When in Exile: Virginia Beach or Bust Part I

September 15, 2010 By

Here’s the not-so funny thing about being evacuated for a Hurricane. You go from this in the Outer Banks:


To this in Suffolk, a dreary inland suburb of Norfolk.


As an exiled family well-versed in making lemonade out of lemons, we congregated at the Virginia Beach Aquarium and Marine Science Center. I’ll admit it: my expectations were low. And they were very happily exceeded as we explored 300 interactive exhibits about marshes, the bay and the Atlantic Ocean.


Though the outdoor aviary, nature trail, and marshlands were closed due to the rain, the entire family loved discovering thousands of animals representing over 300 species.


In case you could not tell, Bode has forgotten how to smile in pictures and instead opts for an opt-mouthed gasp.

The kids loved the 3D IMAX® Theatre’s production on Dolphins and Whales.


Though evidently sweet Bode also struggles with the concept of wearing glasses.

The Crazy Canuck Clan had one must-visit restaurant: Dirty Dicks Crab House (mostly so we could say we did this):

We were evacuated from the Outer Banks before this dream came to fruition but were delighted to discover DD was in Virginia Beach. But all our hopes were for naught. After driving around aimlessly, we learned that Dear Ol’ Dirty Dicks had closed down and so we got our crabs at Hooks Saltwater Grill & Sushi.


Sadly, it just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Stay tuned for When in Exile: Virginia Beach or Bust Part II

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, travel Tagged With:

Crabbing by night and my family’s forray into darkness

September 14, 2010 By

I have an ultra-competitive family. This is amazing to me for the sole reason that my parents are not overly competitive. Sure, they encouraged us to do our best and exposed us to many different activities. But there is an internal killer drive that I share with my brothers Pat and Jade.

In our schooling years, the result was excelling in pretty much every sport we played. In our over-the-hill years, the scenario is completely different:

When we vacationed at Tie Lake, B.C., we dressed in camouflage as we waged war on capturing the most turtles.

In croquet, our mallets become our weapons in the game we renamed, “Blood Sport.”

Whilst in the Outer Banks, our competition de choix was crab hunting.

When I was younger, my family enjoyed vacationing on Vancouver Island and crab fishing off the docks of Sydney. Back in The Day, we had all the fixins that included traps and bait.

In the Outer Banks, we had three things: Buckets, flashlights and our freakishly superhuman speed.

Work with me, here.

My mom also bought the men crab-hunting uniforms.

Jamie, Pat, Jade and Dad

Those decapod crustaceans didn’t stand a chance against us.

After dark when the waves would roll in, crabs would wash up onto the shore. They’d scurry around at warp speed before plunging back into the ocean.

Enter: The Crazy Canuck Clan.

We had two divisions of crabbers: the spotters and the catchers. The spotters were in charge of the flashlights and following the crabs’ every moves. The catchers were responsible for running around screaming like the Tasmanian Devil whilst trying to scoop the crabs up into their buckets.

I obviously excelled at the latter.

Bode was superior at the former.


When he remembered to actually point his flashlight at the crabs, that is.

The final standings of our crabbing competition?

The winner:

My niece Ashton. This mother-of-two was a force to be reckoned with. So superior were her skills that on our final night, she even caught one backhanded.

If this mothering thing doesn’t work out, she has crabbing to fall back on.

The Loser:

The Lord of the Gourds. On the first night, a crab raced over Jamie’s foot and he squealed like a girl. My beloved honey tried to redeem himself by capturing eight crabs the following night but the damage was done. So disturbing was his initial display that for the remainder of our crab hunting days, my family warned “Not to pull a Jamie.”

I always knew he should be a verb.

Most improved:

Hadley. For our first several nights, Hadley raced around like the rest of us but was a bit too squeamish to delve in for the kill (or rather, catch. And then release). But on our final night, she proclaimed she was ready and my family banded to together in the assist.

At the end of the evening, she jubilantly caught five crabs.

And she then threw a colossal fit as we left the beach because “I WANNA STAY AND CATCH SIX CRABS!”

