Life's Whirlwind Adventures

Way back in November during the fall break I jumped on a plane solo and flew to visit friends and family in California. I hadn't been back to California since my wedding, so this visit was long, LONG overdue.  It was a great flight, it was on the smallest plane ever, I think there were a total of 12 rows so we were all in coach, but I was in row two so that was super nice and I was able to read and disconnect from everything around me for awhile. Upon arriving my California Sister, Alex picked me up from the airport.  It was my first time meeting her husband Ethan and her two young sons.  They were amazing and felt like I'd always known them, and Alex and I got to catch up. The next day I headed out to see my dad's grave site.  That was a definite bitter sweet moment for me, I realized that having my dad interned so far away from me, limited my ability to seek out his guidance.  That is actually weird to say, because I shouldn't need his resting place ...

Five things I remember from when I was sixteen!! 1) I got my license on June 8 three months after my sixteenth birthday. I remember the dread I felt when my evaluator was Pete, AKA Repeat Pete.  It was also during a big fire up north so there were a lot more people in Prince Albert than usual and I remember Pete telling me at the end of my lesson that I was just on the edge of failing because I hesitated at a corner that had pedestrians at it.  He told me I had 7 or 8 marks off and he could fail me but decided not too. I finally breathed a sigh of relief and did the happy dance into SGI to pick up my new license. 2) I changed schools when I was 16 as well.  I left Rivier Academy behind and went to the Public High School.  I don't regret this decision at all and I had some of my best high school years at Carlton Comprehensive High School.  I don't feel like a missed anything by changing schools although I did lose out on a trip to Europe, but at the end of th...

I look out at what's going to be happening this summer, and there is so much coming up that I don't even know how I will fit it all in.  The biggest event is obviously the wedding, but there are some precursory events that are coming up that I am really looking forward to.  But I have a lot of work to do to be prepared for all these events.  Things I must finish and organize so that I can be prepared for the big 'I DOs" and all that comes after it, not to mention I have to continue to apply for jobs and stuff. Some of the things on my to do list include finishing favours, ordering m&ms, finding table clothes for the tables, order the cupcakes for the wedding, apply for jobs, apply for EI (gag me), and making all my other plans daily activities for Lil Man.  It seems like a long to do list, but really most of those things could be completed in a morning, and in all actuality I applied for jobs and applied to EI this morning.  Lil Man and I will be doing pla...

Tell us your favorite junk food My favourite type of junk food is any junk food. LOL just kidding. If I had to pick a favourite of all time it would be a tie between Reese’s Peanut Butter cups and Pepsi. Both unfortunately for me have become comfort foods. I will crave them when I am feeling down or missing my dad. There is a definite tie to my father with both these items as he always kept me in supply in the summers when I came down to visit. Ask any of my California friends, they will tell you, if they came over to my dad’s they would open the fridge and find a pepsi and in the cupboard beside the fridge was a box of Reese’s. I don’t eat or drink much junk food anymore, but when the cravings start those are my first two choices.

We started our day by heading to the BART station.  It was a half hour ride down to the Embarcardaro Station.  This station dumps you right in the Financial District and you are about 10 blocks from Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf.  We were going to catch a bus to Fisherman's Wharf but we decided to walk instead.  The buses that went to the Wharf were old fashioned and looked very crowded.  Ade commented that the passengers looked like sardines in a can.  A truer statement had never been made.  It was the first time Chan and Ade and Little Man had been on BART so it was fun for them I think.  I enjoyed riding on BART, it's relaxing. After arriving in the Financial District we walked down to Pier One.  They have this cool Water Sculpture there, it is metal and has water running out of it.  Chan and I went up and posed for a picture.  It was a pretty cool sculpture, however I couldn't help thinking that at night the homeless may use it ...

I was sad to leave Tahoe, I absolutely adore it there.  However, we went to Tracy to visit Darlene and her family, and Jeni and Jay.  Darlene fixed us supper while Chan and Chris swam in the pool.  Little Man and I hung out inside with Ade and helped Darlene with supper.  After supper we headed out to watch Melissa play some Junior Giants.  It's a really great organization that gives kids a chance to learn how to play baseball, and it's FREE.  Why don't the Oilers or Flames do this for kids in Canada???  Junior Giants are all over the Bay Area it's so neat! That night I took Ade to meet Jay.  Jay is married to Jeni and they have their own little man, their little man will be 2 in October.  We had a great visit with them.  Jeni even decided to come with us the next day to Jelly Belly Factory.   The next day started out early.  Little Man thinks that getting up at 6:00 am on holidays is fun, I can't convince him other wise eit...

So we spent the Fourth of July with my cousins.  We had a barbecue and Darlene, Dave and their kids came over from Tracy. Unfortunately,  no one else was able to come out as they already had plans, but we had a great time.  The kids played, the girls got to visit, the boys visited and we got to watch some pretty awesome fireworks right on the Delta.    The next day we hung out with my cousins and went down to the ocean. As Ade had never been to the ocean it was something we had to do.  We were not able to get down to Santa Cruz, but we made it to Stintson Beach.  It was overcast but it was a super nice beach.  The children played in the ocean, Little Man was not a huge fan as it was pretty cool, Ade dipped his feet in and then took pictures of the waves crashing the shore.  Chan looked for sea creatures and actually found a couple.  That's my oldest, always finding strange creatures.  We drove right by the Nascar race track in Valle...

We left for California on July 2.  It was Adrian's first vacation but we had all been on planes before.  Lucky Adrian got to fly for work :P.  The first frustration at the airport happened when we arrived.  I attempted to sign us in via the self serve terminals, however, because Little Man is an infant that did not happen.  So in line we stood.  After tagging our baggage and the stroller and car seat we were on our way.  It took some time to get going because she had to enter all our names into the computer and since last names are all different she had to type it all in.  Then it was off to customs. I was dreading customs, I always dread customs, because so many times we have problems with customs.  Because Chan's last name is not the same as mine questions are asked, and now I was beginning to feel that because we (Chan and I) were travelling with Adrian (another different last name) that we would have more explaining to do.  Bu...