Jan & Eam's News

DRAKE LANDING HOME FOR SALE

2011-09-20T19:13:00.000-06:00

GREAT VALUE! This 2006 built home is located in popular Drake Landing, and backs onto quiet walking paths and green space. Pride of ownership is obvious in this well cared for family home.

The large kitchen has contemporary cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, breakfast bar and a walk-through pantry. The dining nook is very light and bright with a door to the deck and rear yard.

The open plan living room is bright, yet cozy, with hardwood flooring and a stylish gas fireplace.

Upstairs the large bonus room has a vaulted ceiling and huge windows.

The master bedroom is a very good size with 5-piece en-suite. The second and third bedrooms are also good sizes and share a 4-piece family bathroom.

In the basement you will find a large recreation area, 4th bedroom, 3-piece bathroom and ample storage space.

Outside, the yard is fully fenced and has gated access to green space, walking paths and is just steps away from the playground area.

A spotless home in a fabulous location.

If you are selling or you know someone who is, don't forget Eamonn will give your home its very own website - Eamonn is the only REALTOR® who offers this!

Take a look at the Individual Property Website for this home to see much, much more.

J&E

Top Dawg REALTOR: Part 4

2011-09-20T10:52:00.001-06:00

The fourth phase of our marketing campaign is now underway. If you live in Okotoks, and usually receive fliers and unaddressd ad-mail, we would appreciate two minutes of your time to fill out a very short 4 question survey:

Top Dawg Post Card Survey - obviously, there is no need to do so if you have already completed this.

Our latest Top Dawg is on the front of thousands of postcards. He, like Eamonn, offers you his "Undivided Attention" and like the previous three, he too invites you to "Call A Top Dawg."

As a reminder, on the reverse, people are told that the card is "From The Guy On The Side Of The Dawgs Fieldhouse" so the next time they think of an Okotoks Realtor, maybe they will think about The Realtor Guy on the Dawgs Fieldhouse and give Eamonn a call.

We hope you all like it. Look out for the postcard!

J&E.

Immaculate Bungalow in Ranchers Rise, Air Ranch, Okotoks

2011-08-29T21:00:00.000-06:00

FOR SALE: This 2008 built home is located in a quiet cul-de-sac in Ranchers Rise, the newest area of Air Ranch. The home has over 2,400 sq.ft of developed living space. The home is located on a very large lot and has the most amazing open views.

At the entrance is a bright office area with double aspect windows, although this room could have other uses, such as a reception room, music room, formal dining room or reading room depending on what suits you best.

The main floor offers an open plan living room, with gas fireplace surrounded by large windows.

The kitchen is very stylish, with contemporary cabinetry, granite countertops with raised bar, high-end stainless steel appliances, including a raised and super quiet Bosch dishwasher, granite sink with garburator and corner pantry.

The master bedroom is a very good size with stunning 5-piece en-suite with double sinks set in a marble countertop with custom mirrors and elegant tiling.

The second bedroom is also a good size and is adjacent to a 3-piece family bathroom.

Heading downstairs you will find a large recreation area with plumbing for wet bar, media area, 3rd bedroom, 3-piece bathroom and ample storage space.

Outside the yard is huge and has the most amazing open views.

A spotless home in a fabulous location.

If you are selling or you know someone who is, don't forget Eamonn will give your home its very own website - Eamonn is the only REALTOR®who offers this!

Take a look at the Individual Property Website for this home to see much, much more.

J&E

Large Family Home in Crystal Shores, Okotoks

2011-08-29T20:56:00.000-06:00

FOR SALE: This 2005 built home, in the heart of the Crystal Shores Lake Community. The home has over 3,320 sq.ft of developed living space. This attractive 5 bedroom (4 up) home has a cul-de-sac location, a great floor plan and a good sized, private yard.

At the entrance you are greeted with a stylish staircase.

The main floor is huge, with reception room and formal dining room.

Heading to the rear of the home you will find a cozy living room with corner gas fireplace, a large, bright kitchen with stainless steel appliances, corner pantry and a good sized nook leading out to the deck and yard.

Upstairs, the master is generously sized and has a 5 piece en-suite and large walk-in closet.

Bedrooms 2, 3 and 4 are all spacious and share a 4-piece family bathroom.

The basement is fully finished with a large recreation area and bar, living area, good sized 5th bedroom and modern 3-piece bathroom.

Outside there is a large deck with privacy panels and a fully fenced and private yard.

A fabulous family home only minutes from Crystal Shores Beach and Lake facilities and close to great schools.

J&E

Suntree Home Full of Character, Style & Privacy

2011-08-25T18:28:00.000-06:00

FOR SALE: Welcome to Suntree, Okotoks. If you are looking for a mature and established area in the northern reaches of Okotoks, this is the location for you. There are schools close by and access to the highway is quick and easy, as are the amenities of the town.
As you approach 6 Suntree Lane, you will wander through the raised flower beds and trees, making the setting feel like you are in your own private park.

Beyond the walkway, you will find a cozy and secluded front porch.

This 5-level split home sits on a large lot and the home itself is full of character and individuality. The home was built in 1977 and boasts over 2,260 sq.ft of living space plus 445 sq.ft in the basement.

The ground floor offers a living room with access to the deck, the 3rd bedroom (currently being used as an office), mud room with laundry, 2-piece washroom and side door to rear yard with its Cal Spa hot-tub. On the same level, accessed via the kitchen and nook, you will find a large recreation area with sunken indoor hot-tub.

On the main level you are greeted with a very stylish reception room.

The dining nook is also on the main level, along with the kitchen, which has been completely renovated within the last couple of years.

On the upper level you will find the master bedroom, with fabulous walk-in closet and stylish 5-piece en-suite. Also on this level is bedroom 2 which has its own 3-piece en-suite.

The bonus room is located on the top level of the home overlooking the reception area. A sliding door leads you out onto a very private deck.

Outside the rear yard is large and private.

Come & Take a look today!

If you are selling or you know someone who is, don't forget Eamonn will give your home its very own website - Eamonn is the only REALTOR®who offers this!

Take a look at the Individual Property Website for this home to see much, much more.

J&E

Top Dawg REALTOR: Part 3

2011-08-17T11:47:00.000-06:00

The third phase of of our marketing campaign is now underway. Our latest Top Dawg is on the front of thousands of postcards that are hitting mailboxes all over Okotoks and surrounding areas this week. He is totally relaxed with his "Stress Free Real Estate Service"! Like the previous two, he too invites you to "Call A Top Dawg."

We hope you all like it. Look out for the postcard!

Watch this space ... there may be more!

J&E.

225 Crystal Shores Drive, Okotoks

2011-08-04T12:04:00.000-06:00

FOR SALE: This 2006 built home, in the heart of the Crystal Shores Lake Community. The home has over 2,900 sq.ft of developed living space. This beautiful, 4 bedroom (3 up) home is not overlooked, has mountain views, some lake views & backs to walking paths & green space.

The main floor has a good sized den/dining room with stylish French doors. Beyond this room lies the cozy living room with hardwood and corner gas fireplace.

The kitchen has granite counters & raised bar, corner pantry and a very spacious nook.

This level also features a laundry room with sink, a half bath & access to the oversized garage with a deep storage area or future workshop area with natural light.

Upstairs, the master is a very good size & leads to a 5 piece en-suite.

Bedrooms 2 & 3 are also well proportioned. The huge bonus room feels even larger with its vaulted ceiling & features a fairly unique upper level office or hobby/homework room.

The basement is fully finished with a terrific media area, further 4-piece bathroom & the large 4th bedroom.

Outside the yard is fully fenced and landscaped. The yard is not overlooked and backs onto green space and walking paths.

A fabulous family home in a terrific area, close to great schools.

Take a look at the Individual Property Website to see much, much more. If you are selling or you know someone who is, don't forget Eamonn's unique Individual Property Websites - Eamonn is the only REALTOR®who offers this.

J&E

John Michael Montgomery

2011-07-17T00:19:00.004-06:00

Tonight, we went to the Deerfoot Inn and Casino to see John Michael Montgomery. As he didn't start until around 9.30pm we had to kill some time by eating prime rib at the Mohave Grill!!

John Michael has been out of action for a while and we thought we may never get to see him, but tonight we did, from Row 7 of the very intimate Chrome Room!

Some of you will recognise this song from the many covers done over the years, this is one of our favourites.

This is a true country song!

This is probably the song he is most famous for, and of course the one he had to end with once he had the crowd rockin'...

