AMAZING RACE PARTY this is a long one but worth the read!

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Okay so wow...yesterday was my "Amazing Race" birthday party. Holy cow it's been a long time since I laughed that hard! For those who couldn't make it, I will try to re-cap the day. Be prepared to take at least 15 mins to get through this entry...it's a long one.

Everyone met at my mom's place around 2:30pm. By 3pm I had caught up and said hello to everyone and we were out the door.

Team BSD - Vicky, Lia, Nerine, Chantal and Tiffany.
Team Rockstars - Tanya, Karolina and Dagmar.
Team The All Inclusives - Taryn, Ian, Dragana, and Karl.

I started with "The All Inclusives" and had a chance to be in every car at least twice. They all ran outside and before we took off we had team photos. We were given our first clue and away we went!

Clue #1
I was in the car with Taryn,Ian,Dragana and Karl "The All Inclusives". The first clue took us to the Quality Inn to write down what their sign said (Prime Rib $14.95). Next clue on the sheet, go to the "desert out"... The Prarie Inn?! We get there and see my mom's car parked outside (Deanna was driving it while mom jumped from car to car as photographer). The car doors fly open and we jump out while Ian is still parking. We run inside to find Karolina, Tanya, and Dagmar Team Rockstars already there! "How did you get here so fast?" they ask while we wondered the same thing. My sister (Deanna) gives us our task.

THE TASK - It's a map of Canada and we have to write down all the provinces and capitals. After the first task is complete the whole group must sing our National Anthem.

While we we filling out the answers Team BSD comes in and starts filling out their sheet. Deanna walks around to each group handing out balloons with specific insructions. Bring this balloon back to mom's house in tact at the end of the race...it's worth 25 points on the scavenger hunt.

After we are done filling in the answers, Deanna checks them and then we sing our National Anthem...SLOWLY. Taryn picks up the pace and we follow her lead...after all this is a race. Before you know it Karolina's group starts singing over top of us. Ian asks...no, no, Ian demands our next clue while Deanna stands overwhelmed at all of us coming at her. We get the clue and off we run to the car leaving everyone behind.

Clue#2
Off to the Butchart Gardens to grab a map and guide. Shortly after we leave, Karolina's group is on our tail. At one point we are 2 cars ahead of them at a stop light. Ian pulls up to the intersection on a green light and even though it is clear for him to turn, he waits until it turns yellow. It's impossible for them to go through the light. As we turn on the yellow, Tanya pulls around 2 cars and runs the red light! At this point let me just say...I'm so glad there wasn't any money involved because it could have gotten VERY nasty. Thank goodness my mom wasn't in either car!

Now on our way to Butcharts with Karolina's group close behind. We pull into the gates at Butcharts and Karl hops out to get a map & guide from the girl at the ticket booth (she's standing there with eyes as big as apples). She didn't know what the heck has going on! Karolina's group pulls up on the other side of the booth. Karolina gets out and begs the girl to give her the map & guide first, while Karl on the other side of the booth is doing the same. Karl hops back into the car and Karolina gets back in hers. We all turn around and head out...the entrance...yeah, we're going out the entrance now, burning rubber side by side, bascially playing chicken cause the road is getting narrow. Ian is not letting up and neither is Tanya. Ian pulls ahead, we drive over 3 traffic cones on our way out (which we should have picked up if we only knew we needed them for the scavanger hunt later in the race).

Karolina's group is close behind but we turn down Wallace hoping to lose them. We have to go to "the center of the Universe" (the observatory) or "Toronto" as some people call it out here on the west coast (go figure).

We get to the gates and start up the windy hill doing about 80! On our way up we're brainstorming ideas how to hold up the group behind. At this point we've only seen Vicky, Lia, Nerine, Chantal and Tiffany once. They are not a threat...at least not yet. We finally get to the top of the mountain trying to take in the amazing view while it rushes past. In this part of the leg have to do a fill-in-the-blank question using the sign beside the telescope at the top of the mountain. I don't even think Ian stopped. We drive by it while everyone read out the details on the sign and Taryn writes down all the info. We start to head back down the windy road and pass Karolina's group coming up. We get stuck behind some lady in a white van doing 20 down the hill. Doesn't she know we're in a race?! We see a parking lot or clearing of some sort and Ian starts honking at her...she pulls over with her brows furled and sticks her hand up at us but we drive by laughing while hanging on for dear our life. We know now that this lady will hold them up for sure but we continue to brainstorm down the hill. Karl almost hops out to pull a huge branch into the middle of the road. It's attached to the ground so we continue on and decide that it would waste time (not to mention the guilt we would feel...doing something so unsportsman like Tee hee). At this point we figure out what "Poundan Forward" restaurant means so we're on our way to the Knockin Back to meet my other sister Debbie for our task and next clue!

