In our house

There's just nothing like a good family vacation.  I don't make a lot of money, I scrimp and I save, I scramble to make payments on things, and I struggle to pay for emergencies, but I always make sure I tuck away enough to make air fare so once a year the kids and I can get away on a nice vacation. We've been vacationing to our family around Canada which cuts costs huge because they generously house us, feed us, and provide us with a car to use.  This year we went to Calgary, a city I love to pieces, and had an amazing time.

Our trip up was hellish, it started poorly right from the start.  4 years ago I would have crumbled into tears at the thought of what I had to endure on my own with the kids, but as my new self-assured person I didn't even bat an eyelash and off we went.  Multiple long airport layovers for all sorts of issues from cell phones to thunderstorms, huge delays, missed connections, no luggage, not flying with the people I intended to, I was peed on!! and a total of 24 hours travelling time from departure to destination.  It definitely took us a day to recover but after that it was smooth sailing.

There's just something so calming about being around your family.  Having loved ones love your kids.  We made lots of memories and my son was sufficiently spoiled by his uncle when he took him to the Lamborghini dealership (his dream!!), the Porsche dealership, an uncle/nephew trip to a giant Bass Pro Shop, and the icing on the cake, a behind the scenes tour of the tank he rode overseas where we were allowed to open it and get inside!

It was a great end to summer, now we are back to routines of work and Y summer camp.  It's already cooling down a lot here and doesn't feel overly summery but I plan to still have some backyard fires, maybe a fun afternoon in the house, some trips to the splash pad, BBQ's, fishing.  There's still time left to make more summer memories and I plan to make as many as I can.

The beginning, we had yet to fully know the amount of hassle this trip would be

you aren't a parent until you've been peed on

The overnight flight home was much smoother, half empty plane and the ability to stretch out in premium seats

My world has been a crazy haze of stuff.  Some of it excruciatingly stressful, some of it incredibly fun.  The kids are finally back home after their summer visitation with their dad and I can't be happier to have my house messy and noisy again.  The break has its perks but there is nothing like having your children under your roof to make life really feel great again.

littlest little got a fun pedicure

tried out golfing

u-pick fun

solo evenings fishing

back on the fitness bandwagon

road trips with the bestie

new piece of pottery

food at a food truck

visits to the ocean

lunch on a deck overlooking the ocean

smoothies and rum

painting my living room

stained my deck

ate this incredible thing (theres an apple under there)

met a goat