It was a good night out!
J&E

Top Dawg REALTOR - Part 2

2011-07-13T11:23:00.001-06:00

The second part of our marketing campaign is underway. Our latest Top Dawg is on the front of thousands of postcards that are hitting mailboxes all over Okotoks and surrounding areas this week. He is "Loyal & Tustworthy", just like Eamonn! Like the first one, he too invites you to "Call A Top Dawg."

We hope you all like it. Look out for the postcard and the matching advert that has gone into this week's Western Wheel!

Watch this space for number 3!

J&E.

117 Sunset Place: Huge Home on Incredible Lot

2011-07-11T01:00:00.001-06:00

It has been a busy couple of weeks, but as a result we have another wonderful home to tell you about:

FOR SALE: This 1991 built home has all the space you need, inside and out. The home has over 4,900 sq.ft of developed living space and is situated on a large and private, fully landscaped lot. The home is located in the mature and established Sunset area of Okotoks.

The home has so many custom features and the quality and craftsmanship shine through.

If you are looking for that wow factor, you get it right at the door with this amazing, grand staircase...

The living room is spacious, yet cozy, with a lovely gas fire place, heated tile flooring, vaulted ceiling, sky-lights and ceiling fan.

The kitchen has been upgraded with granite counter tops, including an 8ft x 4ft 2" large granite island, stainless steel appliances and modern lighting. There is a walk-in pantry and access to the huge laundry / hobby area. The nook is set in the bay overlooking the pristine yard. There is a door out to the deck, patio and yard.

The master bedroom is stunning, with a sitting area and a huge 6-piece en-suite.

The basement is also fully developed, with a large 5th bedoom, large bathroom with heated tile floor, living area with gas fire place, large recreation area with wet bar and still loads of storage space!

Outside the yard is fully fenced and landscaped. The deck is private with hedges of lilac bushes and other landscaping. This is perfect for those wanting space around them, but still wanting to be in town.

This home has so much to offer, we can't give anything more than a flavour on our blog post, but take a look at the Individual Property Website to see much, much more:

J&E

9 Crystal Shores Court: Steps Away From Beach & Lake

2011-07-10T01:00:00.001-06:00

FOR SALE: This executive home was built by Crossley Custom Homes in 2002. Pride of ownership is apparent as the home is in pristine condition. The home is in a prime location, just steps away from Crystal Shores Beach and Lake facilities.

The entrance is welcoming as you pass the large and grand formal dining room.

The living room is spacious, yet cozy, with a lovely gas fire place. The home has fantastic mountain views from the rear of the home on the main and upper levels.

The kitchen has modern cabinetry with granite countertops and a large granite island. It boasts high end stainless steel appliances and a stylish red and stainless steel Italian gas stove. The walk-through pantry takes you to the large laundry/mud room and access to the double attached garage.

The nook has lots of natural light flooding in, with a door out to the west facing deck.

The master bedroom has triple aspect windows and doors, with access to a private balcony with fantastic mountain views and which is not overlooked at all. There is a 5-piece en-suite and walk-in closet.

The developed walk-out basement has a media area, large living room and recreation area, copper topped bar with lots of cabinetry and sink, gym / flex room and 3-piece bathroom with walk-in shower.

This home has lake access and is in the catchment area for a number of quality schools.

For more information and photographs, click on the image below to visit the Individual Property Website at:

J&E

Moose!

2011-07-09T19:35:00.000-06:00

It was such a beautiful Alberta day today that we decided to take some much needed time out and have an afternoon to ourselves!

We drove to High River for some lunch at Smittys and then on to Nanton and then the turn West towards Chain Lakes. It is such a beautiful and tranquil drive. We saw loads of birds of prey, fields full of prairie flowers and wide open spaces.

As we turned North onto the main highway towards Longview, we spotted this Moose in the field. It was fairly close and seemed to hang around for ages.

Why is it on days when you see stuff, the good camera is always at home!? We did our best with what we had and it didn't take away from such a special and exciting moment.

It begins to head off into the trees, making short work of the fences as it goes.

J&E

Another Crystal Green Home For Sale: Great Curb Appeal!

2011-06-16T15:48:00.000-06:00

FOR SALE: This 2007 built New Way Homes home has great curb appeal and great views of Crystalridge golf course. The home is located in the popular Crystal Green area of Okotoks.

The main and upper levels comprise of over 2,200 sq.ft. PLUS a developed walk-out basement, which gives a total of over 3,180 sq.ft of developed living space! The entrance is welcoming with a grand staircase including step lighting.

The living room is spacious, yet cozy, with a lovely gas fire place.

The kitchen has modern cabinetry and a large walk-through pantry. The nook has lots of natural light flooding in and great views of the golf course. There is a door out to the generously sized deck.

The master bedroom has a 5-piece en-suite, is a very good size and also has great views.

The developed walk-out basement has a huge media area and the sellers are including the large screen, projector, sound system and sofas!

This home has lake access and is in the catchment area for a number of quality schools.

For more information and photographs, click on the image below to visit the Individual Property Website at http://83CrystalGreenDrive.ca/ .

J&E

Crystal Green, Okotoks - Beautiful Home For Sale

2011-06-10T20:01:00.000-06:00

FOR SALE: This 2007 built Baywest home has amazing views of Crystalridge golf course. The home is bright and spacious and is located in the Crystal Green area of Okotoks.

The main and upper levels comprise 1,988 sq.ft. PLUS a developed basement, which gives a total of over 2,600 sq.ft of developed living space.

The living room is spacious yet cozy with a lovely contemporary gas fire place.

The kitchen and nook are bright with lots of natural light flooding in. The home has large windows to the rear, so you can really make the most of those views.

The master bedroom with 4-piece en-suite, is a very good size and also has great views.

The huge bonus room is reached by the split staircase.

Outside, the views are fabulous and the larger yard (for the area) is fully fenced and landscaped with a split-level deck.

This home has lake access and is in the catchment area for a number of quality schools.

For more information and photographs, click on the image below to visit the Individual Property Website at http://www.62crystalgreendrive.ca/ .

J&E

Crystalridge Home FOR SALE

2011-05-20T11:21:00.000-06:00

This is a lovely, bright and spacious split level home. This home was built in 2001 and feels much larger than its near 1,700 sq.ft. PLUS a very large developed walk-out basement.

There are lots of attractive features in this home, with alcoves in the walls, bay windows galore, feature shelving, vaulted ceiling in the master bedroom and a very large feature window at the front on the home.

The kitchen and nook are bright with lots of natural light flooding in from the windows and sky-light.

The master bedroom with 4-piece en-suite, is on its own floor, at the very top of the home. The master has an attractive bay window, vaulted ceiling and a walk-in closet. There is lots of room for a tranquil sitting area or furniture.

Outside, there is a fully fenced and landscaped yard, with patio and deck.

This home has lake access and is very close to walking paths and the Crystalridge Golf Course and is just steps from Dr Morris Gibson Elementary School.

For more information, visit the Individual Property Website below.

J&E

Top Dawg REALTOR

2011-05-19T19:41:00.000-06:00

Many of you local to Okotoks will now be aware of the first part of our marketing campaign that is hitting mailboxes all over Okotoks and surrounding areas. Our poor chap below, who is on the front of 5,000 postcards despatched this week, is "Tired of Searching For The Right Realtor!" He invites you to "Call A Top Dawg."

On the reverse, people are told that the card is "From The Guy On The Side Of The Dawgs Fieldhouse". Not everyone knows how to spell or say Eamonn's name and so the next time they think of an Okotoks Realtor, maybe they will think about The Realtor Guy on the Dawgs Fieldhouse and give Eamonn a call.

We hope you all like it. We certainly seem to be getting very positive feedback so far, both from the postcard and the matching advert that has gone into this week's Western Wheel!

We can't say too much about what is coming next but we can assure you...this campaign has only just begun!

J&E.

Las Vegas - Our Last Stop

2011-04-03T09:00:00.002-06:00

Las Vegas was the last stop on our journey before embarking on the 20+ hour drive back to Okotoks. A little bit hazy coming into Vegas, or is it the windscreen??

Our main reason for the Las Vegas stop off was to catch up with Linda (Jan's sister) and Andrew (her now husband) - who were in Vegas for their wedding. It was a fairly casual affair at the Graceland Wedding Chapel. Elvis was there of course - he was VERY entertaining and the wedding was a great success and was followed by a fabulous lunch at the Venetian Hotel!

Here's Linda and Andrew and Elvis...I know they are hard to tell apart but Andrew is on the right and Elvis is on the left!

After a stroll around the Venetian and a Gondola ride for the bride and groom (and Andrew's daughters, Sarah and Katie), it was back out for ribs at Tony Romas followed by the Fremont Street Experience!

