From Slopes to Springs — Living the Dream in Fernie

"I love mountains" — written in marker, felt in our hearts.

Sunday was our last day in Fernie, and after the full-throttle adventure of Saturday, we eased into it with a slower start. There’s something sacred about taking your time when you know goodbye is around the corner.

We had a bit of a mission list for the morning—Canadian Tire and the grocery store. I’d forgotten my yoga mat at home (classic), and we needed a few odds and ends like double-sided tape and a paper towel holder. Simon went to grab lunch supplies while I checked off our list.

And then—Happy Cow. Their ice cream had completely won us over, and we decided to pick up a full litre instead of grabbing cones, figuring it would last longer (in theory). We pulled into their lot a few minutes before they opened, so we did what you do when your kitchen comes with you: we made lunch right there in the parking lot. We were happy to be efficient with our time—chopping veggies, prepping sandwiches, and getting ready for the next adventure while we waited for our ice cream fix.

After lunch—and after securing our prized ice cream—we squeezed in one last ski/snowboar session at Fernie. It was bittersweet knowing it was our final run here, but it felt like the perfect send-off.

Then it was back on the road, headed toward Lussier Hot Springs. We arrived just around dinner time and were surprised to find it almost empty. The last time Simon and I were there was in 2014, on a BC trip long before the bus, before the girls, before this version of life. Coming back now, with our little crew, made it feel like the full circle we didn’t know we needed.

Grateful for this little pocket of peace at Lussier Hot Springs

As I sat there in the hot springs, watching our daughters play beside Simon, I was suddenly transported back to a moment from years ago—before I had even met him. I was on a solo trip to Olympic National Park, soaking in a hot spring, when I saw a young family laughing together in the water. I remember thinking, that’s what I want.

That dream quietly stayed with me through all the twists and turns, through years of uncertainty, and through the winding road that eventually brought us here.

We’ve had other hot spring moments as a family—like the time we visited a natural spring in Costa Rica, with my parents along for the adventure. But that evening was marked by something I’ll never forget: a fer-de-lance snake curled up beside one of the stairs on the path down. From the second I saw it, my body went into full alert. All I could think about was how vulnerable we were, how quickly something could happen to the people I love most.

As much as I tried, I couldn’t fully relax. That moment, that setting—it was beautiful, but my heart couldn’t settle.

But here, at Lussier, it was different. The calm was deeper. The safety felt real. And I could be fully present—with Simon, with our daughters, with the version of life I once only dreamed of.

Mountain air, warm springs, and these two water sprites living their best life 💦💛

There’s something so surreal about living a moment you once imagined in your heart and now get to live with your whole being. If you’re holding onto a dream—quietly, patiently—even when it feels far away… keep going.

Anything is possible.