A trek back to my homeland.

For those of you who are parents, I am sure you will relate when I want to preface that this was our summer TRIP not vacation!! haha while we had tons of fun, I think we came home more tired that when we left! Furthermore, get ready for a lot of pictures....but blogger did something weird with the pictures so they all look a bit blurry to me.

Anyway, completely last minute we decided to go out to the coast because my family was already going and Dman found out that he didn't have any work for a week so why sit a home right!? 

We drove to Jasper on our first day and camped in the most beautiful spot ever. Being that I am 18 weeks pregnant and we have a 1 1/2 year old, we had to stop oh, about every hour and a half so it took us a while to get there!

Here's the Hads at a road side stop looking so cute that I just had to snap a few:

When we arrived in Jasper and hopped out of the van we realized that the mosquitoes were HORRIBLE and that our fearless girl has a fear....mosquitoes!!  She would freak out when they came near her and clap her hands together to tell me to kill it.  SO FUNNY.  I mean, sad, sorry Hads!

We got our campsite set up and went for a hike where miss Hadley and Dman spotted a glacier lake and HAD to go swimming.  So they both stripped down and went. We were in a secluded spot, don't worry.  And whilst naked on the beach Hads decided she had to poop and just let er go right there on the beach. We laughed. Hard. And then buried it in the sand.

 

Then we headed out to Vancouver the next day.  Hadley did stellar.  Between m&m's, one Barney DVD played over and over, and new dollar store toys she was distracted mighty fine.

We stayed at my (older) sister's house for a few days.  Went to the beach, got fish and chips, went to Belligham, and went to the fishermen's docks in Steveson where we bought us some fresh crab for dinner. Mmmmmm.  Hadley LOVED the crabs.  The Chinese lady selling them was so shocked by her because she kept wanting to touch the crabs and pull their legs.  She says "Oh, she so brave, other kids so scared!!".

While hitting up the beach we discovered Hadley's fear #2.....seaweed.  Everytime she would come near it she would stop dead in her tracks and say "ouuuuuu", "ouuuuuu". Hahaha poor kid - there was a lot of seaweed....cause it was a beach.  But she still had fun chasing the "birdies".

Then we headed out on my Dad's boat to my most favorite island growing up called Sucia.  Hadley is a sailor let me tell you, loved it and has sea legs, which in all probability made Papa (my dad) very happy!  We saw dolphins and had a nice sail out.

Just chillin' in her life jacket (on account of the fact that she couldn't move in it)

Then we switched her to a harness and she was back to herself.  As seen here steering the boat while sporting some seriously cool shades.

Dangling our feet into the water.

Once we arrived we camped on shore (setting up our campsite not once, but twice cause I picked a horribly hot campsite so I made us switch cause Hadley and I were DYING!!).

This is a view of the bay we stayed at.  Dadio's boat is the sailboat in the middle:

We had so much fun here.  Went on hikes, got really dirty, played on the beach, made yummy camp food, played games, and just hung out.

Throwing rocks into the water:

Daddy teaching Hadley how to become a hooligan:

Taking a bath:

And getting REALLY dirty!!

We stayed for 3 days and headed back to the mainland with another great sail:

Crashed on the way home.  The lulling of the waves did her in!

We finished up the week by celebrating our neice's birthday, going to Stanley park, Granville Island and the Vancouver Aquarium, and again, just visiting and making great memories with family.

Chasing and feeding the geese some cheerios:

I ADORE this picture.  She is not screaming in pain like it looks, but  rather in shock.  She laughed right after.

ADORING the "fishies" with her cousin at the aquarium:

And playing with her cousins:

We had so much fun.  I actually got teary when we left.  While Edmonton is my home now, I will always have a fondness for Vancouver.  A lot of my family is there and I miss it.  And Hadley aged like 3 months I swear!  She added so many words to her vocabulary and put her first semi-sentence together.  After going pee on the outhouse toilet she waved down the toilet and said "bye bye pee pee".  And she started walking down the stairs like a big girl, holding on to the railing as she goes.  What a  turkey, she is going to hurt herself, I know it!

We shall see what next summer brings.....a 2 year old and a 6 month old.....could be interesting whatever trip we decide to do!!