Ian pulls into 3 stalls and for all I know he could have left the car running. We hop out while he puts the car in park and run into the restaurant looking for Debbie.

THE TASK - put on grass skirts, lays and sing Blue Hawaii or Dancing Queen.

Dancing Queen it is, skirts are on and Debbie starts the CD so we can sing-a-long. She stops it a quarter of the way through and decides she's had enough of our horrible version. They get the clue and I stay behind to join the next group coming in.

Clue #3
Colin (my brother in law) is outside holding Tanya, Karolina, and Dagmar(and my mom) until "The All Inclusives" run out with the lead. Team Rockstars are released and in they run. They pick the same song and we all head out (as I'm downing my Vodka Cran.) to do our next leg of the race. The next clue brings us to my brother's house to find the "animal" in the driveway. The "All Inclusives" pull up behind us...(still not sure where they went and how they got behind us). They see me look around the driveway and then focus my attention at the stairs and the huge iron Ant. I jump back into the car and we take off in the lead. When I mentioned the "animal" I saw the girls think I'm wrong until Tanya pipes up "What kind of cars were in the driveway?"...I think for a second and remember my nephew's Jag! That's it...let's go!

Off to Helmecken Market to buy a single flower. We got stuck at a light so I hopped out and ran into the store. Scanning the flower shop I don't see any single flowers. Karl runs in and I grab the closest bunch of flowers, run up to the cashier, pay, and run out leaving Karl behind. I hop back into the car and see Team "All Inclusives" pass us. Ian is a mad man!

Following them we head out to the Western Communities to find the "forked streets". At this point we don't really know what that clue means. After we get all the way into Colwood we finally see The Crossroads Pub! Team "All Inclusives have already gone through the light and passed the turn off for it. While they pull into the parking lot up ahead we pull in and run inside.

Deanna is waiting inside...

THE TASK - one member must complete a paint by number picture AND another member must do a shot...that would be me I guess, just taking one for the team.

The next group catches up and I stay behind to wait for the long lost Team BDS. But wait...team "All Inclusives" don't know the answer to the animal question till they brainstorm and figure out that it's a Jag. They take off as the last team finally arrives to complete their task (including the shot)...now wait a minute...I'm apart of their team so I have to do another shot? Someone had to do it...again, here I am being a team player.

Clue#4
We get our next clue and run to the car parked at the gas station...yeah, the gas station. Vicky calmly walks out after paying the cashier inside and sees us running toward the car. We all hop in and take off for Royal Oak Golf Course...or at least we thought. Tiffany reads the clue and Nerine pipes up from the back seat..."Don't you mean Royal Colwood Golf Course?". Chantal grabs the piece of paper and confirms that Nerine is right. Lia is driving now and makes a U-turn. We head back to Colwood and fly into the Golf Course. We have to get a golf ball and a tee. Tiffany saves the day...she pulls out a golf ball out of her purse...she is forgiven and hops out to grab a tee laying on the first tee off box we see. Can't turn around so we reverse back out.

Next address is somewhere down the street. We find the store and send mom in to buy something under $5...(the name of the store will be left out for anyone under age reading this story). Team Rockstars are running out as mom runs in. We head over to the pub around the corner right on Team Rockstars tail. This is our next check in point. As we park we see Team "All Inclusives" car parked outside. I pause and think out loud "Why are they still here? They were miles ahead of us...this must be a really hard task!" We burst through the doors to see Ian with a kids putter in his hand,several ping pong balls in front of him, jacket off, sweat running down his face, adrenalin pumping and hands shaking!

THE TASK - you must sink 6 balls into the plastic portable hole standing 5ft. away.

Who knows how long Ian has been there already?! He finally completes the task and I decide to join their group again. Looks like they need my help. Turns out it's just in time.

