Banff!

Keith's Mum Liz was amazing and agreed to look after all the kids so Keith, Mandy, Paul and I could drive up to Banff and stay a few nights. The plan was for the boys to try out snow boarding and for Mandy and I to relax and sleep in without having to worry about kids! We set off on the three hour drive. The boys sat in the front and Mandy and I cruised in the back eating snacks - we had to stop and get some more at a petrol station because Mandy refused to share her kethcup flavoured chips! hahaha - at least that's what we were teasing her about! We chatted the entire drive up there without any silences! You know you are friends for life when you can go three years without seeing each other and then pick back up as though no time has passed!

Once we arrived in Banff we went to check in but found we were too early. We had some lunch and then decided to walk around the town and shop a little. We looked in numerous stores and found a great sale in the quicksilver store! The boys purchased some bargain snow boarding helmets (much to Mandy's relief as she has been bugging Keith to wear one for ages). We also picked up some Quicksilver Banff t-shirts and your typical tourist style clothing! It was eventually time to go check in so we made our way back to the hotel.

After lazing around chatting for a while (and I had a quick nap) it was time for dinner. We headed out to a restaurant called 'The Keg' as it apparently has the beast steak. Dinner was yummy and when desert came I loved the extra long spoons! Much to my surprise Keith - knowing I loved it - dropped it into my handbag as we left! We headed back to the hotel and started playing Settlers of Catan and Rook. This was a lot of fun but also got a little heated at times. I have never heard Keith laugh so hard and so much in the entire time I have known him!

Everything was going well and it was about 1:30 when we eventually decided to go to bed! This is when Keith and Paul decided it would be funny to fart up a storm! It was disgusting! I grabbed my aerosol deodorant and sprayed it throughout the room to get rid of the smell. This deodorant was so strong it was making everyone cough and Mandy started to get a headache! Paul, on Keith's command, grabbed my deodorant and threw it out the window and into the snow! I was so ticked that if Mandy hadn't shut the window on me his pillow would have followed! This put an end to the night and we all went to sleep. Not without occasional bursts of girly style giggles from the boys!

The next morning the boys headed off to Sunshine Village to go snow boarding. It was so cold outside and snow was still falling! Their morning started off with a little drama as one of the straps on one of the boards snapped and the other board wouldn't even move as it needed waxing. After spending most of the morning fixing and repairing the boards it was past lunch time before they even managed to get started on the slopes! Keith said Paul did a really good job for only his third time and even took him up to the black runs (the highest and fastest ones). Paul only had one stack and said he was lucky he had bought the helmet because he hit his head pretty hard. He also winded himself for the first time in years. It didn't sound like the boys had a great day but they insisted that they did - guess snowboarding just doesn't sound like fun to me!

Mandy and I had a lazy day. We slept in until 1:30pm! We had woken up a few times but it was so cold outside and our beds were so warm that we just took advantage of no kids and kept sleeping! By the time we had gotten up, showered and gotten ready it was pretty late and the boys were due home soon. We knew we couldn't do much so we walked down to the shops and had a steamed caramel milk and doughnut before rushing back to the hotel as we were freezing cold to the point of pain! Once the boys got back we headed to the hot tubs so they could soak their tired muscles and then headed out for dinner! Once we were back at the hotel we continued with the games and the girls dominated at Rook! : )

The next morning was our last day in Banff. We checked out of the hotel and went to a shopping mall for lunch. We wondered around and looked for souvenirs and gifts for Liz and the kids! We also headed back to the quicksilver shop! Mandy and I decided that we would buy matching snow jackets and beanies! We looked so silly but thought it was pretty funny. One store clerk in another shop laughed and said "matching!" as we walked through the door!

Just as we were about to head home the others decided they wanted to check out the hot springs. This idea was not appealing to me at all as it was so cold outside. The idea of sitting in water while outside in the freezing cold did not sound like fun at all. I was outnumbered so we made our way up to the hotel. I whinged as we froze our butts off trying to find our bathing suits and made our way up the hill to the change rooms. It was so cold that as soon as you stepped into the steaming hot water it hurt! I stood in the change room walk way jumping up and down and telling Mandy how much I hated her for making me do it!

It wasn't actually too bad outside in the water. My face was freezing but everything else was nice and the view was incredible. The hot springs are heated by the mountains that surround it which was pretty cool. It was so cold outside of the water that Mandy and I realised our hair was freezing! We figured out that we could make my hair stand on end and create silly hair styles by wetting and then freezing it into place! It was the source of a lot of laughs! After a while my cheeks were so frozen and everyone else had had enough that we got out. That was cold! It was a nice experience but I am not sure I would do it again in a hurry!

We decided to take some shots of the incredible views outside the hot springs before heading home! The scenery was breathtaking! Paul was taking a shot of me with the mountains behind me when Mandy said "She looks like she is modelling!" So I turned to her and gave my best model pose hahaha - I actually like the photo she snapped too! Banff was beautiful and it was nice being able to spend a weekend catching up with our amazing friends and relaxing! Liz is a legend and did a fantastic job with the all kids at home! Thanks Liz!

We really enjoyed seeing Keith and Mandy again and the kids loved playing with each other and having sleep overs! We can't wait to catch up with them again - this time in sunny Utah thanks!!!