Banff, Birthdays, Being

Birthdays are grand. Some people dread them and wish they would not come as a reminder of one's age. Yet, I think there's something incredibly wonderful about them. A celebration of LIFE. A celebration of YOU. The blessing you are the others, the blessings in one's life, and just the fact that you are alive. So I like birthdays and I like to wish people a happy birthday and to enjoy their birthdays with them.


So, when Jenn told me she was planning a party for her birthday, I was excited, because I had that weekend free to come to Calgary and celebrate as grand as we could and to fill our time with adventure and spontaneity and fun.


To dance, laugh, chat, drive, enjoy beautiful views, eat good food, freeze to death, talk until the wee hours of the morning and so on. Life is beautiful and wonderful and it is delightful to celebrate it with those you love.


I arrived Friday night and after a lot of talking, we finally drifted off to sleep. Then after wishing Jenn a happy birthday 10 million times, we went out for Dim Sum with some friends of hers and with her parents. So tasty! And fun to meet new people as well!


And I decided I need to find a dim sum place I like back home. Because it's tasty and super fun and you can try random and new things. Like when I was walking out, I noticed chicken legs and feet. Maybe next time...


After brunch, we headed to Banff with lindie. I love jokes that keep going, make themselves into new forms and then you find signs about them. A few years ago, Lindie met a guy from bible school when we were in the states. And somehow in the course of the conversation, she told him "your state is kind of dumpy." Anyway.. we have not stopped bugging her since and when we saw this sign, we thought it was absolutely perfect.


Cedric also had fun walking around Banf, but he met some menacing characters...




This toque was exceptionally warm and perhaps would have kept me far warmer than I was. Wearing really thin sweatshirts in very cold weather = dumb idea.


Lindie was so excited to go to the candy store, until she found out she couldn't buy any pez.



Banff was chilly, but stunning at every turn and fun to walk around and explore and see waterfalls. I love the excitement of being with friends on an adventure and how the possibilities of what you can do open up and every single thing that is mentioned sounds great and after a while, every sentence is started with, "Next time, let's..." I love the prospect of next time and the wonderful fun things we shall continue to do and to simply enjoy the moment and the randomness of it all.








We were turning a corner, and suddenly a whole row of elk came out of the woods! How delightful and well-timed!




And since Jenn and I have a tradition of seeing nice country churches when we're together, we decided to stop at this historic spot for a couple photos!

And of course, one must always try on animal toques and take photos when they are around.

And funny glasses would be included in that category as well.

Then after getting good and cold (which only took 5 seconds, but why not let it really sink in over a few hours?), we went to Banff Hot Springs.


It was wonderfully warm and comfortable with a nice view of trees, mountains and dusk all around.


The best part? Cedric (the gnome) joined us in the pools and helped us meet some people. Started some good conversations and they even wanted to take a picture with Cedric as well. He's a pretty popular guy.


And then we drove to Calgary into very snowy random drifts and windyness. A part of the trans-canada was even closed because it was so nasty. Then Aussie Rules, a dueling piano bar in the evening, where we met up with a bunch of Jenn's friends. I got to chat with her friend who had been to New Zealand for a few months and loved it, so it was super fun to share stories and our joint love of such a beautiful place. Made me want to go back. asap.

Sunday was a relaxing day and then we went to my friend Jacquelyn's for tea in the afternoon and then for dinner to one of my most favourite restaurants (glad I have fave restaurants in Calgary) with my cousin and her boyfriend.

Then I headed to the airport where flight delays made me happy for once in my life because I got to see my dear friend Anne who was passing through the airport on her way back to Edmonton. And after saying goodbye to her and boarding my flight, I got to see her an hour later, when I had to get off my broken plane and wait to board a different one.



All in all a delightful time in Alberta. I arrived in Saskatchewan at 2:00am in the wee hours of monday morning. -16 temperatures and snowyness welcomed me and I embraced them! And spending 3 full days with an old roommate whom I love dearly sounds delightful! I think we shall perhaps even go visit a giant moose soon!! Yippee! :)

Hope you are all enjoying your week!

