Calgary Zoo

We weren’t too sure whether or not we would go to the Calgary Zoo, since we already went to the Saskatoon one earlier in our trip.  We were so glad that we did as we were kept busy for hours watching the different animals roam about.  The day was perfect as the temperature in the previous few days had been scorching hot, but on this day it was relatively cool out so the animals were out and about for us to see.  The penguin exhibit was one of our favourites as you were only separated by about a four inch block of glass that was about eye level.  The kids got a kick out of watching one of the penguins belly flop into the water and getting them all wet.  Josh even got some of the water in his mouth as he cheered when it happened.  Yummy! 

Some of the other highlights were the tigers because we were able to see them up close.  At the time there was a zoo staff member checking the main enclosure, so the tigers were in a smaller area pacing back and forth.  The tigers were about five feet from us at their closest. 

Emma also liked howling at the wolves trying to speak wolf. 

Hooowwwwlllllll!!!

We also got a chance to see the red panda as well more clearly this time, since at the last zoo it was hiding in a tree.  This one happened to be taking a nap on top of the roof.  I am not sure why my kids are drawn to the red panda, but they are. 

Meanwhile, Michelle was on a feather search like no other.  Last year it was rocks, this year it is feathers.  I know she loves teaching and is crazy about planning, but risking her kids’ lives and the threat of getting thrown out of the zoo was a bit much.  At one point, Jamie is leaning over into the flamingo enclosure teetering on the brink of disaster trying to reach a feather with his fingertips.  I being the good parent had to walk away and pretend I didn’t know them.  As I am walking along in another part of the zoo, there is Michelle encouraging Josh and Jamie to squeeze their heads through the fence, risking getting them stuck, for a golden eagles’ feather.  The kids managed to find a few other feathers to add to Michelle’s collection without getting caught or eaten.  I can’t wait for next years great idea!!  Carnivorous teeth perhaps?

When we got back from the zoo we had dinner and Michelle told them that they could go swimming in the pool.  Okay now, lets set the stage here.  The temperature had dropped significantly to the point where I had put on my hoodie and track pants for the first time in weeks.  A storm was approaching as the skies continued to darken minute by minute and the gusts of winds picked up to the point that I may have had to anchor Emma down, lightning was imminent (so lets put our kids into water) . . . and where was Michelle who had this great idea you ask?  Well, it is safe to say she was not heading down to the outdoor pool with us . . . she decided that this would be a good time to do laundry!  Of course, inside, where it is heated and if need be she could wrap herself in a warm towel fresh from the dryer!!!  Meanwhile, every logical parent that we passed gave me the, “are you crazy look”.  We even had a couple of kids say to us, “are you going swimming now?”  But of course, once you put an idea into the kids minds they are set on going . . . lightning storm or not.  On our way down, I kept asking the kids if they still wanted to swim and they all said yes, of course.  So I trotted down with my hood over my head and the strings pulled tight to minimize any exposure to the elements . . . meanwhile the kids skipped down the road giggling away in their bathing suits.  I made a deal with them that if they went swimming they had to stay in the water for at least 30 minutes.  Gee what do you now, there was no line up to get in to the pool . . . in fact there was no one in sight of the pool . . . it was all ours.  Great! 

I think Jamie is shivering in the pool.

Meanwhile, I could see the warm, crackling fires of nearby campers warming themselves at this time.  Jamie lasted the shortest amount of time and when I asked him if he was cold he would respond with his teeth chattering, “nnnnoooo” (blue lips and all).  Emma was the next to come out, whereas Josh seemed fine in the water.  I had to tell Josh to come out as I feared hypothermia was setting in on Jamie as he was getting the full body shivers (not much meat on his bones).  As we walked back to the trailer Emma said, “My teeth won’t stop wiggling”.  When we got back to the trailer, the kids got out of their wet bathing suits and dove under a sleeping bag to warm themselves up.  They were even treated to some hot chocolate from Grammy to warm themselves up.  Thanks Michelle for the great idea!

The kids did not want me to take this picture because they did not want everyone to know that they were cold.

