CANADA HOT SPRINGS and IDAHO WINTER ADVENTURES

On the ferry heading back to the US

We continued our travel eastward and the weather and the roads just get colder and more dangerous.  We knew that this would be part of our travels, so Shane just drove REALLY slow and I just

I have no idea how this is comfortable for him!

distracted myself on the computer so I wouldnt have a panic attack.  If I pay attention to the roads I just see us sliding off every hill, sliding into oncoming traffic or rolling over into a ditch. No amount of positive thinking was gonna help me through these roads.  

We pulled into an aquatic center in Trail after a crazy day on the road.  We grab our frozen (literally) bathing suits out of the camper and start to head into the center when Jill says, "Mom, our tire is

Jill sledding down a hill on a plastic lid

making a weird sound!"  There is a huge BOLT coming out of our tire and she was hearing the air slowly leaking out of the tire.  Alli runs inside to get Shane before he gets all cozy in the hot tub.  It is 18 degrees out, late on a Sunday, pretty much dusk outside...and every tire repair shop in town is closed.  Shane heads out to find a shop to fix the tire before it goes flat. 

The kids and I enjoy the warmth of the pools and hot tub, Jill goes down the waterslide and jumps off the diving board and rope swing.   It is so complicated in Canada because we have no cell service, so I have no way of knowing where Shane has gone or if he was able to find a place to get it fixed. Looking out the

windows, watching the snow fall for 2 hours and seeing this car nearly go up and over the barrier into the river below, I cannot help but give thanks that the only problem we faced today was a bolt in our tire.  One hour later, Shane gets back.  There was a Canadian tire 5 miles out of town and for $30US, the biggest problem of our day is solved.

The next day we head to Nelson.  This is another city in BC that we love.  A great library, aquatic center and ice skating are all on the list of things to do.  Then reality sets in....there are no open campgrounds and the Walmart in Nelson does not allow overnight parking.  

We keep driving to our next destination...Ainsworth Hot Springs.  We have been here numerous times.  It is our FAVORITE hot springs by far.  There is a hot pool, CAVES that you can swim through and the hot springs just pours out of the sides and top, and a cold plunge pool. The road here is super sketchy, it is icy and cold, a storm is coming in and there is NO WHERE TO CAMP.  We decide that we have endured a lot of freezing cold and a lot of cramped spaces and so we spoil ourselves by getting 2 nights in the hotel here.

It ended up being the best decision we could have made because the snow did not stop for over 24 hours.  It was so peaceful to watch the snow from the hot springs and from the banquet room and hotel room.  It was kind of complicated with Chaco because they did not allow pets and he does not do well without exercise...but we did take him twice to an unplowed road so that he could run around and get some energy out.

During this time, my grandma was not doing so well.  Her oxygen levels were dropping and she was in quite a bit of pain.  We decided to end our trip early and head to Sandpoint, Idaho to spend a few extra days with family there.   The only trouble is that the highway from where we are to Sandpoint keeps getting closed down due to rolled semi trucks, fallen trees and car accidents.  We aren't sure if it will be open the next day when we are leaving....and the snow just keeps coming down.  I am worried we wont get to see Grandma in time.

I spend all night awake, watching the weather reports and following the facebook group for Bonner's Ferry who has an AMAZING person who updates all the road conditions.  Around 2am it seemed like we would be able to get through and then I was able to sleep.  We took the free Kootenay Ferry (Longest free ferry in Canada) and made it safely to Sandpoint.  

Our time in Sandpoint was bittersweet.  Besides time with my parents and my aunt and uncle, we also got to see my cousins, Scot and Mat, who we have not seen in 10 years, they had never even met Jill.    My

I am so tired of being cold!! It is FREEZING!!!

cousin Wendy and her family was there which was wonderful.  The last time we saw them, the babies were 1.  Now they are 3 and had SO much fun playing with Alli and Jill.  It was so precious to watch.  And we also got to see my grandma quite a few times, although she was very out of it most of the time due to the pain medications.

A few times she was aware that we were there.  One of the times was when my dad was sitting next to her on her bed and he said, "Mom, you look so pretty!" and she made an eyeroll (as best she could), slowly lifted her arm up to her face and said to her best ability, "Oh, I am just GORGEOUS" and posed her arm under her face.  That was the last day I saw her more aware.  

Christmas night we went to see her again and she was really restless and mumbling a lot.  I sat by her and put my hand on her

arm and just sent her love and peace - through my thoughts and my hands and my heart - and she became quiet and calm and was able to go to sleep.    I am grateful we were able to see her and spend this time with her before she leaves this world. 

Chaco played Frisbee in the snow

We had a lot of fun in Sandpoint also. Shane, Jill and the cousins went cross country skiing.  We took the kids sledding and Jill used her skis which was terrifying for me!!  We went to see Star Wars, had amazing food, watched Christmas movies and stayed up late talking.  It was wonderful to spend so much time with family that we dont see very often.  A Christmas we will not be quick to forget.  

We stayed in the camper at my uncle and aunts house because there were 11 people sleeping in the house! If we learned anything on this trip, it was that we sleep REALLY HOT in the camper. The lowest the furnace goes is 50 but even with that on...the camper will still grow ice inside when it is 20 degrees outside!!  







We have also reached the limit of the amount of winter we can handle.  We are headed back home to spend New Year's in Chico, with some blue skies and 60 degree days!! Next year for Christmas we are heading SOUTH!

Jill with Scot and Mat

Shane and I were talking about this trip and what we learned from the last 3 weeks.  For sure we learned that we do NOT want to travel north during the winter again.  I learned that it is OK to admit that I do not enjoy being cold and/or the snow.  We also learned that sometimes trips are taken not to get away from everything, but to be thrown into the middle of it all.  

And finally, we saw first hand that life is short, and when it is time for us to be taking our last breaths we will have no regrets.  We have immense gratitude following our hearts and living a life that fills us with love, happiness and appreciation for all we have and everyone in our life.

BLESSINGS FOR A FANTASTIC 2018