tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84901609235979882242024-02-19T09:10:10.477-08:00Very Berry ExtraordinaryENTERTAIN INSPIRE SHINE Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-27919820647637289162016-05-17T21:56:00.000-07:002016-05-17T22:01:38.333-07:00WELCOME to the 25th PUBLIC SALON<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Imagine the honour of receiving an invitation to a small, intimate
dinner party at the private home of Vancouver’s former mayor<a href="http://montecristomagazine.com/culture/sam-sullivans-public-salons" target="_blank"> Sam Sullivan and his wife Lynn</a>...</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8joxfh_Xr4Pq5466Ay91JcJfAFnhig8HUl4S7v26e3lqCu9uEkouHl7-ufPrq6bC_y_yUcWKUzahKNGgt47ujveMyz_8FoXCjyhIsCdQgW6-a5w1nTRH0FFqqKHIQPopPpu_qM0S4iU/s1600/DSC_0351.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8joxfh_Xr4Pq5466Ay91JcJfAFnhig8HUl4S7v26e3lqCu9uEkouHl7-ufPrq6bC_y_yUcWKUzahKNGgt47ujveMyz_8FoXCjyhIsCdQgW6-a5w1nTRH0FFqqKHIQPopPpu_qM0S4iU/s640/DSC_0351.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit:John Gurcharan Niijar </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The food being served is exquisite and your fellow dinner
guests are as interesting and different as you and I.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZLGUnR7JMZFmJAvL8XTfMO8knigC_nyQiOHFuaAfw79hy0v2VVhyQe1bxddsgH8B1GFHvLn4WGHWyNfAMQf6kZOx9kwujomqiE6pWQDnP_YFbl5DemuLnGeuQj4wHptA2DTW6LdHmxg/s1600/catering-buffet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZLGUnR7JMZFmJAvL8XTfMO8knigC_nyQiOHFuaAfw79hy0v2VVhyQe1bxddsgH8B1GFHvLn4WGHWyNfAMQf6kZOx9kwujomqiE6pWQDnP_YFbl5DemuLnGeuQj4wHptA2DTW6LdHmxg/s640/catering-buffet.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: jbtrainingsolutions.com<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Intellectuals, educators, rule makers, ground breakers, story tellers, difference makers, passionistas, inventors, die - hards. This eclectic mix is hard to come by, unless of course, you happen to be invited to the Sullivan's dinner table.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here’s the glitch: these invitations are pretty hard to come by! Not everybody has the opportunity to enjoy an intimate tet a’tete
with some of the thought leaders in the field of science, literature, entrepreneurialship or philanthropy. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mrs. and Mr. Sullivan are known
for their innovative ideas, big kindred spirits and hearts. It comes to no surprise these
intimate dinner get- togethers have taken on a life on their own:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Today they are called <b><i>Public Salon.</i></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhRU-Q7HDETrXlu7neG0JIM0LekYIekv6aEaOVEIVLwam3PL8JRhWdyx9YNW7d4JuDmizOJh2bFuy2Y9mkLDvFfDe6nwsdGw7BDXXAMRubDFZ-SXh8x5fz-1zNZ3q0HGScnTwAlAPyYc/s1600/IMAG3430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhRU-Q7HDETrXlu7neG0JIM0LekYIekv6aEaOVEIVLwam3PL8JRhWdyx9YNW7d4JuDmizOJh2bFuy2Y9mkLDvFfDe6nwsdGw7BDXXAMRubDFZ-SXh8x5fz-1zNZ3q0HGScnTwAlAPyYc/s640/IMAG3430.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Their private home has
been swapped for <a href="http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/vancouver-playhouse.aspx" target="_blank">Vancouver’s Playhouse,</a> the dinner has been scrapped and
the intellectual stimulation has been brought forward to a wider audience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thank you Sam and Lynn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The real food might be missing from the program but the ‘dishes'(apologies dear
presenters) <a href="http://globalcivic.org/2016/03/02/may-4th-public-salon-speakers-announced/" target="_blank">served during the 25th Public Salon were as varied,refreshing, delicious, easy and a bit chewy to absorb just like a real smorgasbord.</a></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>And here is what the menu had to offer: <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Like all good parties we were treated to pre-dinner entertainment! Our Bhangra Performers were a feast for all!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: John Gurcharan Niijar</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Entree:</b></span> Dessert first (Yeah!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Scudamore" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Brian Scudamor</span></b></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Entrepreneur</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXtzSYf-462gd0DsMShVQCUA5ieTv8MjhP2OU9lnDC75iaDarLi0oLOv9ceXNjvUSulKC7z1YTb-eDuLO_xhQob__PrFA6Bev-lb0XC816RcSDZpitU_6AEPVNtMCP1YI2G4wAthYT_A/s1600/DSC_8380.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXtzSYf-462gd0DsMShVQCUA5ieTv8MjhP2OU9lnDC75iaDarLi0oLOv9ceXNjvUSulKC7z1YTb-eDuLO_xhQob__PrFA6Bev-lb0XC816RcSDZpitU_6AEPVNtMCP1YI2G4wAthYT_A/s640/DSC_8380.jpeg" width="499" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: John Gurcharan Niijar</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Funny, witty, stimulating and oh so entertaining with his seven minute long“<i><b>Can you Imagine</b></i>" presentation! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Brian is the living, breathing example that mega success doesn’t necessarily depend on a high school diploma- or any higher
education certificate whatsoever (definitely spoke to my <a href="http://themotherpreneur.com/just-write-your-book-untrending-a-field-guide-to-social-media-that-matters/" target="_blank">Motherpreneurial </a>heart). Yet, I wouldn’t necessarily rub his story into my children! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">His message to us was,</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Create a vision in writing!</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>2. Entree: </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.roundhouseradio.com/hosts/2015/07/14/minelle-mahtani" target="_blank">Minelle Mahtani</a></b></span></div>
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Author, Journalist and associate Professor</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIizeNlT72i_YWl4Q_jVeRsNVVYrY301xrP4aaplUwSJeXOrUhhzNUaF-_JhGg-8TFY8vQJ3oQXIQxBGjrOlCbGF5QhN6ELD5ivRjV1anJcugUjcG7DuJoknxXI0qra4_DZ5xaJvfybMY/s1600/DSC_8416.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIizeNlT72i_YWl4Q_jVeRsNVVYrY301xrP4aaplUwSJeXOrUhhzNUaF-_JhGg-8TFY8vQJ3oQXIQxBGjrOlCbGF5QhN6ELD5ivRjV1anJcugUjcG7DuJoknxXI0qra4_DZ5xaJvfybMY/s640/DSC_8416.jpeg" width="457" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The appetizer was served in the form of Minelle's introduction into <b><i>Creative Serendipity.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, the question is, how do we create creative serendipity?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well, bring two strangers together. Two strangers from different socio, economic background and see how the magic unfolds...</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Main:</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://jocelynmorlock.com/" target="_blank">Jocelyn Morlock</a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">VSO Composer in Residence</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkf7RrlKHffsonv4XnCQoFBJmoTlYyFObJP616Rd2q2b_gkKfV9CACPmcI70_1PSrC9Vt8COe6JsECYQt1enCwk1kZ60N1bdRTqB2kxjmiYzPL9_kJz1sacQ4J8IG1g76B6fxw4hayaSk/s1600/DSC_8433.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkf7RrlKHffsonv4XnCQoFBJmoTlYyFObJP616Rd2q2b_gkKfV9CACPmcI70_1PSrC9Vt8COe6JsECYQt1enCwk1kZ60N1bdRTqB2kxjmiYzPL9_kJz1sacQ4J8IG1g76B6fxw4hayaSk/s640/DSC_8433.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ms Morlock gave us brilliant presentation into the <i><b>Who's Who</b></i> of Vancouver's culture and music scene. Her highly amusing narration about who visited, just left and who's about to perform in Vancouver not only left us in stitches, it made me wanna visit the city more often.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/theacademyofart/posts/1011070602304283" target="_blank">She introduced us to the Lumiphone</a>! And this particular version had its world premiere during tonight's Public Salon!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Performed by Brian Nesselraad and Colin Van de Reep:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR0nQrhs57KhePTGcFO0CVjZSWCwLhOHDDhyphenhyphenJEa6byN70OhXHeQKLUzcJ54Pd7d0WNYXC_S31w1Kq7Iyin6ijbgNrzzGnChb83A8rYXQ87oiUKRbuRXI7YyU3ZSmpfhveRpVxU6V2-dS4/s1600/DSC_8454.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR0nQrhs57KhePTGcFO0CVjZSWCwLhOHDDhyphenhyphenJEa6byN70OhXHeQKLUzcJ54Pd7d0WNYXC_S31w1Kq7Iyin6ijbgNrzzGnChb83A8rYXQ87oiUKRbuRXI7YyU3ZSmpfhveRpVxU6V2-dS4/s640/DSC_8454.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: John Gurcharan Niijar</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>4. Main:</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://winstonhive.com/" target="_blank"> Mark Winston</a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author / Bee Time</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9P5cJuHZRc1z3xEtcsuXk4vyO2zhQlc5z4VlUuU-Vj2oxfPpHTYtXkF0I8xv6ENNElZgq2UnXfMFlD_9LXsjLpbZPCcIqhap4UcwWSU6aQn2_9jqvQWsLbjel9UzTrG-_lqGJs_Hls8/s1600/DSC_8476.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9P5cJuHZRc1z3xEtcsuXk4vyO2zhQlc5z4VlUuU-Vj2oxfPpHTYtXkF0I8xv6ENNElZgq2UnXfMFlD_9LXsjLpbZPCcIqhap4UcwWSU6aQn2_9jqvQWsLbjel9UzTrG-_lqGJs_Hls8/s640/DSC_8476.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: John Gurcharan Niijar</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bee-ologist (= lover of bees) author and curious about what we humans can learn from bees!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well, we can learn a lot actually:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">E.g. to be fully present in the moment. Bees only concentrate on one thing at a time. So should we.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bees are 'restaholics', not workaholics (huge difference). So should we.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bees don't judge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bees and humans are in constant dialogue. And in order to get the most of our communication we need to listen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Brian's message was,</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hear without judging!</span></i></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">5. Main:</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.dailyxtra.com/vancouver/news-and-ideas/news/chris-morrissey-wins-queens-diamond-jubilee-medal-3341" target="_blank">ChrisMorissey</a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Rainbow Refugees</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmzYqeAsw8iGaevl4-7hiiGxjhpJoGIfUWo8UGHYlhFnegdGIO_NzYn8FfhNT-4thvG2qSkPF3e4UxBgQ3eqmxnOfUgFpy09iREMLQU20xCNarBY1fMKb_r5uU7v1VuwnfaCPbBcDMRI/s1600/DSC_8503.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmzYqeAsw8iGaevl4-7hiiGxjhpJoGIfUWo8UGHYlhFnegdGIO_NzYn8FfhNT-4thvG2qSkPF3e4UxBgQ3eqmxnOfUgFpy09iREMLQU20xCNarBY1fMKb_r5uU7v1VuwnfaCPbBcDMRI/s640/DSC_8503.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: John Gurcharan Niijar</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are several reasons why people become refugees: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some are forced to leave their home as a result of war; others flee persecution for their political or religious beliefs, ethnicity, nationality or membership of a particular social group. And then there are individuals who flee (a country) in fear of persecution due to their sexual orientation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chris, a former Franciscan nun, left the order and returned with her girlfriend from Chile back to Canada in fear of prosecution for being gay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chris is the co-founder of Rainbow Refugees"<span style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.dailyxtra.com/vancouver/news-and-ideas/news/chris-morrissey-wins-queens-diamond-jubilee-medal-3341" target="_blank">helping queer immigrants and refugees reunite with their partners and find sanctuary from oppression, discrimination and possible death</a>." </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Her message to us: </span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Form a small circle of people who can change the world!</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>6. Main:</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://modhaliwal.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Mo Dhaliwal</b></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Cultural Communicator</b></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_WS5tSZGnW6hm31bT2MrqOld50EgrTAmChF_n0WRHEmhuNJeIY6EmxjpWCOOz9F_EdaOkQel7oU5SixkMNNl9aTtGPsStAs1iRAo8xgjMHYi2WI1IZS0MqXs06hRJakvno64XsD81jWo/s1600/DSC_8511.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_WS5tSZGnW6hm31bT2MrqOld50EgrTAmChF_n0WRHEmhuNJeIY6EmxjpWCOOz9F_EdaOkQel7oU5SixkMNNl9aTtGPsStAs1iRAo8xgjMHYi2WI1IZS0MqXs06hRJakvno64XsD81jWo/s640/DSC_8511.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: John Gurcharan Niijar</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I must have dozed off there for a moment as I don't remember much! Apologies Mo! All I recapture is that music and dance made him a better listener.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And, multiculturalism translates to different cultures getting on with each other, living together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He introduced us to some pretty awesome dancing:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg644kpLYKUOMHIckOWIpNvX-kzIAldtVrfU_lXLZZ8W1JxDUawpEbYwlPNuJrnb4HJfM2xu3XWXbjf7-UeklE8tVOcORumQmSiedOj5NtahEyZRyiKb4z6CAQn_IzcoJbZYmUQJmMCDqs/s1600/DSC_8549.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg644kpLYKUOMHIckOWIpNvX-kzIAldtVrfU_lXLZZ8W1JxDUawpEbYwlPNuJrnb4HJfM2xu3XWXbjf7-UeklE8tVOcORumQmSiedOj5NtahEyZRyiKb4z6CAQn_IzcoJbZYmUQJmMCDqs/s640/DSC_8549.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: John Gurcharan Niijar</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">7. Main:</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.hakai.org/sites/default/files/hakai-institute-backgrounder-2014.pdf" target="_blank">Eric Peterson</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Environmental Research</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqOpgr6CA4qYUPYaPDU1SwbLA76xgWdfgVFkZnnNZf3Cq4I9QCOAlFWrqFQ7dWtNDhm_-S2HhWcMBDj0d1LkWUFnhgyxpAJsLpCARZbhcM95Imcmc0uYIeTAscyOEJj0-ICSb7hEHfxk/s1600/DSC_8615.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqOpgr6CA4qYUPYaPDU1SwbLA76xgWdfgVFkZnnNZf3Cq4I9QCOAlFWrqFQ7dWtNDhm_-S2HhWcMBDj0d1LkWUFnhgyxpAJsLpCARZbhcM95Imcmc0uYIeTAscyOEJj0-ICSb7hEHfxk/s640/DSC_8615.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: John Gurcharan Niijar</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have you heard of the <a href="http://tula.org/" target="_blank">Tula Foundation</a>?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">No problem, I haven't either.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now I know it's a private charitable foundation run by Mr. Peterson.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Tula foundation operates the Hakai Institute, "a research and postgraduate teaching organization
that promotes field research at remote locations on British Columbia’s
coastal margin".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Puh, what a mouthful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless, it was interesting to listen to Eric's account of life on remote Calvert Island, chatting about the institute's own faculty, staff and research equipment! </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And we finished off with another dessert-or so it felt like it:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.echostories.com/" target="_blank">John Burns</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Journalist</b></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyE0cwg0-_rRcKEjs_SEmkUTHEknmv0vEhUHE3ySP7N7pUYIwXJnjQ4jV8E8SJtw3ckUgq6Zjv_7g77NMI4dnwqyUQKaatB2HqGZD36e13GVPW1FrcgOc-vu872KuQ8gHHeWiZt6UT4nY/s1600/DSC_8628.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyE0cwg0-_rRcKEjs_SEmkUTHEknmv0vEhUHE3ySP7N7pUYIwXJnjQ4jV8E8SJtw3ckUgq6Zjv_7g77NMI4dnwqyUQKaatB2HqGZD36e13GVPW1FrcgOc-vu872KuQ8gHHeWiZt6UT4nY/s640/DSC_8628.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: John Gurcharan Niijar</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">His sparkling, charming explanation of how he survived and left journalism was the perfect end to this eight course meal!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was light hearted, easy digestible!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And his big question remains:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Is technology the death of journalism?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Are we writers getting too hung up about Likes and Comments of strangers in regards to our pieces?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Johns big question was, <b><i>how often do we really want to engage?</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Isn't it much better to love and be loved by the right people?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The ones who really read what we write, love and care about?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Because these are the readers who love and care about us- a lot!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I may not call Vancouver home. And I don't come here very often!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But with so many interesting "<b><i>Good-Doers</i></b>" in the city</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> it easy to fall in love with Vancouver more and more. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One Public Salon at a time.</span><br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-10207572549586248492016-04-04T09:36:00.000-07:002016-04-07T01:45:01.382-07:00India on the Table with Mum's Masala<u><span style="color: red;">What's my favourite word to describe preparing dinner?</span></u><br />
Drag!<br />
<u><span style="color: red;">My favourite phrases before I start preparing dinner?</span></u><br />
<i>Holy Crap, it's the time of day again- need to prepare dinner!</i><br />
<i>What shall I cook today?</i><br />
<i>Oh no, the pantry/fridge/freezer is empty!</i><br />
<u><span style="color: red;">Normal mood I'm usually in before preparing dinner?</span></u><br />
Stressed!<br />
<u><span style="color: red;">Biggest wish once I started the dinner process?</span></u><br />
Hope it cooks fast!<br />
<u><span style="color: red;">Biggest extravagance when I'm mega rich?</span></u><br />
To hire a full time cook for the remaining days of my life!<br />
<u><span style="color: red;">Favourite meal to cook?</span></u><br />
Anything that's fast!<br />
<u><span style="color: red;">Will I let me family eat packaged food?</span></u><br />
Only if I'm really desperate or very, very sick (which, Thank God, I'm hardly ever). I may not like cooking, but these packages are scary. Especially Kraft Dinners. Have you ever read the ingredient labels?<br />
<br />
I rather 'suffer' through peeling, scraping, cutting or snipping fresh veggies than letting my kids and The Best Man of All (aka husband) eat that crap.<br />
Apart from the occasional can of soup, or can of ravioli that is...<br />
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I'm always on the lookout for easy peasy recipes. No surprise here! I'm a sucker for ready made sauces in a jar. These sauces are a life saver for me!<br />
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My family's favourite jars contain the flavours of India! The Best Man of All and our oldest boy love a spicy vindaloo, our youngest son prefers it mild and our middle boy travels in the middle of the road. For him and I medium is hot enough! <br />
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Sometimes we order in, most of the time I bring home the treasures from the supermarket!<br />
The right curry sauce is this desperate's mother answer to "What shall we eat tonight?"<br />
As long as I have meats, fish or vegetables in the fridge and a pack of basmati rice in the pantry, dinner is off to a good start!<br />
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Any new curry sauce on the market is mine. And we have tried them all, the good, bad and ugly.<br />
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Here is the newest brand I discovered: <a href="http://www.mumsmasala.com/" target="_blank">Mum's Masala.</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-6dviBnmy2vS4oDWg1i0jFpATu9IJdnLV710QWjaUp142fG6Uyu9pZvqz2J_pJ9D_W-0czIMGoEfa4HsZGBlhIDohIec7YRyGmi-ZLLF8GP4y9URDgWd88uLo-d3ep0NTOouRV5Tfzg/s1600/IMAG3002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-6dviBnmy2vS4oDWg1i0jFpATu9IJdnLV710QWjaUp142fG6Uyu9pZvqz2J_pJ9D_W-0czIMGoEfa4HsZGBlhIDohIec7YRyGmi-ZLLF8GP4y9URDgWd88uLo-d3ep0NTOouRV5Tfzg/s400/IMAG3002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Straight from England!<br />
And how did I find these gems?<br />
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By accident! I found them in one of our small neighbourhood markets, <a href="http://www.mkfarmmarket.com/MKFarmMarket/?#Mark0" target="_blank">MK Farm Market in Maple Ridge</a>. A lovely place btw!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkvQKruX3puJBJ-lejxb88lKem7QCU1Bqd3m0SeengKd6DeTG7bbXw0sHg-IqXi2nb3f1b92t9wAY3HhCQeut1JNK5Y0y1Y-aw83V-N4RibELfmNhyphenhyphenABtQaOQr3BhdqUQttOxymxlcBY/s1600/IMG_1904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkvQKruX3puJBJ-lejxb88lKem7QCU1Bqd3m0SeengKd6DeTG7bbXw0sHg-IqXi2nb3f1b92t9wAY3HhCQeut1JNK5Y0y1Y-aw83V-N4RibELfmNhyphenhyphenABtQaOQr3BhdqUQttOxymxlcBY/s400/IMG_1904.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Owner Sukhi promised and guaranteed me taste and quality! How could I not believe him? He is from India himself. Even his wife (conveniently named Sukhi too) vouched for the sauces!<br />
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So, I took home these time savers and put them to the test:<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
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= Happy faces all around!<br />
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An empty plate is always a good sign...<br />
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Of course you all know how to open a jar, bring it to a simmer and add pieces of cut chicken, fish or veggies!<br />
However, you may not know about Mum's Masala though! But now you do!<br />
And no, I'm not getting paid by the good folks of Mum's Masal or by MK Farm Market for this matter!<br />
I strongly believe keeping these good news hidden from you would do you and me a dis-service. Sharing is caring!<br />
There may be more mothers like me around- and isn't it nice to know about the new flavour in town?<br />
Bon appetit!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mumsmasala.com/" target="_blank">Mum's Masala</a><br />
<a href="http://www.mkfarmmarket.com/MKFarmMarket/?#Mark0" target="_blank">MK Farm Market</a><br />
20834 Lougheed Hwy,<br />
Maple Ridge<br />
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<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-55985565031587418142016-01-18T21:27:00.000-08:002016-01-19T08:16:28.397-08:00Tètè aTété with MANGO MOKA<br />
In my previous life I was an independent coffee shop owner (<a href="http://www.strawberrylounge.nl/" target="_blank">Strawberry Lounge</a>)! When it comes to business I know everything about having guts and taking risks, investing my own money and loving my guests!<br />
Therefore, whenever I can, I choose independent over franchise, box store or huge corporation!<br />
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We here in beautiful <a href="https://www.mapleridge.ca/" target="_blank">Maple Ridge</a> have a variety of independently owned shops, restaurants and coffee bars. But nothing and nobody has conquered my heart as much as the guys from <a href="http://www.mangomoka.com/MangoMoka/?#Mark1" target="_blank">Mango </a><br />
<a href="http://www.mangomoka.com/MangoMoka/?#Mark1" target="_blank">Moka</a> (MM) have!<br />
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The guys I'm talking about are Sukhi and Sukhi, husband and wife team from Punjab.<br />
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(To keep it easy for the rest of us, they both use an abbreviation of their first names-which happens to be Sukhi!)<br />
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They created this very interesting mixture of traditional coffee shop with smoothie bar.<br />
MM is not a restaurant nor is it a bar. But you can eat here for sure!<br />
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It's a little bit of sandwich bar and a little bit of coffee shop!<br />
It's a little bit of India (samosas, butter chicken)<br />
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and a little bit of Canada (modern coffees, teas, banana bread, cakes).<br />
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It's a little bit of this and a little bit of that. And all little bits are freshly prepared in front of your eyes.<br />
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MM is bright and cheerful when you walk in.<br />
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The music is playing (very good to set the mood and to create an atmosphere), the service is always impeccable. Sometimes it's a bit slow- but then, good things come to those who wait.<br />
(However, if you are in a rush you can always call in advance and order your goodies<br />
<b>(1-604-380- 4848</b>)! They even deliver to our door step, certain conditions do apply!<br />
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Their espresso machine is a killer!<br />
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The paninin and bagels are phenomenal.<br />
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This comment comes from one of the biggest critiques I know, my children! If they don't like something they aren't touching it! At Mango Moka they are leaving nothing on their plates!<br />
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I don't come for the coffee necessarily, I love their smoothies!<br />
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I love to hang for a chat! With whomever I can chat with!<br />
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Oh, and the samosas ($1.00 a piece!) They are such a delight! Homemade! Vegetarian! Crispy on the outside, nicely spiced on the inside! They are 1000 x better than the ones you get at our local supermarkets!<br />
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Running a coffee shop is not for everybody! First and foremost, you must love what you do! And you must love your guests- customers! If you're working behind the counter you have to have the ability to chat! To listen to people!<br />
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Sukhi is a fantastic conversationalist! He goes out of his way to explain stuff and let's you sample if he has something new in store!<br />
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MM is located in one of these peculiar little strip malls: a five- shops in a row- kinda mall on the beginning, or far end of town (depending from which direction you are coming from)!<br />
The location is a pain in the butt to get to- especially when you are day dreaming and find yourself in the wrong car lane - or when you are travelling the opposite direction!<br />
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But once you made the right turn and have parked, the culinary delight begins!<br />
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Only a few short months ago Sukhi has opened his <a href="http://www.mkfarmmarket.com/MKFarmMarket/?#Mark0" target="_blank">MK Farm Market</a> right next door!<br />
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For us die-hard homemakers (yep, that's me) this is a dream come true! Never ever in a million years have I thought I would do my grocery shopping at a corner store!<br />
Live and learn Christina!<br />
I don't know how Sukhi does it, but he offers the best Basmati rice ever at a price I can't find anywhere else!<br />
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His prices are compatible to every supermarket in our area- if not cheaper!<br />
Note to myself, I need to have a chat with the man, need to know how he does it!<br />
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Maple Ridge can call itself lucky to host such a bright, happy, cheerful, affordable, healthy, delicious<br />
fusion coffee-smoothie bar!<br />
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If you are on a mission to support independently owned shops, <a href="http://www.mangomoka.com/MangoMoka/?#Mark1" target="_blank">Mango Moka</a> is the place to go!<br />
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<b>Way to go Sukhi and Sukhi! </b></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Mango-Moka-668901809887647/?fref=ts" target="_blank"><br /></a></b></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Mango-Moka-668901809887647/?fref=ts" target="_blank">Find them on Facebook</a>. If you are online, give them a virtual LIKE.</b></div>
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<b>If you are in the area, stop by- you will like it, in real life that is!</b></div>
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<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-69813927055213562692015-10-04T22:55:00.002-07:002015-10-09T21:04:14.488-07:00Be Careful What You Wish For<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What would you do if you win a massive lottery jackpot?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Me, I would get a pool! A single lane, Olympic size, covered, swimming heaven.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDB-t6UkkeqJi8KqPtK9bst6CFTZioZ1WsSS5BqGUEgngV4LwmmEDPYm_eOmDd9mb4wZWRWro1v1v-fBsoXwgbB_t6C0dwkP0Ipj4-vcwkC5ruX1lF9kxHUzf720ioXrhT3137M_yWkZw/s1600/pool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDB-t6UkkeqJi8KqPtK9bst6CFTZioZ1WsSS5BqGUEgngV4LwmmEDPYm_eOmDd9mb4wZWRWro1v1v-fBsoXwgbB_t6C0dwkP0Ipj4-vcwkC5ruX1lF9kxHUzf720ioXrhT3137M_yWkZw/s320/pool.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No fancy stuff with waterfalls and grotto's like The Best Man of All would!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plus, I am going to hire a personal chef- I don't want a toyboy, don't need a masseuse, a guru, life coach, dance instructor or personal trainer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All I want is a chef. Preferable one who comes every day!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A man or woman who takes the burden out of my daily '<i>What shall we eat tonight</i>' dilemma.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Day after day, weeks after weeks, year after year I am asking myself this question!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The kitchen is <b><i>not</i></b> my happy place.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KDyKsY-j6Od5eheTmxI5bjn1fgWZG88QO8Sloao5OgZIJAnKpFtEFreJ1zuqyO-7daZhiZSE4-dyDVrr2a3pe5DSkWeZlJyCVbLC8QI0HaxiB_GvLBjCxx0DJn3SrTvjsJTvkQgeDFw/s1600/kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KDyKsY-j6Od5eheTmxI5bjn1fgWZG88QO8Sloao5OgZIJAnKpFtEFreJ1zuqyO-7daZhiZSE4-dyDVrr2a3pe5DSkWeZlJyCVbLC8QI0HaxiB_GvLBjCxx0DJn3SrTvjsJTvkQgeDFw/s320/kitchen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My happy place is the trail, the water, my editing software on my computer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is where I come up with creative ideas, relax, let off steam, go wild.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The kitchen?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I cook because I need to eat. My children need to be nourished and, (also very important) I want to stay married to The Best Man of All.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here comes the bit where I introduce you to my friend <a href="http://www.vancouverobserver.com/contributors/alice-zhou" target="_blank">Alice Zhou</a>, PR Girl Extraordinaire from Vancouver.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8HBg6yMh_XaAk9g8nE4SLnIP-PnvQklU1xYPGXd7EQaww2iXZe7srBphWkrTYWf0gASaZ0o4MX01sHvlZxEhmAJmvQ8McqwiiTGFOsSsYk2jRcRHed54lgawYKKSrYx3d0VP5dYs3YI/s1600/Alice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8HBg6yMh_XaAk9g8nE4SLnIP-PnvQklU1xYPGXd7EQaww2iXZe7srBphWkrTYWf0gASaZ0o4MX01sHvlZxEhmAJmvQ8McqwiiTGFOsSsYk2jRcRHed54lgawYKKSrYx3d0VP5dYs3YI/s320/Alice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.socialbutterflyclub.ca/" target="_blank">Alice knows more people</a> than you and me put together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And Alice throws awesome parties.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't ask me how we got onto her 'favourite guests-list', we somehow landed there. (Actually, it may have something to do with our wet'n wild weekend with <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8490160923597988224#editor/target=post;postID=7725446981868723305;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=p" target="_blank">Hyak River Rafting)</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alice invited us to a dinner partee and introduced us to ....wait for it, a dream come true.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5r7go1EoZKv8h-isvO7nbJZojNrWv82OLY-vt4Yxuc_dVUFCVKNpgL27GjS7dnSyC8jONob-fe1xJAXz_BJk8fyXAgGck7GPqclytm9Hv-evp0EpM8OBAFP7gFdPE3UAh3LVjVc7_4NA/s1600/IMAG2344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5r7go1EoZKv8h-isvO7nbJZojNrWv82OLY-vt4Yxuc_dVUFCVKNpgL27GjS7dnSyC8jONob-fe1xJAXz_BJk8fyXAgGck7GPqclytm9Hv-evp0EpM8OBAFP7gFdPE3UAh3LVjVc7_4NA/s400/IMAG2344.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She introduced us to Dimitri, <a href="http://www.gaeapersonalchef.com/" target="_blank">personal chef</a>, of GAEA FOODS who only cooks healthy, with love, passion and devotion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And yes, you are so right! <i>Be careful what you wish</i> <i>for. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dimitri's menu choice for this particular dinner party was a bit OTT (over the top) for me.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9-Ve5KhfuKimQs1W6KjqP8w-m693zBqLrExXsRlKEizDkINZ5wd_xUNOCyLjFvwuU_5D6pvh1ktK_YyLtU_7AgwUizWolYaFOzr_8WpODsC_YWT7AFNZ7yYlc5Qfthm5Si_GXlVIF2M/s1600/IMAG2333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9-Ve5KhfuKimQs1W6KjqP8w-m693zBqLrExXsRlKEizDkINZ5wd_xUNOCyLjFvwuU_5D6pvh1ktK_YyLtU_7AgwUizWolYaFOzr_8WpODsC_YWT7AFNZ7yYlc5Qfthm5Si_GXlVIF2M/s400/IMAG2333.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Personally, I still don't have any idea what most of his menu items are. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunknBUlA00WUAvCDk1gJLbs2_nBmfAKFVr0_WM5B4R2beLxeqK6YEt_NvGdgZpE58WOdvgUjMH5i0Fh3V7hP5R4Z_78Hi_3orOLYnf6VOSGkD4VpxWhBZg4i6WjIDpVntym9lbxC82Pg/s1600/IMAG2341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunknBUlA00WUAvCDk1gJLbs2_nBmfAKFVr0_WM5B4R2beLxeqK6YEt_NvGdgZpE58WOdvgUjMH5i0Fh3V7hP5R4Z_78Hi_3orOLYnf6VOSGkD4VpxWhBZg4i6WjIDpVntym9lbxC82Pg/s400/IMAG2341.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For sure, I ate them, that doesn't mean I know how they look like uncooked or unprepared!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-Gt-qmSO3LSXYKirXmRx9nLPFLQkFPmB4dgb829kE2jqFFPhFsW6tindRsrBM9AqTKx9ccFGBz5cwbi7xlwanZxemKMIGW3Yis7v5__hJrZtQJWMhSuxW4B7bJa8i9ykg9WygrqPwe8/s1600/Dimitri+Georges.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-Gt-qmSO3LSXYKirXmRx9nLPFLQkFPmB4dgb829kE2jqFFPhFsW6tindRsrBM9AqTKx9ccFGBz5cwbi7xlwanZxemKMIGW3Yis7v5__hJrZtQJWMhSuxW4B7bJa8i9ykg9WygrqPwe8/s400/Dimitri+Georges.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Apart from the Thai dish- which was divine. Not too spicy, not too lame, it was just right. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr7Dy22e-poyk4ukdPkfX5q_JG8Rau41bVRC3AkZbtCuOwEhmO-U_EYKaxBsX8zevBwBbaBy_yKs53HfSCNmGgQcMjCyZAwK8Pi_jBg0dtBLcJ7JI0M2e8ZA8H4GyXtsWAljHA_1qaaE/s1600/IMAG2345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr7Dy22e-poyk4ukdPkfX5q_JG8Rau41bVRC3AkZbtCuOwEhmO-U_EYKaxBsX8zevBwBbaBy_yKs53HfSCNmGgQcMjCyZAwK8Pi_jBg0dtBLcJ7JI0M2e8ZA8H4GyXtsWAljHA_1qaaE/s400/IMAG2345.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyhow, to make a lovely, entertaining evening short, I hired Dimitri to come on over to our house to cook for us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He promised me he can cook and cater towards the more simple palet, like mine and that of our children.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't want fancy, I want it tasty and plentiful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And Dimitri can do that too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unfortunately I haven't won the lottery - yet- so no Olympic size pool. But a personal chef!</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>WooHaa, this is one of my dreams coming true!</b></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlL_39e90w7Ll25gLMlGMQT7f0ihe_5UgaWekIN4IVhy9im45meata9skoHU6b7Gts6NeMi9KhEdcchEqPZlDxmW6TKJ_QdpEDAMpcbrKkvzSle26JNBZrCgxTeoYH4KAtvN1z0A9dtzM/s1600/IMAG2353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlL_39e90w7Ll25gLMlGMQT7f0ihe_5UgaWekIN4IVhy9im45meata9skoHU6b7Gts6NeMi9KhEdcchEqPZlDxmW6TKJ_QdpEDAMpcbrKkvzSle26JNBZrCgxTeoYH4KAtvN1z0A9dtzM/s400/IMAG2353.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Can life get any better?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will keep you posted about the upcoming happiness whenever my children will ask me "What's for dinner tonight?"</span><br />