Calaway Park and The Great Rondini

One of the things that I love as a dad is when the kids do things for each other that are not provoked by Michelle or I.  Since the beginning of the trip, Josh has told us that he wanted to buy Emma a Beenie Boo dog named Root Beer with the money he has saved up.  So while in Drumheller, Josh found Root Beer at a Pharmasave and bought it for Emma.  On our way to Calgary, Emma asked Michelle if there were any presents for this trip and to her surprise Josh gave her his gift to her.  I am so proud of you Josh!  I hope Jamie and Emma realize what a great big brother they have in you!!

We headed off to Calaway Park in Calgary for some entertainment and rides.  We split up for a little while so that the boys could do some of the bigger rides that Emma could not do . . . yes, it is the height thing again.  

Quit picking on your little sister!

I think my favourite ride was the Freefall, where the whole family got to ride together.  Essentially it was like the Tower of Terror in Disneyland, but much more calmer and lower.  When the ride got to the top and dropped Michelle cried out, “I thought this was a kiddie ride!!”  I loved listening to Emma scream then giggle, scream then giggle, as the ride went up and down over and over again.  I think the boys enjoyed listening to their little sister and watching her reaction more than the ride itself.  When we got off of the ride Emma turned to me and said, “my throat hurts”.  

Gee I wonder where she gets it from?

We did a couple more rides and the kids played a game where they fished for snapping fishes.  Once again the boys are looking out for their little sister.  Both Josh and Jamie won a medium prize, which was a stuffed dog.  Whereas Emma won a small prize, which turned out to be a squishy yo-yo ball that she probably would have been okay with except that her brothers won a stuffie.  As Jamie could see the disappointment in her eyes, he offered her the stuffie in exchange for the squishy ball in which she happily agreed to.  Another proud moment as a dad!  Emma is very lucky to have you two as her big brothers. 

On our way out, we were able to check off another thing off of Emma’s summer bucket list, which was to eat a candy apple.  Emma chose a caramel apple with chocolate and sprinkles, while the boys decided to try a maze/obstacle course instead.  Lets just say that the boys were not too impressed with their choice as the maze was not that good and they had to watch Emma eat her caramel apple all the way to Uncle Skip and Uncle Ron’s house.  It was a little torturous for Josh and Jamie as Emma’s lips were smacking and the sweet smell of caramel wafted through our truck.

Emma held off other candy apple until her wiggly tooth fell out.

Today we were treated to a home cooked lasagna meal at Uncle Ron’s house.  Dinner was delicious and the hospitality was great.  Ron spoiled the kids with multiple treats and gifts.  The kids received a game called rings, which is like lawn darts but much safer.  I haven’t quite got the hang of this game yet as my throws are very inconsistent.  They were also treated with chocolate milk at dinner and ice cream cones for dessert.  The coolest thing they got was an eco-flower of the wild rose in honour of Alberta’s provincial flower.  The flower comes in an environmentally friendly bamboo box that after one year you plant the whole box into the ground where it will decompose into the ground providing rich fertilizer for the plant.  A very thoughtful evening that everyone enjoyed . . . but wait there is more! 

We were treated to the inaugural showing of The Great Rondini, card trick extraordinaire.  Despite the warm evening and the hot flashes experienced by The Great Rondini in the pre-show, the card tricks went off with out a hitch.  I loved watching the kids’ faces and The Great Rondini’s face when the trick was revealed, as that sense of wonder and amazement that the trick actually worked was clearly written on their faces.  This combination of humour and talent may find its way on Grammy’s favourite TV show, America’s Got Talent!  Ron even shared one of his tricks to Josh and Jamie where they got to try it themselves.  Josh has been inspired and has been trying different magic tricks at the trailer.  The kids are already planning their mini-shows to put on for Ron and Skip the next time we meet.

Not too sure what to make of this???

Seriously??  Who thought this would be a good idea?  This is quite the eye sore when you are trying to have a relaxing fire!!!  I don't get it!

