summer road trip, kelowna edition!

Summer, why have you gone by so darn fast?! Why couldn't you have done this last year, when I was big and pregnant and uncomfortable?! Why can't you last forever?! Why, Summer... Why?!

Here we are approaching the end of August. The tail-end of summer. The last few weeks of warmth, and the final days of my daughter being a baby instead of a toddler. I'm a little distraught about the entire situation.

A few months back, my mom and I talked about a summer road trip.  As the weeks passed by we found ourselves running out of time, so we made the decision with short notice. We'd begin the journey to Kelowna the following Thursday.  We travel well together, but with a baby to bring along there was no telling how the trip would go.

Aaralee and I headed to Red Deer Wednesday afternoon so that we would be ready to go on Thursday morning.  Morning rolled around and we departed late, as I'd anticipated.  My mom is rarely if ever on time... though she'll deny it when she reads this.  Adding to our delay was the fact that half an hour into the trip we discovered that my brother had left his wallet in the car.  Fortunately my aunt works near where we were driving and once we finally got ahold of her we were able to drop off the wallet for her to bring back to Red Deer that afternoon. We were finally on our way again!

We drove south until we reached Nanton. There we happily wandered through a candy store, stocking up on treats for the road. Though there are shorter routes to Kelowna, this was a road trip and thus we'd opted for the scenic route.  Mother Nature apparently missed the memo, bringing us nothing but grey and hazy skies for the entire first day.  Our next stop was Frank Slide. Years ago the town of Frank was buried when the side of a mountain essentially crumbled down. To see how far massive boulder had travelled was pretty surreal.

After lunch it was onwards into British Columbia. We were met with more cloudy skies and a bit of rain.   The rest of the day dragged on, but we eventually reached our goal of Creston.  With a screaming baby in the backseat and a seemingly non-existent hotel, we drove aimlessly around the town in search of our destination. We eventually found it, no thanks to my GPS.  Aaralee happily crawled around the hotel room as we relaxed for awhile before heading out in search of fruit stands and supper.

We resumed our travels early the next day, after stopping for photos at the Kokanee beer factory.  Neither my mom nor myself drink beer, but it felt like a necessary stop when in Creston.  

We drove and drove, stopping a few times for lunch and to let Aaralee crawl free from the confinement of her carseat. As evening approached we arrived in gorgeous Kelowna and settled into our awesome home for the weekend.

We spent the next couple of days exploring the area, visiting friends, and playing in swimming pools. We visited a winery, strolled along the lakeside eating ice cream, and drove past ridiculously large homes with incredible views.  Our visit seemed to fly by, and before we knew it the time to return home had arrived.  

Monday was a long, long day. We drove from Kelowna to Red Deer... a relatively easy journey in the past, but an incredibly long day with a restless baby in the backseat.  She did quite well considering, but we were all ready to be done with the car by the time that we arrived at my mom's house.  We still had one more leg of the trip to complete, so after a bit of stretching and relaxing Aaralee and I got back into the car and proceeded home to Edmonton.  I hadn't anticipated that it would be pouring rain, so it was a slow and stressful journey back. Eventually we were home, sweet home. It had been a fun getaway, but there truly is no place like home... especially with a little person to worry about!  

You are my greatest adventure.

Before I became a mother, I felt like I'd lived a life full of adventure.  I've had some pretty incredible experiences in my life and I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't proud of all that I've achieved.  

I've moved abroad, swam in many seas, endured a long distance relationship, jumped out of a plane, and persevered to achieve my dream career which took me around the world a time or two.  I felt like I'd done almost everything that I'd ever aspired to do before I'd even turned 25 years old.  Life was such an adventure, and the thought of "settling down" really didn't interest me much. 

Last year, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and my perspective changed entirely. Though I'd always wanted children, I was convinced that my exciting life was over from the moment that I discovered I was pregnant.  I was wrong... so very wrong.

The past year has taught me the true meaning of adventure.  Every milestone my daughter reaches is equivalent to the excitement of landing in a new country.  She has taught me to love more deeply than I ever thought possible and to cherish the little things.  Most importantly, she's taught me to be happy in the present. I enjoyed the nomadic lifestyle, but I always found myself longing for more... for more stamps in my passport, more stories to tell, more journeys to plan.  Life wasn't complete without something on the horizon to count down the days leading up to it.  

