Retired!

We got up early Saturday morning and grabbed one last shot. I’m so thankful we had this week to spend with Mike and Cami in that beautiful place. it was such a great week. 

Also on Saturday this happened. 1 year better at Spanish. Maybe? Sort of?

After we dropped off their snow gear at the rental place we headed for McDonald’s - mikes request. 🤷‍♀️ and our McDonald’s foreign country tour continues. 🤣 Some of the Twilight movies were filmed there, including a rock climbing scene filmed in that there mountain region smack dab in front of us. Also, kind of crazy to be driving and there’s just this giant wall of mountain as far up and across as you can see. 

We loved the little maple leaf in the middle of the M! It was on everything. Well done Canadian McD’s!

This mountain/cliff thing. I’m telling you. 

We wanted to give ourselves plenty of time to cross the border, and it turned out we only had a 10’ish minute wait after all. So we had time to stop for snacks just over the border. The store had a giant nut roll, my dad would love it!

We got to the little Bellingham airport and said our goodbyes to Mike and Cami with 2 hours to kill. I got in some steps (with various family members that joined me) and this was the entirety of the terminal.

5 little baby gates, so cute and quaint. 

Our day of flying was great as far as days of flying go. We each had a row to ourselves from Bellingham to Las Vegas, and then the girls sat together and Matt and I blessedly managed a row with just the two of us from Vegas to Baltimore. We landed at 12:30 est, which was 9:30 pst, so we weren’t in too bad shape. Then our luggage took forever and we just missed a shuttle, and that is how we arrived home at 3am. 

We made it to church, Frankie taught her lesson and did her training moment for her after church meeting. She’s been her class president for over a year now, and we love to serve. ❤️🤣

When we got home from church we had a yum box from France waiting for us, so adi dished us each out our treats. This has become a family favorite each month. 

Scripture study that night brought sisterly cuddles, but by the time I grabbed a picture it also included nose tweaking. 

The rest of the week has been a blur with 0 pictures. It’s consisted of laundry, grocery shopping, naps, loads of catchup homework, a Laney planned yw activity that required us to pivot, and women’s conference. 

Also yesterday adi and Delaney went to the dentist where Adi finished her oral therapy 🎉🎉🎉 and Delaney progressed from level 8 to level 9 (completely undeservedly) and we also discovered she’s lost all her baby teeth - she lost her last one *in* a caramel during our yum box eating on Sunday. That means these two tooth fairy’s, one of which has been tooth fairying for approximately 23 years, are retired!!!! Celebration!

And the only reason I remembered to tell Matt was this thoughts note Delaney left in her doorway, complete with a spotlight shining on it so we wouldn’t miss is. 

“Dear tooth fairy, 

Your last tooth! I’m so proud! Love, Delaney 

PS - please turn off my light”

And because she’s the spoiled baby of the family and I’m pretty sure I’ve missed a couple of these last tooth losings and the fact that we’re always late and she gets no glitter money or fairy dust or any of the other cuteness the others got, she gets $20. Sometimes it pays (literally) to have old parents. 

Last day

Mike sent me his pictures, including this beauty. My girls love their fancy glasses. 

I watched a Facebook reel where a family decorated their grandparents house with these adorable tiny ducks and I was all like, mine. I don’t know what we’ll do with all of them, but we put them all around Mike and cami’s room and in pockets and suitcases and the girls laughed the whole time. 

I went up with the crew Friday morning. We waited in line and grabbed a pic of Matt with the Spanish flag. 

After we’d waited 30 minutes, we found out that the gondola had stopped moving, and as far as we know it didn’t start moving for a good 3-4 hours. I hope people weren’t stuck up there for that long, that would be a nightmare!

We ended up walking about 5 minutes away to Blackcomb where we took their gondola up and then took the Peak to Peak across to the family area the girls liked. I grabbed a few pictures of everyone. 

I know I keep saying it, but it was all just so beautiful. 

I’m so happy these girls are learning to be brave and push themselves while they’re young. I wish I loved skiing, but the heights and the speed just make me so anxious anymore. I’m always trying to balance pushing myself with accepting myself. 

D wanted her goggles on. 

Peak to Peak! Adi was pretty nervous. 

It was so cloudy the day Matt and I took it, but Friday was clear and bright and you could see everything. Every. Thing. That is a loooong and high ride. But we made it. Again. 

I had my book to read and I found a table and completely enjoyed my day. Adi found me after lunchtime so we found a bigger table and eventually as people left we were able to schooch closer and closer until we finally grabbed the table in the window nook. We left a duckie as we waited. 

I loved sitting in the window nook even though it was creepy because it extends out from the building, but the view was amazing. 

Shaped like a triangle. Everyone met us there and ate their sandwiches and oranges I brought. 

Everyone went back out for more snow fun and then adi met me again as things were closing at 3:30. We grabbed a few last pictures. That stone guy is all around Whistler.

We were standing on a patio with chairs and a beautiful view. Maybe people sit out there in the summer time?

Here’s who this guy is:

This Iconic Structure is the Whistler Mountain Inukshuk, created for Whistler as a Symbol of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games

Canada ❤️ 

You know when you’re leaving someplace beautiful and your like, I’ve just got to get a few more pictures! I don’t know if I captured enough! That was me. 

See?

See x2?

Adi and I grabbed a gondola just the two of us and for 25 minutes all was well. And then, dun, dun, dunnnn!

