tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49251893309218147952024-03-13T04:28:33.068-06:00Katie in CanadaKatie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-2085848239291035102013-05-24T14:22:00.000-06:002013-05-24T14:22:15.920-06:00Thirty Years and Thirty Weeks!I celebrated my 30th birthday at the same time I was 30 weeks pregnant! I was a little apprehensive about turning 30 just because it seemed like such a huge milestone...no more twenties! But, Matt made it really special. He helped me celebrate the whole week by giving me a surprise each day. It was also so nice to get cards and gifts in the mail, and Facebook messages from friends and family, near and far.<div>
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Surprise Day 1: Calla Lilies...my favorite!!</div>
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Surprise Day 2: Such a pretty necklace. Matt told me the two diamonds represent him and I, and the blue stone represents Baby Meyer :) We also had dinner that night at <a href="http://www.mercatogourmet.com/main.html" target="_blank">Mercato</a>, my absolute favorite restaurant in Calgary.<br />
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Surprise Day 3: Matt planned a surprise dinner at <a href="http://www.anejo.ca/" target="_blank">Anejo</a> with lots of friends and then tickets to see Cirque Du Soleil!</div>
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Surprise Day 4: A pair of Toms for the summer :)</div>
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Surprise Day 5: Pretty white maternity tank from <a href="http://poshmommy.ca/" target="_blank">Posh Mommy</a></div>
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I also got beautiful jewelry and gifts from family and friends! Thanks to everyone for helping make my 30th one of the best ones yet :)</div>
Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-9472318745622476122013-04-14T17:45:00.002-06:002013-04-14T17:45:35.104-06:00Baby Meyer 3D UltrasoundThis week, we scheduled a 3D ultrasound to see our little guy. It was absolutely amazing! We were able to watch him for about 45 minutes and got some really great pictures of him as well. We even got to listen to his heartbeat at the end. Our technician said that everything looked perfect! My mom and Matt's dad even got to watch the session live while we were there. I can definitely see that he has some of Matt's features. Only about 11 weeks left to go! We can't wait to meet him!<br />
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Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-62196218094452097652013-04-14T17:40:00.002-06:002013-04-14T17:40:13.417-06:00Houston Baby PartyMatt's mom and sister, Melissa, planned a special day in Houston for us to celebrate our little guy on the way! The weather was absolutely perfect and all of our amazing friends came out. <br />
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There was a "Texas" theme so the tables were decorated with plaid table cloths, tiny horses and sheriff badges. We had guacamole, salsa, seven layer dip and chips to munch on, along with tea sandwiches and yummy cupcakes. We played "pin the sperm on the egg" and there was even a photo of what our baby might look like (I hope not!). <br />
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We opened our presents while decked out in baby-themed cowboy hats and got so many great things: lots of outfits and necessities for when he arrives.<br />
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Our son will be set with Astros gear, Braves gear, Purdue and Penn State gear, and Cubs gear! The favors were "Texas" glasses with bubble gum cigars and mints wrapped in a bandanna! The whole day was really wonderful and we had the best time! We are so lucky to have such great family and friends!<br />
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Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-50549569863677606512013-04-09T15:38:00.003-06:002013-04-09T15:38:25.094-06:00H-town Maternity Photo ShootThanks to our amazing photographer, Melissa Meyer, we have some really great maternity photos. We went to several different locations in Houston and got some really nice shots. These are my favorites!<br />
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Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-50802912573233078532013-03-14T11:14:00.001-06:002013-03-14T11:17:21.624-06:00Baby Shower in PA!I recently traveled back to Pennsylvania to visit with family. It was the first time I've seen them since telling them I was pregnant back in November! My family planned a beautiful baby shower for me while I was there. The theme was "I'll love you to the moon and back" and everything was perfect, complete with moon and star decor, moon and star shaped sandwiches, cupcakes, cookies and favors!<br />
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After snacks and lunch, we moved into the living room to open presents. Baby and I got so many amazing things and it's safe to say that our little one is going to be very well-dressed!<br />
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There was also a onesie decorating station for guests to help decorate a onesie that our little guy will wear. Also, guests filled out cards with their "Wishes for Baby". All of the little touches made the day so special.<br />
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I had such an amazing time at the shower and felt so loved! Our little guy is already so lucky to have so many people that love him! Thank you to everyone who helped make the day so wonderful!<br />
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Next, we'll be traveling back to Houston in April for a co-ed baby party! We're looking forward to warm weather and getting together with family and friends.</div>
Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-34842826245281815612013-02-13T17:39:00.000-07:002013-02-13T17:39:45.802-07:00Mike and Maggie's Visit - Round 2Mike and Maggie made the trek up to Canada for their second visit! Last year, they happened to come during the coldest week of the entire winter with temperatures in the negative 40s. This year, they were pleasantly surprised at the mild temperatures and sunny skies. Their first night here, we went out to celebrate Matt's 30th with drinks and German chocolate cupcakes at the Drum and Monkey. <br />
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The next day happened to be Matt's actual birthday and the Super Bowl. We had a nice night in with snacks and presents while watching the game.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Officially 30 years!</td></tr>
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While Mike and Maggie were here, we couldn't miss out on the perfect snowboarding weather so we headed up to Banff for the day. Maggie and I shopped around town while Matt and Mike hit the slopes. It was sunny down in the town, but up on the mountain it was pretty snowy and windy - great powder for snowboarding.<br />
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We also decided to check out a moderate hike called Troll Falls. We rented snowshoes and drove up to Kananaskis to find the trail. We ended up not really needing the snowshoes since there wasn't a ton of snow and the trail was pretty well packed down but it was still fun to give them a try. The frozen waterfall was really pretty. Apparently, there were more falls a bit further up the cliff, but it was too treacherous to hike with the icy, slippery snow, especially in my condition (not the best idea to hike a slippery, icy cliff while pregnant). So, instead we headed back the way we came in and then grabbed some lunch at Urban District Tavern.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike climbed up the ice to snap a picture behind the fall.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the view from behind the fall.</td></tr>
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Mike, Maggie, and I went shopping on 17th Ave one day and saw a movie another day. For their last day here, we planned a heli-tour around Kananaskis. The four of us took a helicopter ride around the mountains. The views were unbelievable. The ride was really smooth and it was the perfect day for it. I was the lucky one who got to ride co-pilot, while Mike, Maggie and Matt rode in the back. We all got to wear the headphones with microphones so that we could chat while up in there air. Matt and I got a glimpse of a few of the mountains that we had hiked this past summer and it was really neat to see them from above.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt looks a bit nervous before take-off.</td></tr>
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On the way home, we spotted some Big Horned Sheep along the side of the road. The week was lots of fun and we were so glad the weather turned out to be so beautiful for Mike and Maggie's visit.Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-87525036318910533752013-02-02T12:05:00.001-07:002013-02-02T12:05:25.835-07:00Our Big Announcement!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We couldn't be happier about our little <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>boy</b></span> that's on the way!</div>
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Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-6362217642810288772013-01-21T17:18:00.000-07:002013-01-21T17:18:02.764-07:00Anniversary Getaway in VancityMatt and I planned a weekend getaway to Vancouver to celebrate our 4th anniversary. We caught a short flight after work on Friday night to Vancouver. The views of the sunset over the mountains were gorgeous! <br />
