It害羞草研究所檚 Jurassic Park... with bubbles.

Sicamous has taken a prehistoric turn with the recent arrival of Mark and Lois de Bruijn and their family, which includes cats, dogs and dinosaurs. The latter had many people doing double takes over the Canada Day weekend as a triceratops, T-Rex and other prehistoric pals, accompanied by a bubble machine, made their debut while cruising Main Street.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 what makes me happy, makes other people happy,害羞草研究所� said Mark. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just so much fun.害羞草研究所�

His eye-catching trailer of animated dinos is a natural fit with his Mark4Gems rock and gem lapidary business, which is also how he got his first one. When he first started out in the rock business, he had a small company and attended a lot of flea markets where he 害羞草研究所渁lways spent more money than I ever made.害羞草研究所� 

害羞草研究所淚 seen a big T-Rex in the back of a truck at one of the rock and gem shows we do, and I told the wife, 害羞草研究所業 want that, I want to put it in the front yard害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� de Bruijn said of the dinosaur that started it all.  害羞草研究所淪he said, 害羞草研究所業 don害羞草研究所檛 think so害羞草研究所�.害羞草研究所�

As the business became more established, they started attending bigger rock shows, but his dinosaur dream never died out. At one of those shows, he broke the news to his wife by asking if she remembered when he used to spend more than he made, to which she responded, 害羞草研究所榳hat did you do害羞草研究所�?

害羞草研究所淚 bought a T-Rex,害羞草研究所� he told her, having finally bought that original dinosaur. It didn害羞草研究所檛 stop there.

"I害羞草研究所檓 kind of addicted... I ended up buying more and more and more.害羞草研究所�

In a compromise with his wife, de Bruijn kept his growing herd at their warehouse, where he also created a Family Fun Centre that became very popular. He did admit to getting one constant complaint though, with 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 wanna go home,害羞草研究所� a regular refrain among the kids. 

Despite the success of his business and attraction, it couldn害羞草研究所檛 withstand the downturn the market took a few years ago that caused him to lose everything. His dinosaurs went extinct. 

Having recently moved to Sicamous from Abbotsford, he害羞草研究所檚 in the process of rebuilding his rock and gem business and, as locals have seen, his dino herd.

害羞草研究所淚 noticed one of my dinosaurs for sale on Facebook... so, there we go,害羞草研究所� he said, again adding more along the way with four now installed in his truck and trailer. 

While de Bruijn said his dinos make people happy, he found that doesn害羞草研究所檛 include everyone after he got pulled over by police in Abbotsford, the one and only time that happened.

害羞草研究所淗e goes, 'what are the bubbles for?' And I go, 'because people like 害羞草研究所榚m,'害羞草研究所� he recalled, managing not to add "except you."

More recently, a local dad had to face the wrath of his young daughter who was so mad at him after they missed seeing the dinosaurs in the Sicamous Askew害羞草研究所檚 parking lot because 害羞草研究所渉e took too long to put his sandals on.害羞草研究所� De Bruijn said the situation was defused by driving around until they found him. 

害羞草研究所淚 really enjoy driving around in that truck and making kids happy,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淎nd it brightens my day at the same time.

"It relieves my stress; it's the only way I can stay sane."