Teaching a person to read (or anything) is, um, interesting. It's painstakingly slow. I mean, how exactly are you supposed to explain that M and A blend together to make mmmmmaaaaaa? How do you explain moving from one sound to another without stopping?
Then there's this moment... when it clicks.
Suddenly "mmmm aaaaaa" becomes "ma,""llllll aaaaaa" becomes "la" and "sssss aaaa" becomes "sa." Then and only then you know it's worth it. You are teaching your child how to read, one of your very favorite things to do. You're opening up a whole new world of adventure and fun.
Hang in their homeschoolers, and mamas in general. Whatever you're teaching your child, it will click. Just wait for that clickable moment. Because when it does it will be worth it.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Vancouver - Sea to Sky Highway
I can't believe I never finished this blog about our trip to Vancouver!
Read about the other days of our trip here:
Back to our last day! One of the number one recommended things to do in Vancouver
is drive the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler. It's about a 3 hour drive.
It took us between 5 and 6 (You'll know why when you see the number of pictures we took.
Don't worry, I narrowed it down for you. As much as I could.)
We decided to take the train back to the airport to rent a car there, it saved us a little money
and we took it back the next morning when we were flying out.
and we took it back the next morning when we were flying out.
Public transportation is great in Vancouver, so it wasn't a big deal. By the time we got the
Tahoe we were ready to eat. We didn't have any idea where to eat so we killed
some time driving around to find a place. We stumbled on the BEST view in town
on the BEST day we were there! Here we are outside the restaurant waiting for it to open.
Yup, that's a floating Chevron you see behind me.
We watched these planes take off. It was really neat.
I loved watching all the grown men watching planes like little boys!
Some things you never outgrow I guess.
I loved watching all the grown men watching planes like little boys!
Some things you never outgrow I guess.
Love this view. The great thing about Vancouver is you
have the water and the mountains and the city all in one.
have the water and the mountains and the city all in one.
This whale was really cool!
Under a big sculpture. Still waiting for the restaurant to open.
Finally, they opened and we got prime seating, right over the water.
This was kind of an unusual day in Vancouver, the skies were literally clear.
It's amazing watching the mountains appear.
This was kind of an unusual day in Vancouver, the skies were literally clear.
It's amazing watching the mountains appear.
He ordered a duck meat sandwich and I had a cheeseburger.
By the way, the toilet water in Vancouver is not for drinking.
Thanks, I was considering it.
(Actually, the note was nice, because the water was a little yellow!)
(Actually, the note was nice, because the water was a little yellow!)
Then we headed out for the day! First we crossed the Lion's Gate Bridge.
It's pretty spectacular! We got some fun night shots of it at the end of the day as well.
It's pretty spectacular! We got some fun night shots of it at the end of the day as well.
There are LOTS of places to stop when you're headed to Whistler.
It's not just a drive. In fact, we didn't even stop near as many places
as we could have. Whistler shuts down at 5 and by the time
we ate lunch we didn't leave ourselves near enough time.
It's not just a drive. In fact, we didn't even stop near as many places
as we could have. Whistler shuts down at 5 and by the time
we ate lunch we didn't leave ourselves near enough time.
We found a website that guided us through all the stops.
The first, and one of my favorite was the Howe Sound.
I still don't know exactly what a Sound is, but it was incredible.
The first, and one of my favorite was the Howe Sound.
I still don't know exactly what a Sound is, but it was incredible.
You might be scared of heights if your husband does this and
you yell at him from a distance not to fall! I literally was envisioning
what would happen if he fell in and how we would get him back out.
I don't actually think he was all that close to the edge.
you yell at him from a distance not to fall! I literally was envisioning
what would happen if he fell in and how we would get him back out.
I don't actually think he was all that close to the edge.
He looks so good in the cold mountain weather!
I, on the other hand, just look cold. Because I was cold. Very cold.
It was really windy and cold right on the water.
It was really windy and cold right on the water.
This group of girls was doing yoga (complete with instruments)
and I thought they were crazy!
I took a picture of them from the warm comfort of my car.
and I thought they were crazy!
I took a picture of them from the warm comfort of my car.
The entire drive looked as spectacular as this. For a while we had the
mountain on our right and the water on our left. Then we got up into the mountains
and were surrounded with beauty. Words and pictures can't even capture it.
mountain on our right and the water on our left. Then we got up into the mountains
and were surrounded with beauty. Words and pictures can't even capture it.
After the Howe Sound it started to rain on us a little. I was a little bummed,
but the sun came right back out. The Officer was thirsty so we stopped for a water...
And bought a painting.
While he wandered into the gas station, I wandered into a little art gallery and fell in love.
I couldn't take my eyes off of the artwork of Lori McPhee.
Ahh, I love her work! Here's a link to the gallery.
Lion's Bay Art Gallery
I had been holding off on a souvenir until I found something I really loved
that was unique to Vancouver. It's not a cheap place to shop.
A lot of the things I saw I could have bought here for less money so I waited.
I think artwork will be on the souvenir list from now on. It's a forever purchase!
My husband is so sweet, we definitely hadn't planned
to spend money on a painting but he was totally ok with it.
