Happy Canada Day and the Story of “Eh!”

July 1, 2012 By

**AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE FROM THE ARCHIVES. HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!**

Once upon a time, my little Half-Breed Hadley discovered So You Want to Be Canadian, a book my family graciously gave Jamie for Christmas.

For story time, we reviewed the history of “eh,” how to dress like a Canadian and learned how to make Beaver Tail Pastry.

Later today, I’ll quiz her on the Canadian anthem. In French (it’s never too early, right?)

Haddie took particular delight in learning to say “eh” so we thought we’d impart upon you the history of this sacred word. Y’see, unlike its slow-witted American cousin “huh,” “eh” is a flexible, multipurpose word, perfect for a variety of situations. Its uses are endless but as an example, adding “eh?” to the end of a statement is a handy and efficient substitute for:

This is just my opinion, but don’t you agree with it?

Non-Canadian statement: “The weather sure has turned chilly, don’t you think?”
Canadian Statement: “Cold, eh?”

This is a fact to which anyone would acquiesce, so I’m being rhetorical here.

Non-Canadian statement: I can’t believe you bought that girl a drink and she didn’t even give you her number.”
Canadian Statement: “That’s cold, eh?”

You know what I just said? I actually believe the exact opposite.

Non-Canadian statement: “Yes Bob, I agree it’s very hot in Penticton today. I’m positively burning up.”
Canadian statement: “Right cold, eh?”

This is the end of Lesson #1…cool, eh? If we all work on this together, perhaps we can overthrow dim-witted “huh” by year’s end.

Happy Canada Day!
© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Canada, Humor

The Gully

January 6, 2012 By

One of my fondest memories of growing up in Calgary is sledding The Gully across the street from my house. Of all the destinations I’ve visited, I’ve never found a valley that remotely compares to (in Jamie’s words): “that snow hill of death.”

Note: This is the same man who, when we visited a few years ago, brazenly said before launching off a jump, “I have a few days left on my health insurance so I may as well do this now.”

Basically, The Gully renders your senses obsolete.

It snowed two days before we arrived in Calgary and that was the only time it snowed during our entire trip. Shortly after we arrived, the kids and I headed to The Gully, bringing back a flood of my childhood memories.

From the trek.
To scoping out this blissful bowl.

To playtime.
Where I took one of my favorite new pictures of Bode.
Because those cheeks are so darn squeezable.

Quite predictably, Adventure Girl fearlessly careened down the hill while Bode took a more cautious, responsible approach. At one point, she started tearing down the hill, right in the path of Bode and me.

We threw ourselves out of the way and Bode unleashed a furious rant.

“HADLEY, YOU ALMOST KILLED US”….(pause for dramatic effect). “AND THEN YOU WOULD BE WITHOUT A BROTHER AND A MOMMY.”

At least someone in this family is the voice of reason on The Snow Hill of Death.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Canada, Hadley, Humor, outdoors

Walking in a (kind of) winter wonderland

January 5, 2012 By

I love winter in Canada but the weather was unseasonably mild so we were unable to go skating on the lakes or cross-country ski on the golf course. Plus, the fire destroyed all of Dad’s recreational equipment.

Kinda an important piece of the puzzle.

And so we took the dogs for a walk every day. Sometimes it was just around the neighborhood, other times it was an adventure. Like the Southland Off-leash Park where we crossed the Bow River and trekked to Carburn Park. That walk’s excitement: we spotted coyotes just a stone’s throw away.
Though after scoping out the woosy meat selection, they deemed the dogs unworthy to attack.

Bode’s threatening howl helped, too.

Our secret entrance off Deerfoot Trail to this overlook of the Bow is always fun.

But hands down, our favorite trek this year was when Jamie joined us to explore Bow River Valley Ranch. The frozen falls on the river were sooooo cool.
Literally.
Especially compared to how it looked last summer.

Vs.