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<span data-reactid=".q.1:$mid=11443894951108=28f7ac0b1a14fc4bc43.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text0/=1$text8/=010" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dimitri Georges, Cel: 604 719-1266,</span><br />
<span data-reactid=".q.1:$mid=11443894951108=28f7ac0b1a14fc4bc43.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text0/=1$text8/=010" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Email: dimitri.g07@gmail.com</span><br />
<span data-reactid=".q.1:$mid=11443894951108=28f7ac0b1a14fc4bc43.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text0/=1$text10/=010" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gaea Foods website:</span><br />
<a data-reactid=".q.1:$mid=11443894951108=28f7ac0b1a14fc4bc43.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$range0/=10" href="http://www.gaeapersonalchef.com/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.36px; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">www.Gaeapersonalchef.com</a><br />
<span data-reactid=".q.1:$mid=11443894951108=28f7ac0b1a14fc4bc43.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text1/=1$text2/=010" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">GAEA_FOODS (instagram)</span><br />
<a data-reactid=".q.1:$mid=11443894951108=28f7ac0b1a14fc4bc43.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$range1/=10" href="https://facebook.com/gaeapersonalchef?__mref=message_bubble" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.36px; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">facebook.com/gaeapersonalchef</a><br />
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Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-50575453045012457792015-08-26T19:56:00.000-07:002015-10-09T21:19:45.136-07:00Immigrating BC: Squamish with Teenagers!<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;">Mission:</span></b> Find an affordable midweek trip for the whole family!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Prerequisite:</b></span> Not too much hiking or walking please!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> No sightseeing through tranquil, picturesque city streets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Fancy restaurants are not required either. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A burger joint like <i>5 Guys Hamburgers</i> will do just fine,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;">Accommodation</span></b>: Needs to have a pool please! And comfy beds! And WIFI, a TV</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and a kitchen with dishwasher if possible!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;">Location:</span></b> Within a three hour radius from our home in <a href="https://www.mapleridge.ca/" target="_blank">Maple Ridge</a>, with guaranteed sunshine! </span> </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EfwUj95RP7I/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EfwUj95RP7I?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If it wouldn't be for the word <i>affordable</i> <a href="http://www.whistler.com/" target="_blank">Whistler</a> comes to mind for our midweek trip! But then, we've done Whistler twice already and we as parents of three just don't see the value of this village!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At second thought <a href="http://www.squamish.ca/" target="_blank">SQUAMISH </a>came up. A name so frequently used in combination with the (now famous) <a href="http://squamishfestival.com/" target="_blank">Squamish Valley Music Festival</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is our fourth year on the North American continent and yep, we have never made it to the city of Squamish. We hiked to <a href="http://www.vancouvertrails.com/trails/upper-shannon-falls/" target="_blank">Shannon Falls,</a> saw pictures of the Sea to Sky gondola and yet,</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmXQIN-sf7oT5L1xkm_MJh4ALhW10LWwHYSW4HrGDMswQkFt8kP50NKQidWchh-9m8n2KcLN2_ZTloOUVxZJGY5BUQswxn9wC8tjasn_W17ICU09-sr3tqQhootx2eBOktdAXB5RaNcI/s1600/vansun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmXQIN-sf7oT5L1xkm_MJh4ALhW10LWwHYSW4HrGDMswQkFt8kP50NKQidWchh-9m8n2KcLN2_ZTloOUVxZJGY5BUQswxn9wC8tjasn_W17ICU09-sr3tqQhootx2eBOktdAXB5RaNcI/s400/vansun.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo, courtesy of Vancouversun.com</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">never ever have we stopped at <i>T<a href="https://youtu.be/dRRdprf6B-U" target="_blank">he Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada</a></i>!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6s_1YmDftOEhmNOTBtIzN0rDqRaqF6NxKKedA0F_cqfaUnUNUz2h3WAk8Z9YLPfDnjUGQUWLVVMsThdhDhdBgFBaVISi0XaQHt2ZO2d2ZpveFbrCVfezJTLoF496Vn-Nx2KNlf13wDWY/s1600/logo-brand-MAIN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6s_1YmDftOEhmNOTBtIzN0rDqRaqF6NxKKedA0F_cqfaUnUNUz2h3WAk8Z9YLPfDnjUGQUWLVVMsThdhDhdBgFBaVISi0XaQHt2ZO2d2ZpveFbrCVfezJTLoF496Vn-Nx2KNlf13wDWY/s400/logo-brand-MAIN.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Courtesy of SquamishReporter.com</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I heard it's quirky. It's real. It's active! It's beautiful! It has a Bohemian chic and feel to it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love quirky. I love undefined, rough, rugged and non formal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We as parents love easy going, non formal restaurants, easy access to outdoor activities and most of all, lower than high end prices!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzPy1J5fjmCmljx3ksShTBAXYtTy2g0aDAzoMZN735rjSOyfeHQtkkWe5d_zKaLut8FXiZhvIm58NmSjZrSutO1AM9AcUaUbmYpJiH2rpzeCxKFMY7xPW90PvdYPCA7kJH3dKivoueK8/s1600/download+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzPy1J5fjmCmljx3ksShTBAXYtTy2g0aDAzoMZN735rjSOyfeHQtkkWe5d_zKaLut8FXiZhvIm58NmSjZrSutO1AM9AcUaUbmYpJiH2rpzeCxKFMY7xPW90PvdYPCA7kJH3dKivoueK8/s400/download+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: SquamishReporter.com</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The advantages of having older kids (in our case older means 18, 15 and 12) is, they have mastered the basic rules of engagement (they can talk intelligentl ) and are comfortable on a bike, on skies, in the water, on a kayak or anywhere else we 'force them to participate in!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If we want happy, compliable children on our various trips we have to come up with something pretty groovy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If I wanted our boys off their devices and tune into nature I needed to do some research! And most importantly, I needed an ally to help me mastermind the trip!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Without further ado, let me introduce you to Katherine Folinsbee and Heather Kawaguchi at <a href="http://www.exploresquamish.com/" target="_blank">Tourism Squamish</a>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My mission became theirs! After a few phone conversations and emails back and forth this mother of two delivered (must be a mother thing. Heather knows what kids want)!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let me show you what Heather organized for us:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Squamish is really only a skip and jump from our home town Maple Ridge. In less than 1,5 hours we arrived at our hotel, the gorgeous <a href="http://www.executivesuitessquamish.com/" target="_blank">Executive Suites Hotel and Resort</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But first you need to check out the picturesque <a href="http://www.hellobc.com/driving-routes/31/sea-to-sky-highway-route.aspx" target="_blank">Sea To Sky Hwy (Hwy 99):</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is the hotel, shimmering in the early morning sun:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5BfMlOTH1TyYO8pxXYMXzCGt9Gt6EVYILWCPArYdq_DNofiFxkv7kIT7kQFHp2PODsLI-swaYT0m5oR7EOBmmNzyf7QBblqMeJIimm2t7rdowFc1eZ6wH57zbzW3SOm5DLj_wwzsA-gY/s1600/IMAG2044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5BfMlOTH1TyYO8pxXYMXzCGt9Gt6EVYILWCPArYdq_DNofiFxkv7kIT7kQFHp2PODsLI-swaYT0m5oR7EOBmmNzyf7QBblqMeJIimm2t7rdowFc1eZ6wH57zbzW3SOm5DLj_wwzsA-gY/s640/IMAG2044.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIUVYFemv7DANSvmyskWPY8Wvp5L_c40khC6Z3oEHN9w1jz5pVYo-MwCtzbOQy2LBOdSeCHaDi4WtbcWSfMgEJTd4TpQOgw-Ikb0Q_I-ZYtzSgKn61TPwLct-23u8G4H5mG-qsyDDgzM/s1600/IMAG2038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIUVYFemv7DANSvmyskWPY8Wvp5L_c40khC6Z3oEHN9w1jz5pVYo-MwCtzbOQy2LBOdSeCHaDi4WtbcWSfMgEJTd4TpQOgw-Ikb0Q_I-ZYtzSgKn61TPwLct-23u8G4H5mG-qsyDDgzM/s640/IMAG2038.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The hotel suites are comfortable, spacious enough for all five of us. It has an in built kitchen and get this, a clothes dryer! Very cool! This is the perfect stay for every traveler who travels light! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It comes with hot tube, pool, restaurant, meeting rooms, golf course, gym and its own activity center:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After checking out the amenities and the immediate ground of the hotel, The Best Man of All, Dominic (aka husband) gave our Squamish Adventure Guide a quick read through,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We needed something easy and not too strenuous to do for the fast approaching evening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.exploresquamish.com/trails-routes/oceanfront-interpretive-trail" target="_blank">The Squamish Oceanfront Trail </a>is a Local Favourite. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We cheated and drove right up to the Oceanfront and parked our car next to the shore! The trail is only 2 km long and is a very easy, flat hike, run or stroll from one of the main roads.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The views from the shoreline are spectacular, Beauty as far as the eyes can see. You will see the peaks of the Garibaldi Park, Stawamus Chief and in front of you the glistering water of The Howe Sound! Spectacular!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As always, it's the small thing that makes a boy's heart grow fonder: balancing over a piece of driftwood or climbing up on trees will do just fine!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We loved watching the kite surfers:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These women and men put on a show for us, unbelievable! In racecar speed they gushed through the water, helped by a steady, healthy breeze! They did flips, turns, somersaults, This, dear friends, is 10x better than watching TV!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Growing boys seem to always be hungry. The above mentioned <a href="http://www.yelp.ca/biz/fatburger-squamish" target="_blank">Fat Burger</a> did the job for our first Squamish dinner!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A full day of activity was waiting for us the next morning:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We headed off to <a href="http://www.exploresquamish.com/business/squamish-adventure-centre" target="_blank">Squamish Adventure Center</a> for picking up our gear!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks to the organisation talents of Heather Kawaguchi</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">we had our bikes waiting for us.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1V429GMmGy6MLf53MW0V2eSuVyATqNKSvSlBbPIyAg9rcKen_Qvx87fbnqsYlkLlbsAih3yYSFrOTTiwQ64morrfWhZh69U1Gdqle2EezR12-xQMi38C5V7_QLQAup7IVbIUVBBfDCw/s1600/IMAG1943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1V429GMmGy6MLf53MW0V2eSuVyATqNKSvSlBbPIyAg9rcKen_Qvx87fbnqsYlkLlbsAih3yYSFrOTTiwQ64morrfWhZh69U1Gdqle2EezR12-xQMi38C5V7_QLQAup7IVbIUVBBfDCw/s320/IMAG1943.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.seatoskyadventurecompany.com/bike-rentals.html" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.seatoskyadventurecompany.com/bike-rentals.html" target="_blank">WooHaa, BigFoot Fat Tire Bike anybody?</a> This is going to be insane- and a pretty stable ride for sure!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Allister of the Squamish Adventure Center just needed to go over the gear and we had some time to chat some more,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Or not...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We took the trail map and headed north. At least I thought that's where we were heading! I always leave this to The Best Man, he is pretty good at reading maps! Funny enough, we headed south...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our first stop, SORCA <a href="http://www.trailforks.com/skillpark/sorca-mountain-bike-skills-park/" target="_blank">(Squamish Off Road Cycling Association) Mountain Bike Trail Park</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> We lived near Amsterdam for many years. In other words, we are highly skilled flat terrain riders; not accomplished when it comes to anything a bit more fancy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">God had a great day when he decided to create Squamish! The whole area is, for lack of a better word, beautiful! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-30HvJ8UkYTC30RLRnPJyXtkuKPq7IAnssD_pjuUgrPH-HMA83ZNtu4EKm0WBQKDH-vB2jDnSNqVkrjsyQY-nHG7oKtdZvDJiTKJHzId1v9UiGnyIxmja9W46e-okljlR1emsqV4PAU/s1600/IMAG1976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-30HvJ8UkYTC30RLRnPJyXtkuKPq7IAnssD_pjuUgrPH-HMA83ZNtu4EKm0WBQKDH-vB2jDnSNqVkrjsyQY-nHG7oKtdZvDJiTKJHzId1v9UiGnyIxmja9W46e-okljlR1emsqV4PAU/s640/IMAG1976.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We were drawn back to the ocean, Here we are, watching more kite surfers at <a href="http://www.squamishkiteboardingschool.com/kiteboarding-squamish.html" target="_blank">The Spit</a> - the best place to kitesurf in BC (their words not mine)!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5O8uYdY8sR3Dye6rFSexeQLblcrywamAM18XbKmOl1xwg5Nxd-t3N2PjHjiGNa6gMRI2vuxRi1UiI4RRWaTQYjO9HE4_28oz2TggYiIU5ghhEM9qqJ8k2dLDl7bKGE1XdExfxx3ugmX4/s1600/IMAG1980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5O8uYdY8sR3Dye6rFSexeQLblcrywamAM18XbKmOl1xwg5Nxd-t3N2PjHjiGNa6gMRI2vuxRi1UiI4RRWaTQYjO9HE4_28oz2TggYiIU5ghhEM9qqJ8k2dLDl7bKGE1XdExfxx3ugmX4/s640/IMAG1980.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ppno0pcsOBJNFgmfx3cyK0wk2Sj15Vkhyphenhypheng3WL7FtLpHEMsw8qfx8OMLl9X4JFmSVw1niD-Q5cgccXY-h8_NeGc10Iu0uGHq6yF9N77OcFUj6Bz1QMCuaFHGQUHt2t-iRN-G6IR4y8y0/s1600/IMAG1979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ppno0pcsOBJNFgmfx3cyK0wk2Sj15Vkhyphenhypheng3WL7FtLpHEMsw8qfx8OMLl9X4JFmSVw1niD-Q5cgccXY-h8_NeGc10Iu0uGHq6yF9N77OcFUj6Bz1QMCuaFHGQUHt2t-iRN-G6IR4y8y0/s320/IMAG1979.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vam3neNcdL3-y6O8qyJnMp0Q_4eZaJEunlgURXmtW0Bxj7T1h8uNH_xwFjvBd3XiSdnxnmlmRMlc08uF1XLR0lzCtyFJKrIiUOnfPhJKFJrxPvlunEaJW9FsAKGZUJJGFYARZ05a_dU/s1600/IMAG1968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vam3neNcdL3-y6O8qyJnMp0Q_4eZaJEunlgURXmtW0Bxj7T1h8uNH_xwFjvBd3XiSdnxnmlmRMlc08uF1XLR0lzCtyFJKrIiUOnfPhJKFJrxPvlunEaJW9FsAKGZUJJGFYARZ05a_dU/s640/IMAG1968.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I haven't felt sand this smooth since...since when actually?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Even the BigFoot Flat Wheels need a break...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Squamish loves mountain bikers! They show it with little gestures like this:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3kfkqbJItsuXjvclsUmtNhLmq7iwGFe-1KT_2MhUyknG9qPcOocJp5wqt7wsRreKEmX4z0Vi1PgH8QbU4h787IZZuBMb9MUR7-kb26EhLuNsPu0q9rAXBcJb6jb0LIJfYXBBWzYM79c/s1600/IMAG1983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3kfkqbJItsuXjvclsUmtNhLmq7iwGFe-1KT_2MhUyknG9qPcOocJp5wqt7wsRreKEmX4z0Vi1PgH8QbU4h787IZZuBMb9MUR7-kb26EhLuNsPu0q9rAXBcJb6jb0LIJfYXBBWzYM79c/s640/IMAG1983.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> or this: This is a bike repair - maintenance kit, at a public parking lot. Pretty awesome, isn't it?</span><br />
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Our next stop was <a href="http://www.trailpeak.com/trail-Brohm-Ridge-Interpretive-Forest-near-Squamish-BC-10989" target="_blank">Brohm Lake</a> for some SUP-ing:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, I was pretty pooped that night: While I was enjoying quality bath time the boys were testing out the hotel's appliances:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On our departure day we wanted to squeeze in climbing up the <a href="http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/stawamus/" target="_blank">Stawamus Chief</a> and going for a ride up the Sea to Sky gondola.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As with all good plans this one was changed halfway through the day!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our boys made it 3/4 up The Chief - and that was enough stair climbing for them!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Look what I found on one of the steps,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Three thirds is better than half way up. The view is pretty spectacular from this height too. So we turned back!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgca0kKeXaWskbmU4YpblT9t_-_6vE26ive-3OKajYhyphenhyphenTlzX6ZsjMUokxCuvg90OBptH-Nhy-Rz7KbcalV9n3mskRRJ-X2z1ODHranlqc5mTnMqI2LMLrJRHfgcNDgIWTcpUE2XzlpjkNA/s1600/ZOE_0070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgca0kKeXaWskbmU4YpblT9t_-_6vE26ive-3OKajYhyphenhyphenTlzX6ZsjMUokxCuvg90OBptH-Nhy-Rz7KbcalV9n3mskRRJ-X2z1ODHranlqc5mTnMqI2LMLrJRHfgcNDgIWTcpUE2XzlpjkNA/s640/ZOE_0070.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesRQVXymev99V10rMoNhyphenhyphenEBxYkewHRaBU6V-woifqLyAKKmuJZ2n_huzBRBYU6eeUTEV5KbhPk1waT-XeiAT3Wty9ySw8tkRA74OA0OdNSqolqSVbL_P-Tp8LFb5gT-N9pA6KBzqhKB4/s1600/ZOE_0075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesRQVXymev99V10rMoNhyphenhyphenEBxYkewHRaBU6V-woifqLyAKKmuJZ2n_huzBRBYU6eeUTEV5KbhPk1waT-XeiAT3Wty9ySw8tkRA74OA0OdNSqolqSVbL_P-Tp8LFb5gT-N9pA6KBzqhKB4/s320/ZOE_0075.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the beginning or end of the trail is a rope course waiting for you!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our boys tried the tight rope balancing act, to my delight and their dismay. This is easier said than done. Especially after you walked up and down the steep stairs. Your legs still feel like jello.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Believe it or not, the boys didn't want to go on their gondola ride. They wanted to go home instead! Our gondola tickets are safely tucked away, waiting to be used for our second trip to Squamish!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's not really necessary squeezing all the tourist attractions in when travelling with your teenagers. Still, at that age they are happy with the small stuff like the driftwood on the beach a bike ride and a lovely hotel!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes I do wonder, why am I making it so complicated for myself?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A big shout out to Heather at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TourismSquamish" target="_blank">Tourism Squamish</a> and <a href="http://www.executivesuitessquamish.com/" target="_blank">Squamish Executive Suites Hotel & Resort</a> for making our trip so memorable, adventurous and active!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You conquered our hearts. THANK YOU!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We will be back!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5O8uYdY8sR3Dye6rFSexeQLblcrywamAM18XbKmOl1xwg5Nxd-t3N2PjHjiGNa6gMRI2vuxRi1UiI4RRWaTQYjO9HE4_28oz2TggYiIU5ghhEM9qqJ8k2dLDl7bKGE1XdExfxx3ugmX4/s1600/IMAG1980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5O8uYdY8sR3Dye6rFSexeQLblcrywamAM18XbKmOl1xwg5Nxd-t3N2PjHjiGNa6gMRI2vuxRi1UiI4RRWaTQYjO9HE4_28oz2TggYiIU5ghhEM9qqJ8k2dLDl7bKGE1XdExfxx3ugmX4/s640/IMAG1980.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-57863019945417482102015-07-20T21:31:00.001-07:002015-07-22T00:17:55.236-07:00 IMMIGRATING to BC? Be prepared to be surprised!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> PART I</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktV9RDA4xu8PVTks2-eJJl1nOBNkCDgLbkF8hc7jzcz3tvnULhPiNvXZD-gwM0sDpFGZ8vUMaiGM_TAN83NLTtgZUwojz1j0jYcgOF-RurgH_-gj8YoGpWEmhvl4w0E8rAWDIjE3SS1Y/s1600/BC+flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktV9RDA4xu8PVTks2-eJJl1nOBNkCDgLbkF8hc7jzcz3tvnULhPiNvXZD-gwM0sDpFGZ8vUMaiGM_TAN83NLTtgZUwojz1j0jYcgOF-RurgH_-gj8YoGpWEmhvl4w0E8rAWDIjE3SS1Y/s640/BC+flag.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is immigrating to British Columbia (BC)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a great choice for you and your family?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, this is only for you to decide. Let me share with you this advice:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOL9tzqVBNefiM1zD7RXtckFk0oYe5XwO6xZC1VgBsKFzkiCoiZGBwd23_6ZXM4Vx94E9wyraCtRvD3fg7UKD38iYBYrnJWs9OnSh4805bUeqrCgOC0l6gH42mRKxQfWjGN5ueCSigS7U/s1600/2014-07-31+18.59.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOL9tzqVBNefiM1zD7RXtckFk0oYe5XwO6xZC1VgBsKFzkiCoiZGBwd23_6ZXM4Vx94E9wyraCtRvD3fg7UKD38iYBYrnJWs9OnSh4805bUeqrCgOC0l6gH42mRKxQfWjGN5ueCSigS7U/s320/2014-07-31+18.59.45.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are immigrating (or better, escaping) from an economically deprived, unstable, even war-torn country, then yes it is!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are moving from a well developed European country like we did, you should read on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(For clarification: when I use the word BC I am referring to the Greater <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Vancouver" target="_blank">Vancouver and Lower Mainland area</a>).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nearly four years ago The Best Man of All (aka husband), our three boys and I left our then home turf,The Netherlands, and embarked on a grand adventure: immigrating to the west coast of Canada.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We moved to a small community called <a href="https://www.mapleridge.ca/" target="_blank">Maple Ridge</a>, 56 km east of Vancouver. Maple Ridge is, what the Vancouverites call farm and horse country- if they ever heard of Maple Ridge at all! Well, truth to be told, sometimes I do feel we landed in an idyllic backdrop for a movie called "<i>Back to Yesterday!</i>"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(I will come to this in Part II).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The following is an honest account of <a href="http://themotherpreneur.com/sample-page/" target="_blank">one happy German mothe</a>r who loves to <a href="http://themotherpreneur.com/" target="_blank">Kiss her Excuses Goodbye</a>, lives her bucket list and is as plain speaking as most Canadians are not!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We arrived with our bags in our hands, a container full of stuff and memories of a superb life left behind.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Upon arrival we had nothing! No friends, no connections, no jobs!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All we had was each other!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And our energy and ambitious dreams to <b><i>make it happen</i></b> in yet another country of our choice (Canada is my seventh country to live in).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We arrived as landed immigrants! Today we are permanent residents.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Everything we've done so far in our life is in the name of new adventures and new life experiences for our family.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was then, this is today:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Both <a href="http://dominickotarski.com/tag/the-making/" target="_blank">The Best Man</a> (Dominic) and I wrote <a href="http://themotherpreneur.com/my-book/" target="_blank">our long overdue books</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We both started our own journeys into the business world - again (mine took a bit longer than his)!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dominic runs his own advertising business.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I morphed into a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJMyfc0JjR8" target="_blank">videographer</a>, Take Action Consultant and You Tube presenter of my own web show, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MotherpreneurTV" target="_blank">Motherpreneur TV!</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Immigrating to BC was full of surprises for us for lack of a better word!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are a 'newbie' to this province you may relate to some of the topics I am talking about!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are planning on moving West the following may be news to you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Here is what shouldn't surprise you:</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Canadians have the reputation of being the friendliest people on the planet. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And yes, they are.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Passionate and outspoken?</b> <b><i>Definitely not!</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Nice, friendly and helpful?</b> <b><i>Yes, for sure!</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Canadians will stop you in the middle of your trail run only to have a chat with you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can stop any Canadian in the middle of the road 'cause you want to have a chat with them! Or, you're genuinely lost!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If a Canadian knows the answer to your question, he/she will help you. And if they don't have the answer at hand they will search it up on their phone.</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As far as I am concerned, Canadians are awesome</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">!!!!!</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Canadians are a tough breed!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> They run around in their shorts and short sleeve shirts during rain or the occasional snowstorm.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>They love to volunteer!</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For each and everything! Let me make this blunt statement: Whole sections of the private, business or non-profit sector wouldn't exist if it wouldn't be for volunteers!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What a noble invention!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>You won't find passion</b>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Regardless of which festival or outdoor event you are going to visit or even participate in- rest assured it's all nice! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You won't find any of the loud rowdiness associated with Bavaria's Oktoberfest,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kieler-woche.de/" target="_blank"> Kiel's Kieler Woche </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">or<a href="http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/visiting/whats-on/kings-day/all-about-kings-day-in-amsterdam" target="_blank"> King's Day</a> in The Netherlands, to name a few!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What you will find are bands playing live music, merchants selling their goods and the occasional display of Chinese dancing (or any other group for this matter)!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Canada is a country of immigrants.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Canada celebrates our differences! It encourages and supports inclusion of all levels.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whereas in Germany and Holland for example, we need to fit in to get accepted! Huge difference!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Canadian living is brilliant for our boys! All of a sudden they fully appreciate their ability to understand and speak three languages!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Canadians don't care about fashion!</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Year after year Vancouver is voted as the most <a href="http://syruptrap.ca/2014/10/vancouver-ranked-the-most-city-in-the-world/" target="_blank">unfashionable city in the world!</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Great news for a non-fashionista like me!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sure, just like everywhere else in the world there are pockets of trendy suburbs; groups of women who love to show off their frilly skirts and high heels. But all in all, when it comes to fashion, it's pretty relaxed on the West Coast!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meeting friendly, helpful Canadians on a daily level was not a surprise for us. However, the following day to day experiences totally caught us off guard:</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Schools</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Exciting news! Our kids bring home excellent report cards!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In comparison to the German and Dutch curriculum schools are way easier!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Furthermore, don't be surprised your kids will get extra holidays. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://globalnews.ca/tag/bc-teachers-strike/" target="_blank">Teachers go on strike! </a>And when this happens (twice in the last four years) it's up to us parents to keep them 'entertained and off their devices!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Schools are operating on the country's principle of inclusion, acceptance and tolerance! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Translated into the real world it reads,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">your child is sharing the classroom with physical and mentally challenged students! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">See, this is what Canadian living does to me and my choice of language, I mellowed down. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't want to hurt somebody's feelings...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Back in Europe we have other words to describe these kids. I will leave it up to your imagination to figure out which ones they might be! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My point of view? It's ridiculous! It's totally inefficient!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But then, this is Canada for you!</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Infrastructure</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you live outside the downtown Vancouver area you need a car, or two.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The local skytrain system sucks. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whatever you do, do not compare this nearly non existing transit system to the grand subways of Paris, London, Hamburg, Berlin. Once you get here you will know what I am talking about.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Buses and skytrains within the Vancouver area are running on a regular basis. If you live outside their radius, like we do, it takes forever to get anywhere with public transport!