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We arrived in Vancouver around dinnertime and we quickly checked into our hotel, <a href="http://www.modahotel.ca/" target="_blank">Moda</a>, which is a small, boutique-style hotel in downtown. It's actually a really old building with 100-year-old hardwood floors in the rooms and the original elevator that still works. It was really nice. That night, we had a reservation at a fancy restaurant called <a href="http://www.cioppinosyaletown.com/" target="_blank">Cioppino's</a> to celebrate our anniversary. We had the burrata and roasted vegetables to start and then some cream of Jerusalem artichoke soup with white truffles, gnocchi, and spit-roasted veal chop (I told you, very fancy!). The dinner was AMAZING. After dinner, we walked around a little and then headed to our hotel for the night.<br />
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The next morning, we decided to grab brunch at <a href="http://thetempleton.ca/" target="_blank">The Templeton</a>, an old school diner-style restaurant located a few blocks from our hotel. The walk there was a bit foggy and overcast but it gave the city a neat look. The restaurant was very tiny but really delicious.<br />
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After breakfast, we planned to head to <a href="http://www.capbridge.com/" target="_blank">Capilano Suspension Bridge Park</a> for some sightseeing. It was a bit of a hike: a long walk to Waterfront Station, a "seabus" ride to North Vancouver, and about a 20 minute bus ride up to the park, but it was well worth it. By the time we reached the park, the sun had peaked its way through the clouds. First, we checked out the suspension bridge. It was so neat - it was originally built in 1889 and it stretches 450 feet across and 230 feet above the Capilano River. It was really beautiful to see the scenery but the bridge itself was a bit shaky and bouncy to walk on.<br />
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After the Suspension Bridge, we checked out the Treetops Adventure. The Treetops Adventure consists of 7 suspension bridges through the evergreens about 100 feet above the forest floor.<br />
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The trees in the park were gigantic. They were so amazing to see. We even saw one tree that was 1300 years old.<br />
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The last part of the park that we explored was the Cliff Walk. The Cliff Walk is made up of suspended walkways that jut out from the granite cliff. The walkways were super skinny and open on the sides, so you can see almost straight down beneath you. <br />
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Next, headed back to the city for a late lunch. We ate at <a href="http://steamworks.com/" target="_blank">Steam Works Brew Pub</a>. While at lunch, we heard our waiter talking to another customer about the Lululemon Warehouse sale going on this weekend. <a href="http://shop.lululemon.com/home.jsp" target="_blank">Lululemon</a> is a really trendy brand of yoga and workout clothing that is super popular in Canada right now. So, I was excited to hear about a sale, since it's normally pretty expensive. Matt and I decided to check it out. We had to wait in a line to get in and check our coats and bags at the door. It was a bit of zoo inside but we ended up finding some good deals!<br />
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After our shopping spree, we grabbed a light dinner at the <a href="http://www.alibi.ca/" target="_blank">Alibi Room</a>. The restaurant was in an old warehouse-type of building and had a really neat vibe inside. After dinner, we grabbed a cab to the <a href="http://www.vancouver.suttonplace.com/default.htm" target="_blank">Sutton Place Hotel</a> that we heard had an amazing chocolate buffet! It was a really ritzy hotel and the chocolate buffet was delicious. Afterward, Matt and I were ready to head back out our hotel to fall into a chocolate coma for the night.<br />
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The next day, we checked out of our hotel, grabbed a quick breakfast and then headed to the <a href="http://www.vanaqua.org/" target="_blank">Vancouver Aquarium</a>. Although swarming with little kids, we had a great time checking out all of the exhibits. We especially liked seeing the beluga whales and the 4D movie on the Salmon Run. I also really liked when we walked through the Rain Forest Exhibit and a butterfly landed on Matt's head.<br />
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After the aquarium, we grabbed lunch at the <a href="http://www.markjamesgroup.com/yaletown.html" target="_blank">Yaletown Brew Pub</a> and watched some football before we had to head to the airport for our flight back to Calgary.Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-47798534547861326032013-01-07T16:06:00.002-07:002013-01-07T16:06:57.466-07:00Tim and Katie's Visit to ring in 2013!Matt and I returned to Calgary from our Christmas trip to Indiana and the very next day we were lucky enough to have visitors come to celebrate New Year's with us! Tim and Katie arrived and we spent the afternoon relaxing and catching up. We grabbed lunch at the Hose and the Hound and then headed back to our house. Penny was still recovering from her exhausting stay at Dogaholics for the holidays, but loved having new friends for a few days.<br />
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The next day, we visited the <a href="http://www.glenbow.org/" target="_blank">Glenbow Museum</a> downtown to check out the Fairy Tale Monsters exhibit.<br />
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It was a bit disturbing but definitely interesting. For dinner, we went to one of our favorite new places on 4th street, <a href="http://www.anejo.ca/" target="_blank">Anejo</a> for tequila (none for me of course) and tacos. That night, we had tickets to see Gerry Dee, a Canadian comedian that Matt and I really like. He's a former teacher who now does stand-up on "life after teaching" and also has a sitcom on TV. Check him out <a href="http://www.gerrydee.com/" target="_blank">here</a>!<br />
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For New Year's, we headed up to Banff! Matt, Tim, and Katie went snowboarding/skiing for the day while I enjoyed some hot cocoa in the lodge. Later that night, we checked into our room at the <a href="http://www.rimrockresort.com/" target="_blank">Rimrock Hotel</a> and admired the amazing views. We had reservations at the <a href="http://www.bearstreettavern.ca/" target="_blank">Bear Street Tavern</a> for dinner, where Brooke and her boyfriend, Nick, would be joining us. Dinner was lots of fun and afterwards, we headed back to the hotel. We had planned to watch fireworks downtown, but it was so cold and windy, we decided to spend the night at the hotel. We caught the bus back to the hotel and since we were the only people on the bus, the driver decided to make our ride a bit more exciting by doing donuts in a parking lot on the way to our hotel! It was a little terrifying but fun at the same time. We all couldn't believe that the driver of a large city bus decided to have some fun - definitely something none of us expected and something that we wouldn't forget!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mountains looked so enticing for snowboarding but I had to relax in the lodge...it was tough!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the view outside our hotel room window!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a pond to ice-skate on at our hotel but we were just too cold to do it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim and Katie at dinner</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt and I</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick and Brooke at dinner</td></tr>
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Back at our hotel, we counted down to the New Year while playing games and watching the Calgary New Year's Eve show. The next morning, we woke up, grabbed breakfast, and headed up to Lake Louise.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View outside our room at sunrise</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Year's Day was beautiful outside - clear blue skies!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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Lake Louise was beautiful! Such a different site in the winter time compared to the views in summer, but still very pretty. There was lots of snow covering the trees and the lake was frozen! There was also an ice castle sculpture out on the lake! The <a href="http://www.fairmont.com/banff-springs/?cmpid=google_bsh_search-branded_branded-e&s_kwcid=TC%7C1025556%7Cfairmont%20hotel%20banff%7C%7CS%7Ce%7C20496278940&gclid=CIDB5sOt17QCFUlxQgodrEAAtg" target="_blank">Fairmont Hotel</a> also had an ice bar and people making maple syrup pops outside.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt, Tim and Katie took their chances and ventured out onto the frozen lake, but I heeded the sign and stayed on the shore - just to be safe!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maple Syrup Pops made in the snow</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice Bar</td></tr>
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We had such an amazing time with Tim and Katie and are so glad they could come visit! We love showing people around Calgary and Banff! Mike and Maggie have booked their trip for the beginning of February and we are looking forward to lots of fun with them!</div>
Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-52266184480091822502013-01-03T16:18:00.002-07:002013-01-03T16:18:59.301-07:00Christmas 2012 in Indiana<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We spent Christmas this year in Indiana with Matt's family. It wasn't exactly a white Christmas, but Matt and I were okay with that, since we've been getting our fill of snow up in Calgary. We arrived on the 19th and spent the days leading up to Christmas relaxing, finishing up some last-minute shopping, and wrapping all of the presents that we had sent to West Lafayette. Christmas Eve was lots of fun playing games and exchanging our "white elephant" gifts. Christmas day, we opened all of our presents and got lots of great things, which made for a bit of a challenge packing our bags to return home. We ended up having to check 2 bags filled with all of our presents. Due to a "blizzard" on the day after Christmas, our flight was cancelled, so we got to spend one extra day in Indiana.<br />