Our gondola stopped. Just for about 10 minutes, but in a fairly high spot. And then we got stopped again, but this time we weren’t as high and it wasn’t as scary, but it was another 15 minutes. The worst is the not knowing. Are we gonna be stuck for 3 minutes? 3 hours? Climb down a ladder, or whatever other terrifying means of getting people down there is. We played Heads Up to distract ourselves and it was fine. Cold, but fine. 

When we got home we saw Mike and Cami had found our surprise. 😂

We had family hot tub hour where we continued our Heads Up game. Even Cami came down to join the fun. I was the first to go up to shower and I left my phone for everyone to continue playing and found this beauty. 

We all showered and packed all but one suitcase and our snow stuff that was still drying. We had a hodgepodge dinner to clean out our cupboards. Cereal, pasta, bananas, apples, oranges, carrots, bacon and cheese grilled sandwiches, and yogurt. We did an amazing job on the food if I do say so myself. We watched some movies and were responsible and didn’t stay up too late talking, and just like that it was off to bed on our last night. 

Beaver tails

Thursday was another at home day for adi, cami, and I. Cami and I finished the puzzle and laughed when we flipped it and Cosette’s message to her was all jumbled. We got to a point where we knew we’d mixed up some pieces but we didn’t care. Adi enjoyed some solo hot tub time and then I joined her in the afternoon. 

I also woke up early for a women’s conference presidency meeting (loose ends!) and then had a quick meeting with president Boyd that evening. 

After leftovers at home we all hit Whistler village for a treat and a souvenir. I decided on a Beaver Tail treat and it was sah good. 

Fried deliciousness. The place didn’t even smell greasy. 

I got a brownie one with Nutella, brownie bites, and white chocolate chunks. 

Then we shopped around the cute little stores. 

Frankie and I took pics of sweatshirts we liked so we could compare and know where to go back and find the one we wanted. This is the one she ended up with. 

Adi chose a cute maple candle and Delaney picked some pins. 

They have a cute little snow mound/playground and the girls found sleds and sledded and then walked on ice and then we headed home for hot chocolate and ice cream and Oversimplified. 

Goalz

Yesterday I decided to join the crew, so I got to see firsthand how very long it takes to get everyone ready and geared up. Delaneys boot was pinching her and Matt was able to fix it so it fit better. 

We parked in Whistler village and walked to the ski lifts. They have gondolas here which I love! Open ski lifts are part of the reason I don’t like skiing. 

The mountain is huge and the gondola just kept going and going and going. I think that’s why adi is making this face. 

At one point the gondolas all stopped and for a minute it just swung back and forth and made all of us feel queasy. And also so very high and scary. 👎🏼 

Olympic rings. ✔️ 



Matt and I took the peak to peak gondola from one mountain to the other. It was high but fine, and then we passed a *giant* cliff and we were *so* high. One of my goals is to do something new or scary every month so double check. ✔️ ✔️

I even talked about catching the gondola down from the other mountain, but Matt and my big girl panties convinced me to go back with him. 

We checked things out on that side first. 

Meanwhile, the girls enjoyed the family area. 

Delaney has surprised me with how much she’s loving skiing! Last time we went she liked it but wasn’t that into it, this time she wants to be there all the time. She packs snacks and falls down and gets back up and is just a super skier. 

We had an afternoon adventure planned, so we headed back down the gondola around 1:00. 

I was trying to take a picture of the gondolas going down and it took me way too long to realize that I was taking pictures with my camera reversed still. 🙄 🤣

It just keeps going. 

Through the clouds and out of the clouds. 

We came home and ate lunch and headed to Olympic Village for some cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Two things I’ve wanted to do forever! 

Check out the ski jumps! 👆🏼 worst nightmare!

They stay open late on Wednesdays and offer reduced rates, so we were able to rent cross country skis for $10. 

Because it was so cheap we let Frankie and Delaney get some too. Adi, Mike, and Cami snowshoe’d and then went home after a bit. 

I loved it! Except for the hills, and they were small hills, but they just make me so nervous!

Ring ✔️

They do several events out here and it was just beautiful and peaceful. 

They had a couple blocks of these trailers with equipment and the snow piled up in front was this gorgeous blue color. Like so white it was blue. 

We also got to see the biathalon stadium which is skiing and then shooting and I had never heard of it. 

As you can see, once we really got going it wasn’t very cold. I kept my coat on but no hat or gloves, and Matt and Frankie took their coats off completely. 

I fell 4 times, twice because I got scared on a hill and made myself fall so I’d stop going fast and twice just because. One of the times I made myself fall I just kind of sat straight down and hit my tailbone on my skis and it’s still crazy sore today. Hope that feels better before I get to fly cross country Saturday. 

The sunset was absolutely gorgeous, this picture is my fave. 

The day lodge and the lights and they had a fire and it was just an amazing evening. 

We skii’d around some more of their smaller course and then headed out around 6:00. I’d definitely cross country ski again!

I must have mentioned I wanted Pacific Northwest salmon and Cami remembered and found the best salmon in Whistler and Mike was able to get us a reservation for 8:45. We let the girls eat leftover pizza and we had the best and fanciest dinner! We had a roasted cauliflower appetizer and delicious bread and I had a tender (“the chef cooks it medium rare, would you like to follow the chef’s recommendation?”) delicious salmon and veggies and Matt had a seafood trio special with salmon, tuna, and coconut curry shrimp. It was seriously delicious and so nice to have a fancy dinner with just the grownups. 

We spent another late night chatting and then Delaney looked so cute and peaceful this morning. 

Finally, Amy is watching old Amazing Race seasons and they were on our canal cruise! Even on the same company boats as we got. I’ve even seen this season but not since before we went and I didnt realize they were the same. So fun!