We'll start with my "happy place"! The Badlands. This was the place I was most excited to visit on the way out west! It holds fond childhood memories for me.
We took a break here while we waited for some fog to clear! Okay that's a lie. There was fog but I was sort of lost and needed to be pointed in the right direction!
This shot makes me laugh every single time I see it. Mini-me looks like she's suspended in mid-air. And no Pepsi was spilled in the taking of this photo!
We stopped in town to do some shopping. I was determined to replace my childhood t-shirt! I netted a fabulous and cheap hoodie I love!
Bison rule the land it seems. We saw tons of them there. You give them a wide berth when they cross the road! This is just a wee one, but some of them are monster sized!
We always have to stop and see the Prairie Dogs. Did you know they can carry the plague? No lie. Look it up. I may or may not have convinced mini-me she had it when we got home!
I may have slammed on the brakes and almost gave us all whiplash when we happened upon a band of wild horses!
So of course I parked my car and stayed to watch them for hours. They had 3 babies with them. So adorable to watch them play. This was the absolute highlight of the trip for me! I will never forget seeing them!
The kids finally convinced me they needed to eat and stuff, so we waved goodbye to the Badlands. I may have shed a tear, or two!
For the life of me I cannot quite remember where this hotel was but it had the coolest statues outside. So of course the kids got into silly mode for me. B-Dude wins for most enthusiast on this one for sure!
When we arrived in Calgary we made a point of visiting Spruce Meadows. The last time we visited we were lucky enough to be there during The Masters. This time we were a few days too early so we just wandered around the place! Mini-me obviously loves it at Spruce Meadows!
As he completes his dismount he looks over to see me and mini-me rolling around on the grass laughing at him. Luckily he's good at taking a ribbing from us!
Luckily I was able to make it up to them by taking them to dinner at my Auntie Judy and Uncle George's place!
And Uncle George makes the BEST baked beans I've ever tasted! Seriously killer beans. Cooked to perfection!
I so enjoyed hanging out and laughing with family while we there. Even my sis and her hubby came over from B.C. so it was a family reunion of epic proportions! What could be better than having a great meal with family!
A huge thank you to my Auntie Judy, Uncle George, Bobbie, Gus and Kaylee for making us feel so welcome while we visited!
The next day we got up early and went to Banff. I was already pretty sick at this point so Banff was complicated. It's was so worth the effort it took me to get there though!
We wandered around town for hours. The shops there are so cute and fun! Expensive so it's definitely more of a window shopping kind of town!
I really wanted to take a carriage ride but I knew it wouldn't be possible with how sick I was. So the kids posed with the cute horsey for me in lieu of a ride!
Next year we'll go back to do some hiking and maybe even camping. Banff is such a wonderful place to visit. The drive through there and Jasper are incredible. Hopefully next year we'll see Jasper as well!
We spent a final day getting B-Dude settled in his new digs. Then we said our goodbyes the next morning. I miss him but I'm so happy to see him following his dreams!
It's a gorgeous drive if you ever get the chance to do it. We went through the States on the way up, and home through Canada!
The prairies are also where the wheels fell off the trip. This is the point where I was so sick and incapable of driving we had to call hubs in to save us! He flew in immediately, took my stubborn ass to the hospital where they drugged me up before allowing us to drive home. This photo is one I took all drugged up!
But don't get too excited cuz I also took a gazillion photos of things like my feet and the back of hubs head!
Imagine driving with someone in the back talking about fluffy pillows and stuffed unicorns, all while sticking the camera an inch from your face while you're trying to drive! Yup, I'm a keeper folks!
The downside= I remember nothing from the trip home! The upside= I take awesome pics when I'm highly medicated. Sick lunatic + drug haze = vacation of doom! I wouldn't trade one minute of it for the world. Or more morphine!
But we're looking forward to Christmas! And there's always a chance we can take a Vacation of Doom 2013 right! xx
Toodles and smoochies! xx
Liz
I spend our vacations torturing my kids with photo ops, too. Looks like you got more cooperation than I do! One of our family campouts when I was a child was at Teddy Roooooosevelt State Park...my dad had to pronounce it like that every.single.time.
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
Aww what great pics!! You're such an attractive family! What genes! 😛
And hey! You've got a Kaylee in your family! That's like my name (except for my mom is dumb and only wanted to spell my name with 1 "e" so people wouldn't think it was 2 separate names, Kay Lee, *sigh*)
kitchenriffs
Great pictures! I love looking at people's vacation pictures, and you certainly came through with a bunch. Great selection! It must be so odd to be looking at pictures from the last part of the trip - the part you don't remember - and seeing what you did! Sounds like a great vacation, up until the time it wasn't, and even then you've brought back some amazing memories. The badlands look incredible - I've never been, and need to go. Thanks for this.
mellissa@ibreatheimhungry
Thanks for sharing your trip with us! The Vacation of Doom actually looks like a pretty good time. And can I just say that you and hubs grew some good looking humans? You should make more - it's like a public service or something...
Dara
I love your photos! It looks like you had a great time up until the Doom, of course.
Ramona
Well by the looks of these fun photos you never would have thought it was a vacation of doom! Your kids are a riot and I see where they get their sense of humor from... you! 🙂 Hope your 100% now!
Ramona
I meant you're 100%... LOL!
Rachel @ My Naturally Frugal Family
I am sorry that you were sick and I am glad you had so many photos to share.
Your kids are real troopers to take all of those hilarious shots. Mini-me floating is awesome...maybe she was standing on her invisible jet (I think that is what Wonder Woman had).
Anywho good to have you back amongst the living 🙂
Joan@Chocolate and More
What a trip! Love all the photos. especially mimi-me and her super levitation powers!Glad you're back home and felling better.
Christine
Great photos, and beautiful family.
mjskit
What a fun trip and great pictures! I've always wanted to go to the badlands and these pictures make me want to go even more. Fun, fun!
Rebecca Walker
Looks like a lot of fun was had before Doom struck. If Fargo the town is half as wacky as the movie, I would love it--I love that they have a "chipper" for photo ops. And do we get the secret to the "best baked potato?"
Hotly Spiced
What a great holiday. Your kids seem to be really good at turning everything they're presented with into something fun. And yes, your daughter is definitely floating above those rocks. You must miss your son so much. Here in Oz, kids don't normally go away for College (sometimes I wish mine did!) xx