So, you've heard about the start of their holiday while Kristen was here. Ice-skating, snowboarding and winter fun. The rest of their holiday was much of the same, but also included a weekend trip to a cabin at Red Lake.
The most exciting part? I was allowed to go on a boys weekend away!! It's a miracle, but in their defence they didn't have much of a choice. I had to work all week while the boys were having fun, they weren't allowed to desert me! So what happens on a boys weekend? Scotch, cigars, cards, fishing, sledding, paintball, campfires, ribs, sausages, burgers and farts. Standard.
We burned out to the lake on Friday night and managed to squeeze in a bit of ice fishing. While we didn't know it at the time, Jez got the only bite of the weekend that Friday night. Guess what? He blew it. I don't think it was his fault since he'd literally only been at it around 5min. We were super excited, if there was fish this late in the day imagine what we'd get at dawn!
After packing up, having dinner, playing some cards and testing out the paintball guns, I for some reason decided that I really wanted to shoot someone. I'd never been paintballing before and wanted to know what it felt like, luckily for me Luke was a willing target (I think this had something to do with him being 100% sure he'd hit me, and only 10% sure I'd return the favour). We decided this is the best way to blow office tension, screw yelling at someone or giving them a dirty task. Shoot them with a paintball gun and all will be forgiven. This video is bad quality because it's dark, but I think it's hilarious. In my defence it's hard to shoot straight when you're pissing yourself laughing.
On Saturday there were at least 30 people on the lake trying to catch fish. We were armed with the underwater camera and spent a lot of time saying "ooohhh loook, there's a bunch swimming straight past!". On the way home we got pulled over by one of the licence checkers, who said that a lot of the fish at Red Lake had been conditioned not to take bait.... perfect. We're using that as our excuse for the dismal failure. So this leave the score at: Fishes 7, O'Hara 0.
We did try hard before lighting a fire and giving up
So to burn off our sorrows, we had paintball fights at the top of the island in the middle of the lake. I think we were those bogans (rednecks) who ruin what is supposed to be a peaceful day on the lake. Our only saving grace was the fact we weren't drinking, but with the skidoo burning around, us yelling during a paintball fight, having a fire on the lake and generally being loud and obnoxious we were ruining the serenity. I would have hated us.
Ever wanted to know what happens when you put a hot grill in snow? Awesomeness!!
How's that serenity? Braaaawwwwppppp
Always safety first!
Our sweet snow fort and why you wear a mask!
The rest of our trip once Luke left was trying to kill each other playing pond hockey. I am the worst skater, you can see that for yourself. I put it in fast forward and cut out all the sections where people didn't fall over.
So much work.... to get this photo right!
Even though Sean and O'Hara were harassed by the licence dude for what seemed like an hour, we made it back in time to watch our first Super Bowl. As we'd only eaten protein all weekend (literally. Sausages, ribs, burgers, bacon and eggs) we were feeling a great need for fibre. Our Super Bowl snacks weren't very traditional with stuffed zucchinis and mushrooms, cheese, vegetables and dip, and some more ribs. Thanks Alexis and Hal for coming and showing us how it's supposed to be done!
For their final day I took them up to Sun Peaks while O'Hara was in a training course. Jez only had 3 days snowboarding all up, but he was probably better than me (devastated). Doing jumps and calling me a pussy for not going down Black Diamonds with him. I guess it's true. Sadly snowboarding mid-week has kinda ruined weekend time for me. What sort of chumps works full time and only go up the hill on the weekends. Epic fail O'Haras!!
This is how it should be done. Midweek snowboarding>>>weekend snowboarding
While Jeremy and Sean were visiting us, Kristen managed to make a quick trip up from her US tour.
The night before Kristen arrived, we took Jez and Sean to a Blazers game. It turns out when the Blazers play on Monday night, the have an awesome game. I think it needs to happen more regularly. We had poutine, beer, hotdogs, a win in overtime and tried to dance for our dinner. For some reason, the camera loves me when I'm just sitting in the crowd but will NEVER come by when I'm busting my moves. Shocking?! We convinced Jez and Sean that everryyyooone does it, I don't think they believed us but were good sports.
Ohh yea, bust a move
Love Monday hockey
As a mid-winter holiday, the options are not necessarily limited but are generally focused around snow or ice activities. While Kristen was here, we had a full day of snowboarding and O'Hara took them for a half day ice-skating/pond hockey while I was working.
O'Hara being the sports jerk that he is, has managed to pick up skating and pond hockey quite quickly. Video suggest that he's the only one who can actually skate, where as everyone else sort of shuffles around. Kristen picked up skating after about 15 minutes and clearly states (on video) that she's mastered it and starts skating in circles. O'Hara promptly calls half time and everyone leaves the makeshift rink. It didn't make a lot of sense since he was on her team!
Sun Peak snowboarding was obviously a win. We had an awesome powder day which was perfect for Kristen and Jez to test out their first time. It was also the first time I've snowboarded power and actually been able to snowboard. It. Was. AWESOME!
They had two lessons with an awesome instructor that meant they were set. Jez is also a sports jerk and was doing black diamonds by the second day and tree runs by the third. I also had a lesson (it was a Wednesday so I was the only one) which was the best idea I've had all season. I was able to go at my own pace and he taught me a lot. I was taught how to do tree runs properly in theory (in practice I was falling over constantly and running into trees). O'Hara was heaps jealous!
Kristen getting all strapped in
On the slopes, covered in powder from falling over constantly
