This and That...

Ben and Jake in Vancouver!

My little cousins Ben and Jake flew out from Toronto to visit this past week. We had a pretty action packed few days ~ and we lucked out with amazing weather.

On the Peak chair ~ Whistler mountain

We hiked the High Note trail as well as Singing Pass - with little complaint (a few 'how much longers' but that was it)

secret snowball formation....

Jake thought the snow was pretty cool

Cheakamus Lake down below

Whistling Marmots (Ben thought they sounded like a little girl screaming and was very concerned)

Singing Pass

Checking out the Whistler Skate Park

... and then we went ziplining

I just love these kids - i'm pretty sure they've had enough of me stalking them for pictures though

Jake gearing up for the 2400' line

Ben's turn...

Baby Rylie kept us entertained in Whistler - like at 4 in the morning when Jake decided it was time to get up! The time change was unforgiving.

We stopped at Shannon Falls on our way back to the city and had so much fun playing in the riverbed that we came back up the next day to play in the morning and had a nice picnic

I know... too many pictures

Ben's all about the peace-keeping these days

We had a sore knee (momentarily)

And we found some rad trees to climb....

We went to visit our other cousin Declan

Too bad we didn't have time for skim-boarding - that's the D-man's specialty!

We went to the Capilano Suspension bridge where Ben won the 'rainforest explorer' prize for Declan - he's pretty pumped

We visited the Vancouver Aquarium

I love the jellies...

Moon Jellies

These ones are some of my favorites - Lion's Mane

Pretty Anenomes

Wormy eels...

Urchins and stars and barnacles galore!

Declan really liked the Manta rays....

...and the sharks!

Fall fishing with Kara

Kara & Jen in Lepas Bay ~ One of my favorite places

How's this for an inconvenient truth - this species of jellyfish is commonly known as 'by the wind sailors', and they are known to exist in warm waters typical of the southern coast. These little jellies were washed up all along Lepas as well as on North Beach ~ trouble in paradise.

... I took her for a tour around the island, in a westerly gale (really the only way to see Langara) ... we're on the leeward side in this pic though... hiding!

Kara and Jarod @ Hodge Podge ~ Ridge in his #1's!

Lacy in the distance...

Williams Lake

My good friend Buks and I after her pre-wedding bash in Williams Lake

We just had to finish it - bride and groom were doing tandem keg-stands....

Sharon and Buks

Laterns @ Trout Lake

Trout lake comes alive!!!

The latern festival takes place in the park down the street every year - i'm glad I stuck around this summer to check it out!

The latern procession arrives at the lake