After all the festivities of these few days in Vegas, saying goodbye came around all too quickly again. Sarah and Katie had to fly back to the UK and Linda and Andrew set off for their Honeymoon in Palm Springs and along the Californian Coast. We were left alone in Vegas :-(

But, with true British grit and determined to make the best of it, we headed off to the Hoover Dam. As you drive towards the dam, you get a lovely view of Lake Mead.

Once you get to the dam, one of the first things you come across are 30-foot tall bronze angels. It is considered lucky to rub their toes, hence their feet are very shiny and smooth!

This sculpture is of one of the high scalers who hung hundreds of feet in the air, on the side of the canyon, knocking away loose rock and setting dynamite charges with a jackhammer!

We started with a walk across the dam, taking in the views.

As you walk across, you also cross the border from Nevada into Arizona. The clocks show the time in each state.

The last time we were here. in 2007, they were just in the planning stages for this bridge and the surrounding roads, designed to to take traffic away from the dam. We hoped then that, one day, we would be back to see it! Now complete, it is now known as the Mike O'Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge or the Hoover Dam bypass.

Not only did we see it, but we decided to brave it! It is 1500 feet above the Colorado River and the people on the bridge looked tiny. We drove about half way up to the car park and walked the rest of the way!

It was well worth it for the views!

About half way along the bridge, you get to cross the state border again. Here we stand with one foot in Nevada and one in Arizona!

We drove back to Vegas for dinner at the MGM Grand, just taking time to stop off to see the Lions.

We spotted this car on the way back to the hotel, pretty cool!

Seeing as the snow was so bad on the drive down, we were pleased to see some of the countryside on the drive back.

We touched on six states during our trip: Montana, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, California and Nevada. Scenery varied from rocky, to lush, to desert and lots more in-between. Just under 5,000 miles done all in all. Did we have a great time and would we do it all again? - Hell Yeah!

J&E

Palm Springs Living Desert

2011-04-01T09:00:00.001-06:00

Leaving San Diego, we were, for the first time, heading back towards Okotoks but we weren't finished yet! Next stop, Palm Springs, or Palm Desert actually, which is just down the road from Palm Springs. We started the day with breakfast at Starbucks. While we were sat outside enjoying our coffee, a Roadrunner whizzed by...

After breakfast, and wanting to make the most of the warm weather, we had to find stuff to do outside! So we decided on the the Living Desert.

This is a really nice place where you can stroll along in the sunshine.

We got to see our second Roadrunner of the day!

And a type of Heron.

We spotted this humming bird having a drink from the hole in the soaker pipe!

There were humming birds flying around us all day. Not easy to catch on camera, but we got a few!

I know we keep saying it, but it was so lovely to see things out in bloom.

There is plenty of wildlife to see at the Living Desert...

This Bob Cat was quite fascinating to watch and very cute (from a distance!)

Cheetah

A really wide faced cat!

A Swift Fox, who was very aptly named - this was the one moment it was still!

A small furry thing in a bowl!

A badger.

Big Horn Sheep - we know we see loads of these in Canada, but hey!

This one seemed to be enjoying the rays too!

Gazelle type things.

African painted dogs

As the sun was starting to go down over Palm Desert, we reached the Giraffes

Who became beautifully silhouetted against the sky line.

Ahhh, the end to a wonderful day!

J&E

San Diego Botanical Garden

2011-03-30T09:00:00.001-06:00

We had intended to visit Sea World San Diego but having arrived there, the place was heaving with people and so we decided to turn around and head for the San Diego Botanical Gardens.

Other than birds, we saw only one bit of wildlife - this very tiny lizard! Look carefully now!

San Diego is, apparently, the biggest grower of avocados and it was amazing to see them still on the trees in December!

We also saw bananas growing.

Lovely displays of plants

And flowers.

We used to grow Agapanthus in our garden in St Albans, something we are not sure will survive here in Alberta! It was a real treat to see them again!

We walked up to the viewing platform, where you got a nice look out over the ocean.

These are Dragon Trees, when you look at the branches, you can see why.

This is a bit hard to see, but it is a paper tree. The bark was just like layers of paper and you could tear bits off in thin strips. Very odd!

Giant Bamboo

And of course, oranges, which seem to grow in an abundance, everywere.

After leaving so much snow, it was a real treat to get out into the sunshine and walk around a lovely quiet garden.

J&E

San Diego Seaport Village & La Jolla

2011-03-28T12:12:00.001-06:00

After a hectic couple of months, we now have a small opportunity to continue with the account of our raod trip to the States over the Christmas and new year period. After Scottsdale, we drove to San Diego. Just wanting to be outside and make the most the sunshine, we headed to one of our very favourite areas of San Diego - The Seaport Village.

A few shots of downtown! This first one is a panorama, which is best viewed by clicking on it.

This was looking across at all the shops and restaurants at the Village.

One of the restaurants, perched over the water.

As we took a moment to take in the view, we saw two Pelicans come in to land!

You couldn't have a port without a sailor and his "girl".

This one shows the scale of the statue!

We then headed down the road to La Jolla (pronounced La Hoya).

It isn't that we particularly miss open waters on a day to day basis, but it is nice to get a little "fix" of shorelines and lapping waters from time to time!

We walked down onto the beach, were there were loads of harbour seals

They seemed happy enough basking in the sunshine.

Something seemed to tickle this one!!

It was a lovely and relaxing day and so nice to see green grass, blue skies and water!

J&E

Top Dawg Okotoks Realtor

2011-03-04T15:24:00.002-07:00

Eamonn is now officially a major sponsor of the Okotoks Dawgs Baseball Team.

Eamonn embarks on this sponsorship with a 40ft x 8ft billboard which will be on the side of the Duvernay Fieldhouse for the next 3 years!

The board was put up today, Friday 4th March 2011. It is made up of ten 4ft x 8ft aluminium (or aluminum depending where in the world you are from) panels.

We have been very excited about today and about this partnership. It has been hard to keep it under wraps until now.

So next time you are taking a trip over the bridge or travelling to or from Costco, Winners, Home Depot, Michaels or Dollarama etc, keep an eye out for his new sign. It is hard to miss!

We should have other things going on in and around the ground during the baseball season. Or we might just kick back and watch the game! Hopefully we will see you there! Don't forget to buy a programme - the Dawgs are a non-profit organisation and rely on dontaions, sponsorships and sales. They have great facilities and it is great thing for our community to have on its doorstep.

We will let you when we are at the ground - perhaps it will be a good excuse for a bit of a get together!

So brush up on your barking skills and get ready for the summer season! Lets make this their best seaon yet!

J&E

Airdrie Bungalow - 1823 Summerfield Boulevard

2011-03-01T18:41:00.000-07:00

Eamonn's latest listing. This home needs some care and work, which is reflected in the price, but it could be a beautiful, cozy and welcoming home.

It has loads of potential. This front living room has large bright windows and looks out onto the front yard and deck.

The kitchen overlooks the rear yard, and has a modest mountain view.

The dining nook is a good size and feels very open.

The master bedroom is at the front of the home.

The previous owners made a start on adding an en-suite. The access point at the moment is through the closet.

The en-suite could be lovely once completed with the potential for a tub, walk in shower, double sinks and wc.

Bedroom 2 looks over the rear yard

4-piece family bathroom with natural light.

The basement has a large recreation area, bedroom with window and closet, workshop/storage, cold storage and laundry.

The good sized detached garage is to the rear of the property and has a door through to the yard. The front of the garage can be accessed by the back lane.

The rear yard is fenced and has a shed. A few shrubs and plants could make this west facing yard a delight to sit out in during the summer months.

For more information and details on this "could be" delightful home, click on the link below:

J&E

Custom Built Home in Crystal Shores Point

2011-02-24T13:17:00.000-07:00

Eamonn's latest listing. This home is so amazing! It will be hitting MLS in the next 24-48 hours. Get in first!

StoneBrier Homes are one of the most respected custom home builders around and with this stunning Crystal Shores beauty, they really went all out to create a living experience that is of the very highest quality.

At over 2,600 square feet across the main two levels of this two storey home and with over 900 square feet of developed living space in the basement, this home boasts over 3,500 square feet, all craftsman finished, to create a home big enough for the largest of families. Throw in the wonderful mountain views, the south facing yard, your own private gate into the beach and lake of the Crystal Shores lake community facility and its location on a great corner lot on one of the most sought after cul-de-sacs in Okotoks and you have an unbeatable package. Homes do not often come up for sale in this close. Come and find out why the people who come to live here, choose to stay.

Entrance with slate tile, solid cherry doors and cherry staircase with wrought iron railings.

