Our Vancouver Trip...

After what seems like a summer of lots of travelling...I was not too sure about gearing up for another trip. We got back from Kilgore after Earle's father passed away and I was ready to be done for now! Earle convinced me that we HAD to go ahead and go to Vancouver. We knew that we needed to do it this month because school would be starting and the weather would not be great for the drive...so I hesitantly said..okay. I am so glad I did! We had such a great time and Earle and I both think that British Columbia is about the most beautiful place we have ever seen. We drove up about half way and stopped for two nights in Salmon Arm B.C. We did some hiking, took the kids to the Enchanted forest..which was really awesome and if you have kids and are driving past Revelstoke you have to go there! It was nice to just go at our own pace with no agendas. We realized that this is really the first trip we have taken as a family by ourselves, for ourselves and it was really good! On Friday we drove into Vancouver which was so beautiful...too bad there is not a Shell Plant there! We went to Stanley Park, and the Aquarium that evening. We really like the Aquarium, mostly because of this awesome 4D movie that they showed...it was neat because they had Whales actually spitting water at us, Snakes poking us in the back..you actually feel all of the things because of the special theater and chairs. It was neat, but Collin was freaking out a little! The next day we went to Granville Island for about half of the day, did the water park, kid's market, and Public Market and then took the ferrie back. That afternoon we did the Calipano Suspension Bridge. Sunday we took an hour and a half long ferrie that you drive your car onto to Vancouver Island. Really, the driving and the ferries to and from took up the better part of the day, but we spend a couple of hours wandering around downtown Victoria. We left early on Monday morning and drove to Banff where we spent the last night. I have to say that the scenery was so beautiful on this trip, that the 12 hour drive was not bad at all. This is definite place that should be at the top of a vacation list!! We are a little tired, but we had a great time! The slide show was hard to pick which pics to put in..I think I took around 400 or so...so I tried to pick the ones with people in them for the most part.
CB

Vancouver Trip...Slideshow Pics

Collin's Jealous Shirt

In the car this morning on the way to the park.....


Ben: Uh...mom, look at Collin's shirt.


Me: What is the matter with his shirt.


Ben: Well, I am pretty sure his shirt is jealous.


Me: Oh really, of what?


Ben: Of my shirt mom, because mine is cool and his is not.



Ben: Oh and by the way mommy, (he says as he points to a very nice BMW convertible) I want us to give this van back and get one of those cars with no roof just like that one.





Oh good grief! I did not even know he knew what the idea of being jealous was...but who knew that shirts had envious feelings as well! What will I do with this competitive little boy!!! He is a bit of a trash talker! I don't know where he gets it because Earle and I are not at all that way! Lord, thank you for giving Ben a confident spirit, but help me to be able teach him humility!! Oh, well, at least he still thinks that shirts bought at Wal-mart are the cool shirts... personally, I like Collin's better.

~CB
The "cool shirt" which has apple juice spilt all down it. The superman cape also doubles as a Darth Vader cape.

Back in the Saddle Again.....

Well, this week we have once again been getting back into our routine...I am wondering if the no routine time this summer has taken over the routine and become our routine...anyway...The mood needs to be lightened a bit. I don't really have anything to blog about but I feel we are due a post, so bear with me if I ramble!

This week Ben has done a gymnastics camp at Calgary Olympic Park. It has really been fun for him and me too. There is a curtain that divides two rooms, the one on the other side of Ben's kindergym camp is where the Olympic teams of Canada and Great Britain have been training this week. So we have gotten to watch some of their training which is really cool. I have always watched the gymnastics part of the Olympics on T.V., but I have never actually seen people doing all of these things in real life! I am shocked at what look like 8 yr. old little girls flailing their little bodies all around the parallel bars and such with such skill. I wonder if those little girls understand the level of their abilities? I have a friend here who has perfect pitch. When she was in jr. high or high school, she would see other friends guessing notes played and they would be wrong. She would say, "how can you not know that?" Then she realized that not everyone has perfect pitch...and she felt horrible for saying that to them! I wonder if that is what it is like for those little gymnasts. For a brief moment I wished that there was a gymnastics class for me...but I think I am way to old to contort and flail my body in all different directions! I am sure it would give anyone a good laugh though! Ahh to be 7 years old again and weigh 50 lbs!

Earle is healing this week. He seems to have pepped up a bit. I think that getting back to work has helped. Thank you all for your continued prayers for Earle's family. His mom seems to be healing as well. We have truly been lifted up by your prayers.

We have about 2 weeks until school starts for Ben! It seems like the summer has flown by! We are planning another little weekend trip to site see some in British Columbia later this month. Then, we are really looking forward to some visits in Sept. and Oct. from some close friends and family members! These fun things along with the people here that we are so much enjoying being with are going to make our next few months fly by!!

I have not taken any pics this week, but I will leave you with one from last week. We were at Earle's mom's house and the kids would stay up so late and not nap and were pretty tired. Earle went upstairs and called to me to bring up the camera. Collin had snuggled up and laid on Ben to fall asleep. They can be so sweet sometimes. ~CB