Clue #5
We run to the car, motor still running with no one inside it...no just kidding (seeing if you're still paying attention). The clue takes us to 381 Kislingbury Lane to retrive an EMPTY tray. That's my sister's house! I know where it is, but wait...where are we right now? Ian punches the address into his GPS in the car and we're on our way. We finally reach a road I am familar with and head straight to Debbie's house. Karl hops out of the car, over the fence, opens the cooler sitting on the sand box and brings back a FULL ice cube tray of...wait for it...jello shooters! I've had far too much to drink at this point...Ian is driving and the other 3 thought it might not be a good idea to pound back 16 jello shooters (not joking). I'll spare my sisters the details of what happened to them...let me just say Dragana and I had VERY sticky hands when we got to the next stop!

The next clue took us to the Four Mile Pub. Ian strategically placed the car ready to head out when they returned. We run into the restaurant and see that no one is inside. The waitress asks if we're looking for the pub? YES! It's just on the other side. We run around the corner and up the stairs only to realize that it leads no where! Back down the stairs, out the door, around the other side of the building, and in though the Pub doors.

We see my sister (who had just arrived-let me take this moment to tell you that they thought we would take 4 hours to do this race. At this point we were only 1 hour and 20mins into the race!)

THE TASK - create a necklace for Krista with the beads and string supplied.

In the meantime...the driver of Team BSD is outside parking...actually blocking the car belonging to Team "All Inclusives"! They run in with my mom to start their task. While everyone is busy making me a necklace my mom tells me (while laughing her butt off) that the girls just blocked them in! I tell Ian and Taryn on their way out the door. I decide to stay and join Team BSD with my mom. I have a second to chat with Deanna who tells me we are going so fast they can barely keep up with us. She doesn't think Debbie will have time to get to the next stop before we get there!

Clue#6
First of all let me just point out that Team Rockstar are lost in our dust but can't be too far behind us...where did they go?? Oh yeah, and at some point early on in the race balloons were popped and only one survived. Team BSD decided to get down and dirty by hiding their balloon in a travel bag!

We get into the car and start reading the clue. Go to "Platinum Town" and get a bucket...SILVER CITY, turn right here! We take the back roads and somehow manage to beat Team "All Inclusives" to the movie theatre. Chantal and Tiffany run in to grab the popcorn bucket. Team "All Inclusive" arrives and Karl runs in. Moments later Chantal and Tiff are running out. Ian sees us getting ready to leave and pulls ahead of us completely blocking our way out! Lia puts the car in reverse and heads out of the parking lot. Gas and go baby, we're on our way to The Shark Club for our last task and scavenger hunt list. Somehow Team "All Inclusives" get ahead of us.

Debbie and Colin pull into the parking lot first followed by Team "All Inclusive" and us (Team BSD)right behind. Cars stop, doors fly open and everyone is leaping over everyone else to get out of the cars and into the restaurant! I'm in the very back of the car but have to hop over the seat to get out, getting by foot caught in the seatbelt. Everyone is inside at this point and I pour myself out of the car. I start to run but see Debbie and Colin walking calmly to the door. Opening the first set of doors you see 10 people piled up at the entrance all with hands on the door handle. Debbie sports her chesier cat grin while holding some papers in her hand..."Hey guys, might want to let me in first". Everyone lets go of the door and follows Debbie inside. A few of the girls get asked to show ID...yeah, ID. Random but okay...whatever. With that done, we all run to see Debbie

THE LAST TASK Each team must answer a series of about 15 questions "HOWARD do you know Krista"...clever Debbie, very clever. I cannot help the teams.

Some of the questions...

Where was Krista born
How many nieces and nephews does she have
What is her middle name
What is her least favorite colour
What is her brother's nickname for her

With the answers filled in, (and not all of them were correct answers I might add) They were all given the Scavenger hunt list for trying their best. At this point it's now 5pm, only 2 hours after we started.

The last group arrives...Team Rockstars. I stay to join their group again for the Scavenger Hunt.

The next 2 hours were spent checking off our list. That in itself was a race against time. Not that easy to find Crime scene tape, a traffic cone, a McDonalds name tag and 2005 city map (just in mention a few)!

We all met back at the house to sit down, catch our breath, and slow down our hearts. Needless to say, the party ended pretty early. After checking off our lists and declaring the winners (TEAM BSD) we all ate a well deserved AMAZING meal made by my sister Debbie. What a day! Holy cow! Thanks to everyone that came out to play, everyone who helped (even you Jordan!) and the ones that stopped by for dinner after the race! For those who couldn't make it...sorry you missed an AMAZING party. I just hope the story made you feel apart of the day. Thanks for reading till the end! I promise my next entry WILL NOT be as long.

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Until next time...