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Before heading to Indiana, we exchanged our gifts with each other at home. We also gave Penny her Christmas presents. We decorated our house with lights and a tiny tree since we knew we'd be away for most of the holiday, and a large real tree wasn't feasible.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of Penny's new toys didn't last very long...</td></tr>
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Since Penny couldn't travel with us to Indiana, we had her stay at the doggie daycare and boarding place that we usually do. They had a Santa there one day and Penny got her picture taken!<div>
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Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-60031114304849381302012-12-09T13:54:00.000-07:002012-12-09T13:54:36.877-07:00Off the Grid in NipikaFor my friend Brooke's birthday, we traveled to British Colombia to an eco-resort called <a href="http://www.nipika.com/" target="_blank">Nipika</a> for the weekend. We arrived Friday evening and settled into our lodge. There were 15 of us total so we had a large cabin that slept about 12 and another smaller cabin that slept about 6. The lodges were beautiful and very eco-friendly. The entire resort ran on very limited electricity and we had to leave our hair dryers, computers, and other plug-ins at home. With no TV and no cell service, it was nice to relax and not worry about anything. The first night we met everyone and told stories by the fireplace. Some people took a dip in the firewood-heated hot tub, but Matt and I opted to stay inside by the warm fire.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hot tub and sauna</td></tr>
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Saturday morning, we woke up and had breakfast. We had assigned meals ahead of time to groups of people so Brooke and a few others were in charge of breakfast for Saturday morning. They made scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shauna, Adrien, and Brooke preparing breakfast</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt "living the dream" after breakfast</td></tr>
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After a hearty breakfast, we decided to go for a hike to a natural bridge over the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kootenay_River" target="_blank">Kootenay River</a>. Normally, Nipika has snow at this time of year and the trails are used for cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing. This particular weekend, though, there was no snow so we made the most of it and hiked the trail to the river. The scenery was beautiful and when we reached the river, the colors of the water were amazing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top view of the natural bridge over the river</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Limestone which lines the bottom of the river, giving the water that amazing blue-green color</td></tr>
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After our 3 hour hike, we headed back to the lodge for some lunch and rest. We were all on our own for lunch so Matt and I heated up some soup and sat by the fire. We played Scategories and Scrabble to pass the time. Later, the group on dinner duty prepared chicken and veggie skewers, pork tenderloin, and rice.<br />
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The next morning, it was our turn for breakfast. Matt and I, along with another couple, made bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, and french toast. While preparing and eating breakfast, it began to snow outside, just in time for us to pack up and head home. It was still really pretty to see though.<br />
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As we packed our things and got ready for the 2.5 hour drive back to Calgary, we took a peek at the guest book. This was the first entry:<br />
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Sounds like they had a great time...and so did we!Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-32341107301237984902012-11-15T12:45:00.000-07:002012-12-09T12:52:16.938-07:00Our First Fall FestMatt and I have sadly missed the first 3 annual Fall Fests and decided that we couldn't bare to miss another. So, we flew back to PA so that we could visit with friends and family and finally see what all of the hype was about. Unfortunately, we got stuck in Minneapolis for a night on our way due to "maintenance issues" (thanks, Delta), but we finally arrived right in time for Fall Fest. Fall Fest was complete with tons of food, kegs, family, friends, and a massive bonfire. Dad actually had over 90 pallets to burn for the bonfire. Jenny and I created a scarecrow to initiate the lighting of the fire. Thankfully, there was very little tackling this year, but lots of fun and games. The next day, mom made a huge Thanksgiving dinner for us (even though the real Thanksgiving was still a few weeks away) just so we could enjoy the yummy food with our family.<br />
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Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-43997122661533945912012-11-04T13:39:00.001-07:002012-11-04T13:39:18.712-07:00Pumpkin Carving Party - Halloween 2012To get into the Halloween spirit, Matt and I decided to have a Pumpkin Carving Party with some of our friends. It was BYOP (Bring Your Own Pumpkin) and most of our friends hadn't carved a pumpkin since they were little, but for Matt and I, it's always an annual tradition. We had a feast of snacks, including beer bread, guacamole, salsa, deviled eggs, and veggies and dip. And of course there were drinks - even a special Halloween Punch that Matt concocted.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some came in costume, but others didn't. We had a Conehead, a witch, and Where's Waldo's girlfriend, Wanda. For those who came costume-less, Matt recruited some more Coneheads :)</div>
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After some chatting and snacking, we got started with the pumpkin carving. Brooke decided to use a pattern for her giant pumpkin, but the rest of use chose to go with freehand designs.</div>
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Mostly, we all made a pretty big mess, but of course had fun in the process. Everyone's pumpkin turned out great!</div>
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Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-88392234300099805182012-10-07T13:01:00.001-06:002012-10-07T13:01:11.055-06:00Playing in Portland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Matt, Melissa, Brooke, and I planned a long weekend trip to Portland, OR where we met up with Kara for <a href="http://thecolorrun.com/" target="_blank">The Color Run</a>. Our weekend of fun went like this:</div>
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<b>Thursday:</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>Arrived and checked-in to our hotel</li>
<li>Explored the city - visited <a href="http://www.d2m.com/Tugwebsite/" target="_blank">Tugboat Brewery</a> and few other pubs</li>
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<b>Friday:</b></div>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Headed to <a href="http://stumptowncoffee.com/location/downtown/" target="_blank">Stumptown Coffee</a> and <a href="http://voodoodoughnut.com/" target="_blank">Voodoo Donuts</a> for breakfast</span></b></li>
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<li> Rented bikes and rode around the city for some sightseeing and shopping</li>
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<li>Grabbed delicious dinner at <a href="http://www.henrystavern.com/" target="_blank">Henry's</a></li>
<li>Met up with Kara and went to My Father's Place for some drinks</li>
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<b>Saturday:</b><br />
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<li>Woke up early for The Color Run 5K</li>
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<li> Cleaned up and grabbed lunch at <a href="http://shiraz-grill.com/portland-dining/about-shiraz/" target="_blank">Shiraz</a></li>
<li>Then we split up - Kara and I went to play soccer while Melissa, Matt, and Brooke went shopping</li>
<li>Ate dinner at <a href="http://sizzlepie.com/" target="_blank">Sizzle Pie</a> and then headed to the Timber's game</li>
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<li> Matt and Melissa called it a night and headed back to the hotel while Brooke, Kara and I went to meet up with her friends at <a href="http://digaponyportland.com/" target="_blank">Dig a Pony</a></li>
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<b>Sunday:</b><br />
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<li>Went for brunch at Mother's and walked around Hawthorne to check out the vintage shops</li>
<li>Brooke and Matt headed back to Calgary but Melissa and I stayed an extra day</li>
<li>Went to a Fiesta themed birthday party for one of Kara's friends</li>
<li>Had dinner, wine and watched a movie with Chelsea and Kara at their house</li>
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<b>Monday: </b><br />
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<li> Met Kara for lunch at a restaurant where they were preparing to film <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portlandia_(TV_series)" target="_blank">Portlandia</a>!</li>
<li>Got a tour of Kara's office</li>
<li>Melissa and I headed to the airport to fly home</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty view of the Rockies from the plane</td></tr>
