Vacation in the Bahamas

Matt's parents are wonderful people who happen to have a rental home in Green Turtle Cay. We met up with them for some fun in the sun.

Our time was filled with beaches and water... and beaches and water... it was delightful!

The local wildlife! A nurse shark was stalking my father-in-law as he walked along the shoreline. 

We went on a fishing adventure that led us to a beautiful beach. The local sting rays, sharks and turtles recognize the boat we were riding on and came a swimmin' as soon as they noticed us pull up. It was incredible to get in the water with these animals and have them swim right up to you.

Caleb wasn't even a little scared. It took me longer to let these guys come close. 

The turtles were pretty amazing!

The sharks were breathtaking! I have always had this strange love affair with sharks. I am terrified of them yet I love them! It's weird I know.

We also spent some time snorkelling and enjoying island life. Naturally we had to climb a tree for our family picture. 

Looks like it was orange shirt day... did you get the memo? I love orange on little boys and it's such a fun summer colour! 

As an early birthday gift, my mother-in-law paid for us to go paddle boarding for a couple hours while she watched C. Talk about a relaxing experience! Wow! Now all I need to do is save up a random $1,000 to buy my own! Any generous reader want to buy me one?

On Green Turtle Cay, everyone gets around on golf carts. Well there are a few cars on the island but mostly everyone drives golf carts! It's so much fun! I just have to remember to drive on the left side of the road!

This is the view from the beach right behind my in-laws' house! What a way to spend some free time eh! God is so good to us! Thank you to my in-laws for meeting us down South and being so hospitable! 

Summiting Mt Baker

I did it! I summited Mt. Baker!!!! I'm so excited! What a great trip! My parents were kind enough to keep C overnight so we could have this amazing experience!

After checking in at the Ranger's station, we were all set and ready for our hike in. Yikes, I forgot how heavy a full pack is.

We took our time and enjoyed our way up - minus the horrible bugs at the start. I was almost ready to turn around they were biting me so badly. I was not a happy camper. I remember praying that God would provide a way out... either make all the bugs go away or allow us to run in to another hiker who had bug spray (I had spotted a gal at the start of the hike who was putting bug spray on and was about to ask her to borrow some but didn't). Before I know it, she comes hiking around the corner and Matt asks if she has bug spray. I was so thankful when I overheard him talking to her, I actually started 'running' back to where they were. 

After we set up camp and spent some time practicing walking in crampons and self-arresting (if you start sliding down the mountain, you flip your body on to your tummy and dig your ice axe into the snow to stop yourself from sliding to your death... or potential death), we enjoyed a gorgeous sunset and attempted to sleep. The whole sleeping part wasn't really happening. I think I only got a few hours of sleep. Then up at 2:00 am to get ready to go. By 3:20 am we are fed and packed up ready to start on ascent. 

Hiking in the dark is a very strange experience. I could really only see whatever was illuminated by my headlamp and simply followed the rope that was attached to Matt. We went around a number crevasses but only a few times was I scared for my life. 

Once the sun came up, it was a whole new world of white! The actual hike up was easier than I had anticipated. Looks like my training paid off. As you can see, it was not some simple walk in the park; the terrain was tough. The last section before the summit is called the Roman Wall, it is extremely steep and feels like it goes on forever.

We were anticipating that we would take 4-5 hours to summit but it took us over 6. There were so many more open crevasses that we needed to go around, which made the trip much longer. 

The Lord kept us safe and we made it to the top!!!! I think it's funny that the very top of the mountain is this little hill that has no snow on it at all. It was gorgeous!

Before Matt and I even met, I remember wanting to marry someone who was outdoorsy so that he could teach me how to be more outdoorsy and keep me safe while we are out on crazy adventures. Wish granted, thanks God!

This is probably the scariest part of the whole trip. This crevasse was up to 20-30 feet across and 60 feet deep in sections. There is this little footpath you follow that's only a few feet from the edge. As you can see off to Matt's left, there is a fairly steep slope. Only 20-30 feet down that slope is another crevasse. Don't slip! 

We made it safely back to camp but had less than an hour to rest and eat before we needed to pack up and hike out. Next time we are doing a big trip like this, we will do it over three days. That way we just need to make it back to camp and rest, then we will hike out the next day. After it was all said and done, yes I would do it again!

Be joy-filled!

Lake Life

I love the water! I love being in the water! I love boats! I love beaches! I love sunshine!

Can you tell I just got back from camping at the lake where I spent all day every day out either on the water or at the beach? Yes, sleeping beside a one year old in a tent is not ideal but it progressively got better throughout the week. That was really the only downside. Caleb did great on the boat with his lifejacket, which was more like a straightjacket. At the start of the week I was a little concerned because he did not seem to like the water at all. The only thing he liked less than the water was the sand on the beach. What are you suppose to do with a one year old who doesn't like the water or the beach when you are camping at the lake? Seriously! The good news is that by the last day he was walking around on the sand and right in to the water! Hurray! Progress! The other bonus about the week at the lake... this girl got to try her hand at wake boarding! I have never had a water sport come so naturally! I was up on my first try; moving over the wake by my third try; and landing jumps by my fourth try! Looks like '15 years' of snowboarding comes  with transferable skills! Who knew? I can't wait for next summer to work on my tricks!

