So what the kids didn’t know was that as well as checking into a hotel for 2 nights for my birthday we were being joined by Mum and Kate! Not sure how we managed to keep it a secret from them but we did!
We drove into Calgary on Thursday 31st July having first visited the Royal Tyrell Museum. A fantastic museum displaying just some of the incredible fossil finds from this area. Including Black Beauty, the T Rex skeleton dyed by the oil that was being mined as they discovered it.
We had to call in at the airport to show our driving licenses to Hertz so that we could both drive the hire car that Mum and Kate had booked. We told the kids we were hiring a car so that we could drive up into the mountains to a place where we wouldn’t get through with Frankie. To be honest we could have saved our Oscar winning performance, as they didn’t question it at all. We got there just as their flight landed so I ran in and had a very excitable reunion with them at the Hertz counter. Then left them to drive on to the hotel and I got back in the van and pretended the hire car was going to be dropped off to the hotel later!
Miraculously they then arrived at the hotel car park as we did. The kids were literally gob smacked! Charlie didn’t speak for about 5 minutes. It was lovely.
We had booked into a suite and got Mum and Kate a room with the kids – result!! The bath in our suite was huge – the kids were in it before we’d even unpacked.
The next day was my birthday and I was inundated with lovely messages, cards, presents and video messages. Most exciting of all was the song written and preformed by my lovely girls.
John had tracked down THE place to go in Calgary for Breakfast (confirmed by the queue outside which we dutifully joined as they don’t take reservations) where we had Bloody Marys and the most delicious Eggs and pancakes.
Then on to Alberta Boots where I was measure up for my very special 40th Birthday Cowboy boots. We had to forcibly remove Charlie as he was determined that he should be dressed head to toe in tassels and leather.
A very swanky dinner on to of Calgary Tower in the their rotating restaurant 150’ up with stunning views over the Rockies.
Very spolit and very happy 40 year old!!
Although I have to confess I actually missed the kids not being in the same room as us and was very glad to get back to Frankie!
Wickenswanderings 
Oh darling, I’m on hols in France but just wept at that blog. Missing you all so much now but love love love seeing your adventure. What would we have done without tinternet? Lots of letters! So glad you had a wonderful birthday, Mand and I were very sad we weren’t with you. My video a bit rushed but managed to get Browny to join in! Big kisses to you all, take care xxxxxxx