Sunday Jan 6th we headed out for a wonderful winter adventure: a HUT TRIP.
Our friends Julie and Patch organized this hut trip for themselves, us, and 3 other families with young kids. A 2 mile skin into the hut, a beautiful hut for one night, and an easy descent the next morning out.
The hut had 5 bedrooms, a wood stove, 2 indoor composting toilets, a kitchen with 4 propane stoves, solar powered lights, and a large common area... a perfect easy-access, luxurious winter camping destination for families.
FOR PICTURES, CLICK HERE
Logistically, everything worked out well. Jason pulled Rachel in the chariot with some things and I carried a bigger but not very heavy pack. Jason had a small day pack.
Each family had their own room, and even though Rachel and another child named Seth cried often throughout the night, it didn't seem to bother others nearly as much as we feared it may.
It was beautiful. Jason and I got to play in the snow and practice beacon rescues (more on that in weeks to come). Kids went sledding. Adults played fun games. All the kids got along well. We met some great new people.
Looking forward to doing more hut trips again... the next one will be without Rachel (wow!) and in the future when we take Rachel, we hope she can sleep a bit better!
January 9, 2013
No sleep since Thanksgiving
Sorry it's been slow on the blog posting lately...
it's because we are too busy trying not to strangle our precious and wonderful 2 year old.
Since Thanksgiving (USA version), Rachel's sleeping habits have gotten worse and worse. Since coming home from Canada, she has been up a LOT. It's like having a newborn again, without the nursing. Is it because she's processing the new baby? Maybe. Is it because we've traveled so much lately? Maybe.
Last week she was up every hour.
We have resorted to locking her in her room and letting her scream for hours as we try to ignore her. It's really fun. She has cried for 3 hours in a row for many nights over the last week.
Common things Rachel will say between 12midnight and 3:30am:
- MAMMMMMMMAAA!
- DADDDDDDYYY!
- I have to poop!
- I want a bagel!
- I want cream cheese!
- I don't want the heater on!
- I want to play!
- I want to go downstairs!
- MAMMMMMMMMMAAA!
- DADDDY!
Thankfully, the only thing keeping us sane is that Rachel is super cute and during the day makes us smile. Things she says during the day include:
- Is there room in Mommy's tummy for Rachel?
- We're going to the mountains! That's so eskiting!
- I want to do a puzzle!
- And then, my Daddy will come and pick me up from school and we will go home and cut food.
The other interesting thing Rachel has done recently is start stuttering. It started on our trip and it seems her brain is moving to fast for her mouth to keep up. She will say: "I want I want I want I want I want I want ... to go upstairs with my mommy and do the alphabet puzzle." We are trying to be patient and wait it out but's it's a surprising stage for us.
Potty training update:
At about Thanksgiving, Rachel refused to wear underwear and refused to use the potty anymore, so we gave up. Recently, her interest seems renewed so we are going to stop wearing diapers on Feb 1st. We have a potty calendar countdown and are hoping February brings us more long term success!
Baby update:
Everyone wants to know how I'm feeling and the answer is good. 15 weeks and all is well. Heard a good heart beat at 14 weeks. We are not going to learn the gender and are thinking of names, thinking of nursery decor, trying to find time for birthing classes and prenatal yoga. It's a busy time!
Here are old ultrasound pictures from 10 weeks
Thanks for keeping up with our lives!
it's because we are too busy trying not to strangle our precious and wonderful 2 year old.
Since Thanksgiving (USA version), Rachel's sleeping habits have gotten worse and worse. Since coming home from Canada, she has been up a LOT. It's like having a newborn again, without the nursing. Is it because she's processing the new baby? Maybe. Is it because we've traveled so much lately? Maybe.
Last week she was up every hour.
We have resorted to locking her in her room and letting her scream for hours as we try to ignore her. It's really fun. She has cried for 3 hours in a row for many nights over the last week.
Common things Rachel will say between 12midnight and 3:30am:
- MAMMMMMMMAAA!
- DADDDDDDYYY!
- I have to poop!
- I want a bagel!
- I want cream cheese!
- I don't want the heater on!
- I want to play!
- I want to go downstairs!
- MAMMMMMMMMMAAA!
- DADDDY!
Thankfully, the only thing keeping us sane is that Rachel is super cute and during the day makes us smile. Things she says during the day include:
- Is there room in Mommy's tummy for Rachel?
- We're going to the mountains! That's so eskiting!
- I want to do a puzzle!
- And then, my Daddy will come and pick me up from school and we will go home and cut food.
