhibits. We saw the sea otters and the beluga whales being fed too. The girls LOVED it!
• We all went for supper at Romano's Macaroni Grill, located in a beautiful heritage mansion. The food was great and we were treated to a short serenade by a strolling opera singer. The girls were quite intrigued.
• Long day and a late night. It was close to 10 pm when we checked into the Comfort Inn & Suites in North Vancouver (we had reserved our room by phone the day before).

Summer Vacation '08, 11-12

August 9, 2008

Map of today's route

• Pancakes and packing. The girls explored outdoors.
• Doug took us out on his boat looking for seals, sea lions, and an eagle that frequents a particular rocky island. We didn't see the eagle but we saw an elephant seal!
• Visited 'Chosin Pottery where Neil's cousin works. I bought my souvenir of this trip -- an 11" pottery koi (fish) made by Shana. (We own other pieces of functional 'Chosin Pottery too.)
• Drove to to Jami and Steve's house in Union Bay (near Courtenay-Comox), following Doug and Cheryle who made the trip to pick up their dog.
• Walked through Cathedral Grove and saw enormous Douglas fir trees as old as 800 years. Beautiful and awesome. Learned about nurse logs too.
• Quick stop at The Old Country Market in Coombs to see goats on the roof (we saw one) and have ice cream (just the girls). Fun place!
• Late supper at Jami and Steve's. All of our Island hosts fed us so well. We're very lucky.
• Took a very long time for the girls to settle down to sleep. Georgia was up until 11:30. Gah.

August 10, 2008

• Steve prepared a great breakfast for us. Eggs Benedict with ham or salmon.
• Jami and Steve live right across the street from the waterfront properties and have a lovely view of the water (Strait of Georgia). They often see cruise ships from Alaska.
  
• We all walked down the street, on trails through the forest, and on a beach with coal and lots of shells. Saw an eagle  and found some large eagle feathers. Georgia also picked a pine sapling on the beach and we brought it home.
• Jami's uncle Bob took us all up to Mount Washington Alpine Resort in his small touring bus. It was great! Caught a glimpse of a bear crossing the road.
• Too cool and cloudy to bother with the chairlift, but Sophia and Madeline were delighted with the Eurobungy trampoline (which allowed them to jump super high while in a harness attached by huge rubber bands to two large mechanical arms).
• In the evening, we went to Bob's yard/beach on the water for a few minutes so the girls could check out his tree fort.
• Picked and ate yellow plums, blueberries, and apples right off the trees. Only a few blueberries were ready, but that was cool!
• Much better bedtime (one of few "good" bedtimes on this trip!)

Summer Vacation '08, 9-10

August 7, 2008

Map of today's route

• Busy morning... finished packing our things, tidied up, packed a lunch, loaded the van, etc. Got away at 10 a.m. The girls didn't want to leave this comfortable and familiar accommodation.
• Shopped at MEC in downtown Victoria. Shorts for Neil and fall jackets for Sophia and Madeline.
• Went to Sooke Potholes Regional Park where we had a picnic lunch in a beautiful setting, then waded and skipped stones in the shallow flowing river at Sandy Pebble Beach. The water was crystal clear and not too cold. Very nice!
• To Doug and Cheryle's in Metchosin. What a cool place. They live in a secluded spot (a couple acres) on top a huge rock (hill?) surrounded by trees. You can see the coast from their house.
• The girls loved exploring the area around the house with all its nooks and crannies and interesting things to see. Two large dogs, big slugs, and bubble blowing were major attractions too.
• Rider game on TV at 7 p.m. Cousin Shana, and friends of Doug & Cheryle's came over for supper and the game. They're all big Rider fans, so it was fun for Neil despite the loss.
• The girls had (too much) fun with a chair that goes up and down by remote control (there for elderly parents who visit).
• Totally exhausted by day's end.