Hoodoos / Bernie’s and Brothers / Wayne 11 Bridges

Today, Papa and Grammy joined us as we went to the Hoodoos for a hike . . . more like a climb! 

As we started up the hill, the kids wanted to make it up to the top, of course.  So after a brief look at the Hoodoos, we started our ascent up with Grammy and Papa.  About half way up Grammy and Papa decided that they had gone far enough, however, the kids wanted to continue climbing.  

Note the coffee cup in Papa's hand!  

As we got higher and higher, there was less and less things to grab onto and less traction on our feet.  The steep incline and loose sandy gravel made the trek up harder and harder.  At some points the kids looked like Spiderman climbing up with their hands and feet.  As we neared the top of the climb, the pathway up was getting steeper and slipperier . . . it was like we were nearing the peak of Everest when the voice of reason kicked in and said, “I think we should stop now, I’m getting worried about going down this”.  That voice of reason of course was Michelle, despite seeing the peak within reach we decided that we should head down . . . our Everest would have to wait until another day.  It was a good thing that we started to head down since I had to carefully walk the kids down a section at a time to ensure their safe passage down.  Michelle would go first so that she could wait with Emma as I went back up to get the boys.  So we climbed down section by section, carefully and slowly.  As Michelle put it, “we risked our children’s lives for a good blog post.  This family adventure gave the kids a sense of accomplishment by pushing their limits, but also reinforcing that sense of trust and teamwork in each other in making it down safely.  I must admit my legs were getting pretty tired, as I had to climb up and down each section with the kids.

Finding a cool place to rest

Just about at the bottom.

We made it down in one piece!

If you look way up in the picture you will notice that the path splits into two or three pathways, which is where we climbed to.  

On our way home from the Hoodoos, we stopped at the Star Mine Suspension Bridge, which was used by the miners from 1931 until 1957.  The bridge is 117 meters long and sways very easily as you cross.  Before we crossed the bridge, I grabbed the wires that were holding the bridge and started to move them back and forth and I said to Josh, “Do you think this will hold us up?”  His response was, “It doesn’t seem that strong”.  I guess he wasn’t that worried because he continued onto the bridge without any hesitation.  

When we crossed over the bridge, the boys wanted to climb the hill on the other side . . . I was like no way!  “I dragged your guys’ butts off of the Hoodoos and I don’t want to do it again!”  Dale said to me that they wanted to conquer something today, so up I started again with the boys.  Michelle said that she would wait down below and then asked Emma, “do you want to stay down here or go up with daddy?” . . . knowing full well that she would want to stay with the boys.  So up I went with Papa and the kids up another hill.  

We are the king of the world!

This was a much easier climb, which was great because I was getting pretty tired.  When Josh got to the top of the hill he looked down and screamed at Michelle and Grammy, “I am the king of the world!!!”  Dale was right, they just wanted to get to the top of something.  We found some old nails and some coal that Jamie really wanted to show Grammy and mommy.  This time the trip down was pretty easy with no real problem areas for the kids, which was great for me.

A quick lunch and a dip in the town center fountain to cool off and then on to the next thing on our list of things to do!

One of the things on our list of things to do was to go to a place called Bernie and The Boys Bistro, which was featured on the television show You Gotta Eat Here.  

We decided to go for an early dinner, so we met Papa and Grammy at the small restaurant.  The menu is quite large, but they are famous for their burgers and milkshakes.  Emma ordered the chicken fingers and fries with an Avalanche (Slushie and ice cream together), Josh ordered the toonie burger with a toasted marshmallow milkshake, Jamie ordered the toonie burger with a root beer milkshake, Michelle ordered the mushroom burger with a chocolate milkshake, I ordered the G’s Special with a strawberry milkshake, and as a family we shared some poutine!!!!  

No that is not all mine!!!

All I can say is WOW!!  The shakes are creamy delicious and the burger was a seven napkiner . . . yes seven napkins!!!!  The first bite is monstrous as you try to figure out how you are going to tackle this behemoth . . . as you sink your teeth in, you can’t hide your first bite as the evidence of sauce and fixings is all over your face.  Next time I know to have napkins ready to go.  The only thing I would change in my meal would be to order the root beer milkshake.  Michelle was a little shocked that I ate the whole burger . . . no need for the double or triple burger, the single is more than enough.  A definite repeat for me if we ever venture back here again.