She was officially inducted into the Crazy Canuck Competitive Hall of Fame.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Family, Family travel, Favorite Posts, Hadley, Humor, Jamie Tagged With:

Kicking off another attempt at soccer

September 13, 2010 By

Two years ago:

Last weekend:

(Hadley and BFF Alex, 2 years wiser and with a lot less teeth. Especially Hadley. She lost #7 that night, which was her third tooth loss in a week. She is now relegated to a liquid-only diet).


On Saturday, community soccer kicked off and for the first time, both my kids played.

Jamie and I enrolled 6-year-old Hadley a couple of years ago but she went on a two-year sabbatical after a disappointing season of general apathy and lack of killer instinct.

In her defense, her team name was the Butterflies. Not exactly cutthroat.

This time around, things were better.

Well, with the exception of the administration staff who somehow forgot to inform parents we didn’t have a coach until a few days prior.

It could have been the Lord of the Flies, soccer-style.

Oblivious to the pre-season drama, Hadley was excited to play and it showed. Not only did she actually attempt to touch the ball, she even scored.

Four-year-old Bode was the dark horse. Though he took to skiing, swimming and softball like a pro this past year, he is generally reluctant when attempting new activities. Coach Eric held a half-hour practice before the game and Bode was among the smallest and slowest on Team Dragon.

I held my breath as the game started. There were three players on the field and Bode was on the starting line-up with his best friend Seanie. The first half of the game was like a comedy show gone bad: running, tripping and general confusion.

A few preschoolers figured it out but Bode was not among them. When we took a break at halftime, he complained, “My dragon legs are hurting.”

At least he was getting into the spirit of it all.

My husband Jamie became his personal trainer. After massaging his hamstrings, he gave him a pep talk and promise of a candy bar if he scored.

Everyone has their own motivational strategies.

Something clicked with Bode that second half. He started dribbling. He didn’t give up. And dare I say there was a glimmer of that oh-so-coveted killer instinct.

He went on to score three goals, the second most on his team.

Not that I was keeping track.

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

Making the Tooth Fairy work overtime

September 10, 2010 By

Only Hadley would finally lose her fifth tooth.

You know: the one that has been precariously loose for weeks now….


On the very night Hurricane Earl arrived.

=================

Four days later, we were at a neighborhood BBQ for Labor Day. Hadley had another front tooth that was loose. Our Cat Sitter Sadie (a third grader, well attuned to the world of teeth-pulling) graciously yanked it out for Hadley.

She then sweetly proposed that she should be rewarded half of Haddie’s Tooth Fairy earnings for her involvement.

She has a future with the IRS.

Or Canadian government.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Hadley, Humor Tagged With:

The Outer Banks’ Glorious, Glorious Beaches

September 9, 2010 By

I fell in love with the 130 miles of unspoiled coastline in the Outer Banks.

Though truth be told, I only explored a very small portion of it.

Everyone has a different idea of the ultimate beach vacation. When we were evacuated from Hurricane Earl, we spent part of the afternoon exploring Virginia Beach. A popular boardwalk, the beach was littered with tourists, tattoos and revelries. The atmosphere was upbeat, fun and for me, completely overdone.

The Outer Banks’ pristine coastal villages were the very antithesis of this party atmosphere. My very first morning, I arose before dawn (at 4 a.m. Denver-time; oh, the insanity) to watch the sunrise and collect seashells. It was the perfect kick-off to an idyllic vacation.

Getting lost and wandering around for an hour trying to find the beach house afterward? NotSoMuch.

I truly did not know how Bode would react to the ocean. Haddie fell in love with the surf in Puerto Rico but Bode is notoriously the more timid of the two. But within a few minutes, he was the madman of the ocean.

Just picture him on the bow of the Titanic with Kate Winslet in this shot.


Hadley was predictably in her element, even forsaking her Colorado mountains and declaring herself “a beach babe.”


Sigh. I just know I’ll be fighting off the boys sooner than I’m ready.


Some of my favorite beachfront moments:

So great was my love for the beaches of the Outer Banks that I was even tempted to declare myself a “beach babe.”

