togetherness

Do you take vacations with your extended family? We make sure we have a getaway with my side & one with my hubby's side each year. There's something to be said for being in a new space together, where your only agenda is to have fun, to have shared adventures and meet up for delicious meals. It's quality time together that you just can't compare - without chores, errands and distractions competing for your attention. This weekend we spent a few nights at Harrison Hot Springs. It was chosen for its close proximity to home in case my mom wasn't well, and for the uber-relaxing setting it offers.
Watching the grandkids make cards for my mom, give her giant hugs and kisses each night before bed was the best thing any of us could has asked for. My mom slept most of the weekend, her energy not where it used to be, but to see her meet us for dinner, or show up for a glass of sherry, thrilled us all. Sunday was one of those days where from start to finish I kept thinking, this is one of those perfect days. Do you have some of those etched in your mind - days that you'll never forget? I don't mean the extraordinary circumstances of weddings or births, I just mean those simple, yet beautiful days where a bunch of little things work to somehow build a perfect day. On Sunday, I just kept saying over and over to my hubby, "this day is amazing." My hubby, daughter and I had a beautiful, sunny morning walk along the water and then by fluke, met up with my brother and his children at the local playground. After the kids had a blast playing there, we found that a few venues in town were hosting these incredible family day events and the kids got to do an obstacle race, play in bouncy castle, mini golf, pick out hand painted tattoos and watch a juggling show. After that, my hubby and I traded off childminding time, he hit up the gym and I went for a swim/steam (While I was in the steam room, they were pumping in soft music with the sound of orcas. I was the only one in there, and I just kept thinking I have to stay alert or there's a very good chance I'd pass out from the bliss of it all - and they'd find my shrivelled body, and run some kind of unfortunate human raison discovered headline....). We met my mom for tea in the hotel, then we all hit the lounge and had a drink to cheers my mom. We shared in a delicious feast and went for a night swim before calling it a day. One year ago we were all blindsided by the news of my mom's cancer diagnosis, and I hope to never know a more painful year than we have experienced, but we have persevered and become stronger than ever as a family and I hope, more than anything, that this weekend gave my mom's spirits a much needed boost, just by having us all together. xoxo

Happy Family Day Weekend!!!

Have a wonderful weekend friends!! I hope you are surrounded by family, or friends who feel like family!! I'll be offline for a few days, hunkering down with my loved ones. (I'll post Saturday/Sunday/Monday's 365 photos on Monday).  Here's Friday's 365 photos, taken at one of my dearest lifelong friend's birthday dinner. We met in our neighbourhood growing up, she was one and a 1/2 and I was a baby. So you never know which of your children's friends will be with them for life. It's pretty incredible to watch one another's stories unfold and share in the history of it all together. xoxo

36/365

February can't help but conjure up feelings of love. There are hearts plastered everywhere we go. Throughout the month, I will write different posts about love and all of its forms. But I think the most important starting point, when discussions take place about love, is to look at how we love ourselves.
It's something I've always struggled with. I love myself when I'm mothering my daughter. I love myself when I'm snapping photos or writing from the heart. I love myself when I'm with my husband.  I love myself when I am sharing a wonderful evening connecting with friends. I love myself whenever I am doing anything for my mom in her time of need. I love myself when I am helping my dad shoulder everything. I love myself when I make anyone laugh, especially children. I love myself when I am fully attentive and engaged. I love myself when I am exercising and eating healthy. But then there's times when I get so down on myself, where instead of being my own best friend, I am my own worst enemy. I struggle to love myself when I feel the pains of shyness and have a tough time making small talk. I immediately spiral into thinking that I'm deeply flawed in this world that celebrates extroversion. I struggle to love myself when I have to make a big decision and am plagued by self doubt over my choices. I struggle to love myself when I am distracted instead of giving someone my complete attention. I struggle to love myself carrying extra weight every since I gave birth, even though I know I should celebrate being in this healthy body - that we're in this together. I struggle to love myself when I make quick meals instead of healthier ones. I struggle to love myself when I take a flippant comment to heart. I struggle to love myself when I make a mistake, even though I am the first one to comfort someone if they make one. Some days I simply just struggle to love myself and it shows up in tears, in withdrawal from others. But what I do know is this.......we are all we really have. We can't control anyone else but ourselves - how we perceive ourselves, how we carry ourselves in this world, how we respond to this world. We have to be our own best friend - to champion our strengths and to forgive our shortcomings as we do in everyone else we love. As Buddha says, "You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love an affection." I think he also said, whilst sitting cross legged on a mountaintop, "Celebrate your awesomeness, yo!" xoxo

35/365

    Happy heart month! She made one for each of us. I Love our little family of 3. xoxo

34/365

Hot chocolate face.

33/365

There has never been so much going on than there is in this moment of our lives - but amidst the chaos of it all, it feels like we are in the thick of LIFE, in all of its vivid colour. xoxo

32/365

storytime. xo