We had been looking forward to October for some time. I have a huge bucket list of places that I would love to see and explore. I tick at least one off each year. Traveling is a part of who I am. I plan to travel until I can no longer do so. With that said, I planned a trip for our family of five to British Columbia, Canada. I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to use the kids passports and see Vancouver. I was keeping an eye on flights to this beautiful country for years. It never seemed to be the right time. This has happened many times in our travels. I plan, I look, I wait. There have been times when our trips were cancelled or even needed to be moved due to other circumstances that came up. There are also places I am still waiting on to work out, crossed fingers it will one day. The Lord knows how much I love to travel and what it does for me and my soul. I leave it to Him each year. Whatever place "just happens" to open up for us I take it. Vancouver had been on that list for awhile. I was so grateful when everything fell right into place.
Before leaving for Vancouver we had a little visit from the Williamson crew. We were SO excited to have that one on one time with everyone.
The gang arrived early on Thursday morning. We had been anticipating this sweet reunion for a few weeks. We were thrilled that they decided to come see us :)
Piper girl with her Uncle Preston
A walk to check out the ducks.
Fun at the duck pond.
Movie night for the win.
Sweet Teagan girl taught Quinn how to knit. They had a blast together.
One last movie night with the cousins.
Lincoln boy fully entranced :)
Piper helped me pack some last minute items before we took off.
Miss Piper with all the bows she could find, haha.
We were only able to spend two days with this sweet family. Our flight left that Saturday. We loaded up the car and headed to SFO for our flight. One of the great benefits of living in central valley is that we have four airports we can fly from. All airports are also international making it a little easier to find great flights.
I got to sit with the boys this time around :) We were excited and ready for take off!
First stop was the British Columbia temple in Langley. It was beautiful. We just stopped to snap a picture.
On our journey to Whistler we couldn't believe the mountains. They were absolutely breath taking. They were different mountains from what I have seen before. They just never ended. It was like dominos of mountains. Gorgeous. This was the most beautiful mountain drive I have witnessed in my life thus far. This drive was on our way to Whistler. A place that quickly took a piece of my heart.
We made a quick stop at a Costco like store called The Great Canadian Superstore in Vancouver to grab a few things for our journey. We had a lot of fun reading all of the labels in both English and French :) It was fun to see.
Whistler was stunning. It was full of vibrant colors. We couldn't stop looking at all of the trees and mountains that surrounded us. I would go back to Whistler in a heart beat. It was magical. We stayed right in the center of it all. We loved peering out of our window in the morning and watching the people walk around with their morning coffees. It was so fun to people watch while being in the center of everything.
This beautiful building was right across from the condo we were staying at.
Nature was EVERYWHERE! It was gorgeous and so peaceful.
Our cute Beckham boy wanted to pose for me :)
Me and my love in front of the Olympic Torch.
The Olympic Torch from the 2010 Winter Olympics.
This area was super cool. It had a large playground, shops that surrounded the playground, an amphitheater, green grass areas to run around, and walking/hiking paths in every direction. It was awesome!
Where did Quinnie go?
Another look at the play area.
1) They had fun totem poles to look at. The artistry in each of them was so unique. 2) Jack playing peek a boo with some littles that were around. 3) Quinn hanging out in a cool car and 4) Beckham boy feeling a little blue that his new friend had to leave with his family :)
Pres and I found a bench and let the kids play for a while. We got to sit and enjoy the incredible views that surrounded us.
After playing at the park for some time we explored the shops.
One of the things we were all really looking forward to was riding in a gondola. We set off to the ticketing booth as soon as we could. It was about a quarter of mile walk to the gondolas. The walk did not disappoint. Everywhere you looked you were just wide eyed and trying to take it all in. This beautiful river was so relaxing and peaceful. We stopped and listened for a while before moving on. The trees that lined the river were like trees from a story book. It was fairytale like.
My sweet boy wanting a picture of him on the bridge with the river :)
The gondola we chose to ride was called Peak to Peak. This was an incredible ride. You take one gondola to the top of Whistler peak and another across the canyon. That first ride takes about 20 minutes. Then you get on another gondola that takes you across to Blackcomb Peak. This part of the ride holds the Guinness World Record. It is the world's highest lift of it's kind measuring at 1,427 ft from the valley floor. That gondola ride is 11 minutes long. Then you go back the same way. It has breath taking views of the mountains and valleys that surround you.