The other interesting thing Rachel has done recently is start stuttering. It started on our trip and it seems her brain is moving to fast for her mouth to keep up. She will say: "I want I want I want I want I want I want ... to go upstairs with my mommy and do the alphabet puzzle." We are trying to be patient and wait it out but's it's a surprising stage for us.
Potty training update:
At about Thanksgiving, Rachel refused to wear underwear and refused to use the potty anymore, so we gave up. Recently, her interest seems renewed so we are going to stop wearing diapers on Feb 1st. We have a potty calendar countdown and are hoping February brings us more long term success!
Baby update:
Everyone wants to know how I'm feeling and the answer is good. 15 weeks and all is well. Heard a good heart beat at 14 weeks. We are not going to learn the gender and are thinking of names, thinking of nursery decor, trying to find time for birthing classes and prenatal yoga. It's a busy time!
Thanks for keeping up with our lives!
Christmas in Canada
FOR PICTURES, CLICK HERE
Friday Dec 22 travel day
Friday Jason worked, Rachel went to school, and Meggan had the day to pack our stuff and finalize presents and travel plans. When Jason got home, we packed the car, stopped for pizza, and went to the bus stop. We knew our flight was delayed 40 min, but wanted to get the earlier bus just because the airport might be busy. A bit rushed, we shuttled stuff from our car to the bus stop in the cold. We had 5 large bags, a car seat, and each of us had a backpack... Not our lightest trip! Rachel took a nasty spill and hit her forehead on the sidewalk as we rushed to make our bus.
Our original departure time was 9pm, but our actual flight left at 10:55pm. Rachel didn't fall asleep until 10:30pm but then slept on the flight. We landed at about 1am. It took a LONG time for our bags to arrive and we snagged a wheelchair for free to help carry our bags, since the carts were $5. Rachel slept in the carrier on Meggan's chest for a bit while Jason struggled to get our 5 bags and car seat on to the car rental bus shuttle. It took a while to get our rental car. We weren't able to add Meggan as a second driver. We eventually got an awake Rachel into her car seat with all 5 bags and drove out into the pouring rain.
We arrived at our hotel at 4am and Rachel, for the first time in her life, refused to sleep with us in our bed and begged for her travel crib, which she slept in until our wake up at 6am. We had breakfast at the hotel, drove to the ferry terminal, and got on the ferry without concern. The 8:30am ferry landed in Sidney, BC at 11:10am. During the ferry ride we ran around, tried to read, and Rachel had a huge melt down while we forced her to get dressed. She then fell asleep on the ferry floor, totally exhausted.
At about 12:15pm we pulled into Uncle Jeff and Auntie Janelle's driveway and joined them for their open house all afternoon. Rachel slept in the carseat for a while and then enjoyed playing with her cousins Teagan, Griffin, and Cooper. We caught up with old friends before Pops, Uncle Tony, Auntie Adrienne, and cousins Ella and Benson joined in.
Day 1 and 2 of our trip were complete, and we happily laid down to sleep!
Highlights of the next few days include:
- seeing the Woolly Mammoth at the BC Museum
- hanging out in downtown Victoria
- Christmas morning with Jeff, Janelle, Teagan, Griffin, Cooper, Pops
- Nana making Rachel a Raggedy Anne doll with matching dress
- Christmas dinner with awesome food made by my aunt Jocelyn and seeing the Bjornson gang, Eric, Jo
- funny and awkward family photos at Nana's house on Dec 26
- seeing how well my grandmother (GG) is doing - she will turn 91 this year!
- visiting with my old friend Megan Smith at the park while Jason and Ella played pirate ship
- seeing family dance on Wii
- watching Canadian Junior hockey games with Tony and Pops
- Jason got to go on an awesome run with the Penticton buttercups in the fresh snow
- seeing our Penticton friends, including Amber Dearin, running crew, and Caithy and Sean
- seeing Dana and Robin and kids and spending a thrilling New Year's Eve playing ipad pictionary with them as we tried hard to stay up until midnight
Travel notes
Although it was way cheaper to fly into Seattle than into Vancouver or Victoria, it was pretty tiring. On Monday the 31st, we drove 5 hours from Penticton to Vancouver. On the 1st, we drove 3 hours from Vancouver to Seattle. Returned the car with great service from Alamo. Shuttle to the airport. Watched planes with Rachel at the beautiful Seattle viewing area. Flew 2.5 hours home to Denver while Rachel was awake for the whole flight. Waited in the cold evening Denver air with car seat, tired child, 5 bags for a crowded bus. 1 hour bus ride to bus station. 10 minutes of dragging all of our stuff and a sleepy cold Rachel to our car. 20 min drive home in the cold car.
