A week in Canada

Day 1: Driving to Shafter

Since Shafter is half way between our house and LAX we decided to cut two hours off our driving time and spend the night at Jake's dad's house, wake up the next morning and trek to the airport. I can't tell you how many hundreds of time we have made the journey to shafter with Violet. Usually she just sleeps off the trip, but this time.. THIS time... the case was much different. Maybe it was because tensions were high  between Jake and I trying to pack. Maybe she woke up on the wrong side of the crib. Either way, this is what we experienced for 2 hours in the car:

(readers beware it is not easy on the ear)

Day 2: Timeliness is Godliness (?)

Off to LAX, and due to our over planning we arrive 4 hours early. I know they say early is better than late, especially when flying international, but really. 4 hours with a child who doesn't walk, wants to crawl on the dirty filthy nasty airport floor is nearly unbearable. Anyway after 4 hours of walking circles in the airport in the stroller we are finally on board. Remember how Violet screamed for 2 hours in the car on the way to Shafter? Well, she screamed again for 3 hours on the plane, the entirety of the trip. And guess what she did when we landed. Yup, you guessed it. She knocked right out.

Day 3: Lake Louise or BUST

We took a trip that morning to Lake Louise. The last place I wanted to be was in a car, but this trip was definitely worth it. I have never experienced cold like this before. I layered and layered and layered like all my cold weather friends had encouraged and STILL my legs were numb. But I got to stand on a frozen lake with and ice castle on it. Totally worth it.

 Day 4: Sled day at Auntie Anne's

Jake's Aunt Anne and her husband Gary live on gorgeous acreage near Calgary and board horses for a living. They have 4 kids and 11 grand children. Since everyone is so spread out Christmas is of the few times a year EVERYONE is together.

We spent the day opening  gifts, eating mass amounts of yummy food, catching up on lost time,  whispering to horses, and sliding (or falling) down hills.

Day 5: New Years Eve

Jake, Violet, and I spent the day quarantined from the rest of the family due to the stomach flu. We ended up watching Date Night, eating popcorn and going to bed before 12 am. Very romantic. Be jealous.

Day 6: A walk in the park and Kroger Christmas 

After the stomach flu episode (I'm sad to say that wasn't the end of it) we met up with everyone at Fish Creek park for a winter stroll.

  We were greeted by Jake's Opa (this mean Grandpa in German) whom we hadn't seen yet. It was the first time he met Violet. Their first encounter was priceless, one of my favorite moments of the trip. The irony of it all is that Violet got to meet her great grandfather (I never knew any of my great grandparents) but not her paternal grandmother. This is partly why our trip to Canada is so important. None of Jake's mom's side of the family lives in the United States. We want Violet to know all dimensions of her heritage and a large part of that lies in Canada.

Day 7: Trek to Coaldale

We were feeling pretty bad that we missed a whole night of "togetherness" with the Canadian relatives (whom we barely see once a year). So we decided to make a 2.5 to Coaldale to visit Jake's cousin Bonnie her husband mark and their three boys Ben, Elias and Solomon.

Day 7: Visit with Opa and dinner at Auntie Mary's

On our way back from Coaldale we dropped by Opa's and had a briefing on family history via photographs.  There was no time to mingle, we had to be at Auntie Mary's for dinner; we quickly got in the car and was greeted with delicious Lasagna and the US vs. Canada Junior hockey game (I'm sorry to say, I didn't get any pictures at Marys)

Day 8: Back on the farm with Uncle Gary and Auntie Anne (followed by a night of the stomach flu round deux!)

We ended our trip back and Gary and Anne's house. Jake spent the day with Opa, and I peddled around the farm with Violet.

That night, Violet was up until about 12am throwing up and I was lain in bed with the chills. Jake and Auntie Anne manned the ship and all was well.

Day 9: Back to California

I was dreading the plane ride home. I had been up all night feeling with the flu, not to mention a vomiting child. Thankfully the Gravol kicked in and Violet was sound asleep.

Oh, Canada 

your our home away from home

until we meet again