Merry Christmas!

Here's wishing everyone a very Happy Holiday and a wonderful New Year!  

Love Always,

Brent, Shari, Aidan, Maelle, Bree & Jenna

mountain day!

Oh it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!  We have snow on the ground and have had it for a while now, which will finally guarantee us a white Christmas!  Yay!

Being that the kids are now officially on holidays from school, and curling for Aidan has taken a Christmas break, and Grandpa Snider is in town, we loaded everyone into the truck and took off for a day in the mountains.  Our destination:  Banff National Park and the area around Lake Minnewanka.

It was a beautiful day to be outside in the fresh mountain air today.  We spent a good deal of the afternoon on a nice walk and the kids (and adults) had a tonne of fun sledding on the shoreline of Lake Minnewanka.  Not a bad place to have a few runs down the hill!

We even located an awesome sitting spot...and I tell ya, if I had a thermos of something warm to drink I could have spent all day in this very spot!

Speaking of warm drinks...we stopped in Canmore at the Good Earth Cafe (our favourite place) for a round of hot chocolates before heading home.  Now you may be wondering why I have a multitude of drinks in front of me, right?  Long story short....the steamer machine broke down after we placed our orders so we had to make a few alterations to our drink selection.  Turned out that the machine came back on so they made our original drinks anyways....on the house!  Nice!  This was me trying to decide what to drink first.

We had an absolute blast in the mountains today, and can't wait to get back there very soon.  We will be quite busy with holiday preparations over the next few days as we will have a full house here on Christmas Day!

Hello 9!

Hello Everyone!  We are back blogging in this space after an absolutely wonderful adventure, and I can't think of a better way to kick things off than a birthday celebration for a very special now nine year old!

Maelle turned nine years old this past Monday, and honestly I think birthdays are a bigger deal to this little gal than Christmas.  We spoiled here with some pretty decadent cupcakes and loaded her up with some blank canvases and paints...a perfect gift for this budding artist.  She has big plans to draw upon some of her adventures over the past three months and we all can't wait to see what she comes up with to paint.  

Maelle continues to keep us laughing daily and always has a hug for whomever is near.  Her giggles can be contagious and her creativity is inspiring.

Happy Birthday sweetheart!  We love you so very much!

It's GO time!

Hello Everyone!

Well....we made it!  It is finally here.  We are a day away from our adventure of a lifetime!  It still doesn't feel real.  I don't think it will until we board that plane, fasten our seatbelts, and take off.  Everyone is really excited, if not a bit nervous, and anxious to get this trip rolling.  You can follow our adventure at "full of adventure", a blog that has been set up specifically for this trip. We plan to update the new blog as often as we can.  Also, keep an eye on Instagram (click on the button on the right hand side of either blog) to stay up to date on where we are!  So, for the next three months, you will find us over in our new space.  Please click on the link above, or click on the "full of adventure" button (the one with the airplane) on the right hand side of this blog.
We look forward to what this adventure will bring, the stories that will be written, and most importantly the memories that will be made.  It truly is an adventure of a lifetime!

Yoho National Park & Banff National Park

On our way home from MacDonald Creek, we decided to spend a few days in the Lake Louise area to take advantage of some hiking and paddling that has been on our bucket list.  We stayed in the Lake Louise Campground (trailer section) and although it is not perfect, it provides a great base for exploring the area.

Our first destination was Emerald Lake, which is located in Yoho National Park - another park that is on my favourite list! The lake is exactly that - an emerald green, and beautiful!  We launched the kayaks from the shore and spent a good few hours paddling around.  It was extremely cool to paddle on this lake and the kids got a great first hand experience of the glacial lake from an entirely different perspective.

The great thing about this lake, is that there is a trail that winds around the shoreline the entire way - which meant that whomever wasn't paddling, could hike!

We played tourist, and hit a few of the stops we hadn't visited in sometime.  Takakawa Falls included!  I have always enjoyed this waterfall, and given that it was really hot out, the mist provided a crisp cool down!

On our final full day, we were up early and on the trail up into the Larch Valley.  The last time I was in these parts, was when we (Kylie and Lindsay included) climbed Mount Temple almost nine years ago to the day! Just staring up at this mountain made my knees quiver!  I honestly couldn't believe that we had all made it to the top of this well over eleven thousand foot peak.
I had wanted to get the kids up here for sometime, and the hike did not disappoint.  After some really good switchbacks that got us warmed up, we emerged into the Larch Valley and were quickly surrounded by the Valley of the Ten Peaks.  This is what I wanted the kids to see!  Being completely surrounded by mountain peaks, each towering well over ten thousand feet!