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><b>Pay as you cross:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Depending on which bridge you are using to travel from one suburb to the next, you need to pay to get across. Or add another two hours to your travel time!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you want to avoid a huge bridge toll-fee you need to</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">choose the location of your home and your work place wisely! Depending on which bridge you are crossing you need to pay up to $3.50 per trip (do this twice a day, five days a week, all month long and it adds up).</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Quality of houses</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wham, this was a huge one for me! As daughter of a German builder/real estate professional I grew up in a well insulated, sound proof, energy efficient brick building,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These flimsy wooden homes here are below substandard to what we were used to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The house prices are huge! The quality they are build in is, as I said, very poor! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, it always depends where you are coming from and what you expect.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Furthermore, I can't speak for living in an apartment building or house in Vancouver. I have no clue if you can hear your neighbour doing their business!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most British Columbians live like sardines, huddled together!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We left one of the smallest countries in the world (Holland) and moved to the second biggest one. And guess what we found out: Canadians love to live like the Dutch, very close together!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sure, there are pockets of land you won't have a neighbour; when it comes to living on the West Coast, you huddle together. (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia" target="_blank">BC is vast</a>, however, only 5% is a arable. More on that in Part II).</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">BC stands for <u>B</u>ring <u>C</u>ash</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">British Columbia is named after the Goddess of Wealth!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And wealthy thou shall be to prosper and enjoy West Coast living!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And you don't need just a little bit, you need to bring lots of dough!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vancouver might be a cool city with lots of fun outdoor activities, it is expensive to take part in the fun.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take skiing for example:</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our family loves skiing!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Maple Ridge is an hour or three away from <a href="http://syruptrap.ca/2014/10/vancouver-ranked-the-most-city-in-the-world/" target="_blank">Hemlock</a>, <a href="https://www.grousemountain.com/" target="_blank">Grouse Mt</a>.,<a href="http://www.mountseymour.com/ski-snowboard-school" target="_blank">Seymour</a> or <a href="http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/" target="_blank">Whistler</a>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The average day ticket is $90.00.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Multiply this by five, add parking fees (depending on where you go it's between $10-$30/day or free), add lunches and you know why we put "skiing with the family" under 'special occassion!'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Depending on what you love doing, recreational activities are very pricy to take part in. Having said this, in Part II I will share with you lots of free activities to enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Watch out, Wheat Gut is growing!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Only God and the huge US and Canadian food manufacturers know what they put into their products. Bread, pasta, cakes, cookies etc. are filled with sugar, salt, fortified and filled with fillers. Their ingredients list include words I can't pronounce!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You eat this stuff and I will guarantee you, you will develop the dreaded wheat gut!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was the biggest riddle for us to solve a few months after our arrival: we exercised on a regular basis and still, our stomach grew! Grrr! Finally, we discovered the secret. We cut out the staple fillers from our daily diet and now we are back to our slim self!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brands you know from Europe like Knorr or Maggi are catered towards the North American market. Here, they taste bland! I am missing my beloved 'umph' to the spaghetti sauce mixes! Thankfully, my mom is sending her care packages on a very regular basis!</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Farmers Markets</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The idea itself is wonderful: Local farmers given the opportunity to bring their products to the wider public!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My Hausefrauen brain doesn't grasp the concept though! Products at the market are at an average four times more expensive than at the supermarket. Even if I chose the same category, BC grown, local and organic! Help me out here! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Back in Europeland I spent 50 Euro at the weekly market and bought vegetables and fruit feeding our family of five. I even had enough change left for two big bunches of flowers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fifty dollars here buys us five apples, two bundles of BC grown carrots and a small container full of no-spray blueberries. Ok, I am exaggerating! Add a bag of popcorn and three hot dogs and I have no change left! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The buzz words in the food industry are <i><b>Gluten Free, Organic, BC grown, Sugar Free, Sustainable, Fresh</b></i><b><i>!</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now that we are talking food I need to add my little something about BC's liquor policy and prices! If you love a good beer (like the Best Man does) your eyes will tear up when you come face to face with the liquor prices! We nearly got a heart attack! What used to cost us eight Euro for a case of 12 beer bottles sets us back $54.OO for 24 cans! No wonder Dominic started using a local brewery.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Supermarkets were not allowed to sell any alcohol (go figure!). Only this year the law has changed and selected, huge supermarket chains are selling alcoholic beverages!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Btw, you can't take your kids to a pub. Canadians are very peculiar this way. If you are an 18 year old waiter at a restaurant you are not allowed to clear empty glasses off the tables which may have contained alcohol (!!!). And I thought these young waiters were ignorant!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Networking is huge.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And what's more, multi level marketing is huge! Everything from Mary Kay, Avon, Norwex, Primerica...marketers are everywhere!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are new to the province and you are looking for ways to make connections don't be surprised to meet MLMers, they all want to sell you something...!</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>There is a Sucker Born every Second</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Best Man told me this a long time ago. Until we arrived to Canada I wasn't really aware of this!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are surrounded by the biggest marketing machine in the world, the USA! Our TV is infiltrated with rubbish commercials of the American <b>BUY-ME-</b>machine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The promotion is relentless.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Commercial radio is the same. All we hear is fun music with short bursts of weather and traffic updates. The rest are commercials! The CBC does it's best to keep us up to date. Choose your TV channels and radio stations wisely if you want to escape this 'dumbing down' of the masses! </span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>SALES, SALES more SALES</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Holy Moly! The relentless marketing machine never, ever stops!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If there's not a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mid - Week, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mid-Year, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Valentines-</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Easter- Holiday</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pre-Season Summer- Special Sale going on then it's</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the 'Special of the Day/Week/Month- </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Special Preview- </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Extra Mark-Down- </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Customer Appreciation Day- </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't miss this deal- </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pre- Post- Christmas- Black Friday Sale on!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's exhausting. It's tempting!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who else in their right mind would go shopping on Boxing Day? Only the North Americans. Boxing Day is the biggest (!!!) shopping day for a retailer in the year! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I said, the promotional machine is relentless, it never stops!</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Be prepared to step back in time</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Prudish, reserved, conservative or considerate, call it what you want. Canadians are a step behind our European ways of living (more of that in Part II).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OK, and one last thing: Who sat on the board of traffic-speed-decision making? Where in the world do you drive 80km/h on a highway? Please, get real Canada!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After all this I know you would want to ask me this one question: Would I immigrate to BC again?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My answer is YES! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Moving to Canada is a wonderful opportunity to show our children a different way of living. It showed our children they are more than the clothes their wear or the address they live at.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And for me? Home is where the heart is. And my heart is where my family is! The grass isn't greener on the other side. It's just a different shade of green! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It doesn't matter where you live in the world, everything is up to you! You are in charge of your own life and happiness. You want and need something? You go after it! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nobody is coming knocking on your door to invite you out for a margarita. Unless, you</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> live in Maple Ridge/BC ... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Life is good! See ya' on Part II!</span><br />
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Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-5093745856410963872015-07-11T17:19:00.003-07:002015-07-12T10:19:32.072-07:00INTRODUCING: MOTHERPRENEURS! Who?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After immigrating to Canada, my 7th country of choice to live in, I hit premenopausal midlife crises! Oh bummer!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are a man reading this you may have no clue what I am talking about! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are a woman you may have a clue!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You may want to pour yourself a coffee, this is going to be good...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The bad news?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For approximately one full year I drove The Best Man of All (aka husband) crazy!!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The good news?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am back, stronger, better and more focused than ever!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What happened?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks to hormonal overload I wrote a book. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, a real one! Not "I am contributing a chapter to a book"...kinda writing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+Strawberry+Lounge+Story" target="_blank">"My Strawberry Lounge Story" How I got over my Fears, dumped my xcuses and Started the business of my Dreams, The Motherpreneur Way!</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Why?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because I always wanted to! It's a great book, full of tips, inspiration and super helpful if you want to start your own coffee shop business. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Premenopausal midlife crises lets your brain go into overdrive. It makes you come up with silly ideas and fancy words, like</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">starting your own <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MotherpreneurTV" target="_blank">You Tube Channel </a>'cause you always wanted to host an entertainment show on TV- (and you need to start somewhere)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">or coming up with terms like </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://themotherpreneur.com/a-fool-proof-method-to-kiss-any-excuse-goodbye/" target="_blank">MOTHERPRENEUR</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and a tag line that reads,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://youtu.be/n9SZSEKlAMI" target="_blank">Kiss Your Excuses Goodbye!</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>And why am I telling you all this?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's a female trait, I like to share, to talk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wanted you to know,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">being confused once in a while is OK!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No knowing which direction to take is OK!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Being lost is OK!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It can happen to all of us, regardless of who we are, where we live or how old we are!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What's next?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The future looks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fancy? <b><i>Totally!</i></b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Creative? <b><i>You bet!</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ready for action? <b><i>Each and every day!</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The mission: <b><i>To inspire, empower and entertain!</i> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As i said, thanks to my adventure into menopausal overdrive I gave birth to the term The Motherpreneur!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>So, what is a Motherpreneur exactly?</b></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Motherpreneurs are</span></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> happy, independent thinking women!</span></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">We know it's possible to combine motherhood with our personal, big,fat or small dreams!</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;">Most of us are still working on it, but we are well on our way!</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>We are a piece of art, we are our own experiment!</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;">We know how to love, to laugh, to hug, to cry, to be brave, to take a step back and always moving forward</span></b><span style="color: #333333;">!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>We are not holding ourselves back!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We dance' cause nobody </span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">is</b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> watching (ha, everybody is checking their phones)!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>We make a splash if, and whenever we want to!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">We don't need a facelift - we don't need botox!</span></b></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>We don't need fancy clothes ' cause our heart is beautiful and with our smile, energy and contagious positive attitude we are always well dressed- if not over dressed! </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;">We come in all different shapes, forms and sizes! </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: orange;">Each of us is unique and special (like the rest of the world)! We are</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><b> uniquely equipped with our own special gift (like the rest of the world)!</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b>We are daughters, sisters, mothers, aunties, grandmas, wives, girl-friend, lovers, neighbours, role models! </b></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>We worked hard finding out who we are and what we want!</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Motherpreneurs are YES girls!</span></b></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>We know the difference between a YES that leads to more fun and opportunities in our life and a </b></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>YES that causes stress, more work and being taking advantage off! </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Motherpreneurs are emotional stable women!</span></b></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>We love to help and support each other but we don't follow blindly a call that promises happiness, fulfillment, riches!</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">We are our own inspiration!</span></b></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>We set an example to our children!</b></span><b><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are more than just mothers!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are an inspiration!</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">To ourselves, to our family and to the world!</span></b></span><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the end of the day we know we need to walk the road alone- and we are strong in the knowledge we are not alone!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are all in this journey together!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Welcome to planet Motherpreneur!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Are you a Motherpreneur?</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not a mother, don't stress!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can be all of the above without having to have children! </span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Did I forget something? Please shoot- I am honoured to add your suggestions!</span></div>
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Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-6128637178214642302015-07-06T11:35:00.002-07:002015-07-15T13:59:20.987-07:00BECOME your own INSPIRATION during ADVENTURE DAY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2ooYeTGJ0fyTxJ3ios_TlhovoTaqV6yIDLr-3GUSiFy8GKLWPqx-W1rSw_yV60k1U-dj5whCc-MP2z85AbOL_EcpDxSFmUqH4FiBfV1OwtBzF8pI8vTDn_qpgUCANsHh2vgzHvQc5Y4/s1600/YES+WE+CAN%2521.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2ooYeTGJ0fyTxJ3ios_TlhovoTaqV6yIDLr-3GUSiFy8GKLWPqx-W1rSw_yV60k1U-dj5whCc-MP2z85AbOL_EcpDxSFmUqH4FiBfV1OwtBzF8pI8vTDn_qpgUCANsHh2vgzHvQc5Y4/s320/YES+WE+CAN%2521.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSmGiDsFxaMrijFK3e9ETGdERfSZal6YM85ZvAE3NwiZ4wmzfXe7s-j_uE9Dv4B-pKulysXT8KivnRHRA4Cx4QwVrK7OqxTtj6Eab8J9obWtj9BnH7rnvxJHwhsCvE6OL5UtOKHMU_e4/s1600/2.Thank+you%2521+Adventure+Day+was+%25C2%25A0very.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSmGiDsFxaMrijFK3e9ETGdERfSZal6YM85ZvAE3NwiZ4wmzfXe7s-j_uE9Dv4B-pKulysXT8KivnRHRA4Cx4QwVrK7OqxTtj6Eab8J9obWtj9BnH7rnvxJHwhsCvE6OL5UtOKHMU_e4/s320/2.Thank+you%2521+Adventure+Day+was+%25C2%25A0very.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You have decided to change your life! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You found your passion! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You found your purpose! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You know what you want! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You
worked hard on finding out what that is! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You feel inspired to start! But then
- self doubt sets in!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You set the intention to follow your
heart. But then…is this really realistic? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This isn’t the person you really are
— or the person you want to be. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Living with dreams, desires, making excuses why
not to! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You are capable of more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can change your life, one baby
step at a time- or with a huge bang! The choice is yours! You can get through
the little voices in your head! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a human being <i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">you can become unstoppable! W</span></i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">e can follow our small, or big
fat dreams!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Adventure Day</b> can help!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;">What is it?</span></b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b><br />
<!--[endif]--></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://themotherpreneur.com/adventure-day-3/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">ADVENTURE DAY</span></a> </span></b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;">is a day for women
and men who say things like<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">“</span></span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">I am ready to make
a change, I just need a bit more motivation” or<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i> I know I can do this (whatever
it is you are planning on doing), but I want to feel totally and utterly
excited about it!<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I want more than just
visualizing my outcome! Oh.....I don't know what I want! I just want something
different than just writing down my goals, intentions and plans of
action!</i>"</span><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/.s%20a%20human%20being:%20you%20can%20become%20unstoppable." target="_blank"><span style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none;">ADVENTURE DAY</span></a> </span></b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">is also for the person who
doesn't care about all the above! It is for the person who is looking for a
fun, adventurous, interactive day out away from the same-old-same-old, in the
company of the great outdoors and new friends!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;">When is it?</span></b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sunday, August 30, 2015!</span></b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;">9.30 - 4.30pm in Maple Ridge at <span style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://loonlake.ubc.ca/" target="_blank">Loon Lake Lodge and Retreat Center!</a></span></span></b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8Tx3CtCtBBRbD1X5wL_gcj_BL92-m5smpNcds58aZszlKz5orbqbMA9vEXRgUP_hCZe6SzUgX71SpcL1jfMPC9_PAdbRz9mylJFUfj5mIxEF8U46LKckNPqHQW61S3o5sYHxV3iUMG4/s1600/goegeous+lake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8Tx3CtCtBBRbD1X5wL_gcj_BL92-m5smpNcds58aZszlKz5orbqbMA9vEXRgUP_hCZe6SzUgX71SpcL1jfMPC9_PAdbRz9mylJFUfj5mIxEF8U46LKckNPqHQW61S3o5sYHxV3iUMG4/s320/goegeous+lake.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;">What does the day include?</span></b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
A mini workshop on how to kiss our excuses goodbye with the most logical,
actionable steps- ever!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25xArp1OkpURtlGmljUmS_KfRMcxH2GF9AMfzXTfUpdZ7am_5T_5zXJaNHN0jO1dB_pzsyZp8sruZd3q_oCGcvu1YSrjeIxaZN9Jk9E8ZqLD0QcfHT_UkVX4cHVG6pJef3XKODb4m_is/s1600/2015-06-27+10.26.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25xArp1OkpURtlGmljUmS_KfRMcxH2GF9AMfzXTfUpdZ7am_5T_5zXJaNHN0jO1dB_pzsyZp8sruZd3q_oCGcvu1YSrjeIxaZN9Jk9E8ZqLD0QcfHT_UkVX4cHVG6pJef3XKODb4m_is/s320/2015-06-27+10.26.37.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;">A picnic lunch by the lake!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ao0p_9qJti7OdfRWR3Mey3O1Tw_iYdKVMf7EYi6efHfifXuYz2eWvIz1PkMGvr8BbqVzvyHM8SF_MP7EkGrCLu7iXwcRtqXoeRkN4nNjpBih1NiGH_Ggbf5ngVoy-nERIb6AR85P_G8/s1600/lunch+spread.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ao0p_9qJti7OdfRWR3Mey3O1Tw_iYdKVMf7EYi6efHfifXuYz2eWvIz1PkMGvr8BbqVzvyHM8SF_MP7EkGrCLu7iXwcRtqXoeRkN4nNjpBih1NiGH_Ggbf5ngVoy-nERIb6AR85P_G8/s320/lunch+spread.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Three to four activities (depending
on our group size) that make you realize "Gosh, these excuses I come up
with are totally irrelevant!"<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHJRNu0SCKiSXw4PjOaRnRGk9FeeLaDv3oQQZS3vx0ez44e8SZdLxJSptZWK1_rVxM8giKyvBx9OWtIEe-t4XjIY4sWIkgn2YX81OJ5y9db_vbIo1KnzWG48Qr0eBG6zeoMY2jOudhAo/s1600/2015-06-27+12.25.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHJRNu0SCKiSXw4PjOaRnRGk9FeeLaDv3oQQZS3vx0ez44e8SZdLxJSptZWK1_rVxM8giKyvBx9OWtIEe-t4XjIY4sWIkgn2YX81OJ5y9db_vbIo1KnzWG48Qr0eBG6zeoMY2jOudhAo/s320/2015-06-27+12.25.18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My book:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> "The Strawberry Lounge
Story, How I got over my Fears, Dumped m Excuses and started the Business of my
Dreams, the Motherpreneur Way!"<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33HBOyub9EOqugjHSPPRKR2TDXpuxGtJXkBjgCCRRaABqgv3HYU9gO-7Gp-UwXX8CKM422LABqLs06N9kQlTFMRLf0WIcpXOYHI6EOeEYRpyVC2Pb0coHMQmStvunJNmoW8SukjoFgCE/s1600/WEBsitebookcover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33HBOyub9EOqugjHSPPRKR2TDXpuxGtJXkBjgCCRRaABqgv3HYU9gO-7Gp-UwXX8CKM422LABqLs06N9kQlTFMRLf0WIcpXOYHI6EOeEYRpyVC2Pb0coHMQmStvunJNmoW8SukjoFgCE/s1600/WEBsitebookcover.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Access to the private grounds of Loon
Lake!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuCvY0MPp6F5x0tXeE3v-Py82Mvb2QK3f40vE14h9vxjejwgRTszfNPiD9pUukf47NFl8o1ZZ9ElsGfkXz1UuHxg94T2hWU-XsvV_FuTsDpxnkooD2kQxMVaSBM_Ndxxh4zF65tmbYPQ/s1600/Adult-Dock-2-265x150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuCvY0MPp6F5x0tXeE3v-Py82Mvb2QK3f40vE14h9vxjejwgRTszfNPiD9pUukf47NFl8o1ZZ9ElsGfkXz1UuHxg94T2hWU-XsvV_FuTsDpxnkooD2kQxMVaSBM_Ndxxh4zF65tmbYPQ/s1600/Adult-Dock-2-265x150.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.9pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;">Facilitation by the
best adventure and personal development company in The Lower Mainland,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://www.pinnaclepursuits.com/meet-our-team" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4d469c; font-size: 13.5pt; text-decoration: none;">Pinnacle
Pursuits</span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;">. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUq7_HwhyDci7JjX2LEODbXtLa4rLwUpUPaTKhFGah5rJW3rot10oFDK-vVnMLipSbSAzJpGn-TPB4mIIoV2efPgKxp0_Ah2eve0BpjaNhPFmVm1ZKNqinvF21q_PbP37Z3kqrs4rbVs/s1600/Pinnacle+Pursuits+People+Passion+Performance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUq7_HwhyDci7JjX2LEODbXtLa4rLwUpUPaTKhFGah5rJW3rot10oFDK-vVnMLipSbSAzJpGn-TPB4mIIoV2efPgKxp0_Ah2eve0BpjaNhPFmVm1ZKNqinvF21q_PbP37Z3kqrs4rbVs/s320/Pinnacle+Pursuits+People+Passion+Performance.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Pinnacle Pursuits
owner,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><a href="http://www.pinnaclepursuits.com/meet-our-team" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4d469c; font-size: 13.5pt; text-decoration: none;">Jono
Wilcocks, is my partner in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></a></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">adventure during the day! Not
only is he highly experienced, he is super fun too!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjzVptjl_xo5q72M002ZUOXs3xiwg8mdGKS4HP9NV2ExXRmY_u7yI_DiDRLtFOMdvW_qVEGZr9CXmzH9eSr7vBM7vsvJvjpJ7tcb1LKMrI21E_cOqLUk92JyW5wC09ilIPmLdghCkP8E/s1600/Jono+blue+shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjzVptjl_xo5q72M002ZUOXs3xiwg8mdGKS4HP9NV2ExXRmY_u7yI_DiDRLtFOMdvW_qVEGZr9CXmzH9eSr7vBM7vsvJvjpJ7tcb1LKMrI21E_cOqLUk92JyW5wC09ilIPmLdghCkP8E/s320/Jono+blue+shirt.jpg" width="264" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;">Why have I created <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MotherpreneurTV" target="_blank"><span style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">ADVENTURE DAY?</span></a></span></b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After immigrating to six different
countries, travelling the world, written my book and pursuit my life dreams
more than three times by now (fitness instructor on two continents, three
countries, coffee shop owner and now web show presenter of<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MotherpreneurTV" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3778cd;"> Motherpreneur TV)</span></a>, I've identified
common excuses that stop people from living their small, or big fat
dreams!. Even if they want to. Very badly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are the most common ones</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;">1. </span></i></b><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;"> I am holding
on to what I have and what I know! It feels safe!</span></i><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;">2. </span></i></b><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;">This is only a
wonderful dream! This is too big and too far away. I have no clue where to
start!</span></i><i><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="line-height: 18.9pt;"><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%; padding: 0cm;">3. </span></i></b><i style="line-height: 18.9pt;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%; padding: 0cm;">I am so afraid to fail, to
embarrass myself!</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;">What activities are we going to do?</span></b><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We have several options, like the low
and high ropes course, canoeing, rapelling or board breaking! Let us
surprise you! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0cm;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What should I bring?</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Apart from an open mind to experience something new and exciting-</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">your towel and your bathing suit (the water is crystal clear, refreshing and feels ohh so good! Don't worry, this isn't part of our day. Going swimming is totally up to you)!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;">$160.00 per ticket!</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hope you can join us!</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br />
<b><i><span style="background: rgb(246, 247, 248); color: red; font-size: 10pt;"> "I totally
appreciated your special offer but that day was worth the full price!"</span></i></b><b><i><span style="background: rgb(246, 247, 248); color: red; font-size: 9pt;"> Suzanne S.</span></i></b></span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://themotherpreneur.com/adventure-day-3/" target="_blank">Read more about
it over here!</a></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-21107909303622225402015-06-29T12:27:00.001-07:002015-08-15T16:50:50.541-07:00ADVENTUROUS MOTHERPRENEURS during ADVENTURE DAY!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TH8ejj81P3M/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TH8ejj81P3M?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLLrsgFmLvQ8EJeqEF1hakyKCoa_8-kP5YXEkyZdJF8scou7-Zmg85qzKvzeSUPhfKdkfhXKk9EhEJzC5fhNDwRCiF8TzjBIyWQVrqoq-NB2lhZnAy2fR-4DmAhFhcA1VTUDq6lWz29I/s1600/2.Thank+you%2521+Adventure+Day+was+%25C2%25A0very.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLLrsgFmLvQ8EJeqEF1hakyKCoa_8-kP5YXEkyZdJF8scou7-Zmg85qzKvzeSUPhfKdkfhXKk9EhEJzC5fhNDwRCiF8TzjBIyWQVrqoq-NB2lhZnAy2fR-4DmAhFhcA1VTUDq6lWz29I/s320/2.Thank+you%2521+Adventure+Day+was+%25C2%25A0very.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JSF5waYRMCaYkPriADIO0WsTm7NBLQp0FKMOLlgkwLy7hO3B3_JhXmtTKx6rddA_gBqi9p8G_qWZDNgwJVuwwgANFJMYf_zQEZ1G9CDJZZvPCM5M7LrKtxpa1Z80NCQR6Z_cLq1CPuI/s1600/2015-06-27+09.54.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JSF5waYRMCaYkPriADIO0WsTm7NBLQp0FKMOLlgkwLy7hO3B3_JhXmtTKx6rddA_gBqi9p8G_qWZDNgwJVuwwgANFJMYf_zQEZ1G9CDJZZvPCM5M7LrKtxpa1Z80NCQR6Z_cLq1CPuI/s400/2015-06-27+09.54.56.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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On planet Google information arrives at the push of a button!<br />
In our over saturated world of (wannabe-) experts we get information, advice, tips, how-to, step-by-step programs stuffed into our brain cells at every hour of the day!<br />
YES, we know how to do stuff!<br />
Yes, we read your manual, we paid to attend this seminar, your workshop, your weekend retreat!<br />
YES, your 300 page how-to book , your 6 series DVD set is sitting in our cupboard, read til page 18 or unopened!<br />
YES, we are willing to sit through yet another networking event, collecting more and more biz cards!<br />
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Now, there is a huge difference between knowing <b>WHAT</b> to do and actually <b>DOING IT</b>!<br />