The boys on the way up to Whistler Peak.
Quinn and I crossing to Blackcomb Peak.
A view from the first gondola.
A few views from Whistler Peak.
We got out and walked around before getting on our next gondola ride.
Such beautiful country.
Sunny pic on Whistler peak :)
Love
The mountains were something else. The color of the lake was jaw dropping beautiful.
Hanging with a mountain lion.
Here we go! Part two of the trip.
View from the second gondola. On our way to Blackcomb.
We were SO happy we did this as part of our stay. It was awesome!
Blackcomb Peak
This cool guy greeted us at the top.
A view from the restaurant up top.
Love this, haha.
Family pic time
We had some Olympic winners!
It was so cool to see the box and rings. The kids loved this, especially Beckham, he had to make sure he was gold, haha.
A look at an old lift.
A look at the lifts. Pres was the only brave one to venture out that far. You could see through the grates quite well, and the kids were not ok with the height. Haha. They were great on the gondolas though, haha.
Heading back to Whistler peak.
A look at the gondola.
A view from the middle of the trip on the highest gondola in the world! We were 1,427 ft up. CRAZY!
When we got back to the village there was a Farmers Market going on. We paroozed as we headed back to the condo. It was great to see everyone out and about looking at all kinds artsy things.
A walk through the woods.
Enjoying our sweet time.
We got lost for a minute but then found our river!
Once we were back at the condo we had lunch and everyone found a corner to relax. We all fell asleep :) It was the perfect afternoon. We had the windows open to take it all in. With the hustle and bustle below plus the temperature outside we were bound to fall asleep.
LOVE
Quinn fell asleep next to Pres.
I think Jack may have been the only one that didn't nap. He loved his rest time though.
The view from my window bench.
Life below the condo.
The Olympic rings!
After that much needed nap I took a walk around the village. It was so peaceful and nice. People were heading to dinner, or trying to get into a shop quick before it closed. It was nice to take a few minutes with myself and my camera and enjoy.
I went to the center of the square and took a pic looking from end to end. It was such a beautiful evening.
That night we went on the coolest story tour through the woods. I found this incredible walk through an enchanted forest online. I was so excited for us to experience it. I had no idea what we were really walking into but trusted all of the positive reviews I read. Now introducing Vallea Lumina in Whistler, BC.
Along the path you are told a story through song. There is a grandpa and his granddaughter that sing of a legend that happened not far from where we stood. It goes... Between the trees, in the shadow of mountains, legends say there's a hidden valley where the stardust falls from the sky, filling all living things with its pure light. It's a place that's filled with unexpected enchantment.
Lights filled the pathways and in the trees as we walked along. It was so beautiful.
The map they posted along the way so we could find where we were and what was to come.
They used a hologram projector to show the Grandpa and granddaughter. It was truly magical. We all loved it so much. The kids asked to do it again :) It was a HUGE hit with our family.
The walk was about a mile long and takes about an hour since you stop to hear the story along the way. Once we finished we ended up at a cabin area. We were able to grab s'mores, sit by a fire, and play connect four.
Warming up by the fire.
S'more time :)
Dad with his little mini me.
Whistler was an absolute favorite from our trip. The kids talked about it for quite some time. It was awesome and I am so glad we did it. That night we came back and packed up all of our stuff before heading to bed. We had an early ferry ride the following morning out to Vancouver Island. We didn't realize that the day we were going to ferry was also Canada's Thanksgiving, haha. Luckily it all worked out.
We watched the sun come up on our drive to Horseshoe Bay. It was gorgeous!
We made it!!
We got in early enough to snag a spot on the ferry. We tried to get tickets before hand but all reservations were taken. Luckily, they allow some first come first serve tickets. This was a huge blessing. So grateful it worked out for us to get on the ferry at this time.
Taking a ferry was a first for all of us. It was so cool to do. The world around us was just waking up and such a beautiful sight along the way.
We're on a boat!
It was super cold and windy on deck so we didn't stay here long. We hunkered down in the comfy chairs below deck after watching for dolphins. We spotted one! It was jumping the wake as we sailed along.
The kids hung out here while I took pics around the boat.
Such a gorgeous morning. We couldn't have asked for better weather. It was perfect.
Me and Pres enjoying the sunrise :)
Vancouver Island in the distance.
There were several little islands all around in the bay. They were just full of trees.
Taking our morning drive down to Victoria.
Another blessing from the day was being able to check into our Airbnb early. Our hosts were super accommodating and so kind to let us check in when we arrived. We were all feeling a little tired from the 5am wake up call so we took a nap and laid low until dinner.
After dinner we watched a movie and hung out as a family. It was nice relaxing and being lazy for a day.
The following morning we walked to breakfast. They had so many cool buildings and areas along the way.
It was fun exploring the streets and buildings around our Airbnb.
Preston found an incredible breakfast place called Jam Cafe. We still talk about the Jam. It was so tasty. We long to go back one day :)
Everyone loved everything they ordered.
Full bellies and ready to take on Victoria.
I found this cool area on our way to Jam Cafe and wanted to go back and check it out. It looked exactly like Diagon Alley from Harry Potter. It was SO cool!
Of course per tradition we found a beautiful bookstore on our route home. Everyone went home with a book ... or two ;)
Next stop was the Hatley Castle. This was the castle used in X-Men and Descendants and several more films. It is massive and absolutely stunning as you walk up to it. The castle itself had closed the week before...boo. However the grounds are free to walk so we gave ourselves a little tour of our own.
Clarks at Hatley
Like I said... Stunning!
Love these three kiddos.
They were so excited to explore the grounds and really enjoyed it. This was another favorite on the list along the way.
Awesome tree with giant leaves.
They had a very cool pond with ducks, fish, and turtles.
Jack found a giant leaf! Haha. We couldn't believe the size of this thing. It was crazy huge.
This entire place was so soothing and tranquil. It had a peace about it. We loved it.
The colors were so vibrant everywhere we looked. It was incredible.
We stopped to watch the ducks and take it all in.
There was a cute water wheel on the property. We watched the water go round and round for several minutes. Jack was trying to figure out how it all worked and what you could power with it, haha.
We felt like this tree looked like a hand trying to come out of the ground.
Beckham and Quinn in a gazebo.
This is a view from the back of the castle looking out to the ocean.
We ended up walking the balcony to peer through the windows. It was fun imagining what each room was used for.
This would technically be the front of the castle. There was a circular driveway here for people to be dropped off and then drive out.
What a grand entry.
Once we left the castle we headed to an old fort. The fort was called Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse NHS. It was only a few minutes from the castle so we stopped to check it out. This place did not disappoint.
Jack showing me how a missile would launch from this gun.
This was where they kept the prisoners of war. On the right was the artillery stock pile.
From the fort you could see this beautiful lighthouse.
We walked from the fort down to the lighthouse to check out the views and tour the lighthouse. I love light houses, but I have never gotten the chance to tour one. I was so happy I got to go in and see what it was like.
A view of the ocean on our walk to the lighthouse.
We got to explore everything in the lighthouse. They had so many cool historical things in each of the rooms. Such as a table and chairs, books, things they wore, games they would play. They also left interesting facts about the lighthouse and how it operated in the early 1900's.
The hallway was so small. That brick though ... :)
While I took my time touring and reading everything I could, the boys found an old checkers board. They played for over an hour on that vintage board. They were in heaven. On the right was another set of stairs that took you up to the second level. They were quite steep.
Love this shot. It was such a beautiful lighthouse.
While I walked all around and took my time. Pres took Quinn out to look at the boats go by.
Looking back at the fort.
Father daughter time out by the ocean. That's Pres and Quinn on that giant rock.
Gorgeous!
This cute little beaver welcomed us to the fort and lighthouse when we pulled in. The kids wanted to make sure and get a pic with it as we left.
Once we were back in Victoria we cruised the streets to check out the city.
We stopped to eat dinner at Fisherman's Wharf Park.
Absolutely delicious fish and chips from Barb's fish and chips.
After dinner we took a walk along the harbor.
Not sure this boat is going anywhere anytime soon :) It was cool to look at though. Very vintage.
Careful Beckham and Quinn :)
They thought this was so cool. I'm just grateful no one fell in, haha.
The restaurants were so colorful.
They were actually setting up a Christmas scene for a Hallmark movie. It was so cool to see everyone working to add Christmas flare along the paths.
Now it was time to see the tallest totem pole in the world!
This is the tallest free standing totem pole in the world at 127 ft! It was much skinnier than I thought it would be but it was definitely tall.