This shot (below) is my most favourite picture by far, and will definitely be making it into a frame shortly!

After a great morning hike, we ventured down to the lakeshore of Moraine Lake.  This is another glacial lake, that is more of a turquoise colour.  We once again put the kayaks in, and enjoyed another fabulous paddle.  It is always remarkable to get a different perspective of the surroundings from the water, instead of always seeing the lake from the shore or hiking the trails.

The water was perfect!

See those two little specks in the water?  That is Maelle and I!  The shot was taken by Brent from a quick little trail up a rock pile located near the start of the lake.

Well....that wraps up this summer of camping!  We had a bit of a shorter camping season this year, as we now head into prepping for our big adventure that is less than two weeks away!  Yikes!  I can't believe we are this close!

Macdonald Creek

The first leg of our final camping trip this summer, had us heading back into British Columbia to the quaint and fantastic town of Nukusp, and nearby Macdonald Creek Provincial Park.  We were very fortunate to have Grandpa Snider along for the first half of the trip, as well as being joined by Auntie Hope and Uncle Colin.   Grandpa Snider taught Aidan first hand how to fish, and although he didn't catch one (this time anyways!), he learned the basics from a pro!

Aidan learned that it takes patience to catch a fish, and it isn't as easy as it looks!  But,  it proved to be a great activity for Aidan to go off on his own and practice while being surrounded by beautiful scenery.

The town of Nukusp, which is about 10 minutes from the park, has once again won our hearts.  It is such a fun little town that is so full of community spirit, and very friendly folks.  We headed into town for a picnic in the park, and to also enjoy a Kids Night which was full of fun games, songs, and contests.  One of which included a dance off, which our gang proudly won!  Yes, we won a dance off in Nakusp!  How many people can say they have done that?!

Thanks to having an abundance of extra adults around, Brent and I decided on a morning paddle from the town of Nakusp back to the campground.  The paddle was approximately 14km and the water was like glass!  This truly is one of the most beautiful and quiet places that we have seen thus far in BC.

The sunsets were gorgeous!  And thanks to a beachfront campsite, we were able to spend quite a few evenings on the beach enjoying dinner, and watching the sun go down.

One of the things we decided to do was to rent a paddle board....something we hadn't tried yet.  We were able to rent one for a few days, and everyone had a blast testing out this new piece of equipment.  I think Aidan liked it most, but we all managed to do it and only one person fell in!

Even Bree and Jenna could manage the board and still remain standing!

As a family, we all managed a paddle across the lake to enjoy some pure sand and deep cove swimming.  Aidan paddle boarded the entire way there and back, while we spotted him in the kayaks.

We spent a great deal of time at the beach due to its "backyard" like proximity, and the hot temperatures. We met some great campsite friends and enjoyed time with family, while paying a few visits to the town of Nakusp, and also the nearby hot springs.  I love this area.  It's quiet, it's friendly, and above all else, it is absolutely beautiful!

There is already talk about returning here again next summer!

Waterton

We didn't have much turn around time since Brent and I arrived back from Peru, and then heading off to Waterton for our first camping adventure of the summer.  We spent eight days down in our favourite National Park,  and had an absolute blast!

The kids spent a good part of an afternoon, tubing and floating down Cameron Creek, which ran right past our site.  There were a few "roller rapids" at the end of the creek before it emptied into Upper Waterton Lake - many a giggle was had here.  Be sure to check out a few videos at the end of this post to see how much fun the kids had!

The following day was a tad cooler, drizzly, and cloudy - perfection in my mind for hiking - so we spent some time hiking up in Red Rock Canyon and Blackiston Falls.  This is my absolute favourite weather to hike in - the kids thought I was nuts, until they experienced what it's like to hike in hot temps and loads of bugs, later in the week!  Turns out, mom's not so crazy afterall!

We made a day trip down to Many Glacier as well, as we heard that the hiking in that area was amazing.  We decided on a little hike up to Red Rock Falls (not to be confused with Red Rock Canyon) and were rewarded with a mother moose and her calf hanging out in the lake.  A great way to spend some time enjoying a lakeside lunch and observing these two from a distance.  This hike would have been much more enjoyable if the temps were about 10 degrees cooler, and the flies were non-existent!  Hence my point as to why I like hiking in the rain! Oh....I should also mention, that we ran into our first bear on the trail while hiking - both a terrifying and exciting experience at the same time.  For the number of hikes we have done over the years, this was our first encounter with a bear. This area is very well known for it's large grizzly habitat, so sightings aren't uncommon.  A good way to get the heart racing I can tell you that!  (No pics by the way - safety first!)

