life back home

I moved back home at the end of August. 

It took no more than three days of living in Vancouver to figure out that it wasn't right for me. I got offered a job as a live-in nanny back here in Nanaimo, and I just couldn't refuse the opportunity to be back where I wanted to be most. 

Life back  home in these past couple of weeks has been absolutely brilliant. I think I used to take time with friends for granted before I moved away from them, but now that I'm back, I realize just how important my friends and their company are to me. 

 

On my first night back, Maggie and I, and a box of timbits, headed up Sugarlaof mountain to watch the sunset. When I was homesick for Nanaimo, the two things that I was most homesick for were my friends and the ocean, so there has been a whole lot of both in these past few weeks. 

 

Kelsie and I went to Little Mountain the first Sunday I was back. I'd been wanting to go there ever since I first found out about it a couple of months ago, and we were up for an adventure, so we drove to Parksville, found the mountain, and even went to Coombs while we were at it. I'm so glad our weekly hangouts are back in session now that I'm back! 

 

Cassie and I snuck onto private property one night as the sun was setting. We almost got busted, but this view was so worth the risk. 

 

Sebastian Park with Maggie. One of my new favourite places to watch the sunset. 

 

I went to Tofino with my step-mom last weekend. We drove the four hours there with the windows down and the music blasted, went to Long Beach, and swam in the freezing cold Pacific. I don't know what it is about Tofino, but I'm absolutely in love with it. 

Another night at Sebastian Park with Maggie. The last time we were there, we saw some people had brought some sparklers to light as the sun was setting, so we decided to do the same. Those little sparklers are magic, I tell ya. I don't think I'll ever be able to watch a sunset from the beach without magic sparkling pixie wands now. 

I know at some point I'll have to go out into the world on my own and say temporary goodbyes to my friends, but now just doesn't seem like the right time for that. I'm so, so happy to be home, and I'm not planning on leaving again anytime soon. 

seattle with friends

About a month ago now, some friends and I made the trek to Seattle for a couple days of being tourists and seeing all that Seattle has to offer. Living just two hours across the border from this gorgeous city, I've been to Seattle quite a few times now. Yet somehow, in all those times, I've never been up the Space Needle. This time we did go up, and it was absolutely gorgeous! We also visited Kurt Cobain's former house and found some local parks with really great views of the city's skyline.

I love living so close to this gorgeous city. Seeing so much more of it this time around really made me fall in love with the place! 

a week with madi

Madi and I spent just over a week together at the beginning of the month. Last summer, we spent no longer than a single weekend together, and it was a big part of why last summer sucked so much. Summer just isn't the same without your best friend, so I'm glad we got more time together this year.

The week was full of everything that summer should be-- exploring the UBC Botanical Gardens, sleeping on an air mattress under the stars, lounging on the hammocks, blowing bubbles, running through the sprinkler, hanging out on a dock (a summer tradition of ours), biking to the store for froyo, adventuring downtown Vancouver, and experiencing the most beautiful sunsets. All of those things put together made for the most glorious eight days of absolute perfection. 

The weather was beautiful and my heart was full. I sure do love that best friend of mine.