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Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-65529864881576340472012-10-03T20:46:00.000-06:002012-10-03T20:46:37.106-06:00Another Day, Another MountainMatt and I decided to squeeze one more mountain climb in before winter (yes, winter begins in October here in Calgary). So, we planned a hike for a weekend in late September. During the week before, we found out that our neighbor from Houston, Mike, was going to be in town for work. So, we invited him along. We planned to hike <a href="http://www.summitpost.org/heart-mountain/151793" target="_blank">Heart Mountain</a> in Canmore, recommended by Brooke. Also joining Mike, Matt and I were Mike's co-worker Gary, Humberto, Pamela, Marina, and Alex. We headed up to Canmore around 9 AM and got to the base of the mountain around 10. We met everyone there and started the hike/climb. Right from the start, it was a steep, steady incline.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fall colors were beautiful!</td></tr>
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After about an hour, Matt and Mike decided to head back down and take a more relaxing trail. The rest of us continued up the mountain. The views continued to get better and better the higher up we got.</div>
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There were a few tough parts up to the top but we finally made it to the summit after about 3 hours.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XOyJR2UZsik/UGzzHlRGrBI/AAAAAAAACKk/czZz0cIC1Qw/s1600/IMG_2226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XOyJR2UZsik/UGzzHlRGrBI/AAAAAAAACKk/czZz0cIC1Qw/s320/IMG_2226.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inukshuk at the top!</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BEX-SWajr-s/UGzzMC6LmMI/AAAAAAAACK0/5HV1oNWyEQU/s1600/IMG_2260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BEX-SWajr-s/UGzzMC6LmMI/AAAAAAAACK0/5HV1oNWyEQU/s320/IMG_2260.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<img border="0" height="147" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xbF4xG10Sxg/UGz0r4ImLJI/AAAAAAAACLc/xOdT_rw4TzI/s640/IMG_2264.JPG" width="640" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;">We made a group decision to take the "easy" way down which was significantly longer but slightly less treacherous. Instead of heading back down the way we came up, we headed to the other side of the mountain, following the ridge of several other mountains. Then, we headed down through the forest and finally made it back to the parking lot after a total of about 6 and a half hours. Meanwhile, Mike and Matt had done a quick hike along Heart Mountain Creek, had a snack in Canmore, and made it back to the parking lot with time to spare.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were so glad to be back down at the bottom!</td></tr>
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After the climb, we all headed to Canmore to grab some much needed food and drinks. We headed back to Calgary just in time to see an amazing sunset behind the mountains. Although I'm looking forward to winter (did I really just say that?) because of snowboarding, I'm going to miss hiking the mountains. Luckily, we will have some time next summer to hike a few more mountains before our time in Calgary is up!</div>
Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-11325013813919379422012-09-21T20:04:00.000-06:002012-09-21T20:04:43.530-06:00Mom and Dad Skow Visit CalgaryMom and Dad Skow made the trek up to Calgary, and we kept them busy while they were here. First, we took a trip up to Lake Louise. Lake Louise is about 45 minutes further west than Banff. Along the way to Lake Louise, we stopped to take some photos.<br />
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When we arrived at Lake Louise, we took the <a href="http://www.trailpeak.com/trail-Plain-of-Six-Glaciers-Victoria-Glacier-near-Banff-AB-1385" target="_blank">"Plain of Six Glaciers"</a> hike up to the high tea house near the glacier. It was 5.5 km up to the tea house, 11 km round trip, and took us about 6 hours to make it back down to the lake. Along the way, we heard several small avalanches! The color of the water in the lake and the views on the way up the mountain were amazing!<br />
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When we arrived at the top, we had some really great, close-up views of Victoria Glacier. We took a break and explored the tea house for a bit before we headed back down.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LcUVuzS3AKw/UDwJxjs5ecI/AAAAAAAAB8s/KvHZNlyeZtw/s1600/IMG_2027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LcUVuzS3AKw/UDwJxjs5ecI/AAAAAAAAB8s/KvHZNlyeZtw/s320/IMG_2027.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The glacier is the lower snowy part.</td></tr>
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Once arriving back down at the bottom, we hopped in the car and drove to Banff, where we spent the night. We stayed at the <a href="http://www.rimrockresort.com/" target="_blank">Rimrock Hotel</a>, just as Matt and his parents did while they were visiting. We had dinner out at the <a href="http://www.banffavebrewingco.ca/" target="_blank">Banff Brewing Co.</a> and walked around the town of Banff before calling it a night. The next morning, we headed to Johnston Canyon to check out the water falls. Matt and I had done the hike before, last winter. During the winter, it's called the "Ice Walk" but in the summer, it's a completely different (and much easier) hike!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's now a tradition...</td></tr>
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After our hike in Johnston Canyon, we headed back to Calgary. Throughout the rest of the week, we toured downtown Calgary. We walked around Stephen Ave, window-shopped on 17th, had lunch at the Calgary Tower, and had dinner at Mercato. Mom and Dad also got to check out one of our soccer games! We also got to enjoy the Taste of Calgary celebration on Mom and Dad's last day.<br />
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We miss you guys already! We love having visitors...who's next??</div>
Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-22516235001112685762012-09-16T15:01:00.001-06:002012-09-16T15:01:20.664-06:00Mom and Pop Meyer Visit (July 2012)<div style="text-align: center;">
*Guest-blogger, Matt Meyer *</div>
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It all started on the final day of my annual pilgrimage back to Indiana for the Indy 500. As we were packing up and getting ready to head for the airport, my mom was looking online and found some decently-priced flights to Calgary at the end of July. We quickly checked our calendars and it seemed like a perfect time to come visit Canada, so they pulled the trigger and bought the tickets right then.</div>
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A couple weeks passed, then Katie and I realized we overlooked her trip to Puerto Rico for Jaclyn's Bachelorette (or, as they say in Canada, Stagette) Party. The dates lined up almost exactly, leaving only 1 night for Katie to be here while they visited. So it was up to me to be the tour guide and cram as much as I could in to the 6 days they would be here.</div>
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On Thursday night, I picked Mom and Dad up at the Calgary Airport and drove them back to our house. It was already pretty late by then, so we stayed up for a little bit, gave them the house tour, and called it a night.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and Pop Meyer at YYC.</td></tr>
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On Friday, we decided to walk around the city - down by the river and through the core. Mom was amazed at all the flowers that were around town.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JLPucBoUVws/UFY2lgi2kEI/AAAAAAAAB_c/ZubT2BgJIJg/s1600/IMG_3779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JLPucBoUVws/UFY2lgi2kEI/AAAAAAAAB_c/ZubT2BgJIJg/s320/IMG_3779.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the flower displays around the city.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-COD7r13fbAY/UFY5-KH3wdI/AAAAAAAACAQ/ZR0pWVUVoWw/s1600/photo-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-COD7r13fbAY/UFY5-KH3wdI/AAAAAAAACAQ/ZR0pWVUVoWw/s320/photo-9.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom loved the Canadian money!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street-art?</td></tr>
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That evening, we were scheduled to go out to eat at Mercato, but when the cab arrived, Penny snuck out the front door. Pandemonium ensued, as Dad and I chased after her down the street. We even asked the cab driver to help, but he wanted no part of it. He saw Penny running toward him, and he jumped back in the cab. Penny finally calmed down and gave up the chase. By this time, the original cab had left and so we had to call another one and hope Mercato did not give our reservation away. We had a nice dinner with plenty of food - mussels, steak, pasta, and wine. After dinner we headed to Wurst for a couple of drinks, then headed home.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QirBicUX4eE/UFY5gT-p4MI/AAAAAAAACAA/AnBhn1nGyG8/s1600/photo-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QirBicUX4eE/UFY5gT-p4MI/AAAAAAAACAA/AnBhn1nGyG8/s320/photo-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mercato for Mom's Birthday Dinner.</td></tr>
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The next day, we took a little longer to get up and going, but after a while, we were ready to go again. Today was going to be another Canada-first for my Dad and I - our first CFL game. It was the Calgary Stampeders versus the British Columbia Lions. The stadium is shaped like a U and when we entered, we were not sure which way to turn - but if we went the wrong way - we would be screwed and would have have to walk all the way around the stadium to the correct side. As you could have guessed, we took a 'Meyer Shortcut' and ended up at the wrong side of the stadium. The game was interesting to say the least, but it seemed more like a high school or small college game rather than a professional football game. Calgary was getting blown out, so Dad and I decided to leave a bit early and head back home where Mom was working and dog-sitting.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0i8F5x-PX4w/UFY6IJuP2mI/AAAAAAAACAY/-uhK8xmkGUE/s1600/photo-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0i8F5x-PX4w/UFY6IJuP2mI/AAAAAAAACAY/-uhK8xmkGUE/s320/photo-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calgary Stampeders vs BC Lions.</td></tr>
