The much anticipated bestest trip in 6 years part 2 photos....

We woke up the next morning and ate our continental breakfast

(don't you love continental breakfast?!?)

(I do... who can hate a "free" breakfast)

After we got all our stuff loaded we decided to go for one last walk...

mostly to tucker out the dog

(yes we did actually bring her)

It was beautiful!

I honestly don't know why I live in the land of perpetual winter when there are places like

oosoyos in the world.

The flowers were all starting to come out.

The trees were all in bloom and budding.

Ellie LOVED this tree. 

It was covered in yellow flowers.

That is her yelling, "I LOVE springgggggggggggg!!!" 

 Our tree huggers....

They were actually clinging to it for dear life because we were turning around and they were terrified to return to the land of snow and ice.

for real.

Terrified.

at points in our trip there were actual tears shed over the fact that they would have to come home to the snow.

 Ellie.

She was absolutely astonished that as we drove through Creston and Oosoyos that there were actual "popcorn" trees. I think I heard her belting out that song like a million times....

We loaded up and headed out. The 5 hour drive flew by.... (ummm so that is totally made up... in fact two seconds after leaving the city limits Lucy began to incessantly bug us until we finally caved and gave her the leapster.... so instead of thoroughly enjoying the sereneness we were plauged by the sounds of Dora and backyardagans). So 5 (or more since we did get lost) we finally arrived in Langley. Hurray.

 We pulled into the temple parking lot to a menacing sky but alas that would not stop the dog or the kids from begging to be released. The drive up was interesting... You turn at the meeting house and then you are driving and it seems like you are totally going the wrong way cause you can't see the temple at all and then wabam. There it is. Anyways, we all unloaded to check things out and to see if the chapel or distribution center was open (and a bathroom....). During this escapade we discover that a) the distribution center is only open on Fridays and Saturdays (not so great for an unplanned spontaneous road trip) b) the chapel is locked and c) this temple has a HUGE family/ward picnic area. It is covered and there are bathrooms (locked???) and a huge grassy area.

So we were heading back over to the temple to take a few quick pictures and Ellie and Lucy were amazed at how angel Moroni was shinning. The sky was really gray and there was just enough light that hit him that the gold was really brilliant. As soon as I took the picture we got dumped on. A rain/ snow (ARGH... Dusty's joke this entire time was that we would drive to the coast and still find snow.... blast!) mix drenched us. We were soaking by the time we made it to the truck. We hung out there for a half an hour and then in cleared right up. 

 The flowers were so so so pretty

 Ellie and Lucy by the sign at the front of the temple.

 A really nice man came over and took our picture.

After this we loaded up and headed to the hotel.... and to find a bathroom.

We finally made it.

It was quite the experience.

I've been to Vancouver once after I graduated high school and one of the experiences I remember vividly was driving down Hastings street and where it intersects with Main. UMMM so it's quite a culture shock for a small town kid from the prairies. I thought maybe it had been made bigger in my head... Dusty is VERY VERY glad the kids were past out! We pasted that area of Vancouver on our way to the hotel. We stayed right by Stanley park and we had an amazing view.

We were on the 29th floor of the hotel and as soon as we walked in Ellie headed for the balcony. She wouldn't come in till it was time for bed. She just sat out there and stared and stared. Dusty poked his head out at one point to see how she was and she looked at him and said she wanted to live right here forever. I never in a million years thought she would of been the one to love the city! She loved looking at all the women and men in their business suits and the trendy shops and all the little food stores. She loved the traffic and the ambulances and the firetrucks. She loved the apartment buildings with the gardens on the rooftops. We finally hauled her in off the balcony at 10. What a kid! (I think it terrified Dusty... more than we were terrified of going home to the snow.... the idea of coming back to downtown Vancouver was enough to make him want to cry ;) )