Snippets from the Brodies: Fairmont Hot Springs

The day after the rodeo we drove down to the cute little town of Fairmont Hot Springs in BC, for a weekend with lots of friends from Pincher Creek (most of the Lewis families!). To get there, we drove through the Rocky Mountains, after being caught in a decent snow storm on the way (debated pulling over to wait it out, but there was nowhere to pull off… Saw a few cars in the ditches beside the road though!). We drove up to Norquay ski field just out of Banff to have a look, and were delighted to find that part of it was open! Although after planning to go back via there, we’ve since realised it’s only open on the weekends so far… As it was the first time I’ve been to a ski field wearing a skirt rather than ski pants, I got a few funny looks… But didn’t freeze at all! Must be getting slightly accustomed to the cold J

View of Banff from the road up to the Norquay ski field

At the Norquay ski field

There was a tad more snow on the mountains than last time we came through, so the drive through the Rockies was pretty impressive!! We were pretty thankful though that the roads were pretty clear when we started heading down the mountain passes out the other side of the Rockies through Kootenay National Park, to get to Fairmont!

View from the road of some of the Rockies!!

View of Castle Mountain from the Bow Valley Parkway

At Fairmont we spent lots of time in the hot pools nearby, which was fantastic and made for a pretty relaxing long weekend! Interspersed with lots of games of squash, which was also great, some running around outside, and lots of just catching up with friends, which was also fantastic!

Jane and Savannah playing squash in a racquetball court...

Some of the boys playing football

What I understand of Canadian football - lots of planning between each play!

Dena and Jane, with Renita and Savannah behind

Dena, Savannah and Jane

Micaela and Annika coming to join us

Some of the girls - Annika, Nicole, Jane (Kiwi), Dena, Renita (Aussie), Micaela, Savannah (Kiwi/Canadian)

On the Sunday night, after it had snowed quite a bit that morning, we spent the evening inside playing games, and had lots of fun re-living parts of our childhoods, with games and tricks from way back J

Pushup competition to 'Bring Sally Up' - Lawrie, Boyd, Monty (and Berwin, not in the photo)

Arm wrestling - Brant vs. Monty

Lawrie failing to support himself by his neck and toes

Trent looking like a spider while climbing around a table

Micaela and Jane balancing (well, almost) on Jane's arms

Donny climbing through a broom

Crabwalking race - Carma, Brittany, Jane and Micaela vs Lawrie, Luke, Joel and Stewart

Charades - Brittany and Dorothy, with Beau

Beau :)

Jane tricking Monty into drawing on his own face

Luke and Stewart trying to get a cookie off the floor without touching the ground with their hands or feet

The nicest photo we could get of Trent and Dena (Annika's photo) - normal apparently?!

Brant and Renita (Annika's photo)

Most of the family - Annika, Joel, Micaela, Sandra and Berwin

Dorothy and Ken

It was so great to spend time with Kim & Robin and their whole family – Jaclyn and Chad and their boys (Carter, Jake, Axel and Braver), Carma, Boyd & Brit and their girls (Beau and Rio), Trent and Dena; Berwin and Sandra and their family – Micaela, Annika, Luke and Joel; Ken and Dorothy (grandparents); Brant and Renita and Stewart; Nathan and Alex; Savannah; and a few who weren’t actually Lewises – Jane, and Monty. Lots of people, and lots of fun and relaxation, made for a wonderful long weekend! J