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On Sunday, we just relaxed around the house and went to to Wild Rose for a couple drinks. We had to take it easy because we would be heading to Banff and Lake Louise in the morning.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J_Jjp7wiCp4/UFY2NnSfdHI/AAAAAAAAB_M/cagTk7JyyX4/s1600/DSCF1036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J_Jjp7wiCp4/UFY2NnSfdHI/AAAAAAAAB_M/cagTk7JyyX4/s320/DSCF1036.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Safety first! Had to go home to let Penny out and returned on my bike.</td></tr>
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Monday morning, I woke up early and got Penny to take her to Dogaholics so she could hang out there while we stayed overnight in the Canadian Rockies. We headed to Banff and Mom and Dad were in awe of the mountains as we made the 90 minute trip to Banff. Once there, we stopped in town for lunch at the Banff Brewery. After a quick bite, we went to go check in to our hotel - the Rimrock. I got lost again (sound familiar?) and we ended up at the swankiest hotel in the area - the Fairmont. Think of a castle in the middle of the mountains. After using the GPS, we were able to finally get to the Rimrock to check-in. After a little down-time we took the bus back in to town to walk around the shops and grab some dinner.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tUdO8IzXUGk/UFY2VSXyNqI/AAAAAAAAB_U/A7DBBnBZBO8/s1600/DSCF1055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tUdO8IzXUGk/UFY2VSXyNqI/AAAAAAAAB_U/A7DBBnBZBO8/s320/DSCF1055.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad and I on the balcony of the lobby of the Rimrock Hotel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BkhjGlYfZ8Q/UFY6RcaEzJI/AAAAAAAACAg/xoL3ZopLJeg/s1600/554649_425447837501067_1268536633_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BkhjGlYfZ8Q/UFY6RcaEzJI/AAAAAAAACAg/xoL3ZopLJeg/s400/554649_425447837501067_1268536633_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom insisted I try this on, haha!</td></tr>
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Tuesday morning, we got up and drove 45 minutes NW to another Canada-first - to see the famous Lake Louise. When we arrived, the crowds were pretty crazy. We walked around the lake, took some pictures, then headed back to Calgary. Once we got back, I had to go pick up Penny, then go pick up Katie later that night. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NNihRmDT6WA/UFY3Dk4uE1I/AAAAAAAAB_0/46xrvfIf27g/s1600/IMG_3795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NNihRmDT6WA/UFY3Dk4uE1I/AAAAAAAAB_0/46xrvfIf27g/s400/IMG_3795.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad and I at Lake Louise.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0__oYaHPRcQ/UFY29VdqQdI/AAAAAAAAB_s/Gz80dnpP_lE/s1600/IMG_3794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0__oYaHPRcQ/UFY29VdqQdI/AAAAAAAAB_s/Gz80dnpP_lE/s400/IMG_3794.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and Dad on the shore of Lake Louise.</td></tr>
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Katie was able to visit for a little bit that night, but everyone was exhausted from traveling, so we headed to bed relatively early.</div>
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Wednesday morning, Katie had to go in to the office, so I got up and dropped her off, and came back to the house to spend the last couple hours with the parents before they headed back to the States. A last lunch at Fergus and Bix, then it was time to head to the airport to see them off.</div>
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All-in-all, it was a great visit. I was so glad my parents were able to make it up here. Next time, I hope that the whole family can make it up together.</div>
Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-36129310033899103492012-08-06T21:21:00.002-06:002012-08-06T21:21:12.642-06:00Mt. YamnuskaMatt and I completed our 2nd official hike while living in Calgary: we conquered Mt. Yamnuska. I think it was a bit more difficult than we originally anticipated, but it was amazing. We arrived at the mountain at around 8 AM, fully prepared with our hiking boots, walking poles, camel packs, bear spray and trail mix. From our online investigating and research, we planned on the hike lasting about 6 hours. We headed to the base of the mountain from the parking lot and came upon the hiker sign-in book along with a warning sign:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mvJtDaJYj7o/UCB8scGfybI/AAAAAAAAB2c/Gn_xoYN9Lkw/s1600/cougar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mvJtDaJYj7o/UCB8scGfybI/AAAAAAAAB2c/Gn_xoYN9Lkw/s320/cougar.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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But, that didn't stop us! We continued on up the path. The beginning of the trail was a breeze; nice and flat and shaded by the trees. I thought to myself, this is pretty easy. Little did I know I'd be eating those words a bit later. We had a nice view of the mountain as we hiked up...yes, that's what we were about to climb!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eQiMkMJhwbw/UCB9HQLUFAI/AAAAAAAAB2k/-f_yK8SuH4w/s1600/mountainbelow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eQiMkMJhwbw/UCB9HQLUFAI/AAAAAAAAB2k/-f_yK8SuH4w/s320/mountainbelow.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt checking out the mountain</td></tr>
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As we continued on our hike, we came to a sign that directed us where to go: rock climbers to the left, hikers to the right.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0UG4UxQ9OMY/UCB9izcnYKI/AAAAAAAAB20/476aoeDRO6k/s1600/sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0UG4UxQ9OMY/UCB9izcnYKI/AAAAAAAAB20/476aoeDRO6k/s320/sign.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
So of course, we headed to the right. We were making great time and enjoying the hike up to the tree line. The views on the way up were unbelievable:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IldGsmygeAs/UCB9_Tn6jKI/AAAAAAAAB28/f5DfLRe6M-I/s1600/mattview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IldGsmygeAs/UCB9_Tn6jKI/AAAAAAAAB28/f5DfLRe6M-I/s320/mattview.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H0xBHgD8Mqs/UCB-Blvq_8I/AAAAAAAAB3E/KL4hSOojTIU/s1600/wayup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H0xBHgD8Mqs/UCB-Blvq_8I/AAAAAAAAB3E/KL4hSOojTIU/s320/wayup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
After about 2 and a half hours of hiking, we were approaching the tree line. We were both starting to feel the burn in our calves and quads but continued on up the mountain. Once passed the tree line, the path was significantly less obvious and Matt and I were a bit confused as to where to go. Luckily, a few other hikers came along and pointed us in the right direction.<br />
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Finally, after about 3 hours of hiking, we made it to the <i>first</i> false summit. We decided to relax for a bit, have a snack, and enjoy the view (as we hiked, we discovered that there were several "false" summits along the way).<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1Lz2J1Oryok/UCB-0i1jyXI/AAAAAAAAB3U/b5Z7AkNs6j8/s1600/1stfalsesummit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1Lz2J1Oryok/UCB-0i1jyXI/AAAAAAAAB3U/b5Z7AkNs6j8/s320/1stfalsesummit.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
While we were eating our snacks, a few other hikers passed us and continued on up the mountain. We watched as they made their way toward the summit. You can barely make out the hikers in the middle of the picture below (one was wearing a red backpack) - it gives you a bit of perspective on the size of the mountain....<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bXvetf-p6Io/UCB-6ByAwVI/AAAAAAAAB3c/4Zz3IQD35jw/s1600/whereweareheaded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bXvetf-p6Io/UCB-6ByAwVI/AAAAAAAAB3c/4Zz3IQD35jw/s640/whereweareheaded.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
After our snack and rest, Matt and I continued "onward and upward," as Matt liked to say during our hike. We came to a part of the hike in which we were required to hold onto a large chain bolted into the mountain and we carefully walked along a small ledge. We also had to use the large chain to scale down a bit of the rock to continue on the "path."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KV6vDV3jRXs/UCCADAwxsyI/AAAAAAAAB3k/OM1WhK1PDUA/s1600/terrifying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KV6vDV3jRXs/UCCADAwxsyI/AAAAAAAAB3k/OM1WhK1PDUA/s320/terrifying.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This part of the hike was quite terrifying but this picture makes it look worse than it really was...</td></tr>
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After making it past the crux (technical mountain hiking term meaning the most difficult passage on the way up), we continued up to the <i>second</i> false summit (which we thought was the real summit). This part of the hike was extremely unnerving and this is the point at which Matt and I freaked out a little. We realized though, that continuing up was easier than turning back, so we pressed on. We finally reached the <i>second</i> false summit after a bit of minor rock climbing. The views were totally worth it:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hOwqI7PQtJI/UCCAiKivm2I/AAAAAAAAB3s/1GL4Earyktg/s1600/2ndfalsesummit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hOwqI7PQtJI/UCCAiKivm2I/AAAAAAAAB3s/1GL4Earyktg/s320/2ndfalsesummit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgCddqI0eyM/UCCAioqwo_I/AAAAAAAAB30/ImKcP4Hb3iE/s1600/2ndfalsesummit2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgCddqI0eyM/UCCAioqwo_I/AAAAAAAAB30/ImKcP4Hb3iE/s320/2ndfalsesummit2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ox_7zwxaxHw/UCCAmW5-u_I/AAAAAAAAB38/MoSSzYINk9k/s1600/mk2ndfaslesummit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ox_7zwxaxHw/UCCAmW5-u_I/AAAAAAAAB38/MoSSzYINk9k/s320/mk2ndfaslesummit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
