Mini Whistler Escape

This past weekend, my hubby's company was doing a team building/brainstorming session at Whistler and put their families up for the night. It was an amazing escape from our box filled home (we're moving soon). While he worked, my little girl and I swam in the hotel's heated outdoor pool - we had it to ourselves, and it snowed on us - it was pretty magical. After that we hit up the playground, for what seemed like hours. As many of you know travelling with a toddler can often be a mirror image of home life, but with a new backdrop. When my hubby's company wrapped up for the day, they invited the families to dinner. It was a beautiful setting - the Grill and Vine.  We're talking floor to ceiling windows, a breathtaking view of the mountains and a four course menu laid out for each of us. Right away, we got our little girl something simple off the menu. I was sitting next to one of the other company wives and she was showing me photos of what the other women got up to that day (they were all childless). I saw a series of photos from the Scandinave Spa, photos of them wearing sombreros drinking margaritas and eating Mexican food, photos of coffee stops, shopping, and then she said, what did you get up to today? And without skipping a beat, I exclaimed, "there's this awesome playground.....it has a bumpy slide!"
It was a pretty funny juxtaposition. I think it was also the moment I realized they were all nicely dressed and I was wearing my jeans tucked into my hunter boots. I swear those boots are so comfy that I often forget I am wearing them! I looked like I was ready to tend to some farm fields and they were in dresses.  Halfway through the second course, before we got our Main, I could tell, my daughter was getting fed up colouring her placemat, so I packaged up my dinner to go, and whisked her away to the hotel. My hubby got in after the dinner and the waitress had, very kindly, wrapped up my fourth course (the best lemon tart I've ever experienced) and given it to him to take back to the hotel. I seriously wanted to live in that lemon tart.
On some level - and that level being most levels,  you have to let go of the old way you used to travel, but I really did have a blast with my little gal. I'll never forget dancing on the hillside with her, while a live band played on the stage below, or catching snowflakes on our tongues while I ran with her around the pool, or sitting by the fireplace in our room, reading new books, cuddled under a blanket.
I wouldn't change a thing. xoxo

First Haircut!

Today was an awesome morning. I took the little nugget in for her first haircut. It was starting to get a little bit too wild for me to manage - it seemed to be growing wider instead of longer. She was a champ and the awesome ladies at the salon totally made her feel at home. They sent her off with a treat at the end. I took her to Starbucks and she said, I kid you not, "So mom, how's your day going so far?" Time flies. xo

Before the cut:

friendship

These three little loves have been best of friends since they were babies. They are completely different from one another, and yet compliment each other beautifully. My daughter thinks about them continuously with questions like, "Mom, do you think Emlyn would also like this book?" "Do you think Nyah would like this show?" "Mom, do you love your friends like I love Emlyn and Nyah?"
She talks about them most nights when I tuck her into bed. I'm still really close to my childhood friends and wish nothing more than these three little ones remaining in each other's lives.
With all the visits I've been lucky enough to witness between mom and her lifelong friends lately, there's something extraordinary about people sharing stories and hilarious events from your history, to make your life seem like a beautiful continuum instead of specific, succinct chapters. I've heard so many incredible stories from mom's friends, about when she was young, and some of the antics she got up to; stories she never would have told me. I eat these stories up like candy because they are letting me see my mom in a whole new, edgier way.
I honestly believe our wealth is in our relationships, surrounding ourselves with those who bring us joy and nurturing those bonds so they last us throughout our stories. xoxo

Pumpkin Patchin

Okay, so I went to two pumpkin patches in two days. I wouldn't label it an addiction (yet). This time we met up with friends at the Richmond Country Farms pumpkin patch and had such a wonderful morning. The wagon rides are top notch, with great singers leading us along the ride to the patch, then there's hay bales to climb, a corn maze to wander, animals to see, free apples to eat, and soon, they are adding a miniature train......so, we'll likely be back to catch some of that sweet mini train action. Okay, before you think I'm patch-$&*% crazy.....it's a really fun cheap thing to do with toddlers. At these pumpkin patches, there's so much open space to run around, more entertainment than a local park, and they collapse into the best naps ever. So, it's a huge win-win situation. I hope you're enjoying these gorgeous Autumn days! xoxo

a pumpkin patching we go.....

This morning we hit up the Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch (The turkeys and piglet were at a nearby farm along the drive). At the pumpkin patch, there was a petting zoo, a corn maze, a firetruck to climb on, an old ship to play on, a snack truck, wagon rides to the pumpkins....I was blissed out!!.....(oh ya, the little one enjoyed it too. I think she had to drag me out of the petting zoo.)

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend! xo

Whistler!

 Within 5 minutes of our arrival. 

 They walked through the village together like this. A mountain biker sporting dreadlocks shouted, "yo, that's the cutest thing everrrr!!" Pretty unexpected.

 Hang time with the family. 

oh, it's on

 While my hubby sped down the mountain's more extreme runs on a downhill bike, I sported this rad ride with my gal on the Valley Trail. Pretty much the same coolness factor. A gorgeous day for riding.

 I kept looking at this view thinking, does it get any better than this?

 My friend Care, catching a view of Green Lake.

Amazing soft landing. So, now I guess we swim to shore?

 We spent a lot of time at the bumpy slide. A Mega Hit. Nothing says getting away from it all like a vacation playground.

 I asked them their favourite part of the trip and they all said it was playing together.

 The day before, this park was thumping with a giant beer garden. My hubby and I looked through the fence as people listened to music, drank beer and high fived....we silently let tears roll down our cheeks and then we convinced ourselves that they were just jealous that they weren't having a rad time at the playground. We high fived as well, but it seemed ill placed.

Snack break on route home. Say Cheese! 

It was a wonderful getaway with the family. Unfortunately, my mom was sick the whole trip, stuck in her hotel room. The timing was rough, but it was still pretty amazing for us all to be on the same floor of a hotel, popping in for visits and sharing meals. It's pretty awesome to be able to say, "we're going to hit the park for a bit, but let's meet up in an hour for a swim.....or let's all stroll through the village in an hour for dinner." Whistler is the perfect spot because once you're there, the car is out of sight the whole weekend and there is so much to do, right at your doorstep. Do you take vacations with your folks?

xoxo