One thing you should note though is that this love of the water has been quite a journey. I took swimming lessons when I was little and went to the pool to play around but I didn't grow up on the water like a lot of people did. Yes, I live within an hour of the ocean and many lakes but we didn't really go. My dad grew up waterskiing every weekend but for whatever reason they stopped once us kiddos came along (sad day I know). I learned to waterski when I was 22. I was in Hawaii on a Habitat for Humanity trip through university when I got an email with a picture of the boat my dad bought. I knew that my dad use to waterski but I never really gave it much thought until he bought the boat and I came to realize how much he really loved it. Then I married my husband who is one of those people I just mentioned. He literally grew up on the water. His childhood home was on lake front property. He had a beach in his backyard. He was a lifeguard too. Matt is comfortable everywhere but a dance floor; however, I think he is the most at home in the water. Seriously, he does not stop smiling when he's being pulled behind a boat. Then again, he smiles most of the time he's out playing but still his smile is noticeably bigger when it involves water! My love of the water has really developed over the last five years. Wait, let me clarify. I have always loved boats and being ON the water. My love for being IN the water has developed over the last five years. After taking an aquatics class in university, I honed my swimming skills and actually began to enjoy swimming. I took a lot of activities classes for my degree and aquatics was the only class that when I left, I was worn out. Three hours in the water including a 20-40 minute fitness swim every class would do that to a person. It was great because I learned everything one needs to know to become a lifeguard without taking the certification tests (the instructor I had wasn't certified to certify us). Needless to say, my confidence in the water skyrocketed. Even though I could swim okay, I was still afraid of what else was in the water. It doesn't help that I love sharks and watch every documentary show about them. I respect them and understand their power. I have a healthy fear of them and would love to see one in the wild. There are just so many other things that could harm me in the ocean. Needless to say I am still working through my fear of open water but with more experience snorkelling, I think I'll have it mastered soon enough or at least manageable. I enjoy snorkelling close to shore and in water where I can see what's around me. An ex-boyfriend took me snorkelling in cold, murky water on a rough day, right after I watched shark week and I freaked out! I may have had more water inside my snorkel mask than outside. As a bridal shower gift, my in-laws bought us snorkel gear to take with us when we went on our honeymoon to Turks and Caicos. I was a little better then and got much better by the time we joined them for Christmas in the Bahamas. All I need is a few more trips to tropical locations so I can practice and I think I'll be set. (subtle hint I know)

Well I'm off to work on a project for Caleb's room. I'm really unhappy with it right now so hopefully it will all turn around and I will actually post pictures of the gorgeous finished product.

With Joy!

My parents are taking over the outdoors

Looks like plans changed. Matt and I were planning on climbing Mt. Baker this week but with Caleb being sick, we were unable to train how we had anticipated so Baker was out of the question. Instead, we took my parents (who are not hikers) out on a little hike. We were planning on doing my favourite hike (Chain Lakes in Mt. Baker National Forest), however, there was still too much snow on the trail and we didn't come with the proper equipment... I wouldn't have taken them on that hike in those conditions even with the proper equipment. So we improvised and climbed Tabletop Mountain. It was about 3 km and we traversed over snowfields and rock. My parents did great! Some of the terrain was a little unnerving for them but I think that's simply inexperience on a hiking trail and a mild fear of heights. One of the bonuses of having people join us on our outdoor adventures is that there are lots of people taking pictures! I would say a conservative estimate of the number of pictures taken between all of us would easily be over 700 considering my Dad took over 500 just by himself. We had a great time! The downside is that we found out Caleb gets carsick on mountain roads. We had to make a timely pit-stop on the way up to clean out the car. Poor kid. Then he rocked the hike without any complaining. That's my boy! Here are some of my favourite pictures! Enjoy!

Have you ever taken your parents on an outdoor adventure? How did it go? What's your favourite family adventure?

Be joy-filled!