At this point, we thought we had made it to the top but quickly realized that we hadn't as we looked to our right and saw the true summit up above. I was really questioning whether or not to continue up but many other hikers that came by let us know that continuing on up and heading down the mountain on the other side was a much easier route back down than turning around. So, yet again, we pressed on. After not too much more climbing/hiking, we made it to the very top! Finally, we had reached the real summit!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cOIQlRLcPb8/UCCBSM2eDvI/AAAAAAAAB4E/LNWWGvyEW2M/s1600/mattscared.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cOIQlRLcPb8/UCCBSM2eDvI/AAAAAAAAB4E/LNWWGvyEW2M/s320/mattscared.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can see, Matt had a very uneasy look on his face when we reached the summit.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3O8UsjAzoz8/UCCBUiU6h8I/AAAAAAAAB4M/oYlKF1-ZxZQ/s1600/realsummit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3O8UsjAzoz8/UCCBUiU6h8I/AAAAAAAAB4M/oYlKF1-ZxZQ/s320/realsummit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8G-6BcQOsL4/UCCBVPYI2UI/AAAAAAAAB4U/iI5CP5ODnJk/s1600/realsummit2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8G-6BcQOsL4/UCCBVPYI2UI/AAAAAAAAB4U/iI5CP5ODnJk/s320/realsummit2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--HdEii1CfyM/UCCChxVl34I/AAAAAAAAB4c/W_2RMi69RH4/s1600/inukshuk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--HdEii1CfyM/UCCChxVl34I/AAAAAAAAB4c/W_2RMi69RH4/s320/inukshuk.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Along the way, there were several "<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1867835021"></span>inukshuks<span id="goog_1867835022"></span></a>" for us to follow - leading us in the right direction.</td></tr>
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Once at the top, we took a minute to catch our breath and take in the amazing scenery. We even enjoyed a vienna sausage with another hiker, who convinced us it was a long-celebrated tradition. We also received some instructions from a family of hikers on the best method back down the mountain. They basically explained to follow the "path" down, which would eventually curve around underneath the cliff of the summit. Once around the other side, we could then "ski" down the scree (another technical mountaineering term referring to small bits of broken rock). So, we headed down...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GqLNn7S_rHM/UCCDlGdRgZI/AAAAAAAAB4k/c5puFOahUOM/s1600/waydown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GqLNn7S_rHM/UCCDlGdRgZI/AAAAAAAAB4k/c5puFOahUOM/s640/waydown.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a view of the summit from below on our way down the mountain, You can barely make out the other hikers at the very top...</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GOOlAz6vm7Q/UCCDl_Sab2I/AAAAAAAAB4s/oiQcnHWAeoE/s1600/waydown2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GOOlAz6vm7Q/UCCDl_Sab2I/AAAAAAAAB4s/oiQcnHWAeoE/s320/waydown2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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As Matt and I took our time carefully trekking down the mountain, other hikers passed us by, practically running down. It was helpful, though, so we could see where to go and better yet, <i>how</i> to go. When we reached the scree, we watched as a family of hikers literally skated down the mountain. It was literally straight down and Matt and I were extremely skeptical, but realized it was the only way down. So, we started down, and once you start, there really is no stopping. But, as you go, it really does feel like you are skating down because the scree allows you to slide your feet as you move down the side of the mountain.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In this photo, you can see the scree that we "skated" down - it looks like a line down the middle of the mountain.</td></tr>
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Once reaching the path at the bottom of the scree, we had to sit down and empty out our boots that had filled with tiny bits of rock. Our legs were white with powder and dirt from skating down, but it was such a crazy experience. We then continued on the trail down the rest of the mountain and reached the tree line.<br />
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At this point, I was happy to be hiking through the trees because that was a sign that we were almost to the bottom. We finally looped back around to the trail that we had started the hike on. Eventually, we made it back to the sign-in book and were thrilled to sign-out.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We completed the hike to the summit and back in less than 6 hours!</td></tr>
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We continued onto the parking lot to our car. We were exhausted! We were so glad we had made it all the way to the top but we both agreed that it was the craziest/scariest thing we'd ever done.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ANJQIXkN1nE/UCCGdBQHzVI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/_5DqArAr8Bo/s1600/justclimbedthat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ANJQIXkN1nE/UCCGdBQHzVI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/_5DqArAr8Bo/s320/justclimbedthat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, we just climbed that.</td></tr>
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The drive home was a long hour and half but the weather was so beautiful. We were relieved to head home for a well-deserved nap.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PTkjfzcy7nQ/UCCGttrSK1I/AAAAAAAAB5g/fuaPleEyAlI/s1600/amazingday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PTkjfzcy7nQ/UCCGttrSK1I/AAAAAAAAB5g/fuaPleEyAlI/s320/amazingday.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such a gorgeous day...</td></tr>
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What mountain will we be climbing next, you might be wondering? TBD...Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-5638912278980674082012-08-05T16:57:00.000-06:002012-08-05T16:57:00.404-06:00Puerto Rico!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Due to Calgary's lack of proximity to a beach, I jumped at the chance to head to Puerto Rico for my friend Jaclyn's bachelorette party. The weekend consisted of:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out our resort - The Intercontinental</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the views from our room</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relaxing and sunbathing on the beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making Jaclyn get decked out in bachelorette gear</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring the bars and clubs in San Juan</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious dinners out each night</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horseback riding in the rain forest</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rope swinging into a river</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Natural spa treatments courtesy of our horseback tour guides<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lounging under the palm trees at the pool</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking fun photos at the beach on our last day</td></tr>
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Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-14361919282864153002012-07-15T18:19:00.003-06:002012-07-15T18:19:56.153-06:00Mt. IndefatigableOur first official hike of the summer was at <a href="http://hikealberta.com/hike/mount-indefatigable-trail" target="_blank">Mt. Indefatigable</a> near Kananaskis, AB. My friend <a href="http://brookecampbell.ca/" target="_blank">Brooke</a> invited us to meet her and her friends at their campsite, about 2 hours outside of Calgary. We decided to bring Penny along with us on the adventure. We arrived early in the morning and headed to Mt. Indefatigable. When we reached the trail, we were greeted with this sign:<br />
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The trail was still open, but was basically 'hike at your own risk'. Luckily, we had Penny with us to scare off the bears. So, we started up the mountain equipped with bug spray, backpacks with water and lunch, and walking sticks. The entire hike was about 7 km total but we didn't quite make it up to the summit. It was an overcast day which was perfect, not too hot and no rain. Here is the view from the bottom:<br />
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The beginning of the hike was shaded by the trees and the path was a nice steady incline, at first.<br />
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We crossed a stream and that's when our hike got increasingly more difficult.<br />
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After crossing the creek, the path got much steeper and guided us along the edge of the ridge. We had amazing views of the mountains and lake below, but had to keep a close eye on our steps as we climbed up the mountain.<br />
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Penny did such a good job on her first hike. As we hiked further and further up the mountain, the trail began to turn, winding up toward the summit. We reached the tree line and found snow! Snow, in July! Penny was beside herself...<br />
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We decided to head back down as we realized that the snow made for a slippery, more treacherous hike. So, we turned around and headed back down, looking for a nice place to stop for lunch.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can barely make out a boat on the lake below.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penny checked out the view below.</td></tr>
