End of summer holidays: Part 2

We've spent these last few days just easing back into our usual routine.  There is always something nice in coming home after a longer stretch away.  The comfort of your own bed, familiar smells of home, the old toys made new again with time away, getting back to the normal comforting day to day tasks and activities.  For some reason I always come home from a vacation with a fresh burst of motivation to get things done around our home, like organizing the junk drawer,  or cooking a series of fabulous meals, or starting Halloween crafts early this year. It's the renewed sense of appreciation for our home that comes every time I have been away from it for more than just a long weekend.

This is not to say that our vacation was too long, or dull.  No way!  In fact, after our stint on Bowen Island things only got better and better.  We followed Nana and Grandpa home to Victoria (a place I would love to call home one day), where we continued on our daily adventures, and celebrated the Labour Day long weekend by doing anything but labour.

Some Victorian highlights included the mini train at Galey Farms, that completed Jake's happiness in life.  I am pretty sure the choo choo ride around the farm was the best 20 minutes of his life so far.

'Twas here Jake first learned how to say "Goats!"

Three generations of train adoration

Then there was the day trip up to Shawnigan lake, were we spent yet another day in the water, eating yet another delicious barbecue, and yet again soaking up too much sun until we were all so pooped half of us napped almost the entire car ride home.

I've never been to Shawnigan, and let me just say for the record that I think it is one of the most luxurious local get away spots I have ever seen.  The lawns are manicured, the water is fresh and warm, the people are welcoming, and it was a kids paradise... an adult's paradise too for that matter.

Yes, there were also trips to the petting zoo, a zillion nearby parks, and the local pizza parlor, but the very best time spent all week had to be relaxing on Grandpa's front lawn under the umbrella, soaking our feet in the cool waters of "Boyd beach" (aka: water from a hose poured into a large washing basin), playing street hockey with favored uncles, and gawking at garbage trucks rumbling down the street.

It was close, but in the end Jake had it 3-2

My husband always tells me that I describe every weekend as being amazing, but to be honest recently they have been. These Boyd's have been very lucky this summer. Not only have we had some spectacular weekend adventures, day trips, and finally at long last some divine weather, but we also got to end it with these ten days.

And yes, husband, they were amazing.  Try to deny it.