Ideal, Ikea, Indian

Last week Calgary Flames came to Vancouver to play the Canucks, so I phoned Lindie up and told her she should fly out so we could go to the game together. So I picked her up at the airport and we headed to Vancouver.

Before the game, we went for Japanese to my favourite Vancouver restaurant. And suddenly Lindie was half out of her seat, about to chase two men (dressed in suits and looking quite dapper if I may say so myself) out of the restaurant. Turns out they were Flames players (Hagman and Conroy). Sadly, Lindie didn't make it in time to get some photos, but we enjoyed that we had dinner with them.. Actually this is the same restaurant where the Canucks sometimes go. So perhaps we will have to frequent it even more often.


The game was ideal (for me) and Canucks won. For Lindie's sake, I was glad that Flames scored with 10 second remaining. Because then I was happy and so was she.


The next day we did a bunch of different things and on the way to Vancouver stopped at Ikea for some wandering around and random photo taking. I love it when Lindie comes to visit. The things we do are always incredibly random, but so fun, including a lot of laughs and good chats as well. Brings you back to simply appreciating the people in your life and loving spending time with them.


That evening we went to Vij's in Vancouver, which has perhaps some of the best service and best Indian food ever. And while you sit there, they bring around appies and chai. So tasty! Here we were joined by more friends and it was just a lovely evening all together.

Dropped Lindie off at the airport on Friday morning, and then I spent the day meeting different people and such, before being dropped off at the airport myself, for my cross Canada adventure. I decided I would go to Calgary for the weekend for my friend Jenn's birthday, and figured, why not keep going? Presently I am in Saskatchewan. And it's beautiful. Yay for snow. And for wonderful friends. I am blessed.

More intermittent updates to come soon!

Hockey, Holler, Happy

Vancouver vs. Flames. In Calgary. How could I resist? I was able to get two really great tickets and flew out for the day just to go to the game. I wore my jersey proudly on the flight and in the airport and got some great comments from passerbys.


It was also fun being there with a Flames fan. That way someone was always cheering (thankfully I was cheering a LOT more)



I have to admit though that their fans are far more hardcore. And the fact that they have flames burst out when they score. It's a nice blast of warmth. :) And the "C" of red that the fans wear is pretty sweet too.

Our seats were pretty great. How cool!

We won 7 to 2 and it was a great game with lots of cheering! Just made it all the more sweeter that it was in Calgary...

The next morning, Jenn and I went out for breakfast at 5am. Because it's tradition. And we're hardcore like that.

Then she dropped me off at the airport for another delightful flight over the Rockies. And the beginning of a wonderful day that would last for 24 hours.

Oh flying. How I love thee {as long as there is no one sitting beside me...}

And that's all for now. Now I'm home and enjoying all the festivities and fun that December brings. Hopefully I will stay grounded at home... for a little while at least. ;)

Busy, Buntzen, Bridal

Summer. Sigh. Generally summer is my least favorite season, but this year I have discovered a unique love for it. I love all seasons, but summer has probably been at the bottom of the list for me.

This summer however I would say would be my most favorite summer so far in my life. Not that summers have been horrible, but I think I just haven't been able to experience and love summer by being around and just living it. In the past years I have either been traveling {which was great, but in a different way} or working crazy hours.

So this summer I have been around. I have been able to enjoy BC in new and fresh ways. I have become acquainted with my canoe and have explored and discovered new and wonderful place, while building great friendships. So here is a little bit of how I have been enjoying my summer during this last week.

Yesterday, Desiree, some of her family and her bridesmaids all got our nails done. It was fun to hang out and be pampered as well. Always fun to get together as girls and just relax. And to have nice nails to show for it. Takes a while afterward to feel safe to do stuff with my hands so as to not ruin my manicure!