In order to take action, to jump out of our own shadow, we need to be fired up! We need to know we <b>CAN DO THIS!</b> <b><span style="color: red;">We need to believe in ourselves</span></b>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHq2luyBNCl7QO6RcJgGDYnscP8aZEyHTh3B2EVqEtfRNDfGfXdm0fJ-VOfCm4Uw_tjc7J_QB6FRedUAAWEytbdy56F503DrXzYaUTY8z9ajcV_JsM_5jTPZRiSm4pkz7AtxLX1z3uTDQ/s1600/2015-06-27+10.35.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHq2luyBNCl7QO6RcJgGDYnscP8aZEyHTh3B2EVqEtfRNDfGfXdm0fJ-VOfCm4Uw_tjc7J_QB6FRedUAAWEytbdy56F503DrXzYaUTY8z9ajcV_JsM_5jTPZRiSm4pkz7AtxLX1z3uTDQ/s400/2015-06-27+10.35.58.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And this is why I created <b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://themotherpreneur.com/adventure-day-3/" target="_blank">ADVENTURE DAY</a>- Where You Become Your Own Inspiration</span></b>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDNUxPcNUCkHDZr0Jgr8F3v7uI3c0emZ0LTD4Xm-WtHxs0jz7-WsFK136cXV-qXYUBYiVohRXvOJRut5Ga9s0F22hVmTxcSzTAHjT4Yx3PblbNFWteB5JXe00Np_Ky_EjQ4K_z-kb-jQ/s1600/2015-06-27+16.58.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDNUxPcNUCkHDZr0Jgr8F3v7uI3c0emZ0LTD4Xm-WtHxs0jz7-WsFK136cXV-qXYUBYiVohRXvOJRut5Ga9s0F22hVmTxcSzTAHjT4Yx3PblbNFWteB5JXe00Np_Ky_EjQ4K_z-kb-jQ/s640/2015-06-27+16.58.05.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I want to share with other women how it actually feels like to<br />
<b>do the impossible!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVFDEwdpSXOkK47BdIkY91JTs52OrrdqHMEDSu2jcLnujrf8HkWwXqc1vn8G_L98b2K7VYO0F4I0x3w5cWXeuE_lUrEy8C_FwDeTpO3jAdFt0G-1k-xvSolAkEtJUFDF3d4kKzT9wDUk/s1600/2015-06-27+12.25.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVFDEwdpSXOkK47BdIkY91JTs52OrrdqHMEDSu2jcLnujrf8HkWwXqc1vn8G_L98b2K7VYO0F4I0x3w5cWXeuE_lUrEy8C_FwDeTpO3jAdFt0G-1k-xvSolAkEtJUFDF3d4kKzT9wDUk/s400/2015-06-27+12.25.18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>To ask and rely on help and support!</b><br />
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To experience how it <b>feels like not to reach the top</b>- and (perhaps) feel embarrassed about it!<br />
Btw, has anybody ever died of embarrassment?<br />
I just googled it- and nope, no recorded cases of "Death by Embarrassment" came up!<br />
You may <a href="http://list25.com/25-unusual-deaths-that-will-leave-you-scratching-your-head/4/" target="_blank">die of laughing too much</a>;<br />
stepping on your beard, breaking your neck,<br />
having non-stop sex for 12 hours with 2 women!<br />
But by embarrassment? Nope, no recorded cases found!<br />
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For our first ever Adventure Day Saturday June 27, in partnership with <a href="http://www.pinnaclepursuits.com/meet-our-team" target="_blank">Jono Willcocks</a>, owner of <a href="http://www.pinnaclepursuits.com/" target="_blank">Pinnacle Pursuits</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8M_Lpiga9VG7y2yTOZPz5B0ZDU-HV5fbAX75sqHHQ6j6VV8qLYV8dmT3nLc7064uWiNNQu3jrV5DcP8zclADs3ISc4-JrgFN18_y9e0QHIgq7n0EPO0lWOuwL0imibm3p6s0EUCY1_XY/s1600/IMAG1406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8M_Lpiga9VG7y2yTOZPz5B0ZDU-HV5fbAX75sqHHQ6j6VV8qLYV8dmT3nLc7064uWiNNQu3jrV5DcP8zclADs3ISc4-JrgFN18_y9e0QHIgq7n0EPO0lWOuwL0imibm3p6s0EUCY1_XY/s320/IMAG1406.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I chose The High Ropes course!<br />
Btw, please check out Jono's link! This man is amazing with a capital A! Not only is he fun, he knows his stuff and most importantly, he kept his cool around us pre-menopausal (or younger) women! Jono knows what to say, when and why- aka, he made us all feel safe!!!!!<br />
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Let's get back on tack!<br />
Why did I chose the high ropes?<br />
I wanted us to experience the <b>Leap of Faith,</b> one of the most powerful experiences in the world of personal development!<br />
Why?<br />
Creating joyful memories is what life is all about, isn't it? Memories keep us going when the going gets tough!<br />
Our first Adventure Day had to end with a BANG! With a huge one!<br />
I wanted everybody <b>to experience to let go, to take the leap into the unknown and experiencing, WoW, this isn't as bad as I imagined it!</b><br />
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The High Rope course let's us experience all different kind of excuses, ranging from<br />
<span style="color: red;">I can't do this.</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">This is too high! I can never reach it!</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;">I am afraid of heights!</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;">Nobody is there to help me!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">I am afraid to embarrass myself!</span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;">I don't have any experience!</span><br />
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And guess what, at the end of day we all experienced:<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">YES I CAN!</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: red;">We all Kissed Our Excuses Goodbye!</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>There is nothing, absolutely nothing better than going to bed with this amazing feeling of accomplishment! Knowing you pushed your physical and mental boundaries!</b><br />
<b>You stepped out of your own personal comfort zone!</b><br />
<b>You looked fear in the eyes and made friends with her!</b><br />
<b>You shooshed your inner demon talk! You leaped out of your "Who am I to attempt this..."talk!</b><br />
<b>Wow, this is what Adventure Day is all about!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>I hope you will join us for the next one!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><a href="http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/adventure-day-kiss-your-excuses-goodbye-become-your-own-inspiration-tickets-17785955271" target="_blank">Get your ticket here!</a></b><br />
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<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-29961171718028555572015-05-20T10:19:00.000-07:002015-05-21T22:23:45.441-07:00A Day out at the Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Howdy y'all!<br />
Two years ago The Best Man of All and I stood in line to watch <a href="http://veryberryextraordinary.blogspot.ca/2013/05/about-broncos-crabs.html" target="_blank">our first ever rodeo show together.</a> Two years ago all tickets were gone by the time we reached the booth.<br />
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This year, thanks to a media pass, I got full access to the show!<br />
This is me, with another man: My buddy JR, <a href="http://www.jrmedia.ca/" target="_blank">aka Justin Ruscheinski</a>, photographer extraordinaire! (note: the photos you are about to see are all courtesy of Justin)!<br />
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And what a show it was!<br />
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Talk about high calibre performance! Everything from tear jerking National anthems,<br />
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stupid clowning around (yep, not a huge fan of clowns),<br />
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barrel racing<br />
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to brave men on bucking horses and bulls, this show had it all.<br />
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You might think the folks over at Cirque du Soleil have all the right moves, rodeo cowboys are a breed of their own. They are as flexible as any circus gymnast.<br />
Most of us were sitting at the edge of our seat during the rodeo/bull riding performances.<br />
The guy next to me shook his head in disbelief! Over and over again he told me: "This can't be good for your body!"<br />
Sure it's not, but so isn't <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badwater_Ultramarathon" target="_blank">Ultra marathon running</a> through the Grand Canyon either.<br />
Or wanting to beat the Guinness Book of World Record in pie eating!<br />
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It comes down to passion, living the dream or even wanting to win the prize money. At <a href="http://www.cloverdalerodeo.com/rodeo-and-country-fair/" target="_blank">Cloverdale's Rodeo & Country Fair, the amount was $38.000!</a><br />
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The rule of a rodeo is simple to follow:<br />
Stay on your horse as long as possible (for 8 seconds to be precise)!<br />
Hold on with one hand only!<br />
If you fall off get up and run!<br />
Run as fast as possible away from the bucking horse!<br />
Your life depends on it!<br />
Simple!<br />
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The rodeo in Cloverdale is the second biggest in all of Canada. Only <a href="http://www.calgarystampede.com/stampede" target="_blank">The Calgary Stampede</a> is bigger!<br />
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And yep, I am happy we only drove 35 minutes to get here.<br />
The Fair is OK, still it's a fair. You either love one or you don't!<br />
I love the notion of "been to one, been to all."<br />
But then I've never seen this before, how genius!<br />
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It's all about too country for me! But then, I really, really loved the rodeo.<br />
Does that mean there is a bit of Redneck running through my Germanic veins?<br />
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<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-90490660566356421392015-02-25T09:27:00.000-08:002015-02-25T09:28:05.664-08:00SOCIAL MEDIA MASTERY CONFERENCE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love men!<br />
I love their physical strength! I love their courtesy! I love how they get out of their way to make me feel comfortable!<br />
OK, OK, you got me! I just described The Best Man of All (husband) and my father!<br />
Joke aside, I do love men! Especially the way they think! It's all about logic and practicality for them! Nothing is too complicated! Men just figure stuff out!<br />
For example, send a man Christmas or food shopping and he will be back within the hour. Full shopping bags included!<br />
Men could have invented one-stop-shopping (did they?) They don't do what we women do, like comparing prices, cutting out coupons, strategically planning our trip and squeezing in a coffee date.<br />
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The way we shop is definitely much more adventurous than how guys go about it! However, they spend so much less time than we do!<br />
As I said, it's one-stop-shopping-for them!<br />
And given the chance, I will do the same!<br />
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But I am getting off topic- what I really wanted to tell you about is<br />
<a href="http://smmastery.com/" target="_blank"><b>The Social Media Mastery Conference</b></a> held in Vancouver on Saturday, Feb. 21 2015 at the gorgeous <a href="http://diamondballroom.ca/" target="_blank">Diamond Ballroom + Catering</a> in Vancouver!<br />
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And yes, you guessed right, this conference is the brain child of a man!<br />
<a href="http://daddyblogger.com/" target="_blank"><b>Mr. Ricky Shetty</b></a>, ueber blogger and community builder from Vancouver!<br />
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In true male fashion he organised this one-stop-shopping for us social media enthusiasts, novices and experts alike!<br />
Mr. Shetty made it easy for all of us:<br />
One day, eight hours, 10 speakers, ten subjects!<br />
In between presentations we were treated to a few minutes of gentle stretching and some cheerful music!<br />
Here are the experts who dazzled, educated and impressed:<br />
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Facebook <a href="http://www.webfriendly.ca/" target="_blank">(Matt Astifan)</a><br />
Google +<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/castillomichelle" target="_blank"> Michelle Costillo</a><br />
Pinterest <a href="http://www.mcngmarketing.com/" target="_blank">Vincent Ng</a><br />
Linked In <a href="http://wendymcclelland.com/" target="_blank">Wendy McClelland</a><br />
Instagram <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cadijordan" target="_blank">Cadi Jordan</a><br />
Snapchat <a href="http://wemakestuffhappen.com/author/jonathan/" target="_blank">Jonathan Christian</a><br />
Twitter <a href="http://www.kattstearns.com/" target="_blank">Katt Stearns</a><br />
Hootsuite <a href="https://hootsuite.com/about" target="_blank">Kemp Edmonds</a><br />
You Tube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dottotech" target="_blank">Steve Dotto</a><br />
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In good female fashion I picked and chose what I needed, wanted to listen to and love. In my case it was Facebook, You Yube and LinkedIn!<br />
What can I say? I love <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/dottotech" target="_blank"><b>Mr. Steve Dotto!</b></a> Even if half the time I have no clue what he is talking about in his<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UKc038dZHE" target="_blank"> Dottotech episodes</a>! I like listening to him anyway, he has a fun presentation style - on and off screen!<br />
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I was all ears during <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MattsMedia?fref=ts" target="_blank">Mr. Astifan's</a> </b>(Facebook) talk- and followed one of his recommendation as soon as I got home (completed my profile!)<br />
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Linked In is always a good one because it's all about sophisticated business over there! <b><a href="http://wendymcclelland.com/linkedin-deep-dive-fall-back-discount/" target="_blank">Wendy McClelland</a> </b>tips included to say <b><i>Thank you</i></b> after somebody connected with us!<br />
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<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/categories/everything/" target="_blank"> Pinterest?</a> Uhhh, this platform scares me! Why? Because I get so intimidated by all the beautiful, gorgeous photos everybody is posting! Nope, not for me!<br />
However, <a href="http://www.mcngmarketing.com/" target="_blank"><b>Vincent Ng</b></a> was so eloquently spoken, I sat up straight in my chair. I even promised myself to at least check out the site and give it a go!<br />
One click at the gorgeous, beautiful pics and I went straight back to my trusted friend facebook! Nope, Pinterest is not for me! My photos don't look half this good! Facebook, you and me, we will stay together!<br />
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And for the rest?<br />
Unfortunately I can't tell you too much about the other presentations- but I am sure they were as awesome, informative and fun to listen to as the ones I just mentioned!<br />
In true female fashion I took the liberty to go my own way. It was just too awesome to run into so many old and new friends.<br />
No wonder I couldn't sit still. There was always somebody to greet, meet, chat to, catch up with or get to know:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitB4NFWMvI3RwyM7su5YABPR8CIU6N_9UCGkqZJsRVPcUvQwaXsO3x9pqNpHFweGjtwEIQJZIuteG6uY8r1A__P-o1aImN0_OrFAWKh9mhU_GdI-Uoui-7OIR7ckGMBMNdSrLwAFxH_U4/s1600/IMAG0447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitB4NFWMvI3RwyM7su5YABPR8CIU6N_9UCGkqZJsRVPcUvQwaXsO3x9pqNpHFweGjtwEIQJZIuteG6uY8r1A__P-o1aImN0_OrFAWKh9mhU_GdI-Uoui-7OIR7ckGMBMNdSrLwAFxH_U4/s1600/IMAG0447.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Ms Tazeem Jamal</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYO_apbw3Pe-iwcqqYgGKNp94X2IYKV8A9Bo46kbp7-M7DdWnsM2stfYxi2mNO4XSh62DAP31DKRnFgmHo0XaL0T9xA-6vtEtNmThAscC3n746ys20rnJnbXLhtWnHgDhJ1CiX2QwDbY/s1600/IMAG0465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYO_apbw3Pe-iwcqqYgGKNp94X2IYKV8A9Bo46kbp7-M7DdWnsM2stfYxi2mNO4XSh62DAP31DKRnFgmHo0XaL0T9xA-6vtEtNmThAscC3n746ys20rnJnbXLhtWnHgDhJ1CiX2QwDbY/s1600/IMAG0465.jpg" height="320" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anne Shetty, the gorgeous wife of our ueber blogger!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-okNB9zSV3L0t9Xz2-zZvNIxVLID_cNtDcH-pJ7DU5ZgfZHjrBDkJpCvuTqrOJYvPyrDzYBKLiewq3D7jGk9TrOa-6aXIhZbjSMpgtT7CTZFpUdHt5u3ksIVz9g8im6Z3n3LhFl6hDU/s1600/IMAG0456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-okNB9zSV3L0t9Xz2-zZvNIxVLID_cNtDcH-pJ7DU5ZgfZHjrBDkJpCvuTqrOJYvPyrDzYBKLiewq3D7jGk9TrOa-6aXIhZbjSMpgtT7CTZFpUdHt5u3ksIVz9g8im6Z3n3LhFl6hDU/s1600/IMAG0456.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With photographer Alan Katowitz</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwb5RpWdmREMEnbMuBSPQozLUW-OCadG2L3XxeGt4vSf1O9WGn7BFbXKhRAfPSbeOYpbK3bz-wEYBOLRVh2cajQ2xmK_DfJPUNZUqlxeX3c_-HuMDU4Gqd-ZD5gsMYJg9raTDLN9uSDRk/s1600/IMAG0459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwb5RpWdmREMEnbMuBSPQozLUW-OCadG2L3XxeGt4vSf1O9WGn7BFbXKhRAfPSbeOYpbK3bz-wEYBOLRVh2cajQ2xmK_DfJPUNZUqlxeX3c_-HuMDU4Gqd-ZD5gsMYJg9raTDLN9uSDRk/s1600/IMAG0459.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. David Dyer</td></tr>
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The part were the presenters sold from stage wasn't too bad, awkward or even painful!<br />
Not everybody did it and the ones who did kept it in moderation- a book here, a course there- a freebie here! Not too bad!<br />
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All in all, the day was one stop-shopping at its best!<br />
The location was easy accessible, the parking fee was inexpensive ($4.00/day), the information was easy to digest! In other words, it was a smorgasbord of useful information!<br />
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Unfortunately I had to leave before Mr. Hootsuite had his turn and the panel of experts had their last chance to impress us all!<br />
Well, a mother is still a mother- I needed to get back to our kiddos. And all good adventures, as wild or crazy, tame or informative have to come to an end!<br />
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I will leave you with this one tidbit: When it comes to learning about social media, go and find yourself at the next<br />
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What is your preferred social media platform? And why do you like it? Are you a tweeter? If yes, please convince me why I should start tweeting! Thanks for your pearls (of wisdom)!<br />
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<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-88166687069490608342015-01-17T14:26:00.000-08:002015-01-25T14:37:17.371-08:00Living The Exciting, Charged Life in 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>You don't need to be rich, beautiful or famous to live the exciting, charged life!</b></span></span><br />
<b>To prove this theory to myself I am conducting yearly experiments called</b><br />
<b> 52 New Experiences!</b><br />
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For the third year running I made the conscious decision to say <span style="color: red;"><b>YES</b></span> to anything I've never done before in my life! Even if it gave me shivers, cost more than I would normally spend or it drove me bananas (like finding a free parking spot in downtown Vancouver)!<br />
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After I started it was so easy to keep on going, seeking out small challenges on a -nearly- daily basis! Believe it or not, I ended up with over 100 new memories in my life!<br />
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Allow me to inspire you with these everyday adventures for bright, shiny, exciting, everyday living!<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">I loved my vibrant life full of new adventure in 2014 because</span></u></b><br />
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It made me sweat during<br />
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- <a href="http://www.goodlifefitness.com/fitness-classes/cardio/shbam.aspx" target="_blank">SHBam</a> dance -<br />
- Body Flow -<br />
- Yoga - classes.<br />
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- I had the opportunity to 'fight' with land developers.<br />
- Listened to School board hearings,<br />
- Fed The homeless on Hastings with <a href="http://youtu.be/hqZW-1RginE" target="_blank">Jackie Maclean</a><br />
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- Sold <a href="http://www.kicslemonade.ca/" target="_blank">Kics lemonade</a> with my friend Karen Butler Curtis.<br />
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- Power walked up the Coquitlam Crunch<br />
- Went <a href="http://veryberryextraordinary.blogspot.ca/2014/07/honey-lets-leave-kids-we-are-going.html" target="_blank">White water Rafting</a> not just once, here with Daddy <a href="http://daddyblogger.com/" target="_blank">Blogger Ricky Shetty</a><br />
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<br />
but twice. This one was a weekend getaway (the Best ever)! Read <a href="http://veryberryextraordinary.blogspot.ca/2014/07/honey-lets-leave-kids-we-are-going.html" target="_blank">about it here,</a> it's funny!<br />
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<br />
- Cycled in sweltering heat to <a href="http://wcgg.ca/swan_home/" target="_blank">Swan-E Set Golf course</a><br />
- Sweated more during our One month blogger challenge at <a href="http://www.fitwells.ca/" target="_blank">Fitwell's</a><br />
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<br />
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><u>It tasted good:</u></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span></b>
During visits to<br />
- Joey's Restaurant<br />
<a href="http://www.eastiseast.ca/" target="_blank">East is East</a> during my first ever <a href="http://www.meetup.com/YVR-Foodies/" target="_blank">YVR Foodie </a>event<br />
- <a href="http://www.fiveguys.com/menu.aspx" target="_blank">5-Guys</a><br />
- I ate Snap pea Crisps<br />
- Maple flavoured salmon<br />
- Clams<br />
- Drank rice milk<br />
- Almond milk<br />
- Ate a dragon fruit<br />
- Baked blueberry muffins<br />
- Ventured into a Gluten-free bakery and sampled gluten- and dairy free apple cake.<br />
- Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream at <a href="http://www.lacasagelato.com/" target="_blank">La Casa Gelato</a>, - the place with over 200 flavours!<br />
<br />
<b><u>Proved to myself it is a mind over matter affair during my</u></b><br />
<br />
- 3- day cleanse in January and<br />
- 21 day cleanse in July<br />
<br />
<b><u>I became more tech-savvy</u></b>:<br />
Finally figured out<br />
<br />
- How to tag individuals on Facebook.<br />
- How to use Canva.com<br />
- How to use Paint<br />
- How to create a banner for You Tube<br />
- How to create a video in only two takes<br />
- How to become a You Tube partner<br />
- How to use Airb'nB.<br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">It took me places:</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
- Art gallery cafe in Vancouver<br />
- Fan Expo at Exhibition center<br />
- Waikiki, Honolulu, Oahu<br />
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<br />
- Business Excellence Seminar<br />
- Vogue Theatre to listen to <a href="http://www.vancouverbiennale.com/event/oliver-stone/" target="_blank">Oliver Stone.</a><br />
- Startled by the view of the Wishpond offices in downtown Vancity.<br />
- Explored <a href="http://www.downtownchilliwack.com/" target="_blank">downtown Chilliwack</a><br />
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<br />
- Visited our local Chances Casino.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/republicofdoyle/" target="_blank">Check it out here please!</a></span>
<b><u><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Offered opportunities to shine:</span></u></b><br />
<br />
- Contributed a chapter to my girl friends e-book!<br />
- Presented <b>Kiss your Excuses Goodbye</b> twice at the YWCA in Vancouver.<br />
- Spoke at the YWCA gala.<br />
- Met my first real TV stars, the crew of " <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/republicofdoyle/" target="_blank">Republic of Doyl</a>'' and had the honour to interview them!!!<br />
- Dazzled during a live radio interview for radio North Carolina.<br />
- Appeared on my <a href="http://youtu.be/04WBpl8KvrY" target="_blank">1. google hang-out.</a><br />
- Got interviewed by Michael Clogs for his <a href="http://youtu.be/DCNqsAoY3lU" target="_blank">Business Expert Show!</a><br />
- Wrote my first articles for <a href="http://www.hellovancity.com/events/flyover-canada-soarin-halloween-fun/" target="_blank">Hello Vancity.</a><br />
- Started my monthly column <b>Kiss &Tell</b> for<a href="http://www.entrepreneurmindworld.com/current-issue.html" target="_blank"> Entrepreneurial Mind World</a> (scroll down, you will see me)!<br />
- Presented at the October <a href="http://youtu.be/EmSNiBfONq4" target="_blank">YVR blogger event.</a><br />
- Added some sparkle during the Video Mastery course (twice that is).<br />
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<br />
- Created a video for an audience of 5000 Brazilian parents.<br />
- Shared life tid bits during three presentations at my former high school.<br />
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<br />
- Made my parents and guests laugh during their 50 wedding anniversary party!<br />
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<br />
- Interviewed the <a href="http://youtu.be/GEKgaAa0M5A" target="_blank">mayor of Maple Ridge</a><br />
- Our youngest son Cruz produced our <a href="http://youtu.be/TkxIemh12t4" target="_blank">Family movie.</a><br />
- Officially launched my book "<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Strawberry-Lounge-Story-Business-Motherpreneur/dp/1460203690" target="_blank">The Strawberry Lounge Story"</a></b>,<br />
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<br />
- Got interviewed by PR lady extraordinaire <a href="http://www.vancouverobserver.com/contributors/alice-zhou" target="_blank">Alice Zhou.</a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>It added adventure during</b></span><br />
<br />
- a snowmobile ride at Mt. Baker.<br />
- a Meditation<br />
- a Tide Rope walk at Loon Lake<br />
- a visit to the<a href="http://www.canadianflight.org/" target="_blank"> Aviation museum</a> in Langley<br />
- Started the journey of becoming a kick-ass interviewer for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MotherpreneurTV" target="_blank">Motherpreneur TV.</a><br />
- filming for our son's high school production of Spamalot.<br />
<br />
- We skied at<a href="http://www.bigwhite.com/mountain-info/mountain-reports/daily-snow-report/" target="_blank"> Big White and</a><br />
- autsch, I face planted!<br />
- Cleaned and gutted fish.<br />
- Sat through a whole evening of School of Rock performers (Loud!!!).<br />
- Interviewed my first World Champion record holder, <a href="http://youtu.be/sQ7ISmMzUSU" target="_blank">Croix Sather for MP TV</a><br />
- Visited Tuscan Island <a href="http://youtu.be/CqR0pOqexSM" target="_blank">Horse Farm in Abbotsford</a> (and went horse back riding for course)<br />
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<br />
- Watched a <a href="http://youtu.be/_IKppTL_M1w" target="_blank">roller derby tournament</a> in Cloverdale<br />
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<br />
- Explored <a href="http://www.pne.ca/" target="_blank">the PNE</a> in Vancouver!<br />
- Filmed during Elaine Tan Comeau's (<a href="http://youtu.be/oYZLCSz4kfM" target="_blank">Mompreneur of the year 2014)</a> calender launch<br />
- Strolled alone <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Eastside" target="_blank">along E-Hastings</a> at night!<br />
- Paid taxes for the sale of my coffee shop, Strawberry Lounge (Hurrah, finally free!)<br />
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<br />
- Cut my hair short!<br />
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<br />
- Got a new, high tech phone<br />
- Added a different hair colour<br />
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<br />
- Met two of my virtual connections from LinkedIn in real life, Angie and Sim of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WiiseWomensNetwork?fref=ts" target="_blank">WIISE</a> woman network:<br />
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<br />
- Bleached our oldest son's hair<br />
- Swam at the Coquitlam Aquatic Center<br />
- Walked the labyrinth in <a href="http://www.surreyunitarians.ca/21-the-labyrinth-in-fleetwood-gardens" target="_blank">Fleetwood Gardens, Surrey, B.C.</a><br />
- Participated <a href="http://youtu.be/7DdsPeIk05Y" target="_blank">in ALS Ice bucket challenge</a><br />
- Splashed down at <a href="http://www.splashdownpark.ca/" target="_blank">Splashdown Water Park</a><br />
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- Swam in a different part of <a href="http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/explore/vancouver/fraser_valley/alouette.htm" target="_blank">Alouette lake</a><br />
- Kayaked along Belcarra's shoreline<br />
- Went monkeys at <a href="http://www.wildplay.com/parks/mapleridge" target="_blank">Wild Play</a><br />
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<br />
- Walked along a Dirt Bike Rd into the big unknown along 256 Street in Maple Ridge<br />
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Learnt during: </span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
- "Change your Habit, change your life"- event.<br />
- Hosted and survived three teenage parties.<br />
- Discovered <a href="http://www.meetup.com/DWAinBC/" target="_blank">Dynamic Women in Action</a> - meet-up.<br />
- Went to Valley Women Lunch network.<br />
- Visited the Canadian Marketing Summit.<br />
- Filmed during "<a href="http://youtu.be/SSgy1jhe4uI" target="_blank">Illuminate your Life Retreat</a>".<br />
- Visited the "Sizzling Sales show".<br />
- Visited a Private Art show<br />
- <a href="http://youtu.be/OocOj6M5Gkc" target="_blank">Created an abstract painting.</a><br />
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<br />
- Visited a<a href="http://consciousdivas.com/living-extraordinary-2014" target="_blank"> Conscious Divas </a>- event.<br />
- Sorted bottles during a Bottle drive for our soccer team.<br />
- Listened to the presenters at <a href="http://globalcivic.org/public-salons/" target="_blank">Public Salon</a><br />
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<br />
- Witnessed the arrival of the Christmas train.<br />
- Finally figured out how the game of Darts is being played!<br />
- <a href="http://www.kimlouiseeasterbrook.com/" target="_blank">Kim Louise Easterbrook </a> introduced me to numerology! <a href="http://youtu.be/f947y77-O5U" target="_blank">WooHoo, what a revelation!</a><br />
<br />
<b>Yes, here is the proof: </b><br />
<b>One doesn't need to be rich, famous or beautiful to live the exciting, vibrant, fully charged life!</b><br />
<b>My new experiences have started for 2015. Will you join me for this fantastic, fun-filled ride? All you need to do and say is YES whenever something new comes along!</b><br />
<b>Did I hear you say YES? Welcome to the family! </b><br />
<b>I look forward to hearing your stories...don't be shy! </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
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<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-63114632798301193222014-11-30T21:53:00.000-08:002014-11-30T21:56:00.644-08:00From the Dinner Table to Vancouver Playhouse: PUBLIC SALON<br />
Fun and adventure can be found at the most unlikely places.<br />
In front of our door step so to speak.<br />
Fun can be found during a stroll through your own neighbourhood, on a snow covered trail hike or watching and listening to eight speakers working their magic during an evening of the 20th <a href="http://globalcivic.org/public-salons/" target="_blank">Public Salon</a> at the <a href="http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/vancouver-playhouse.aspx" target="_blank">Vancouver Playhouse!</a><br />
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Vancouver's population is as diverse at a good artisan bread shop: immigrants from all around the globe and locals alike can be found here! Each and every one of them carries their own, unique story.<br />
Most Vancouverites are fond of community building. The buzz words are Shop local, Eat local, Support local! Platforms for sharing community building inspiration can be found everywhere. Like the one I am going to tell you about.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FldeOAHrxQgnxgqLwVq44w8tSgvt-nJFHGOCZapvOeaHAMFafmkB9z3xdu2bubZMO4sZyepX-D_sgWBGGN7sUrM-V_ar2EYYt65AsMdzJ4i3Ia6Ip2PrsjJT_N-5vszZeBNkS90ZHao/s1600/Opening.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FldeOAHrxQgnxgqLwVq44w8tSgvt-nJFHGOCZapvOeaHAMFafmkB9z3xdu2bubZMO4sZyepX-D_sgWBGGN7sUrM-V_ar2EYYt65AsMdzJ4i3Ia6Ip2PrsjJT_N-5vszZeBNkS90ZHao/s1600/Opening.JPG" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://globalcivic.org/public-salons/about/" target="_blank">Public Salon</a> is similar to a TEDx event, several speakers, all on a mission to make their community a better place to live in!<br />
Public Salon is the brainchild of <a href="http://globalcivic.org/public-salons/about/" target="_blank">Mr. Sam Sullivan</a>, former Mayor of Vancouver and Ms <a href="http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=0c658f8a-8453-445c-a7c5-a7f464c5b4d8" target="_blank">Lynn Zanatta.</a> For over 10 years they hosted private dinner parties at their home and invited a diverse (eclectic?) group of individuals to share their individual views, experiences, world view and passion with each other. As you know, the best conversations always happen over a shared meal with a few glasses of tongue loosing beverages!<br />
<br />
Instead of being invited into the private dinning room of the couple we were invited into the Vancouver Playhouse to listen and watch eight speakers, dancers and musicians!<br />
Here is how the 20th Public Salon looked like:<br />
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A welcome dance,<br />
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And now, my friend Vicki and |I, ready to get dazzled:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcjpQy9vgkvsTfAFBqZ64Tzr5ys69bRzHKJGa9_FSH21ChY4pmiv27IGkatMWEiP2SZCi8eLWP7XqzEVyKRub0QpdWvLbNy_xy3OAZWPP3eQXY9KI4N1Ncp_CtXwO_whlE5mVR7xE7OA/s1600/VickiandI.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcjpQy9vgkvsTfAFBqZ64Tzr5ys69bRzHKJGa9_FSH21ChY4pmiv27IGkatMWEiP2SZCi8eLWP7XqzEVyKRub0QpdWvLbNy_xy3OAZWPP3eQXY9KI4N1Ncp_CtXwO_whlE5mVR7xE7OA/s1600/VickiandI.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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But before the action starts, a few shots from the crowd - and what a shame, they didn't turn out well, too dark!</div>
