Trying to pick just a few favourites from our vacation photos is so difficult. I’ve done my best but there are still a lot here. This was our first proper vacation in over a year and a half and we enjoyed it to the full. Maisie was very excited about travelling on airplanes, ferries, boats, trains and in cars. Did you know there is a cafe serving gelato in the Edmonton airport? It was so good. Also in the Edmonton airport is a bookstore where I got myself a colouring book and a set of toddler markers (totally for me but I share with Maisie). Colouring with Maisie is fun but I’m not overly interested in Disney characters right now. We got Maisie a plush orca on the ferry and she named her Zack (as far as we could tell anyway) and can tell you where her nose is. For the whole drive from the ferry terminal to my grandmother’s house Maisie talked to Zack and made her food from crabapples that she cooked into a cake and then put away in the fridge to save for later. It was so much fun to listen to.

While we were on the west coast we went for all sorts of adventures. There was time spent exploring the beach at low and high tide. We saw a heron, lots of geese, some loons and ducks, starfish, seaweed and a few crabs. Two evenings in a row we were treated to the sight of a grey whale swimming past. Two of my cousins even rowed out in a little boat as close as they dared and learned what whale breath smells like (not good). We went for a walk in the woods with my aunt and uncle and their dogs. The huge trees are just amazing. Between the big trees and the mountains it feel like the land is giving me a hug. We spent one afternoon at a sandbar. My uncle ferried us over in his boat. Maisie and her cousin collected shells and interesting sticks and build sand castles. I swam in the ocean and Maisie practiced jumping over waves. We visited a botanical garden where a sign advised us to “sing a happy tune” just in case there might be a bear nearby. I made Maisie a new sweater. It was too hot to try it on while we were in BC but she’s worn it several time since we’ve been home. I watched Maisie play with toys and books I remember playing with when I was just a little older than she is now. We ate so much malt bread. It’s the most delicious thing in the world for breakfast.

On our way back through Vancouver we went to the aquarium. I don’t know what Maisie’s favourite part was but she seemed especially excited about the monkeys, frogs, birds and belugas. We have a beluga magnet on the fridge now (or we should have … I have a feeling it went for a nap somewhere yesterday). We drove all the way up to Harrison to celebrate my grandparent’s wedding anniversary (65 years!). While visiting my aunt's house Maisie got to pick an apple off a tree and see a two day old calf at the dairy next door.

Hello little blog. I'm so happy to be back. I have lots of fun things to share. Here are Rob and Maisie in front of a tank of jelly fish at the Vancouver Aquarium.

A big round of applause for Rob for figuring out and fixing my website!