an amazing west coast trip!

the beautiful west coast

I have to say that our visit west was one of the best … ever. My time in Vancouver always seems much too short, and of course this trip could have been longer (couldn't they all?), but because we did so much and saw so many people and too, spent so much time at home with my mom and dad and sister, it felt like a longer visit than it was. Maybe it’s because the days started earlier – those extra hours in the morning added up I suppose. And we even went to Seattle! Eek, that almost feels like a separate, different trip. Anyways, there’s been something wrong with the wireless signal on my computer chez mes parents, so I haven’t blogged since I don’t even know when – excuses excuses. And now that I’m on the plane sitting next to my sprawled out sleeping babe, I thought I’d try to get a blog down.

grandma reading Hendrik his bedtime story - and one neglected dog!

grandpa and hendrik...

... and the neglected dog - poor woofer!

So yes, the visit was amazing. We hung out with my mom and dad a ton, and with Sarah too, and the two of us even got an amazing trail run in up along the Capilano River. I think the two runs plus one elevation packed hike we (Dad, Bill, Joe, Lisa, me and a pack of dogs on Sunday morning) did this morning is the most exercise I’ve had in who knows how long – a looong long time; and, I’m happy to say that my knees felt fine – yay! My mom and dad had some solid Hendrik time, in the mornings before my dad left for work, and in the afternoons and evenings too. I saw friends, and Hendrik saw some of his friends, and it all just felt so balanced – my time wasn’t overcrowded with visits. Sure I could have seen more people and others more often, but I’m so happy that I saw Jayme and Lindsay and Lindsay and Hanno and Tally, and Lisa and Barb and Kelly and Jenny and I suppose I could go on and on and oh I could go on about the people I didn’t see too, but I guess that would just, well, go on a bit too much so I’ll stop. To conclude: 10 days – while a very healthy chunk of visiting time – is not long enough to see everyone as much as I’d like too, but hey, I’m more than happy with the time I had out in the beautiful city of Vancouver.

Dad, Joe, Hendrik and Bill

the big tree! plus me, lisa and the doggies

And now – this is news! – we’re heading home to Gatineau for a few short days because, it looks like we’re heading to Italy later this week for the volleyball season - !! Last week (or the week before? – yeah, the week before) Steve signed a contract with Trentino Volley, a famous club located in Northern Italy’s town of Trento. So, tack another adventure on to our list: we’re headed overseas with a baby, and soon. We haven’t told a ton of people (nor have we broken the news on Facebook – facebook schmacebook as Steve says) and I definitely haven’t had the time to learn much about where we’re going – but this week I will , in between packing and planning and listing and running errands. So yeah! That’s the big news. Otherwise hm, we will be (/were, by the time this is posted) reunited with Steve tonight - yay yay yay. Their team flew into Ottawa this afternoon from Puerto Rico, where they placed third in the Norceca World Cup qualifying tournament – one spot out of the running for a ticket to the event in Japan in November (said with sad face). I’m not sure what else to say about the past week except that I need to attend to Hendrik, who is waking...

Barb and Kelly practicing their future mothering skills with Hendrik - so excited for my friends to have babies!

Me, Jenny, Ellie, Hendrik, Kelly and Barb

pizzzzza!

pulling books off the shelf was one of Hendrik's very favourite activities... it was too cute!

Sarah and Jeff left for school in Scotland on Friday morning - this is the boys corner of the dinner table at their last supper on Thursday night :)

Mommy time in the park with my cousin Mandy and Jenny and the babes

Hendrik ate no less than four Arrowroot cookies (thanks Jenny!), and in quick succession too; AND Ellie and Hendrik fed each other cookie bits - it was adorable!

at the fire hall visiting Jenny :)