Anniversary Getaway

A couple weeks ago we celebrated a late 6th wedding Anniversary, thanks to Morg's mom who kindly took care of our kids while we were away. We were married in July though we decided to wait until the fall to experience the Banff Springs Hotel. It was the perfect season to spend a romantic getaway. I only wish we had waited a couple more weeks though, since the Christmas decorations in the hotel were due to be set up in November, and that. would. have. been. DREAMY. We spent an entire day at the hotel Spa. It was bliss. There were mineral pools and outdoor hottubs in the Spa, to which we had access all day, as well as free snacks our whole visit. I pulles this picture from the internet since we weren't allowed any phones or cameras in the Spa, since it would "ruin the tranquility".....

In the elevator.

There were so many rooms to explore in this huge hotel. I thought it was very strange that most of them were not really being used, and felt kind of like a museum. We kept thinking, "our kids would LOVE to run around here and explore". Next time we'll bring them...maybe.

You could find old antique wood furniture ALL over the hotel, lining every wall.

I REALLY wanted to take something home. There is no way they needed all that furniture.

I want this one - and a can of white paint.

View from our room.

This is our spa-like bathroom.

We spent most of our time in pools - both indoor and outdoor. This was an amazingly warm pool outside. We had woken up to snow that morning and we down to the outdoor pool and were surrounded by snow covered mountains.

Self-portrait...

Someday we will definately go back.

A Day at the Farm

This Thanksgiving was pretty special. We were lucky enough to spend it with friends and family the whole time. On Saturday, Morgan's Uncle Richard and Aunt Bev were kind enough to have us hang out at their farm almost all day. Morg's Mom and Dad were there, as well as Linda, and Christine and her family also. The kids had a ball and the day was definately a memorable one. Grandma Lorna picking wheat in the prairie fields to bring home for decoration.

"Oh Morgan, put that away!"

Hide and Go Seek games never get boring, especially on a farm.

After a long day in the sun, we found Elizabeth hiding/sleeping in the back of a tractor in the barn.

Who gets to ride horses all day? No one where we come from. It was dreamy to watch the kids get this opportunity.

Okay so not everyone enjoyed it. Mason needs to muster up the courage for next time.

We enjoyed a hot dog roast lunch, and anxiously discussing Linda's wedding plans.

The men enjoyed discussing other things.

Grandma Lorna showed us how it's done.

My first time on a real horse.

So proud of her! She climbed right on the huge animal without a second thought, and didn't look back. Go Elizabeth! I think for her, Heaven would be riding horses all day long.

Cousins playing in the treehouse. There is so much to do on a farm!!!

Checking out the stables. Morg's mom told us a really amazing story about how her Mom (this is the farm that Morgan's mom and siblings grew up on) woke up in the middle of the night and since she couldn't go back to sleep she felt prompted to take the pigs a bucket of water. When she got to the barn a small fire had started from a heat lamp keeping the pigs warm, and she was able to put the fire out with her bucket of water. If it had been minutes later the barn would have gone up in flames.

Farm bums.

On Sunday we enjoyed a feast in Lethbridge and on Monday we had Morg's police partner and her girlfriend over for another turkey dinner at our house. My spread never tastes as delicious as my mom's or my mother-in-law's, but I enjoyed preparing it and with a few more years practice maybe I'll get things just right.