I Must Be a Lot of Fun!

Either I'm a lot of fun, or my family just really loves to travel.

Each year we try to take at least one trip together as a family, but somehow that's just not enough for these people! We're not home even a week post-vacation, before someone secretly takes me aside and says something to the effect of, "that was fun, but don't you think it would be better if just you and I went _______." Now, you can fill in that blank with just about any destination. They've asked for the world at one point or another.

Usually first to ask for a private adventure, is my 7 year-old son. CJ loves to travel. His passport is embarrassingly full of stamps. He wants to go to the classic family destinations, like Disney World.

Ry, who is 10, loves cruises. He thinks a Caribbean cruise would be just the perfect thing for the two of us. He likes the all-inclusive feel, and round the clock service and activity of a cruise ship.

My husband likes the classic couples' weekends, like Vegas or Montreal. Both cities have so much to offer. He likes the weekend getaways... quick, exciting and to the point. Plus, it's hard for us to leave the kids for more than a three day weekend.

Individual trips, tailored to individual tastes are great. I have no problem with them at all. Each child gets some personal parenting time and I like to think that I get to know each of them better thanks to "solo" trips.

While Ry didn't get a cruise, he did get a 5 day hockey road trip (and a whole whack of hockey gear) just a few months ago. CJ indeed got Disney last November and the hubby and I just returned from Vegas.

For me, it feeds the beast. That inner voice of mine that says.... "where to next?" Little trips stoke the fire until we can align our schedules and jet off to our next great family adventure.

National Pride

Canada is a pretty amazing country. Count yourself blessed if you've been able to see it from coast to coast. Recently, I took a trip to Montreal Quebec. It was a homecoming of sorts. For me, it all started in Quebec. The daughter of an air force pilot, my family had been stationed in many difference cities & provinces. I just happened to arrive on the scene in Quebec.

So here I was, an adult, back in my home province. Though attending a conference, there was a little bit of time to explore. Montreal has an absolutely amazing series of tunnels. It's an underground city. You can literally visit thousands of shops and restaurants below ground. It does take a bit to get used to and like the prairie girl I am, felt the need to 'pop up' to the surface every now and again to see daylight and get oriented on exactly where I was.

As a hockey lover, I had a very important event planned and had been looking forward to it all week. It was, to be, the absolute highlight of the trip. The Montreal Canadiens were playing the Ottawa Senators at the Bell Center.  The game itself was pretty 'beige". A 3-2 loss for the Canadiens. But, I will have to say that I enjoyed cheering for the Canadiens, wearing their hockey colours and experiencing hockey in this historic place.

Though, the moment engraved in my brain absolutely has to be the singing of the National Anthem.
So there we were, wearing our hockey colours, standing among 20, 000 hockey fans when the anthem started. The next thing I knew we (myself included) were belting out 'O Canada", the bilingual version. I had goosebumps. 20,000 hockey fans, filled with Canadian pride putting their heart and lungs into our song. I'll never forget it. There, at the centre of Canadian hockey history, a swelling of National pride that I could feel.  Such a good feeling.