Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Oooooh Canada!

Hotel Rampaging!

After running the Vancouver Half Marathon, we went on a vacation around British Columbia. We stayed in Vancouver for a few extra days to visit friends. Molly and their kid were very smitten with each other.  There were hugs, shoves and kisses as per the normal course for an almost 3 year old and an 18 month old.

<3

Our friends had us over for dinner two nights in a row which was a delight! Lindz is an excellent cook and their house gave Molly plenty of room to get her wiggles out. The hotel room was constraining her wiggling.

Dinner with OT!

Lindz also took us to the beach, Spanish Banks which was awesome! It was low tide so we were able to go really far out and the kids looked for crabs. The 3 year old was unfortunately pinched by one. He had the saddest look on his face when he was re-telling us the story; one which he shared quite a few times as the crab pinching was traumatic.

Beach Time!

After leaving Vancouver, we headed via ferry to the Sunshine Coast to stay up in Halfmoon Bay at Rockwater Secret Cove Resort. The Sunshine Coast is a beautiful place and a wonderful place to hike, relax, bike and take in the beauty.

Ferry View

It was still early in the season so our family hike to Smuggler Cove was unfortunately cut short due to excessive water over the path.

Hiking Duo

Molly hiked most of Smuggler Cove by herself which made me really proud of her. It also meant that we wore her out which is our goal every single day. We don't always attain it but when we do, it is a thing of beauty.

Watching Momma

There were a few areas of the hike that Scott ended up carrying Molly on due to safety concerns. The bridges didn't have railings on both sides and Molly is a curious child. The swampy water was not something I wanted to dive into so I could fish Molly out.

Mad

Toward the end of the hike, we decided to put her in the Beco Gemini so I could carry her the rest of the way. In typical toddler fashion, this led to a breakdown and photos by her mean parents. Luckily I was able to calm her with some bouncing and singing but really Molly just wants to run free and doesn't understand why sometimes her parents don't want her to run free.

Swamp

Overall the hike was BEAUTIFUL! I wish we could have made it all the way out to the cove but the water was getting deeper and the hike-around was down a steep cliff which felt impossible with Molly.

Beach

On our way back, we ran into a local who suggested that we head down to Sargeant Bay Beach where we could enjoy our lunch and Molly could run wild.  The beach was beautiful and we saw an Eagle resting on the beach. It was HUGE!

Beach Collector

Molly spent her time collecting pine cones and rocks at the beach. She had a delightful time. We ended up eating our lunch in the car as the weather turned while we were at the beach and it was chilly. It was a gorgeous beach though and we're thankful for the local who gave us the tip to go there.

Swim Crazy Child!

The resort had a beautiful looking pool so I decided to take Molly swimming. She loves swimming and I thought it would be a fun activity for all of us. The pool was glacier cold though. Molly didn't seem to mind but after about 10 minutes, my teeth were chattering and I was covered in goosebumps. Brrrrrr!

Scott and Molly goofing around

After a few days on the Sunshine Coast, we headed up to Whistler. We arrived at the ferry a bit too early so Scott spent the hour wait, teasing me about my promptness. We did not miss the ferry so he can thank me for that! In fact, we were the first car on the ferry and had a great view.

Ferry View

BC Ferries have kids play rooms and they are GREAT! Molly had some time to play with other kids and run off some of her energy. We needed her tired for the drive up to Whistler. Luckily we wore her out and she slept most of the ride up the mountain.

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We spent one quick night in Whistler but it was fun. They have some really nice activities for kids and a nice park. We spent a lot of time on the swings with Molly. She likes to yell, Wheeeeee! as she swings now which is adorable.

Molly vs Gelato

Once we arrived in Whistler, we enjoyed some Gelato which meant that Molly enjoyed it all over her stroller and outfit. Scott and I were a bit neater and didn't smear ice cream all over.

Stars #fmsphotoaday

After leaving Whistler, we stopped in Bellingham to visit Scott's cousin. She's attending university there and we wanted to take her out to dinner. It was so nice to see her and to watch her with Molly. They have a great time together.

Cousins!

We arrived home late on Friday and the cats greeted us with excitement. I think they were even happy to see Molly. They had a great time with their cat sitter but they love Scott so much and miss him when he's gone. We are now settling back into the everyday and getting back to a healthy diet. There was a lot of grease and chocolate consumed on the trip but it was tasty.

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