Next time we go to Canada will likely be in August, with two children and possibly only one adult. I hope we can save enough air miles before then that we can fly directly in and out of Victoria.
All in all, it was lovely to catch up with dear family and friends. Our Canadian crew is a hugely important part of our world and it's hard not to see them more often, but this was a great quality visit.
Friday Dec 22 travel day
Friday Jason worked, Rachel went to school, and Meggan had the day to pack our stuff and finalize presents and travel plans. When Jason got home, we packed the car, stopped for pizza, and went to the bus stop. We knew our flight was delayed 40 min, but wanted to get the earlier bus just because the airport might be busy. A bit rushed, we shuttled stuff from our car to the bus stop in the cold. We had 5 large bags, a car seat, and each of us had a backpack... Not our lightest trip! Rachel took a nasty spill and hit her forehead on the sidewalk as we rushed to make our bus.
Our original departure time was 9pm, but our actual flight left at 10:55pm. Rachel didn't fall asleep until 10:30pm but then slept on the flight. We landed at about 1am. It took a LONG time for our bags to arrive and we snagged a wheelchair for free to help carry our bags, since the carts were $5. Rachel slept in the carrier on Meggan's chest for a bit while Jason struggled to get our 5 bags and car seat on to the car rental bus shuttle. It took a while to get our rental car. We weren't able to add Meggan as a second driver. We eventually got an awake Rachel into her car seat with all 5 bags and drove out into the pouring rain.
We arrived at our hotel at 4am and Rachel, for the first time in her life, refused to sleep with us in our bed and begged for her travel crib, which she slept in until our wake up at 6am. We had breakfast at the hotel, drove to the ferry terminal, and got on the ferry without concern. The 8:30am ferry landed in Sidney, BC at 11:10am. During the ferry ride we ran around, tried to read, and Rachel had a huge melt down while we forced her to get dressed. She then fell asleep on the ferry floor, totally exhausted.
At about 12:15pm we pulled into Uncle Jeff and Auntie Janelle's driveway and joined them for their open house all afternoon. Rachel slept in the carseat for a while and then enjoyed playing with her cousins Teagan, Griffin, and Cooper. We caught up with old friends before Pops, Uncle Tony, Auntie Adrienne, and cousins Ella and Benson joined in.
Day 1 and 2 of our trip were complete, and we happily laid down to sleep!
Highlights of the next few days include:
- seeing the Woolly Mammoth at the BC Museum
- hanging out in downtown Victoria
- Christmas morning with Jeff, Janelle, Teagan, Griffin, Cooper, Pops
- Nana making Rachel a Raggedy Anne doll with matching dress
- Christmas dinner with awesome food made by my aunt Jocelyn and seeing the Bjornson gang, Eric, Jo
- funny and awkward family photos at Nana's house on Dec 26
- seeing how well my grandmother (GG) is doing - she will turn 91 this year!
- visiting with my old friend Megan Smith at the park while Jason and Ella played pirate ship
- seeing family dance on Wii
- watching Canadian Junior hockey games with Tony and Pops
- Jason got to go on an awesome run with the Penticton buttercups in the fresh snow
- seeing our Penticton friends, including Amber Dearin, running crew, and Caithy and Sean
- seeing Dana and Robin and kids and spending a thrilling New Year's Eve playing ipad pictionary with them as we tried hard to stay up until midnight
Travel notes
Although it was way cheaper to fly into Seattle than into Vancouver or Victoria, it was pretty tiring. On Monday the 31st, we drove 5 hours from Penticton to Vancouver. On the 1st, we drove 3 hours from Vancouver to Seattle. Returned the car with great service from Alamo. Shuttle to the airport. Watched planes with Rachel at the beautiful Seattle viewing area. Flew 2.5 hours home to Denver while Rachel was awake for the whole flight. Waited in the cold evening Denver air with car seat, tired child, 5 bags for a crowded bus. 1 hour bus ride to bus station. 10 minutes of dragging all of our stuff and a sleepy cold Rachel to our car. 20 min drive home in the cold car.
Next time we go to Canada will likely be in August, with two children and possibly only one adult. I hope we can save enough air miles before then that we can fly directly in and out of Victoria.
All in all, it was lovely to catch up with dear family and friends. Our Canadian crew is a hugely important part of our world and it's hard not to see them more often, but this was a great quality visit.
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