FINALLY! FOAM FEST 2023!

 Seven years ago, my besties and I planned an epic road trip to Sun Peak for Foam Fest 2016. That was so much fun that we did it again and had a blast at Foam Fest 2018. The minimum age is 8 years old so back then, only my friend's oldest daughter could run the race with us. We signed up to do it in 2020 and I was so excited that Big Sis would be old enough to run the course but sadly a global pandemic cancelled that dream and everything fun for a few years.

So here we are, three years later and we finally get to run this race. Aaaaand the perk of waiting a few years is that I get to run the race with not just one but both kiddos!

Here’s the full recap and tips (in case you're getting major FOMO reading this and you want to sign up for next year)

#1:  Sign up early! The prices are tiered based on when you sign up and the event does sell out. So if you're on the fence, just do it. If you want to make it a destination event, look for the other locations Foam Fest is held. There are events across BC and Canada.

# 2: Wear something that can get wet, foamy and muddy. Costumes are awesome and highly encouraged. We tried to coordinate with matching bandanas - the kids came up with the name Team Bandits. They also gave out buffs which are supposed to be worn around your neck or head but these girls are so slim, they wore them as tube tops. 

#3: Prepare to be foamed! At the start line, you will run through a 7 foot wall of foam, as much as you want yelp and holler at how fun this is, the foam (aka soap) will get in your mouth and soap in your mouth is gross. Close your eyes, keep your mouth closed and just run through the wall of foam until you make it out the other side.

#4: Enjoy the obstacles. There is lots of climbing over and crawling under. Pretend you’re in The Amazing Race. 

#5: The course is 5km long. Pace yourself if you’re not used to running this distance. You don't need to run the 5km, you can walk the whole thing if you want. There is no chip timer like 'real' races. The kids were stoked and had no issues running the whole course and had a blast racing to the next obstacle.

#6: Inflatable obstacles are the best. Take a minute to stop and savor then moment, when do you ever get the chance to do jump in a foamy bouncy castle and go down a slip n slide with your kids ? 

#7: Beware the Death Drop. This is the last obstacle and it’s a climb up a ladder and a steep slippery foamy slide down the biggest inflatable slide I’ve ever seen. At the top of the slide, cross your arm, cross your legs, cross your heart and go before the panic sets in.

#8: Run or you will freeze. There is no way to get through the course without getting wet and you will get cold if you stop moving. So keep running, adrenaline will keep you warm. 

#9:  Celebrate your finish with a sweet medal, a free popsicle and have a towel ready! 

Bring a plastic bag for all the wet clothes. Pack hot chocolate and have towels to keep your car clean-ish.

#10: Take SO many pictures! Spectators are allowed into the course (but not on the obstacles) so Simon was InstaDad for the day and able to take the GoPro and document the super fun day we had. 

So that was the third time doing Foam Fest but the first time with the kids and it was such a blast. So grateful that the kids still think hanging out with their mama is fun. Also, feeling blessed that for now, I can keep up with them and have the opportunity to laugh and make memories together. 

Ten steps to rocking a soccer tournement

We have never done the tournament thing before. I did not play any team sports outside of school growing up and SuperDad had hours and hours of farm chores that he never got to play team sports either. We are both learning (and loving) this team sport thing. This long weekend was little brother's first time travelling away for a soccer tournament and it was amazing. We are new to thing but this how you rock a soccer tournament...

Step 1: Get them started when they are young...like really young (throwback of the boys back when they were 5 years old)

Step 2: Make sure your best friends and those awesome coaches are there for the next 4 years 

Step 3: Focus on development. Learn your positions, positions and foundations of solid team work. Practice in all weather conditions -even when it's pouring rain or snowing sideways.

Step 4:  Enter the team in the KYSA Slurpee Cup tournament in Kamloops 

Step 5: Focus on stamina and determination. Keep hammering that ball towards the net.

Eventually the ball will make it in the  net ….

Step 6: Put the best shooters in the striker position and watch them keep putting goals in. Like a lot. They beat the Prince George Timberwolves  11-2 and beat the Kamloops Blaze 10-1. 

