August 28, 2012

Run, Mummy, Run!

We met up with our old baby group this weekend for a picnic/beach day at a lake in Calgary.
Most of the "babies" made it - they are all little kids now!  We hadn't seen them in a year.
It was a pretty chilly morning but the kids still wanted to swim.  Cara is checking out some little fish in the lake.
Gwen on the sand.
Sunday Mummy had her first 5k race!
We were all up early to get to the starting line.
Crossing the finish line!
Chip time was actually 37:24.  My training was interrupted by illness for 3 weeks but I did accomplish my goal of running most of the way.
 Nana and Pepper came to see me at the finish and Uncle Jamie arrived the night before the race so he came to watch his big sister run run run!
And of course my biggest supporters Adam and the girls were there cheering me on!
A great first race day!
Not only did I run in a real race but I won a sweet prize in the raffle!  A fancy dinner for two at a swanky restaurant!


August 23, 2012

Cottage Life Part 2

So many great pictures to sift through - it took an extra day to get them done for this post!
Cara was all set for another day of fun on Thursday.  She was especially excited because we were headed to a corn maze!
The Lacombe Corn Maze at Kraay Family Farms.  Anything with that many flags out front  has to be fun!
There were so many fun things for kids to do here before we even got to the maze.
Cara riding a tire horse.
Gwen liked this merry go round alot.
Cara tried out lassoing. 
You've heard of a sand box well here they had a corn box!
Cara had to make "corn angels" in the kernels!
Gwen was a champ at the duck races.
And gave her best piggy face.
We met piglets.
And turkeys.
And goats!
Cara and Daddy shot a squash out of a cannon at an old school bus!
We all tried to play mini golf.
And we bounced on the giant air pillow.
One last potty break before we got ourselves lost in the maze!
They are very serious about following maze rules.
Mummy and the girls thoroughly lost!
Daddy and the girls getting a better look from above.
Corn as far as you can see!
With Daddy's keen sense of direction we made it out!
We were hot and Gwen was tired so she napped on the way to a beach.
Gwen going to fetch a bucket of water at Parkland Beach on Gull Lake.
Daddy and Cara work on a sandcastle.
Our Littlest Mermaid!
Cara after eating roasted beets for supper!
Scary!
Friday we went to Sylvan Lake.  This town is much more touristy and the beach is more like a pier.  No sand and steps from the grassy park down into the lake.
Cara and the blue sky.
Gwen liked eating chips after her swim.
After a swim and playing in the playground we went to the Farmer's Market.  We got some yummy fresh carrots, new potatoes and taber corn.
Back at the cottage after supper and bath Gwen does some colouring.
Without any tv both girls really started loving to colour all the time.
Saturday was out last beach day so we went back to Parkland Beach (just a short drive from the cottage).
We got there pretty early so there was lots of time to stomp in the mud before we had a picnic lunch.
Gwen was a big fan of these swings.
After lunch we let Gwen nap in the car as we took a drive to Lacombe to look around the town.
Flatiron building in Lacombe.
We took a tour of the  MichenerHouse. The birth place of Roland Michener Governor General from '67-'74.
Cara liked this old stove.
After our tour was done we went to get a slurpie at the store - to our delight they were giving out free slurpies and free hot dogs that day!
The Byrnes - all relaxed after a week of fun!
Cara playing with nature.
This is Birch Bay.  The beach at our cottage community.  
Daddy and the girls went there to play on the morning we were leaving so that Mummy could pack up and clean the cottage.
On the drive back to Calgary we took one last adventure detour to Bowden to see their SunMaze!
A SunMaze is a maze made out of sun flowers! 
It was in full bloom that day and it was beautiful!
It was a nice place to stop on the way back to reality.
Cara got to feed some bunnies.  Gwen looked at some more farm animals.  We got lost in the maze and saw so many honey bees in with the flowers! They also had the nicest outdoor toilets we've ever seen.
They also have a U Pick!
So that was our week.  
We managed to avoid some bad storms in Calgary (big hail storm caused lots of car damage for our neighbours).  It was a great break!