We are off!!! Adventures 2015!!

We like to leave for holidays once it gets REALLY cold .... woke up to -8 this morning, so mission accomplished!!!

On our way to Victoria, I stopped for a quick coffee at our favorite place and met up with this girl who hooked me up with a bottle of probiotics for our trip.

We rode down in the Burdges new van and left ours at their place for the month ... tons of room!!

Here is Isaac showing Marg the video he took of her being blown up on his photo editing program.

We had pizza at our favorite wood fire pizza place and then she dropped us off for our flight!!!

So we got to San Francisco and caught a shuttle to the hotel.  Then we took a walk a few blocks for dinner at Hoolihans.  Turns out kids eat free, and Elliot couldn't decide whether he wanted mac and cheese or chicken strips, so they brought him both!!   It was a good thing too because Isaac hated his meal, so he ate alot of Elliots.  Walked back to the hotel and now we are all just hanging out .... not exactly what we were hoping for for our one night in San Francisco, but it turns out we are about an hour bus ride, or a $50 cab ride from anywhere interesting!!  So, we're good!!  Adventure begins!  Pics from the San Fran airport heading to puerto Vallarta!!

Sunday morning: NOW I'm 40!!!

I woke up early on my birthday and sat in front of the fire and read through my birthday book as last night there was a scheduled power out (that I didn't know about) from 11pm to 3am....so I needed some time to really look at it.  Such a cool gift!!

I offered to do breakfast for everyone, so I whipped up a fresh fruit salad and blueberry pancakes and headed over the Willow Lodge ... this kid was waiting for pancakes!!! Mason is just the coolest little kid!  As we said goodbye, he wraps his arms around my neck and whispers 'I love you'....oh man, little heartbreaker!! lol  

Trish and Emery and Addie waiting for breakfast, Andy and Bennett in the background ....

Ryan, Court and Levi .... Little Leleini in the background ...she insisted on sitting on the high stool ... not much later she tipped over sideways and somehow, somebody caught her.  I was impressed that she jumped up off the ground and yells 'I'm ok!!'  atta girl!!

BFF .....on my 40th .....

Breakfast was chaos and fun .....

So Elliot and I are just sitting there, enjoying the company ....when suddenly in walks JL with yet ANOTHER surprise!!!

As she was out of the room, Dave put on a 1980's type ski movie that we were all enthralled with ....

Yes..that is Costco wrapping paper ... well done JL.

I had no idea what this could possibly be ..... JL, along with the book, organized all those friends to send along funds to help pitch in for a top of the line Vitamix!!  I never thought I would own my own Vitamix ... so everytime I touch this machine, I will think of everyone. Very cool.

Levi looked adorable next to my new gift......

And here we are in all our glory!!!!

No wait ... HERE we are in ALL our glory!!!!

That afternoon, after everyone was gone, I used that Vitamix 4 times!!  Frozen sorbet is our new favorite!!  Strawberries and yogurt and boom!!!

This is the status post I put up in facebook ... hard to put into words how spoiled and humble I felt after this weekend.  As of a day later, over 80 people have 'liked' the status which I thought was pretty cool!

Here is my post:

Sometimes at the end of a birthday, people put their 'thank you's' on their status .... but as I sit here and stare at this empty status box, I have no idea where to start.  How can I possibly convey how I am still reeling from the weekend?  Reeling from the outpouring of love and EFFORT that was put in from my friends to make sure my 40th was memorable.  Starting with Friday night and a really special friend opening her beautiful home so a bunch of us could paint a huge canvas together with her talented artist friend - a canvas we all touched so I could be reminded in years to come - we ate, and danced (well, I danced, they watched), we laughed ... some of us slept over and woke up to the most beautiful sunrise over the Sooke basin from the hottub and enjoyed lattes on her window seat...My sister was here for 3 days ... a highlight of kid-free time together that money can't buy ... and then to arrive home to a camp full of family-type friends for a reunion that I can't believe we pulled off!  So many busy schedules, including squeezing in an AGM on Saturday afternoon, a girls night Saturday night where I was given a book that I will cherish for the rest of my LIFE!!  Where to start with this BOOK?  Imagine a book filled with pages of personal memories and pictures of friends you have known since you were a little kid, all the way up to people you have just met and loved immediately, and so many in between!!  This book is really what has had me reeling ... reading what my friends have written about memories we have had together was SUCH a kick!!!  It has instantly become a favorite possession, and for those who know me well, know that I work hard to not hold tight to possessions, but this has lunged over those borders.  I woke up early this morning, on my actual birthday, to read through this book again, in the quietness of the morning in front of the fire and just felt washed over with thankfulness.  Then I mixed up blueberry pancake batter and headed over to the lodge and made pancakes for everyone and we had a great breakfast together....with friends I have loved since I was in my 20's! And now almost 15 years later, they are here with amazing men, and incredible children.  It was in this room, where we had breakfast, where they threw me a baby shower 11 years ago when Isaac arrived!!!  I still remember many of their gifts and  who went in with who!  The weekend could have ended there and it would have been the best weekend ... but then, in comes Jennie-Lynne with a really big box and an even bigger smile.  Oh my goodness ... 30 people who love me, went in together, and bought me my very own, top of the line, Vitamix!!!  Shock and awe at the love and generosity of these people and how did I get so lucky?  So, my friends ... near and far ... you made this milestone birthday of mine, one that I will never forget ... ever.  40?  Let's do it!  With the type of people around me, how can it not be incredible?

Saturday Night - the BIRTHDAY BOOK!!