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The line-up included<br />
<a href="http://www.mohamedassani.com/" target="_blank">Mohamed Assani</a>- Sitarist - Music teacher who teaches Indian Music at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music. (What an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitar" target="_blank">interesting instrument,</a>. My son plays the guitar, five strings is enough for him)!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWpk9bdcP29skV5O2hYB0CDBSm1E6FWW1Sofc9Mg3OvDkLdxdGbsNQYbBxCiURb53JdgWjivY-T-_nvJ7uzK4tehdGW9YJMg0km72SEOxzR2_7-AAixmE-AsrEdjfgGsev0hr7iS0NbU/s1600/Chinese+Lady.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWpk9bdcP29skV5O2hYB0CDBSm1E6FWW1Sofc9Mg3OvDkLdxdGbsNQYbBxCiURb53JdgWjivY-T-_nvJ7uzK4tehdGW9YJMg0km72SEOxzR2_7-AAixmE-AsrEdjfgGsev0hr7iS0NbU/s1600/Chinese+Lady.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Dr. Lance Barrett Lennard, Director of the <a href="http://www.vanaqua.org/" target="_blank">Vancouver Aqaeium's </a>Marine Mammal Research Program - interesting stuff about the health of killer whales.<br />
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Martha Carter, <a href="http://martamartaproductions.com/" target="_blank">Choreographer</a><br />
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More entertainment was provided by Ms. Becky Wenham, playing her cello while dancer Hayden Fong put his talents on show:<br />
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Furthermore we had Mr. Paul Draggan, "<a href="http://reckless.ca/" target="_blank">Reckless Bike"</a>shop owner. On a mission to get Vancouverites on a bike.<br />
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Genevieve Ennis Hume, of <a href="http://humeatelier.com/" target="_blank">Hume Atelier,</a> specialises in custom made jewellery Their atelier supports artisanal miners.<br />
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Ms Kwiaahwah Jones of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haida_people" target="_blank">Haida</a> and Nishgaa descent<br />
is the curator of the <a href="http://www.billreidgallery.ca/" target="_blank">Bill Reid Gallery</a>. This First Nations woman put her love for native art on display:<br />
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Claudia Li, Co-founder of <a href="http://www.huafoundation.org/" target="_blank">HUA foundation</a> (dedicated to creating solutions for the Hua, ethnic Chinese community). She read us a letter, addressed to her grandma, revealing her years of struggle: torn between meeting expectations of her demanding parents and finding her own voice and way in Canada.<br />
And last but not least it was<br />
Jason Lindstorm of <a href="http://www.bucketlist.org/" target="_blank">Bucket List.org</a>. Bucket List is one of the largest data bases of life goals on the web with over one million visitors per year. Funny story about Jason wanted to meet Richard Brenson- and just like that, Voila, Sir Richard kite surfed right into his arm and needed to be rescued by Jason!<br />
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As I just said, as diverse as Vancouver's population!<br />
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Nothing was too heavy to digest, too complicated to understand, too controversial or mind blowing. It was a representation of what Vancouver stands for and represents: Nice people supporting their local community,<br />
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<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-4339843788557763722014-11-05T23:39:00.000-08:002014-11-05T23:39:39.352-08:00VANCOUVER: Follow your Dream...<b>just like Russian immigrant <a href="http://vimeo.com/tag:anastasia+modestova" target="_blank">Anastasia Modestova</a> did.</b><br />
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How and why did she give up everything - her job, status, connections and money - only to create "<a href="http://www.movieaboutyou.com/" target="_blank">Movie About You</a>", her own video production company here in Vancouver?<br />
Find out here:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/vgb9OTMjP9U?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br />
We immigrants have our personal reasons why we came to Canada:<br />
Some of us came for love.<br />
For some it was the promise of a better life.<br />
And others came for adventure, just like us! <br />
<br />
However, I am not here to write about my family.<br />
I am here to introduce to you a fellow immigrant, Anastasia Modestova, one smart, highly educated, hard working, high achiever from Russia. Back in her home country she was a successful, well paid marketing director. This job offered everything a young, professional woman could wish for: Success, status, connections and lots of money!<br />
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No wonder Anastasia wanted to continue her life style upon arrival to Canada.<br />
But guess what: Just because you are a hot shot in your country doesn't make you a hot shot in Canada.<br />
You know what they say: Different rules for different countries- or something like that!<br />
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The only way to be considered as a job candidate for a high end marketing position was with a completed MBA program (Masters of Business Administration).<br />
Within one year, lots of will power and hard work the mission was completed and Anastasia landed a position as marketing director for a start-up company in Vancouver.<br />
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She did it again: Success, connections, status and money were hers again.<br />
Now here comes the crazy part: Within four months she quit- just like this.<br />
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With four cold beer bottles in her bag she came home one Friday afternoon and told her husband: "I quit"- as I told you, just like that!<br />
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Is this lady crazy? Or true to herself?<br />
How could she give up something she wanted to badly, she worked so hard for?<br />
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Well, her new marketing career didn't feed her soul or nourished her heart. She was craving <b>freedom,</b> <b>beauty</b> and <b>creativity</b> in her life. Still, would you give it all away for a feeling?<br />
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Can you imagine doing the same thing?<br />
Creating videos was a dream for her- and she made it happen.<br />
No, she never sat foot into a film or editing school. Everything she does is self taught. One relentless learner and achiever she is!<br />
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Nobody ever said it would be easy to make changes in life. If we want to say YES to create more fun, adventure or opportunities in our live we need to make sacrifices and keep on pushing through the hard times.<br />
I know, I know, it's easier said than done. But then, if it's easy everybody would do it and were is the fun and adventure in that one?<br />
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And if you didn't watch the video, here are Anastasia's three top tips to make the leap from secure job to starting your own, fat dream:<br />
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- <b>Follow your heart</b><br />
<b>- Remember your marketing</b><br />
<b>- Invest your time and energy wisely, network well.</b><br />
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On this note I want to leave you with Anastasia's quote:<br />
"<b>Do what you love-</b><br />
<b>not what you are best at!"</b><br />
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<b>Do you agree? </b><br />
<b>What is your success story?- I know you have one, please share with us! I look forward to reading your stories!</b><br />
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<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-32393781446169950232014-10-16T16:02:00.001-07:002014-10-16T16:12:40.907-07:00CONSCIOUS DIVAS: THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE of being ORDINARY Or is it the other way around?<br />
<b>Is it the ordinary life of being extraordinary?</b><br />
<br />
Regardless of how we slice it, <b>being extraordinary is cool</b>- it is the buzz word, it is the aim of each and every one of us!<br />
Take a moment, close your eyes and reflect on your life!<br />
Did you stand on top of The Eifel Tower, or on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro?<br />
Have you ever experienced the thrill of going diving with sharks, sliding down one of the biggest, longest, scariest water slides in the world? Yes? No?<br />
Does this mean you are / are not <b>extraordinary?</b><br />
<br />
Rubbish!<br />
Of course you are!<br />
We all are!<br />
And not only this:<br />
It is always the small stuff that makes l<b>ife extraordinary! </b><br />
It's the small stuff inside <b>YOU</b> that makes <b>YOU </b>extraordinary!<br />
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It's not so much your achievement - the stuff you portrait to the outside world, it's the twinkle in your eyes, the way you say "I love you", the way you hold hands with your children, the way you write a letter, the way you muster any situation in life...in other words the way you do things makes you extraordinary!<br />
This is my definition of <b>being extraordinary!</b> What is yours?<br />
Not quite sure about it? Let me help you out:<br />
<br />
Here in Vancouver we have an event that focuses on <b>Being Extraordinary</b>, called <a href="http://consciousdivas.com/consciousdivas-blog" target="_blank">Conscious Divas</a>:<br />
<img src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=acae68bd25&view=fimg&th=148d7346a0387b51&attid=0.1.1&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ9yYfWFxrD6vC3wnNoeYtC3xdltNH4NgYRyGWc-iAQglJIvflQTrIj4L9xNcwJGzPz13ZWJtwjM2UC9sdaPoVPdm2DCOCPjN72BHE1dfyPOg2GHuWwMVk6dt_8&sz=-w1600-h1000&ats=1413498204458&rm=148d7346a0387b51&zw&atsh=1" /><br />
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Founder <a href="http://consciousdivas.com/admin/everyday-goddess-kate-muker" target="_blank">Kate Muker</a> has created this event "<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;">to provide a platform that inspires and empowers women to be extraordinary versions of themselves by connecting within to discover their authentic path, speak their truth and live their dreams. We are a community for conscious women who value inner growth, have a desire to passionately live life without excuses and step into their power; expressing authenticity, feminine essence and uniqueness."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;">On Tuesday, October 22 you can be part of this <b>extraordinary </b>event about<b> being extraordinary!</b> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;">However, this is not only for women, aka <b>Divas!</b> Men, aka </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;"><b>Divos</b> are also welcome!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;"><br /></span>
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<h1 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0.67em 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #9e3e93; font-size: 42px;">Join Conscious Divas for<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Living Extraordinary</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #9e3e93; font-size: 42px;">! </span></h1>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #008ead; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; text-align: center;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">10 local luminaries. 7 minutes each. 1 shared vision.</strong></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; text-align: center;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Tuesday, Oct 21st, 2014 at 6:30-9:30pm</strong><br />
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Location:</strong> Imperial Theatre, 319 Main Street, Vancouver, BC</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; text-align: center;">
I so want to listen to this. Do you want to join me and app. 400 other attendees? It is not too late yet!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; text-align: center;">
The good folks at<a href="http://consciousdivas.com/admin/living-extraordinary-2014" target="_blank"> Conscious Divas</a> will give you a 25% discount if you type in your promo code "<b>My Friend"</b> .</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; text-align: center;">
Go to <a href="http://consciousdivas.com/admin/living-extraordinary-2014" target="_blank">their site</a> to purchase your ticket!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ConsciousDivas?ref=br_tf" target="_blank">Click here</a> to find them on Facebook</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; text-align: center;">
or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/723071324407591/?context=create&source=49" target="_blank">here for their </a>Facebook event page.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; text-align: center;">
The tweeters can follow on Twitter:@conscious_divas</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: Raleway, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; text-align: center;">
So much for reading about an extraordinary event. Now go out there and let your own "<b>extraordinaryness</b>"shine through! See ya' next Tuesday!</div>
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Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-11919372257559460152014-10-10T16:02:00.000-07:002014-10-10T16:02:13.804-07:00THE GYM, A DIFFERENT KIND of FUN + ADVENTUREat<br />
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<img alt="logo" src="http://fitwells.ca/images/logos/logo.png" /></div>
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<br />
Here is my take on going to the gym or the fitness centre: I don't do them!<br />
For 13 glorious years I gave fitness classes around the world. Let's call them the fittest, most active, most tiring years of my life. And to this day I pride myself of being pretty fit (not as fit as I used to be, still...) with a six pack (truth needs to be told). Since I left my fitness career I haven't seen or felt the urge to go back. This mother is highly motivated to follow her own workout regime! And whenever I do I trial class somewhere I'm nagged out cause the instructor is lame, doesn't spin with the music or worse still, the fitness centre signed up the the "Les Mills- dumbing down of the masses" program.<br />
Anyhow, there comes a time when even the hardest of die-hards softens up and says yes to a wonderful opportunity to visit one of the local fitness centres.<br />
I had the pleasure to receive a complimentary VIP pass for<br />
<img alt="logo" src="http://fitwells.ca/images/logos/logo.png" /><br />
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I always thought this particular one in <a href="http://fitwells.ca/" target="_blank">Maple Ridge</a> is so conveniently located between Blenz Coffee (does caramel flavoured, Belgium chocolate infused coffee count as refuel?)<br />
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a Health Centre (you know you are in good hands) and Extra Foods. It's the perfect location for one-stop morning activities: Exercise, morning coffee and shopping!</div>
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<a href="http://fitwells.ca/" target="_blank"> Fitwells</a> is for women only. Hmm! What is wrong with having men in the gym? I love men. I like to look at them, Especially in their tight work-out gear. Men bring a different dynamic to the place. And no, I don't care if they look at my butt, This backside is the result of years and years of donkey kicks, squads and lunges-I am proud of it- so look your eyes out Giza!<br />
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Surprise surprise: I didn't miss the men at <b>Fitwells</b>.Why? <b>Fitwells</b> smells good! We women smell better than men (?) and follow instructions better: We all wipe our equipment down after each and every use. We don't stand around chitter chattering about God and the world. We might do- but as women we can do bicep curls, leg raises and story telling at the same time.<br />
Here at Fitwells we women work- that's what we are here for- in a friendly, safe, spacious, nice smelling environment.<br />
For four weeks it was a different kind of fun and adventure for me. Let me show you the fun things you can do at <a href="http://fitwells.ca/about-us" target="_blank">Fitwells:</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Group RX</td></tr>
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Exercise your heart out during XLab (a 10 station circuit! OH it hurt so good!<br />
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Curling it in the Free weight section:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMJwxL0zYuoWr0tp1XiwOohFhwJvp1sFdzPAS8LSMTSgzxqmj0kdPWXvPN-CKCWF0xwLVuitgkCvohIHZewqfXa1w5aqz4bSLfFu-4IuV8Kd94LsIQlPZ7aQeRvqw5LgckOrMVj1StZY/s1600/20140915_100104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMJwxL0zYuoWr0tp1XiwOohFhwJvp1sFdzPAS8LSMTSgzxqmj0kdPWXvPN-CKCWF0xwLVuitgkCvohIHZewqfXa1w5aqz4bSLfFu-4IuV8Kd94LsIQlPZ7aQeRvqw5LgckOrMVj1StZY/s1600/20140915_100104.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balling around</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRXUJ4Oa9d6IxuSRirnExL4QwukSCXMseT8AvDjlMRhDR84tDS0UryCPpurrcqm_AkY2dhJamTNLW-i73CDaxSmJPTg8n_6d9izF34w_W8w_rcZbxytvpOHQR39solCgwRrR3MMtpM8Q/s1600/IMG_3384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRXUJ4Oa9d6IxuSRirnExL4QwukSCXMseT8AvDjlMRhDR84tDS0UryCPpurrcqm_AkY2dhJamTNLW-i73CDaxSmJPTg8n_6d9izF34w_W8w_rcZbxytvpOHQR39solCgwRrR3MMtpM8Q/s1600/IMG_3384.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the cardio machines</td></tr>
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More torture:</div>
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A few laughs</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlsNWrIJd5CJ6YdQetkeT479yilvgXA-5EEnYFYFmB59nb3PSj_stmWAzc7JeUGkzdsP74pBsc6U1m7EsS1fYAbzJ7MtgRaz6iyPK3zNCFNTrNU7ewPU_HJCxjsVm9H4PB4n5fM66Yco/s1600/IMG_3410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlsNWrIJd5CJ6YdQetkeT479yilvgXA-5EEnYFYFmB59nb3PSj_stmWAzc7JeUGkzdsP74pBsc6U1m7EsS1fYAbzJ7MtgRaz6iyPK3zNCFNTrNU7ewPU_HJCxjsVm9H4PB4n5fM66Yco/s1600/IMG_3410.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holy smokes, this hurt!</td></tr>
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Four weeks, 2- 3 visits each week, muscle pain after each and every workout: That's what I call a successful month!<br />
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What I love best is <a href="http://fitwells.ca/bootcamp" target="_blank">Fitwells</a> doesn't follow the <a href="http://www.lesmills.com/about-us/" target="_blank"> Les Mills trend</a>, Thank you <b>Fitwells</b> for saying yes to creativity and freedom! <br />
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I can't tell you anything about the Zumba <a href="http://fitwells.ca/class-descriptions" target="_blank">classes on offer</a> - 'cause there is more of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paula_Radcliffe" target="_blank">Paula Radcliffe</a> inside me than a Shakira.<br />
Nor can I tell you about the fun <a href="http://fitwells.ca/child-minding" target="_blank">child care facility </a>on offer - my children are teenagers and can look after themselves.<br />
But what I can tell you- from a previous instructors point of view is this: The classes are professionally conducted - aka, they are fun to participate in. All instructors are approachable, friendly and knowledgeable.<br />
The space and equipment are clean, well lit and ventilated (not one smelly man / woman in sight).<br />
The front desk staff goes out of their way to help you.<br />
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It doesn't need to be long trips to foreign shores to create some adventure in your life! Sometimes a visit to the gym in your neighbourhood will do!<br />
For me it was<br />
<img alt="logo" src="http://fitwells.ca/images/logos/logo.png" /><br />
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Thank you!<br />
Well, now it's your turn to add some fun and adventure into your life- the good folks at <b>Fitwells</b> are giving away a <b>THREE MONTH </b>membership- <b>FOR FREE</b>! Yep, that's correct. All you need to do is fill out the raffle copter below to enter to win. That's all!<br />
See ya'all at the gym!<br />
Scroll down a tiny bit further and you can enter right here and now!<br />
<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-16613809580222567592014-09-01T20:17:00.002-07:002014-09-01T20:22:55.226-07:00CLIMBING HIGH, GOING MONKEYS AT WILD PLAY<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: red;">"Fun seeking, active adventurists (aka urban Tarzan's and Jane's), not afraid of heights, zip lines, swinging bridges, scrambling walls or trees are looking for playground (aka Dschungle). Able and willing to drive.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I receive requests similar to this one on a daily basis. I am a match maker! This is what I do for a living, I match individuals with their deepest desires.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This request came from the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/YVRbloggers/" target="_blank">YVR Blogger</a> group in Vancouver; like minded men and women saying yes to more fun and adventure in their life - and blog about it in the most creative, fun, heart warming, honest way imaginable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After I put on my thinking cap, spun the "Wheel of Activity" I found their perfect match:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; line-height: 1.24;">WildPlay Element Parks Maple Ridge</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.24;">Address:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.24;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.24;">23485 Fern Crescent, Maple Ridge, BC V4R 2S6 </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.24; margin-right: 4px;">Phone:</span><a class="fl r-rhscol6" data-number="+16044771197" data-rtid="rhscol6" data-ved="0CI4BEJAIKAEwDg" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" jsaction="r.oVdbr2mIpA8" jsl="$x 0;$t t-z54Ez16XnYc;$x 0;" style="background-color: white; color: #1a0dab; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.24;" title="Call via Hangouts">(604) 477-1197</a><br />
<a class="fl r-rhscol6" data-number="+16044771197" data-rtid="rhscol6" data-ved="0CI4BEJAIKAEwDg" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" jsaction="r.oVdbr2mIpA8" jsl="$x 0;$t t-z54Ez16XnYc;$x 0;" style="background-color: white; color: #1a0dab; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.24;" title="Call via Hangouts"><br /></a>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lucky me, <a href="http://www.wildplay.com/parks/mapleridge" target="_blank">Wild Play</a> is just a hop, skip and jump from my house on top of our rock, literally 500 meters above the activity park! Why am I lucky? As of last week I passed the park 2044 times already during the last 2,8 years; without ever visiting it. It turned out some things are worth waiting for; just like Wild Play. Together with 17 other Maple Ridger's and Vancouverite's I joined in the fun for sweaty palms, racing hearts, wobbly knees, screaming voices! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The motto here is: Joined adventure is better adventure! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is all of us before the height freight set in...just kidding!</span><br />
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<img alt="groupshotwp" src="http://robinwong.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/groupshotwp.jpg" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Welcome to the park:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sign your waiver form:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByOiZsmpikCVypxmLOS-eHK3hLX7cAplahq0_7mhFQeiEuwQTMr0UAdRYqRmbYkSuEYN_66AHrkHSbUFOcpjgEz0ieGVaBQnO4_TVEpdswnqY-WCNVx1ZAAGxXt3E5o-HCJh7IYQFOHQ/s1600/IMG_2932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByOiZsmpikCVypxmLOS-eHK3hLX7cAplahq0_7mhFQeiEuwQTMr0UAdRYqRmbYkSuEYN_66AHrkHSbUFOcpjgEz0ieGVaBQnO4_TVEpdswnqY-WCNVx1ZAAGxXt3E5o-HCJh7IYQFOHQ/s1600/IMG_2932.JPG" height="179" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mingle, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">from left: Ms Alice, I, Ms Leslie, Master Isaac, our instructor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Strike a pose,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">from left: Ms Melody, Ms Leslie, Ms Grace and beautiful unknown beauty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make sure you meet the height requirements, (actually, do this first before you do the rest).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Put on your harness (visit the washroom before you strap yourself in. Once you are strapped and on the course you need to hold it).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Sg1D86nlg-rLGKlyKNzlbxZ9_sLGm3ZlmE5n17pf_O8m-d_bon_doMj6enO1qQ1cy7CALwn5dxXvAdDSlPhi2Wwf-FmG0s20qYEZ78zp0AZk7dVlgvhuEKcPpRH3faOyWyWMH9ajaJw/s1600/harnessingup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Sg1D86nlg-rLGKlyKNzlbxZ9_sLGm3ZlmE5n17pf_O8m-d_bon_doMj6enO1qQ1cy7CALwn5dxXvAdDSlPhi2Wwf-FmG0s20qYEZ78zp0AZk7dVlgvhuEKcPpRH3faOyWyWMH9ajaJw/s1600/harnessingup.JPG" height="320" width="179" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Oops, my natural reaction when I see a man strapped in...)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Listen to instructions!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13D-W-OMyvI4pZ98uZFjqfUy6om4vDpmK4IfAIwxiS9yfkKQB4TJnWecaDxl7q438PrhTbesm2E6jY1s_73hCHbw4IbewKElh2OYRYvl9CgiXGN7bR3IlXsOLF_dD608kOsDacG4GS5c/s1600/IMG_2944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13D-W-OMyvI4pZ98uZFjqfUy6om4vDpmK4IfAIwxiS9yfkKQB4TJnWecaDxl7q438PrhTbesm2E6jY1s_73hCHbw4IbewKElh2OYRYvl9CgiXGN7bR3IlXsOLF_dD608kOsDacG4GS5c/s1600/IMG_2944.JPG" height="179" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Everybody who participates in the wild Wild Play activities must listen to and perform a practice run, 50 cm above the ground.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgukj1_ILkbFXPaYerZwYAHE0TWODRqAOfkAsd2pEis22RArVV5SYRnFdEKDF9P-1AEa8qeoKpmUVmRih1WJGLEHHpH5b3ETVI2wE_ndAEMdtlwno33EHttP7_P6E1kT6U3PNErBwxew/s1600/IMG_2945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgukj1_ILkbFXPaYerZwYAHE0TWODRqAOfkAsd2pEis22RArVV5SYRnFdEKDF9P-1AEa8qeoKpmUVmRih1WJGLEHHpH5b3ETVI2wE_ndAEMdtlwno33EHttP7_P6E1kT6U3PNErBwxew/s1600/IMG_2945.JPG" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You wanna play? Then you need to listen, learn and follow the golden rule for Wild Players:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>GRAB + SNAP</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5QEqo7Ppj-zV_Y4mun_XWHDE12FzhDsz0m4b4sNAwlgtZRgVakszoxq9gXhYm-AHRFkYgFcyH4Bpwqy9S44RzkFZK6q3lmrTWQ8w_rDmf0iuO07tUfeGo0GnXT5GVatSXw6o9pLtyEo/s1600/IMG_2947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5QEqo7Ppj-zV_Y4mun_XWHDE12FzhDsz0m4b4sNAwlgtZRgVakszoxq9gXhYm-AHRFkYgFcyH4Bpwqy9S44RzkFZK6q3lmrTWQ8w_rDmf0iuO07tUfeGo0GnXT5GVatSXw6o9pLtyEo/s1600/IMG_2947.JPG" height="320" width="179" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You need to grab hold of one of the lines or be snapped in the whole time you are on the course- otherwise you are out. Fair enough. The trees are mighty high, the course becomes higher, steeper and steeper and you can fall...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wild Play is divided into the adult- and kiddy section. As I participated in the 'I am tall enough" group I can't tell you anything about the young ones. Whatever I've seen of it they looked they were having fun though!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The path we followed is called <a href="http://www.wildplay.com/parks/mapleridge/monkido-classic" target="_blank">Monkido</a> <b>(the art of monkying around rediscovered)</b>, a tree top obstacle course. You get on the lowest tree, 'obstacle' your way around a few challenges and move up to the next level and so on and so forth. The grading follows the ski run system. It starts with the green course, the easiest; moves on to the blue, red and finishes with the highest, the black level. The idea is to finish the whole course within 1-3 hours. Once you have started the course there are only two zip lines that will zip you down, otherwise you are committed for the whole course.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKffLrjxFLF-45M3xrSMdqtt6Kc2lFRsWm9OFIFdcR03RGX0G2blu0n4BSd8rRFKqhfCAEbCb1tx6lRpqOyjH84mK7mEYwDFRcRVZG41X5WFsxgMRCTnCj8Vef2IMj3oI9FjO3RpKVko/s1600/hitree.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKffLrjxFLF-45M3xrSMdqtt6Kc2lFRsWm9OFIFdcR03RGX0G2blu0n4BSd8rRFKqhfCAEbCb1tx6lRpqOyjH84mK7mEYwDFRcRVZG41X5WFsxgMRCTnCj8Vef2IMj3oI9FjO3RpKVko/s1600/hitree.JPG" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the newest activities in Maple Ridge Wild Play is called </span><a href="http://www.wildplay.com/parks/mapleridge" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><b>WTF </b></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">@##@@#</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, (</span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's to Fear</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">) a clever name for a free fall from a 12 meter platform. WTF- I couldn't do it do it. And not because I was afraid, no, I needed to go back home. Back to the top of the rock to start my next adventure. This one gets a High Five with a double back flip, cream and cherry on top!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As far as I could tell we all had a great time. Some of us took it slow and steady, others did it fast and steady. All in all, it was another match made in heaven!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Don't just take my word for it, I am a huge sucker for outdoor activities- you need to zip it for yourself! Even if climbing high into the sky is not your thing...sometimes it's worth it to say yes to something new to add unexpected fun and adventure to your life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Modern Tarzan and Jane's can find <a href="http://www.wildplay.com/parks/mapleridge" target="_blank">Wild Play</a> at six locations, here in Maple Ridge, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Victoria, Mt. Sina, YT and Wood Buffalo, AB.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And to set the record straight, this trip was organized by Vancouvers Ueber blogger, </span><a href="http://daddyblogger.com/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Mr. Ricky Shetty!</a></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Furthermore, I am not a match-maker!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The rest is all factual!</b></span></div>
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<strong>OPEN DAILY</strong><br />
MONKIDO AERIAL ADVENTURE check-ins from 10:00AM to 4:00PM. </div>
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<em><strong><a href="http://www.wildplay.com/booknow" style="color: #333333;">Book online</a></strong></em> or call Guest Services at 1-855-595-2251 [9:00AM to 5:00PM Sunday - Wednesday; 9:00AM to 6:00PM Thursday - Saturday] for upcoming check-ins.</div>
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<a href="http://www.wildplay.com/maple-ridge-park-hours" style="color: #333333;">FULL 2014 SEASON SCHEDULE </a></div>
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Hours & Schedule</h2>
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<strong>OPEN DAILY</strong><br />
MONKIDO AERIAL ADVENTURE check-ins from 10:00AM to 4:00PM. </div>
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<em><strong><a href="http://www.wildplay.com/booknow" style="color: #333333;">Book online</a></strong></em> or call Guest Services at 1-855-595-2251 [9:00AM to 5:00PM Sunday - Wednesday; 9:00AM to 6:00PM Thursday - Saturday] for upcoming check-ins.</div>
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<a href="http://www.wildplay.com/maple-ridge-park-hours" style="color: #333333;">FULL 2014 SEASON SCHEDULE </a></div>
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<span style="color: #769f45; font-size: 19px; line-height: 20px;"><strong>Rules of Play</strong></span><br />
Read our <a href="http://www.wildplay.com/elements/monkido" style="color: #333333;">Monkido<sup>®</sup> Aerial Adventure description</a> for important Element access information, including age, height, and waiver requirements.</div>
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Pricing</h2>
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<a href="http://www.wildplay.com/elements/monkido-aerial-adventure" style="color: #769f45; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;">MONKIDO AERIAL ADVENTURE</a></h3>
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<table class="tablefield sticky-enabled" id="tablefield-field-pricingtable-0" style="background-color: transparent !important; border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin: 0px; width: 260px;"><tbody style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none;">
<tr style="background: transparent !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(215, 203, 191) !important; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-left-color: rgb(215, 203, 191) !important; border-left-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid solid !important; font-size: 12px; padding: 3px;"><th class="row-0 col-0" style="background: transparent !important; border: none !important; padding: 3px 0px 0px 5px !important; vertical-align: top; width: 80px;">Classic</th><th class="row-0 col-1" style="background: transparent !important; border: none !important; font-weight: normal; padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; width: 90px;">Ages 12+</th><th class="row-0 col-2" style="background: transparent !important; border: none !important; font-size: 13px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; width: 60px;">$42.99</th></tr>