This time around, thrill-seeking Shanty wanted to drag Bode down to the Bow River but he resisted.
I couldn’t really blame the kid. Remember when I talked about those mild temperatures? That means the Bow River is the very definition of THIN ICE.

But we walked on it anyway.

Confirmation that Canucks really do know how to walk on water.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Canada, Family, outdoors

A Memorable Canadian Christmas

January 3, 2012 By

After my parent’s house fire, we changed our holiday plans to go to Utah and instead headed north of the border. It’s been a few years since I came to Calgary for Christmas and it’s admittedly my favorite place to be. The reasons are innumerable that include my zany and fun family but it comes down to just one thing: it’s home.

And really, you just can’t compete with that.

One night, my dad and I took the kids to the Calgary Nativity Pageant. Our church has put on this production for 46 years and it’s one of my favorite traditions. It has evolved into an impressive production with a professional set, killer sound system and live animals. One thing that has never changed is the venue: it’s always been held outdoors at Heritage Park.

Because didn’t you know: Bethlehem totally had sub-zero temperatures, too?

But Christmas Eve is hands down my favorite party ever. My brother Pat and sister-in-law host every year and have a huge spread of appetizers, desserts and candy.
We always start the festivities with playing the pipe bells that my Grandpa Wilde cut years ago. I also took the bells to Bode’s kindergarten class and Haddie’s second graders for their Christmas parties.
My family was only moderately better than them.

And that is after years of practice.

Then it’s onto the left-right game….
…wherein it is revealed we can’t decipher our left from our right.

But the climax of the evening is the gift exchange. To let you know just how seriously we take this game, my family often shops months in advance for just the right gifts to battle it out over. Some of the winners included a magic show (that has turned Hadley into an amateur magician), light sabers for Bode, and bacon candy canes that were unceremoniously ripped out of my possession.
But the real humdinger of the night was when my brother Pat, on the last trade of the evening, got stuck with the Santa toilet paper and pink, vibrating slippers.

Every year, Jane buys everyone matching PJs but this year, my niece Emily made them for most everyone for her final Personal Progress project for church.

Except for the late-comers like us who decided we were coming just a few days before Christmas. Regardless, Jane made sure we were still adequately outfitted.
As for Christmas day, I can’t believe I didn’t take any pictures! The kids had already opened most of their gifts in Denver so it was nice to not be so focused on the material side of the holidays.

Though they were certainly not lacking with a bike for Bode, a desk for Haddie, movies, Wii games, craft supplies, clothes, and movies. Probably the favorite present was from my mom who saved me from a parenting fail. My kids have always loved stuffed animals and I have never taken them to Build-a-Bear.

I know, Bad Mom.

But who can blame me after seeing those prices? For two animals and two outfits, my mom paid $90. “Birthday Cake” bear is Haddie’s newest treasure and Bode fell in love with another “Tabby.”

Those were sure swell selections but I was remiss when they turned me down for my bear de choix: A Canadian Bear in a Mountie Costume.

Serves me right for birthing Americans.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Canada, Family, holidays, Humor

The reality of my favorite place on earth

August 18, 2011 By

I’ve traveled the world but if I had a favorite place on earth, Waterton Lakes National Park is it. Located in the southwest corner of Alberta, Canada, Waterton forms the world’s first international peace park with its better-known neighbor Glacier National Park in Montana.

Waterton does not have time to waste on nonsensical foothills. From the wind-swept prairies, the narrowest point in the Rocky Mountains does a dramatic upthrust to form staggeringly beautiful peaks in this intimate national park that measures just 200 square miles.

It has been 10 years since I was in Waterton and I have long dreamed of taking my family there. I had the whole thing mapped out in my mind. As we approached the valley, we would stop at the stately Princes of Wales Hotel. Built in 1927, this hotel is perched on a bluff overlooking Waterton Lake and has some of the best views.

We would browse the Canadian souvenirs in the hotel’s gift shop.

Tour the hotel.

And then we’d go out to the lawn where we’d pose for pictures.

