Christmas was  lovely affair. It was a gorgeous morning when we left on the ferry to go to Vancouver Island where The Horticulturalist grew up. Friends were taking the same ferry which was fun and even The Rock Star was in good spirits as you can see from the pics below.....

We were gone for just over a week...and lots of pictures were taken and lots of fun moments were had.

The tree was gorgeous and the stockings were filled....

street hockey was played....

and time with family was had.....

But what I really want to share with you was my favourite day...a couple days after Christmas...just me and the boys. One of the old logging roads had recently been upgraded so we decided to take a drive on it to Port Renfrew, which is on the south coast side of the island.

As it is with a family, getting to the destination can sometimes challenge your patience as a parent.

Because I want to live intensionally and authentically I will tell you with great intention and authenticity that there was a few melt downs on the way...in fact this is how it looked via pictures at one point.....

I think at one point The Rock Star insisted on being dropped off and that this was the dumbest family outing and way to spend a day EVER!!!! Keep in mind that we are in back country....no one for miles and also please keep in mind that the whole travel time was an hour to get there...mmmm...

The Scientist was tired from late nights, and just wanted to be with his cousins...plain and simple.

When The Rock Star was having his melt down I could feel The Horticulturalist about to burst so under our breathe we made a pact..no yelling from him and no verbal engagement from me. We would choose to let him go on his rant...knowing full well what the our come of this drive would be and just let him figure it out for himself.

He did not let us down....

Our family has a passion for our ocean and our forests. We all love to take them in and they give each of us great peace and calmness...I am sure...for each their own reason.

It has always proven to be our best times together, and this day was no different. It was the end of another year for us...filled with triumphs and disappointments; painful growth and letting go; loss, love and life. Today we did not talk about these things...which is what I usually do...no this day I was silent and watching.

The minute I came down the board walk, before I even saw the waves, I breathed in the ocean and all her power and beauty. When I opened my eyes she smiled back at me, with the glistening of the sun dancing on her figure tips. It was breathe taking. And all the baggage of the year dropped off my back and I smiled...the smile of coming home, the smile that says “This is where I belong.”

I looked around to see no one else was there in this little cove...just us....and the boys had already found their spot and were going about setting up a place to start a fire for the lunch that we had brought. The Rock Star was gathering rocks...The Scientist was ...well....bouncing around really....and The Horticulturalist was getting the wood we packed in ready, looking quite content with it all.

These are the moments I love as a mother and wife...these are the moment I go to when things are not so smooth, these are the moments I remember when there is crisis...these moments can be a life line to a sensitive soul as mine.

After some time...after taking it all in through my eyes and through my lens I go over to where they are....The Rock Star tells me...”I could live like this”...a smile across his face...a peace in his eyes.

“So the drive was worth it then?” I ask, smiling as I look towards The Horticulturist who looks back at me knowingly....

A pause from The Rock Star...he is trying not to smile...but he can not help the sheepish grin on his face....”It was alright, I guess.”

“mmmm Alright eh? Well Alright is good enough for me. You know your dad and I do have a method for our madness...”

“Yeah,yeah alright”...says The Rock Star...”I was just tired and I do hate driving in the car!”

It was a perfect day....my favourite day.