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<tr style="background: transparent !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(215, 203, 191) !important; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-left-color: rgb(215, 203, 191) !important; border-left-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid solid !important; font-size: 12px; padding: 3px;"><th class="row-0 col-0" style="background: transparent !important; border: none !important; padding: 3px 0px 0px 5px !important; vertical-align: top; width: 80px;">Buddy</th><th class="row-0 col-1" style="background: transparent !important; border: none !important; font-weight: normal; padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; width: 90px;">Ages 7-11 with an adult in the trees</th><th class="row-0 col-2" style="background: transparent !important; border: none !important; font-size: 13px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; width: 60px;">$35.99 per guest</th></tr>
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<table class="tablefield sticky-enabled" id="tablefield-field-pricingtable-0" style="background-color: transparent !important; border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin: 0px; width: 260px;"><tbody style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none;">
<tr style="background: transparent !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(215, 203, 191) !important; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-left-color: rgb(215, 203, 191) !important; border-left-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid solid !important; font-size: 12px; padding: 3px;"><th class="row-0 col-0" style="background: transparent !important; border: none !important; padding: 3px 0px 0px 5px !important; vertical-align: top; width: 80px;">Kids</th><th class="row-0 col-1" style="background: transparent !important; border: none !important; font-weight: normal; padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; width: 90px;">Ages 7-13</th><th class="row-0 col-2" style="background: transparent !important; border: none !important; font-size: 13px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; width: 60px;">$22.99</th></tr>
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<a href="http://www.wildplay.com/elements/wtfjump" style="color: #769f45; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;">WHAT'S TO FEAR JUMP</a></h3>
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<tr style="background: rgb(162, 191, 125); border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 160, 152); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-style: none !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-top-style: none !important; font-size: 12px; padding: 3px;"><th class="row-0 col-0" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none !important; padding: 3px 6px; vertical-align: top; width: 80px;"></th><th class="row-0 col-1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none !important; font-weight: normal; padding: 3px 6px; vertical-align: top; width: 90px;"></th><th class="row-0 col-2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none !important; font-size: 13px; padding: 3px 6px; vertical-align: top; width: 60px;"></th></tr>
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<table class="tablefield sticky-enabled sticky-table" id="tablefield-field-pricingtable-0" style="background-color: transparent !important; border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin: 0px; width: 260px;"><thead class="tableHeader-processed">
<tr style="background: rgb(162, 191, 125); border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 160, 152); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(215, 203, 191) !important; border-left-style: solid !important; border-left-width: 1px !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-top-style: none !important; font-size: 12px; padding: 3px;"><th class="row-0 col-0" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none !important; padding: 3px 6px; vertical-align: top; width: 80px;">Single WTF Jump</th><th class="row-0 col-1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none !important; font-weight: normal; padding: 3px 6px; vertical-align: top; width: 90px;">Ages 7+</th><th class="row-0 col-2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none !important; font-size: 13px; padding: 3px 6px; vertical-align: top; width: 60px;">$19.99</th></tr>
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<tr class="odd" style="background: transparent !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(215, 203, 191) !important; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-left-color: rgb(215, 203, 191) !important; border-left-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none solid solid !important; font-size: 12px; padding: 3px;"><td class="row-1 col-0" style="background: transparent !important; border: none !important; font-weight: bold; padding: 3px 0px 0px 5px !important; vertical-align: top; width: 80px;">Monkido add-on</td><td class="row-1 col-1" style="background: transparent !important; border: none !important; padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; width: 90px;">Ages 7+</td><td class="row-1 col-2" style="background: transparent !important; border: none !important; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; width: 60px;">$14.99</td></tr>
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Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-3303571192833993222014-08-15T08:28:00.002-07:002014-08-19T00:27:06.163-07:00MORE of a SPRITZER THAN A SPLASHDOWN at SPLASHDOWN WATER PARK<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This mother of three is taking her job description seriously:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4XunpVJrk3NCgNEYnt7eQ0tRHWio6J-lGmu2xQj0gdb7hIR2ylQB6rUA36Xepdz4mFyEkAwyJeBzml85zPAMLYt1ce3P4KeD8TIjPFwhOen3EsEdlzmr-NOGiWqwaOS2Ci1I0R1J2BI/s1600/IMG_2680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4XunpVJrk3NCgNEYnt7eQ0tRHWio6J-lGmu2xQj0gdb7hIR2ylQB6rUA36Xepdz4mFyEkAwyJeBzml85zPAMLYt1ce3P4KeD8TIjPFwhOen3EsEdlzmr-NOGiWqwaOS2Ci1I0R1J2BI/s1600/IMG_2680.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She injects as many different activities into her boy's summer days as she can think of. She makes her boys hike, swim, paddle, cycle or sliding down water slides!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All in the name of adventure, fun and getting them off their computers!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Talk about waters slides. My boys are the real experts when it comes to making a splash.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivxaJk3FpgY-wPNftafvmwVqxUpAPYzc8YObC8DCTI-_Re5a_WUXg7vKG5Cxmk7j_gQrnKm9knHFkjI4UHi1sn-I2JxIR9Bu3663wjh7D0Mbq6k3t35441yDEqa0NMu64bRcWyydOvQ7k/s1600/IMG_2678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivxaJk3FpgY-wPNftafvmwVqxUpAPYzc8YObC8DCTI-_Re5a_WUXg7vKG5Cxmk7j_gQrnKm9knHFkjI4UHi1sn-I2JxIR9Bu3663wjh7D0Mbq6k3t35441yDEqa0NMu64bRcWyydOvQ7k/s1600/IMG_2678.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They already sled down from the highest, steepest, most thrilling slides across the world. They love it fast, furious, steep, scary, twisty, curvy, long...</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And so do I! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If it doesn't give us a serious </span>wedgy<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> it is not a serious ride - for us that is! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I honestly thought I am doing my boys (11, 14 and 17 years of age) a favour when I took them to <u><a href="http://www.splashdownpark.ca/" target="_blank">Splashdown Waterpark</a></u> in Tsawassen.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGr7MGWAVo_LYaW9W_SmGQODB-RSFwtgN7QzXJonmBgiOkfH25TGRaFzjUVCBNHJh8RW3x3OHVAnwrfbf5oaewJfsKBS5S7lUQn-EgjRAlI3eb8YfrvSS3Fn4YGgCl5Cg2p2YnViSvCs/s1600/IMG_2695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGr7MGWAVo_LYaW9W_SmGQODB-RSFwtgN7QzXJonmBgiOkfH25TGRaFzjUVCBNHJh8RW3x3OHVAnwrfbf5oaewJfsKBS5S7lUQn-EgjRAlI3eb8YfrvSS3Fn4YGgCl5Cg2p2YnViSvCs/s1600/IMG_2695.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And like good, obedient children they came with me. Although, our youngest refused to go. He already knew what we needed to find out for ourselves. He listened to his hairdresser who told him the park is too small, the water is too cold and its location makes for a rather windy day out. (<a href="http://www.splashdownpark.ca/hours-directions/" target="_blank">Splashdown </a>is minutes away from the Tsawassen ferry terminals)</span>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbv5M5jg9ok39Mz9FX8ouvndf0VdOBZOQnmNA90pmm622mIGBQPV6penNemyh1fY-1sON4O7H5eR86TItyWDmJfjhUzNVnw8eMyu_dkMvbzzRo8TxOSRAgsq1jko1CD-K7fyj_tuUBX4/s1600/IMG_2677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbv5M5jg9ok39Mz9FX8ouvndf0VdOBZOQnmNA90pmm622mIGBQPV6penNemyh1fY-1sON4O7H5eR86TItyWDmJfjhUzNVnw8eMyu_dkMvbzzRo8TxOSRAgsq1jko1CD-K7fyj_tuUBX4/s1600/IMG_2677.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, in the name of new experiences I took the plunge and endured the long trip to the far away area called Delta. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We live in Maple Ridge in the east of Vancouver. If your GPS is updated this ride would take 60 minutes. If your GPS is not, the new road works will add another 30 minutes to your journey!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With all the construction going on it was very easy to miss the sign for this local attraction. Imagine my surprise when we found it:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What was once farm land has been converted into a serious building site. And among the land clearing, building fences, bull dozers, construction signs and traffic wardens we found this family run <a href="http://www.splashdownpark.ca/the-park/" target="_blank">Water park!</a></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, don't judge the park by its appearance!</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rather, judge it by the entrance prices:</span><br />
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<b>With prices ranging from $17.99 for adults or $13.99 for children this park is a<a href="http://www.splashdownpark.ca/admissions/" target="_blank"> winner for sure!</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you judge it by the parking fees the park is another winner: <b>Parking is free!</b> (This is unheard of for any other activities here in Vancouver)!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is another bonus point: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Y<b>ou can bring your own food, snacks and drinks. </b>There is no security guard stopping you at the gate searching through your bags, looking for smuggled goodies! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can even bring your own meats to put on the BBQ! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eleven o'clock on a Friday morning was the perfect time to start the day because we didn't have to wait too long in any queues.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I sent my boys off to wet their pants and wandered around the 'vast' open spaces:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My boys left and came back within half an hour (?). Wet, cold and un-thrilled!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oops, wrong boys! These guys were thrilled by the looks on their faces!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hmm, could they be right? How can I write about something I haven't experienced myself? So Off I went as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I asked for the scariest ride on the property: It is the Black Hole. Sweet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The attraction is a tunnel ride through twists and turns in pitch darkness. Yeepee, this one was exhilarating and fun! It got my personal thumbs up! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The next one I tackled was the River Run! It was less thrilling though. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The whole run didn't flow, we were bumping into each other constantly and had to wait to continue our journey down into the pool!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've done four of the six full size body slides (I don't even remember their names, they were that thrilling...), skipped the children's slide for obvious reasons, skipped the pool and hot tub for personal reasons and checked out the children's spray park!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How can you tell it's a scary and good run? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I already mentioned one of our golden rules earlier on: the slide will give you a wedgy. Here is another rule to go by: The security guy on top of the slide will make you take your hat and sunglasses of-because you are going to lose them! Have I been ask to take these items off? No, I haven't! Did I get a wedgy here in <a href="http://www.splashdownpark.ca/the-park/" target="_blank">Splashdown?</a> No! Enough said!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I asked the boys how they liked the park they answered with the most generic word in the English language; they called it <b><i>nice!</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Or boys are polite for sure! I also know they wouldn't brag about their day on social media. Their message would go something like, "<b>Great spot for the little ones</b>, Let's go surfing!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When my children are right they are right! When it comes to this particular water park I need to agree with them, and with our hairdresser!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.splashdownpark.ca/the-park/" target="_blank">Splashdown</a> is not a park to take you thrill seeking teenagers to. Or even your 11 year old who has been there, done it and wants action.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is also not a spot for parents who want some quiet time for themselves to read a book. The park is too small to escape any of the screaming, young children.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My boys are not ungrateful, they just know what they like and not like. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I? I should have done my homework before I left home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Note to myself:"Christina, sometimes it's ok to say no to a day out!"</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72OrqA9ckMb76RVByMr0WQAJ7h4giILuVo_YTW_DlZJSZ2MbI9t56JcYuFcEET6nxQwL1IHVFOa-5pBz4akGttwtip7ck7GCl_x4aEkSQvuI8tP7liMcdCCRqDunoeRbzDyS2ow5NXMY/s1600/IMG_2665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72OrqA9ckMb76RVByMr0WQAJ7h4giILuVo_YTW_DlZJSZ2MbI9t56JcYuFcEET6nxQwL1IHVFOa-5pBz4akGttwtip7ck7GCl_x4aEkSQvuI8tP7liMcdCCRqDunoeRbzDyS2ow5NXMY/s1600/IMG_2665.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However,</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.splashdownpark.ca/guest-services/" target="_blank">Splashdown Park</a> is charming in it's own family run way. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They have a small concession stand, a play arcade, lockers, clean bathrooms.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> It is a fantastic spot for parents with small children, let's say up to 12 years old. Or for any child who hasn't experienced the big, steep, long, dark, scary, thrilling water slides from the biggest water parks from across the world. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you want to convince yourself, please check out this fun video, courtesy of Novus TV:</span></b><br />
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<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-77254469818687233052014-07-30T13:48:00.001-07:002015-10-04T22:24:23.488-07:00Honey, let's leave the kids! We are going White Water Rafting with Hyak River Rafting!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">or: How rafting down the <a href="http://www.hyak.com/rivers/thompson.html" target="_blank">Thompson river</a> puts a different spin on spending a "wet, wild-n-dirty </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">weekend with your husband and a lot of rubber."</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHxUhcyEDOVL3t5AQQb3Lvq91segN42KWeA8lBNPfxq1GPz2fYOmc0DnCohE0RDiT76Cw4kslxNJiExVgWDRNZM0kb1tkpGams1zjJEBhaa6xSh7HVKImFrGejRxdo6v9XLIZMnbaDFw/s1600/IMG_2499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHxUhcyEDOVL3t5AQQb3Lvq91segN42KWeA8lBNPfxq1GPz2fYOmc0DnCohE0RDiT76Cw4kslxNJiExVgWDRNZM0kb1tkpGams1zjJEBhaa6xSh7HVKImFrGejRxdo6v9XLIZMnbaDFw/s1600/IMG_2499.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lucky </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">me, the Best Man of All is game whenever I am! I name the activity and under normal circumstances and within limitations, he is in!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Convincing my man to go on a 2 day White Water rafting trip with <a href="http://www.hyak.com/" target="_blank">Hyak</a> wasn't the issue; figuring out what to do with our three boys at home was an issue for sure!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unfortunately we can't ask any of our immediate family for</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> the occasional nanny job, they live thousands of miles away! But that's only an excuse, isn't it? If you really want to do something in life you will find a solution for any dilemma.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We put our junior (11 years of age) up for weekend adoption among our neighbours and friends (thankfully he is big fun and low maintenance and the offers came in). We made our teenager (17) give us the pinkie swear not to host one of his crazy parties while we were gone (we already hosted three of them and it's not a pretty sight) and bribed our middle son (14) to spy on him! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This, plus a tent was all we needed to arrange for the wet-n-wild </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">rafting trip!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The price (apart from the monetary) we had to pay was getting up at 4.30 AM to make it in time to Hyak's base in <a href="http://www.hyak.com/maps/thompson.html" target="_blank">Lytton</a> (Lytton is a 3 hour drive from our home and we didn't want to miss the boat. Departure time was 9.30 am). We signed our disclaimer, stripped down and geared up with wetsuit, splash jacket, helmet and a paddle.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5EcOPWEV6Fc_D9FrX67jEc6YcDbGi8D-Ac00VJCI7ceMcEL3352RtHVvsJ8Y50qi-K150cVsO_jG4tm_w6Cz7k1uMVdLVgss-ZSoNKz__Y2A29rS3QRD5tNdg5638v_RFAcxUHi1PFk/s1600/IMG_2568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5EcOPWEV6Fc_D9FrX67jEc6YcDbGi8D-Ac00VJCI7ceMcEL3352RtHVvsJ8Y50qi-K150cVsO_jG4tm_w6Cz7k1uMVdLVgss-ZSoNKz__Y2A29rS3QRD5tNdg5638v_RFAcxUHi1PFk/s1600/IMG_2568.JPG" title="First contact is being made!" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting our new friends!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmrWEFUe3vkFJGjlNyEFgxBSKlkOCnBT47yRAmrFoy5WVsZaSvNlEezb6KWPr3vcPZlr0Q_FbKFcOoAh26bjCH65qnHC_wSI-l1hXxC9KYjVMjQrvXwsGBx6l_Z0zBr8jsMJixMfkikA/s1600/IMG_2484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmrWEFUe3vkFJGjlNyEFgxBSKlkOCnBT47yRAmrFoy5WVsZaSvNlEezb6KWPr3vcPZlr0Q_FbKFcOoAh26bjCH65qnHC_wSI-l1hXxC9KYjVMjQrvXwsGBx6l_Z0zBr8jsMJixMfkikA/s1600/IMG_2484.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's see, what are we signing for? </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ycZkBahJLotagS3_sdUPh1a9Xij-6b3VVePYglFyNj44IZhJrgs3q0iouRJHzfn1F0O5PK8fa9O185sFsMvpjxJTwOAHPYmtDlB1za0vkqHrMWA6tDLhQjgDRHm7bHbzDdAoFhkGSfg/s1600/IMG_2485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ycZkBahJLotagS3_sdUPh1a9Xij-6b3VVePYglFyNj44IZhJrgs3q0iouRJHzfn1F0O5PK8fa9O185sFsMvpjxJTwOAHPYmtDlB1za0vkqHrMWA6tDLhQjgDRHm7bHbzDdAoFhkGSfg/s1600/IMG_2485.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All geared up and ready to paddle.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We needed to board <a href="http://ww.hyak.com/rivers/thompson.html" target="_blank">Hyak'</a>s own luxury cruiser for another 45 minute bus ride</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> up to Ashcroft. In Ashcroft we loaded up and boarded one of the two rafts waiting for us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During this particular weekend trip we were a total of 15: 4 couples, 5 lovely ladies and our two rafting guide</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">s, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jim and Sebastian (Seb from now on). Jim, a veteran of all things rafting, paramedical, safe + rescue was our leader; a solid</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> rock of knowledge, funny, charming, nevertheless the no-nonsense kind of rafter.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In his 20 years of experience our charming rafting guide has never seen an umbrella on a rafting trip!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My man and I gravitated towards Seb, the young, foot loose and fancy free Aussie version of Jim (it must have been the accent) - and so did Lauren, Alice, Kurt and Karleen. And just like that, Party</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Boat <b><i>Awesome</i></b> <b><i>FUN</i></b> was created</span>. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvehSWWFOPCScBqIy1JRCoxeqQnoloqEWopx7OExusedncRbMb_UVcUDAVty4cZGaW17gTAY5HGE-jULKHol994SmMXCv6qEJoNJUpp7ibMxQ2oqSvuuVITQeBUBTs8RC7G3qJ44uHahQ/s1600/HYAK+Trip+082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvehSWWFOPCScBqIy1JRCoxeqQnoloqEWopx7OExusedncRbMb_UVcUDAVty4cZGaW17gTAY5HGE-jULKHol994SmMXCv6qEJoNJUpp7ibMxQ2oqSvuuVITQeBUBTs8RC7G3qJ44uHahQ/s1600/HYAK+Trip+082.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crew Awesome!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Paddling during Saturday morning was easy. The wind blew heavily but we didn't have any rapids to master yet nor anything scary to worry about. It was a time to get to know one another, to practise our paddle strokes (the whole blade into the water, use your whole body, not just your arms), learning instructions and taking in the magnificent beauty of our surroundings.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUuh-CiYj5hprpOTu3Fs7oCWgXvMTzjZ3YXnoqeXeKe_AmFrO_obsfzoj2Fj4tdISCwL0H1B_pzqzGvMrECJzU4ILE71Z-ZqJIaQTx15SflIsTM77biHWEGm0YtxiaoQDfdyTp-PKkq4s/s1600/HYAK+Trip+025+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUuh-CiYj5hprpOTu3Fs7oCWgXvMTzjZ3YXnoqeXeKe_AmFrO_obsfzoj2Fj4tdISCwL0H1B_pzqzGvMrECJzU4ILE71Z-ZqJIaQTx15SflIsTM77biHWEGm0YtxiaoQDfdyTp-PKkq4s/s1600/HYAK+Trip+025+(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reaching our lunch stop was a a bit challenging as we were sucked into a whirlpool and couldn't get out of it. However, never ever underestimate the power of six novice paddlers, their Australian guide and the will power and determination of the whole team. It took a while to get us where we needed to be, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but we made it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3MiDbNd6dqO2kN2BvwB46G5L_WQv2B1fdjDRGyhNm0qsZbFJLKoQWhkGXKg6YKk7PTFD4yFVSXb9QYDUb0gPd61_DLlotPhvE1cRXXVSNvPco03K-2V7LShzr5gDQBvSHY4DW-Zqwwc/s1600/HYAK+Trip+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3MiDbNd6dqO2kN2BvwB46G5L_WQv2B1fdjDRGyhNm0qsZbFJLKoQWhkGXKg6YKk7PTFD4yFVSXb9QYDUb0gPd61_DLlotPhvE1cRXXVSNvPco03K-2V7LShzr5gDQBvSHY4DW-Zqwwc/s1600/HYAK+Trip+034.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why is it that a lunch buffet, presented on a rock and eaten out in the open tastes so much better than at home? Hmm! The</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> huge white cool boxes strapped onto the rafts contained eatable treasures: Fresh fruit, veggies, tuna salad, sweeties, cookies, bread, mayonnaise, meats. You name it, the cool box contained it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Afternoon paddling was easy peasy as well. How can you not enjoy yourself being surrounded by rubber, taking in the scenery and listening to funny stories from everybody about everything and nothing?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, Fantasy Island, here we come! Our domicile for the night!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNpiAyJvrtn0XCiUWQvjkuyd8SlluDSRwtM_Gv2RQQi7v7Gx-45Unq7UcB4bpWDdeh49Qh3hR0bl_YadTmk2vw5K8i3B7FzDB_Fpf53g5sO8oLf1HUGazUjffyd04pBA7w6jWhzB_JCI/s1600/IMG_2518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNpiAyJvrtn0XCiUWQvjkuyd8SlluDSRwtM_Gv2RQQi7v7Gx-45Unq7UcB4bpWDdeh49Qh3hR0bl_YadTmk2vw5K8i3B7FzDB_Fpf53g5sO8oLf1HUGazUjffyd04pBA7w6jWhzB_JCI/s1600/IMG_2518.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our home away from home!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEwvzHPp-_YSrHd519hv5fRUYU_y7rhPgQfultD6NRalQ3SKK5HyXUTIH1KOhJuXMvMeu8y9lnR9k_dc6j4cng7-McAcpCxZSyG8W7R8KfpEAqvngbhCOs8NRFtYYlGMoE90-CkzFrTQ/s1600/IMG_2517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEwvzHPp-_YSrHd519hv5fRUYU_y7rhPgQfultD6NRalQ3SKK5HyXUTIH1KOhJuXMvMeu8y9lnR9k_dc6j4cng7-McAcpCxZSyG8W7R8KfpEAqvngbhCOs8NRFtYYlGMoE90-CkzFrTQ/s1600/IMG_2517.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fantasy island- surrounded by water and two train tracks...!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We found our perfect spot and pitched the tent! In the meantime our two rafters extraordinaire, Jim and Seb, created magic -again. This time disguised as kitchen fairies in the Alfresco kitchen. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMiyrOSF89W2nV88_M1Hqlwwr6XIfR_a3PtzvZb5JHq0Geuc0NnFtKPafhVoTAQ04DfCmK2HDAv9Fxo6kEE0blN62BHj0q-xee53dlSN0IYvvjE5vjAG68AwYeX8n95tobkX5ECwIoqE/s1600/IMG_2501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMiyrOSF89W2nV88_M1Hqlwwr6XIfR_a3PtzvZb5JHq0Geuc0NnFtKPafhVoTAQ04DfCmK2HDAv9Fxo6kEE0blN62BHj0q-xee53dlSN0IYvvjE5vjAG68AwYeX8n95tobkX5ECwIoqE/s1600/IMG_2501.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: Aussie Seb, Right: Canadian Jim!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you noticed the following peculiar socio- cultural phenomena: Everybody always gravitates towards to and congregates into the kitchen? The same happened here on the island! By the time I showed up </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to join </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">pre-dinner drinks and snacks my fellow rafters already nibbled on barbecued </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">chicken strips, tortilla chips and fresh vegetables. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGxzY-XflvDvnyvg5KCRaPnnFYDAnfJLfr1dPLc1an5-Oc8NSXz81Mu9UfDhyphenhyphenNZiPi_acgjNIldRhDXIcIvWu_fi4QqmPjnak_ucpvlhtWjJqW5dgp7Hnwemxtk6izZazZR6Co69rmZM/s1600/IMG_2561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGxzY-XflvDvnyvg5KCRaPnnFYDAnfJLfr1dPLc1an5-Oc8NSXz81Mu9UfDhyphenhyphenNZiPi_acgjNIldRhDXIcIvWu_fi4QqmPjnak_ucpvlhtWjJqW5dgp7Hnwemxtk6izZazZR6Co69rmZM/s1600/IMG_2561.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7aeZUtVhw2_o6DC1DIS8m6WYYadv-S6tvvRpX2z9IHlHWIx963cbCnCp12RokqJY0bhTF0dR1Y1eU659n1rwLfqWEkzR4dMiK-AxIsumfudhCSyOYUut-1kAqIrnaQytnzYr022-gmY/s1600/IMG_2512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7aeZUtVhw2_o6DC1DIS8m6WYYadv-S6tvvRpX2z9IHlHWIx963cbCnCp12RokqJY0bhTF0dR1Y1eU659n1rwLfqWEkzR4dMiK-AxIsumfudhCSyOYUut-1kAqIrnaQytnzYr022-gmY/s1600/IMG_2512.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is 5 o'clock on Fantasy Island.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7H42ggTpRQI8J6vuHEuUM498VCzH8Z7-m0IRHAWpG790o0Nb0tVHEScwpH1vrzNYHFq1SYKbRX-UftTll9ZCPVOwA10BnKIz9b9p0ViwYX1SkD30wOniH1WP2eKhyH0eA0zcrzVM1x0/s1600/IMG_2557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7H42ggTpRQI8J6vuHEuUM498VCzH8Z7-m0IRHAWpG790o0Nb0tVHEScwpH1vrzNYHFq1SYKbRX-UftTll9ZCPVOwA10BnKIz9b9p0ViwYX1SkD30wOniH1WP2eKhyH0eA0zcrzVM1x0/s1600/IMG_2557.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RsA94KFxKcR3NfLTVunRHjEwyNjl0NDD-dj7JRVomNgeSJABp0zGl5usM0fi-q41r3SN4ALvZzfqnMWwpGY9fvuuv5uprFmK7JuSyZzNpJREOscyNdEf6alJ7MvfVObE0qadzmjTxVs/s1600/IMG_2532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RsA94KFxKcR3NfLTVunRHjEwyNjl0NDD-dj7JRVomNgeSJABp0zGl5usM0fi-q41r3SN4ALvZzfqnMWwpGY9fvuuv5uprFmK7JuSyZzNpJREOscyNdEf6alJ7MvfVObE0qadzmjTxVs/s1600/IMG_2532.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of hugging went on around here!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of us decided to help prepare </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">dinner, some us us decided not to. One way or another</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, the mood was good, the laughter loud, the conversations flowing! And what a feast </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">these two multi-talented rafters prepared for us: Pork loin (!!!), chicken breasts, wild rice, Greek salad, and a freshly baked chocolate cake, baked in a sand oven (talk about genius creativity).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3LxmFNGNKTQNU507YdgqT1JkouvNP7zvR9RrloGE9XB9c44X7-2LFzY0yAbNZamK-0kcF-lkuIjIJfcn9aqaMqiRREJR20CUaSKqxveePZDmBSTMrDH8jinDAwfMdrMu0-UK3OZIj0AU/s1600/IMG_2558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3LxmFNGNKTQNU507YdgqT1JkouvNP7zvR9RrloGE9XB9c44X7-2LFzY0yAbNZamK-0kcF-lkuIjIJfcn9aqaMqiRREJR20CUaSKqxveePZDmBSTMrDH8jinDAwfMdrMu0-UK3OZIj0AU/s1600/IMG_2558.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-vJORQp3ihR0WVHyKUkCR8cjyDnFphoyDvswd3Ta2D12Fzl2wxIFBuFkJMjfyV5HSfOGlUmQWydz7hAFpLW_0WWhgjz3FOcGjhHR59edlTD-5gQoKvX5iP_CTe7hZrhUvi60MP0eOYA/s1600/IMG_2535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-vJORQp3ihR0WVHyKUkCR8cjyDnFphoyDvswd3Ta2D12Fzl2wxIFBuFkJMjfyV5HSfOGlUmQWydz7hAFpLW_0WWhgjz3FOcGjhHR59edlTD-5gQoKvX5iP_CTe7hZrhUvi60MP0eOYA/s1600/IMG_2535.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HRUXjrE_ywXbDseg9Sb1PXjLWOvI7XVyu3Yg6NI71jQ0wq7XaFbG1AkPJWthAnWwmBQPafiT3cnzXq76KBVLfb2KA21cY_c-CtIaUmb1EXCsxUN0j72cgW5NZwsuqyVQv4wPas-g-LY/s1600/IMG_2550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HRUXjrE_ywXbDseg9Sb1PXjLWOvI7XVyu3Yg6NI71jQ0wq7XaFbG1AkPJWthAnWwmBQPafiT3cnzXq76KBVLfb2KA21cY_c-CtIaUmb1EXCsxUN0j72cgW5NZwsuqyVQv4wPas-g-LY/s1600/IMG_2550.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're digging in!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1lDWZTI0ELgP3IrVPfsXCxqDD5_8UL3cqjlzQ8K33jjwvP8XOaxZAEiY5PqFnSUcOyhW92DJ-LSkV1lPUnvfujerMEcBbJuvKRanV-hl9_zddGEOCZoAZwesBKpywjHErlOJklgOylY/s1600/IMG_2548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1lDWZTI0ELgP3IrVPfsXCxqDD5_8UL3cqjlzQ8K33jjwvP8XOaxZAEiY5PqFnSUcOyhW92DJ-LSkV1lPUnvfujerMEcBbJuvKRanV-hl9_zddGEOCZoAZwesBKpywjHErlOJklgOylY/s1600/IMG_2548.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCdLILh-LPQCjsAbfpBCHCW2zg6vdUTzmFxDHaeJ4Qa2-7jfngjDzLj_eOOaTZO67I2LOGv_FMkOGJ2xN5ERDcpfcfr5RAVuocMCXqc-EXEw8SOl0ZZhB-tIsRPDBfXUZ5cBPKRPCg8o/s1600/IMG_2538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCdLILh-LPQCjsAbfpBCHCW2zg6vdUTzmFxDHaeJ4Qa2-7jfngjDzLj_eOOaTZO67I2LOGv_FMkOGJ2xN5ERDcpfcfr5RAVuocMCXqc-EXEw8SOl0ZZhB-tIsRPDBfXUZ5cBPKRPCg8o/s1600/IMG_2538.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sand oven<br />
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And here are a few more blissful moments:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here we are getting ready for a quick dip into the river for a cool down after dinner! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I would love to share with you the juicy details of our wet-n-wild night</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> on Fantasy Island. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, we all agreed that "Whatever happens on Fantasy Island</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> stays on the island." So, my lips are sealed. Sorry! There is one thing I can reveal though: During the night heavy wind and rain set in. The wind uplifted our front tent pegs and we experienced the wild sensation of half a tent flapping into our faces. The Best Man of All somehow put his feelers out (no torch for us) to fix the problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Oh, did I mention earlier I am a light sleeper? Did </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I mention the midnight trains were running? And with this I leave it up to your own imagination how we spent our night on Fantasy Island.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sunday was absolute bliss. Starting from the French Toast we were served, to the freshly barbecued </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">breakfast sausages to our perfectly timed and well organized departure from the island</span>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sunday was the time our wild-n- </span><a href="http://www.hyak.com/rivers/thompson.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">crazy rapids fun began</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">! . It was the time we had to listen to </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and practise our commands. Seb could only work his magic if we helped him out. He steered and we did the rest. We needed to paddle, stop, crouch down or made sure</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> we stayed on the boat. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wet-n-wild it sure was. Each and every rapid we encountered grew bigger and more challenging.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Huge sprays of water greeted each and every one of us as we went raft first into and through rapids with the names like "Jaws of Death", "Cutting Board", "Witch's Cauldron". Great rapids, huge laughs, fantastic teamwork!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Courtesy of Hyak River Rafting</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>So far this was one of the best trips I went on this year. Not only was it active, fun but also wet-n-wild. I </b></span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> made new friends, shared great laughs and enjoyed my time with the man of all men!</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you decide to spend the weekend on board one of the luxury rubber rafts with the <a href="http://www.hyak.com/" target="_blank">Hyak folks</a>, here are the pre-requisites:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <b>Open minded, fun, bubbly personalities preferred-</b> not required! (You want to be an asset, not a burden, don't you?)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <b>A good physical shape is not necessary.</b> However, good ears to listen to commands is a must!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <b>A good sense of balance is helpful</b>. If not, make sure you fall into the boat and not off the boat as soon as the rapids hit the raft.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <b>If you are a light sleeper take ear plugs</b>. Fantasy island is surrounded by train tracks...and the trains aren't stopping for no one!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <b>If you are on a diet stay at home!</b> The food is simply too delicious, plentiful, fresh and too varied to ignore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- If you go as a couple this is the perfect way to <b>add another chapter</b> to your happy life together. It also is the perfect opportunity you see your husband / partner in a totally different light!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are a few examples of what could happen:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - Your wife will bang you on the head with her paddle for no reason whatsoever!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- You could become jealous </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">because another woman just told you: "Your husband just poked me!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Your wife lands 100% on top of the hunky, half your age, terribly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">handsome rafting guide (after he pulled her up out of the water)! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Your wife</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> is telling the same story / joke again- and still doesn't get it right! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Your husband fills up and refills his plates every time. Do you let him- just because the food is included in the price? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Could you see yourself spending a weekend with the Best Man / Woman of All on a rubber raft? Please share your thoughts right here!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Or, have you ever been on a rafting adventure? If yes, how did you enjoy it? </span><br />