Frolicking in creation

Over the last two years, my body has gone through some major changes - going from living at sea level to 8600 ft above sea level, pregnancy, giving birth, and recovering from giving birth. Yup, major changes over here. After seeing what my body has been through, I find I have a new respect for it. Does that mean I eat only organic foods, drink fancy water and exercise daily... no! I have discovered that I am happier with my body now than I was pre-pregnancy. I do love to play and be active. I do try to drink lots of water (helps with the milk supply). I am eating better now that I am being tested for celiac or maybe it's that I am more aware when I am not eating well so I try to make better food choices. I have also realized this last year that although I am very active, I have never set fitness goals and really worked hard to achieve them. I wanted some kind of motivation to train and see how far I can push myself. My first goal was to lose my baby weight in six months. Then when I went in to the doctor's office 13 days after giving birth and realized that I only had 13 more pounds to go, I changed my goal to my birthday (approximately 4.5 months post-birth). I achieved that goal!!! Did my body look the same, no way! Progress is progress though and even now that I weigh less than my average pre-pregnancy weight, it is not the same. My legs may be leaner (God bless walking) but the skin on my stomach isn't as tight as it use to be. Am I happy with how my body looks, absolutely. Are there still areas I'd like to tone, for sure. I'm a firm believer in the saying, you get out of it what you put in to it. If I fill my body with junk food then complain about it being 'flabby'... well honey it's your own fault. I use to eat whatever I wanted because I was so active that it didn't really alter my appearance. Now, however, I am beginning to notice when I eat too much chocolate and not enough veggies. Oh how habits need to change the older you get.

As I mentioned in my previous post, my husband is super active. Matt just loves to play. One of his passions is mountaineering. Now I have never really seen the draw to alpine climbing. Trekking over glaciers and up incredibly steep terrain to walk across a knife-edge ridge simply to spend a few minutes at the top then turn around and descend the same path. Nope! Not for me please! However, something changed in the last year. My next fitness goal has been to climb Mt. Baker in Washington State. It is a 10,781 foot dormant volcano that has been my comfort mountain for as long as I can remember. It is clearly visible from the house I grew up in as well as the house where we currently reside. I always look for it when returning from a trip because it does not feel like I am truly home till I see my mountain. Why not climb it right? It's one of those things where I don't think I can actually do it and it scares me, but I'd like to push myself. So I've been training for the past few months; actually I've been simply stepping up my typical daily exercise routine to include a few more mountaineering specific exercises with the hopes that they will help at least a little.

The Goal! Mt. Baker!

Matt and I decided to test out how well I've been training and go for a 'long' hike. We had my mom come over to watch Caleb and we left for the day. It was the longest I had ever been away from Caleb and I was both excited and nervous. I was more nervous that something would happen to Matt or me and Caleb would be orphaned. Poor kid. We set off anyway. Flora Lake was our goal. (http://www.trailpeak.com/trail-Flora-Lake-Trail-near-Chilliwack-BC-746) There is a loop that connects three lakes and that was my original goal but upon further review 20 km in one day was out of the question (we got a late start). Okay, now we were going to make it to Flora Lake then see how we were feeling after that. This is a beautiful hike; however, it starts out with a brutal incline that made me want to turn around and go home, never to even contemplate climbing Baker ever again. I figured if I can't make it up this, how in the world am I going to get up a major mountain? Thankfully, after the first 2.5 km it really wasn't that bad.

It had great views of Chilliwack Lake and a few nice places to stop and rest or camp for the night. 

We did encounter snow fields, which I was not expecting. But with this guy as my fearless leader, I couldn't complain about anything (except that brutal first few km). 

He's so cute!

Matt's words: "This is better training for Baker than I expected!" He kicked steps for us to get up the steep slopes. We boot skied (or fell/slid) down those same slopes on the descent. 

This hike has made it to my top three favourite hikes of all time. Yes, the start was steep and tiring and I wanted to quit; but we pushed through and I feel much more confident about climbing Mt. Baker now. The gorgeous views along the way make this journey incredible! God is amazing to have created all of this! We arrived at the saddle and had a choice in front of us - continue climbing the snow fields and make our way to the lookout or climb down into the valley to get to Flora Lake. We opted for climbing up to the lookout. I was shocked that I had such a good attitude about it. I was tired and wanted to stop to eat lunch but I just knew the view from the lookout would be incredible. I was right. We were rewarded with an epic, panoramic mountain view! Words cannot describe the majesty of these peeks! Wow!

This picture does not do it justice but it's the best one I have. Mountains as far as the eye can see. We spent over an hour frolicking on the peek. It was delightful! 

The whole trip was approximately 7 hours of hiking, with 1400 ft. of elevation gain, over 13 kms. I highly recommend this hike but remember to push through those first few km. It is worth the struggle.

Now I wait and continue to train till the timing works out for the big trek. We need good weather, Matt to get his passport delivered, a healthy baby (he's had a teething fever the last number of days which has resulted in a lack of sleep for the whole family), and my parents to be available to take care of Caleb. We were planning for this week but that might not work out since Caleb has been ill, we haven't been able to train the way I would have like to, and Matt still doesn't have his passport. The goal is to do it this summer but our summer schedule is filling up quickly. One of the joys of having a husband who is a teacher is that we get to play all summer long! Plus, living in Beautiful British Columbia, we have gorgeous summers to go play outside! I'm sure I will let you know once this fitness goal has been accomplished! Stay tuned!

Fitness Challenge For You: go outside and play! Go to the park and toss a frisbee, run, walk, swim, bike... DO SOMETHING then let me know what you did! What's your favourite way to enjoy God's creation?

Be joy-filled!