Fort Edmonton Park

A few weeks ago we spent some time in Edmonton just hanging out as families do.  We were hoping to visit with some friends and cousins but it seemed that the sickness bug decided to visit them first. So, we had an opportunity to fill our time in other ways. A quick search on Trip Advisor directed us to Fort Edmonton Park for a little walk through history.

Choo Choo! First of all we boarded the train which took us back through time to the 1860's. We visited an old fort that used to be a major trading hub for the Natives and Europeans. Most of the log cabins were surprisingly cool despite the scorching temperatures outside. I tell you, these people knew what they were doing before a/c and electricity were even an option. Our own 'modern' home is definitely not as forgiving in the summer heat.

One of my favourite stops was the actual trading post. We learned about the different furs that were traded and what sort of goods they could be traded for. Although having never actually touched different pelts before, we sure felt like experts after this lesson.

As the day continued, we walked through models of different streets through various eras (1900's, 1920's etc.) Most of the stores and home structures were actually originals, re-built on site. The horses, barn animals and subsequent smells, however, were a little fresher.

I'm a sucker for vintage advertising, having studied it quite extensively through various forms in my University days. That and the plain fact that Danny likes his carbonated beverages from time to time.

The last stop was a 1920's midway. We didn't stay long as the clouds were threatening to open up and some people weren't quite tall enough for the ferris wheel anyway. Maybe next year buddy!

Centre Island: Beach Bums

Our day on Centre Island started with a picnic under the trees and a trip to Centreville's Far Away Farms and Amusement Park.

At this point of the day Ben had a great nap in the stroller while we walked along the boardwalk and through the various parks. People were walking their dogs, riding their bikes, having picnics and playing frisbee. To me, this is the stuff weekends should be made of... at least as often as is possible.

We settled by the North shore for a while and watched the gulls and swans swimming in the water. Too cold for my taste but I did get my toes wet. 

An hour or so later, Ben woke up and decided it was time to get his feet sandy as well. Thankfully he wasn't nearly as interested in eating it (unlike our time in Hawaii where he literally devoured fist-fulls of the stuff).

I never did grow up by a large body of water but can definitely see the appeal. Here's hoping we can get in lots of beach time in the weeks to come!

What a great day with the family on Centre Island.

Centre Island: Far Away Farm & Centreville

Our adventures on Toronto's Centre Island continued after our morning picnic under the trees.

Another treat for us was Far Away Farms. We're not quite at the stage where animals are more interesting then say, a leaf, but we stopped to look anyway. I think Ben was really happy to be able to run around and explore.

We stopped to look at a donkey, a goat, some bunnies and a dairy cow. Some smelled better than others, haha.

Next we ventured off to the little amusement park in Centreville. I wasn't sure if Ben would be interested in any of the rides (or if he was even tall enough to ride any in the first place) but we soon discovered that he was in luck. Danny's not a big fan of rides, unlike myself who loves them, but because baby #2 is on the way I got to play the role of photographer while Danny 'took one for the team'. Really, how bad could the kiddy rides be though?

Obviously things turned out okay for the both of them.

After all that activity was time for lunch. At first we stopped for a couple pieces of pizza but while en route to a picnic table we were literally dive-bombed by a seagull and our lunch was no longer ours. I'm serious - feathers in the hair, trays knocked out of hands, pizza on the ground, feast for a dozen crazy seagulls. Totally took us by surprise but what could you do but laugh? I would have snapped a picture but all evidence was gone in a matter of seconds.

Here was lunch v2.0. Very well shielded when walking to another picnic table by the way.

Hotdogs and fries on a sunny day in June. Life is good.

Center Island: Picnic

This past week we flew back to Toronto to attend Danny's cousin's daughter's graduation. Got that? The ceremony itself was only a one-day event so we decided to make a trip of it and revisit some of the places that we used to frequent when we lived there just eleven months ago. Seems like so much time has passed since then.

We stayed in the downtown core, just a few blocks from where our old condo was, as it was most accessible for us. It didn't take me long to remember just how brutal traffic is during rush hour (I definitely don't miss that AT ALL). Ben was so much more aware of all the activity going on around him. At some points we had to peek into the stroller to make sure he was still there - he was so quiet and observant. But all that hustle and bustle had me craving some quiet time, something more relaxed and slow-paced. Centre Island would fit the bill.

It was warm (but not too hot) the bugs were virtually non-existent (what?) and the sun was shining. What a perfect day for some family time. Ben loved running around in the open green space and found lots of interesting things in the tree trunks. I can see these guys climbing trees in no time.

We had stopped at Starbucks on the way down and grabbed some drinks, sandwiches, and a protein bistro box. Did I mention how much our kid loves cheese? Perfect for a morning picnic.

I felt like we had the whole park to ourself. So many trees, lots of dry grass and plenty of open space. It was so nice to get in some family time. Loving summer!

Our 'Other' Latest Project

We're halfway there baby! 

Cannot wait to meet and cuddle with you this fall.

xoxo,

Mommy, Daddy and Big Brother Ben

Memorial Day Wedding

Danny and I headed down to Phoenix this past weekend to celebrate the wedding of our very good friends. They have been living in Arizona for the last two years while working on a Neuroradiology Fellowship and Post Grad Degree in Education. You may recall we visited them (with Ben in tow) a few months ago. But this time it was just the two of us; a quick little getaway for some sun and fun.

We stayed at a lovely golf resort which is sort of ironic in that neither of us actually golf. Even if we did, however, I thought it was too hot to hit the links anyway. So we sat on a patio and sipped on nice cold beverages instead, ha! Even after brunch I had to retreat to our air conditioned suite to cool off. This Canadian girl isn't used to 38'C weather (triple digits 'F).

The wedding itself was in the evening at a quaint restaurant surrounded by luscious gardens and beautifully lit trees. It was a small intimate gathering of family and close friends. Very relaxed and calm - full of love. There were so many thoughtful details to take in (which I apparently didn't photograph) but appreciated nonetheless. All around it was just so enjoyable. Hearts feeling full.

We were honoured to be able to celebrate with our good friends and are equally as excited to have them return home soon.

Happy Memorial Day to all our American friends!

May Mountain Picnic

I'm loving our new home and we're mostly settled in but I made a request this past weekend that we take one day off from our enormous 'to do' list and do something fun. It was the first warm weekend we've had all year and I did not want to waste it. No chores, no errands, no working from home, nothing. One day off... that's all I wanted. Luckily Danny agreed.

My favourite place to escape to is obviously our extended backyard, the Rocky Mountains, so we got up bright and early on Sunday morning, packed our bags and headed out west. Both boys slept as I hit the open road and soaked up the beautiful views. The sights never get old.

We stopped in at a local cafe in Canmore and picked up some soup and sandwiches to add to our half-packed picnic basket. Then we moseyed along to the Nordic Centre to figure out a place to enjoy our picnic. After a brief chat with the folks at the day lodge and a crisp new map in hand, we decided to drive to Barrier Lake.

Barrier Lake holds a lot of memories for me. Cousins playing in the bushes and filming our version of the Blair Witch Project, a trip with girlfriends fresh out of university looking for a place to wind down. And now I could add a family picnic on the first warm weekend of the year with my little family. It was so much fun.

I have a feeling we'll be making a lot more memories here in the future.