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<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-6556262405643940342014-07-25T07:24:00.001-07:002014-07-25T07:24:24.890-07:00TUSKAST ICELANDIC HORSE FARM, where horses + wine go hand in hand together!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love a good story! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Especially the one were the wife comes home to tell her husband:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Honey, I am in love!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just fall in love with a horse! Now I need some money because I need to buy one (she ended up buying 5) and we need to move to the countryside!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And what does a good husband do? The husband who loves making wine? He complies! (If you are not so lucky </span><a href="http://youtu.be/kJWUjw2j7gk" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">check out this link</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> on how to deal with a non-compliant husband).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To make a long story short, this is exactly what happened to Christopher Jones when his wife Nathaly confessed her love for the four legged creatures!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Instead of producing big drama, fights and involving a divorce lawyer they moved to the countryside and created their own personal nirvana, named it</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.tuskast.com/" id="sys_heading" style="color: #663300; font-size: 52px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Tuskast Icelandic Horse Farm, Abbotsford BC</a> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(75 km east of Vancouver and a short drive from the Sumas (US) border crossing) and live happily ever after!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mrs. Jones has the thing going on for horses; Mr. Jones still produces outstanding wines, together they breed and sell Icelandic purebreds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To make their days more lively and interesting they offer riding lessons and tours through beautiful countryside called the Sumas Prairies.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.tuskast.com/viking-tours.php" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The tour packages</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> range in prices and duration. You can choose from the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Family - / Romantic- / Native Heritage - / Explorer-/River Man-/ Ride + Wine Tour.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Five of us bloggers chose the wine package; little did we know we would be riding and sipping on a hot, sweltering Friday afternoon. Mind you, hot and sweltering is better than wet and cold...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is what the tour included:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"> <em><span style="color: #e69138;">Discover your inner VIKING and experience the joy of riding Icelandic Horses followed by a unique wine tasting event. </span></em></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: medium;"><em>Part 1) 1 hour exploring the foothills of Vedder Mountain in a lush forest environment, a trail used by our own BC settlers. The magnificent horses will safely take you on this short adventure and make you smile all the way.</em></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="color: #e69138;">Part 2) One hour of wine tasting and education which will be sure to excite your taste buds and entice you to come back for more. Wines are handcrafted in BC, with grapes from around the world.</span></em> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">You know what they say about a picture speaking louder than a thousand words? Let these photos speak for themselves and I will give a quick thumbs-up / wrap-up at the end!</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The Magnificent Five before the big fun (when we were sober....just kidding! The owner Christopher, middle, joined us).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Welcome to TUSKAST!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0u3BYUiiV7CRBRhkRo2xez_gHi7y1_TcfbyPWpC1Djsir8IekJslFx1ZjSmZ1jdRSBi7sLAGcprXZ5LfJtAPdghNRO7AS2owrvP9k80iUUt6ayIo72ibBoxrqA7-Dshzsd1Ham02O-OI/s1600/IMG_2479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0u3BYUiiV7CRBRhkRo2xez_gHi7y1_TcfbyPWpC1Djsir8IekJslFx1ZjSmZ1jdRSBi7sLAGcprXZ5LfJtAPdghNRO7AS2owrvP9k80iUUt6ayIo72ibBoxrqA7-Dshzsd1Ham02O-OI/s1600/IMG_2479.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzo5sUVlLj8n6qTgVQDQ_tYdgoX63LHSVYi4YwNpUZZHIB7L72kCw0Eyk7G8he1BuMVNhd0CcXNgRbRu8_UYYMj7FTWZHMuueNEYHakBJJS7DI8utummApy7aaG6lDoR5gOVJpmX4rew/s1600/IMG_2465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzo5sUVlLj8n6qTgVQDQ_tYdgoX63LHSVYi4YwNpUZZHIB7L72kCw0Eyk7G8he1BuMVNhd0CcXNgRbRu8_UYYMj7FTWZHMuueNEYHakBJJS7DI8utummApy7aaG6lDoR5gOVJpmX4rew/s1600/IMG_2465.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No riding without brushing beforehand:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, all of them!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Off we go (ride) through beautiful countryside:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is what was waiting for us at the end of our ride: (Oh, my butt hurt)! We felt "yes, we deserve this + so appreciate it...especially on a hot summer afternoon!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cheers + Prost from all of us! Thank you Nathaly + Christopher Jones!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Verdict:</strong> 10 out of 10!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Atmosphere:</strong> Fun, relaxed, enjoyable!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Knowledge:</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>About the horses and guidance ability:</strong> Top notch!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We learnt the basics about how to get on a horse, stay on them and how to get off, what to do in an emergency (aka runaway), how to make our new four legged friends turn, stop or go faster!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>About the wine:</strong> Oh la-la! Very delicious, very informative! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We tasted three whites and three reds and one port (what a knock-out! Have you ever tasted a chocolaty port? No? You need to go on this tour).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The glasses were clean, the bread fresh, the cheese at room temperature, the wine cooled or just right (depending on its colour, red or white).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Facility:</strong></span> Street parking at the bottom of the property! Family run, cosy, home feel! Very cool. None of these stiff boots-tight jacket-proper helmet kinda -place. Helmets are mandatory! We brought our own snug fitting bike helmets!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Would I come back?</strong> You bet I would!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Here is the info to book your blissful afternoon in the company of these wonderful folks: </span><br />
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<span style="color: #664400; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Tuskast Icelandic Horse Farm</span><br />
<span style="color: #664400; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">In the Beautiful Sumas Prairie</span><br />
<span style="color: #664400; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">39170 Old Yale Rd, Abbotsford V3G 1X6</span></div>
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<span style="color: #616161; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Christopher Jones 604-309-1821 </span><br />
<span style="color: #616161; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Nathaly Jones 604-309-1151</span><br />
<span style="color: #616161; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Chanel Jones 778-808-5944</span><br />
<span style="color: #616161; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">email: </span><a href="mailto:tuskast@shaw.ca"><span style="color: #616161; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">tuskast@shaw.ca</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">HAPPY TRAILS!</span><br />
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. Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-15385906767612600502014-07-17T08:09:00.000-07:002014-07-17T08:09:16.677-07:00HOW TO DEAL with a NON-COMPLIANT HUSBAND!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let's say one of your biggest dreams is to open up an Italian restaurant, teach pole dancing, study archaeology, sail around the world, become the goodwill ambassador for dogs in need, immigrate to Iceland...</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">and </span><b style="background-color: white;">The Best Man of All, your husband, doesn't want to support you in this new adventure!</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Should you dump him or go against his wishes and do it anyway? </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Or rather take his advice, forget about your dream and live happily (?) ever after with him - only to regret this decision for the rest of your life?</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, I have never met your husband and I also know it takes more than just unfulfilled dreams to give your man the boot.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white;">(Note: No dream is worth divorcing your husband over- assuming he is not a drinking, lying, cheating, beating, schizophrenic, ego driven, money wasting bastard of course).</b></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">So let's be nice, let's stick to our promise to love him forever and apply the </span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Motherpreneur -Ninja tactic </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">t</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">o get what you want!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Note: A shared vision and dream is so much more fun, adventurous and rewarding than going on a solo trip! </b> </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Men, in general, are less complex than women. They are simple souls, really! </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Men are happy</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- being left alone to solve problems,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- to provide</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- take steps of action, eat, drink, have sex and be merry!</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white;"><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white;">In other words, they are easy to figure out!</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(This is based on ongoing research: I grew up with a father, a brother, I have been dating and today my husband and I are happily sailing through our life together for the last 24 years).</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If we women apply a few cleverly selected 'seduction' tactics we can get what we want! Because our dream is important and we all have the right to live our personal wishes and desires!</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before we get started let me make a few assumptions:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You love your husband and you really want to spend your life with him.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You really, really want to (fill in blanks here)______________________________</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Plan of action:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you want to or not, you need to sit down with the Best Man of All.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even if you think 'he knows already, I talked about_________________a while ago'. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't make assumptions. He can not read your mind. He doesn't remember what you told him three years ago!.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Set the date, chose a neutral venue and feed him well.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make sure he has a pint / glass of his personal Happiness drink in front of him!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tell him to listen only; you will do the talking!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white;">Note: Never, ever choose the bedroom, please! It sets the wrong tone and he will get the wrong idea. Men agree to anything after they had sex. Have you noticed?</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Share your vision with him</b> (again), tell him exactly</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Why you want to ______________ and</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>WHY now is a great time</b> (e.g. kids are off to University).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Note: Men have a short attention span, come to the point sooner than later!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> Emphasise on the steps of action you are going to take to make this plan a reality!</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <b>Show your man you mean business and you are not a hot air balloon</b>!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Talk finances with a well thought through, well calculated financial plan</b>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh yes, men love money. They need and want to know how much things cost, where the cash is coming from, how long it's going to take to recuperate the dough and he needs to know the profit margins.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once again, know what you are talking about. Be conservative, careful and realistic. Rather overestimate the expenses and underestimated the profit than the other way around. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From experience speaking I know customers are unpredictable...need I say more?</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Paint a truth</b></span></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ful picture of how all this is going to affect the life of The Best Man of All.</b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Note to oneself: Refill his glass now, he will need it).</b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What does he want/ needs from you?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Freshly cooked meals every day? <i>Ha,ha, keep on dreaming. How about twice a week?</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having sex 6x/ week? <i>Keep on dreaming! I will be too busy. How about once a week?</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What about all your weekends spend in the pub / on the golf course / in the gym / at your parents home etc.?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Could you please help me with the kids/ garden/ cleaning/laundry</i>?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make sure Mr. Right knows what he is getting himself into (no false promises here)! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>However,</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>mention this is only temporarily</b>. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And sooner than later 'éverything will be back to normal' again - or to something better even!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now comes the part were you</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">emphasise on all the advantages your new venture will bring to the family:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- You, as the mom is setting a grand example for the kids, especially for your daughters.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- You will become a much better mom, 'cause you can finally live your dream! (And living ones dream makes you more happy, it is that simple!)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- We are going to have the same, or even higher income - one day!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- This new phase in our life together will strengthen our family ties.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- This is going to be </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a great story to tell to our grandchildren.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Second part:</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let him sleep and ponder over your idea for a day or two. No longer- otherwise he will forget!</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sit down again and ask </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>what he thinks and how he feels about your plan</strong>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Listen to his ideas and suggestions but never, ever let him talk you out of it!</span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tweak your dream if necessary to make it come true.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">E.g. My husband refused to move to the Caribbean with us to open my coffee shop there (something I dreamt about for 17 years).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Instead of giving up I brought the Caribbean to Holland (where we lived during that time).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you want to open a restaurant and The Best Man of All is sincerely worried about the financial burden. start a catering service from for home, specialising in Italian cooking.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wanna' give up your well paid job and go back to University? Research the best options to go back to school. (In Europe it is free if you are a mature student). </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Apply for a weekend/ part time job to cover some of the expenses. Be willing to make sacrifices (less expensive clothes, holidays, dinner dates).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Whatever it is we want in life we have to get up and get it. Nobody ever said it would be easy-but living your dream is definitely worth the effort, headache, sacrifices, arguments, sleepless nights, tears of stress, of relief and happiness. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I cried, I argued with my husband-at the end of the day he knew it was important to me to turn our life upside down only to open up the coffee shop in the midst of The Netherlands! He believed in me- and I soared!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well ladies, I keep my fingers crossed for you and your venture.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is not Mission Impossible, this is a well thought through, well calculated risk- a risk worth taking because our personal dreams are way too important than to forget about them!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please remember: We are an inspiration- to ourselves, to our family and to the world!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>NOTE: If your dream is to open up a brick + mortar business or to immigrate to a different country, drop me a line! I am going to send you lots of info!</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>christinawaschko@gmail.com</b></span><br />
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Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-21444500709497111572014-07-02T20:47:00.000-07:002014-07-02T20:47:51.398-07:00HOW I LEFT HUSBAND and KIDS BEHIND: 7 DAYS on OAHU / HAWAII<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">From this</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to this</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOStvDSUKefKwuqP2Npo9t6DmXPQUCrNspA0mZQsjUBMZQpLaNpqXrtut1q1Ooznz00dGz_fYhhH9n2B4nFc1dJdyXzzkwR6e2Uxvn9BHiUcBXspFllWJCL3xuOQ79eO9i9J8PQUT_WyI/s1600/2014-05-15+15.06.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOStvDSUKefKwuqP2Npo9t6DmXPQUCrNspA0mZQsjUBMZQpLaNpqXrtut1q1Ooznz00dGz_fYhhH9n2B4nFc1dJdyXzzkwR6e2Uxvn9BHiUcBXspFllWJCL3xuOQ79eO9i9J8PQUT_WyI/s1600/2014-05-15+15.06.39.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in less time than you think is possible! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Costing less money than you think is possible!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Seven days away from my husband, kids and home! Seven days of blissful me, myself and I time!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Seven days on <a href="http://www.gohawaii.com/oahu" target="_blank">Oahu/Hawaii</a>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Seven</strong> days, <strong>seven</strong> meals, <strong>seven</strong> trips for $<strong>200.00</strong> (not including air fare and accommodation)!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Impossible?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Nope, let me show you how.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Now you have three choices: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">-Watch this video and leave the blog.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">- Watch this video and scroll down for more information</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">- Don't watch the video and scroll down for the information. The choice is yours.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Whatever you do, enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Prelude to the trip:</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hawaii has been on my bucket list for 30 long years! And all because I listened to a German pop song when I was a teen. This song describes the mediocre living of a mediocre couple in a mediocre town with no adventures experienced ever! When I heard the words for the first time I promised myself to never, ever live a life like these guys! And guess what: So far so good. My life has been anything but mediocre and I have been travelling quite a bit over the last 30 years- but not to Hawaii.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wanna' listen to the song? </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR8h3YsRrro" target="_blank">Here it is</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Blame it on my former locations (Europe), my children (three), my circumstances (used to run my own coffee shop); Hawaii has been out of reach for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Is it fate that we live in Vancouver today? It literally is a hop, skip and jump away from Hawaii (5 flight hours to be precise).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I needed to get the last destination of this song out of my system - for this reason and no other I kissed my family goodbye and left to Oahu. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I chose Honolulu, the home of Magnum PI, the backdrop of Hawaii Five- 0. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me. I didn't see myself somewhere on Maui. I will do that with my family. I wanted more than just chilling on the beach! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The only reason I went on my own is: I like myself! I like my company, I trust my instinct, I can rely on Christina to have a good time, anytime and anywhere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let me break down what I did and how you can do the same if you want to!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ticking items off your bucket list is the best feeling ever, and who doesn't want to feel happy, accomplished and proud? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is what I did:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>PLANNING</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I sat down with my husband and decided on the dates.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>ORGANISING</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I booked my ticket via </span><a href="http://www.expedia.ca/?rfrr=Redirect.From.www.expedia.com%252FHome.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">expedia</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> for $ 383.00 from Bellingham to Honolulu. My airline was </span><a href="http://www.alaskaair.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Alaska Airlines</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I don't collect air miles, go figure. Use yours and you can fly for a nominal fee or get there for free.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>ACCOMMODATION</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I booked my room with </span><a href="https://www.airbnb.com/?af=469641&c=brdsearch_d_engus_na_na_p2_txt" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Airbnb</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can chose from private accommodation in over 180 countries. You can rent a couch, a room, a whole apartement, a house or penthouse. And all this for the fraction of a hotel accommodation!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I needed a place to sleep which is central, clean and safe. I do hotels with my family; when it's only me I am OK with a room somewhere.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">My hostess lived in the Manoa area, close to the University of Honolulu.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The room cost me 55.00/ night = $385.00.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Because I booked for the whole week I only paid 50/night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> There is a small fee for Airbnb though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My husband drove me to Bellingham (no parking fees, hurrah). Be careful! The price from flying e.g. Seattle might me cheaper, but you need to drive there (calculate your time) and need to park your car. Some hotels in America offer to keep your car for free if you stay one or two nights with them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>HEALTH INSURANCE</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I recommended it. Hospital costs in the USA can cost you an arm, a leg and your house. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For this trip I honestly forgot about it. Too bad, all went well though. As a general rule I never focus on the accidents which could happen - I only focus on the fun things I want to experience!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once on the island, I took the bus! Yes, I traded being independent with my time</span>. <br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But then, who was waiting for me? I had nobody to cook for, pick up or drop off! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The </span><a href="http://www.thebus.org/Route/Routes.asp" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">bus system</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> is phenomenal. The busses run mostly on time, they are safe, clean and the airco blows your mind, literally speaking. Take your jacket!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You see places, villages you normally wouldn't see. You don't need to worry about parking fees, no headaches looking for a parking spot either.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Each ticket costs $ 2.50 regardless of where you want to go. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you want / need to change the bus ask for a transfer ticket when you get in. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Each ticket is valid for 2,5 hours!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The major bus terminal in Honolulu is at the Ala Moana </span><a href="http://alamoanacenter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shopping Centre!</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My travel expenses for the whole week were $ 40.00</span>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>SAFETY</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Everybody on Oahu is chillaxed! Even the tourists in Honolulu are relaxed!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You will find lots of hobos sleeping and living on the grass stretches along the beaches in Waikiki. All they do is sleep, chat. They don't bother you, at least they didn't bother me!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Police and independent security agents patrolling the beaches and the city day and night.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbGzUixUWfe5Sc2G0AxdLhm1BJf-FAU3uCsuZFG66K9wPNAMjo86Oa8c2-SbKbkbEE5hV8EDg9ftV_IL7sNjsGzyps6lGA1Y1t1_F0JghYSAUfjcojgOV9nM16l6wWCvZxUWZoXhmVeU/s1600/2014-05-17+17.02.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbGzUixUWfe5Sc2G0AxdLhm1BJf-FAU3uCsuZFG66K9wPNAMjo86Oa8c2-SbKbkbEE5hV8EDg9ftV_IL7sNjsGzyps6lGA1Y1t1_F0JghYSAUfjcojgOV9nM16l6wWCvZxUWZoXhmVeU/s1600/2014-05-17+17.02.08.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>VALUABLES</strong> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Make copies of everything (passport, credit cards, Id). Leave one set at home and one set at your accommodation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I only carried $ 40.00 in cash with me and one credit card! Just in case... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I left my money, camera and phone inside my bag, covered the bag with one of my sarongs and left it unattended on the beach while I went for a swim!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>MEALS</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My absolute favourite place to eat in Honolulu is this little, no frills, delicious, super fresh, home made joint </span><br />