Step 7: Celebrate a teammate’s birthday in between games 

Step 8: Run around with laser guns at the park when you’re not running around with the soccer ball (because these boys have endless energy)

Step 9: Win ALL the games in the tournament

Step 10: Celebrate like champions 

This tournament is special because it's the end of an era. Now that these boys are all turning 10 this year, they won't automatically be together on the same team. We all did assessments with different leagues and this group of boys won't be on the same team ever again. It's been an amazing 4 years and a joy to watch our little guy grow up and develop stamina, perseverance and sportsmanship. What an amazing tournament to mark the end four years of soccer with his best friends. 

Super Soaker 10km - recap of Sun Run 2023

7:00 am - wake up the kids blasting We Will Rock You because race day requires a good stoke up song

7:30 am - Cheerios and Corn pops - breakfast of champions

8:00 am - catch the skytrain downtown

8:30 am - oh wow there is a lot of people here

8:45 am - oh it's wet out here but the energy is high

9:00 am - hand out the gummy bears for the extra pre-race sugar boost

9:10 am - Already soaked before the race begins, we cross the starting line

9:40 am - great pace, super wet but nothing is stopping this crew

All smiles running across the bridge

10:13 am -we sprint to the finish line. Sub-1 goal accomplished for Noah and his crew. Official 10km finish time of 56:38. Shaved ten minutes of his finishing time from last year. 

Super Dad and Nallie finish in 1:00:33 seconds! Just 34 seconds away from meeting her sub-1 goal.

 So nice to get inside the stadium and warm up and stock up on bananas, bagels, and free sunglasses

Our school also won the prize for second largest school and we got to get on stage and get the giant check. You just wait - next year the VCS team will be 100 strong!

11:33 am - jump on on the skytrain.  Running 10km wasn't enough to tire them out, Noah and his buddies have a ball hockey game to get to! Great hockey game - score was 3-3. Noah and his friend both got their first goal. 

Oh what a day!!  Rain or shine (and today just 100% rain) these guys showed up with a great attitude and I am so proud. Love this fam!

Spring Break at Manning

 It is spring break 2023 and it's the first time since 2020 that I am seeing an overwhelming amount of posts on my social feeds of tropical locations, palm trees and beaches. Hallelujah for international travel again!

For our family though, we haven't done a sunny all-inclusive since a nameless 18 month old had the projectile vomiting incident of 2015. It was recorded here and it was horrifying and we shall never speak of it again. So even though we have had more successful flights since then, we kept it local and went to Manning Park instead. Despite it not being Cancun or Maui, we had snow much fun (sorry, bad pun)

We rented a premium chalet again this year (in case you're interested, you need to book a year in advance to the day that you want). There's a bedroom for my parents, a bunk for my sister and her friend and a loft that has 2 twin beds for the kids and a pull-out for Simon and me. The kids loved having their own space in the little loft.

We lucked out and had two amazing ski days. The first day was bluebird sunshine with just a bit of new snow. Perfect spring skiing conditions. My dad got his senior lift ticket and did great on the slopes.

The second ski day was unexpected. We weren't even planning on skiing again but it snowed over 30cm the night before and when there's a powder alert, you can't miss out on that. 

They only groomed 2 runs so the majority of the mountain was insane deep powder. The kids kept getting stuck and some spots they were buried in waist deep. No joke.

The kids had their skis pointed down and not able to move with so much powder. Hard to ski when you can't see your legs under all that snow. Little Bro had so many powder spills that he decided it was 'too much powder' and sat out for a few runs til lunch. 

Never would I have thought there would be such a thing as too much powder and it definitely wasn't too much for Simon and me. So fun cutting deep powder lines on steep black diamond runs. This is what I think heli-boarding must be like.

Other than skiing and boarding, we also hiked Lightening Lakes. It's still on our to-do list to come back here in the summer and put our SUPs in the water. You can see in the pictures just how much snow has accumulated!

It’s also fun to collect “Sasquatch fur” from the trees along the trail and try out a beard, moustache or hairstyle. 

There are lots of family friendly après ski options to keep you busy: a games room (pool table, ping pong), a sledding hill, a pool and hot tub and an outdoor skating rink. My parents also have a VR set that they brought which was fun to try.

Just stock up at Costco before and with the full kitchen (and dishwasher), meals are pretty simple and that leaves lots of time for just relaxing together and family fun.