Happy #thinkingoutloud Thursday! No idea what I’m going on about? Click here!
1. The hardest thing about recapping any sort of trip or vacation is definitely going through all your pictures and trying to figure out what to include and what to say. I always tell myself that I won’t take a tonne of pictures since I’m up in the mountains so often anyways, and then I end up with about 200 that I have to sort through. But how do you not take a picture of this?
Or this?
Or this?
Or this?
Impossible. I probably could have done without this one, though 
2. I could also probably invest in a new set of riding gear since I basically look the same in every picture I post, but if it ain’t broke… Hi! 
3. And to avoid getting broke(n), try to obey the signs, no matter how tempted you might be to do otherwise…
4. Because they usually know what they’re talking about. Paradise, aptly named.
5. Speaking of signs… you know you’re in for an exciting time when you come across one of these at the head of your hiking trail…
It probably should have dissuaded us from going any further, buuuut there was a sizeable bunch of us and we were well equipped with bear spray. Luckily, no cougars. Nothing but gorgeous tranquil views.
6. We did come face to face with a bear, though! Buuuuuut it wasn’t really the kind I like to see 
There was also a lynx that ran across the highway a few car lengths in front of us, but I didn’t manage to pull out the phone fast enough to snap a picture, and since there’s no #proof, it didn’t happen 
7. This did, though. I cheated on Starbucks. I regret nothing.
8. … except for maybe not waiting an extra month to order my Erin Condren Life Planner* (referral link!). This has nothing to do with my weekend in the mountains, but I just wanted to let my fellow Canadian and international readers know that shipping prices have been reduced a tonne for the ECLP. So if you’ve been thinking about getting one but didn’t want to pay the crazy shipping fees, now is definitely a better time to do it! I know we’re already 1 month into 2015 , buuuuut there’s still a good 11 months to go, and this planner is seriously amazing. You can read my full review here, and click here* to save $10 off your first order if you decide that you want one too!
(*referral links! If you click on them, you’ll get $10 off your first purchase and I’ll get $10 credited to my account. Thanks for being awesome and showing me and Spoons your support!)
9. Alrighty, that’s it for me today. Happy Thursday to your friendly faces! Go and rock some socks off!
10. Wait, wait. Nope. One more thing before I go. I just wanted to send a huge shoutout and thank you to everyone who sent me a Tweet, comment, or Instagram picture saying they made and loved the Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Oatmeal Cookies I posted yesterday. You guys really do know how to make a girl feel special. Alright… now bye!
No questions… just tell me whatever comes to your mind!
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Wow, beautiful pictures! Reminds me of the mountains in my home country Norway
Those mountains are gorgeous! And so are you! Even if you wear the same gear in every picture.
You know what’s crazy? My mom saw a cougar here in Ontario a year or two ago! I didn’t think we had any here, but apparently I was wrong.
Ugh winter looks so pretty in Alberta. It just looks ugly here lol.
It only looks pretty in certain places in Alberta
The city is actually still pretty nasty looking.
That cougar sign is pretty scary! I am full on freaked out by cougars now cos when I was staying in a tent for three months on salt spring island there were cougar noises a few nights and everyone flipped out! I thought I was gonna get eaten in my tent, and that’s really not how I plan to go :s
Beautiful pictures!!!
Wow. Just wow. Those pics of the mountains are amazing. Looks like you had a great time!
Beautiful photos! Now, I’m ready for a trip and some of those cookies!
Whoa, cannot even handle how delicious those cookies look!!! Heading to that recipe pronto!! Happy Thursday!
Thanks, Sarah! Happy Thursday to you too!
I would make those cookies if I could get some bananas ripe, let alone overripe in this house.
I only cheat on Starbucks with Panera. Their hazelnut coffee is the bomb.
Your photos look so pretty. Even though I hate the snow, your pics make me want to go skiing for some reason.
In my defence… we don’t have Panera up here
Oh man I want to go to the mountains!! I’d say you’re lucky, but I know living up there has it’s challenges…like less light and much cold!
That planner is making me drool. I’m such an office supply nerd and I LOVE all of those colors!
I feel EXACTLY the same way about vacation pictures – I still have so many from Kenya and it’s so hard to pick ones to share! Those mountain pics are gorgeous, though.
I wish I liked paper planners. Those Erin ones are so freaking cute. But, I’m an iPhone planner for life, I think.
Your pictures are amazing. I’m obsessed with my Erin Condren planner! and sometimes I’ll write things down after I did them just so I can cross them off… is that weird?
Not at all! But my opinion might be a little biased since I do exactly the same thing
Your photos are just gorgeous!! Very impressive, Amanda! and those cookies look nomnom!
Way to turn a banana into the star of your post
.There are enough bloggers posting a million selfies so some #publicbanana lovin’ is much appreciated – am I right?! I can’t blame you for the 374958 mountain pictures, either. It’s a gorgeous scenery.
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Don’t make me weak about the reduced shipping … It’s still a hefty price for a planner and I need to save money right now. Damn budgeting
I saw those oatmeal banana bread cookies on IG yesterday and started drooling. I’ve been saying that I was going to buy bananas so that I could make banana bread for a while…but I always forget because you know I hate bananas otherwise. But banana bread? Wow. So good. Also, that first picture of the winding road near the mountain? Wow. I want to print that out and put it on my wall. Looks like you had an amazing time!
I could look at those mountain pictures all day! So gorgeous! Thanks for sharing the planner link. I’ve been wanting one so bad so now I have an excuse with the discount!
They really are worth the investment
This is so fun!! What beautiful pictures!! ..and oh my word!! Those cookies need to be in my life!!
If I ever drive across the country (i.e. to move home or move someone else out here haha) I want to go through Canada and do the Rockies… always love all the photos you share from the mountains!
I may be slightly biased, but… I definitely think they’re worth the detour
Bananas are always worthy of a photo. And I like them a little bit browned, just like the one shown above. Thanks for hosting the link-up, Amanda!
Thanks for joining, Ashley! Hope you’re making some progress with your moving and packing
You like McD’s coffee?! I’ve tried it a handful of times at different locations but it tasted like dirty water. Maybe it’s just another reason to love Canada?! You guys even make better coffee ;)! And your pictures from the mountains make me consider trying to snowboard. If it weren’t for my knee and my incredibly terrible balance, I’d probably go right now haha!
I always enjoy your mountain pictures. They are just stunning. Make me jealous that you have snow and we can’t get fresh powder over here. It is so icy that I don’t dare go snowboarding. It’s an expensive sport for sure and I am with you…if the gear still works why buy new stuff!?!
That snows looks so pretty. You saw a lynx run across the highway? That is awesome. #proof not needed.
Ah!! Did you head into Maligne Canyon? Jasper is so pretty. I miss it & want to go back. I’m DYING to visit in the summer.
We did! That’s where the cougar sign was, actually. We probably should have gone with a guided tour, though, because holy.SNAP was it icy. Getting up and down hills was… interesting