Large office / den with double aspect windows

Massive great room, and it still feels warm, cozy and inviting

Large dining nook with door out onto the deck and great mountain views.

Amazing kitchen, visit the website Home Highlights Page to discover just how amazing!

Even the main floor laundry/mud room has some amazing features. Large coat closet, custom made storage cupboard and folding top over the machines. What's more, the top has been designed to slide out for easy access to plumbing and electrics. In addition, there is slate tile on the walls of this high traffic area and a "not often seen" glass panelled pocket door.

Upstairs there is a bonus room with vaulted ceiling and hobby area with built-in desk.

The master bedroom is very luxurious, with wide double doors and plenty of room for furniture or seating for a quiet retreat.

The luxury does not end at the 5-piece en-suite which has double sinks and granite top, solid cherry cabinetry with quiet closing, steam shower and corner tub.

Two of the three large custom closets are located in the en-suite.

Bedroom 2 and 3 are both great sizes and both have custom closet and built-in desks.

The family bathroom is a 6-piece, with walk in shower, tub with shower, double sinks and wc. There is also natural light and a built-in storage cupboard. The cabinetry is solid cherry with silent closing.

The basement boasts a 4th bedroom with potential for a 5th if necessary.

There is a 3-piece bathroom

The large rec area is light and bright with four huge windows.

This home has so much that we couldn't include it all in a single blog post! Be sure to take a look at its website to see just how much it has to offer.

J&E

Lovely Home For Sale: Crystalridge, Okotoks

2011-02-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

This lovely 2 Storey Detached Crystalridge beauty is only recently on the market.

It is over 1,860 square feet of spacious and well planned living space.

The current owners have done so much to this home, from adding granite, tiling, lighting and all new stainless steel appliances in the kitchen. New undermount sink and faucet, as well as new laminate flooring throughout the main floor (excluding the living room, where there is carpet).

They have also taken the granite upstairs to the family bathroom and en-suite, added undermount sinks, new lighting and tiling in both.

The master bedroom is also a good size, with walk in closet, 4-pc en-suite, ceiling fan and some mountain views!

The second floor has a total 3 good sized bedrooms and a massive bonus room with corner gas fireplace and ceiling fan.

The basement has been re-worked adding a modern 3-piece bathroom, huge 4th bedroom with recently added large closet and living and dining area with dry bar/kitchenette. There is a 5th bedroom/flex room too, which is light and bright. The basement is ideal for an older teen or your guests.

Other recent updates include tasteful re-painting almost throughout, new hot water tank, upgraded humidifier and the furnace and ducts have been recently cleaned. Leaving nothing more to do but move in and make yourself right at home!

For more information, home highlights and virtual tour, visit:

If you know what this is below, then you know what to do! ;-)

This is a truly beautiful home that has been very well cared for and maintained.

J&E

Scottsdale, Arizona

2011-01-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

On December 22nd, we made the drive from Lake Havasu City to Scottsdale, Arizona and FINALLY, we got to see some sunshine, flowers and plants with leaves on! It was bliss to be able to walk around in short sleeves and feel the warmth of the sun with NO SNOW!

We sat outside, eating ice cream and watching the world go by in 5th Avenue, Scottsdale.

As well as cactus, palm trees are everywhere!

December 23rd - Scottsdale

It was another beautiful and sunny day, so we headed off to do some shopping in a large ourdoor outlet mall! This mall boasts the nation's largest Christmas Tree and we have to say, it was pretty big!

Shopping done, we decided to take a drive into Phoenix. As we were doing so, we spotted the Arizona State Capitol Building.

Outside was this large piece of petrified wood, (fossilised wood), which makes it feel just like stone.

We didn't go inside this time, but as the weather was nice we did take a walk around the grounds which are known as Memorial Plaza. A lot of the statues are military themed.

It was really quite nice to stroll around.

This is a statue in recognition of the Navajo Code Talkers who developed the only unbreakable code in modern military history. They used the code during World War II.

This one symbolizes a fallen comrade in the battlefield

This is the Peace Officer Memorial, dedicated to all Arizona's Peace Officers.

This is the canine memorial for police dogs.

As we were walking through the park, we saw (heard, actually!), this Woodpecker on one of the palms.

We also saw some dates growing on a palm tree.

Christmas Day and what better way to spend it but at a magical Gingerbread Village! The base of the viallage is 20ft x 25ft and it weighs 1,250lbs.

It has 350lbs gingerbread cookie dough, 220lbs chocolate, 75lbs dried fruit & nuts and 475 lbs candies and gum drops!

And it was really tasty...no just kidding!

After being used to snow and bare trees at this time of year, it was lovely to see lots of flowers and green everywhere.

After that, we had a little walk around the golf course, which was very peaceful and very well kept.

In the afternoon, just to work up an appetite for our Christmas dinner, we had a stroll around Old Town Scottsdale. It is quite an arty area, so there are lots of sculptures dotted around.

This one was quite good. You could spin it around to make them dance!

Some of the old buildings.

Later that evening, we went to Fogo De Chao for our Christmas dinner. It is a Brazilian Steakhouse. There are quite a few locations and this You Tube Video explains the concept. If you are in the US and you see one, it is delicious.

You come away completely stuffed! It was fabulous!

Next up was San Diego, but we'll get to that at some point in the days ahead.

J&E

Lake Havasu City, Arizona

2011-01-21T11:16:00.000-07:00

Continuing on from our Salt Lake City/St George blog...

So we moved swiflty on from St George (21st December). Next stop, Lake Havasu City, Arizona. This was only about a five hour drive. It was still wet, but the roads and conditions were improving dramatically from everything we had experienced so far. It was lovely to see "snow free" roads.

Lake Havasu City is a resort built on the Colorado River, which is popular with the land-locked citizens of Arizona. In 1968, Robert McCulloch bought London Bridge and transported it, stone by stone, to its current location. He was mocked by some, suggesting that he thought he had bought London's Tower Bridge. There was more hilarity when it appeared that there was nothing for it to span! Undaunted, McCulloch (who always insisted there was no confusion over which bridge he had purchased) created a resort "island" by digging a chanel to divert water from Lake Havasu.

We stayed at the London Bridge Resort.

As soon as you step inside, you are faced with (so they claim) the world's only replica of England's Gold State Coach.

You can't have all this water without the odd duck!

Well, it's pretty much all about the bridge here, so here are some photos of it! It did seem strange, seeing this transplanted British architecture in America. We really could have been looking at a bridge over the Thames. The sky looked pretty British too! ;-)

It looked lovely lit up at night too.

The lights in the hotel grounds were also very pretty.

J&E

Salt Lake City, Utah

2011-01-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

As the real estate market quietened down for Christmas, we decided to take advantage and planned an impromptu trrip to the US. "Planned" may be too strong a word. We only had a day to pack, figure out the route and book accommodations before departing on our nearly 5,000 mile round trip!

Our plan was to try and get ahead of the weather, but it unfortunatley stuck with us for most of the journey south!

Our first day (17th December) took us across the border and down to Helena, Montana, which took us about 7 hours. We stayed there overnight, before continuing down to Salt Lake City the next day (18th December), which took about another 7 hours.

It was quite snowy for both journeys, but surprisingly, we made pretty good progress. In good weather, we thought it might be quite a scenic drive, but we didn't manage to see much through the blowing snow!

To have a bit of a break from driving, we decided to spend the next day (19th December) in Salt Lake City, Utah.

As it was still very cold and snowy here, we had to find some indoor activities. What better way to start than with some shopping, and with those American prices, we were like kids in a candy store!

In the afternoon, we thought we would keep warm in the State Capitol Building. The building was apparently used in the film Legally Blonde 2!

If you follow our blog, you know we like to visit State Capitols (and Canadian Provincial equivalents). They are usually pretty grand buildings to walk around, and this one did not disappoint.

These four statues represent: Arts & Education

Immigration & Settlement

Land & Community

Science & Technology

We also learned a little about Brigham Young, a major character in Utah's history.

The finger on the statues hand is shiny where it has been touched by so many.

Utah is the "Beehive State" and there are beehives on everything! On the coats of arms, on the flag, even on the police cars!

This case was packed full of "beehive" memorabilia.

Even the doors had beehives on them! The beehive theme relates to the early Utah pioneers who had little to work with and had to use great industry to produce their own supplies.

This was a view out of the window, which we are sure, on a clear day, would look stunning.

We took a brief stroll outside. Unfortunately, because of the weather, we didn't brave the grounds, but they appear to be very beautiful, well kept and tranquil - perhaps next time!

