SPOILER ALERT

Here's a little sneak peak of good things to come

Maid of the Mist! This is where Ben and I secretly eloped while our family and friends 

anxiously waited for us at a nearby chapel. Oh. Wait… That was Jim and Pam.

Got My Hair Did

So, this is for you Lize. Should I have waited until I looked more presentable? Probably. This is fresh from the salon, and I normally prefer to do my hair myself after it's been cut (unless its by Kristen, then it's perfect.) but I just couldn't be bothered yesterday. It was my day off (I prefer to not wear make up on my days off unless I need to impress someone) so I took it easy. My appointment was at 11:30, so I woke up at 10 and took my time getting out the door at 11 to get downtown on time. When I got there she was running behind with a client who had the most (Besides you Kimme) gorgeous long, natural blonde hair. Anyways… In traditional Aveda style they gave my a complimentary hand massage while I waited. I will wait an extra 30 minutes any day if it means a 30 minute hand massage! It was so nice. Im not thrilled with the cut yet, but I didn't go to my regular girl so… that's probably why. I think I just have to let it grow out a little bit, and style it myself. 

Very Jennifer Aniston in Friends circa 1996 at this point

I interrupt this consecutive series of events to bring you an important update: H-DAYS

My trip to the east will have to wait. I must tell about heritage days!

August 1st was the Heritage Day holiday in Alberta, and that whole weekend featured the 36th annual heritage festival at Hawrelak Park

Klausen, Ben, Myself, Dave

I'll rewind a little bit and start from the beginning. The four of us had been trying to get together for weeks and the stars aligned for this to happen. I actually didn't have to work the holiday like normal people! So we had the whole day planned. We were going to start the morning early and head to the park, and then stop home to take the dogs for a quick walk (Dave and Kassie let us leave Aphids at their house for the day so we wouldn't have to go all he way home), and then head to the Art Gallery of Alberta to catch the Andy Warhol exhibit which is ending soon. Things didn't go as planned (as usual) because of this…

Dave wouldn't be impressed that there's legit evidence of him playing this unnamed game

Meanwhile… Kassie and I watched like 2 hours of Drop Dead Diva (have you seen it? SO good. In a cheesy way of course, but it's the sole reason I got the free trial of Netflix)

So yeah. 2 hours later… we get going (at this point we decide to axe the gallery because there just wouldn't be enough time, and also because we walked/took the train there when we were planning on driving there)

Have you noted Ben's man purse? Good. He's really proud of it. 

He keeps his baseball cards and bubble gum in there.

Dave and Kass live approx. 20 minute walk to the nearest train station. 

We had to walk up the biggest hill ever, and through the ledge where Ben got the most AMAZING hot dog from a fat franks vendor (even though we were on our way to gorge ourselves with food from dozens of other countries). So after the LRT it was probably another 20 minute walk, and then we were there. It's hard to know what to do first because there's so much to do and see, you don't want to leave anything out, and you don't want to use all of your tickets, and fill up before you know what else is out there. Like most food festivals it was a ticket system. You buy your tickets and then go to the various "countries" and use them for food items. Most main dish items were 4-12 tickets. 

Dave was really concerned about his posture

We pretty much spent the whole day there, consuming some of the most delicious food known to man. Lets just say that I have an overwhelming desire to go to Israel for mostly the food. If i ate falafel with hummus and pita for the rest of my life, I would die a happy gal.

Israel you are delicious

Besides the amazing food, there were pavilions with people selling little trinkets, 

and teaching about their culture, and stages with dancers!

Dad would have LOVED Scandinavia. There were SO many Charlie Brown Christmas trees 

(which I now know that they are actually traditional for Scandinavian Christmas') 

All in all it was such a fun day. It was the first festival I'd experienced this summer. The Fringe started last night so we'll definitely go there, but i'm super bummed that I missed the street performers. 

