Date Weekend in Banff

Since Jeff and I didn't get to go on our Vegas trip we had planned, we decided to do something different. It was going to be really hot in Vegas if we booked the trip again so we decided to save on money and enjoy somewhere nearby! We left on a Thursday afternoon for Banff and stayed until Saturday night. My parents watched our kids one day, and Jeff's parents were going to watch the kids the other day, but Cindy got sick so Brent and Bailey ended up watching them. We are so thankful to them both for making this trip possible!
Jeff got off work a little early on Thursday and we headed out. We had made arrangements to stay with a lady who worked for Cindy, she has a suite in her basement. It was really nice of her to let us use it so we didn't have to spend a fortune on a hotel, and use the money instead on shopping and activities. They were there for one of the days so we did sit and chat with them for a little on Thursday night, and then the next day they were leaving. Once we got settled in our suite, we walked along the Banff streets and shopped. I didn't plan on doing much shopping because the prices are probably higher in Banff, and there isn't a ton of good shopping, but surprisingly we found some good deals and had so much fun buying some new things! It started with Jeff forgetting his swimsuit and ended up with him buying 2 pairs of shorts, a bunch of shirts, a hat, and even a winter coat that was 70% off! I bought a hat and some workout clothes, and on the Saturday some more things. Being a mom, I don't get many chances to shop for myself on my own, so I was taking advantage! Anyways, then we started to get hungry around 8:30 and had some delicious dinner at a place called Chuck. 

The next day I had planned for us to go to Lake Louise. Jeff and I stayed at the Fairmont there for our honeymoon in the winter time, but I've always wanted to be there in the summer. The lake is an absolutely gorgeous teal color surrounded by mountains. We rented a canoe for an hour and it really was everything I dreamed it would be! We had so much fun, despite it being a bit colder than I thought. Once the sun came out, it was really warm though. After canoeing, we went for a hike right by the lake up to Lake Agnes. There is a teahouse up there, so we planned to eat lunch when we made it there. It was pretty uphill all the way there and Jeff is still not fully healed from his knee surgery, so it was a stretch for him. I had planned to go further after we made it to the teahouse, but he was done after that. We were also so hungry and when we saw the line of people waiting to be seated, we decided to just hike back down and eat at the Fairmont. Good choice on our part!! Then we headed home and were still pretty chilled from the day being cooler than we thought, so we went to the hotsprings and stayed there for a long time. It felt amazing!! Then we went to the suite, got showered and ready and went out to eat around 9. It was so fun to not have a schedule we had to stick to! 

 On Saturday, the last day, we slept in and then went horseback riding at 11. It was an hour long trail ride and we had such a blast! Although my horse was super lazy and I swear I spent the whole time kicking him to get him to move! It was such a beautiful trail, called Spray River. We did two river crossings, which I thought was so fun. We also walked by the golf course and beautiful river and waterfall. We both had so much fun! The rest of the day was pretty relaxing, we got some lunch, did some more shopping, walked around and got ice cream. It was a beautiful day. We then went back to the suite, packed and cleaned up, and headed home. 

 What an awesome weekend! It had been a while since we left our kids for more than a few hours, and it was such a blast and great for our relationship. I love Jeff, and I'm glad he let me plan out this trip! I felt refreshed and ready to go again when we got home. Jeff and I decided that we needed to do something together like this 4 times a year if possible.

Kid Updates

 How did I get so lucky to have these two adorable kids! Here's a little update on them:

Deacon is 17 months today! One more month until he starts nursery. It's so weird to think that he will be in there with Bentley. With her birthday in January, she is the oldest one in there. I'm sure she will love having her brother in with her too. Deacon is such a fun little guy! He is finally walking full time. Once he started, it didn't take him long to figure it out. He's pretty fast! I have my hands full with him, as he is so busy and always looking for the next thing he can get into. I make sure the doors are always locked because he's figured out how to open them and loves going outside. He loves playing in water and doing whatever the bigger kids are doing. He's very outgoing and social, and will still go to pretty much anybody. He loves going for walks and bike rides (behind my bike) and doing anything outside...did I mention outside? I have no idea what I will do with him in the winter when it is too cold to go out! He has the cutest smile and giggle and is such a charmer. I get lots of comments on how adorable he is. He loves baths and is very good at blowing bubbles in the water! He also loves to escape and would probably run away without even looking back. He looks so cute with his new haircut and I just melt when he gives me hugs and cuddles me. He is still the best sleeper ever, and I'm sure it's because he wears himself out during his awake time, always moving. He also has no fear, which means lots of bumps and bruises...

 

 Bentley is almost 3 and a half. She can be the cutest, most bubbly girl that everyone wants to be around. And then, like a 3 year old, she can be really hard to be around. She has attitude and still tantrums over things. I'm sure she'll grow out of it. We're also trying to figure out the whole sleep thing. She hates going to bed, to the extreme. And if she naps at all during the day she will stay up super late because she isn't tired. So we avoid napping as much as possible. For the most part, though, this girl loves life! She LOVES friends!! If she could choose what to do each day, it wouldn't matter as long as she had a friend with her. She also loves her grandparents and cousins! When we tell her something fun we're doing, or give her a present, she gets SO excited she'll scream! It's the cutest thing. She's also known for her giggle!! It's the best! And very contagious. I love that if she does something silly, she will laugh at herself! She also loves to be active. She just started soccer this summer with a group of friends. She also loves riding her strider bike, throwing rocks in the water, hiking, and going to parks. She loves picnics. She loves Peppa Pig and when her brother is awake, she makes sure he gets to watch his show, Dinotrux. She loves shopping and telling me what things are "cute." She loves the girly things, as well as some of the sporty things. She finds joy in the little things in life. I love this girl to death and can't wait to see what she becomes!