Happy Halloween!

Halloween greetings from this crazy clan of pirates!



hello winter

She was just as excited as I was.  She was also the first one dressed and out the door.  The first big snowstorm of the year.  And Maelle took full advantage of it all!  Hello snow!  Looking forward to a winter full of white gold! Woot!  Woot!

perplexed

She was at it for over an hour!  Determination is all I can say.  I last about five minutes with this game!

The funny thing is....she is really good at it!

the village, and pre-season training!

When you have an absolutely gorgeous day, combined with family in town for a visit (welcome Grandma and Grandpa Snider!) what does one do?  Well, you head into the  mountains, that's what!  While Aidan was at a birthday party today (horseback riding of all things...super fun!), and Maelle and I headed out to Okotoks for tea with a great friend, the remainder of the clan paid a visit to Kananaskis Village and the surrounding area.  Fresh mountain air is always good, and when you are in the company of the littlest ladies of the group, well, there is always good fun to be had. 
Enter "dry land pre-season training" for the upcoming tobogganing season:

 

Here is the group paying a visit to the base of the Nakiska Ski Resort.

And the goofy girls who always have smiles when they are surrounded by mountains! (this photo courtesy of Grandpa Snider...nice one too!)

Another practice run, this time facing the right way! 

Thanks for a great visit Grandma and Grandpa Snider! 

fall splendour

I must say, it has been the most spectacular fall season thus far.  We did have our first (minor) snowfall the other day, but goodness, the weather has allowed us some pretty fantastic outdoor adventures as of late!  This weekend, we headed out with the Augustine's to the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area, a great spot not too far from our house, and a fabulous area for a quick little fall hike.   It was brisk, but when you carry thermos' of hot chocolate and yummy snacks....nothing is too chilly!

Bree found some pretty fantastic fallen leaves...red too, which are a little uncommon in these parts!

 

 

The so called "haunted barn" was a great spot to enjoy our much anticipated snacks and bevvies. Aidan learned (on a previous field trip) that this barn was haunted by the original inhabitants of the land.

The views from this area are nothing short of awesome!  A perfect panorama of foothills, mountains, and forest.  Stunning!

Bree too was mesmerized by the area, and we are finding more often than not, that the kids are really starting to appreciate where they live.

And yes, there are still a great deal of sillies ever present with this group.  This is Aidan and Jenna "raking" and "cleaning up the leaves".  Ahem.

Thanksgiving wishes to everyone as well, from our family to yours!

is there really a troll?

I honestly think that this, along with winter (of course winter!) are my most favourite times of the year!  I kid you not!  Spending time in the mountains when the air is cooler, the smell of pine lingers in the air, the leaves have turned a gorgeous golden yellow, and there is a bite of coolness that reminds us that winter isn't really that far away at all.  The mountains already have their first blanket of snow, some more than others, and I am already dreaming of wool socks, hot chocolates, and cozy blankets!  Especially after a day spent wandering in the mountains.

Today, the destination was Troll Falls, a cute little hike in Kananaskis Country, another one of our favourite all season destinations.  The name had the kids in fits of giggles, constantly wondering if a troll did indeed wander these parts, and lurk beneath bridges.

There was great discussions about this very topic over snack breaks.

I also learned something....that I seem to have a great fascination with birch trees.  Don't ask me why or what it is....I honestly do not know!  I like them, and that is that!

Once we reached our destination, and confirmed that there was indeed no troll, we hung around and enjoyed our little spot for a while.  Aidan, Maelle and myself, attempted to locate a Letterbox (more on this new past time in a future blog post-once we find one!) but came up empty handed. 

There was plenty of time on the way back for exploring...

and adventure seeking, some of course, not for the faint of heart!

Gosh...what a day!  After spending a few hours on the trail, we made a quick pit stop at the Kananaskis Village for a round of cookies and a mocha for mom, before making our way back home.  We are continually thankful that we are lucky enough to live so close to such beautiful places, and we cannot wait until our next adventure....which hopefully will be really soon!

hot on our tails

Well, now...I believe that this little family of ours has found a new activity!  Mountain biking!  Yes!  It has been a little while since I have "been on the trails" or "kicking up the dirt", but my goodness, this past Monday after school all of us did just that!
It all started with what was supposed to be a casual ride through Fish Creek Park, but as we soon discovered that many of the paved trails had been washed away from the earlier summer flooding, our bike ride was forced off the main trails and onto the single track!

Honestly, we thought that Bree and Jenna would put up a bit of a stink about having to ride through the dirt and roots and leaves...but hold on!  These little ladies (who are only four!) couldn't get enough of the single track action.  They were hot on our tails as we navigated off the main paths and onto the narrower side trails.  They have absolutely no fear and they kept pace with Aidan and Maelle on every trail that they did, all the while asking for more.

Every member of our family had the hoots and hollers going as we made our way through the paths and over the roots, and around the trees. 