These days, my excitement lies in introducing my daughter to new foods, watching her learn and play, and holding her in my arms knowing that before I realize it she'll be grown up and exploring this world herself.  

I've had a lot of adventures in my life, but Aaralee is by far the greatest one of all.  

With all of this being said, it's bittersweet to announce that as my maternity leave comes to an end I've officially resigned from my career as a flight attendant. Maybe one day I'll return to the skies, but for now I'm focusing on an even more exciting role... that of being a wife and mother.  I don't know what opportunities may arise in the future, but what I do know is that the opportunity to watch my baby grow up will only come around once and I'm not about to miss it.   The rest of the world can wait. 

long weekend camping!

In the 5 years that we've been a couple, Ryan and I have spent a bit of every summer camping. We've stayed in many places with guests from all corners of world, but one thing has remained constant... every night has been spent in a small tent that accommodates a maximum of 3 people.  After our last camping trip with Aaralee it was evident that we could use a bit more space. She may be small, but that baby takes up a heck of a lot of space and her tossing and turning makes bed sharing impossible.. at least if we plan on sleeping at all during the night.  We briefly contemplated plunging into the world of trailers or tent trailers before coming to the conclusion that we are tenters at heart... at least for now.  With a long weekend looming on the horizon we splurged on a mansion of a tent.  A room divider allowed for a separate space for Aaralee in a playpen with plenty of room to spare for us on our queen sized air mattress.  There was even room for me to stand up to get dressed!  Oh the luxury!

The weekend approached and it was time to take our new home for its very first camping trip.   We headed west to meet Ryan's parents for another weekend in the beautiful mountains.

We arrived at the campground after a long day of driving. While I fed and entertained the baby, Ryan and his dad set out to assemble our tent.  The finished product was big, beautiful, and made me excited for bed time.  After dinner I tucked Aaralee into bed and she fell right asleep.  Apparently I wasn't the only one that loved the new tent.  After a few games it was time for the grownups to go to bed as well.  We were so cozy that it barely felt like camping... except for the lack of toilet for my 3 am urge to pee.  The curses of a small bladder.  

After a successful first night we woke to a beautiful day.  We had some breakfast cooked over the fire and then packed up the site for a day of hiking. We've been on many hikes in the past, but this would be our first time attempting it with a baby.  We chose the Parker Ridge trail... familiar, absolutely beautiful, and not too challenging.

 I wrapped Aaralee on my back and off we went. She enjoyed taking in the views as I did all of the hard work.  It was certainly a bit tiring carrying an extra person up the sometimes steep trail, but I managed.  Our fur baby Niko kept up the entire time, occasionally veering off the path to chase squirrels. 

 At the top we rested and enjoyed a picnic overlooking the Saskatchewan Glacier.  Have I ever mentioned how beautiful our mountains are?! It doesn't matter how often I visit, I'm always thankful to live so close to such incredible places.  

Aaralee slept most of the trek back down the mountain, and we returned to the campsite for a well deserved dinner.  I watched as my baby played on the ground, staining her clothes and tempting me to follow her every step with a washcloth. I resisted and let her get dirty. She was so darn happy to crawl across the dirt and play with rocks and sticks.  I bathed her before bed, and we all settled in for a much anticipated sleep following our long day.

Sunday arrived, making us extra thankful that it happened to be a long weekend! While we'd normally be packing up to head home, we were planning out the day's hike. We settled on the Bow Glacier Falls trail, and I was excited to walk alongside the almost impossibly blue lake. 

 The guidebooks made the trail out to sound suitable for a stroller. Ryan pushed Aaralee and his camera equipment along until it was evident that we needed to abandon our stroller in favour of the wrap. 

 Thank goodness we did, because we'd soon find ourselves stepping over huge tree roots, hopping over washed out areas and climbing what seemed like a million stairs.  It was a long journey, but we made it the viewpoint, took some photos, had some lunch, and turned around.  As we drove back towards the campground the skies opened up and rain poured down. Our timing couldn't have been much better.  It continued raining on and off throughout the night, but we were warm and dry in our now proven to be waterproof tent.

