Dear Canada,

We share a special bond. It started when my elementary school did a play representing different countries, and I played a farmer from Canada who just said "eh" alot. 

Looking back, it may have been borderline offensive.

I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for you, Canada.

Thanks for introducing me to my best friend in the whole wide world. 

Thanks for hosting me for two visits when I went on tour with my university dance company (first to lovely alberta, and then to charming quebec a few years later). Two weeks isn't nearly long enough to visit a province. 

Thanks for letting Gid and I crash there for our honeymoon a little less than five years ago. It was the most lovely autumn trip a pair of newlyweds could've dreamed of.

Do you know I've never met a Canadian I didn't like? Never.

That's a big deal for me, Canada. 

I'm really not one of those people who likes everyone.

Anyway, I'm hoping someday we can visit you again. Soon perhaps. 

Happy Thanksgiving.

ps- here's a quiz where you can find out where in Canada you should live.

pss- I love you too, America. Don't be jelly...

in six photos...

In my last post I said I didn't take any photos while we were in canada. I was wrong! I took these with my phone to document our epic road trip this week. Bless you, instagram.

We covered over 1800 miles in seven days. Go us.

Sunrise on our way out of the great SLC. 

(did I mention we left at 5 in the morning?)

At first  I thought there was a small town in montana called starburst (like the candy) and I was obsessed. Sunburst is quite adorable as well though...

The border...

 Look for the canadian flag. 

That's what I was trying to photograph...

Sunrise on our way out of alberta... :(

 all in all, a pretty sweet roadtrip.

oh, canada.

Trip up to canada to visit the best friend.  

Got up around 4:30 in the morning to get there.

Worth it. 

(of course, I was sleeping while sweet gideon was driving)

Britt and I were roommates in college. Out of everyone I lived with, I've kept in touch with her the best (no competition). How I love that we can just not see each other for months (sometimes years) and just pick up where we left off. 

A sign of a true friend if you ask me, friends. 

Brit and I stayed up talking about funny stories from our apartments. The ex-boyfriend stories. Tales from our late movie nights. Reminiscing about when we met our husbands. We rolled our eyes and giggled about roommate drama. Our apartment definitely had its fair share.... 

(a quick thank you to my many roommates who were drama free...

 and a sincere apology to the few of you who I somehow managed to offend with a single glance...)

We remembered our sweet past, then fast forwarded to the now- and imagined what the future holds. All while we munched on canadian chocolate. 

Ah, to be in canada with my sweet husband, my sweet britt and her sweet jason.

Is there anything better?

I submit that there is not.

When I'm having massive amounts of fun, I forget to take pictures friends. 

This is why I've placed our faces on pictures of the things we did together.

We hadn't even been in the motherland for long when 

Brit and Jason took us curling. 

I ate the ice.

(I was told I was graceful in the process, so I don't mind one bit.)

After we finished curling, the four of us ran a 6K. 

(have I mentioned I don't run??)

 But we did it. And it wasn't bad!! 

Of course, I think running next to my best friend helped the situation significantly. 

Anyway, I think I'm going to start signing up for 5Ks and stuff. If I can do a 6K in Canada, surely I can do a few 5Ks in the states. Even if I don't have her making me giggle the whole time. 

Another thing Brit and Jason introduced me to is CrossFit. 

It's a workout. 

It's about 10-15 minutes.

(Of hell.)

So sore the entire time we were there. Still am sore, actually.

We took naps frequently. I think we were all exhausted the entire time. 

Having fun can be so tiring.

We ate brit's phenomenal cooking. 

We looked around at very expensive model homes. 

Just for the heck of it. Had we stayed longer I feel very confident we would have test drove high speed luxury vehicles. I don't know why, I just am.

In the evenings we watched movies and caught up on lame TV shows while we made fun of them. 

Goodness, it was marvelous.

(all while we ate ketchup chips, and other canadian treats with french writing on them)

I don't know why exactly, but I had a much harder time saying goodbye this trip than I ever had. There was this looming sense that this time of our lives is finally coming to a close- and by that I mean, the "lets stay up till 2 in the morning and eat junk food while we talk about how awful this season of the bachelor was"- time of our lives. The "superficial carefree years" time of our lives.

