Edmonton By Land!!

Our adventure begins at home...packing, cleaning, organizing, and preparing our fur-babies for a house sitter!  Not worried about our dogs or guinea piggies...but our cats were spayed so the need some extra T. L. C. and I'm sure Meg will be able to give them lots of love <3  Thanks, Meg!

  Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.  Education is the kindling of the flame, not the filling of the vessel.  

 ~ Socrates ~ 

This trip is the kids' 2nd (mine & Trev's 3rd) voyage to Asia in a year!  Last year this time we were exploring the gem of the South China Sea ~ the Philippines!  And then Trev & I spent our 10th wedding anniversary in Indonesia.  

This voyage...We chose Beijing, China.

  The flight, accommodation, and cultural experiences ~ excited for all of it!  Less flight time than flying to Newfoundland (and less expensive by 50% too!)    

  Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.  

 ~ Dalai Lama ~ 

Greta's 16.2 lbs carry-on

Ellar's 14.4 lbs carry-on 

Astrid's "heavy" 15lbs carry-on haha!

Connor's 15.2 lbs carry-on

The kids all wrote a list of their needs and their wants.  Packing doesn't take long.  We make sure we pack clean, comfortable clothing.  Just essentials.  I think it's an important lesson for our kids considering the material nature of our society.  And honestly, we could do with even less.  It's just 1 month.  One huge bonus is that stuff costs money ~ to transport, I mean.  Pay a fee for checked bags, a bigger vehicle to carry it all, and our sanity because we have to manage more stuff !!  No, thanks.  Here's a list of what we each pack (including what's worn on the plane)...

1. 3-4 pants/jeans/shorts
2. 3-4 shirts
3. 1 sweater
4. 1 jacket
5. 7 pairs underwear
6. 7 pairs socks
7. 1 formal outfit
8. bathing suit
9. 1 pair of pyjamas
10. 1-2 casual dresses
11. 1 pair of running shoes
12. A toque & mini mitts (Spring in the mountains!) 

And I have the curling iron, hair ties, jewelry and 1 large ziplock bag 1/2 full of toiletries.  That's it.  Trev takes the GoPro gear (he also printed a ridiculous amount of 'things to do' I tease him about, like 500 pages!  He packs far more than I do!!  His bags are heavier than mine!)  and I take my running gear (Garmin, 2 capris, 2 running shirts, running jacket, extra pair of shoes just for training).  In our backpacks we bring our book, Travel Journal/workbook, writing/colouring utensils, devices, camera.  That's it.  

Carry-on there, carry-on home.  Perfect.

The week leading up to our holiday, the kids were finishing up the season of hockey, swim club, and ice skating.  Ellar says he misses hockey are he's excited to play Novice next year when he's in Grade 2.  Connor & Greta enjoy the swim club, but it's a lot of work.  Swim club is about swimming efficiently whereas swim lessons is about swim safety ~ they compliment each other well.

Ellar's last game of the 2016/17season

Hockey's over!  Let's Spring Break!

And ice skating with Mile 300 :)  This year included Connor's 1st competition.  Typically we're already gone somewhere and the kids miss the year end Skating Carnival.  This year we decided to plan our much needed holiday around it.  The last carnival the kids were in they were a part of the Figure 8s skating club (which no longer exists).  

This year, Connor was awarded the trophy for the most improved Junior StarSkater in his class.  Because we could only be in one day of the show due to time/weather constraints, his coaches made sure to present it to him yesterday (Saturday night).    

"Captain Connor" and the other Junior skaters performing the "Cruise" act!!

Connor and his Junior StarSkate coach, Kennedy Sha.
Connor earned "Most Improved" this year in his group!

Greta (2 Diamonds) and some of her "Vegas" Senior CanSkate friends

Astrid was a part of the "Picnic" CanSkate group

Greta and a few of her "Disney" Senior CanSkate groups

Junior StarSkate Opening act ~ Connor

  We drove straight through stopping only for gas and drive through meals (Tim's and Taco Time ~ being vegan is hard at Tim Horton's, I'll admit, but Mexican food was designed by a vegan, I swear ;) )  12hrs door-to-door, no issues!  Bringing the van for service and detailing while we're gone.  We'll see Uncle Spencer in the morning ~ looking forward to that!  

I made them all Travel Journals for entertainment and a keepsake <3

OK.  Spring Break time!

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Tomorrow...2 flights to Beijing!!!  Now for some sleep...