I loved that 5 of us could sit together at once while getting pedicures

In the morning before pedicures and manicures, I took Caleb and Emily to my new favorite lake. Caleb and his wife Emily are my cousins {actually 1st, 3rd and 4th cousin.. all in one}. They arrived Wednesday night and spent the night and Thursday morning we headed out to the lake.
Although I dont' see them too often, I love spending time with Caleb and Emily. When we were younger, Caleb and I were the cousins that were the same age so we definitely have some fun memories and connections from then and from visits over the years. Always lots of laughing.
The air was kind of hazy. I hear it's because of the forest fires of late. But it was muggy and therefore warm and perfect for a nice swim in the lake after we canoed to a nice secluded spot.
On Tuesday night, Kristen, Alisha, Adri and I headed to Vancouver for a picnic and to go to Theatre Under the Stars. I just discovered it last year and it's one of my new favorite things to do in Vancouver during the summer.
We saw singing in the rain and it was FANTASTIC! There was even rain on the stage while the song was being sung. Very cool. And very talented cast. Thoroughly enjoyed it all. I am learning more and more that as much as I love all the new musicals coming out, I love love love all the classics.
And our picnic dinner was absolutely fantastic as well! I love picnics as well. And they were mocking me for being the perfect mom with everything I brought and prepared for.
On Monday, Alisha and I joined some friends who were going to Buntzen Lake for the day. I had never heard of the lake, so I was excited to go discover and explore. We brought up 2 canoes and set up a nice little picnic spot.
I had never been to Buntzen Lake, but it's beautiful {minus the powerlines..}. It's a BC Hydro reservoir surrounded by trees and mountains. It was quite high but the water was incredibly warm! Warmest lake I've swam in yet this summer.
The beach was packed, so we went canoeing to explore the lake and found different swimming spots. We even found a nice suspension bridge you can jump off {as long as you ignore the danger, no jumping signs.}
We enjoyed lunch, some more swimming and some card playing as well. All in all a wonderful way to spend the holiday Monday!
And I definitely love this lake. Not many boats and stuff either (other than canoes and non-noise making boats). It's not too far either-I will definitely be visiting it often!
And super clear and clean for swimming. I think swimming in lakes would top as one of my most favorite things {if you ever play whoonu with me, that is good to keep in mind..}

And delightful scenery as well!

have I mentioned that I absolutely love my canoe? One of the best purchases I have made I'd say.
After the day of canoeing, I enjoyed hanging out with Chrystal in the evening. We went for dinner at Red Robin's and then went to go see Charlie St. Cloud which was good and quite thought provoking. Forgot to take pics though.
On Sunday, after church, I flew to Calgary to go visit Jenn and Lindie. We went to Jubilations Dinner Theatre and enjoyed Law and Order: Canada Files. We had been once before and once again, the food, entertainment and company was wonderful! I wouldn't be seeing them for a while, so wanted to go quickly visit and that Sunday night was the perfect time for it!
Saturday I spent paper writing and writing a final. And you saw my procrastination list from that.
Friday, I enjoyed playing some yahtzee on the patio with Megan and Cedric. We discovered that playing outside with wind can be dangerous in keeping track of our score sheets.
Fruit is something else I have loved this summer. Being that in the past I wasn't around to enjoy seasonal fruits, this year I am making up for it {and my stomach can definitely tell-haha}. My favorites have been blueberries, cherries, strawberries and blackberries and watermelon!

Lots of other fun things have been intermixed between all of this during the last week and although I feel like I haven't had a spare moment, I have been loving it!

Amidst the insanity, I took half a day to thoroughly clean my house. It felt so good and now feels so great. It's finally all clean! And mostly organized! Somehow when everything is in it's place and not messy and cluttered, my brain feels better. So that's been nice.
I even have a pantry now, which I created myself and will showcase in the future.
My scanning is almost done, but this blog post beat it. Tomorrow is Desiree and Joe's wedding! I can't believe the day is almost here! Please help pray for no rain, as it's outside! So today and tomorrow are full of preparations and celebrations!

Some things I'm looking forward to this week: family from Ontario visiting, Bard on the Beach, roadtrip to Portland, Spanish Banks, BBQ's and the WEDDING of course! :)

Enjoy the weekend!