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After lunch, we began the trek down the mountain. It was MUCH easier but a little scary since there was lots of loose gravel. We stopped to take a few photos on the way down.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uud0PnggBmY/UANWip3zYyI/AAAAAAAABwc/u04COkPHEg8/s1600/IMG_1609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uud0PnggBmY/UANWip3zYyI/AAAAAAAABwc/u04COkPHEg8/s320/IMG_1609.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from below of our new friends heading down the trail</td></tr>
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When we reached the bottom, we walked down to the lake. Brooke decided to take a swim in the glacier-fed lake. It was surprisingly not freezing and Penny decided to join her.</div>
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After the hike, we got on the road to head back to Calgary. Thankfully, we didn't see any grizzlies, but we did catch a glimpse of a coyote and a couple of Rocky Mountain Sheep.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SmBXalyb4lA/UANYzI38iMI/AAAAAAAAByI/3QLQhRawiII/s1600/photo+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SmBXalyb4lA/UANYzI38iMI/AAAAAAAAByI/3QLQhRawiII/s320/photo+7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-4721617395433829082012-07-15T16:18:00.003-06:002012-07-15T16:18:54.845-06:00Stampede 2012!We finally got the opportunity to experience the infamous <i>Calgary Stampede</i> that we've heard so much about since moving here.<br />
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It was eerily similar to the Houston Rodeo and despite some obvious differences between Canada and the US, we are continuing to discover how similar the cities of Houston and Calgary are. Calgary transformed into stampede-mode almost over night, and we discovered that during Stampede, <i>everyone</i> is a cowboy...<br />
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Matt and I, of course, didn't want to feel left out, so we both invested in some cowboy boots. We didn't purchase hats, but maybe next year. Throughout the week of Stampede, everyone got all decked out in their western gear and joined the celebration, wearing their boots, hats, denim and plaid everywhere, including work. This year was actually the 100th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jW2MQk_YXpk/UAM6vHffI-I/AAAAAAAABtQ/ArjDaapOUZY/s1600/IMG_1515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jW2MQk_YXpk/UAM6vHffI-I/AAAAAAAABtQ/ArjDaapOUZY/s320/IMG_1515.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to get into the Stampede spirit...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure why Matt is wearing his bike helmet but you get the idea.</td></tr>
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The first night of the Stampede, Matt and I checked out the fairgrounds, where there was a big carnival. We rode a few rides and walked around to see what the stampede was all about. The people-watching was very entertaining. There was pretty much any kind of food you could want, including deep-fried Oreos and Twinkies. There were games, shows, horses, bulls, goats, and lots of parties. Matt and I agreed that we'd never seen so many cowboy hats in one city at one time before, not even in Houston during the rodeo.<br />
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The next day, we went to see some of the shows that were going on in the Saddle Dome. We got to see the mini chuck-wagon races, the heavy horse show, and the Stampede Show Riders.<br />
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After seeing some of the shows and walking the rest of the fairgrounds, we walked up 17th Avenue to get some dinner. 17th Avenue, otherwise known as <i>The Red Mile</i>, consists mostly of bars and restaurants. During Hockey season, Flames' fans walk the red mile after games. During Stampede, the whole street becomes one big party. We grabbed dinner, a few drinks and then headed home. Each night, there were fireworks all throughout the city celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Stampede. One night, Matt and I rode our bikes to a bridge near our house to get a great view of the fireworks.<br />
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Our first Stampede experience was a success! Book your trips for next July for a good time! Yeehaw! (...or as they say in Calgary, Yahoo!)<br />
<br />Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-50393693005677488002012-07-02T15:28:00.001-06:002012-07-02T15:28:26.312-06:002 Americans on Canada DayJuly 1st was Canada Day, a day to celebrate Canada and being Canadian. It's very similar to our 4th of July. Matt and I were excited to join in the fun despite the fact that we're not Canadian! We dressed in our most Canadian outfits and jumped on our bikes to head downtown. <br />
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It was about a 7.25 km ride to the core (that's about 4.5 miles for all of you non-metric users). It was a nice downhill trip and we arrived at Prince's Island around 10:30AM. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We look Canadian, right?</td></tr>
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We wanted to be sure to arrive in time to be part of the living Canadian flag, of course! And, this was actually the first EVER <a href="http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Recreation/Pages/Events/Canada-day-living-flag.aspx" target="_blank">Calgary living Canadian flag</a>, so we are now a part of Canadian history. We waited in line to get our t-shirts and then found our spots. We stood with 100s of other people to be part of the flag. </div>
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It was a bit chaotic, so while we were waiting for everyone to get organized and for the picture to be taken, an MC was asking entertaining questions of the crowd such as "Who is your favorite Canadian?" and "What is Canada's favorite sport?". There is actually a surprising number of famous Canadians (Ryan Reynolds, Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne, Shania Twain, Nelly Furtado, Keanu Reeves, Celine Dion, Jim Carey, and Dan Aykroyd to name a few). Then, just before they were about to snap the picture, the crowd began to sing the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBoItR59REQ" target="_blank">Canadian National Anthem</a> in both English and French. It was a bit awkward for us non-Canadians since we didn't know the words. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's Matt while everyone around us was singing the national anthem.</td></tr>
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Finally, they took the picture...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see us???</td></tr>
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After that, we walked around and enjoyed the festivities. There were bands playing, food trucks, and lots of tents to check out. The 70 degree sunny weather held out until around 12:30 but then the clouds rolled in and it began to drizzle. We took cover in the new bridge over the Bow River that connects downtown with Kensington.<br />
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After the rain stopped, we decided we'd had enough celebrating at the Canada Day festival, so we rode our bikes to Kensington to watch the Euro Cup final. After the game, we began the trek back home. The 7.25 km trip to the city was a nice leisurely ride, but the ride home was MUCH different. It was uphill and probably the hardest bike ride of my life! It took us about an hour to reach our house and we were exhausted! <br />
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Overall, it was a great Canada Day in Calgary. Next up: Calgary Stampede!<br />
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<br />Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-41598931193143842772012-07-02T14:12:00.000-06:002012-07-02T14:12:31.774-06:00Summer Trip Back to the US of AJust a few highlights from my amazing trip back to the states in June:<br />
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1. Celebrating my dad's and brother's birthday at my Mom and Dad's house with family<br />
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2. Water balloon fun with Brandon and spending time with Ryan<br />
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3. The hot summer weather!!<br />
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4. Wine tastings at 3 different wineries on the Bucks County Wine Tour for my brother's birthday<br />
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5. Mom's yummy cooking, especially her penne with pink vodka sauce<br />
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6. Outlet shopping with Mom and Jenny<br />
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7. Driving around PA and taking in the beautiful scenery<br />
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8. Trip to Rice's Flea Market with Jenny even though it was raining<br />
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9. Visiting with family friends Jane and Frank and listening to all of their amazing stories (they've been married 60 years!)<br />
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10. Playing with the pups: Maddie, Daisy and Kita (Jenny and Dave's dog)<br />
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11. Seeing Aunt Kathy and Lauren's classes on their last day of school<br />
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12. Skinny margarita's at Aunt Kathy and Uncle Jeff's<br />
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13. Visiting Jake and Jack<br />
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14. Road trip to Virginia with Jenny and Josh to Jen's family lake house<br />
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15. Pontoon boat ride at the lake house<br />