<a href="http://diamondheadmarket.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Diamond Head Market / Deli Bakery</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These scones filled with cream cheese are to die for ($3.00)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Their lunches or dinners are plentiful, delicious and so inexpensive. This one cost me $9.00:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another great little find on Monsarrat Avenue is the </span><a href="http://www.southshoregrillhawaii.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">South Shore Grill</span></a>.<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Their Fish Tacos are a must try. On Tuesdays you will get two pretty big ones for $5.00 and drinks are $1.00!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Three independent parties told me about this little Portuguese bakery in Honolulu.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-sVvl1W_HAkjiFbef4AqMVDToLr5WE0HrHPlWxJCQPinYFlVPnp3tWGihWy5gssgI8mR2yh7i5aeK0HYJ7oTkVx9sqwyO5U7UeChzo6fWOe2ZWdm2bSaR2qK8osc0HXCf1LM6SBIlMs/s1600/2014-05-17+19.11.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-sVvl1W_HAkjiFbef4AqMVDToLr5WE0HrHPlWxJCQPinYFlVPnp3tWGihWy5gssgI8mR2yh7i5aeK0HYJ7oTkVx9sqwyO5U7UeChzo6fWOe2ZWdm2bSaR2qK8osc0HXCf1LM6SBIlMs/s1600/2014-05-17+19.11.26.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just by chance I passed it one evening and tried their famous Malasadas, a deep fried sweet pastry, similar to our German "Berliner".</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELtaQynR6syZyGMHUh483iqgdj-S7eAH3p-azjRocFlehyENV-NDU35RvU178l7S5oVRbEl0UB_9VNN-z1_yOxAfq7v5Ekhq6BEmcIt-LYljlZdFoBU9Tj8u26Pyc45fZJ32uz8zT4GY/s1600/2014-05-17+19.15.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELtaQynR6syZyGMHUh483iqgdj-S7eAH3p-azjRocFlehyENV-NDU35RvU178l7S5oVRbEl0UB_9VNN-z1_yOxAfq7v5Ekhq6BEmcIt-LYljlZdFoBU9Tj8u26Pyc45fZJ32uz8zT4GY/s1600/2014-05-17+19.15.59.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I ate breakfast at my Airbnb accommodation, snacked on these babies</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KbZzxV0lbgX85UnHeaQP98GKxEQYHNc6TseBSU2eiwnPtEmBAp3MNZ48BvOyxPjpegi0APfTbt-Qc-7qSlMaERDxTj60xUn_tja5Nw-SC7STBou2rtSk7FK-UmUCVhh72QEzQ2C7Mow/s1600/TrailMix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KbZzxV0lbgX85UnHeaQP98GKxEQYHNc6TseBSU2eiwnPtEmBAp3MNZ48BvOyxPjpegi0APfTbt-Qc-7qSlMaERDxTj60xUn_tja5Nw-SC7STBou2rtSk7FK-UmUCVhh72QEzQ2C7Mow/s1600/TrailMix.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and ate dinner. It was so hot I drank more than I ate!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">STAY HYDRATED</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I left the house with two bottles filled with tap water (good and safe to drink). Everywhere you go you will find water fountains. And when I say everywhere I mean everywhere.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YxAwGULYTv3Pf1Fqy_tNr0dwKXCzp4ycDAxk58sweMjLqNGZQBtXN80V1uEw54r5_srExFbZOjKGBCiGqgybCvSO5JRP3iPJ9nwZPKKiV9a19N2KEMaRuRq9p_QL-yqSmEkPVhE6LOE/s1600/2014-05-18+14.15.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YxAwGULYTv3Pf1Fqy_tNr0dwKXCzp4ycDAxk58sweMjLqNGZQBtXN80V1uEw54r5_srExFbZOjKGBCiGqgybCvSO5JRP3iPJ9nwZPKKiV9a19N2KEMaRuRq9p_QL-yqSmEkPVhE6LOE/s1600/2014-05-18+14.15.40.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These ABC stores are grandiose. They carry everything you ever need and their coffee is super nice and only costs a fraction of the ones at Starbucks. McDonald's has their $1.00 drink deals running. If I fancied a coked I paid my dollar and drank as much as I wanted. If you keep the cup any McDonald's will give you a refill - at least that's what their staff told me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>WATER SPORTS</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Surf lessons are offered all along the beaches in Waikiki and everywhere else. The further you wander away from the Hilton's and The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the cheaper the rentals and lessons become.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To take a boogie board out costs between $20.00 and $45,00. Guess which one I took!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMocKT9z1SOSH4O6W19E1IQxxwKrCo4QRkZKdG38HZTMroHYQONitD-gXCczfGMKeNyWkxCWwarKPtLIV7PgxFcrPaX8nan1ewVozXjO3OoTByRN0ZjZTFVe_dkYaePvNskCo0_MNfeEI/s1600/snorkling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMocKT9z1SOSH4O6W19E1IQxxwKrCo4QRkZKdG38HZTMroHYQONitD-gXCczfGMKeNyWkxCWwarKPtLIV7PgxFcrPaX8nan1ewVozXjO3OoTByRN0ZjZTFVe_dkYaePvNskCo0_MNfeEI/s1600/snorkling.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A private surf lesson will set you back $ 120 - 160.00 per hour.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I booked a group lesson with 5 other guys and it cost me $40.00 (which I put on the credit card).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Take a look at some of the day trips I took:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.to-hawaii.com/oahu/waterfalls/manoafalls.php" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Manoa Falls:</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> (most popular and easy hike in Honolulu)</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.pearlharboroahu.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pearl Harbour</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, standing on the USS Arizona Memorial:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.gohawaii.com/oahu/regions-neighborhoods/honolulu/waikiki" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Waikiki Beach:</span></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDmsu__nl5EJvYhVCBa0G711SAomAmDyo4huLTR5ECU6TTRKzehAcfvB2dLVIiI2EBdhoaFO2ugVf_hB_lOduOlTQobzKQqOLLPtnpGD4Fx0l1STnJ74QSCgv4z4ZnJibVDZLeDbOCCQ/s1600/2014-05-16+11.40.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDmsu__nl5EJvYhVCBa0G711SAomAmDyo4huLTR5ECU6TTRKzehAcfvB2dLVIiI2EBdhoaFO2ugVf_hB_lOduOlTQobzKQqOLLPtnpGD4Fx0l1STnJ74QSCgv4z4ZnJibVDZLeDbOCCQ/s1600/2014-05-16+11.40.17.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm15zzI883LEScBszPo4HQImFQLDBqXRZUI5g7FYaAhSs_4BWmbgtFNO2Raul7rIp5xaCNc9pEGHnb5boUmhhV4c77AaqJa-kVnXmGe5XuHPbRCVAYfn-KpktDvyMe2QZ2jQanx_5fEtw/s1600/2014-05-16+18.09.31.jpg" height="240" width="320" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On top of </span><a href="http://www.hawaiistateparks.org/parks/oahu/Index.cfm?park_id=15" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Diamond Head</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Crater:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALsGhvVz_37VVkrvXHrKuKjsfBZWhjYrKE-nkCzMPEvioxTaO-HHvJHY3udk4AHiDhzIzgtOOu76jMn1-seyTR7yc173Y1x9kA0C6BXkpL9_iD_a9jEgxbUZtXT7iFruz-EdL68DH69E/s1600/2014-05-16+09.41.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALsGhvVz_37VVkrvXHrKuKjsfBZWhjYrKE-nkCzMPEvioxTaO-HHvJHY3udk4AHiDhzIzgtOOu76jMn1-seyTR7yc173Y1x9kA0C6BXkpL9_iD_a9jEgxbUZtXT7iFruz-EdL68DH69E/s1600/2014-05-16+09.41.54.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.gohawaii.com/oahu/regions-neighborhoods/north-shore/haleiwa" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Haleiwa Beach</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, North Shore</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmWq-Ssn1y6c2EnoeW3b82_hzL1KrohOaNYGjGpmZmqVXoxtuPBHXm0sh1kjjpfMCmCs9yO1UOZWQryLjArXZpSLLFhWPVrt7fgM-eqg8EoQwKTgpAUlqvVmkKlnc5xeAf-MdO7M-oIA/s1600/2014-05-14+16.03.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmWq-Ssn1y6c2EnoeW3b82_hzL1KrohOaNYGjGpmZmqVXoxtuPBHXm0sh1kjjpfMCmCs9yO1UOZWQryLjArXZpSLLFhWPVrt7fgM-eqg8EoQwKTgpAUlqvVmkKlnc5xeAf-MdO7M-oIA/s1600/2014-05-14+16.03.45.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtN6S8MPtkJiW_9YtTDr7_mkh6hojeIfixxm5Xo_DdlT40mHVtIBX0urvd-VkM3RXKYya_0eHQhaDcuWc54JoCDKqUhQH1VhyphenhyphenHFTkBWW7pmTo4oKPPRzRGvF1CFfmDNWnUW3UMoOODSUs/s1600/2014-05-14+15.39.29.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">when you are here make sure you stop at </span><a href="http://matsumotoshaveice.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Matsumoto</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">! THE place in Hawaii (or on the planet) to eat shaved ice! I tried the rainbow cone and yes, it is phenomenal!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Snorkeling at </span><a href="http://www.fun-hawaii.com/island-oahu/tours/hanauma-bay/hanauma-bay.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hanauma Bay</span></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqwOBA-IysS8BWOgAg-cdYXXvvC029LINgy3wEb2SRNsO2gPZJ9zO0hvAPICTjE-x5wlGdMvuumEkD-QQuZ6lCuSu3OHF3R6AzM3L2yI5Ft6rgETeD83KwKiAz3Z80xhIKQTaGLFAdjQ/s1600/2014-05-15+12.07.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqwOBA-IysS8BWOgAg-cdYXXvvC029LINgy3wEb2SRNsO2gPZJ9zO0hvAPICTjE-x5wlGdMvuumEkD-QQuZ6lCuSu3OHF3R6AzM3L2yI5Ft6rgETeD83KwKiAz3Z80xhIKQTaGLFAdjQ/s1600/2014-05-15+12.07.04.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And this is what happens if you hang around on the island for long enough: You turn into an angel! </span></div>
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<a href="http://angelsbytheseahawaii.com/en/index.php" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Angels by the Sea</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> is a cute little souvenir shop in Waikiki. It's the kind of shop we women can fall in love with!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We are in charge of the decisions we make; either in our personal or business life. Hawaii, like everything, can be as pricey or as inexpensive as we want it to be! ALOAH!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiix1T0MqjYISxoAG_STRgdwJuXhJSUfe725tdHwifBzk-e1kc2UOzKyqLqLXamKzd3TD8kJUUEoqn6gAvY7SLIi2bNPPRVFwL7HE2EJOxYvGGJMNeDr1tyuTgIdcJ45y6DcxHw1l21HC4/s1600/2014-05-14+14.04.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiix1T0MqjYISxoAG_STRgdwJuXhJSUfe725tdHwifBzk-e1kc2UOzKyqLqLXamKzd3TD8kJUUEoqn6gAvY7SLIi2bNPPRVFwL7HE2EJOxYvGGJMNeDr1tyuTgIdcJ45y6DcxHw1l21HC4/s1600/2014-05-14+14.04.53.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">I hope these photos / video has motivated you to get your travel destinations checked off your bucket list...it's bad enough it took me 30 years- it shouldn't take you this long, regardless of where you want to go to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"> And here is part 1, just in case you missed it!</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z-8KzDU704g?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-62061374161493094852014-06-21T14:14:00.000-07:002014-06-21T20:06:59.165-07:00GOODBYE SAME OL' SUMMER ACTIVITY - HELLO HYAK RIVER RAFTING<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a special summer episode on</span> </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #45818e; font-size: large;">MOTHERPRENEUR TV</span></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Information, Inspiration + Adventure from me to you!</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Monday 9 AM: Goodbye dear family, I am off for the day! I am going rafting, me, myself and 14 strangers.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mind you, I know this lovely gentleman, Ricky Shetty, aka the </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DaddyBlogger?fref=ts" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">daddyblogger</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9smZ6VoJjV8OXe1ygRxl_wi6Dfe5XxFJT-oGMoXrw8iHuC-zciR-TQlXYTGAOu2vV7Y06Q4fnmsX2Y7Rn11agluOBLf8BNDzfxraK0HA9vC_op-n92WsIlPrJEHkuR4FvpZ4DaMK9z4M/s1600/Motherpranddaddyblogger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9smZ6VoJjV8OXe1ygRxl_wi6Dfe5XxFJT-oGMoXrw8iHuC-zciR-TQlXYTGAOu2vV7Y06Q4fnmsX2Y7Rn11agluOBLf8BNDzfxraK0HA9vC_op-n92WsIlPrJEHkuR4FvpZ4DaMK9z4M/s1600/Motherpranddaddyblogger.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In between listening to our first briefing, signing waiver forms and changing into our wetsuits and splash jackets we are getting to know one another: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4pXzxASxAk2eKGEOI-lte_GJxgqcvtsBtflkBuwwQHvLvJthPRPITsjB15OEQGdtY4Eq7MHEaY_8-Y83WlB-O21PHarFKPeXjecXK4uMd3t3cENHM0LjFML0fj3zJrG19gVwAerf8YM/s1600/ricky+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4pXzxASxAk2eKGEOI-lte_GJxgqcvtsBtflkBuwwQHvLvJthPRPITsjB15OEQGdtY4Eq7MHEaY_8-Y83WlB-O21PHarFKPeXjecXK4uMd3t3cENHM0LjFML0fj3zJrG19gVwAerf8YM/s1600/ricky+(2).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And this is us, all dressed up and ready to raft:</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifuESe3chLJBdMSgxG3w2FAkgFr_t7pUxJDlpU79epiNBrx9jRWD7XgOi9osA5IbTyKnFYaZrxruVslaJ5aOStsk-eqT3HIPrINprLEbZDaMKBfVGnXhgFxbVhB5_B5pd8LoXUpfeEFwA/s1600/greatgroupphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifuESe3chLJBdMSgxG3w2FAkgFr_t7pUxJDlpU79epiNBrx9jRWD7XgOi9osA5IbTyKnFYaZrxruVslaJ5aOStsk-eqT3HIPrINprLEbZDaMKBfVGnXhgFxbVhB5_B5pd8LoXUpfeEFwA/s1600/greatgroupphoto.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is a 20 minute bus ride to our starting point along the Chilliwack river! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"We are going on a summer holiday..." (say it like Cliff Richard would sing it...WHO? </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbajf_rHzys&feature=kp" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Click here</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to find out).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbHXnbQ4ttUBos3QwC16-yWzBzes9zlBMJGymSOlx7O7E9fd-QZuQfXh0dRMJg-s-St0AUzj1aKRpX7Wur5EzrzQr7kPWgH13SVBvUUGDdnZbN7iz2Xc2A_khZB6aFMZprgs7YJ8mYcc/s1600/insidebus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbHXnbQ4ttUBos3QwC16-yWzBzes9zlBMJGymSOlx7O7E9fd-QZuQfXh0dRMJg-s-St0AUzj1aKRpX7Wur5EzrzQr7kPWgH13SVBvUUGDdnZbN7iz2Xc2A_khZB6aFMZprgs7YJ8mYcc/s1600/insidebus.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sorry, let's get back on track...shall we?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As soon as we arrive at our allocated spot we receive our safety instructions because SAFETY is KING:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16aa8K6VwkCeZcIE_utOsi4Wd-yr2teXD_pGY1Nx_pUCgUIh7GbvkIQbTMGCNwqnZEbR7tL3T5soMb0UXZhv9NxaeS_gFdbuihLvtiHeTBdg2ysPOF2OHouIeedbsCf0dXAj_yMHTCNk/s1600/getting+ready.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16aa8K6VwkCeZcIE_utOsi4Wd-yr2teXD_pGY1Nx_pUCgUIh7GbvkIQbTMGCNwqnZEbR7tL3T5soMb0UXZhv9NxaeS_gFdbuihLvtiHeTBdg2ysPOF2OHouIeedbsCf0dXAj_yMHTCNk/s1600/getting+ready.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqs4kYw7uLJAYmxvN_KBJpb0u2-GuNPyupxVOs1WM0TjAAA086i7CGLQpv__DaV5ZHIHRmFDEyR0rYhjFI6PJvzKI4o1QUXg5ZxK0a1NYfsnchswJx2MCpH7OjZO3dbWWihWolPaQos9Q/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-2-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.LHMj0GInkC.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqs4kYw7uLJAYmxvN_KBJpb0u2-GuNPyupxVOs1WM0TjAAA086i7CGLQpv__DaV5ZHIHRmFDEyR0rYhjFI6PJvzKI4o1QUXg5ZxK0a1NYfsnchswJx2MCpH7OjZO3dbWWihWolPaQos9Q/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-2-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.LHMj0GInkC.webp" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
Photo: courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hellovancity" target="_blank">James Chung, Hello Vancity</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is what we are getting ourselves into, literally:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXveXRLraQQE4l4Xzt2PTWDigq8P4Up7R_RnrG7XdPmBDRLo1iDqOmnCMNZJEYd5Z8DlKgSZL771izd2nxi6zK3aCQ1_t93kQqDkfmhtbKe8T0DsUi4WKa12sa2SOX2WPDxl5FKQAP2V0/s1600/emptyboat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXveXRLraQQE4l4Xzt2PTWDigq8P4Up7R_RnrG7XdPmBDRLo1iDqOmnCMNZJEYd5Z8DlKgSZL771izd2nxi6zK3aCQ1_t93kQqDkfmhtbKe8T0DsUi4WKa12sa2SOX2WPDxl5FKQAP2V0/s1600/emptyboat.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And here we are still smiling! Two fellow bloggers ready to rock the boat!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMRQFkLnqPtx5FPGJkkpgQIiOGCufWMj_RErvbzDBbqqtkYrULLVXbLtOkMSy0eHksG0OulMZvrf-qrzDnwDORYc8o7ACnY8fJPCDaNZd6XFrt80aJVBVEMZ36u3nyYMk-tkvm1JSNy8/s1600/IandRyan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMRQFkLnqPtx5FPGJkkpgQIiOGCufWMj_RErvbzDBbqqtkYrULLVXbLtOkMSy0eHksG0OulMZvrf-qrzDnwDORYc8o7ACnY8fJPCDaNZd6XFrt80aJVBVEMZ36u3nyYMk-tkvm1JSNy8/s1600/IandRyan.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let's get in- and on it - exciting:</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNK_V24B6vXVsIVCtzlRbiajRzLgN3AlwQLw0FZRRMTtkA2Ja19s9f_9wkQErrq4A3RtOwYiujtAOaNv3FtTIqLfEkpK4DHJxBGGo-p-kdQb9KIcowID5-t9SCa6qogSL1KcBZMHmNdbI/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-27-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.-h9AB8B-9R.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNK_V24B6vXVsIVCtzlRbiajRzLgN3AlwQLw0FZRRMTtkA2Ja19s9f_9wkQErrq4A3RtOwYiujtAOaNv3FtTIqLfEkpK4DHJxBGGo-p-kdQb9KIcowID5-t9SCa6qogSL1KcBZMHmNdbI/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-27-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.-h9AB8B-9R.webp" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Thank you James Chung</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlz6h1jGV00p8pEZh26fy6yq1qTXJEoe4JPM0xe16pzjSA3MzQtMcbhwEpqZZOVagKbxVMa_LhZlqkPtz7zrutQ0MjFYmgZ7u7-J532qcI1LpB2dFSgrO_46pkq31BAILnBDaA3_O7cY/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-7-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.fBXt7D-m15.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlz6h1jGV00p8pEZh26fy6yq1qTXJEoe4JPM0xe16pzjSA3MzQtMcbhwEpqZZOVagKbxVMa_LhZlqkPtz7zrutQ0MjFYmgZ7u7-J532qcI1LpB2dFSgrO_46pkq31BAILnBDaA3_O7cY/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-7-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.fBXt7D-m15.webp" height="240" width="320" /></a> Photo: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hellovancity" target="_blank">James Chung</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oops, and where is everybody? Here we are:</span><br />
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<img alt="Photo: Ready to WIN? I'm giving away a FREE White Water Rafting trip thanks to Hyak River Rafting.
Enter Here: http://dearjessica.ca/winatripwhitewaterrafting/" class="img" height="326" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t1.0-9/p526x296/10353718_10152993144797516_6763238022862980271_n.jpg" style="left: 0px;" width="503" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Take a look at this awesome video! It feels like you are sitting in the boat with us, doesn't it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After our first hour we make a pit stop. We get off the boat, wade through shrubbery, climb up some stairs and voila, more water: A gorgeous waterfall opens up in front of us!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4qSM8qxho-a4VaogtFvdzwCfP1BOxh_N1N1mqgm7ST3lz1Ww1dx3UvMgMcNqfPWqz7nf9uq-c81jT8I7i4ZlAHSc_WnPTub9E45RSP1Rhl2A8ecuZyvLCKbhbP4-RcfA_1yeYpUPUVs/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-12-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.lFnq3Ko0r6.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4qSM8qxho-a4VaogtFvdzwCfP1BOxh_N1N1mqgm7ST3lz1Ww1dx3UvMgMcNqfPWqz7nf9uq-c81jT8I7i4ZlAHSc_WnPTub9E45RSP1Rhl2A8ecuZyvLCKbhbP4-RcfA_1yeYpUPUVs/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-12-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.lFnq3Ko0r6.webp" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
Photo: Thank you <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hellovancity" target="_blank">James Chung</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is it possible to get wetter than wet i</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">f you sit or stand directly underneath a waterfall? Have a look, these guys are testing it out!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Time to go back, climb back on board; more paddling, more rapids</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and then, time to refuel! A smorgasbord full of goodies, sweets and drinks is waiting for us:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvivdskc5TG_RGcF1bH_IZrJNf9ZKq5nBXkPUTIJNU5v6Xg_i0CBglQiehf1jmnda42wt4qt0HmYZ9z4xcG52W6l8hF9FbAkw84lecKxc2eUwP8el_ZXxU7UY5rR7dsL4woJTruAHGGs/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-23-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.iJR3Y9lD22.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvivdskc5TG_RGcF1bH_IZrJNf9ZKq5nBXkPUTIJNU5v6Xg_i0CBglQiehf1jmnda42wt4qt0HmYZ9z4xcG52W6l8hF9FbAkw84lecKxc2eUwP8el_ZXxU7UY5rR7dsL4woJTruAHGGs/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-23-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.iJR3Y9lD22.webp" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CU9EKlWxB_PYw9uC4c8YxnAiGhEsoR68AUUM9rxVndaRhnHmPoTDOYw83zHSfv5nZpTFV4LWEKztEJaHLPh1ts_ze-ZUzo8vCdXehKZGHLbhOGsUCpRogdRhe1wDvcPrriDybMtKBik/s1600/from+ricky+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CU9EKlWxB_PYw9uC4c8YxnAiGhEsoR68AUUM9rxVndaRhnHmPoTDOYw83zHSfv5nZpTFV4LWEKztEJaHLPh1ts_ze-ZUzo8vCdXehKZGHLbhOGsUCpRogdRhe1wDvcPrriDybMtKBik/s1600/from+ricky+(2).jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
These three photos, courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tokyoricky?fref=ts" target="_blank">Ricky Shetty</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHszT8GVl8qxUL-Fmty-AtNpXCBS1-XlHiMEQbByBTZ-p5-rU2STzVoczb7XQYy5S8zXqteSErZZM7_w-E_aqFTqRYL6f-3LEGB5Bi1QcX3yfysaT9LTvobvrnorcIarq05WMIfR8Xe8/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-24-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.ANlX5-UeXK.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHszT8GVl8qxUL-Fmty-AtNpXCBS1-XlHiMEQbByBTZ-p5-rU2STzVoczb7XQYy5S8zXqteSErZZM7_w-E_aqFTqRYL6f-3LEGB5Bi1QcX3yfysaT9LTvobvrnorcIarq05WMIfR8Xe8/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-24-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.ANlX5-UeXK.webp" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's only over when it's over, and our guides keep the best for last! Our boats hit the big grade 4 rapids (they range from 1 to 6; and 6 means suicide - enough said). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We need to pay attention here: Whoever sits in the front of the boat gets soaked, the guys in the back get a 'beat'n and getting soaked...but not as bad as in the front! Therefore I have no photos from this stretch!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqt424SmqhjQKjC0OuVIPcd4GwVHGbYLynKhAu3xqyTO6yviWFcGPRyHfVpEoSVpIlqrvq95dePOycOpBfZwg71aZZOIMOHfi3AIc3TfByGg7gIeVlsk8M6-E_T5G-XMokhzp3G8SkMP8/s1600/ricky+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Help, Man overboard! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just kidding, this was a fun swim at the end of the afternoon!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFgtCy_SA4ZyzryVgfc_Wfb8a9jmmQM_lekHgCkAcPb-8boi5z7Obp0gLpInUkfj0eH7q5N5X6onUPQo9VVKKmsglr6vwE2WZ6SXS9lwVhfwBj40hg8wuv6WuhuURPie3dQEd3g3e0FA/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-34-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.Sm0OnDVvJ_.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFgtCy_SA4ZyzryVgfc_Wfb8a9jmmQM_lekHgCkAcPb-8boi5z7Obp0gLpInUkfj0eH7q5N5X6onUPQo9VVKKmsglr6vwE2WZ6SXS9lwVhfwBj40hg8wuv6WuhuURPie3dQEd3g3e0FA/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-34-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.Sm0OnDVvJ_.webp" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank you James Chung for another lovely photo!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh no, all good things must come to an end!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLz0IKjvPUYnbbj2Masa2PgSHJWpeqh2WD37Ttu2J23ypqwoEQeOaGnYVTW5G8UqohZgk3YJ045AS0IwQSJgo4CwIpHHyIB-iRfjXq9MhlYRFnaWiKanPIe1kHYglGGWn1YNHGRxEcprQ/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-35-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.z4koQgUavu.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLz0IKjvPUYnbbj2Masa2PgSHJWpeqh2WD37Ttu2J23ypqwoEQeOaGnYVTW5G8UqohZgk3YJ045AS0IwQSJgo4CwIpHHyIB-iRfjXq9MhlYRFnaWiKanPIe1kHYglGGWn1YNHGRxEcprQ/s1600/720x540xhyak-white-water-river-rafting-35-1024x768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.z4koQgUavu.webp" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, let's hear it from you. I know you have a few questions. Let's get them off your chest:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><em><strong>"Can I take my children?"</strong></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Take a look at this short clip<strong><em> </em></strong>to find out what Jared Minty, rafting guide, director of marketing and father of 5 has to say about bringing kids:</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/nHEEjqd0-aA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>"Why is rafting with </em></strong><a href="http://www.hyak.com/index.html" target="_blank"><strong><em>Hyak</em></strong></a><strong><em> so much better than a conventional amusement / water / adventure park?"</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First of all you don't need</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to wait in line to enjoy your ride. Your thrill with </span><a href="http://www.hyak.com/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">HYAK</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> starts the moment you set foot into your boat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You spend the day in real nature, not man-made nature.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You don't need to search or pay for your parking spot. Hyak runs a daily pick-up and drop-off service from Burnaby or any major downtown Vancouver hotel. If you drive directly to Chilliwack you can leave your car at their premises, free of charge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong><em>"What happens if I forget anything e.g. water shoes or a waterproof camera?" </em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">The guys at Hyak have a small assortment of goodies for us to purchase. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMQe-OK9ysDedhHm6GYpWGjwioTNyAkA57sRJVV7HTvM0jVLlXeRLZxWRaYslyNM4D0fLE2MfG8B7gEA9RhBAz3biTEnI5_o-XoqKRGxOYY_D1XUEvf1b15j5e-FrniE-OxTz5DEL7gM/s1600/shopitemtosell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMQe-OK9ysDedhHm6GYpWGjwioTNyAkA57sRJVV7HTvM0jVLlXeRLZxWRaYslyNM4D0fLE2MfG8B7gEA9RhBAz3biTEnI5_o-XoqKRGxOYY_D1XUEvf1b15j5e-FrniE-OxTz5DEL7gM/s1600/shopitemtosell.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>"I want to go, my family doesn't, what can I do?"</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, get together with a few of your friends, go alone or join one of your local meet up groups. That's how I ended up her. I joined </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/YVRbloggers/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">YVRbloggers</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> (facebook) or here on </span><a href="http://www.meetup.com/YVR-Bloggers/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Meet-Up</span></a>.<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Remember, everybody is a stranger until you meet them!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">And here is my special something from me and Hyak to you:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">HURRAH! You can win one of these amazing rafting trips! Make sure you enter the draw right here! I keep my fingers crossed for you...toi,toi,toi! (German for Good Luck).</span><br />
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<script _553k="" href="http://widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js" rel="nofollow" src="//<a class=" target="_blank">widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js</a>"></script><br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-27311393510357451342014-05-28T06:32:00.002-07:002014-05-28T06:32:38.817-07:00CHANGE YOUR MIND = CHANGE YOUR LIFE <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes it takes a while before we find our true gift in life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes we have to go through hardship to find our true blessing and meaning in life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes, only later everything makes sense what we went through.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let me introduce you to <a href="http://thepowerwithin.ca/" target="_blank">Jackie Maclean</a>, master hypnotist and clinical certified hypnotherapist.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTlY4LktLf4rdS-4m3Zr06LrFThCWDr9SJf-nyjcDdAEZBPTlkX8ENTIl0TF91x6ws2E10r-VSoDbD2nKVScA3CpRWoh8YszA8O4PKBirufH3x2-xwZBm7aPXgvyKQkw4H6y-b2acOAI/s1600/2014-05-23+19.06.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTlY4LktLf4rdS-4m3Zr06LrFThCWDr9SJf-nyjcDdAEZBPTlkX8ENTIl0TF91x6ws2E10r-VSoDbD2nKVScA3CpRWoh8YszA8O4PKBirufH3x2-xwZBm7aPXgvyKQkw4H6y-b2acOAI/s1600/2014-05-23+19.06.05.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It took Jackie a lifetime to find her passion and gift in life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Born and raised in poverty in Mumbai to a loving mother and alcoholic father Jackie never had the luxury to dream big, fat dreams.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The only dream she ever had was to escape her abusive father.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the young age of 19 she married, gave birth to two children and moved with her husband to Dubai. At the age of 23 she was a widow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For many years she remained in Dubai, remarried and moved with her husband and then four children to Canada.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Soon after she was divorced, raising her children on her own and struggled to make ends meet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The only stress relief she could find were reading articles about hypnosis.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Boom-Whamm Sham, hypnosis turned her life around.</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jackie applied the learnt techniques on herself, became an accredited and certified hypnotist and hypnotherapist.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Today she runs her own successful practice helping clients to get over addictions, phobias, stress, weight loss etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Enjoy her wisdom, talent and knowledge right here below:</span><br />
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<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://i1.ytimg.com/vi/s_7bB_3wVTw/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/s_7bB_3wVTw?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/s_7bB_3wVTw?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Find her here:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>The Power Within Hypnotherapy</strong></span><br />
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<strong>Phone:</strong> +1 604.551.4986<br />
<h4>
2 Locations to Serve You Better:</h4>
<strong><em>VANCOUVER</em></strong><br />
Vancouver, B.C. Canada<br />
Business Hours: 11:00am – 9:00pm (By special appointment)<br />
<strong><em>LANGLEY</em></strong><br />
Unit 306, 5074 201a Street, Langley, B.C. Canada<br />
Business Hours: 9:30am – 9:30pm (Monday – Saturday<br />
<a href="mailto:info@thepowerwithin.ca">info@thepowerwithin.ca</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=11&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CFsQFjAK&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fthepowerwithinhypnosis&ei=OHeFU_zbHZGBogSJ_IDIBA&usg=AFQjCNHV6U6GCSKNF1wvHEPXV9jyuaVWhQ&sig2=CR95-MYIP6qEJNatv3Wa1g"><em><span style="color: #1a0dab;">The Power Within Hypnotherapy</span></em><span style="color: #1a0dab;"> | Facebook</span></a></h3>
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<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8490160923597988224.post-77572292372700062422014-05-08T15:21:00.000-07:002014-05-08T15:21:23.278-07:00LEAVING YOUR MARK in the BUSINESS WORLD ft. Cheryl Bishop<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You heard me say it before: It's the small stuff that makes a huge difference- either in our personal or in our business life!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let's focus on business here, shall we?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If and when we start our passion project we need to make sure it's somehow and somewhat different from the rest of the crowd. If we don't stand out with even just a little something we are invisible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We need to decide to become a small fish in a big pond or to become a big fish in a small pond.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let me walk you through the anatomy of a business called </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make Your Mark!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><img src="http://mymsuccess.com/wp-content/themes/mym/images/MYM.png" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They specialise in business training education for the small business owner who doesn't have formal business education (actually, who does?).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Five years ago their founder and CEO <a href="http://mymsuccess.com/the-team/" target="_blank">Colin Sprake</a> decided to make MYM the best, most influential and widely recognised support system for the independent small business owner!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The only problem was, nobody knew who he or MYM was!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Collin had his dream, a plan, a goal and a laser sharp vision of what he wanted to achieve by what date!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He then made a very smart move: He recruited his friend Cheryl Bishop. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><img alt="Headshot_Cheryl" src="http://mymsuccess.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Headshot_Cheryl-240x300.png" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<b>Why? This is why:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"<b><i>If</i></b> y<b><i>ou want to get stuff done, ask a woman to do it!</i></b>"(I am pretty sure the late Margaret Thatcher said this and Colin Sprake read it).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Together they networked their pretty butts off to find their perfect clients. They did up to 16 networking events per week to spread themselves and their message around!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here comes the secret: They followed up! Follow up in huge in the world of MYM!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plus, they believed in themselves!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Belief is everything!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are not 150% convinced your product or service is the best </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">thing since the invention of sliced bread, you are dead!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You need to believe you are wanted, needed and appreciated - or at least your product or service is!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To make a long story short, within 5 years they created a company worth millions and today Colin is a big fish in a small pond (MYM services reaches 11000 business owners within a 50 km radius of the office location)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Join me for a candid 16 minute interview with Cheryl Bishop! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Find out</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>WHY</b> <b>Cheryl agreed to a lower pay and longer crazier hours</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Hint: Believe and share the same vision!).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What a <i>NO</i></b> <b>really means</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(hint: Whatever you do, don't take it personally)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Why a presentation in front of 2 is a perfect opportunity</b>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (You never know, it can lead to something huge!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>How long it took to create a</b> <i><b>buzz</b></i>! (Yes it took years- but it was worth it)</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/KQhUXGFH8C0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>And what makes them extraordinary?</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The folks at MYM are givers: They offer free training, free weekend seminars, a fun atmosphere and operate this whole operation with heart and soul!</span><br />
<img src="http://mymsuccess.com/wp-content/themes/mym/images/soul.png" /><br />
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H<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ere is<a href="http://mymsuccess.com/" target="_blank"> their website </a> + this link offers you <a href="http://events.mymsuccess.com/activate/" target="_blank">Free Business Training!</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is your special code: # 7054</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I truly believe, if they can do it, so can you! </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>With the right mindset, a plan and the perfect wing man / woman everything is possible!</b></span><br />
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<img alt="Photo: Time to #MakeYourMark by cutting out the excuses!" src="https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/p403x403/10291781_700928616632473_5838839603519180298_n.jpg" /><br />
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<br />Christina Waschkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610812817645230032noreply@blogger.com0