Out in the rolling hills of Alberta, there’s a little-known park where imagination runs as free as the prairie wind. It’s not marked on most maps, and it doesn’t show up in travel guides—but it’s there. And for one sunny afternoon, it became the stage for some very big moments.

Ace met a raptor.

And not just any raptor—a full-sized, teeth-baring, ready-to-pounce dinosaur. Did he run? Nope. He faced it head-on in a firetruck-red hoodie, arms outstretched like he was ready to dance or duel. The joy on his face says it all. Fearless. Thrilled. Alive in the moment. He knew, of course, that the creature was only a statue. But still—there’s a kind of power in standing your ground with something that once ruled the world.

Not far from the raptor showdown, Ace made another new friend: a chimpanzee perched coolly on a log, pointing and grinning like he knew something we didn’t. The two of them sat side by side under a perfect blue sky—Ace relaxed and smiling, the chimp locked in an eternal smirk. It was a moment of calm after the wild energy of the dino encounter. A reminder that wonder takes many forms, and sometimes, it just looks like sitting next to a goofy statue with the sun on your face. Then he was off and running again!

These aren’t just cute photos (though they’re definitely that). They’re snapshots of a kid exploring the world on his own terms—finding magic in unlikely places, and teaching us all how to stay curious, brave, and wide open to joy.

There’s something special about spaces like this Alberta park—part wild west, part roadside attraction, part dreamscape. But honestly, the most magical thing there that day was Ace.

“Clever girl.”

— Dr. Muldoon, Jurassic Park