August 8, 2008

• Enjoyed a big late breakfast and watched some of the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Beijing.
• Walked a nature trail (>1 km; complete with lovely waterfall views) down to the beach at Witty's Lagoon Regional Park where the girls collected many seashells.
• Noted that our children do not have "nature-deficit disorder" (a phrase I gleaned from a book on display at MEC the previous day).
• Picked and ate a few blackberries (very few were ready) from bushes along the trail. (We also ate loads of blackberries, blueberries, cherries and more at D&C's house. Yummm!)
• Picnic lunch in Doug and Cheryle's back "yard" (not an ordinary yard). The girls requested grilled cheese sandwiches and soup, and our hosts graciously obliged.
• Relaxed in the afternoon -- a rare occasion on this trip. Neil went for groceries with Doug; the girls played with Cheryle and went in the hot tub; I napped!
• Wonderful steak supper on the deck.
• Cheryle and I took the girls to see the night lights in Victoria, particularly the legislative building. The girls could not stay awake to see them but I enjoyed it!

Summer Vacation '08, 7-8

August 5, 2008

• Neil and David drove the girls and dogs (Will and Zoe) to another playground.
• Went to downtown Victoria. Parked down by the harbour -- very close to everything. All day for $12 (not bad for such convenience).
• Visited the Victoria Bug Zoo. The tour was great. Sophia, Madeline, and Neil held a bunch of huge bugs. Georgia was a little bored.
• Went back to our van to eat the lunch we had packed.
• Took a 45-minute Harbour Ferry Tour. It was great! Lots of info. Loved looking at the modern float homes. Georgia fell asleep in my arms.
• Walked to Beacon Hill Park to visit the petting zoo. We enjoyed the running of the goats. After the zoo closes, about 50 little goats run from the petting area to their food in the barn. Super cute!
• The many different trees and plants in Beacon Hill Park are beautiful. Some of the trees are huge.
• Supper and evening at the house.

August 6, 2008

• Off to a late start. The girls enjoy their free time in the morning.
• Went into Victoria again. Walked around the downtown area a little, including the Eaton Centre.
• Drove out of downtown to meet my cousin for lunch. Enjoyed visiting with Brook. Hadn't seen him for six years! (and he had lived in SK until Jan 08)
• We ate at a great little fish and chip spot called Willows Galley on Estevan Ave. We sat outside (gorgeous day!) and the food was yummy.
• Back to downtown Victoria. Picked up some treats at a soda shop by the harbour.
• The girls loved petting a horse that was parked in front of The Empress. They were delighted each time we saw a horse and carriage.
• Visited the Royal BC Museum. We did not have enough time to see it all before it closed, but we enjoyed what we saw.
• Spent the evening cleaning out our van and packing our things to move on.

We're home!

...after twenty days and 5500 kilometres. The van is half unpacked -- I'll go back and help Neil shortly -- and the girls are unwinding by trying on all their shoes to see what they've outgrown over the past three weeks. Our house was wonderfully tidy when we arrived and it lasted for about 30 seconds. I have two days off before going back to work. Thank goodness. I have much to do between now and then.

Hi from Bonners Ferry

We are at the most adorable gem of a motel called Log Inn at Bonners Ferry, Idaho. We were very lucky to get a room at all as there are very few vacancies around here (Sandpoint area). Tonight, we'll stay in Fort Macleod or Lethbridge because we plan to visit Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump first thing Monday morning before heading home. On Tuesday, I'll be looking for a data recovery specialist. Thanks for your messages about the photos. I really appreciate them.

Hi from Federal Way

Yesterday, we headed south from Vancouver to Federal Way, Washington. Just a brief detour before we head east. Neil and I have had a little less fun over the past day and a half. Wednesday evening our laptop crashed. We had it checked at a computer clinic Thursday morning and it appears to be a hardware problem. Could not be fixed quickly. The worst part is all of the first two weeks vacation photos are trapped in there and I don't know if we'll be able to get them out. This makes me very sad; almost sick. So many priceless photos. Plus, I had wanted to back up the photos on another device or CDs, and I just didn't get it done.

I probably won't be able to post again until we get home. This is posted from my iPod.