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16. Being the only "Canadian" in our first annual Air Hockey Tournament (apparently this was an advantage)<br />
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17. Seeing old friends, especially Jen who came all the way from Thailand<br />
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Shout out to Mike: "If I could turn back time..." I'd do it all again!Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-37048967038422226032012-06-02T19:44:00.001-06:002012-06-02T19:44:55.964-06:00Back home in Indiana....We recently traveled back to the states to Indiana to visit Matt's family and to also go to the Indy500. We flew out of Calgary, leaving the chilly spring weather behind, and arrived in Indianapolis, where summer was already in full effect. We rented a car (Matt tried his hardest to land us a sporty convertible to allow us to soak up the sun while driving around Indiana, but all they had was a Nissan Maxima with a sunroof...) and drove the hour or so to West Lafayette. It felt so nice driving with the windows down, taking in all of the midwest scenery. <br />
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We spent the first few days relaxing in West Lafayette with Matt's parents, uncle and sister, with a few trips back and forth to Indianapolis. On Saturday, we traveled to Papa's house (he lives right in Indianapolis). We spent the night there in order to be close to the Speedway for the race on Sunday. Saturday night, we grilled out and had delicious birthday cupcakes to celebrate everyone's recent birthdays. Papa really enjoyed his German Chocolate cupcake :)<br />
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Melissa and I prepared ourselves for the race by painting our nails, Indy style. We wanted to try to fit in with seasoned race-goers. This was actually Melissa's first time at the race. I have been twice before, and always look forward to the people watching, almost as much as I look forward to watching the race.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt, Melissa, and I were enjoying the warm weather in Papa's backyard.</td></tr>
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Each year, the Meyers go to the race with the Surfaces (long time family friends). Skip works for Budweiser so he is usually able to get tickets for us. Sunday, the day of the race, we got up around 7AM to get ready. We left around 8AM and drove to our parking spot. Everyone who lives even remotely close to the speedway turns their lawn into a parking lot, charging $20 to park. So, we parked and started to walk, each carrying an empty cooler. We headed to the Bud tent where we enjoyed some shade, some hotdogs, and then stocked our coolers. Surprisingly, you are allowed to take coolers into the stands. About an hour before the start of the race, we headed to our seats.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's go racing!</td></tr>
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We were very close to being a part of history at the race this year, but missed it by one degree. The temp on race day hit 91 degrees, just one degree shy of the hottest race on record, set in 1937. It felt nice though because there was a breeze blowing up in the stands. We watched the first 50 laps in the stands, and then headed to the "snake pit" in the infield. The "snake pit" is definitely a spectacle. I'm pretty sure that most of the people in the infield aren't even aware that a race is going on...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melissa took this awesome picture</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a picture of the infield from the stands.</td></tr>
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I finally discovered that you can post videos on here! So, here is a video of the race. The sound of the cars is pretty amazing.</div>
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We finished the race back in the stands. It seemed to go by pretty fast this year. Once the race was over, it was insanity. It is chaos trying to navigate through the crowd while still keeping track of everyone. In fact, we lost Matt's uncle and had no idea where he was. Also, his phone was dead so we had no way of finding him. We decided to take a "pit stop" at some random lawn to figure out what to do.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure what Melissa is doing in this picture, and you can just barely see Matt's red shoe in the bottom corner. He was taking a quick nap while the rest of us figured out what to do.</td></tr>
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We decided to head back to where the car was parked and hope for the best. Amazingly, we found Matt's uncle there! After the race, we headed back West Lafayette. We had another day there to enjoy the summer weather. Matt and I got to walk around the Purdue campus. <br />
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The next, day we caught our flight out of Indy back to Calgary. Another race in the books...Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4925189330921814795.post-63234009088459680632012-04-30T22:36:00.000-06:002012-04-30T22:36:09.438-06:00Melissa's Extreme Surprise Visit!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For my birthday, I was so excited that Melissa came to visit. It was a surprise planned by her and Matt, although I did have a sneaking suspicion that Matt was up to something...<br />
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We did so many fun things and adventurous activities that we nicknamed it Melissa's Extreme Vacation! The day after she arrived, we took her on a tour of downtown Calgary, also known as "the core." We did tons of walking but had a great time because it was such a pretty spring day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool statues on Stephen Ave</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calgary Tower</td></tr>
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Our next big adventure was the ice walk in Banff in Johnston Canyon. Matt and I had done this before but we did it back in January when the winter was in full effect. This time, it was so treacherous because the pathways were no longer covered in snow, they were covered in a slippery, slushy mess. We were slipping and sliding all over the place and poor Matt fell a record 7 times! We also decided to take the ice walk to the next level and continued on to the "ink pots." It was an additional two hours and it was basically like climbing a mountain, so the entire hike was about 4 hours. The "ink pots," which were supposedly "brilliantly colored pools" were a bit of a let down, but the views of the mountains were totally worth it. We also think that we heard an avalanche on the way there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love this pic that Melissa took!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This posed picture was quite a difficult task. The snow was knee deep on either side of the skinny packed down path, and we kept sinking in every time we moved!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the Ink Pots</td></tr>
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The weather was really nice for a couple of the days that Melissa was in town. It even made it into the high 70s one day (which I have been told is extremely rare for this time of year) so Melissa claimed that she brought a little Houston weather with her for us.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JB0DezMBqcc/T59l3_tfoLI/AAAAAAAABk0/mL7WzFBszMQ/s1600/IMG_0886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JB0DezMBqcc/T59l3_tfoLI/AAAAAAAABk0/mL7WzFBszMQ/s320/IMG_0886.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We got to soak up some sun in our backyard!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penny enjoyed the nice weather from our rooftop balcony!</td></tr>
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We took a break from our extreme adventures to celebrate my 29th birthday. We had a soccer game on my actual birthday at 830PM so we weren't able to do much that night. Although, Melissa did have our entire soccer team singing "happy birthday" to me after the game. The next night, we went out to a fancy dinner at Mercato, my fav restaurant in Calgary to celebrate officially. It was AMAZING! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a pretty rainbow on my birthday!</td></tr>
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We continued on with our adventures and went skiing and snowboarding in Banff. Yes, the mountains were still open for skiing and snowboarding at the end of April. Seems crazy, I know. Melissa tried skiing for the first time and did really great! The first run down the mountain was tough but the rest of the day was great!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The drive up was VERY foggy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All three of us on the lift</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of Melissa's few falls. Don't worry she made it out of Calgary in one piece!</td></tr>
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The last big adventure of Melissa's extreme vacation was horseback riding in the mountains! We rode through the woods with views of the Rockies all around us. I had a horse named Yuma, Melissa rode Cuba, and Matt rode Dallas. Melissa's horse was very stubborn and lazy and had a hard time keeping up with the rest of the horses, but she got a workout trying to get Cuba to catch up!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A much clearer drive up to Banff this time</td></tr>
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The whole week was so much fun and it was an awesome birthday surprise! We were definitely sad to see Melissa go, but we will be meeting up again at the end of May in Indianapolis for the Indy 500!</div>
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</div>Katie in Canadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10857179143519534291noreply@blogger.com0