As we were leaving and the light was dimming, the building was looking lovely, all lit up. It wasn't quite dark enough for full impact, but it looked quite nice all the same.

As we were driving through the City back to our hotel, we saw some more lovely buildings and decided it would be a very nice city to come back to and take a stroll around, in much better weather!

We also got a glimpse Eagle Gate. Eagle Gate was built in 1859 as the entrance to Brigham Young's farm. Originally 22ft/6.70m wide, it was several times enlarged to allow for increasing traffic and is now 75ft/23m wide. The gate is crowned by a massive eagle with a wing-span of over 20ft/6m.

On 20th December, we continued our journey south. Next stop, St George, Utah. This was a considerably shorter journey, at just 5 hours, although we still had snow, sleet and rain to contend with! We were hoping to see the sun in St George but instead got incessant, heavy rain, (almost unheard of there, apparently). Throughout our journey to date, we had got caught up in the massive winter storm which caused a state of emergency in California, with us feeling its effects as it made its way inland and across our route!

J&E

ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett

2010-12-11T06:00:00.003-07:00

Continuing the theme of local authors that we kicked off with our recent post about Ingrid Baier's Fish On book, we now want to bring another published Okotokian to your attention!

Chris Garrett and his co-author Darren Rowse are highly regarded in the blogging and internet marketing world. It's Chris that's the local boy among this duo, having recently moved with his wife and daughter from the UK. When we say these guys are highly regarded in their sphere, we are rather under-playing it. For instance, these guys were invited to speak at the BlogWorld and New Media Expo 2010 in Las Vegas. Here's a video of Chris being interviewed at the Expo.

Chris and Darren's book, "ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income" has a fairly self explanatory title and it is now in its second edition.

The book is available in book stores but also on Amazon.ca, here. You can preview the book on Amazon and if, like us, you are interested in blogging and want a grounded view on how to focus and develop what you are doing with your blog (whether generating income is a goal or not), then it is an excellent read.

J&E

Fish On - Seafood Dishes that Make a Splash by Ingrid Baier

2010-12-10T15:20:00.001-07:00

We had to share this with you all as we think it is just so excellent!

Our next door neighbours, the Baier family, have been so friendly and welcoming to us since we arrived in Crystal Shores Pt back in 2007. Along with the Vincent family on the other side of us, we couldn’t wish for better neighbours. We all chat away and help eachother out where we can but this past couple of days, we have discovered a remarkable secret about Ingrid Baier – she is a published author!

Modest and unassuming, Ingrid has never thought to mention this to us before! We were gobsmacked! The book that Ingrid has recently had published is a down to earth cookbook that gives many great ways to enjoy fish. It is called “Fish On – Seafood Dishes that Make a Splash”.

You can see from the link below that it is readily available via Amazon.ca

Fish On - Seafood Dishes that Make a Splash by Ingrid Baier

Ingrid has been kind enough to provide Jan and I with a copy with a little inscription and this is something that we will treasure. If you want to preview the book, you can do so via the Amazon site at the link above.

Should anyone wish to buy a copy (and have it signed by Ingrid) to add to your own cookbook selection, order it from Amazon and when it arrives with you, drop me a line to let me know and we'll figure out a plan for getting Ingrid's signature on it. Jan has 3 on order (for her sisters and for her Mum and Dad, as a little Christmas present).

This has been a strange year for meeting authors. We'll blog about another author living among us shortly.

J&E.

Town of Okotoks Community Calendar

2010-12-09T18:11:00.000-07:00

For those living in Okotoks, check out the month of October 2011 in your new Okotoks Community Calendar. It should have been delivered with your Western Wheel this week. The photo it features was taken by Jan.

The sharp eyed among you might recognise the photo as that used on http://3crystalshorespoint.ca/

We both really like the photo and thought we would submit it for inclusion in the community calendar - and it got selected!

The photo was taken from our home, one fairly still, summer evening.

J&E

The Lake Freezing

2010-12-09T18:05:00.000-07:00

This blog post is for especially for Lee in the UK, who wanted to see some photos of the lake freezing. We have never really monitored how quickly the lake starts to freeze once it begins to get colder, so actually, we thought it quite a good idea!

We first noticed ice on the north end of the lake on 13th November. However, it warmed up a little the next day and it looked as though most of it had melted.

We took this photo on 17th November which doesn't look much further along than it had looked to us on the 13th.

We took these two the next day, the 18th November (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) and with the amount of snow and freezing temperatures, you can see that the lake is pretty much covered now.

19th November 2010

20th November 2010

21st November 2010

22nd November 2010

There doesn't seem to be much changing on the surface at the moment, so we have decided to leave it a few days.

24th November 2010

We have the first person testing the lake.

He was obviously happy with the thickness of the ice, as the skating rink prep begins. Not being brought up with this sort of thing, we usually wait until the lake staff put up their notice to say the lake is safe to go on!

However, this was issued on 25th November from the Beach House saying that the last recorded ice thickness was two inches and it is not yet considered safe - oops.

Sunday 28th November 2010

It was quite a nice day out, not too cold. So more work begins on creating new skating rinks.

They certainly make the most of it and were out on the lake for several hours.

However, on 29th November, they Beach House was still suggesting that the ice is still not thick enough at just six inches, which seems quite thick. However, we believe the Beach House likes the ice to be 10" to 12" in depth for greater safety, (especially for use by the community at large as opposed to these few folk) which is just fine by us!!

On the 1st December the ice seems to be melting as the notice on the website had changed from 6 inches to 5.5 inches. It was still saying that on 9th December so we popped into the beach house. Unfortunately, due to the warmer weather, they are saying that it is unlikely to be considered safe until after Christmas.

However, while we wait, we have had a couple of garden visitors over the past week or so.

Have you ever seen a deer under a trampoline? They seem to quite like it under there.

Personally, we think seeing a deer on a trampoline, instead of underneath it, would make a much better photo!

We will keep you posted.

J&E

Day at the Beach - IN OCTOBER!

2010-10-31T21:48:00.001-06:00

Saturday was such a beautiful, warm and sunny day, we decided to make the most of it (especially this late in the year), and so we headed to Crystal Shores beach. Two minutes later were sitting in the sunshine and admiring the view.

As you can see it was packed!

We spotted something in the water and decided to take a walk along the jetty to investigate.

Before too long, this little fellow was swimming towards us. Not a Beaver, just a Muskrat (quite similar to a Beaver, but smaller). It was still a little bonus for us on our day out!

A very nice way to spend a couple of hours - note to ourselves...we must do this more often!
J&E

Waterton Visit

2010-10-13T20:20:00.000-06:00

We have been meaning to try and get away for a while now and the Thanksgiving weekend gave us the perfect opportunity.

We decided to head off to Waterton. It was the last day of the season there, so there wasn't much open, but it didn't stop us sightseeing or watching the wildlife.

These are some of the views coming into Waterton.

We started in search of Bison. We didn't see many, but we did catch a glimpse of a few, including a baby.

We have always wanted to go to Red Rock Canyon, so while the weather was still pretty nice we thought we could take advantage of that and go and have a stroll around. The road to the Canyon is about 15km and about half way along the road we spotted some ears. We slammed on the breaks and reversed and spied four bears feeding. We have seen a bear before in the past, but we haven't seen any in some years, so for us, it was a rare treat.

Don't miss the little cub face in the corner of the photo!

Then mum and two cubs started crossing the road infront of us.

Now that's what we call a cute butt!

This one got left behind and had to catch the others up.

Meanwhile this cub thought it would be a good idea to climb in this bush. There were lots of noises of snapping twigs! We were convinced he was going to go crashing to the ground at any point. It didn't take long before he thought better of it and about turned and scrambled to more secure ground.

After all that excitement we carried on to Red Rock Canyon for our walk (are we wise? There's bears out there you know!) The Canyon though was lovely. Apparently it has taken the water 7,000 to 10,000 years to carve the canyon.

We weren`t lucky enough to see the bears again on the way back, but we did see them the next day although they were much further away! We headed back to Waterton Townsite to check into our hotel and have a look around. Despite a lot of businesses being closed, there were still plenty of deer around to keep us entertained.

Our hotel room had a ground level balcony, which was surrounded by deer.

We could also walk down directly to the beach. Unfortunately the wind had really picked up, making the lake look more like the sea.

The next day started well. There was no wind and the lake was lovely and calm. The weather quickly turned though and the cloud started to come right down the mountains. It was still pretty though, due to the rainbow colours coming through the clouds.

We started our day at Cameron Falls, which are very close to the townsite.

We wanted to see Cameron Lake. During the drive there, we saw our first snow of the season. We did get out of the car, but it was so snowy and windy, that we didn't even manage a photo!

