Vacation....

Tomorrow, Greg, Finley & I leave for our much awaited 10 day vacation. We are headed out on a camping trip that will take us to Seattle, Vancouver, Olympic National Park (in WA) and then back to Seattle.

Yes you read correctly. We are camping. In a tent. For 10 days. It will be mine & Finley's longest camping trip ever. It doesn't even come close to Greg's longest ever...I think something like 6 weeks. Ya I know, completely insane!! Despite the camping aspect, I am very much looking forward to our trip, for many reasons....

I haven't been to Seattle in a few years and cannot wait to hit the Outlet shops....COACH, KATE SPADE & CARTER's here I come!!! I desperately want a new handbag, it's been ages since I have gotten one....I believe since I bought my BURBERRY BAG while I was pregnant...to cheer me up of course!! I am also looking forward to wonderful TARGET. It is like DISNEYLAND to me...It's my happiest place on earth!! I am also looking forward to Victoria's Secret, Aeropostale & Bath & Body Works. Yes I know the last two just opened in Chinook Mall, but it is SO much cheaper and way MORE selection in the USA!! Of course you can't forget MARSHALL's and NORDSTROM RACK.....oh I can't wait!!

We are also going to the NEW YORK YANKEES & Seattle Mariners baseball game on Saturday. I am so excited. This is the whole reason I wanted to go to Seattle when we are. I love Derek Jeter. Love him. When we were in NEW YORK a few years ago, we went to a YANKEES game, and he hit his 2000th hit. It was insane and fabulous - even if they lost.

On Monday we head to Vancouver for a couple of days. We are going to ROBSON Street, the very street where I got my first COACH bag several years ago. Greg got it for me for my birthday. I blame him for my handbag addiction. We are also going to the Vancouver Aquarium, Stanley Park, Granville Island and the Capilano Bridge. We are here for two days I believe.

Next is Olympic National Park which is Washington and located on the Olympic Peninsula. I don't know much about the park, but I have 2 books that I will read on the trip out so I should be an expert by then. HAHA All I know for sure is that one night the campsite we are staying at overlooks the Ocean so that should be sick. And we are going to the hot springs there too. I will have much more to say upon my arrival back! We are staying here for 3 days I think.

Next up is Tacoma where we are going to an art museum and blown glass museum. Then on the 22nd we are going to the Seattle Seahawks Denver Bronco's exhibition game. It will be the first NFL game for the entire family and we are very excited! That's why we start and end in Seattle.

We will begin our journey home on the 23rd with a stop at another Target in Seattle and of course, my most favorite Target in the world which is in Spokane. Coure d'lane has a pretty awesome Target too! I love Target - I hit up everyone I can!!

So everybody have a great 10 days and I will be thinking of you all while eating delicious seafood every single night, shopping like crazy and of course while I am watching Derek Jeter..

Adios AMIGOS!!!

Finley & Her Best Girl Madison

Last week Finley's best girl cousin Madison came to stay with us for the week. We detoured on our way back from SK to Lloydminster to pick her up. It rained pretty much all week but we had tonnes of fun playing Nintendo, swimming and going to the Calgary Tower. We all absolutely loved having her here and we miss her so very much!! We can't wait until next summer when she comes to stay with us again!!

Here are some of my favorite Madi & Finley moments...

Madi & Finley playing dress up

Madi & Finley dancing. Finley loved loved dancing with Madi

Madi comforting Finley. Finley enjoyed all of the attention she got from Madi.

Madi looking for Finley's favorite song - Love Story by Taylor Swift

Listening to Love Story

Madi teaching Finley how to play the wii

Just hanging out...

Madi & Finley in the pool. Finley loved loved loved the pool. Shocking I know!

Finley giving Madison a super big bear hug!!

My Favorite photo of the two....At the Calgary Tower....

Finley & Madi @ The Calgary Tower

Last week when Madi was visiting, we had all kinds of plans to do some fun things in Calgary. Unfortunately, it rained. Everyday. Until Friday, that is. Finally we had some sunny weather so we decided to go to the Calgary Tower. She was so excited and had been looking forward to it, so I am glad we got the opportunity. Both she & Finley loved it very much! The glass floor is beyond cool. It was funny to see how many people visiting the Tower were afraid of heights and wouldn't look down. One guy was even hyperventilating....why do you even bother? I will never know. Madi aslo enjoyed her first ever CTrain ride. I told her I hated it because I had to use it everyday to go to work. She thought it would be awesome. I told her she should ride it in rush hour. haha Here are a few of my favorites, you can check out even more on http://picasaweb.google.com/BeckyFlorizone where I have tonnes and I mean TONNES of photos!

In front of the elevator before going to the top.

Madi & Finley on the glass floor. It was just soooo cool!

Madi & Finley on our way down. We had such a blast!

