Conversations with Joel

While driving down the highway, we passed some cows grazing in a pasture.

Joel: What is the cow doing?
Dan: Cowing.
Joel: No daddy! The cow is eating grass.

Joel and Jesus

The other night, after Dan had tucked Joel into bed, I heard Joel calling for me (and yes, getting out of bed for the fourth time in ten minutes). I went in to his room to put him back into bed. When I walked in the room, Joel asked (in the sweetest voice), "Where's Jesus?"

Curious as to where he was going with this, I answered, "I dunno, where is Jesus?"

Joel answered, "Jesus is in the Bible book......in the table. In the green table mommy."

Oh! I didn't know that Jesus was in the green stable.

Once I was finished tucking him back into bed, I walked into the kitchen and said to Dan, "Let me guess. Your Bible story tonight was about the birth of Jesus?"

Peanut Brudders

Ain't nothing quite like eating peanut butter straight from the container

Especially with your brudder

Mmmmm....tasty!

Its only taken 15 months...

...to get the money shot! Both smiling. Both looking at the camera. No weird expressions or half clothed bodies. No random arms or legs. Just two cute little boys!

Its super cute to see them grow as brothers.

They've started to show love towards each other. Holding hands, giving kisses and hugs. It ain't all kicking and pushing around here now. Finally!

Adventure: The rest of the Circle

We continued our route by heading towards Lytton. The road was nuts!

This is the highway. Both lanes. Well, the opposite lane is currently at the bottom of the valley. It no longer exists. Perhaps erosion or a rock slide. It is a fairly long stretch on the highway ending in a blind corner over a single lane bridge.

Somewhere out of Pemberton, we pulled over to the side of the road. We wanted to play in the river!

Holding mama's hand

Joel once again playing with rocks. He loved spending time throwing rocks into the river.

It's a favorite past time.

Micah prefers mountain climbing.

A little mountain, but he made it!

Joel playing in a puddle beside the river.
We continued to drive with two fairly happy kids in the car. They only complained when we drove between Whistler and Squamish and that was because they were hungry!
While driving down the Sea to Sky on our way home, I moved my foot and felt a little pinch. When I looked down, I saw a LARGE hornet. It didn't sting me, but since I was driving, I needed to pull over quickly to remove it from the van before it did.  Of course, once we found a place to pull over, it took a while to find the little bugger. It met its fate.
We had a nice relaxing day. In under twelve hours, we made the entire circle (7.5 hours of driving according to google maps). We loved every minute of it. It was just what we needed to do as a family. We got to take our kids to some amazing places only to see them play with rocks and sticks. We got to see their discovery and curiosity come through. We got to relax, soak in God's creation and drive into the unknown. We got to converse as a couple while the boys slept. We got exactly what we needed. An adventure!

The Adventure Continues: Stein Valley

When we got to the Stein Valley Trail Head, we saw a large picnic table and stopped for lunch.

It was so big, that Joel's head barely came over the top of the table. We let Micah sit on the table. After lunch, we set off to go explore our surroundings.

A view just mere meters from where we ate lunch.

Beautiful sky. Beautiful trees.

We even got a photo of our family.

The land belongs to the First Nations community. They consider this area to be very sacred.

It is a place where they find food and shelter. It is on this land where special rituals take place and where some had lost their lives. They asked that we treated it with great honor and respect. We were honored to be in God's creation. It is places like these, that we feel relaxed and refreshed. We could breathe in pure mountain air. We could hear the sounds of nature. This trip was exactly what we needed.

Joel was playing with rocks (again) and happened to get some dust in his eyes. And on his face. Let's face it. It was everywhere!

Exploring the beauty of God's creation

The Stein Valley is a part of BC parks.

The raging river....and us!

Two of my boys in front of the sign

Our picnic area

Loading our dirt infused boys into the van.
Neither Dan nor I wanted to leave, but alas, we could not stay. So we drove off to continue our Circle Route.

Amanda and Dan go on an Adventure

Labour Day Weekend 2013
Dan and I decided to drive a Circle Route starting in Abbotsford, taking the Fraser Canyon through Boston Bar, Lytton, Lillooet, Pemberton, Whister and home again. Oh, and did I mention we did it in one day? With two kids? And we had FUN! We didn't have high hopes when we started. The goal of the day was to make it to Boston Bar so that Joel could see the tunnels. Its a slight obsession of his. But we made it much further!

Our first stop of the day was the Confluence. This is where the Thompson and Fraser River meet. We taught Joel all about the confluence and how the Fraser is the dirty river and the Thompson is the clean river. And what happens when they converge? They become one big dirty river. It is so cute to hear him say confluence and know what that means!

After a little education, the boys take a few moments to play with rocks. (a semi theme of their day).

A view from a top of the hill.

A few kilometers from the confluence, there is a little two car ferry that goes across the river. I saw it advertised online before we left, and knew that if we could find it, we HAD to go across.

We thought that we would just walk on, go across the ferry, and come back.

But the ferry drivers, waved us on with the van. So we went across the river.

We kind of felt a bit stupid driving across, turning around and going back. So we decided to drive down the road for a few minutes and then go back.

But before we did, we saw signs advertising the Stein Valley.

So we drove twenty minutes down the road to the Stein Valley trail head.

Blue Moose: An Adventure before the Adventure

Before our adventure, we stopped in Hope at the Blue Moose Coffee House. Katrina's dad owns the place and we got to meet up with him for a few minutes while we were there.

Our kids LOVE the Blue Moose. So much so, that Micah threw a fit until Joel shared the mango smoothie. Then, Joel threw a fit until Micah handed it back. That went on until the ENTIRE smoothie was gone. And then, they both threw a fit because it was empty. We couldn't win!

Stanley Park Bike Trip

About a month ago, we went to Stanley Park to bike the seawall.

It was an easy bike trip, slowed by many inexperienced bikers and random people who stop at the most inopportune times (blind corners!)

Action shot!

Mom came with us. And yes, I choose the BEST photo of you!

The boys did well and had a great time together in the bike trailer.

We stopped at the Laughing Statues (who were all wearing life jackets to promote drowning prevention).

Joel was PETRIFIED of them (big surprise). Micah crawled all over them and even climbed on them thanks to his crazy parents!

Fireman in training

Stopping for a snack in the parking lot

Dan pulling the trailer. What a man!