Not Just a Mom - Favourite Family Memories

I have to start this with saying that I originally read this month's topic as "Favourite Family Members" and it's hard to unsee it now.  Don't worry, I won't be ranking my family, haha.

Rather we are talking about Favourite Family Memories, so if you have a blog, please link up with us today! 

I am lucky to have many happy family memories and despite whatever annoyances or frustrations occurred during these events, I am left with just the happy memories and the less than happy ones fade away.  I have narrowed it down to five.  It is hard to rank happy memories since they are remembered collectively, however the first one does stick out as a top memory.

Princess Cruise - Caribbean - 2011

In 2011, Dave and I were turning 30, my mom was turning 60 and my Papa Doug was turning 90.  We decided we should do a special trip and settled on a cruise. This was everyone's first cruise (except my grandparents who had been on (I think) just one before that).  So the six of us flew down to Fort Lauderdale and then boarded a Princess Cruise for a week.  There are not many times when three generations can go on a trip together, and the cruise was perfect for us.  We were all able to do our own thing (excursions, shopping, pool, etc.) and then meet up throughout the day (or at least for dinner). It was already a special trip, but my grandfather died the next year (January 2012) so it was especially nice that we got to spend time with him on that trip. My grandmother died a few years later.  This year we are all hitting milestone birthdays again (including E who will be 10) but of course a cruise is out of the question. 

Some special things that stick out - getting pizza at a place near our hotel, running into Nana and Papa on the ship and just stopping to get a drink, climbing the ruins at Coba with Dave, buckets of beer, and eating all of the food!

Oh hey, let's stop for a drink :)

Hyatt's Manion Lake Camp - Northwestern Ontario - Many visits

I have cousins that own a fishing and hunting lodge business up in Northwestern Ontario.  It is very secluded and it takes a bit to get there, but always worth the trip.  The first time I went was with my grandparents when I was in high school, and have been back several times with various combinations of family members.  We even got to go up last year when travel meant we basically had to stay within our province.  

When we go there, the living is easy and relaxed.  We fish a lot, read, nap, swim, play with the animals, and enjoy lots of good food.  It's so pleasant there and we always feel so welcome. 

2008

2011

2014

2020

Camping - Ontario - Many times

Camping is hard work as many of you know - it takes a lot of planning to get organized to go, get everything set up, prepare food and do dishes, and then take it all down.  We have had challenging camping trips over the years with rain, lots of wet and dirty clothes, cranky babies, lack of sleep, a lost kid, sunburns, animals taking our food, and many more that I've blocked from memory, but at the end of the weekend I am always so glad that we have gone. I am hoping that these memories of camping will be highlights when my kids think back to their childhoods. 

(Slightly out of order)

Our Wedding - Halifax - May 23, 2009

Dave and I were already living in Toronto when we got engaged and were planning our wedding, but we knew we wanted to get married in Halifax where we met.  We got married at St. Matthew's United Church on Barrington Street and the reception was at the Prince George Hotel.  Everything was perfect and I have very few regrets about the way we did things.  We could have invited more people and maybe offered an open bar (although in 2009 in Nova Scotia, that was almost unheard of, things have changed).  Many people at our wedding have since died - our grandparents and some aunts and uncles so remembering that time when everyone was together is so special. 

What I will always remember most about that day is that the dance floor was full as both of our families like to dance. We also had such beautiful weather and were happy our family 'from away' could experience Halifax at its best. 

Hillside, Mira River - Cape Breton - Many visits

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Cape Breton where some of Dave's family live.  His parents have a piece of land there and we have visited many times in the summertime, sometimes for a large family reunion, and sometimes just to see a handful of people.  There is always many things to do while we are there, but at the same time, no expectations of how to spend your time.  We swim, play lawn games, shoot off rockets, read in the shade (or is that just me?) and get ice cream cones. We often have a feed of mussels (handpicked by our group), freshly picked blueberries, and maybe some crab legs too.  The evenings are always capped with a bonfire.  When Dave's grandmother was still alive and in her 90s, we younger folk would wonder when Hazel was going to bed since we were tired but felt like we had to hang in there until she got up to go inside.  

Thanks for sticking with me through this monster post, I'm happy I was able to pull these memories together in one post. 

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