Please disregard my unflattering position

Ben was SO excited about his empanada from Ecuador

Ethiopia

Vikings

I felt so sorry for this man in the ship… It was so hot out and it looked like he was getting a sun burn

This picture was taken right before Kassie literally walked into Mike and Alaina!

This next series of photos is quite possibly my favourite… 

Kassie gets a hug from the "Free Hugs!" guy

The group starts to close in on her. Notice her face? She looks scared

Now it's a group hug

FREE HUGS

Cuba you are SO DELICIOUS! This was my biggest investment. It was 11 tickets and so much food I couldn't finish it all. I wish there was a dipping sauce for the fried plantains

This work of art was done at India. The girl was awesome and I wish I got her business card. It was $20 and it went down my arm too! Below is the end result the next morning. I had to sleep with it on.

Dave making crepes. As if we hadn't eaten enough food already.

The night ended with a long journey back to Dave and Kassie's where we hung out a little more, and Dave made crepes! We were going to get crepes at France, but after seeing them made, we decided we could make better (which he did) and for free!

Not Enough Time

I didn't have the option to not go home in June. Kimme was having her baby, I hadn't been home in 9 months, and no one had met Avis yet! (I know I said I wouldn't do any catch up blogs, but seeing as I will be referencing her quite a bit now, I feel as though I should give her background.) 

So the journey began.

This is leaving from Canadian Tire in Sherwood Park at approx. 5pm

We started on the Friday (June 10) right after I got off work at 4:30. Ben got off work at 4, came to pick me up from work, and from there we had to go to Sherwood Park to pick up our new car (That wasn't quite ours yet, but Jeremy and Paige were kind enough to let us take it on our road trip as our poor station wagon wasn't up to the challenge.) We drove straight through the night (we passed some pretty crazy accidents. One included a semi trick completely engulfed in flames. It was kind of scary driving so close to it and the smell burning wasn't comforting either.) 

We got to the Horshoebay ferry terminal with about 45 minutes to spare to make the first ferry.

At this point we were too excited to sleep. So it's about 5:45 at this point

This was right after breakfast. Notice the red eye? 

By the time I had gone to sleep that night I had been awake for 41 hours. 

I didn't want to go to sleep and miss anything! I'll take a bloodshot eye any day 

to spend more time with my nephews.

Ben. was. so. cranky. (that morning)

 He did NOT want to be on the deck. It was windy, and he was sleepy-ben.

I'm comin' for you Nanaimo! (Look Lize! I can almost see 7-11)

Don't worry Kimme, I didn't see any whales :(

(PS I bet you didn't know this was a picture post)

This next segment, I like to call "Puppy cousins"

Things started off a little shaky, but before long they were BFFL (That's best friends for life!)

Cash was doing such a good job of helping the puppies play.

I like this glamour shot of Gilly.

("Yeah, I took her to the mall to get some glamour shots for her birthday one year.")

  

If Avis would just get up off of her back, Pippa wouldn't be so inclined to sit on her.

(Cash isn't a puppy cousin… but this mid-air jump was pretty neat, 

and I applaud the talent of the photographer)

I can't even describe the cuteness of this moment. I feel like I didn't get to hold him enough!

Couples shot. Sorry Kimme! This was the only one we have together!

This is the only picture I got with Cash and Lennox… So sorry everyone, It's going up.

I seriously did not take enough pictures.

This was right after Avis' first at home nail trim. Thanks Lize and Kimme. Couldn't have done it without you. And on another… A little less pet pictures, A little more family pictures… Thanks.

The only "decent" photo of Chris and Ben. 

I can't believe that was it. 

I had SUCH an amazing trip home… 

It was extremely exhausting, but I would definitely do it all over again. 

My biggest regret from the trip?

WHY DIDN'T I TAKE MORE PICTURES! I have so many pictures of the puppy cousins, but no picture of me with my parents, or with different variations of the sisters, and brother, and nephews etc.

And that was only the first bit of the summer fun!