Turkey Day Road Trip!

Thanksgiving Weekend for 2007 started off with a busy week of preparing, finishing off projects and getting ready....perhaps not in the typical or traditional way you may be picturing.

My parents and I had been invited to spend Thanksgiving in Kamloops with my gracious aunt and cousins and by Friday afternoon I still was not completely 100% sure things would work out for me to go.

I had to find someone willing to cover my Sunday shift at work, which was definitely proving difficult. However, by the end of the day, about an hour before I had planned to be out at the ferry terminal to catch the boat over...I found replacements and all the jumbled puzzle pieces fell perfectly into place!

So I zipped home, grabbed all the last-minute stuff to shove into my already over-packed bag, gathered up my dog, Sophie's food and toiletries and off we headed to the ferries with a rider from my wonderful pal, Shantala!!

The BC Ferries are an interesting experience if you have to walk-on with a pet, as I had to do this weekend. I dragged Sophie through the very loud and scary mouth of the boat and we parked ourselves in the convenient, if not smelly and slightly uncomfortable, Pets Room on the upper car deck. There Sophie and I met two poodles, Zara big and black, and Bijou tiny and white, and their friendly owners. Sophie sniffed noses and rears, made friends but was as eager as I to go for a few gaunts around the breezy car deck.

Once on the other side of our pretty ocean, I was picked up my my wonderful parents, who had already spent a night and day shopping and whatnot, along with my great and formidable aunt Shirley. We spent that night at Shirley's with a delicious bacon and egg breakfast and great company and the next morning packed up the car for our road trip to Kamloops.

Ah, before the trek began, my folks gave in to my whim and we stopped off at Ikea, the magical land of inexpensive household items and decorative accessories!!! Mom and I purchased a few small items that quickly began to fill the cart and my dad picked up a set of cute kids chairs for my little cousin Brynn (both of which, the chair and the Brynn, you will later see).

Apres Ikea, and a few mutters from dad on how full the car was getting, we finally headed off up the highway to our Thanksgiving destination - Kamloops to see Candace, Roch, Brynn, Cruz, Auntie Bev, David, Angie, Tom and who knows who else!!!

Here I am, occupying the comfy back seat

taking mediocre photos from the moving car.....

and here is the start of the b-e-a-utiful Autumn colours

poking through the dark forests.

Splashes of Fall colour

and a dusting of snow at the Coquihalla Summit

Driving through the clouds at the Summit, very cool!

On the far side of the Summit the trees were even brighter and more vibrant!

Pretty scene just after the town of Merritt

and finally in Kamloops - BRYNN!!

My sister and brother-in-law, Angie and Tom, were also able to drive up

for a night and here is Tom in his usual position...napping....sorry, Tom!

And here is Brynn, showing off her brand new Ikea chair!! So cute!

Ta-dah!! Here is the new baby, little Cruz all bundled up to join Tom in an afternoon nap.

My brother, Mike, who surprised us by driving out for the day and cousin David relaxing with couch and sports.

David and Brynn (in new pjs!)

Auntie Bev, Cruz and Brynn

Brynn suddenly started to try jumping...here a few attempts.

Let's play...The Chins Game!! Who has more?? Baby Cruz or Unca' Bob or Mike????

Brynn, pretty in pink and saying good-bye...

...and Cruz and cousin Kirsten....me.

Mike doing his surprised Zoolander impersonation.

Brynn made a new friend right away...Tom and Brynn colouring.....

On the drive home...freshly snow-capped mountains!

Very cool type of rock on this mountain top

and me trying to take a photo of the cool orange, yellow and red bushes before we slipped through a tunnel....and good job Dad, 10 and 2.....

Front of the ferry photo....coming home

and Sophie being a good dog in the car.....

Well we had an excellent weekend! Absolutely wonderful family time with aunts, cousins, kids, siblings and parents! Superb food and dinners and desserts and late night game snacks!!! We chatted, we played, we ate and we enjoyed each other. Now isn't that what life is all about?

What a beautiful weekend!!!