Looks like a cut of The Sound of Music?

Think again. We made a tactical error in doping Haddie up on Dramamine to combat her carsickness. The drive from Calgary to Waterton is three hours and usually she conks out just a few minutes after taking the medication. She didn’t this time.

By the time we arrived in Waterton, she had reverted to the Terrible 3s and was out of her gourd with fatigue and crankiness.

You know, during the moment I’ve dreamed about for the last 10 years.

Just keeping it real, people, keeping it real.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Canada, Family travel, Humor

Heritage Park’s Glimpse at the Past

August 10, 2011 By


This is quite possibly one of my favorite pictures that I took at Heritage Park Historical Village.

Both sets of grandparents were farmers so I was raised with a birds-eye view of the olden days and life on the farm.

My kiddos are finally old enough to really start appreciating our modern conveniences and they loved going back in time at Heritage Park. We explored some of the 180 historical exhibits, Gasoline Alley’s extensive antique car collection, a gallimaufry of artifacts, rode on numerous old-fashioned carnival rides, chugged along on an authentic stream train as well as cruised on Calgary’s only paddlewheeler on the Glenmore Reservoir.



Then we returned to Grandma and Grandpa’s comfortable and cushy home.

I like to call our day the best of both worlds.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Canada, Family travel

The ride of my life

August 9, 2011 By

It’s not very often I wax philosophical when I’m on the trail for an extended period of time. Usually I’m thinking about my family, deadlines, future projects and what I’ll do with $1 million when it miraculously falls into my lap.

Gotta be prepared, you know.

But when I was in Calgary, I went on a bike that was a road map to my life. From the moment my dad first introduced me to this network of trails through a cossetted, overgrown opening in the fence when I was 13, I have clocked thousands of miles on Calgary’s trail system (one of the most extensive in North America).

My favorite loop is a long one–close to 30 miles and 3 hours. It starts from my home, leads along the Bow River Pathway, intersects with the Elbow River Pathway, eventually spitting me out at one of my favorite places on earth: the Glenmore Reservoir. I then traverse several miles of roads to get home.

I feel bereft if I’m unable to do this trail when I’m home and lately it’s been hit-and-miss. One year, much of the trail was closed due to flooding. Other times, it’s been the weather. But this year, I specifically brought my road bike and announced to my parents I’d be arising early one morning to go for a ride. I was like a kid before Christmas and could barely sleep the night before, just knowing the trail I’ve been waiting two years to ride was going to be perfect.

It wasn’t.

It started gloriously at dawn as I passed all my haunts like the world-famous Bow River (a favorite for fishing).
and Carburn Park.
(a favorite place for skipping school. :)

But things went downhill from there as I approached the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary & Nature Center. Usually this 36-hectare wildlife reserve is a favorite as it winds throughout the riverine forest by the flowing Bow River and alongside a peaceful lagoon but there was a big, ugly sign blocking my path:

DETOUR.

Problem is, there was no clear alternate route. I floundered for a while before eventually asking directions from a fellow biker. “Cross the Deerfoot (freeway) and you’ll be connected with a trail on the other side. Follow that for a few miles and then cross back over before you reach downtown.”

Cross over freeways? Through industrial sections? I debated turning back but stubbornly refused because I’d waited a long time to do this ride. I followed his instructions and was surprised at the unfamiliar vistas that opened up to me that were memorable in their own ways. After about a half hour of stressing, I eventually hooked back up to my original trail, thrilled to have mastered this new network and all the more grateful for the path I’d been on.

The lesson?

Life. My entire life has been one detour after another. From obsessed about playing college soccer in Canada to blowing out my ankle at 15 to giving up soccer to finding solace biking these same trails to now going to a church college in the U.S. to serving a Mormon mission I’d never intended to serve to having a career I never dreamed of having to marrying the love of my life and raising my family far from the land I love.

Detours.

That day, I eventually connected with my beloved Elbow River.


