Bourne Travellers

Our long weekend started at 2 o'clock on Friday when I picked up Layla from school, and Greg from work and headed out on a 10 hour drive to Magrath, AB to visit Greg's parents. We have only made the drive once and that was nearly 2 years ago, after our very first visit to the Okanagan. At that time we thought it was the gruellest, most dangerous drive ever. This time around we thought it was the most serene, beautiful, and stunning drive. One that we look forward to doing again in July. I guess we have become accustomed to twisty, mountain roads since moving to BC last year.

It was also Baron's first major road trip. He has flown to Edmonton a couple of times but the farthest he had ever driven is Kelowna. He loved it, as did Layla. Layla is a more experienced cruiser than Baron. She loves when we take Greg's SUV rather than my van because she loves to have the window down. Here's Layla enjoying the ride, she didn't know I was taking the picture...she was just enjoying the wind on her face.

When we left Osoyoos it was 25 degrees and there were boats on the lake, people on the beach, and campers arriving in a steady stream. It seemed as if we were the only ones heading out of town which worked great for us. We didn't have to battle any traffic. Only a couple hours out of town and we had already hit snow. Not falling snow but large snow banks on the sides of the roads. It's hard to imagine it is still "winter" in some areas! The melting snow made for many beautiful waterfalls along the way.

We saw a few black bears, 6 mooses, a ton of dear and some mountain sheep on our drive.

The drive home was equally great. Layla's excitement had worn off and she managed to nap a bit. A stark contrast to her constant babbling on the drive there. When we got home we said "Whew, that was a long drive wasn't it Layla" and she said, "Yes! But we had lots of fun on our drive! Can we do it again on Thursday?"

Since Layla was a baby we have "cruised" as a past time. This is how we have discovered so many of our hikes and lakes around the Okanagan so I guess it's just normal to her. We promised her when we make the trip in July we will stop at some of the beautiful mountain towns and go to a park, jump in a lake, have a picnic, whatever. I'm so glad our kids love the outdoors as much as we do.

Mother's Day

This year Mother's Day started early with white chocolate mochas and a walk in our pjs.

Later in the day we went to Layla's school that she will be attending next year, Sek Pok Chin. It is the elementary school on the First Nations reserve and is located about 10 feet away from the Nk'mip Preschool she is currently attending. Sometimes if when we get to school early enough I will let her play on the playground there before going in but otherwise we had never gone to just play. We took our basketballs because they have standard size hoops but at a very low level for the kids and wanted to give Layla the opportunity to play without getting hoisted up every time she wanted to make a shot. It was fun to watch her dribble and shoot and she did manage to score! making it worth her while.

Then we played on the equipment. Baron is such a good little boy to sit and entertain himself while the rest of us run around. Cookies help for that.

I took this while looking over the fence. It's the Preschool play area where Layla has spent a lot of time. There is a huge sandbox not pictured where she spends most of her time. That is where a little girl named Quincey has taught Layla the art of catching and identifying bugs. Quincey is also the girl responsible for introducing Layla to High School Musical. So ya, we owe her a lot :P

After we were done at that park we went across town and played at the other elementary school playground because they had some hoops that Greg and I could play basketball on. Again, a big thank you to Baron for his cooperation in all of this.

After that we went home and had lunch, then took Chester for a walk. For dinner we had a delicious bbq, followed by a trip to Tickleberry's for ice cream. I swear that is my last ice cream cone for a long while as I have completely overdone it so far this spring. I only ever order the child's cone but at Tickleberry's that still means 2 scoops.

Love Stinks *RATED PG14*

Layla attended a birthday party on Saturday for Juan, one of the boys in her preschool class. Juan actually lives in Oriville, Washington but his parents drive him to Canada each day for the renowned Nk'mip Preschool (didn't I tell you they were good?). At the end of the party, instead of giving the usual loot bags filled with bubbles, bouncy balls and candy, Juan gave each guest a mason's jar with holes punched in the top, fake bugs inside and a magnifying glass. Well, if you've been keeping up with my blog you would know that Layla loves bugs (except mosquitoes and bees) and was very excited to fill her jar with the real thing.

Later that afternoon we went for a walk, jar in hand, and watched the ground for anything creeping or crawling. We soon came across a beetle and I helped Layla scoop it into her jar. It was a fairly large beetle by my standards...and a stinky one at that. What we had found was a stink beetle. They are also known as Clown Beetles because of the silly way they stick their head down and bums up while they stink away their predators.

Layla added some greenery and a twig to the jar and we continued on our walk. While we were down by the river Layla found another beetle sunbathing on a rock and added him to her jar. We didn't realize until we got home that the poor beetle had been getting continuously "stinked" on the whole time. He stayed perched upon the twig while the stink beetle made a spray that eventually coated the entire inside of the jar. At one point the stink beetle climbed the twig to get a closer stink. The pointy side that is sticking up is his stinker. It moves side to side as he stinks.