No trip to Waterton would be complete without the yearly tromp up Bear's Hump and back.  I had to pass, as my knee wouldn't take it, so I hung back with Bree at the playground, and enjoyed a few "bear" treat's of my own!

If someone gave me the option to spend all of my time in a canoe or kayak here in Waterton, I would totally jump at the chance!  A good couple of hours was spent paddling around Cameron Lake - as shown below - and we also lucked out with some great weather to paddle the shores of Upper Waterton Lake on more than one occasion.  The kids are becoming strong little paddlers, and I am already trying to figure out how we can get all of us out on the water!  A few more boats needed I am thinking!

One thing that we wanted to do last time down in the park, was horseback riding.  Bree and Jenna are still a bit young for the longer rides, but Aidan, Maelle, and Brent ventured out for an afternoon jaunt with Alpine Stables.  Next year, we are hoping that Bree and Jenna (and me) can go as well!

One thing about Waterton, is it is notorious for its windy (very windy!) conditions.  Towards the end of our stay, we had a good couple of windy days!
All in all, we had a very busy eight days in the park.  Aside from all of the above activities, we also managed to squeeze in countless bike rides, geocaching, interpretive shows, junior explorer programs, swimming and playing in Emerald Bay, a few ice cream cones, tennis, and we enjoyed sampling some of the delicacies the town of Waterton had to offer.  Phew!
And that my friends is a wrap!
Our next camping adventure takes us back into British Columbia and MacDonald Creek for two weeks of camping at another one of our favourite parks.  We'll wrap that adventure up in Lake Louise, and then....then my friends, we are off on are biggest adventure to date!  Time is ticking!!!

And, as promised, here are a few video clips of the big tubing adventure!

Machu Picchu

There is good reason that Machu Picchu is one of the new Wonders of The World, this place is beyond amazing! 

Our final, full day in Peru, consisted of saving the best for last.  A day trip from Cusco, to the world famous Machu Picchu.  We boarded an early morning train in Cusco, and made the three hour journey to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu.  The train meandered through the farmlands of the Sacred Valley, turning into more of a jungle like environment as we neared our destination. 

The town of Aguas Calientes serves as the jumping off point for trips up to Machu Picchu.  Most people take a bus service up and down a series of steep switch backs that seem to cling to the side of the cliff.  It’s a bit of a “white-knuckler” of a drive, but the drivers seem comfortable…a little too comfortable in my opinion!  One can also take a hiking trail that cuts the switch backs with a series of steps and pathways.  The other means of access is the world famous Inca Trail, which takes approximately four days to complete, and ends with an impressive view of Machu Picchu high above the site and the Urubamba River Valley.

The bus drops the tourists off within a five minute walk to the site, and after getting your passport stamped you are awarded with that million dollar view which seems to loom up in front of you as you round the corner. 

Machu Picchu is an amazing place with so much to see and learn.  We were lucky enough to have Ballantino as our guide, and his knowledge of this place was incredible.  To be honest, I went into Machu Picchu, without a whole lot of background knowledge, other than a few basic facts.  After spending a good amount of time touring the site and staring at the view, I was intrigued with the mysteries that this place offers.  I have since purchased a few books and novels with the hope to expand my knowledge and understand the intricacies of this wonder.  In all honesty, I really hope to take the kids back here one day.  Currently, there is a lot of discussion around the tourist industry and how much of an impact it has on Machu Picchu.  There are limitations placed on the number of people that are aloud into the site each day, and efforts are underway to further preserve this wonder of the world. 

So…..I will let the pictures tell the story of our time at Machu Picchu.  It was truly an unforgettable experience.  I did however, learn that walking around Machu Picchu is much steeper than it appears!  I think the sheer cliffs that line the edges of Machu Picchu are somewhere in the vicinity of 450 metres above the Urubamba River below.   I am not gonna lie…some of these terraces and steps, were terrifying!  Looking back though, it was totally worth that fear factor.

Peru was awesome.  I loved the food, I loved the people, I loved the culture.  It is a place where I would love to visit again one day, and see more of the Cusco area and what it has to offer.    Someone told me that Cusco has a way of capturing your heart, and after the time we spent there, I can totally agree. 

See you again (one day) Peru!