And a half-hour after that, my favorite perch overlooking the Glenmore Reservoir.


Like my ride, my life has had plenty of anxieties, bumps and bruises along the way but by never giving up the result was the same: I reached (and continue to reach) my destination.

And it has been all-the-more glorious because of my fortuitous journey.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: biking, Canada, travel

The Calgary Zoo’s Exotic Pink Bears & More

August 8, 2011 By

Confession: I’m not a big fan of the zoo. I haven’t always felt this way. As a kid, I have pictures of my friends and me bundled up like abominable snowmen as we wandered around the zoo for my birthday.

Which is in February.

In Canada.

Why didn’t those parents of mine talk some sense into me?

Somewhere along my journey, I lost my luster for zoos (perhaps in sub-zero temperatures) but out of obligation for my animal-loving kids, I usually make a semi-annual pilgrimage to the Denver Zoo.

So, let’s just say I wasn’t overly enthusiastic when my Aunt Sue suggested we go to the Calgary Zoo. I mean, it’s a zoo. With animals that mope around all day. How exciting could it be?

As it turns out: plenty. Rated as the top outdoor site in Canada, the Calgary Zoo features more than 1,100 animals. My dinosaur-loving kids LOVED the prehistoric park’s life-sized dinosaurs, verdant foliage and bursting waterfalls.
Note: I don’t think the fake dinosaurs were included in the official count.

I don’t remember taking this shot of my mom’s pink hat juxtaposed against one of the waterfalls.
But for artistic purposes, let’s just say I framed it marvelously.

I fell in love with the Canadian Wilds section where the pathway snaked through natural habitats with native Canadian plants and trees. At times I swore I was hiking through the Canadian Rockies as we got up close and personal with a grizzly bear, moose, wood bison, wolves and more.

The kids particularly loved the interactive bear exhibit.


Though a few days later, Bode asked me what kind of bear “the pink one” was.

The Canadian “Care Bear,” Son.

Normally we skip out on the carousel at the zoo but I made the exception this time because it hosts 30 figures representing endangered animals from all seven continents including a condor, elephant, otter, cassowary, swift fox, gorilla and more.

Given all of those exotic choices, what did The Boy choose?

He tracked down the one and only HORSE on the entire Carousel.

Best to stick with the pink bear next time.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Canada, Family travel, Humor

The Great Canadian Everything

August 2, 2011 By

Despite the fact I grew up in Calgary, there are still some unfamiliar things when I return home.

The Money

Canadian money is always an adjustment. I prefer our colorful bills to American green drabness (sorry, George Washington) but still cannot wrap my head around the Canadian Loonie, a gold-coloured (yep, correct spelling), bronze-plated, $1 coin introduced in 1987. If that didn’t weigh down my wallet enough, the government introduced the Toonie in 1996, a bi-metallic $2 coin.

Jamie and I had a run-in with the Loonie when we went grocery shopping at the Real Canadian Superstore (as opposed to the fake one), which was located next to Canadian Tire.

Just in case we’d forgotten we were in Canada.

In order to release the shopping carts, you need to insert a Loonie,which is returned to you after shopping. Problem is, Jamie and I spend a good five minutes trying…and failing to insert our money. Finally, a woman walked up to return her cart so I waved my Loonie like a madwoman proclaiming, “We’ll give you our Loonie for your cart.”

She denied us because she had a reusable cart coin that cost her $2 in place of the $1 Loonie every time she shops.

Anyone else as confused as we were?

Long story short, we finally got a cart (after losing face with my fellow Canucks) but went crazy at the grocery store. While the U.S. ethnic sections are preomindantly Mexican food, Canadian store aisles, delis and produce sections are stocked to the hilt with my favorites: Indian, Thai and Chinese foods. In the deli, we were got some sliced tandoori chicken for sandwiches. In the Thai section we got mango and also coconut/pineapple juice. In the bulk bins, we scored Canadian blue whales and wine gums.