Well, we've had the beetles since Saturday and yesterday morning I found the "unknown beetle species" climb to the top of his twig that had since been reclaimed by the stink bug. He climbed up behind him and rubbed his little beetle arms all over the stink bug with his nose right in it's stinker. He must be used to the stink by now, or the jar is so filled with the stench that you just can't avoid it anyway. I don't know what he was trying to do, maybe push him off, devise a plan of escape, or maybe...

Later in the day I found they had switched positions. Now the stink beetle was behind doing the same thing to the other beetle. Layla asked me what they were doing but I had to confess I really didn't know for sure. I looked online to see if beetles have sex and yes they do but with different species of beetles? I don't know...I can only tell you what I saw.

Baron likes the beetles too. Here he tries to get a closer look.

I looked online to see what stink beetles need to survive. In the wild they eat the usual leaves and grass but in the laboratory they are fed apples and dog food. Whoever came up with that idea?! I add a bit of water each morning which they seem to enjoy, well, it gets them moving again anyway. Yesterday I added a piece of dog food and they both immediately went to work on it.

Layla really wants to keep them until show-and-tell day on Wednesday so since it's been four days already I am trying to help her keep them alive for 1 more, for science sake, of course. She is very excited to show Juan and her other classmates what she caught with her party favour, and I must admit...I'm actually growing a little attached to the wee fellas...not enough to touch them or anything but they have been quite interesting to watch in their progression from enemies to...ahem..lovers?

He Was Framed!!

One thing I have noticed about living in the Okanagan is the huge variety of birds. There are birds everywhere and I'd tell you what kind but for the most part I have no clue. I do, however, know a robin when I see one.

The other day we found a robin's egg in our back yard. Just the egg though, no robin. Layla was so excited and searched around the yard looking for the baby bird that had hatched from it's egg. It wasn't long before I realized...there was no little robin to be found. That egg had been stolen from it's nest and that robin was somebody's dinner. Maybe a hawk, or an eagle, I don't know but I do know that Chester is incapable accomplishing such a feat.

For days since we found that egg, Chester has been harassed by an angry robin, probably a mother. She sees her empty egg, she sees Chester...I guess she assumes he is responsible for stealing her egg and eating it's contents. He is oblivious to it but it is funny, yet sad, to see Chester blamed for the demise of someones little baby-to-be.

Mother's Day Tea

On Friday the Nk'mip Preschool that Layla attends invited all the Mommy's to a Mother's Day Tea hosted by the children. They had picked flowers for centerpieces and made cookies the day before. The children poured us our tea. The parents had hot tea and the children had iced tea. We sat in their miniature chairs at their miniature tables and chatted over tea and cookies. The kids were so excited, and I can't speak for the other parents, but I was pretty thrilled as well. It was a great opportunity to talk to other parents and open the lines of communication for future play dates. Baron had a good time too and enjoyed his cookie and watching all of the children play.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the preschool tea in the morning, and then again for the daycare tea in the afternoon. Karen is the head of the daycare side and Layla's favorite teacher. Karen suggested they make silly faces for the picture but Layla wanted a nice one so this is the result.

Layla loves all of her teachers there but does say that teacher Kathy has too many rules. Teacher Angela came up to me giggling one day and told me that Layla had invited her to our house and promised her that when she came over her Daddy would lift her upside down and tickle her. She thought this was pretty hilarious, but I told her I couldn't make any guarantees on behalf of Greg. Teacher Angela also works part time as the kindergarten teacher where Layla will be attending next year. I will really miss the Nk'mip preschool/daycare when Layla graduates in June. I'm sure we will continue to visit until Baron is old enough to attend...should probably get on the waiting list already.

Baron's Big Day

Yesterday I had to take Baron for both a kidney ultrasound and a full spinal xray as part of his screening for his Goldenhar's Syndrome. He has already had a spinal xray done but they only did the lower spine, whereas, they were more concerned with his upper spine. He was all smiles before and after each procedure but while being strapped down from head to toe he made sure his screams were heard throughout the hospital, or so we were told. I don't think they do many spinal xrays on babies in Penticton because they didn't really seem to know what they were doing but were very kind and figured it out. They wanted to know why he would need these tests and of course, none of them had ever heard of Goldenhar's...I have yet to encounter anyone who has other than the Opthamologist and Geneticist.

Since we were in Penticton I thought we might as well stop at our favorite beach, Skaha Beach, and play at the park there. It was a cool 18 degrees and windy but the kids didn't mind and we played there for quite some time before heading home.

We played at the beach, and watched the kite surfers. I was so proud of Baron for not eating the sand, I hope that continues throughout the summer.

There were ducks everywhere. We even saw two of them get in a nasty fight over some bread somebody had thrown at them. It was very entertaining. The park was littered with sycamore trees which I was happy to be able to identify since blogging them awhile back, thanks Sara. They are now my favorite tree.

When we got home I made rotini for supper and you would have thought Baron had been starved for a week. He ate an entire bowl, some of mine, Layla's leftovers and some of Greg's. I think he ate more than anyone else and he wasn't shy about it either. He yelled for more as soon as he swallowed each bite. Must be a stress eater!