O Canada!

I love Canada Day.  In fact, I love any holiday!  I love any excuse for a celebration!  Although I spent many Canada Days outside of Canada, one of my favorite memories from the years we spent in Canada was going to the parade and fireworks.  Alas, Calgary does not have a Canada Day parade.  I suppose because the Stampede parade is only a week or so later, and it's just more difficult in a big city.  So, every year since Jeff and I got married, we have headed out to Drumheller for their parade.  It brings me back to my childhood.  Sitting in the front yard of a family from the Church (whose name sadly escapes me at the moment!), having hot dogs afterwards, and of course, collecting the candy.  I still love collecting the candy!  You might say, I'm like a kid in a candy store at the parade.  :0)  Sorry for the lame humor! But seriously, I love sharing this little piece of my childhood with my boys.  And watching their excitement as they wave their flags and run into the street to collect candy.  Well, Zach doesn't run into the street yet, but he would if he could!  Making memories of our own, that hopefully we'll carry on for years.

We decided to be brave this year and stay out and camp in Drumheller for the weekend.  The rest of my family has done it for the past couple of years, but we haven't been able to, for various reasons.  So, we loaded up Jeff's truck with our tent, way too much food, way too many clothes, toys, and a whole lot of firewood - seriously, it looked like we were moving! - And off we went to brave living together with a busy toddler and an equally active 9 month old, in a 20x20 canvas house.  (You'd think that in all my many moves as an MK, I'd have mastered the art of packing light.  Nope.  Not even a little bit.)  It went remarkably well.  In fact, the boys loved it!  The first night, Cole said, "We should go camping more often!"  When we came home, he said, "No, no, go back to the campground!"  They both loved being outside, and the freedom that comes with that.  And Cole loved being able to sleep with mommy at night.  Although, getting them to go to sleep at night was another story!  We kept ourselves entertained playing at the playground, swimming, going out to the playground at the Tyrell Museum, and visiting with family over at my aunt's house.
After the busyness of the past month, moving and settling in to our new house, it was wonderful to have a break together as a family.  We came home tired and stinky and ready to sleep in warm beds that wouldn't deflate on us, but very happy and thankful for the break, and with some wonderful memories.  And a whole lot of pictures! :)