Rolley Lake Camping Trip

We had one last trip planned this summer: Rolley Lake Provincial Campground. Unfortunately due to the wildfires in B.C. the air quality was the worst we have ever experienced and it was advised to avoid strenuous activities and stay indoors. We visited the Stave Falls Powerhouse for an indoor activity but the rest was all outdoors. We decided to end our trip early and packed in as much of the camping experience as we could into those 24 hours.

Stave Falls Dam and Powerhouse

I've lived in B.C. my whole life yet had not visited the 100-year-old Stave Falls Powerhouse Facility in Mission, B.C. We were camping at Rolley Lake which is five minutes away and decided to check it out. I can see why various movies and TV series have been filmed there as it is quite a unique and historical site! The powerhouse was once B.C.'s largest hydroelectric source and was completed in 1912.

Five Important Lessons I Have Learned in My 40 Years

Here I sit wanting to make an impactful "What I know about life at 40" kind of post but I'm hesitant. Why? I look at what I wrote ten years ago and shudder at what I thought was wisdom. I was so naive and life, parenting and marriage have kept me humble and have been great teachers over the past ten years. To spin this positively, I could say that at 40 I know that the next ten years should be filled with growth and more wisdom which is a gift as I then approach 50.

What are some of the major lessons I've learned in 40 years of life?

Thankful Thursday

I spoke too soon when I said the heat wave was over. I don't do so well over 30C. But, no one wants to hear me complaining about the weather so here we go. What am I thankful for this week?

I am thankful for:

Thankful Thursday

The heat wave is over in the Lower Mainland – yeehaw! I'm fine with sun on holidays when there's a pool or lake but when you're sweating it out in your home with a million kids it's not as enjoyable. Every single one of these photos is from my phone and I'm just going to be cool with that. I sort of can't believe that July is over which sort of scares me because I'm going to work in three weeks but at the same time I'm thankful for the trips we've taken and all that we've gotten done over the past month. 

Here are a few things I am thankful for this week:

Five Places to Visit in Kelowna with Kids

We recently visited Kelowna in the southern interior of B.C. which is located just 3.5 hours from the Lower Mainland and right on the Okanagan Lake. Our reason for planning a family vacation to Kelowna was threefold: a short road trip, numerous outdoor activities available and a beach vacation vibe. We ended up staying in West Kelowna as it was a bit more affordable which allowed us to do more activities each day. We were there for three days and I'd love to share the activities that were recommended to us that we enjoyed.

What are the five things I recommend doing with kids while visiting Kelowna?

Jug Island Trail at Belcarra Regional Park

Jug Island Trail is located at Belcarra Regional Park in Port Moody, B.C. and is a beautiful moderate hike for those who want something in the two-hour range. It winds through the forest until the end when it opens up to Indian Arm. You can then walk along the ocean shore and look for crabs and fish and I recommend going at low tide if possible.

Thankful Thursday

Hey team! So, this week Nya went to a play date where she asked her friend (in the car full of their family) whether her mom yelled. Her friend said "no" and Nya said she was lucky because her mom was the opposite. At first I laughed when I heard it and then I was slightly mortified and then I felt frustrated. To be clear, I have yelled at Nya maybe twice in her life because she is so sensitive. If I raise my voice she feels like I'm yelling. Do I yell at my boys? Yes, they are ridiculous and I am human. If you feel like I shouldn't yell, I hear you, it's not my first choice but then I also dare you to parent my crew.  All this to say I've felt a bit down about the exhaustion of parenting. I've never doubted my ability as a parent (weird, right?) but wow is it ever tiring and I feel like me giving 100% is never enough. What will they remember about me after all is said and done?

All I can do is my best and take this time to work on my patience. I am with my kids a lot. Like, a lot. I know I need some time away and a whiny toddler does not add patience to the mix ;) Sorry, this is not very Thankful Thursday-ish so let's get to it...

This week I am thankful for:

Have You Written out Your Relationship Values?

If you're anything like me, it feels like there are many decision to be made each day. Right now some of them include a long list of "To Do" items around the house and which ones to do first and how much to invest financially and time-wise into each project. Do we just scrap the "To Do" list and head to the beach because there are "only 18 summers"? (I don't love that sentiment by the way but that is for another post). How do we want to spend our time together as a couple and as a family this summer? How do we work on our relationship while carrying on with life?

Photo by Shannon Lee Photography

Thankful Thursday

This is going to be a pretty boring one, are you ready?! Ha, wait, don't click the "x" in the corner. So, originally our hope was to drive across Canada this summer and then in December we said "yes" to our sweet foster daughter who will be with us into the fall.

Plans have changed and we have just a small four day trip coming up (to Kelowna–yeehaw!) but the benefit of this is twofold:

1. We save money and are doing an all inclusive trip to Mexico in March instead.

2. We get to tackle all those projects that were on our list for so long.

So today I'm going to share those things that we wouldn't have been able to do had we left on holidays all summer. Also, let me be clear that because I'm heading to work at the end of August, it has given me the push to get all this done.

This week I am thankful for: