Summer in Canada!

Last week I had the amazing opportunity to take a trip back home to Canada!!  Instead of the usual roadtrip with Andee, this time I traveled by plane - and traveled solo!  I flew with Porter Airlines, which meant that I boarded at the smaller Chicago and Toronto airports, allowing for an extremely quick and easy process!  After nightmare-ish experiences with American Airlines at the major airports in Toronto, Miami, and St. Kitts, this was quite the treat!  We even got free drinks and snacks, and the flight was only an hour and a half!  I am definitely sticking to Porter if I can from now on!    

Upon landing in Toronto, I was greeted to my luggage waiting for me, and a beautiful ferry ride from the airport to downtown with a gorgeous view of the Toronto skyline, complete with the CN Tower and the Rogers Centre!  HOME!!

After braving rush hour traffic in downtown Toronto for far too long, Cassie arrived to pick me up and whisked me away straight to the cottage (after picking up Nicky in Ajax) where my parents were waiting patiently to take us out for dinner!  We had a wonderful dinner at the Fallsview restaurant in downtown Fenelon Falls starting with a beautiful view of the falls, a warm and sunny day, and a delicious seafood alfredo and pizza meal!  We finished off the evening with Mennonites cinnamon buns for dessert, and a family game of euchre!  An excellent start to a wonderful week in Canada!!

The next day was a gorgeous warm summer day in which we spent the majority of the time at the beach!  It is always a good day when transitioning straight from pajamas to bathing suits!  We headed down to the beach in the morning, and with the exception of a quick lunch break, we stayed there until dinner!  Tons of the extended family were there, and we spent the day chatting and lounging in the sun, floating around, and swimming out to the floating dock!  I love the cottage!!  We then had my grandparents over for dinner and had a wonderful time catching up, as well as a delicious surprise of date squares from my Grandma!  We headed back to Ajax later in the evening, and definitely had a successful cottage weekend!!  CANADA!!

On Monday I headed out to brunch with Lori and Cassie, only to be extremely dissapointed with the dreaded Angelique's Monday close that is constantly forgotten about.  We begrudgingly picked out a new brunch location, and determined that it was a close (not so close) second to Angelique's, but still a valiant effort!  Cassie then headed off to work, Lori and I chatted a while longer, and then I spent the afternoon with Mom!  For dinner, I was picked up by Dave and Arielle and we joined the high school gang for dinner!!  It was so nice catching up with friends that we don't see often enough!

I also had the opportunity of working three days of the week as a Dental Hygienist!  Another great thing about Canada - I can work!  I ended up making back substantially more than the cost of the flight, and so ended up on top for the week!  How often does that happen in the life of a student?  Never.  So happy to use the skills and schooling I learned!  I also had a hot tub family evening and a sleepover at Dave and Arielle's when I was finished working, adding to the severe lack of sleep that always accompanies fun-filled vacations!  Worth it, for sure!

On Thursday after work I was picked up by my parents and after a short packing break, we headed back up to the cottage again!  Cassie joined us Friday early afternoon, and we had a wonderful family day soaking up the sun on the floating raft and listening to (and singing along to) wonderful cottage-y music!  We finished off the day with a family (+ Nicky) game of Clue, and had yet another wonderful Canadian summer day at the cottage!

The following day was my last day of vacation, and we definitely made the most of it!  A family photo shoot, beach day, ice cream in town, bonfire, and a game of euchre (which Cassie and I won!) made for a perfect ending to the trip!

On Sunday we woke up, packed, and headed for the airport from the cottage.  I am so blessed to have been able to fly back home to Canada to see my family, while actually making money in the process!  I had such a wonderful week taking advantage of everything Canada - and have so many amazing memories and pictures to look back on!  Canada is still my favorite place in the world, and God-willing, we will eventually get back home.  But until then, I had a Husband and a cat back in Illinois to come home to that had been truly missed!  I was greeted to a smiling Andee at the airport, and a purring Aloe at the apartment!  Puuurfect!  Until next time Canada!!