We walked the park in search for a playground. We came across some ducks along the way.
We found the playground!
The kids played here for about 30 minutes before we took off for home.
There were peacocks everywhere. It was crazy to see. I felt like I was at a zoo, haha.
That night we packed up once again for our returning ferry ride the following morning. Victoria did not disappoint this group. We all had a blast while staying on Vancouver Island.
Beckham read one of his new books to Quinn on our drive to Schwartz Bay. I just thought it was the sweetest I had to sneak this pic.
A few pics from the ferry ride back to Vancouver.
We chose to use one ferry going in and the other going out so we could see more of the bay. I'm glad we did. It was another beautiful morning to sail the open sea.
I kept trying to find some orcas but no such luck this trip. We were so happy that we got to see a dolphin.
Once we were off the ferry in Tsawwassen we stopped at a mall on our way to our final Airbnb to grab lunch. We ate at a delicious place called Two Stones Grill. The food was SO dang good. After eating we paroozed the mall for a minute. We found an arctic fox along the way ;)
After checking into our new condo for the night we stayed in and rested from our journey. The crew finally made it to our last stop, Vancouver! We couldn't wait to explore the city. We grabbed dinner and watched a show before bed. We were all so excited to head to Science World the following morning.
Science World was incredible! We were so happy we planned a day here. We stayed for several hours just taking it all in. We had a blast exploring each level and watching the shows they put on.
This entire area was filled with different types of puzzles. Adults and kids could spend an hour easily in just this section. I know we did :)
Quinn got picked to help with the cold experiment. She was so happy to be on stage.
Jack and I went against each other in a wheelchair race. It was much harder than we thought.
Beckham skiing down the mountain side as an Olympian.
Preston and I built this foam arch while we waited for the kids. This little guy came by and asked if he could kick it down. We said sure. He loved it, haha.
Next was the pyro show. Learning a little about chemistry. Jack loved this one.
Another place we spent a good amount of time ... the Do you know you? We had to answer questions about the human body. Very educational and really fun to learn.
One of the last stops was a movie about discovering a TRex.
Surfs up guys! This was made out of old iPhone cases.
Here's the TRex we learned about :)
Science World!!
We had such a blast exploring this place. We even stopped by the playground they had outside before heading home. Such a fun stop in Vancouver.
We took the longer way back to our train so we could check out the sites. It was a lovely day for a walk :) That is Rogers Arena in the distance.
They had so many running trails, walking paths, and bike lanes. This was a city that encouraged outdoor activities. It was wonderful.
After a day of learning and walking we took a rest at the condo. We had such a great view!
Downtime for the kiddos. Screen time, puzzles, reading, and eating yummy treats.
For our last day in Vancouver we chose to do a hike and see a suspension bridge. Apparently there are several bridges you could choose from. We chose one that we didn't have to pay for ;)
Showing a little bravery as we suspended in the air.
There were very few people in the park when we were there. It was awesome.
What a view from the bridge! It was beautiful.
Squeeze in everyone.
Looking down below.
We even had the bridge to ourselves at one point.
There ended up being two bridges that we could cross. I had no idea how high up we would be. It was a gorgeous view. Plus, it was a hike for everyone.
Our bridge ;)
The trail took us all through the woods. We loved exploring the different types of vegetation. The trees were super cool as well. We saw a few squirrels along the way.
Sibling love :)
Beckham and I found this incredible spider web. I had never seen anything like it in my life. It was massive! A total work of art. Grateful we didn't see the spider that created it though, haha.
A water hole with a really cool overhang.
There were several signs saying "stay on the path". These rocks were really slippery and there had been accidents in the past. It does look inviting though :)
More waterfalls.
Lots of steps to climb in the end. Everyone did a great job on our morning hike.
Gorgeous views all around us. So grateful for all of God's creations.
Especially this guy :)
The woods were just thick with trees. They were everywhere and so pretty to look at.
After our walk to the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge we headed to Deep Cove. I looked up a bunch of places on the map before heading on our vacation. This place really stuck out to me and I wanted to see it in person. I looked up places they film movies and this one came up. I don't know any that were filmed here but dang, this place was worth stopping by. It was absolutely awe-inspiring. The kids played on a near by playground while Pres and I just took in this stunning view. We took a minute to dream what it would be like to live here. It was a place that continues to be a "happy place" in my mind.