But then remembered it would likely entail actually getting wet.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Family, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, travel Tagged With:

Kiteboarding, golfing and islanding–Outer Banks’ family travel fun

September 8, 2010 By

Despite my family’s premature evacuation due to Hurricane Earl, the Outer Banks was one of my all-time favorite family travel destinations. This long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina is pristine. Raw. And achingly beautiful.

The beach house my mom rented in the Southern Shores was one of hundreds of million-dollar mansions that dotted the Atlantic Ocean.

Despite its name, Southern Shores is actually in the northernmost part of the Outer Banks with a busy shopping hub. For our next trip, my goal is to stay on the southernmost tip, Okracoke Island. Accessible only be ferry, it boasts untouched beauty, whimsical lighthouses, a quaint village and me.

Gotta start planning now.

During our five days in the Outer Banks, we crammed in a whole lot of family travel fun. Some highlights:

Kiteboarding

The Outer Banks is renowned as the Kiteboarding Capital of the World. My brother Pat (an avid wakeboarder) has recently taken to this surface water sport that uses the wind to pull a rider through the water on a small kiteboard.


I have never been a water person, nor am I talented enough to fly a simple kite so this sport was beyond my ability level. Knowing my aversion to water sports, my sister-in-law Jane tried to convert me to “Dragging.” Basically, this is kiteboarding without a kiteboard. You are harnessed to the kite and let the kite guide you as your face is used as a skipping stone across the water.

I remained shore-bound.
=======================

Miniature golf

There are oodles of non-beach activities for children in the Outer Banks that include amusement parks, an Indy Kart racetrack, skate parks, horseback riding and so much more.

Our “more” was going miniature golfing at Lost Treasure Golf in Kill Devil Hills with cousins Jaxson and Connor.


To access the first hole, we rode on a mining train through caves, “ancient” ruins and under waterfalls.


And I confirmed that Bode and cousin Jaxson are actually long-lost twins.

=======================

Roanoke Island

One of my biggest disappointments was being unable to travel to Okracoke Island (tourists were evacuated a couple of days prior to Hurricane Earl). Roanoke Island, one of the Outer Banks’ primary visitor destinations, was The Next Best Thing.

What we could have done:

Pet the stingrays at the North Carolina Aquarium, strolled through the breathtaking Elizabethan Gardens, saw the popular outdoor drama, The Lost Colony and enlisted the kids in Pirate Adventures where they could seek out treasures aboard a pirate ship.

What we did do:

Time was short and the weather was hot so one morning, Jamie, Hadley, Bode and I drove to Manteo. This charming hamlet wraps around Shallowbag Bay on the eastern side of Roanoke Island.

We strolled the Manteo Waterfront and devoured coconut chicken salads at the Magnolia Grille. Next, we searched for fossils at the waterfront’s pirate-themed playground.

We explored the cottage-style Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse.


And climbed trees. The kids did, that is.


Though this activity did not involve liquid face-plants, I still deemed it best to remain on solid ground.

=======================

Pool

We started and ended each day playing in our house’s pool….


And hot tub.

(My niece Ashton’s darling girls.)

And reached for the sky.


(My toe has never looked better.)

The lowlight: When The Lord of the Gourds tossing me into the pool fully-clothed. My trespass? Mocking The Great Pumpkin, of course.

In my defense, who wouldn’t make fun of the GPC (Great Pumpkin Commonwealth)….

Stay tuned tomorrow for details on THE BEACH!

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

First Grade Before & After Shots: Evolution to a Hoodlum?

August 28, 2010 By

BEFORE

This was Haddie on the morning she started first grade. So excited. So clean-cut. So full of promise.

AFTER

This was the picture that was sent home commemorating her first day.


Should I be worried?

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

Back-to-school rejoicings and adjustments

August 26, 2010 By

I still can’t believe summer break is over. When the clock struck 5 p.m. last Friday, I started rejoicing.

“What’s going on?” Jamie asked.

“I officially survived summer!” I replied.

And I’d even say we thrived with non-stop travel, play, camps, activities, snuggles, reading, story-time, sprinklers, bike-riding and fun.