Now we just have to hope that we can get a few more rides in before the snow starts to fly! 
Happy biking friends!

marathon of hope

We are all thinking of my Aunt Cathy today (a great-aunt to the kids), who is currently undergoing cancer treatment.  Aidan and Maelle ran in the Terry Fox Run this afternoon in her honour,  a run that is helping to raise money to help research and conquer cancer.  The entire school was out in full force , and Aidan ran seven laps of the soccer field, and Maelle ran five.  I am so proud of these two, and you Aunt Cathy, for being super strong during this trying time, and always smiling.  Love you!

Waterton

I love it here.  No doubt about it.  Waterton may just be one of my favourite places on earth.  There is no better place to wrap up a summer chalk full of camping adventures, than Waterton Lakes National Park.

Even Betty made the trip to Waterton....I took her on a spin along the lake one evening and sat and enjoyed the scenery with a hot chai tea!  Perfection I say!

It was hot!  Hot enough for a little dip in Upper Waterton Lake.

We happened on the Blackfoot Festival for a few days, and got to take in a pow-wow...the music was incredible!

A surrey ride down the main street...I followed along with Betty snapping photos as I rode!  We were a sight that's for sure! 

We hiked up Bear's Hump for a breathtaking view of Upper Waterton Lake and the townsite below. 

This was Bree and Jenna's first time up this short but steep trail and they rocked it!

Jenna shared her snack with a new friend!

I seriously cannot keep these kids out of the water!

We celebrated Brent's birthday in Waterton, and one of his gifts was a moped rental to cruise around the area.  The first stop, however, was the campsite to give a few eager kidlets a spin around the campground roadways.  Grins and giggles is all I can say!  The kids liked it too!

One of Brent's "finds" on his little road trip, was Waterton's Alpine Stables.  A gem that is often overlooked in this area.  Bree and Jenna went on a bit of a daddy date and did a little pony riding on the nearby trails.  Can't wait until the kids are all old enough to embark on some horse back riding adventures!

 

We spent an entire week in Waterton enjoying the Blackfoot festival, hanging out and visiting with friends we met last year (who happened to be camping at the same time....awesome!), hiking, biking, exploring, and playing.  A perfect way to finish off summer and rest and relax before another busy school year is underway. 
Plans for next summer?  Still in the works.  Some possible new destinations?  Maybe.  We have lots of time to think about what is next on our list of camping destinations, but there is one thing I know for sure....it will be full of more adventures, new discoveries, and loads and loads of fun!

Victoria

Alas....we have reached the final leg of our trip.  The stunning city of Victoria.  Beautiful harbours, good eats, chalk full of culture, markets,  and great parks, this is one city that can be enjoyed by everyone.  A great way and place to wrap up our visit to Vancouver Island.

One of the days was spent, travelling by water taxi over to one of the kids' favourite places, Fisherman's Wharf.

And yes, there was ice cream. 

I ventured down one of the docks that was lined with the cutest little floating houses, each one depicting the charismatic personalities of the people that lived there.  Would that not be the best place to live?  Ingenious these homes were.  And I amongst many others, were completely fascinated by these little abodes.

The best part (a highlight for the kids and us) was getting a little crazy and taking part in "Pirate Adventures".  We were dressed, named, and then boarded a pirate ship, taking part in a swash buckling adventure of treasure hunting....pirate style!

Brent, however, expressed his opinion to the captain of the ship, and thus was nearly thrown over board by fellow pirate Typhoon Tom.  All in the name of fun of course!

The kids were entertained by stories and dancing...

All the while, keeping a watchful eye on the water for that illusive treasure.

Enter Pirate Pete.  The lone pirate who tried to steal our key for the treasure, thus being ambushed by water cannons manned by none other than the littlest pirates on board.  That's Bree firing a water cannon in an attempt to get Pirate Pete to surrender the key.  What a fabulous way to spend an afternoon.  Kids are still talking about this one, to this day!

Now, although the stair access to the waterfall at our campround (Goldstream) was under construction and technically closed, the older two and Brent found a way to make sure swimming in the waterfall was a task that could be crossed off our to do list.  They were rewarded, one weekend day, with a slippery climb down and dirty climb back up.

Symphony Splash was enjoyed (with good friends!) once again, and the kids tried out some musical instruments on a gorgeous Victoria day!

Thanks to some insider and local information from family, Witty's Beach was a destination one warm afternoon.

A beautifully shallow beach, just outside Victoria, was a big hit with the kids.  Not to mention snacking on the wild blackberries growing nearby!

For a few minutes, the family appeared to be stranded on a bit of a deserted island!

Perhaps the toughest day of the trip...saying good-bye to Vancouver Island. 

We had such a fantastic time on our camping adventure - with visits to both old places and new, the Island is still full of many magical places and destinations that our family will always remember.   I am once again reminded of how much the kids love the ocean, and all it has to offer and discover.  They, as well as we, learn so much whenever we visit, and this year was no exception.  Thank you Vancouver Island!