The next morning we ate breakfast and began the process of packing up the car.  It had been a great weekend but I yearned for a shower and unlimited access to flushing toilets.  We said goodbye to Ryan's parents and hit the road.  It was a long, long drive with a not-so-happy baby, but we made it home and I enjoyed a long, glorious hot shower.  Is there anything in life more refreshing than showering after camping?! I certainly don't think so.  And so, another successful camping trip down.  Summer, why must you go by so fast? We've only just begun having fun.  

baby's first camping trip!

Ryan and I love camping. The fresh air, beautiful mountain scenery, and vast array of foods cooked over a campfire used to have us pitching a tent nearly every weekend of the summer.  Somewhere between full time jobs, pregnancy, and a baby, life has gotten in the way over the last few years.

When we (finally) found ourselves with a free weekend in which Ryan was off of work and in the city, we loaded the car (no exaggeration... it was full!) and headed to Banff.

Camping with a baby sounds like a lot of work, but to be honest it's really not much different than being home. Babies are simple creatures. They eat, play, and sleep... regardless of their surroundings.  We are fortunate that Aaralee sleeps well away from home and can cope with being away from her crib.  I accepted the fact that she would inevitably get dirty and let her play outside to her heart's content.  Her personal favourite activities were climbing the dirty, dusty trailer tires and attempting to eat tiny rocks before I grabbed them from her. Kids are gross.

The first day of our trip was a long one as we made the drive from Edmonton.  We got a campsite and set up the tent while we waited for Ryan's parents to join us. They are expert campers and we usually go along with them as they are always up for a weekend in the mountains.  Having four extra legs to chase our busy baby was an added bonus. 

 Once they arrived we ate dinner and sat outside on a beautiful, warm summer evening.  I bundled Aaralee up for her first night sleeping in a tent.  It wasn't long after she was asleep that I retreated to the tent myself. It had been a long day and I was exhausted!  

A couple weeks back we'd visited the Glacier Skywalk with my family. After posting a photo and tagging it on Instagram, I'd won a photo contest thanks to Brewster Canada! As part of my prize, I had tickets to the Banff lake cruise, so on Saturday Ryan, Aaralee and myself drove to Lake Minnewanka and enjoyed the views from the boat. We've been to the lake many times, but it was my first time on the cruise.  It was a bit rainy, but we were fortunate that some of the smoke from the wildfires further north had cleared.  We spotted a bald eagle, played with Ryan's new tilt shift lens, and Aaralee even got to sit in the captain's seat and drive the boat!

It was a rainy afternoon, so once we returned to the campsite we piled into Ryan's dad's truck to go for a scenic drive.  Aaralee fell into a car ride induced nap while we took in the gorgeous views. I love the Rockies and the fact that we are fortunate enough to live so close by.  

The skies cleared as we returned towards the campground, stopping along the way for some ice cream in Banff! We cooked up some delicious food, ate supper, and had another quiet night.... until 2 am rolled around and we awoke to the sound of our rowdy campsite neighbours.  Nobody in our tent got much sleep, but that unfortunately didn't convince Aaralee that she should sleep in the next morning. 

Sunday had rolled around and it was time to pack up camp and make the journey home. Our first camping trip with a baby had been a success, and I'm pretty sure that Aaralee loved it as well! That's a good thing... she's got a lot more camping in her future! I can't wait for her to grow up spending her summers by the campfire. 

visiting with the ontario family!

To say that the past month has been busy would be putting it mildly. Non-stop, jam-packed, and a little bit exhausting would more accurately describe it.  After two weeks in Oklahoma and a week in St Lucia, I returned home and prepared for another week away.  This destination was slightly less exotic but exciting nonetheless.  I packed up the baby, the dog, and myself and we set off for my hometown of Red Deer for a week's stay at my mom's house.  My grandparents were in town from Ontario for the first time in a few years, so we decided to stay in Red Deer for the duration of their visit.

The last time that they'd seen Aaralee, she was just 2 months old and spent the majority of the day napping and nursing.  Nearly 8 months later, she is a crazy busy little girl who never sits still for longer than a few seconds.  They were reunited on bad timing, with a sleepy baby wanting cuddles from nobody other than her mommy. Fortunately, she warmed up to them as the week went on.  

