England Trip 2017: Family Time

There's so much to say and so many stories to tell about our July trip back to England for two weeks, but I'll sum it up by saying it was a time for family. I enjoyed and soaked up every second with family because life is short and I want my boys to know they have a big, loving family that will always be there for them. I want them to travel back to the UK on their own one day, maybe go to college there, maybe even move back there. Seeing them with their family was the highlight of my year. And we had lots of fun. We hiked, we went to seaside towns & played in the rock pools, we explored castles and played on the arcades. And I drank far too much and ate too many Gregg's cheese & onion pasties, but there's not a regret in sight! Haha!

The Loss of Two Favorite Uncles

This summer I lost two favourite Uncles in England.  I know what death is inevitable, but it doesn't make it any easier.

Uncle Stan was my mum's brother (she is one of 7 kids and he is the first to go). He served in WW2 and owned a nursery and garden center. He's the reason I got into the horticulture industry as I started work for him when I was 13. He and my Auntie Jean adored each other and raised a huge family. He was one of the nicest men I ever met.

Me with Uncle Stan & Auntie Jean in 2005

Jack's 11th Birthday

His two friends since kindergarten 

Jack has turned eleven years old. I know everyone says it flies by, but it really does. I can still remember the second he was born, the feeling of bringing him home from the hospital.

Union Jack Table

I came across this blog post last year about how to stain an old coffee table with a Union Jack design. I bought the same table on Craigslist for $40 but then it sat for a year in my basement. In fact, after the basement flooded I avoided the whole room for a while but finally got my bum in gear and decided to get things tackled.