 Is it that we're growing up? I mean- we've both gotten married, but that didn't change much. I think its that we're just getting older. Brit and Jason own a house. Like a real one. I remember when things like buying a house seemed next to impossibly far into the future. Yet here we are.

Part of me imagines what it would be like if Gid and I were to have a baby and Brit and Jason came by for a visit. Would we still watch weird 15 minute episodes of crappy cartoons late in the evening because it made us laugh incredibly hard? Would we tackle each other? Would we hide behind corners, jump out and make eachother scream? 

(For those of you who are wondering, I'm just talking about myself and Brittany- jason and gideon were very calm and probably a little irritated with the volume that came with brit and my shenanigans.) 

Probably not when we have little ones. When we have kids, we'll probably watch 1/2 of a movie (like Marley and Me, or some other family tearjerker), hug eachother gently around 9:45 pm and whisper our goodnights as we crawled into bed.

I dunno. I can't imagine not staying up till at least midnight with my brit. 

And I can't imagine not tackling her, even if we're eighty.

Maybe we're growing up. Or maybe not quite yet. 

Either way, I love my best friend.

Have a lovely rest of your break, friends.

Happy Canada Day!

Oh Canada Oh Canada- of all the trees most lovely...

Canada.


It's a country loved all over the world for it's maple syrup, geese, and beautiful people.


Oh. And because of Anne of frickin Green Gables.
(I was so going to marry Gilbert Blythe from the time I was 3 till abouuut the time I married Gideon)

In honor of Today, I have put up a small banner by my desk that says:

'A Happy Canada Day to All, and God Save the Queen!'

Lots of our patients have made comments on it. I've also been trying to use a Canadian accent all day (though I think it's coming out as a weird english accent). That's how much I love Canada.

5 facts about this wonderful country:

-Canada has the l--o--n--g--e--s--t coastline in the world.
Good for romantic walks, staring out into the distance, or going for a chilly dip.

-Canada is the 2nd largest country, (in size) in the world.

-Winnie the pooh is Canadian. I checked it out- it's true.

- At age 32, President Thomas S. Monson was the president of the Canadian mission from 1959-1962. He still speaks with fondness of those years.

-Toronto, the largest city in Canada, is the home of over 5 million people. Toronto dwellers hold more University degrees than any other city in the world. That's right- Canadians are smartie pants.

My Relationship to Canada:

-My 1st dance tour was to western Canada. The experience was life changing; and strongly influenced my decision to continue dancing on company. 2 years later, I went on another dance tour to eastern Canada. I can't decide which part I like better; as they were both spectacular!

-My best friend in the world is from Canada. I'll probably write a post specifically about her within the coming months. Till then, all you need to know is that she is THE loveliest, sweetest thing on the face of the planet, and I can't wait till the next time I get to visit her in the motherland of Canada!

-Gideon and I went on our honeymoon in Canada. We visited different national parks, shoppes, and loved every minute of it!

- I know I already mentioned Anne of Green Gables, but seriously. She was my role model growing up, and I watched those movies countless times growing up. Anne grew up in Prince Edward Island, and someday, I'm going to do an 'Anne Tour' and visit all of the places she goes throughout the book series. That will be a good day.

-My family has always been big into backpacking and traveling. I'll never forget my dad putting a canadian flag patch on his backpack because he knew when he traveled around the world with a Canadian patch, he'd be loved wherever he went.

Let it be known that I love America. I'm so proud to be an American, and you can bet your boots I'll be super excited to be an American on the 4th of July(in 3 days) !!!

I just also really really love Canada.

In days of yore from Britain's shore

Wolfe, the dauntless hero came,

And planted firm, Britannias flag

On Canada's fair domain.

Here may it wave, our boast and pride,

and joined in love together,

the thistle, shamrock, rose entwine,

The Maple leaf forever!

The Maple Leaf, Our Emblem Dear,

The Maple Leaf Forever!

God Save our Queen and heaven bless,

Our Maple Leaf Forever!

So Happy Canada Day to All of you!

And God Save the Queen...

ps- I love you, BrittanyNelson.