It was a busy week jam packed with adventures. First things first, we wanted to take our guests to the best place that Alberta has to offer... the Rocky Mountains!  We left early in the morning bound for the Columbia Icefields. Ryan and I left early, stopping a few times to keep the baby fed, changed, and happy.  Our group was traveling in 3 separate vehicles and we were all fortunate enough to make it through just in time before the highway was closed due to a wildfire. Once we'd met up we headed for a bus to take us to the brand new Glacier Skywalk.  Stretching out above the valley sits a glass floored observation deck.

 When you look down, all that you can see beneath your toes is a 918 foot drop.  It was surprisingly less scary than I'd anticipated, but a cool experience nonetheless.  Once we'd finished with the Skywalk it was onward to Jasper where we arrived at our awesome chalet for the evening.  It was a cozy log cabin big enough for the whole family! 

We ventured into town for a bit of shopping and returned for dinner before calling it a night.  Ryan left at a ridiculously early hour in the morning, bound for the airport to depart on yet another trip down to Oklahoma. 

The next day brought us back to Jasper and Athabasca Falls before the long, long journey home. Because the highway was still closed due to the fire we were forced to take the slightly longer and far less scenic route back. It was a long day but we eventually made it back to Red Deer to rest up for another long day to follow. 

Once again we hit the road, this time bound for Calgary. It just so happened that the Stampede was on and I could not wait to indulge in all things deep fried.  It was a hot summer day filled with overeating and money wasted on games that nobody ever actually wins.  I tried my best to win a teddy bear for my baby, but I lost as per usual.  Among this year's snacks were deep fried pickles, Dippin' Dots ice cream, pulled chicken, deep fried oreos... and of course, a corn dog. It was so much easier last year, as I was pregnant and felt more entitled to indulge. Everyone had a great day taking in all of the fun that the grounds had to offer.  Another year, another successful Stampede! 

The next day was Wednesday and somehow an entire week had gone by and it was time to say goodbye to our Ontario visitors as they returned home.  It had been a great week and it was wonderful to be on maternity leave and have so much time to spend with them and the rest of the family... rather than being stuck at work or living abroad as I'd been on previous visits. It's hard to believe that the next time that we see them Aaralee will be a walking, talking, adorable little monster! 

spontaneous getaways!

It was Ryan's first day back to the office after weeks of working out of town.  Aaralee and I were back home and settling into our daily routine, happy to have all of the amenities of our own house. Two weeks of trying to entertain her in a hotel room was exhausting, and I was content to stay home for awhile after the chaos of travel.  I changed my mind within 5 minutes of my husband's return from work that evening.  He'd found himself with some rare downtime between the normal never-ending tasks at work.  He could spend it trying to keep busy in the office, or we could go somewhere on vacation.  As happy as I was to be back home, there is never a time in which I'll turn down the opportunity to go somewhere.  Travel is a part of me, an addiction for which there is no cure.  To justify the trip even more, we'd be gone for my birthday.  

We discussed our options and tried to decide where to go. A road trip? An all inclusive vacation? Camping?  After much contemplation we settled on a trip to beautiful St. Lucia.  Normally out of the realms of our budget, it was the low season and thus way more affordable.  Booking a trip four days before departure also helps when it comes to price reductions.  We splurged on the all inclusive package and prepared for a week of binge eating... my favourite! 

I took our clothes from the Oklahoma trip out of the suitcase just to wash them before packing them all over again.  We flew out on the red eye for a tiring start to our vacation, but the bonus to night flights is that my baby and husband actually sleep on planes. Myself, not so much.  After a connection in Toronto and a long day of travel we arrived... we were in St Lucia! This new destination brought Ryan and I to a grand total of 37 countries visited each, and it was number 4 for our miniature jet setter.  We rode the windy steep hills to our resort across the island and checked into our own little slice of paradise.  We had a one bedroom suite on the side of a mountain complete with a gorgeous ocean view.  I was giddy with excitement and eager to start vacationing!

The next week consisted of delicious meals (filet mignon being my personal favourite), playing in the pool, lazing on the beach, and of course fruity, yummy cocktails.  Although it had only been 2 months since our last beach vacation, the experience with a 9 month old baby was completely different than it had been with a 7 month old. On our last trip Aaralee couldn't crawl or stand. This time around, she was cruising down the beach and climbing everything in reach.  She loved splashing in the water and eating tropical fruit... and sand.  