We wanted to take a look at Blakiston Falls. During the drive there, we stopped off at Lost Horse Creek, which is like a smaller version of Red Rock Canyon and also very pretty.

As we got to Blakiston Falls, there was a break in the weather, so we managed a walk up to the falls, which was another stunning view.

As we were returning from our walk, the weather was getting fairly bad again, so it was time to call it day and head back to Okotoks. We managed to get a few more snaps as we drove through the townsite.

As we got close to Pincher Creek, we saw a sign for St Henrys Historic Church. There was THE most incredible views from up there, but again, the weather was turning very chilly.

We could also see exactly where the storms were!

This Province has so much to see. Even now, we are really only scratching the surface of it.

J&E

Brad Paisley

2010-10-08T14:49:00.042-06:00

Brad was back at the Saddledome again this Tuesday. Although we have already been lucky enough to see him twice, we just had to go and see him again. We haven`t posted too much on this concert as we know we have posted before. Still, for all those Brad fans - hope you like it!

The show opened with Justin Moore, who we don`t know a lot about, but he was actually very good.

We didn`t manage to get any video as it was just too busy, but we did find this of him on You Tube.

Justin was followed by Darius Rucker, who the crowd seemed to adore! He was also very entertaining.

Then of course, the person we had all be waiting for - the star of the show. As it was his H20 tour, he came on stage as though dripping wet getting out of a swimming pool - excellent!

We have never seen such a choice of guitars. We lost count of how many he had, most of them very colourful or sparkly!

You can see from this short clip, that he doesn`t really take himself too seriously!

Brad was kind enough to come and sit right in front of us for a few songs, so we had a really close up view!

As we were leaving, Brads BIG truck was outside - Jan was obviously star struck at this stage!

J&E

Johnny Reid

2010-09-28T01:00:00.000-06:00

We went to see Johnny Reid tonight at the Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary. It is a really nice venue set in lovely grounds with the most amazing views of the city.

OK, so he might not look out of place down the Golden Mile and he should probably avoid dancing, but if you can get over that, he does have a fantasitc voice and is a teriffic song writer!

This is his latest single which is currently in the charts complete with two strapping Scotsmen playing bagpipes!

All in all, another good night out in Calgary.

J&E

Country Living, Moments From Okotoks

2010-09-24T18:21:00.001-06:00

We thought you might like to see Eamonn's latest new listing. This is a stunning and well cared for home, situated in 4 acres, just moments from Okotoks. This home is perfect for those wanting to be close to town and everything it has to offer, but also looking for seclusion and space!

This beautiful home was built in 2003 and has over 2,700 sq.ft of well planned living space.

If you work at home, the office is ideal, with two built-in desks, lots of storage and lots more room for a meeting table or additional seating. This space could accommodate the whole family!

The kitchen is so spacious, with masses of cabinetry and the tile-work has a good luck stone embedded in it, something the builder included for all future owners of this lovely home.

The family room is cosy and warm with a gas fireplace. It has a door out to one of the two decks and a patio.

Upstairs, the Master gives great mountain views and a 4 piece en-suite, also with lovely views.

The other three bedrooms are good sizes too and the bonus room is probably among the biggest you will ever see! The bonus room is so versatile, it could be used as additional guest space, or even as a teenager's dream of their very own space!

Outside, the views are panoramic.

There are two decks (one with gas hook-up for the barbecue) and a patio within a fenced inner yard, giving seclusion and a safe space for your children and pets.

This home is on the school bus route too, so roads are cleared of snow and it is only minutes from Highwary 2!

This truly is a lovely home and an absolute pleasure to list. For many more photos click on the Virtual Tour below.

For price and other listing information, here's the listing on Eamonn's MoveWithMe website... Click Here

J&E

Building A New Home - 1. Introduction

2010-08-16T18:43:00.000-06:00

We have often thought that covering the house building process from start to finish would be of value to those considering building their own home. So when some of Eamonn's clients (and now good friends) were ready to purchase their first home in Canada it presented us with the perfect opportunity to tackle that task.

So, it is with enormous thanks and appreciation to the Ross family, who are allowing us to follow their lives for the next few months, that we present the new home build process from start to finish, in a series of blog posts over the coming months.

About The Ross Family

Ian made the brave move to Canada from the UK, ahead of his wife Debbie and daughter Ella, in November 2008, to start his new job in Canada. After what felt like a lifetime apart, Debbie and Ella joined Ian in February 2009 and finally they were a family again. They settled into a rental property in Okotoks and Debbie secured employment and Ella started school at the local elementary.

Here’s Ian & Debbie in front of their chosen lot. In future posts we will cover how they chose this lot and much, much more about the the process of building a home in Okotoks, Calgary and the surrounding area.

J&E

RE/MAX iREALTY Innovations and www.MoveWithMe.ca

2010-07-26T12:32:00.000-06:00

As regular readers will know, when Eamonn left the UK, he also left behind over 20 years of retail and corporate world experience, largely spent serving the needs of clients. It was a great grounding for his new career here, in real estate, as a Realtor serving Calgary, Okotoks, Airdrie, Cochrane and other areas and towns surrounding Calgary.

Eamonn joined the RE/MAX "family" and spent a tremendous couple of years with a great team of professionals at RE/MAX Southern Realty in High River. But all good things come to an end and so, a few days ago, Eamonn made the move to his new brokerage, RE/MAX iREALTY Innovations.

Why the move though?

Two reasons...Location and Technology.

Location

RE/MAX iREALTY Innovations, are based in the Devenish building on 17th Avenue SW, Calgary (the area otherwise known as Uptown). As Eamonn's existing clients know, Eamonn has always been a Realtor that serves all of Calgary, Okotoks (where we live of course), Airdrie, Cochrane and High River (and other nearby towns around Calgary) but having a near Downtown Calgary address, instead of a High River address, makes it easier for new clients to relate to that fact.

Technology in Real Estate

Beyond that though, RE/MAX iREALTY Innovations are THE leaders in the use of technology in real estate. Their whole ethos is one that Eamonn is able to completely align himself with, given his use of blogs, Facebook, Expat internet discussion boards, webcams, his http://www.movewithme.ca/ website and many more online oriented tools, to establish and enhance client relationships. You can learn more about the iREALTY concept on the brokerage website at http://www.irealtycalgary.com/index.html

Eamonn's New www.MoveWithMe.ca Website

Eamonn's move to RE/MAX iREALTY Innovations coincides with the official launch of Eamonn's new real estate website, http://www.movewithme.ca/ , the production of which has been something of a labour of love over the past year! So many real estate websites are just templates with standard information. Eamonn wanted his site to be user friendly and packed with helpful content. More and more content will be added over time. One of the great features is that you can do all of your property searching from the site and you can sign up as a VIP and get masses of market data. So, come and visit http://www.movewithme.ca/ , bookmark it and sign up. It'd be great to hear your views about the site and about the fetching new logo that goes with it, designed by one of Eamonn's clients (a VERY talented Graphic Designer - if anyone needs one, let Eamonn know and he will point you in the right direction!).

You will start seeing the two logos above a little more frequently. Indeed, for those that are interested, you can help Eamonn to get his logo out there on the street in a very simple way. Some of you will get an email in the near future explaining more about this!

Other Changes - Janet

But this is not the end of the changes! Janet has been the Office Manager of RE/MAX Southern Realty for over two years. However, we decided that with Eamonn's change of brokerage, it was time for Janet to take a different direction too. Janet will be leaving her post at the brokerage in the very near future and after spending a little time helping to set up some new processes and systems, she will start to implement some plans of her own.

So What Now?...

So, whether you are buying or selling real estate in Calgary, Okotoks, Airdrie, Cochrane and nearby, or if you know someone who is, commit the www.MoveWithMe.ca logo and website to mind and get in touch with Eamonn by email on Eamonn@MoveWithMe.ca or on 403 966 6665.

J&E

Vancouver Trip - The Holiday: Day Four

2010-07-23T13:20:00.000-06:00

On our final day in Vancouver, we headed over the Lions Gate Brige again, for a pleasant drive up to Horseshoe Bay.

From Horseshoe Bay, you can catch ferries to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, to Bowen Island and to Langdale on the Sunshine Coast. It is also the starting point of the Sea to Sky Highway that hangs on cliffs as it winds its way along Howe Sound to Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton.

After lunch, we headed back to Vancouver where we took a look at the Steam Clock and had a stroll around Canada Place.

We got a good view of the float planes taking off and landing from Canada Place.

