We left before dawn this morning and headed to Cranbook. Ella slept the first couple of hours and then was up watching Shrek the rest of the trip. The trip was beautiful, the mountains gorgeous. Such amazing country. Ella was a jem the whole 11 hours (including a few pit stops and stretch breaks). We arrived in Cranbrook and met up with my mom's family. Everyone looks the same, like time has stopped... except for the kids, when did they all get big and grown???
Today we hung out on Suzanne's patio and let the kids have the run of the backyard. They played in the pool and chased each other with the garden hose. Ella adores Isabella. Later in the afternoon, Ron, Ella and I went to the local mall and did a bit of shopping before heading back for dinner. We took the kids to Fort Langley to the old fashioned playground, complete with teeter-totters, tire swings and a very tall metal slide.
Last night we stopped by Steph's parents to say a quick hello and goodbye to everyone and then headed over to Uncle Andrew's for a quick visit. Hopefully we will see Andrew in Vancouver next week and we can all go to the zoo. 
This morning we said goodbye, sadly, to Auntie Erin and we are hoping she comes over for the day next week and we'll all go to White Rock. We met Suzanne and the kids and headed out to catch a ferry to Vancouver. It was another gorgeous day, knock on wood, and we made it to Suzanne's with no trouble. 
The kids spent the afternoon in Suzanne and Jason's beautiful backyard, barefoot in the grass... it's been years since I've been able to do that without fear of centipedes, scorpions or such. It was a nice treat for Ella. After a great dinner, Ella is knocked out for the night. Having a 3 and 6 year old to run around with has completely worn her out! We love it!Erin,
Thank you again for hosting and entertaining us. We are so grateful for your hospitality and friendship. Ella is trying to teach me, but nobody can "shake, shake, shake" as cool as her Auntie! We miss you and hope to see you soon in Hawaii - anytime and as long as you can! xoxo
Everytime I come home for a visit the weather is usually gorgeous... a nice treat for the west coast and all it's usual rain. I always have these romantic notions of living here, in the city, close to the water in a gorgeous old home. Ron could run through the park and we'd take evening walks on the water. It really makes me homesick. The reality is, it is so expensive to live, let alone buy a home, that we'd be hours out of the city in a not-so-nice house, both working long hours to maintain some sort of standard of living... all in a mostly rainy place. Not exactly how either of us picture life. It makes me grateful for Ron's job and the lifestyle living in the US affords us. Victoria would be an ideal retirement destination, a small place with everything we love nearby - the ocean, downtown, the park... 
Yesterday would have been my Mom’s 57th birthday so we drove out to the memorial gardens to talk to Grandma. After a short visit, we drove around my old neighborhood and stopped at the beach to see the ducks. When I was growing up, we used to feed the ducks bread. Now, apparently, they are on a diet of whole grains and turn up their noses at anything else. Ella saw the ducks, swans and geese being fed grain by an elderly lady, who I’m not sure worked for parks or is just a very good citizen. Every year I come back, there is so much new development. The houses keep getting bigger and more extravagant, and land that was nothing but rock or forest has become some fabulous shopping. 
Erin had the day off so yesterday we headed out to Beacon Hill Drive-In for the best ice cream in town and then walked over to Beacon Hill Park. The peacocks are in their mating season and the boys were all show for us. Ella was fascinated with them and they were shaking their tail feathers at all the ladies in the park. We went to the petting zoo and Ella pet all the goats. She really doesn’t fear anything or any creature. Auntie makes a great ride and is much nicer than Mommy and Daddy, who make her walk everywhere.
We went with Matthew, Stephanie and Oscar to Coombs, a little touristy town outside Parksville for lunch before heading to Victoria. Coombs had a park with lots of animal statues that Ella climbed all over. 
After a nice afternoon with Steph and Matt, we headed to Victoria to meet up with Erin. Her family had a picnic dinner at Beacon Hill Park with lots of family and friends... lots of babies! Everyone had little ones or were pregnant. Here's Ella with Auntie Sue (Erin's mom) and Mackenzie (Erin's neice). Too much fun!
The weather is gorgeous, warm and sunny with the nicest cool breeze. We're staying on the island and are spending our second night here in Parksville, camping with Stephanie, Matthew and Oscar. If you can really call it camping... an RV park in a loaded RV with a/c, stove, microwave, bathroom and TV. It's a very nice way to "camp".
Today marked the last of three birthday parties in a week. June is a very popular month it seems. Emmi turned 4 and Ella has been so excited to go over to his house and play... I've been bribing her with sleeping and napping all week. Between the kids, chasing Emmi, games, bounce house, candy, cake and a pinata, Ella needed a few minutes to rest up before another round of crazy!
