Nepper's Landing: Road Trip Tales: Part 1

I never did get the chance to post from Vancouver Island. Being too busy to spend time on the computer is a good thing in my books. And it looks like blogland has gone on without me, which is also probably a good thing, although it bursts my little blogging ego bubble!

We had a great time, although we really wish we would have had longer. Especially Rob. He technically only had one week away, so he is still feeling like he could use some more holiday time. The kids were troopers for the entire trip. On the first day we left Rob's parent's place (which is 1.5 hours west of Edmonton) at 5:00am MST, and we arrived at the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal at 7:00pm PST, and were were on the 7:30pm ferry. We didn't get to my parents house until 10:00pm that night. So talk about a looong day!

So how did my kids do in the car for 12+ hours? Incredible really! There was really only one freak out. We were about an hour from the ferry terminal, it was rush hour traffic, and I wasn't stopping for anything! So Gabe cried for 15-20 minutes and eventually calmed himself. Abbi was also a bit upset by Gabe's crying so she had a good cry too. Basically enough to drive someone completely mad, but I had a goal, a mission, an agenda...and well, we got on that ferry!

Once on the Island we "took part" in BC's streak of incredibly hot weather. While we were there, it was in the 30's (yes, you read that right) for almost a week straight. I have lived there most of my life and never seen anything like that! Thank goodness my parent's had installed air conditioning the winter before. It didn't help us when we were out and about during the day, but it was sure nice when we would come home at the end of the day and get to fall asleep in a nice cool house.

I can't believe I took over 500 pictures while we were there. Camera overkill much? Whew, so you don't have to worry, I won't be posting every single one on here, but I thought I would post some of my favorites, and show some of the fun that we got up to while we were away. I'm thinking it will be a 4 part series on our trip away. Stay tuned for the rest!

Our first pit stop in Jasper, Alberta. Grandma and Abbi looking at the trains.

Me, Abbi and Gabe riding on the ferry to Vancouver Island.

Nana (my Mom) and Abbi down at Nanaimo's waterfront. Doesn't my Mom look fabulous?

Gabe enjoying the waterfront.

Abbi meeting a goat friend at Coombs.

The kids and I at Coombs.

Yup, that really is a goat on the roof of the Old Country Market!

And this, well, this deserves some explanation, and probably is my favorite picture from the trip. In one area of Coombs there are a bunch of carvings, and my Mom and I were walking through. I saw these two cute little giraffe carvings, but they were near the back wall. So I placed my hand right on top of this "chair" and said, "Mom, look at these, aren't they cute." She nearly started peeing herself when she saw what I had done. I was completely oblivious. So as such, we decided it was only appropriate to get a picture sitting in the uber fabulous "penis chair." This is one reason why I love my Mother so much, she still has the sense of humor to sit in a penis chair and let me take a picture of her. As for me posting it on my blog, well that might be another story!
Now don't ya'll run out and buy one now, because really, who doesn't need a penis chair in their living room...
*And you'll have to forgive my finger over the lens. I think I was laughing so hard, its a miracle I was even able to take the picture!

Fun at Parksville beach.

I had wanted to go over to the mainland and visit my Grandma (she is known to the Great Grandchildren as GG). So we were up bright and early on the Wednesday morning to catch the 8:30am ferry. In the process of getting everyone out the door, I completely forgot to look for my keys, and then had to madly race through the house trying to find them. I would say it was a 5 minute fiasco. We got to the ferry at 7:55am. Apparently we weren't the only people who thought this ferry would be a good idea. We got in the line up. Eventually we moved ahead. Then we stopped. Then we waited. Then we saw the ferry worker signal "One more car." We were the second car...

I gave that man a look that should go down in infamy. As if my dirty look would have somehow convinced him to allow us on. Although really, it should have. He didn't seem to think so, and had to explain to us and probably a gazillion other people that we would have to wait until the next ferry which wasn't until 10:40am. Um, so yeah. Basically ruined our plans entirely. We got on the phone to the necessary people to see if we could come the next day. After much phoning we got it all figured out. And planned to return the next day.

So the next day...let me tell you! I had my keys ready. The kids ready. We were READY! Nothing was going to stop us from getting on that ferry. We got there, at 7:30am this time, and it turned out there was a 7:55am ferry, that we caught! Even better. And as I drove past the same ferry worker, I gave him the loveliest grin I could muster at that hour of the morning (this was pre-coffee). And I'm sure he knew who I was because, well, our car is bright orange with Alberta plates. It was a look he will never forget I'm sure!

Visiting with GG.