#14: Take Trevor with Me to Visit Family in Canada

I thought I better get this blog updated with our Canada trip before we leave again on our South Carolina vacation this Saturday.  This is the "summer of vacations" for us!   When we planned both trips, I don't think I realized we only had two weeks in-between the two.  It's sure turned the end of the summer into a whirlwind. 

We took a two-day trip to get up to Canada.  It was nice to catch up talking with my family and to relax in the car.  I have to share this funny video of Victoria.  We were smelling something very foul in the van on the way up there and everyone was blaming everyone else.  Victoria claimed that it was Trevor and then broke into this song.  I actually got her to do it again and caught it on tape!

(In Trevor's defense, I think we determined that the smell was coming from the outside of the car.)

We took some much-needed breaks on the way up to let the girls get out and play.

Mom has always claimed that the clouds are "puffier" in Canada than they are in Nebraska.  She took this picture somewhere in North Dakota when she spotted some of these puffy clouds.  I will say I've been paying closer attention since I got back to Kansas City, and we really don't have nice, fluffy clouds very often.  I think it is just too humid and hazy!  It also helps that there is nothing in your way to see the sky up there!

I've always enjoyed our Canada trips because they aren't full of planned events.  We normally just take it easy and visit with family. 

We stayed on the farm this year at my Uncle Gerry & Auntie Lorna's instead of in town at Grandpa's house.  It's so fun to see all the little kids doing the exact same things we loved doing on the farm when we would go visit every summer.  Trampolines, four-wheelers, etc.

Here are some of the fun things we did...

Jumping on the trampoline - Josiah, Victoria, & Nolan

Slip-n-Slidin' - Kellen & Victoria

Swimming - Sarina & Ariana, Kim & Alexandra

Lots of visiting with family...

Monica & Gianna

Uncle Gerry & Ariana

Josiah, Victoria, & Uncle Stan

                 Mom & Grandpa Bell

Ruby teaching Victoria how to play the piano

Grandpa and Victoria

Uncle Bill (Grandpa's brother) came to visit and read a story to Victoria

It was so fun to spend some time with Alexandra on this trip.  She's getting much more mobile and showing her personality.  She's such a good baby.  I love her giggles in this video where Dad is tickling her!

Uncle Gerry reading to Victoria, Nolan, & Kellen

Uncle Warren and Auntie Evelyn came to visit from British Columbia.  I'm holding a box of mints that Uncle Warren brought for me.  When I was little I was really shy, but I really liked candy, so Uncle Warren used to bribe me to come sit on his lap by bringing mints and giving them to me if I would talk to him! :)

Janet & Lanelle

Ariana & Tim

Dad, Abby, Alexandra, & Justin - It was fun to get to see all the new Grandkids I hadn't met yet - Lanelle, Ariana, Gianna & Abby!

We were there on Canada Day so we went and celebrated with the family at their church picnic.  We enjoyed food, softball, and fireworks!

It was good to know that Americans aren't the only ones that wear crazy flag shirts - check out this lady! :)

Victoria proud of her 25% Canadian heritage.

Since we had almost all the cousins, their spouses, and their kids we had to get a picture with Grandpa.  We missed Daryl, J'nea, Kyle, Stephen, and Rachel! 

(This is the best picture Mom had of the group- if anyone has one where the people in back aren't so washed out, I'd love to have it!)

Trevor loved the landscape up there and learning all about the farming.  He went out on the four-wheeler and got some pictures of the Canola before we left.  I'm so glad he did....it's so beautiful!  Utilizing the timer to get a self-portrait... :)

The little schoolhouse on the corner of the farm that Mom went to when she was little.

We stayed in Fargo, North Dakota on the 4th of July on the way back from Canada.  We went and watched the fireworks across the state line in Moorhead, Minnesota.  We had done this once when we were younger and knew they had a really good show.

                   Alexandra in her 4th of July outfit

Out to eat before the fireworks (Alexandra had to change out of her dress - it's cold in North Dakota at night!)

                     Victoria and Justin ready for the fireworks to start.  We thought she looked so funny sitting there with her legs crossed.

                   Watching the fireworks with Daddy...

...and Alexandra watching them with Grandpa

Trevor went one day into the capital city of Regina, Saskatchewan with my cousin Jenn and her family.  Trevor wanted to see the city and said he was hoping to eat "Canadian food."  They thought that was pretty funny so Jenn bought him a bunch of foods that you can only get in Canada (her sister Janet used to request these when she went to school in the states).   We've been enjoying them since!  Thanks Jenn!

We had a really great time and I'm so glad Trevor got to meet my wonderful family!