It含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 what makes me happy, makes other people happy,含羞草研究社� said Mark. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 just so much fun.含羞草研究社�

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 含羞草研究社渁lways spent more money than I ever made.含羞草研究社� 

含羞草研究社淚 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, 含羞草研究社業 want that, I want to put it in the front yard含羞草研究社�,含羞草研究社� de Bruijn said of the dinosaur that started it all.  含羞草研究社淪he said, 含羞草研究社業 don含羞草研究社檛 think so含羞草研究社�.含羞草研究社�

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, 含羞草研究社榳hat did you do含羞草研究社�?

含羞草研究社淚 bought a T-Rex,含羞草研究社� he told her, having finally bought that original dinosaur. It didn含羞草研究社檛 stop there.

"I含羞草研究社檓 kind of addicted... I ended up buying more and more and more.含羞草研究社�

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 含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 wanna go home,含羞草研究社� a regular refrain among the kids. 

Despite the success of his business and attraction, it couldn含羞草研究社檛 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含羞草研究社檚 in the process of rebuilding his rock and gem business and, as locals have seen, his dino herd.

含羞草研究社淚 noticed one of my dinosaurs for sale on Facebook... so, there we go,含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檛 include everyone after he got pulled over by police in Abbotsford, the one and only time that happened.

含羞草研究社淗e goes, 'what are the bubbles for?' And I go, 'because people like 含羞草研究社榚m,'含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檚 parking lot because 含羞草研究社渉e took too long to put his sandals on.含羞草研究社� De Bruijn said the situation was defused by driving around until they found him. 

含羞草研究社淚 really enjoy driving around in that truck and making kids happy,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淎nd it brightens my day at the same time.

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