Trip to Penticton: Part One

Welp, it's finally time to start blogging again. I think we're all sick of hearing my excuses about how busy I am :)

Way back in May I had Ruben and Ada for the long weekend. Remember? We also spent a day with the Nicholsons while we had the kids. While we were hanging out, Michelle lamented the fact that we weren't spending the long weekend in Summerland at her parent's place. And then she realized...we could go the following weekend!

We left after work on Friday. First stop was Home Restaurant for dinner. MNNNNN.

 We arrived in Summerland after dark and settled into our digs.

This is the view we enjoyed as we breakfasted on the balcony.

Then Elisabeth enjoyed the hot tub.

We went to the market. Have you ever been to the Penticton Market? It's a street market that runs from spring to fall. It takes over blocks and blocks of the downtown core. You can find everything from sunglasses, dog clothes, fresh produce, fresh bread...It's great! Last year David bought a suitcase full of VW hot wheels there. There's a tragic twist to that story, you can read about it here.

After we'd perused the market, and of course the bookstore, we stopped at Subway to find healthy lunches for ourselves and then we headed TO THE BEACH.

Oh glorious beach, I would live there if I could. I mean, LOOK AT IT. 

Tommy had stayed home to study, but Larry came with us. And was straight into the water!

 My little water baby was straight off into the deep.

We can't ever go to Skaha Beach without Elisabeth going to the exercise park. I really should tell her there's one in Langley now...

Selfie with the children. Horrible picture of me, but look at those sweet children.

Later that afternoon, my dad joined us at the beach and gave the kids ice cream money.

Yeah obviously my family lovvvvvvvvves ice cream!

 This view right here, is what is opposite the beach. So you sit on the sand, and when you get too hot you either jump in the lake or come sit under the trees on the grass. Isn't it beautiful? Today (July 20 - I'm blogging two months later), there's a small wildfire in Penticton. Please God, send the rain.

We BBQ'd back at Michelle's parent's house. I never get sick of this view.

Tommy had spent the day studying on the balcony. He said it wasn't so bad, he had the fresh breeze, the views and fresh air. He didn't want to stop looking at the lake for dinner.

 It was already Sunday, and time to go home. But we decided to stop at Summerland Sweets on our way home.

 Oh look, more ice cream!

From Summerland Sweets we wandered down to the railway. It's a short but beautiful walk.

And you get to walk across the railway bridge - which crosses a gorge? Ravine?

Views down the valley towards the lake.

 We decided to wander under the bridge.

 And these two yobbos wandered a little further.

Then we heard the train coming so we ran like stink to go see it.

 Gorgeous, right?

 From there we headed home. Of course we stopped in Manning Park to see the gophers.

And of course it was raining when we hit Langley (it always is).

May Day

Well, as is tradition, we headed to Fort Langley for the parade. Also as usual, we got there super early so we could get a parking spot and a parade watching spot.

While Andrew held our spots on the road, I watched the kids play in front of community hall. I also snapped a picture or two.

 Posing like a pirate with her posie.

 Ada played around this tree trunk for ages. Probably would have stayed longer, except I think we encouraged her to go elsewhere.

 That's alright though, David slid in and posed instead.

 And then I took more pictures of the four kids.

 And Ada called David names.

 Finally it was parade time.

 It got very hot. Luckily there were ice cream vendors.

 After a nap, lunch, sidewalk chalking, and some quiet time, we headed to Alexis' parents for dinner.

 It was a lot more work having these smalls, but boy oh boy do we miss them!