The Hunts Hit Canmore

Earlier this month, my parents came out for a nice 10 day long (but not long enough) visit.  We spent our time well and jam packed as much fun and adventure as could into one visit.  The boys hadn't seen their Nana and Poppa since our wedding in July but it sure didn't take them long to get reacquainted.  

With each visit my parents take out to Canmore, it gets harder and harder to show them something new.  This time we went to some of the usual places they've already been to but still had a few new experiences.  Like a dinner buffet at the Banff Springs Hotel; hiking Johnston's Canyon in the winter; taking a sleigh ride in Lake Louise and skating on the clear ice of Lake Minnewanka...just to name a few. :)

It has become a bit of a tradition to go to the sunday brunch buffet at the Farimont Banff Springs Hotel when my parents are around.  This time we switched it up a little and tried the dinner buffet instead.  It was just as good, if not better.

At the Banff Springs Hotel

Outside the Banff Spings Hotel

We've hiked Johnston Canyon in the Fall with my parents before but to see it in the winter is a whole new experience...

Liam fast asleep before starting our hike at Johnston Canyon

A clear green pool in Johnston Canyon 

Casey with Poppa and Nana

Casey and Poppa going through the rock tunnel at the canyon

Johnston Canyon

They were lucky enough to have beautiful weather on their trip too.  There was only one cloudy day in Canmore and that day we drove out to Lake Louise where the sun just so happened to be shining brightly...

Liam and Poppa, the bird whisperers in Lake Louise

Casey and Nana

Casey scoping out the ice sculptures from inside the Hotel Restaurant

The ice on Lake Minnewanka was clear and smooth.  The wind blew away all the snow on the lake, so you could skate all the way to the other side if your heart so desired...so that's just what my Dad did.  My $8.00 garage sale skates where hurting my feet, so I stuck closer to shore but it was still fun.

It was a great visit and we're already looking forward to a trip to Ontario in June.

...but first a trip to Mexico! This Monday! :)

Cold Snap

Last week was really cold (minus 30 cold)...even the herd of elk near our house were huddled up.  But we survived it with the help of some good soup and hot springs to warm us up.

I've been wanting to make this corn chowder ever since my friend Chloe made it for us for lunch one day a little while ago.  It's sooo good, and really easy to make. And at least one out of two liked it!  

Casey chowin' down on mama's bowl of corn chowder.  (Apparently Dada's was too hot, Liam's was too cold, but Mama's was juuuust right.)

And, I'm not gonna lie, there really isn't a better way to spend a minus 30 day than sitting in the hot springs...we're way too lucky to live here!

Here's the recipe for the soup.  It doesn't make a huge pot, so if you want left overs or have lots of hungry mouths to feed, you might want to double it up.

Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

1 green pepper diced

1 onion diced (I used 3 cloves of garlic instead)

1 cup cubed potato

3 cups frozen corn

2 cups of chicken broth

1 cup of cream or milk

1 Tbsp flour

2-3 strips of bacon cooked and chopped

salt and pepper to taste

How To:

In a pot, cook pepper and onion/garlic until done.  Add chicken broth and potato and bring to boil.  Simmer 10 minutes.  Add corn and simmer 10 minutes.  Whisk flour and milk together then stir into soup and simmer a couple minutes. Stir in cooked bacon at the end.

Keep warm! :)

Job Shadows

If the boys didn't already think their Dad was the coolest, they sure do now.  One day we went to bring Rob lunch at work and the boys got the VIP tour of the Nordic Centre.  They were very impressed by all the big trucks and tractors.  Casey couldn't stop saying "track tra" (his version of the word tractor).

Casey with Dad on the back of the snow cat

Casey driving Liam in shotgun

Checking out an old tractor

Some future Nordic Centre employees in the making...

Long Time Waiting

It was sometime between Christmas and New Years on a warm winter day we drove out to Lake Louise with a mission; to go on a sleigh ride and have some fun.  I have been waiting years to go on a sleigh ride  in Lake Louise and finally (finally!) I got my wish.  

While we were waiting for our sleigh, Rob laced up and took the boys for a ride on the ice.

And then, the moment I've been waiting for...

And as soon as the horses started moving, Casey was out like a light.

It was a perfect day.  Mission accomplished. :)