Overall, Vancouver is a fantastic place to visit but, for us anyway, maybe it is busy enough to remind us a little too much of life in the South East of the UK. It helps to reinforce that Okotoks, Calgary and surrounds feel so much like home to us.

J&E

Vancouver Trip - The Holiday: Day Three

2010-07-22T16:47:00.000-06:00

Another must see attraction in Vancouver is the Capilano Suspension Bridge.

The current bridge is 136 metres (446 ft) long and 70 metres (230 ft) above the river. It is certainly a very wobbly walk!

In 2004, the Treetops Adventure opened. This newer attraction consists of seven footbridges, suspended between Douglas Fir trees, forming a walkway up to 30 metres (98 ft) above the forest floor.

There is a small display of birds of prey. This is an American Kestral.

That evening, we treated ourselves to dinner at the Vancouver Tower, the views from which, were stunning.

Here's Jan's Mum & Dad enjoying the great food, wonderful view and of course, the great company!!

It was another lovely day out in Vancouver.

J&E

Vancouver Trip - The Holiday: Day Two

2010-07-21T22:34:00.000-06:00

On day two, we took the drive over the Lions Gate bridge to North Vancouver and towards Grouse Mountain where you can take a cable car to the top.

At the top, there are lots of huge wooden carvings, which are very impressive.

There was also a lumberjack show, which was also quite entertaining.

There was a Birds of Prey display where we saw this huge eagle. It was amazing to be so close to it.

This is one of very few places where we see Beaver Tails for sale!! Before you all scream with horror, they are, in fact, delicious pastries in the shape of a Beaver tail!

The real treat though, was Grinder & Cooler. These two bears were both orphaned as cubs, Grinder was found on June 5, 2001. He was wandering alone on a logging road, dehydrated, thin, and weak. His mother was never found, so how he came to be alone is unknown.

Coola was found orphaned at the side of the highway on June 29, 2001. His mother had been hit and killed by a truck. Of her three cubs, Coola was the only one to survive. One cub was hit by a falling tree and the other ran away and was not seen again. Coola, it seems, loves to play in the water.

"I've found something...I'm very excited!"...

"Oh joy, it's a fish, it's a fish!"

"I'm going to eat it!"

"Hang on, something's not right"

"Are you a fish?"

"I'll kiss it and see..."

"Damn, it's just a rock!"

It really is a lovely place to visit and the bears melt your heart.

J&E

Vancouver Trip - The Holiday: Arrival & Day One

2010-07-18T19:41:00.000-06:00

After a long drive (mainly with the heavy traffic heading into Vancouver), we arrived at our apartment at around 6.30pm. The apartment block didn't look much from the outside, but it was, in fact, very nice and we had the biggest balcony we had ever seen.

We were on the top floor in the penthouse suite, where Katharine Hepburn stayed on a number of occasions. The suite was 1,900 square feet, with a massive, wrap around deck, which included barbecue, heater and lots of seating. The apartment also had an office, dining area, kitchen and laundry. It also had a wood burning fireplace but it was far too hot to even consider using it!

Feeling energised after a very nice Thai take-out and a good night's rest, we decided on an easy day in Stanley Park.

We started by taking in the wonderful view of the city.

Although we didn't try it on this occassion, horse and carriage is a nice way to get around the park.

The Lions Gate Bridge.

The Hollow Tree is the lower trunk of a 700+ year old Red Cedar. The tree is often considered Vancouver's first tourist attraction. After the storms of 2006, which devastated parts of the park, the tree was considered a hazard and approved to be removed. Thankfully, people lobbied to save the tree and it has now been reinforced, so hopefully it will be around for many more years to come.

We then took a stroll down to Beaver Lake, which is a lovely tranquil setting.

And of course you can't go to Stanley Park without taking at least 100 photos of these cute and entertaining Racoons!

For the whole of our stay, we were blessed with incredibly good weather, although it was a little too hot at times. More to follow in the days ahead!

J&E

Vancouver Trip - The Start

2010-07-15T12:51:00.020-06:00

Driving in Canada is generally such a nice experience, that we decided to drive the 600+ miles from Okotoks to Vancouver.

The journey time is around 12 hours so we thought it best to split the journey and picked Salmon Arm from the map as an approximately halfway point.

We were all starving by the time we arrived and by pure luck, we found a lovely restaurant which was just what was needed after a long drive. Table 24 is situated in the building that was Salmon Arm's first courthouse, built in 1929. Apparently, a portion of the kitchen, located in the basement, was used as an old jail cell. We had to take this photo from their webstie, as, unusually for us, we didn't take a photo! - http://www.table24.ca/index.php

The food was out of this world, it was freshly prepared, and the steak was so tender, they didn’t even give you a steak knife!

After our meal, we decided to take a drive down to the harbour, which was really pretty. Although there was a storm coming in, it was still warm, so we decided to take a stroll down the pier.

We saw lot of birds and on the way back we we spent a little while waching these Osprey, who seemed to have two chicks in their nest.

It was so calm and peaceful, it was hard to believe a storm was on its way.

We stood at the end of the pier listening to the thunder and watching the lightning in the distance.

We also saw this beaver, but it was getting quite dark at this point.

We just made it back to the car and back to the hotel before the heavens opened and we were treated to the most spectacular rain shower.

The next morning we took another stoll down the pier in the sunshine before we started on the second half of our journey.

J&E

Waterton Lakes National Park

2010-05-21T14:36:00.000-06:00

We keep seeing photos from friends of ours who visit Waterton National Park. We have been meaning to go ourselves for some time. Well, the other day, the sun was shining and it seemed the ideal day for a drive to see this little gem in the Rockies for ourselves.

Before we go any further, we saw a bear, we didn't manage to get a photo, but we saw a BEAR! ONly our second ever bear!

Waterton is a sweet place. The mountains seem to crash together with the foothills right infront of them, which makes for quite beautiful scenery.

The first thing we came across was the very appropriately named, Driftwood Beach.

Our first glimpse of the famous Prince of Wales Hotel atop the hill in the distance.

Outside the hotel were quite a number of Big Horn sheep.

Then, as we were driving down towards the high street, we saw this house with loads of deer outside, and not the plastic ones either!

This one was so sweet, lounging out, with face pointing up towards the sun!

We are not saying it is windy here much, but just look at the angle of all the trees.

And we came across some more deer.

And a woodpecker.

But we saw a bear too, honest!

J&E

Alberta's Legislature Building

2010-05-13T19:19:00.001-06:00

On the way back from Jasper, we stopped off in Edmonton and decided to have a good look around. On previous visits, we had only ever got as far as the shopping mall and hadn't really given our capital city a chance.

This time we had a look around the old shopping district and some other areas of the city, which were all very nice.

We also took the time to look around Alberta's Legislature Building. It was a wet day, but great to see. We could imagine it would be stunning in the Summer with the grounds full of flowers and fountains.

Construction began in 1907 and it was officially opened in 1919. The building is made of granite and sandstone.

Before going inside, we had a walk around the grounds. There are lots of different statues, symbolising and celebrating people and events in history.

The first one we came across was this broken cup, which is dedicated to those who perished in the Holocaust.

The Pillar of Strength is a monument dedicated to Police and Peace officers of Alberta who have died in the line of duty.

The oldest one we could find on there was John Nash, who died in 1840.

On the last Sunday of Septeber each year, the fallen are remembered here.

Lord Strathcona, was a successful businessman and one of the directors of the Canadian Pacific Railway. He took part in the ceremony to drive in the last spike to complete Canada's first transcontinental railway

in 1885.

Linda and Andrew standing by the Centennial Flame. This eternal flame was erected to commemorate 100 years of the Canadian Confederation.

Ukrainian Centennial Pioneer Monument - This was added to the grounds to commemorate 100 years of Ukrainian settlement in Alberta.

Just before a downpour of rain, we made our way inside for the free guided tour. The hallway was very impressive and made with 2,000 tons of marble.

We were first shown the statue of the 4th daughter of Queen Victoria, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta. The Province was named after her, as was Lake Louise. She was the wife of the Marquis of Lorne.

The Great Marble Staircase leads to the Assembly Chamber.

The Assembly Chamber.

There is a lovely stained glass roof in the chamber. This was one of the first buildings in Alberta with electricity. The architect went slightly overboard. In this ceiling alone (if you expand the picture you can see) there are around 600 lightbulbs. Unfortunately not a lot of thought went into how to change them in such a high ceiling and it is a several week job, every few years, to change them all out!

In the dome, there are a number of palm trees. As palm trees are not native to Alberta, nobody really knows where these came from!

One of the most fascinating stories for us was that of the Mace, which is the symbol of the Legislative Assembly’s authority to make laws.

