Victoria

This past weekend I went to Victoria with my mom and my little brother Connor. I was really excited about going - but a little bit nervous about it as well. Mostly because I decided to leave Aiden at home with Matt. It was the first time that I had left Aiden for more than a few hours - and the first time that Matt had watched him for more than a few hours. But, everything turned out great. Matt and Aiden had a lot of fun at home together and I don't think that either one missed me that much. And even though I missed both of them, I really enjoyed my time away! It was so nice to be able to sleep in a little bit and to be able to go wherever you want whenever you want, and to not have to worry about dragging a baby along!

The first day I was there, me and my mom went to Butchart Gardens. It is beautiful there! I can't believe how many different kinds of plants and flowers there are. It really made me wish that I could have a garden, but probably if I tried to grow anything, it would be dead within a week! haha! Anyways, here are a few pictures from the gardens.






The next day we went to the ocean for a little bit. It was really chilly and windy out - and we weren't too anxious to go - but I think it's a rule that you have to go to the ocean when you are so close to it. So, we did. Even though it was really cold out - it was still really pretty. But also SUPER smelly! And it's not really an inviting ocean, like in Hawaii or Mexico or someplace like that.



After our pit stop at the ocean - we went to the Parliament building. It is such a grand looking building. Really neat! We were going to go on a tour - but we ended up not having enough time. Oh well. Maybe it would have been boring anyways.


After the parliament adventure - we went and picked up my brother Connor and went for a delicious lunch at Fisherman's Wharf. We had real fish and chips and some delicious crab legs. Yummy! I look really creepy in this picture. I was trying to show off the crab claw - but I just look like a nerd. Oh well.


The main reason that we went to Victoria was because Connor was in a big week-long vocal camp "Viva Voice" or something like that. It was about 40 kids from Alberta and BC, aged 14-18. They were all hand-picked by the lady that ran the camp, so they were all INCREDIBLE singers! They put on a big concert on the last night of the camp - it went for like, 4 hours or something crazy like that. But it was super good. Everyone sang a solo, and they had a choir number, some creative dancing (super funny! Connor laughed during the entire thing. Needless to say, the instructor wasn't overly impressed) and then a big number at the end that was a bunch of songs from different musicals. That was my favorite part! I always want to be in something like that, with singing and dancing and a lot of people - it would be super fun! Anyways, Connor was really good. He is so talented - and I was really glad that I got to go and watch him! Here he is doing his solo!


We had one full day together when Connor's camp was finished. We had originally planned on going whale watching - but it was WAY to cold. So, we did some shopping and went to the museum.




Then we took a water taxi back to our hotel - which was right on the ocean. Super nice!


All in all - a really great trip! Thanks Mama!

More Stuff Down South

After the big family reunion, we stayed down south for a few more days. Matt had decided to go and and meet with a dentist in Cardston and then one in Lethbridge - mostly to do some "networking" as he calls it. He had a really good time with the dentists and I think he is starting to get a better idea about the kind of office he would like to work in. He's going to go to a few more this summer and we'll see if that leads to anything.

Since we were so close, we decided to go to Waterton for the day. It is so pretty there - but also SUPER windy! It was like a hurricane! It would have been nice to escape indoors, but there are only about 10 stores and probably half of them don't allow strollers inside. Kindof retarded. But it was still a really great family day!

Matt and Aiden ready to roll!

A mountain - I don't know which one

Here is the really nice and old hotel on the hill. I think it would be fun
to stay there -but really creepy too!

We saw soo many deer - and they are so used to people that they are NOT
afraid of them. It was crazy how close you could get to them.

Aiden enjoying the freezing cold water and the yummy rocks

Me and Aiden - notice the sweet hair! It's not quite that sexy wind-blown look that I was going for. Plus I feel bad that I have a sweater on and he's in a little t-shirt. Whoops!

Cameron Falls - super pretty!

Matt and Aiden at the waterfall

The Gibb Family - so cute!

Me again

Aiden trying his first ice cream cone

He really liked it - but I don't think Matt liked having to share.

After spending our time in Cardston, we went down to Lethbridge. We didn't have a hotel reservation, so we just stopped at the Ramada. They only had a jacuzzi suite left and Matt decided to splurge and get it. It was super nice! It had a seperate living room and bedroom, so Aiden had his own room to sleep in. It was so nice to watch TV at a normal volume!
The hotel also had an awesome pool. There were 2 waterslides, a wave pool, a hot tub and a kids play pool. Aiden LOVED it! He just wasn't too sure of this guy!




