Canmore and Invermere with Grandma and Grandpa

Grandma and Grandpa have arrived from Ottawa. Just in time for Stampede!

So we immediately packed up and took off for the mountains to get away from the Cowboys.

We stayed at a friend of Grandpa's winter place and ate at some local restaurants.

We also managed to find every playground in Canmore.

Mads had a fever for the first two days, and he was very quiet and snuggly.

In the evenings, Mommy and Daddy had date nights, and Grandma and Grandpa had senior's night out.

After two nights we drove to Invermere and then up to Panorama.

Our rest stops included an outhouse and hiking path on highway 93, and Radium Hot Springs.

While Daddy and Grandpa went up the mountain to pick out a hotel, we got to hang back at lake Windermere.

They found a nice place with incredible views. The only downside was that there wasn't air conditioning and it was super hot while we were there.

Bobs enjoyed his breakfast out on the balcony.

They had a huge outdoor hot pool and warm pool for us to enjoy.

We also had access to two gondolas. Mads' stroller was even allowed on the bigger gondola.

We went for little hikes and sometimes we split into groups so we could enjoy different age appropriate activities. I think Grandma and Grandpa and Bobs were the most active.

Bobs rode the quad up the mountain for the first time. One day he will have skis on.

Mads kept us up two nights in a row, and put on a sweet smile in the morning to try to make up for it.

There was a Kids Funzone that Bobs went into a few times.

We would definitely recommend Panorama for a family friendly weekend. Just don't go when it is too hot. I think it will be even funner when the boys are older.

A major attraction in the summer is mountain biking down the ski hill, and taking the quad up.

All in all, a great trip. Now it is time to enjoy what is left of the Stampede.

Bonus Baynes Lake Photos

Look out Jansen! Here I come!

Jansen took this photo with his mom's iphone. Very nice!!

July Long at the Cabin

We spent the July long weekend at Sarah's cabin near Fernie, BC in Baynes Lake. We've been there a few times with the boys as you have seen on the blog. We started out on thursday morning with Kristin and took a break in Blairmore at a playground.

Sarah arrived later with her little family. The boys are watching Thomas the Train on the computer here.

We went to the beach twice at Surveyor's Lake. Kristin and I took the preschoolers out on the water in lifejackets.

Each day we packed a picnic lunch. The weather was perfect.

This was Elliott's first time in Baynes Lake and also at the beach. He was in the water for more than half an hour. There were lots of babies there.

Kristin and Sarah were proud of their lawn chairs from Costco. Many others had them on the beach too.

Mads ate nearly an entire watermelon while we were there. We all wore red on Canada Day.

The kids ate around 5:00pm and the parents ate after 7:00 when the babies were in bed.

The preschoolers got to stay up a bit later and hang out at the campfire. We did have to wake up pretty early as Mads wakes us up by 5:45am.

On Saturday morning, there was a farmers market in the little town so we hung out there and bought some fudge. Then we played at the old school playground. When was last time you saw one of these merry go rounds?

On the second day at the beach, there were many many more people. But was fun people watching.

There were some guys a few years younger than us with shaved heads, built bodies and tattoos. They made a lot of noise and everyone was watching them.

I asked Bobs what his favourite cabin activity was and he said it was the farmers market. I don't really believe that. It has to be the beach!

We set up a nice shaded area and ate watermelon.

Funny how Bobs wears the same water outfit as last year.

It was Daddy's birthday on July 2nd and we made cupcakes to celebrate. The preschoolers were more than enthusiastic about it.

We let them decorate the cupcakes with smarties and we had hot dogs for dinner. ;)

After dinner someone invited the crazy chair game. Kristin spun them around on the chair, and then after they got really dizzy, they had to retrieve a ball. It was really funny to watch the boys fall to the ground.

The cabin is from the 70's and has been in Sarah's family for at least 25 years. There are some old forts left from the early days.

We brought the bicycles along. Jansen is much faster than Bobs. Bobs barely likes to go on the bike, but it helps that Jansen loves to ride. We heard Bobs say at one point "Look out Jansen!! Here I come!" As he was walking his bike slowly. There is no way he will ever catch up to Jansen.

I think Daddy had a really great day for his birthday.

We left early today at 6:30am. Mads was up at 5:30 and we had already packed. We had Tim Hortons in Fernie and then stopped at Chain Lakes provincial park's playground on the way home.