I know some moms who fall into a depression over their lack of purpose when their children go back to school. While I think a bit of mourning is normal, the depths that some of these women go is completely unhealthy. It makes me worried for them when the children graduate. Children should be a top priority but your entire world and identity should not revolve around them.

Remind me of this when my kids grow up and leave home, rendering me unable to drag myself out of bed.

As for my kiddos:

Bode

Bode began his second year of preschool. He is now The Big Man On (a little) Campus.

Hadley went back to school the day before him. As the two of us hung out together, I sensed an inconsolable sadness in him. Touched that he was missing his “Sissy” so much, I gathered him in my arms. With a few tears welling up, he explained “I’ve got something in my eye,” using Guys’ Oldest Line in the Book.

“It’s OK to miss your sister, Bode. She’ll be back later this afternoon.”
“Huh? I’m sad Super Mario on the Nintendo isn’t working.”

Hadley

Haddie started first grade and having her gone all day will be an adjustment. She is thrilled that art class is included in her curriculum but is “scared about the harder reading and math.”

Her first-day synopsis included eating lunch with Chloe and Taylor and playing at recess with Alex.

I’m sure hard-core academia will set in on Day 2.

Jamie, Bode and I escorted her to school that first morning. She excitedly lined up with her fellow classmates as I ecstatically watched her.

“At what point can I start celebrating?” I murmured to Jamie.

In a flash of serendipity, the school bell rang.

“Right about now!” he replied.”

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

Liberty Park’s Fun in the Sun (but NOT Seven Canyons)

August 17, 2010 By

I have a long history with Liberty Park.

When I first moved to Salt Lake City after college in the fall of 1997, this second-largest urban park was only a few blocks from my condo. I spent innumerable hours strolling the 80 acres of paths, gardens, and aviary and sitting by the pond.

In an attempt to impress a boy, I took up running there after a four-year sabbatical.

I nearly passed out after jogging only a few hundred feet.

I didn’t say all my memories were good.

But last week, Haddie, Bode and I built some fantastic ones as we had a picnic with Jamie’s mom, sister Tammy and my edible twin nieces.

See? I told you: YUMMY.

We drove our stylin’ Lincoln MKT and grabbed a pina colada salad, Hawaiian BBQ chicken panini and mango-berry salad from new-to-me Cafe Zupas while the kids ate homemade peanut butter sandwiches.

I couldn’t waste such gastronome grandeur on their wavering taste buds.

Liberty Park has a few different play areas and we started with the all-access playground and splash park that was perfect for a warm summer day. The kids raced through the water, climbed the tree house, sifted through the sand, danced to the musical instruments and played on the playground.

Next, we hit the small amusement park and the kids begged me to ride The Wheel of Death. Here’s a secret confession: I’d rather ride a thousand suicidal roller-coasters before I’d enjoy doing a Ferris wheel. But see those darling faces?

Most days I have no problem saying “no.” That day was the exception. And I’m so glad I relented because the ride on the weather Ferris wheel was exhilarating. The area was ensconced by trees whose leaves were almost close enough to touch as we swooped forward, causing the kids to grab and squeal with glee.

As a total bonus, I didn’t even throw up.

But our most highly anticipated Liberty Park activity was Seven Canyons. I’ve been to plenty of water parks but this one is different. Patterned after the valley’s seven canyons, this feature has seven man-man streams flowing around secret nooks, trees, stairs and rocks.

I had heard it was closed for the season due to an oil spill but was delighted to discover the sign that claimed it would be opening at 3 p.m. that day. And so we grabbed some snow cones and waited.

And waited some more.

When 3 p.m. rolled around, there was Nada. An inquisitive mom went to the concession stand to ask and as it turns out, Seven Canyons was closed due to some destructive lightning.

Struck by a bolt of electricity around the exact time I would be there? What’re the odds that would happen to me?

On second thought, don’t answer that question.

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

A Day in the Life

August 7, 2010 By

Candy-cane-colored water tower walking, rainbow marveling and cloud watching.


Ice cream eating, craft making and water fighting.

Just an average magical day at Grandma’s in Utah.

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