A Weekend in Victoria

Oh my goodness… What a whirlwind weekend!  While there was a time in my life when i headed to the island every other weekend, with two little ones it tow, having what’s essentially a day and a half away feels too short.  That being said, we had a fabulous time in Victoria this past weekend and managed to sneak all kinds of fun into our mini getaway.

The best part?  Undoubtedly seeing Grandma Sue!  While my family moved to BC while I was still in elementary school, over the years everyone – my dad, my brother, and my mom – eventually made their way back to Alberta, leaving me here alone in BC {though truthfully, I spent most of those years in the Middle East}.  Either way, it’s so nice to have my mom back and just a ferry ride away! {I see many island trips in our future.}

Also pretty cool?  We got to take a brand new Ford Flex on the trip!  Though our 2006 SUV is perfectly fine, I can’t tell you how nice it was to have a brand new vehicle with all of the up-to-date technological features – hello, built in GPS, keyless entry, and blind spot information system – I heart you.  It also meant that we didn’t have to choose whether to bring our luggage or our stroller, which we usually do.  With a third row of seating that folds down with the touch of a button {seriously} and a super spacious interior, we had more than enough space for all of our things and easy, comfortable nursing sessions on the go.

Though we’ve been to the island with her before, Gracen was quite thrilled with the ferry ride and who wouldn’t be, really?  Besides the cool factor that comes with being able to drive your vehicle right onto a giant boat, it meant eating french fries, staying up way past her bedtime, and searching for whales in the waters below.  A perfect recipe for a fun Friday night if you ask me!

{when grandma takes you for an early morning walk along the ocean and lets you pair your pajamas with her leopard print coat…}

{someone found his toes!}

On Saturday morning, after a sleep-in courtesy of Grandma, trip to the clinic for pink eye {ugh!}, and some lunch out, we headed to Beacon Hill Park for a visit to the Children’s Zoo.

And though Sam and I missed most of it in lieu of an in-car nursing session, the peacocks around the park did not disappoint.

Then it was off on a little downtown adventure…

This photo of Miss G makes me giggle.  Between her Natives and socks, transition lenses, topknot, and mismatched scarf stolen from Grandma Sue’s closet, she’s certainly rocking the tourist vibe. {#notafraidoftakingfashionrisks}

Though it pretty much felt like it was going to start pouring at any moment, thankfully the rain held off and we got a chance to wander in and out of shops, catch the tail end of the harbour market, see street performers, and visit the parliament buildings {which Miss G was clearly quite stoked about}.

Now while there’s no photographic evidence, after having dinner and getting the kiddos both asleep, Brad and I got to do something we haven’t done in ages…  We got to go out at night together just for fun {*gasp*}!  We drove around Victoria, found the old character home we lived in one summer and the houses Brad lived in during university, got ice cream, listened to inappropriate music, and checked out real estate listings just for fun.  And while it felt sort of weird to both be away from our kids, it was also really, really nice. {Thank you, Grandma.}

On Sunday, despite the fact that we were booked onto the 3 p.m. ferry, we managed to get ourselves up and ready, have a nice breakfast, and take a walk through Oak Bay where my mom and Rorie live.

We headed down to the ocean, took in the views, scoped out all of the massive waterfront houses, and chatted along the way.  {My goodness, it’s gorgeous there.}

We even managed to sneak in a family photo of the four of us {winning!}

And then it was back to the ferries…

The trip home was fairly uneventful and absolutely beautiful, which was a perfect ending to our weekend away.  Until next time, Victoria…

 

 

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