I think they were rolling me out the back door at this time!  Maybe it should be renamed Emma and The Boys!

On our way home, we decided to take a little detour to an old mining community called Wayne.  At one point the population of the town was about 2500 people in its hey day.  Today there is a sign that has a flip counter on it that says the population is currently at 38 people!  

The only thing remaining there is the Rosedeer Hotel built in 1913, the Last Chance Saloon, and the Bee’s Knees and Confection. 

So why did we make this little detour, well the road leading to this ghost town is in the Guiness Book Of World Records.  As you travel the six kilometer drive off of the highway we crossed eleven, mostly one lane, bridges that criss-crossed over the Rosebud River.  According to the Guiness Book of World Records it has the most bridges covering the shortest distance traveled.  This was more of a personal want to take the family over the 11 bridges that made it into the Guiness Book.  When you make the turn off to the Rosedeer Hotel, you have only crossed nine bridges at that time, so after a short visit in Bee’s Knees and Confection store, we hopped back into the truck and continued over the last two bridges . . . just to say that we did it.   A U-turn up the road and we were headed back to the trailer.  Another very busy, fun-filled day in Drumheller. 

Drumheller and The Royal Tyrrell Museum

I am not too sure what it is about Drumheller, but once again we are celebrating our wedding anniversary there . . . we have been married for thirteen years and we have spent two anniversaries there.  It is funny how things sometimes work itself out.  One big difference is that we have one more child in tow as Emma was not born yet.  The first time we were here, Michelle and I enjoyed a Chinese take out dinner from a local grocery store that we ate in the trailer.  This year, we all headed out to Boston Pizza for our anniversary dinner in Drumheller for some good eats. 

I think the township of Drumheller should trim some of their bushes.  How many pictures have been ruined because of this bush.

A Boston Brute, fries and a root beer, who could go wrong.

It was fun going back to the Royal Tyrrell Museum again with the kids as we were able to share some of the stories and experiences from the last time we were here.  

When we got to the museum in the morning, we did the short hike around the museum since the sun wasn’t blazing yet.  The boys enjoyed running around the natural playground that Mother Nature had provided them.  Emma pretended to be a zero year old, yes a zero year old, learning to walk, talk, and run.  Michelle always comes up with these games with her to keep her appeased and moving forward.  My solution is, “come on Emma, quit whining and lets move” . . . I guess Michelle’s strategy seems to keep everyone happy, including me.

We enrolled the kids in a couple of classes at the museum.  The boys did a class called Jr. Dig Experience where they got to excavate in a realistic quarry.   They walked about 2 km where they learned about an excavation site and the process of removing bones from the earth.  This was the first time that our boys have been in a program where we were not there . . . oh the freedom . . . two gone Emma to go.  The boys had a blast in the program asking lots of interesting questions according to teacher Fred. 

Emma was enrolled in a program called, Dino Adventure Hour, where she got to learn about dinosaurs, hold real fossils and work in an indoor dig.  She also got to make a funky hat with dinosaur stickers on it.  

Michelle decided that she would go with Emma . . . so what did this mean to me??  FREEDOM!!!  So what did I do with my time with no family you ask . . . well, I took my time taking in the museum slowing down and reading the many things that I missed the last time we were here.  No seriously, I must admit that I was drawn to the cafeteria a couple of times, but I resisted the temptation to buy anything . . . no really!!  I know it is hard to believe.  Love my kids, but they go for what’s interesting to them visually, which I understand.  So this was my chance to read the different stories and facts that went along with many of the displays. 

When we regrouped as a family after the programs were over, we walked through the museum together.  This time around I was able to experience the museum through the eyes of my kids and looking at things that they thought were interesting.  An awesome experience both times!

After the day at the museum, we picked up some rocks that the kids could excavate using the skills that they learned in their course.   The kids found several polished rocks inside their pieces.