Welcome to Deep Cove
The water was crystal clear.
Really cool structure. The kids had a ball going all around, playing tag, sliding, making friends, etc. It was a really fun stop.
The birds would get so close to you and they were huge.
Once we implanted this sweet spot into our minds we moved on to lunch. Pres found this crazy good deli just around the corner. The sandwiches were delish! We also stopped at Honey Doughnuts and Goodies for a yummy donut. We ended getting a few because they were so dang tasty and saved them for breakfast.
Once we got back to Vancouver we stopped at our place to drop off the car before walking around the city. We ended up at a mall and looked around for awhile before grabbing a bite at a near by diner. We legit felt like we went back in time. It was fun.
That night we packed up to leave and had one more night in Vancouver. We had an early journey the following day back to the airport to head home.
Before heading to the airport we stopped in a cool town called White Rock. This is where they filmed some of Psych. A funny detective show that Preston and I had watched. They had such an impressive coastline. It was like out of a movie. I get why they took shots from here. It could not have been a more perfect morning. We parked the car and strolled along the coast.
Two guys just hanging out in the perfect morning light.
This sweet girl wanted her own picture on this rock :)
One last pic of our crew before heading to lunch.
This is Henry's house from the Psych show. It was different than I expected but super fun to see.
This is the Psych office they use in the movie. The show is actually filmed on set but they use this as the b roll for the office.
We had a little more time to kill so we walked the pier. The giant white rock in the back ground is why this town is called White Rock. They have a legend that goes with this rock. It goes something like this ...
A Sea God's son fell in love with a Chief's daughter from a well known tribe on land. It was love at first sight and he was determined to marry her. However, when they introduced this idea to both parents they did not agree that they should marry. They said that a God could not marry a mortal. The Sea God's son was furious and grabbed a white rock from the sea floor exclaiming, "wherever this rock lands we will wed and build our lives together." He hurled the rock from where they stood which was in Sidney on Vancouver Island and the rock reached present day White Rock. The son of the Sea God swooped up his princess and swam to where the rock landed some sixty miles away. They wed and grew their own tribe from this place. The tribe is called Semiahmoo Tribe. After many years the tribe dissolved, but that remnant of the once great and powerful tribe still lives near the rock.
There were train tracks that ran along the coast. We even got to see a train go by.
White Rock from the pier.
Lots of people were crab fishing on the pier. The kids were super interested in how it all worked. It was fun to watch.
We ended up eating lunch at a yummy place right there in White Rock called Charlie Don't Surf. We even got to eat outside and look at the ocean views close by. Once we finished there we headed to the airport.
When getting on the plane we boarded from the tarmac. You felt very VIP, haha. The sun was going down and it was the perfect goodbye to a wonderful trip.
And they're off!
When we got home that night, Beckham wanted me to take a pic of him in his bed, with his book, with his teddy :) Home sweet home.
Here the kids learned about pumpkin seeds. Everyone got to plant their very own pumpkin seed to take home with them.
Learning how to milk a cow and what milk is used for.
Being pulled around by a tractor.
They had so many fun farm animals to see. Quinn LOVED this part of the trip.
The brand new calf.
Once everyone finished at each of the stations they got to pick a pumpkin out to take home.
Quinnie found a winner!
Snack time before loading back up on the bus.
Pumpkin painting for the win!
We are not great pumpkin carvers but we love pumpkin painting :) The kids loved making their very own creations. We let them dry and put them in the window for Halloween.
A very fun Halloween!
We did the church trunk or treat and had a blast. The kids loved going from trunk to trunk and seeing their friends. Pres and I were lumberjacks, Jack was Link from Zelda, Beckham an astronaut, and Quinn was Elsa from Frozen.
We had an incredible October. Pres and I talk often about how blessed we truly are. We were able to surround ourselves with family at the start, go on an epic trip to Canada, watch our kids enjoy life through their eyes, and end with a fun church party bringing everyone together. Life could not get better than this, or, can it? Preston and I have been so grateful for our kids. They are such incredible little travelers. They enjoy it as much as we do and for that we are so grateful. They love exploring new places, meeting new people, and seeing more of what the Lord has given us. They've been going on trips since they were born so I am sure that has something to do with it. I am so happy we get to continue doing this as they get older.
October you ROCKED! We can't wait to see what happens in November! So much more fun to come!!
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