The Daily Chai - Vacation Day 2

Today's Chai Latte was delicious and foamy. I'm in Vancouver so I just threw a nickel out the front door and I went to the first Starbucks it landed on. I'm in #soullesslattedrinker heaven. Sadly, a nickel gets you nothing in a Starbucks.

The kids woke up at...I don't fricking know, like, 5:00 a.m., which, when I think about it, is like 8:00 a.m. Ontario time, so they actually slept in. If we were in Ontario, it would have been awesome. As it was, I was up late the night before with my niece talking about stupid boys after hitting La Casa Gelato. Shhh....don't tell the kids we got ice cream after I put them to bed. La Casa Gelato has 200 flavours of gelato and I had to make the impossible decision of just two. TWO. Knowing my future happiness was in question if I choose wrong, I went with vanilla salted caramel and mint fudge. Future happiness secured with a good catch up with my girl while eating ice cream.

My kids would have been pretty happy playing Barbies all morning, but after breakfast I took them to the local playground and Anna told me it was the best day ever. Easily pleased, thank goodness. I can't even remember the last time I took the kids to the playground, it's been such a long winter, so it's no wonder they were happy. It was a gorgeous day here in Vancouver, cool in the morning, but blue skies and lovely, warm sun shining down on us. Spring has been here for weeks and the cherry blossoms are just starting to blow off the trees so there are tiny pearl pink leaves everywhere. Kate ran to a pile of them and grabbed them, thinking they would be soft and fragrant, but they were full of morning dew and cold. As she tried to shake them off her hands, she said, "I immediately and intensely regretted doing that, mom." We walked home along the Renfrew Ravine and I'm pretty sure the kids thought they'd been transported to paradise. The green grass, the blossoming trees and the flowers beds are, of course, so much further along than they are in Ontario and this is my favourite part of spring. I love that I get to experience it again when I return to home!

My niece was up when we got home and I finally got my Chai Latte fix after that ridiculously early, chai-less morning (have I mentioned already how early those crazy little people wake up?). After lunch, my kids, niece and I headed to Steveston. Little touristy town with fresh, delicious, greasy fish and chips. Walked along the pier and saw swans and then a sea lion, which Kate just about lost her mind over, "What...the...heck...IS THAT?" Anna cried because she didn't see it. Must take them to the  Vancouver Aquarium post haste! We wandered into a used bookstore and browsed the shelves for awhile. Kate wanted and found a French/English dictionary and she even bought her sister a storybook, cool little kid. I love her good heart.

Right now, I'm listening to my niece play the guitar and sing "Soul Sister" and "Rip Tide" and it is the sweetest sound in the world. I am so happy to be here with my girls and my extended family.