I spent my 28th birthday cruising along the shores of St Lucia on a catamaran island tour. We took in the beauty of the majestic Piton mountains, walked in the crater of a volcano, and ate lunch at a cocoa plantation.  Ryan went snorkelling as I enjoyed snuggles with a sleeping baby.

  Upon returning to our resort we headed for dinner. Aaralee didn't grant me my wish of a peaceful meal, but the cake at the end made up for juggling a fussy baby. 

Later on in the week it dawned on me that we could enjoy every dinner with our baby if only she'd sleep through them.  I put her in her wrap, where she'd promptly fall asleep and Ryan and I would enjoy a peaceful meal... albeit a bit sweaty with a sleeping baby tied to me.  

The week came to an end far too soon, as it always does. We'd had a wonderful time in St Lucia and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to take a trip with my little family before Ryan's job picks up and takes him out of town yet again!  

ryan's very first father's day!

When choosing the man to spend the rest of my life with, it was necessary that he fit certain criteria. I'm a picky person and refused to settle for anything less than exactly what I wanted... which is really how everyone should be when contemplating something as important as marriage. Ryan ticked all of the boxes, and I'm so fortunate to have found him. One of the specific items on my list was that he would have to want to have children one day, and I needed to know that he'd be a good father.  There wasn't a question of doubt in my mind that he'd be a great dad.... after all, he is a kid at heart.

When Aaralee joined the world last year, he exceeded my expectations and made her the luckiest little girl in the world.  From the beginning he took on the role like a pro.

So when Father's Day loomed on the horizon I knew that we'd have to do something special... especially after my first wonderful Mother's Day.

When I heard about the "Roam the Runway" event at the Calgary airport, I knew that we'd have to go. Even if it didn't fall on Father's Day, the aviation geeks in us could not and would not miss such an event.  At 14,000 feet, the new runway will be the longest in Canada and capable of landing jumbo jets such as my beloved A380. The runway event was open to the public, full of food trucks, airplanes, and entertainment.  When else would we have the opportunity to step foot on the runway of an international airport?!

We woke up bright and Sunday morning. We were a bit tired, having attended a wedding the day prior, but thankfully that meant that we were already in Red Deer which was half of the drive.  We had a Father's Day breakfast with Ryan's family, and Aaralee delivered a few treats to her Grandpa Bruce.  Ryan had already opened his card that she had lovingly signed (scribbled on).

After getting our fill of waffles and coffee we set off for Calgary! We arrived and loaded onto a bus just in time for the rain to start. Luckily for us, we arrived and were given big red rain ponchos. Aaralee was cozy and warm in her stroller, and we were off to roam the runway!

The biggest thrill of the day was the fact that Air Canada had flown in their 787 Dreamliner for the occasion. It was parked for all to see and we happily walked underneath it and touched it for the very first time. We are still a bit upset about the fact that we were supposed to have flown on it to Japan, but we'll get over that one day... maybe.

We continued walking way down to the end, writing our names on the lines and happily wandering past aircraft.

 After taking photos of our baby posing by the runway lights, we headed to the food trucks for lunch.  Father's Day meant Ryan's choice of food, and thus we indulged in a fried chicken poutine. It was delicious, as poutine typically is.

The rain had stopped but the wind made for a chilly afternoon. Our baby was getting cold due to her insistence of being carried as opposed to sheltered from the wind in her stroller.

 We decided to make our way back to the car, stopping for a couple more photos of the Dreamliner... including one of Aaralee sitting in the big, beautiful engine. I can't wait for the day that we have the opportunity to fly in one!

We headed back to Red Deer after a short stop at Tim Horton's for iced caps... did you know that they now make birthday cake flavoured donuts? They do, and they are delicious. It's as though they know that I was born this month.

Back in Red Deer we had dinner with Ryan's parents and visited for awhile before making the drive back to Edmonton. We'd only been home from Oklahoma for one day before heading to Red Deer, so it was nice to relax and crawl into our very own bed. I may have enjoyed the day just as much as Ryan, but it was fun to celebrate him and the great daddy that he is to our daughter.  She sure loves him... as do I!