Canadians have a few tasty tricks up their sleeves as well.

The People

During our long drive, a rock jumped up and chipped my windshield. I’ve been intending to get it filled and was thrilled when we pulled up to the Real Canadian Superstore and saw a small small canopy advertising rock-chip repairs while you shop.

What’re the odds of finding that? Being in Canada is like having your own genie.

We handed over our car before going to wrestle our shopping cart Loonie. Upon our return, our exceedingly enthusiastic repair guy pointed out his impeccable work, triumphantly claiming the round-shaped chips were his favorite.

As we were driving away, I commented, “I’ve never seen a rock-chip repair guy so passionate about what he does.”
“Of course he is,” Jamie retorted. “He’s chipper.”

The Differences Between Canada and the U.S.

My kids have been shuttled back and forth between Canada and the United States since they were born. Such exposure gives them unique insights into cultural idiosyncrasies between the two countries.

Take Hadley, for example. As we were wandering through a darling gift shop replete with Canadian goodies such as Mountie costumes and maple fudge at Heritage Park, my Aunt Sue told me Hadley was recently expounding upon the difference between the two countries.

I awaited profundities. Perhaps she would reference the flags, the anthems, Canada’s shining rivers, cool summers, friendly folks, democrats, Green Party and the Liberals.

Her observation?

“Canada doesn’t have Target!”

I’ve taught her well.

=========

P.S. Target recently announced 105 locationsthat will be opening in Canada. Hadley will soon be proven wrong.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Canada, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, Jamie, travel

On growing up and being grown in Calgary, Alberta Canada

August 1, 2011 By

There is something indescribably special about being able to return to your childhood abode. I came home from the hospital here. I took my first steps. I poured my heart out in my diary here (more of that hilarity later). I fell in and out of love here.

So much has changed: renovations that completely altered the exterior, the yard is fuller, the basement more cluttered.

Yet somehow, my house is grander than ever before.

The kids and I have had a fabulous time in Calgary and next summer, I yearn to stay longer. As my parents grow older and my mom’s MS worsens, I’m reminded of the fragility of life. For the past couple of weeks, we relished every moment.

We dined daily on my parent’s fabulous patio (did I mention the even more fabulous 70-degree temperatures?)
Bonded with the cousins.
Call me crazy but I’m thinking this picture should be on an album cover somewhere.

Partied it up with my family for Bode’s 5th birthday and my sister-in-law Jane whipped up a fabulous gourmand dinner.

Though she doesn’t believe it, I *swear* Bode requested the $80 tenderloin that I just happen to crave all year long.

Took a memorable father-daughter bike ride through Fish Creek Provincial Park (Calgary’s largest urban park) whereupon my 70-year-old dad proves he’s still got it.

Translation: he still hauled butt up those hills.

The kids partied it up in the grandparent’s convertible PT Cruiser.

And yes, anyone who buys a convertible in Canada can only be deemed an optimist.

We built sandcastles at Lake Sikome with Grandpa.
Total bonus: My dad loves the water so I didn’t have to go near it.

Downed chi-chi coconut cones at iconic My Favorite Ice Cream Shoppe.


But it was when my neighbor’s grandchildren knocked on our door asking Hadley and Bode if they wanted to come play that my childhood memories washed over me like a tidal wave. I watched my kids ride bikes with their new friends, ride in my dad’s golf cart and play on the tire swing.

I was reminded of my dear friends and the hours we spent frolicking in the gully, mastering our skills on my trampoline, creating worlds in our fort and scaling our backyard tree.

My childhood wasn’t perfect but I was enveloped in the love of parents, grandparents and friends. The world was full of promise, possibilities, simplicity and joy. As a mom, I now recognize the many sacrifices my parents made for us. Out of my many hopes and dreams I have for my kids, in the end, the only thing that matters to me is for them to someday look back and say, “I had a happy childhood.”

Because that was the gift I was given.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Canada, Family, travel
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