Finley obviously had way too much fun as she was asleep before we even got to the CTrain

Great Great Aunty Ann & Finley

On Saturday of the Long Weekend, we made a stop at Finley's Great Great Aunty Ann's before heading back to Saskatoon. My Great Aunty Ann is one of my Grandma Taggart's sisters and the last living relative of my Grandma. So it is very important to me that we are able to maintain a close relationship with her. Finley really likes visiting with her and Aunty Ann certainly enjoys her. Despite the fact we are so far away from one another, my mom makes sure that she always has a recent photo of Finley to display! Can't wait to see you next time Aunty Ann!!

The Lion King: The Musical

Last night, Madi & I had the opportunity to attend "The Lion King: The Musical at Jubilee Auditorium here in Calgary. To sum it up in a word: PHENOMENAL!!! Possibly the best I have ever seen!

I have loved musicals since the moment I first watched Grease as a child and it has grown as I have gotten older. I remember waiting every year for the Powerhouse Theater in PA to announce which musical they were doing for their summer run. They were amazing! Up until a few years ago, I used to drive back every summer to watch them - although they kinda lost some appeal when they left the place across the river and moved into the new arts center!

I have seen broadway musicals in Saskatoon, Calgary and even New York - the broadway capital of the world! I have yet to see a musical that I haven't loved and wasn't sure that anything would top the helicopter landing in Centennial Auditorium for Miss Saigon but The Lion King topped that by far!

The Lion King had its sad moments, funny moments (you gotta love Timone & Pumba) and moments that took your breath away. I don't think you could ask for much more. If you ever get the opportunity to see The Lion King - don't hesitate to buy the tickets. It was simply amazing and you will be awe the entire time. The voices the actors/musicians have will simply blow you away.

Hakuna Matata

Cousins

I remember a while back when I referred to Madi as Finley's cousin. Greg's dad had made the comment that they weren't really cousins but 2nd or 3rd cousins but wasn't sure. I had never thought about it. Madi, Tanner, Easton & Ashton are who I call Finley's cousins. They are the children of 2 of my cousins Jimmy & Chris. I have never given much thought to the cousin once removed or whatever it seems to be. I had always thought it to be silly but for some reason I got thinking about it last night. Most likely, these 4 above - especially Ashton - will be Finley's only cousins for quite sometime and without a doubt will be more similar in age then those that will be first true cousins. Funny how that is these days.....years ago that would never be the case.

When I checked Wikipedia today this is what I read:

A system of degrees and removes is used to describe the relationship between the two cousins and the ancestor they have in common. The degree (first, second, third cousin, etc.) indicates the minimum number of generations between either cousin and the nearest common ancestor; the remove (once removed, twice removed, etc.) indicates the number of generations, if any, separating the two cousins from each other.

This still didn't help me much although maybe they are third cousins??? Whatever! They are family, cousins, best buds and that is all that matters. Here are some photos of Finley with her favorite cousins in Saskatoon & Lloydminster...
Finley & Ashton. They are 6 months & 1 day apart from each other. She will never have another cousin as close in age to her....

Finley with Ashton and Easton (5) who are my cousin Chris's 2 boys. I just love the expression on Ashton's face...so cute!

Finley & Ashton playing on the floor. Finley is very rough and aggressive so we have to keep her a little away from her. I can't wait until he is a little bigger so I can see them play!

Finley and Easton. He is such a cutie and loves to play with Finley. He was always trying to get me to wake her up when she was napping. He also was happy to have her "play" tball with him and see her play on the infamous choo choo train...

Finley with Madison (9) and Tanner (5) in Lloydminster. They are the children of my cousin Jimmy.

Tanner showing Finley how to use the Leap Frog school bus and how it counts to 10! Tanner is the sweetest, most lovable little boy in the whole world!! I will have to post pictures of his black eye and stitches when he gets here! Finley enjoys Tanner alot!

Madi sitting with Finley before she goes to bed. Madi is also visiting us this week in Calgary. Finley has enjoyed it so much and will be so sad when she leaves on Sunday! Madi is like a lil mama....so fun to watch her interact with Finley. They too will share a special bond....at least I hope so!

So there you have it. A post of Finley's cousins on my side of the family. I say screw wikipedia and everything else and there stupid labels of cousins removed and 1st or 2nd or 3rd cousins...what does it matter? We are family just the same. We just go lucky with ours :D

Long Time No Blog

Sorry it's been awhile since my last post but I headed back to SK for the August Long Weekend with Finley and stopped in Lloydminster to pick up my cousin Madi so she could hang with us for the week. I have been busy playing Nintendo Wii and doing some fun things so I haven't had a chance to post anything.

I have some great photos from our trip back to Saskatchewan which started out as a quick weekend trip to Saskatoon for the Blink 182 concert with my sister Kristy turned into a 6 day trip that took Finley & I from Calgary to Saskatoon to PA back to Saskatoon and then to Lloydminster and finally back to Calgary. It was a hectic week but was happy to spend so much time with my family! Finley and I were both happy to get home to see Daddy...Fin really missed him!!

I have a bunch of posts that go with our trip home which I will start posting as well as some pics from Finley's week with Madi!!