living like a local: Our Incredible Trip West (a hefty post!)

Grandma O with her grandies in the photo booth

the bride and her fam!

Jordan and I ready for the wedding.. how CUTE is he!?

This blog has been a few days in the works and FINALLY I think I have a chance of getting it posted. Since we've been back Alana has been super clingy at bedtime and I've been getting downstairs late late, but Steve is with her now so maybe I can get something up... sheesh, priorities! Kidding. There are quite a few pictures that may be all over the place - and not follow my three-pronged post: one piece will go to leg one (Vancouver), another to the second (Victoria) and the last to the third leg (Thetis).

Leg Uno: Vancouver
Before departing Steve and I decided to make the day about the journey instead of the destination, and that mentality sure did help us on our long haul out west. With two flights, a long layover in Toronto, the rigmarole to get the rental car, and the squish into a not so roomy vehicle, we were all pretty tired by the time we got to bed on Friday night. The kids were very well-behaved, thanks in part I'm sure to the smorgasbord of TV, movies and games on the plane - this also contributed to the positive journey en route to our destination. Jordan was up at 5am on Saturday, and I joined Colleen on a stair-run before a long but incredible day of visiting with friends. There were moments of madness (so many kids!) and others of nostalgia (life used to be so different), but ultimately it was so great to get together with friends that will always be friends no matter the (significant) geography between here and there. On Sunday Jordan was up early again, but he was able to get a nap in just as the others were coming to life; this meant that the post-nap timing was perfect to leave for West Van where we had a full itinerary, kicked off by an old 'hood drive-by. The house, just like many on the street, was empty. The visit didn't make me feel sad or nostalgic, and it might mean that home is no longer there (in Vancouver); home is London now, where my immediate family has filled a house with life and love and challenges and laughter and tears and all of the rest. After a swim at the pool, we thoroughly enjoyed a sushi lunch at Ichiban at 14th and Marine (according to Hendrik it wasn't five stars, it was 1000 stars) before putting in some time at the amazing John Lawson park. Tired started to catch up with the kids at this point, so we headed for home for some QT with Rod and Colleen and family. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were all balanced with busy-out-and-about and chill time at the house. We went to Science World, Granville Island (where we went on a mini-ferry boat ride and ate Lee's donuts... they are the BEST), and the Aquarium (not something we'd do again), and I caught up with friends and family. Alana loved spending time with Nyla, and as always, we had a great time with Rod and Colleen. Leg one was solid!

cousins having TONS of fun together

more dock fun

walking around thetis lake

LEG TWO: Victoria
We caught a cab to the ferry terminal in Tsawassen on Thursday morning, and the kids enjoyed some pirate packs on the boat before we were greeted by my mom and dad and their truck AND buckets of rain at Duke Point. We checked in at our Airbnb in Victoria, reclaimed our sanity (the kids fought like rabid dogs in the backseat) and got settled in before my sister and her boyfriend joined us. We did a few errands (groceries, beer) and then a quick beach trip (where the kids found sticks they wanted to bring home to London) before we met up with family and other wedding guests for dinner. Steve and I managed the kids table - we were joined by other littles for food and colouring - and somehow made it home for an on-time bedtime for once... what a miracle! It's a good thing though, because the next two days were packed. We spent Friday morning at Thetis lake where the kids played in the water for at least two hours; we lunched and walked around the lake (tired kids were baited by cookies), then booked it back to the house for showers and rehearsal-readying. The walk-through was straight forward, and the kids (cousins) were excited to see each other. Looking back, there was quite a bit of time spent (on this leg anyways) doing things that are not fun for children - restaurants, sitting around, etc., and our three were really good (except when they were in the car with each other). Dinner was at the Canoe Club and the food was incredible; it was one of the best restaurant meals of our trip (I'd give it a second place behind Ichiban). The kids had fun down at the docks and up near the resto playing pine cone games while the adults ate and drank and milled about, and we made it out of there with the crew at a decent hour (again - succccccessss). And Saturday - was a big day! I was up early to organize our stuff and hit the grocery store for bride breakfast stuff, and then made for the hotel with Sarah to get ready with the other bridesmaids. It was super fun to get some good time in with the girls on Claire's big day, and time flew by with the getting ready, the photos, and the mini-jobs. I had my fingers crossed that our room would be ready earlier than the standard 4:00 check-in (the ceremony was scheduled for 4:15), and it was! I met Steve and the kids in the lobby at 1:00 and we got set up in the room in time for Jordan to have a nap - right across the hall from Claire's room. Steve and the bigs got some pool time in before getting all dressed up for the big event, and I don't even have a family photo of this - !!! The wedding photographer got one, but I can't say when I'll get my hands on it. The ceremony was short and sweet, and everyone looked fabulous - my little sis got married! There were wedding party photos (chilly ones - it was cloudy and 12 degrees or something), followed by dinner and dancing (Alana was googly-eyed with all of the fancy dresses, especially Auntie Claire, and the two of them paired up on the dance floor quite a few times), and then more dancing dancing dancing. It was an ah-mazing event!

more thetis lake (victoria)

LOVE this photos - alana with a red rock crab (a dead one)

happy birthday me!

a birthday rowboat ride with two of my favourite people

my dad took hendrik out for a tin boat drive - love this too!

hendrik wanted to paddle back

what a view - mini-naps before dinner

thetis island

LEG THREE: Thetis Island
Baby J was up bright and early on Sunday morning, so the two of us roamed the empty hotel in search of coffee and company. We didn't see many people until later in the morning (we're talking 8:30-9:00), and hellos and goodbyes were said to family and friends. We got a swim in before a Father's Day brunch at Denny's (Spoons had a 25 minute wait - it looked good!), where we were paid a lovely compliment by an elderly couple who told us that watching our family was lovely for them, and "well worth the price of admission" for their meal. The kids loved their birthday pancakes (with sprinkles and whipped cream - dessert for breakfast really), and Steve and equally enjoyed our grand slams (bacon. hash browns. buttered white toast). Alana dumped a whole water bottle on herself on our way up to Chemainus (where the ferry leaves for Thetis), so she was in tears, and Jordan was fussy the whole way up - BUT... the kids didn't fight, so that was the silver lining (no longer were they sitting beside each other). We stopped for groceries and a change of clothes, and met Sarah and Gabe at the ferry terminal where the kids played in the truck-bed bed that Sarah installed for summer trips around the province. We played tag on the ferry and then we were there... beautiful Thetis! It was great to see Momsy and Dad again, and we settled in once more - to the last of our many locales. The kids got right to crab-catching and exploring the coast, and we had a great dinner celebrating Father's Day and my birthday... complete with cake! Yum. The kids walked with Sarah and Gabe after dinner and held starfish, watched a barnacle eat, and learned about crabs and which ones to pick up (rock crabs) and which ones to leave alone (kelp crabs). Monday and Tuesday were more of the same - mucho marine exploration - and really, Hendrik and Alana could have stayed down at the water the entire time. We made it to Overbury Farm Resort where we got married eight years ago (!!), and it was so nice to wander the grounds together. The kids had fun on rope swings and crab-hunting (again), so everyone was happy. We had some amazing dinners on the deck, and it was so nice to spend some time with my parents at their lovely home. I hope we can make it back every summer - it's a place we all love so much.

We float planed to YVR on Wednesday morning (the ride was incredible), and so began our journey home. It was a long one, but again, we all stayed afloat thanks to screen time, snacks, a good dinner in Toronto, and lots of patience. Everyone is happy to be home, but this trip is one that will go down in the books with a top three medal for sure... We had such a good time! Phew. Long blog - it's time for bed!