We went and drove around in a new area in Lethbride. The houses were all so big and grand and beautiful! This one was my favorite. I'm sure our first house will look pretty similar! haha!

Gibb Family Reunion

We had a big Gibb Family Reunion just outside of Cardston where Matt's aunt and uncle live. It was a lot of fun - and it was great meeting some of Matt's relatives. The Gibb Reunion is going to be a yearly event. Next year it's going to be in Rosemary. Hopefully we can come up with some fun stuff to do.

Playing on the tire swing. I really wanted to sit in it - unfortunately I'm a bit too largeish.

Learning the art of roping! I never quite got it, but I came really close.
And I got some good cowgirl blisters on my hands.

Playing a super funny game. You had to tie a nylon with a ball inside it around your waist - and then swing it to roll a ball along the ground. Super funny! We named it 'Nylon Schlong'.

Aiden waking up from a teeny tiny nap.

Aiden and Max riding a horse. Aiden was NOT a fan at all. Oh well. We tried.

He did like to pet it a bit - but only with the help of Dad.

Going for a carriage ride.

The view at the end of the ride. Chief Mountain - so beautiful!

Aiden loves to play with people's lips. It is mostly fun - unless his
nails are a bit sharp. Then it's real hurty!

Anyways, a super fun reunion! Way to go Gibbs!

Rosemary and The Hat

Matt had to go home on Canada Day and finish up another week and a half of school. I made a last minute decision to stay down south for another week and a half. I spent some time in Rosemary with Matt's family first. It was so great! I love going there. It is so relaxing and calm and quiet. And Matt's family is awesome! They are so much fun and I am so lucky that I get to be a part of it.

Aiden did a lot of playing with his cousins and Aunts and Uncles and Grandparents. He had a lot of fun and it was nice to have so many helping hands and so many people to keep him entertained! We had beautiful weather when we were there, so we did some good tanning (Matt's family) and burning (me) and some real good swimming. Aiden LOVES the pool! So do I. It keeps him really happy and really tires him out!



After we went to Rosemary, me and Aiden went to Medicine Hat for a few days to see my family. It was really great to be there too - it's always lots of fun to see my parents and my little brother Connor! We had a lot of fun, and Aiden managed to get some more swimming done!

He even got to go skinny dipping a few times!

Happy Canada Day!

We spent Canada Day in Rosemary as well. Rosemary is a tiny little village of about 300 people, but they always have a HUGE Canada Day celebration. Lots of food, a parade, food, games for kids, cotton candy, food, fireworks, and the most red-neck event ever - the mud bog.
I managed to spend a little too much time in the sun and I'm pretty sure that I got a bit of heat stroke. I had a giant headache and I felt super nauseous. Finally I managed to puke up a whole thing of Mr. Noodles in the bathroom sink - sorry! But I felt a billion times better after that. And I missed the fireworks because I went to bed instead. Oh well, it was still a fun day.

Here's some pictures - I bet you wish you were there!

Me and Matt's sister Jaime got our little boys some sweet cowboy boots
from Lammle's. I love them - they are super cute and funny!

This is Aiden and his cousin Max (Max is almost 6 months older than Aiden).
We wanted to get a good picture of them in their boots - this is the best we could come up with.

Max being done with pictures - and Aiden begging him not to leave!


Aiden having his best Canada Day Spirit!
Happy Canada Day!

The last bit of June!

WOW - it's been a little while, woops. So, let's catch you all up on what's been going on.

June 27 was my birthday - I turned 24. Yikes! I was so sure that I was turning 23, so to find out I was actually 24 was a bit of a shocker! Anyways, I'm getting up there in age I guess. The day before my birthday, a few of us went out for supper at our favorite dicey restaurant, the Golden Bird. I LOVE it there. It's so yummy and scary and funny. I highly recommend it.
Matt is also super good at spoiling me on my birthday, and he always seems to know just what I want - even if I don't. I LOVE it!! This year he got me a super fancy tripod and a new light for my camera. I'm excited to learn how to use everything.

That Friday we also left for Rosemary for the weekend. It was a big 50th anniversary of the chapel being built in Rosemary, so there was a big celebration going on. I didn't get to go to much - thank you Aiden. But it sounded like it was a funnish time.