This little lady was so cool. She and her husband own the gallery,
his name is Michael Tickner. He is a well respected artist with a
unique style of very detailed work. She definitely knew how to sell a painting!
One of the many lookout points along the way.
These mountains just ok compared to what was coming!
See, he's a natural in this environment.
Then we stopped at Shannon Falls, this was the park outside.
The bottom of the falls was a quickly moving, rocky bottomed creek,
which my Eagle Scout had to take a drink out of.
which my Eagle Scout had to take a drink out of.
Proper shoes would have been preferable for going up into the falls.
There were trails that kept going up. Unfortunately, we didn't anticipate
all the stops so we didn't have time to go much farther. Not to mention,
I badly sprained my ankle a month before we left. I was in no shape
for uneven ground. If I had it to do over, I would probably take
two days for this road trip and stay at the top in Whistler over night.
Stops like this could have used a lot more time.
Here are a couple short video clips from Shannon Falls:
http://youtu.be/jRglsydiKHY
http://youtu.be/F-S2aAM016k
all the stops so we didn't have time to go much farther. Not to mention,
I badly sprained my ankle a month before we left. I was in no shape
for uneven ground. If I had it to do over, I would probably take
two days for this road trip and stay at the top in Whistler over night.
Stops like this could have used a lot more time.
Here are a couple short video clips from Shannon Falls:
http://youtu.be/jRglsydiKHY
http://youtu.be/F-S2aAM016k
Somewhere along the drive, the website said we would come
around a curve to see the breathtaking Stawamus Chief.
When we came around the curve I realized their statement was completely accurate.
I took in a huge breath in awe.
The Chief is claimed to be the second largest granite rock in the world.
around a curve to see the breathtaking Stawamus Chief.
When we came around the curve I realized their statement was completely accurate.
I took in a huge breath in awe.
The Chief is claimed to be the second largest granite rock in the world.
We stopped at a little bike shop around here. I think it was in Squamash.
The Officer was looking for a hat, he never did find what he wanted.
I was taking pictures of literally everything so I took my camera in with me.
The guy that worked there laughed so hard, I felt like a total idiot! The guy was telling us about people who rock climb on The Chief and some who have to be rescued by helicopter!
The Officer was looking for a hat, he never did find what he wanted.
I was taking pictures of literally everything so I took my camera in with me.
The guy that worked there laughed so hard, I felt like a total idiot! The guy was telling us about people who rock climb on The Chief and some who have to be rescued by helicopter!
The closer we got to Whistler, the more spectacular the view became.
The guide warned us we would be coming up to the Tantalus Viewpoint.
The lookout itself wasn't supposed to be much, but you would realize
after passing it why you needed to stop. Right again.
The guide warned us we would be coming up to the Tantalus Viewpoint.
The lookout itself wasn't supposed to be much, but you would realize
after passing it why you needed to stop. Right again.
Oh I wish the pictures could do it justice!
The Officer with The Rental. I think driving the Tahoe might
have been the highlight of his entire trip to Vancouver.
have been the highlight of his entire trip to Vancouver.
Love this handsome man! Seriously, he's an awesome guy.
It was so nice to have a trip just to ourselves.
It was so nice to have a trip just to ourselves.
When we got really close to Whistler we took a detour to see the Olympic Park.
Unfortunately, it had just closed for the year.
We did snap some pics in the snow. Cause that's what we do!
Unfortunately, it had just closed for the year.
We did snap some pics in the snow. Cause that's what we do!
We made it to Whistler! I thought their playground was really cool.
We spent very little time in Whistler. We ate at a brewery,
topped at a few shops (as a last effort to buy a souvenir for our family),
bought our $5 DQ Blizzards and headed back home.
We spent very little time in Whistler. We ate at a brewery,
topped at a few shops (as a last effort to buy a souvenir for our family),
bought our $5 DQ Blizzards and headed back home.
On the way back from Whistler we stopped again at the Tantalus lookout.
There was an upper lookout that gave a great panoramic view (we stopped there first).
Then the lower lookout was on the way back where you could see into the valley.
Again, it was spectacular.
There was an upper lookout that gave a great panoramic view (we stopped there first).
Then the lower lookout was on the way back where you could see into the valley.
Again, it was spectacular.
The sun was starting to go down over the back of the mountains.
Sunsets have always been special to us.
Sunsets have always been special to us.
We made one last stop before the sun went down, we were almost back to Vancouver.
I can't for the life of
me remember the name of this place.
We saw it in a recently in the movie Walking Tall.
The Officer wandered off to walk on the beach and I lost track of where he was.
I started to panic a little. The man is an Eagle Scout and a cop,
you'd think I wouldn't be worried about him!
Here are a couple videos of us coming up on it:
Here are a couple more links to videos of our drive back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8VRkEWcGgI&feature=youtu.be
http://youtu.be/fQ9z-BFap9Q
http://youtu.be/JwtwLHSwY6Q
We spent our remaining time in Vancouver playing with our camera.
I liked seeing my hubs get back into this old hobby. We had wished for more time in
Stanley Park so we drove back through in the dark and took what pictures we could.
I love this one of the bridge.
And the view of the streets from our room.
We would go back to Vancouver in a heartbeat. It's an amazing place with
great food and natural beauty abounding. I highly recommend it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)