Parliament cannot sit without a Mace, and in 1906 the First Legislature had to get one in a hurry. No time for gold, silver, and jewels; so Alberta's first Mace was fashioned in a few weeks', from plumbing pipe, shaving mug, cup handles and scraps of wood, a bit of red velvet and then painted gold. They ended up using it for the next 50 years! Even to this day - it looked pretty good!

In 1956 a new Mace was made, which reflects Alberta’s history and culture: The crown features a hand-carved Beaver, engravings of Wild Roses and sheaves of Wheat, and a ring of precious stones that spell "ALBERTA": (Amethyst, Lazulite, Bloodstone, Emerald, Ruby, Topaz and Agate).

The Mace at the front is the new one, the one at the back is the old one.

They do not leave the fountain running the whole time, but they did switch it on for us to see and hear! The fountain causes a very odd sound effect in a particular spot in the building - but we'll leave that for you to discover should you ever choose to visit!

We also learned about Alberta's Coat of Arms, topped by the George Cross atop a depiction of the natural resources and varied beauty of Alberta's landscape: the Rocky Mountains, a big blue sky, the foothills, the grass prairies, and the cultivated wheat fields.

Would we go back to Edmonton on the back of this visit? Absolutely, yes!

J&E

Jasper Trip

2010-05-02T22:30:00.000-06:00

We have just had a week up in Jasper. We have posted about Jasper in the past, but it is such a stunning place and looks so different at different times of the year. We just had to post what we have been lucky enough to see on this trip.

On our journey we decided to stop off in Banff for a stretch of our legs before continuing to Jasper.

As always there are many Ground Squirrels running around the area.

We continued our drive to Jasper, up the stunning Icefields Parkway.

We drove through a few snow-storms, but once we reached Jasper, it was quite a pleasant day. This was the view from our accommodation.

Our accommodation was just outside Hinton (about 40 mins outside of Jasper). On our regular drive into the town, we passed this mountain goat high up on the side of the mountain.

We also saw plenty of Elk on our trip.

On our first day we decided to have a walk around Pyramid Lake - a wonderful setting.

Unfortunately we took a wrong turn and ended up way off the beaten track. It began to get quite scary, especially when we could see all the bear scratches on the trees!

Thankfully though, the biggest thing we saw was this Loon!!

Later on that evening, we went to the beautiful Beauvert Lake, definitely one of the most peaceful and picturesque places we have ever seen.

It was starting to go dark and on our drive back, we saw this deer in the water. It looked so light and agile as it ran back to the shore.

On our second day we started with a little bit of shopping in Jasper High Street. After a bit of retail therapy, we decided to take a trip to Athabasca Falls. On the way, we passed a herd of Big Horn Sheep.

The Athabasca Falls were still frozen in places, and the water level was very low, but it was still very impressive. It was also a great time of year to visit as we almost had the place to ourselves.

We then made our way down to Sunwapta Falls, which was just as amazing.

We think the highlight of our holiday was having an early dinner and heading back towards Hinton to the recently developed "Beaver Boardwalk". We aren't entirely convinced that a boardwalk made of wood is sensible when there are many active Beavers in the area, but for the moment it seemed sturdy enough! We were so lucky to see our national animal of Canada in the wild. It truly was fantastic to see.

On the drive back from Beaver Boardwalk, we spotted something on the side of the road. We were lucky enough to see our first Moose. It was very dark so the photos are terrible, but we were still incredibly pleased to have seen it.

It was another lovely visit to the Rockies, and again we pinch ourselves to have such an amazing place within driving distance.

J&E

The MacKay Place

2010-03-22T20:08:00.000-06:00

Since reading about the MacKay Place Restaurant in Millarville some months back, we have been meaning to give it a try. As we were driving right by it on Sunday evening, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to do just that!

The restaurant is a ranch which is over 100 years old. Both the ranch home and the homestead shack were built by a Scottish homesteader John Turner. For 16 years, he raised Clydesdale horses and, with growing success, built a bigger house and acquired more land.

In 1902, Turner sold his homestead to the Wright family, who went on to sell it to the MacKays in 1916. The MacKay family held on to the land and buildings until 1988. Since then, the property has been a tea house, a pub, a bed and breakfast and now, a restaurant.

The homestead shack was built before 1900 and is left open for you to take a look around.

Dining here is a totally relaxed and comfortable experience. We wandered around, looking into all the different rooms. The original layout of the ranch has been preserved, giving diners individual and cozy rooms to eat in.

Entrance

Parlour

Kitchen

Old Stove

We sat in this sunny room, looking out over the grounds, rolling hills and busy bird feeders.

The place itself is enough to talk about, but what about the food? Janet wanted the ribs, but they had run out. From write ups we have seen on the internet, this is not the first time they have run out of ribs. We can only assume they must be delicious, so we will definitely have to go back again and hope for better luck.

To start, we shared some Crab Cakes, which were lovely and very crispy. Eamonn had the Tenderloin, with roast potatoes and veg and Janet had the Flat Iron Steak with fat potato wedges and salad. Both steaks were lovely and tender and very tasty. Our server tempted us with desert, so we shared a berry crumble (it was a never ending portion) and it was truly delicious. It was a good hearty meal.

The bill, when it came, was presented in a book, which just invites you to stay a while longer! It came to just over $100 and $120 with the tip, which we thought was good value, given the quality of the food, service and the setting.

As we were paying, our server was telling us about the resident ghost, who is not unfriendly but apparently, he can be mischievous. It was only when we got home that we saw this photo (we had to put a border round it, so it is visible). We can’t imagine what we took, is it even possible to take something so white accidentally? Any logical and non-spooky suggestions on how it got there would be gratefully received!

There are a couple more buildings in the Car Park.

It was an excellent experience and one we look forward to repeating.

J&E

Canmore & The Rockies

2010-03-16T09:42:00.000-06:00

We have both been working very hard over the last few months, so when a quiet weekend arose, we grabbed it, and took a short trip to the Rockies. Starting with a leisurely drive, we stopped off at this Historic Church near Morley, west of Cochrane.

The Church was constructed by hand in 1875. At this time the local First Nations people were still hunting bison on the prairies. This church became the heart of a thriving community, Morleyville, which was the largest settlement in Southern Alberta and this church represents an important chapter in Alberta’s settlement history.

It is only used today for special occasions such as weddings, so unfortunately we couldn’t see inside. But it is lovely to stroll around outside in such a pretty and calm setting.

We were surprised to see gophers running around so early in the year.

The church overlooks this now frozen lake. We bet it is beautiful in the summer.

What started off as a lovely bright and sunny day, turned cloudy rather quickly. We only just made it back to the car before the snow/hail started to fall.

We moved on. It was snowing quite hard at this point but the ice on the river was just amazing as it was cracking and falling into the water.

We arrived in Canmore and stayed at the Falcon Crest Lodge, where we had a lovely big apartment style room. It had a separate bedroom, huge bathroom, and a patio with its own gas barbecue. It was very comfy.

Having not really explored Canmore much before, we decided to check out the Main Street. Like Banff, it has a backdrop of stunning mountains wherever you look.

After a good look around the shops, we decided to head off to Banff for something to eat. There is no lack of eating places in Canmore and they looked good, but we had a particular restaurant in mind.

We were a little early for dinner so we decided to take a drive up the Bow Valley Parkway in the hope of seeing some wildlife. We weren’t disappointed.

The antlers on the Elk at this time of year are enormous, and just watching them walk around and navigate through (or plough through really) the trees is quite amazing. This one was right by the car, and they really are huge beasts. We later read that a male elk can weigh around 1100lbs which is more than a grizzly bear, which weigh about 700lbs!

We apologize for posting more pictures of mountains, but when we are there in the thick of it, no matter how often we have seen it, we just can’t help ourselves!

Vermillion Lakes is another favorite short drive, but all we came across were these two Canada Geese who had managed to find a spot of melted water.

It was also amazing to see such an amount of colour, when, in your mind, you just think things are brown (and white).

We had a quick visit to Lake Louise and came across these very tame birds - a bit bigger than the Chickadees we are used to, with bigger claws and a very big beak!

Icicles on the trees looked fantastic glinting in the sun

All that was left of the Ice Sculpting

Lake Louise

More Icicles

We think we were being followed!...

All in all it was a lovely relaxing weekend away and we can't wait for the next one.

J&E

Trust

2010-02-22T11:44:00.000-07:00

In any walk of life or business, trust is not easy to earn, but once you have it, and so long as you never abuse it, it makes for great relationships! What a special way this was to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon ...

J&E