I didn't take any pictures of the morning but we had a great morning together - we didn't sleep awesome so sis and I hit the hot-tub and tried to put Nic into our bed because she had moved to the couch halfway through the night. But she joined us not much later to take in the sunrise. After we got dressed and headed upstairs, Darlene made us lattes and we had a short visit before we all had to hit the road. Carries flight ended up getting fogged in and her 10am flight ended up not leaving until 4 being rerouted through Vancouver!  

It took around 3 hours to get home and I walked in the door around noon....had a quick bath and kissed my kids and headed down to the main building to help with lunch and go to the AGM.

The AGM took roughly 3 hours .... I was happy when it was over as I got a bit jacked up over some of the responses the board were giving the members in the audience.  So when it was over roughly around 4/4:30, we all headed over to the lodge for dinner.  Here I am holding Emery so Trish could finish dinner .... oh sweet little baby!!  I didn't last long after dinner was over with everyone and started to feel pretty sick from tiredness, so I went home and went to bed at 7.

When I woke up at 8:30 after a life-giving nap (!!), the girls had cleaned my kitchen and prepped more food for a girls night in the livingroom while the husbands watched the babies and put kids to bed. We never did make it to the hot tub as planned, but enjoyed eachothers company wrapped in blankets and cozy on the couches,,,,,This one cheese plate that Court brought was served on a beautiful heavy granite slab ....

JL was having trouble getting Bennett to sleep, so we just hung out and ate and waited happily for her.  Little Emery had such a great nap with Auntie Sharon earlier that she was up and ready to party too!!

JL arrived and came in with Rachel and gave me the best.gift.ever.  (Can you see the writing on that front page?  JL DREW that !!!  So artistic that girl ... but she lead the charge in putting this book together - a compilation of friends that included a picture of us and a memory or a wish for me, all wrapped up in a beautiful book!

It was so beautifully done ... 

I love when my couch is full of people I love....it was a comforting night.

40th in Sooke!!!

Nic grabbed me the best wine glass for the evening !  She also picked up a mug that I can use in my regular life that says "on a scale of 1-10, I'm a 40!"  lol ....  Something about 40 brings out bling and rhinestones .... why is that?  On our way to town, we stopped at the mail and yanin had sent me an awesome painting that her and her daughter drew and painted!!  The talent in that girls pinky is more than I have in my whole body!!!

Carrie and I for some reason didn't take a ton of pictures while she was visiting me for this birthday .... Here is one of our coffee Thursday morning:

....I was excited for her to meet Nikki.  So on the Thursday, she got her hair done with Nikki while I ran errands. 

And on Friday morning, my car needed to go into the shop and while we were waiting for it to finish, Carrie and I went and hung out at Nics house.

So, by Friday afternoon when it was time to head down to the party, I love that Carrie had met my two favorite Nikki's!!! Funny enough, we all were around Starbucks at the same time and decided to meet, grab road trip lattes and caravan down together!!

 

When we arrived at Darlene's, there were gold balloons everywhere!!!  Darlene was a fantastic host - she gave us all a tour, and her house is incredible.  It's the perfect place for a party!!

Meet Darlene ....

Best picture of my sis and I ... we laughed a lot and just having her near me this week was a comfort.

Great food!

Here we are getting a lesson on the painting we were about to do ....

Birthday girl gets to start ....

Carrie started the big painting ... it was called 'non-objective painting'.  Once you get the paint on the canvas, you are not to touch it again! 

I had changed clothes so I didn't get paint on my new fav jeans!

We all took a go at it .... everyone touched it ... and the rule was to get the paint on it, and then sit and wait and watch for a few minutes while the painting transformes and morphs the colors together ...

Some of the girls thought it was pretty scary to work on a painting that was going to be somebody elses! 




The teacher made me get up on the bench and fling and be aggressive with the paint ... apparently I was too timid.  But you should SEE Darlenes house !! I don't want to be flinging paint around a million dollar home!!  But I did...

After painting .... Darlene was pretty pleased with her Pinterest-inspired chalk board!

Painting DONE!!!  Believe it or not, as it dried, it looked like a totally different painting by the next morning!

Oh these friends!!!!! 

Can you see the joy on this girls face??   I caught her quietly enjoying herself WAY more than expected .... as she is lying here, vibrating from head to toe (literally), she whispers "I am having SO MUCH FUN!!!!"

We really need to get her one ...

Please note the single TEAR rolling down her cheek!!!  Gold.

Nic ... always has been such an easy and instant friend ....

Nikki ... knew I liked her the minute she opend the door at our first "appointment" .... we've come a far way in the last few years ....

Wearing my moms clear high heels!!!!

Darlene and I laughed all night ... she was just the best host!!!  We did a huge clothing swap too on this night, so a lot of us left with a pile of new clothes ... Darlene dragged us upstairs and we went through her closet together to do a bit of purge ....

Meet my WOA girl friends!!!  Who knew that starting that retreat would gain me some really great friendships based in adventure?

After Jen and Marla left, we all took a break and sat in the livingroom and played 'Would you Rather'....oh man, some of the questions were nasty and hilarious ....

Around 1am, we headed downstairs for bed.  This is the stuffy bear Darlene keeps in the corner.  At one point or another, it scared ALL of us!!!  Got to love seeing a bear out of the corner of your eye while walking through a dark basement!!

Carrie and I slept together and Nic and Nikki started the evening together but Nic moved out to the couch half way through the night.  At 6, Carrie and I woke up to hot tub and watch the sunrise ... it was so beautiful and pink.  Nic joined us and then we headed upstairs and Darlene made us all lattes and sent us on our way with farm fresh eggs from her chickens.  We all had places to go and were out the door by 8:30 .... such a fun time and there were NO regrets about changing the venue to Darlenes house .... super long drive ... but totally worth it!!!