Mumsy Arrives in Quebec City

Mumsy came with me to Quebec this past week. I have three days of training here, she had a birthday to celebrate and very much enjoys the city. It seemed like a perfect plan! Flying in on Friday, we immediately launched into a weekend of food, history, food, outdoor adventure, and more food.

We found the costume closet... 

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Around the time of his birthday (in January), M asked me what I wanted for my birthday. Thinking along the lines of our weekend in Seattle, I said "a memory." A few weeks later, M said "How about snowshoeing?" An afternoon in the trees on the side of a mountain!? Yes, please! How about someplace new, like Grouse Mountain? Wearing our snow boots and passports in hand, we drove up to Vancouver to find our way above the snow line. 

Tacoma

Work sent me down to Tacoma for a week of training, so I explored a little bit... here are a few shots from downtown. It's a way cooler city than we up north give it credit for!

There is a great Anthem Coffee in the State Museum just to the right of the old train station 

Flat land adventures

A few weeks ago, I took a trip to the mid-west. Specifically, to two states I don't think very highly of, largely due to their lack of differentiation in elevation between any two points: Ohio and Indiana. GM had a training scheduled in Indiana, so I bookended the trip with visits to friends and family in the area to make it more fun. First stop: Columbus.

(http://www.curvemag.com/Visit%20columbus%20postcard(1).jpg)

A second round of snowshoeing

White Salmon was so much fun the first time, I thought I'd take Dad back for a second round!

White Salmon Snowshoeing

A couple of weekends ago I tagged along with M's dad and sisters, who were heading up to Mt Baker Ski Area for some downhill fun. Instead of buying a lift ticket myself, I headed in the opposite direction from the lodge; right back down the mountain. I discovered a snowshoe path that leaves from the last hairpin before the lower lodge. We had driven past it dozens of times, this time I went to explore it!

Christmas, round 2

It used to be that each year we would alternate which grandparents we spent Christmas with: my dad's parents on Whidbey Island, or my mom's parents in British Columbia. After so many back-and-forths, swaps, Christmas eve road trips, and opening stockings in the back seat of the car, I can't keep track of which one we're on. In any case, a few days after Christmas we loaded into our respective cars (because we're somewhat adults now coming from our somewhat adult homes) and trekked up to the Kootenays for a second holiday with Nana and Grandpa.

The ridge above Canyon/Lister