Backtrack to Tofino

We did a "last week of summer" getaway to Tofino just before school started.  Tofino holds a special place in my heart.  No matter what exciting and adventurous trips we do elsewhere, this is the place where we can truly relax.  Our "backyard" vacation spot of sorts, even if it takes six hours to get here with the ferry time factored in.   There is something about the expansive beaches, misty rainforests, morning fog and the ever-present sound of large waves hitting the shore that just spells RELAXATION.  The moment we hit the Pacific Rim Highway after crossing through  the mountains of Vancouver Island and turning right, I instinctively do a big exhale and switch into Tofino mode.

This is where F and I went on one of our first vacations together more than seventeen years ago, where we got married, celebrated our wedding anniversaries, hiked, stayed at our favourite lodge, read books and shared many good meals.  I have photos of  M and E as babies and toddlers, walking and playing on these same beaches, and I wonder where the time went, how did I end up with these two beautiful girls that are no longer preschoolers so quickly?

With all these memories, the various snapshots of life reflected in our visits, we feel at home here.  We get into the Tofino groove and just hang.   Some snapshots from the first few days:

We chased some bubbles




Wandered through the resort








On day two I sat in the tiny local botanical garden, outside the coffee-shop with its funky wooden benches, local sculptures and herb garden, nursing the Pipsqueak while leaning against the warm wooden wall of the cafe in the late summer sun.  I watched the butterflies hover around the lavender bushes and listened to the "breathe-gulp-breathe-gulp" of my little girl, thinking that this was SO Tofino.

Playing with dad at the Botanical Garden





An after dinner beach walk, fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies in tow, chasing bubbles blown effortlessly by the seabreeze.... building good memories for everyone.







And each evening was capped off with sunsets like these:



Really.  What could be more perfect?

Big Girls

Spending time in Tofino has allowed lots of time for reflection and thinking about the upcoming school year, and the fact that both E and M will be in full-day Kindergarten/Grade One.   The speed at which their babyhood, toddlerhood and preschool years have flown by is staggering.

I surprised myself on Monday with feelings of anticipation and excitement for the girls, pouring over the school's Parent Manual to make sure they will be all set for their first day rather than pondering the imminent changes in our daily life.  We picked out their clothes for the day and I took M shopping for school supplies for the first time.  I love these little rituals of life that accompany special days.  What fun to watch her pick out just the right three-ring-binder, pens, pencils and other things for the first time.  And how cool that she is big enough to pick out her own supplies, and she is still little enough to casually grab for my hand and hold onto it on for the duration of the shopping trip.

In the afternoon, while the girls were playing with their friend from next door, I was hiding upstairs creating their "Schultueten" or School-gift-bags, which are a tradition that I grew up with in Germany.  They are basically large conical bags full of little treats and school supplies which every kid gets for the first day of Grade One (I'm fudging a little on the traditions here by giving E a bag for Kindergarten, but both girls are starting at this new school so I know she wouldn't grasp why if she didn't get one).  I still remember exactly what my bag looked like when I started school - and it's been a few (ahem) years  - it was gold with red and blue balloons printed on it, and it seemed HUGE to me.  And I was wearing a sunflower dress,  white knee-socks and a goofy hairdo ... thanks mom!

Since the bags aren't commercially available here I had to put on my crafty hat and try to do them justice.  Here is the best I could come up with and the girls' reaction on the first day of school (they didn't mind a staple here and there ...







And I'm glad to report that the first day of school was a resounding success, particularly for E who greeted me with "no, I want to stay longer" when I walked into the classroom to pick her up.

And I had a pretty good day as well.  I enjoyed a cup of coffee while having a chat with F and watching the Pipsqueak toddle around.  So far so good!

Summer Down Under - Part IV

When it rains in Sydney .... it pours!  Monsoon-like rains that last for days at a time.  Our westcoast rains are nothing compared to these rains.  The weather gave us an opportunity to relax and recharge, visit the Australian Museum with its fantastic dinosaur display and hang out in some coffee shops.

A lazy morning at home watching the rain









... and once the rain cleared up we headed on a day trip to the Blue Mountains.  This was our longest roadtrip and in addition to the aforementioned snacks, drinks and Princess Lilifee CD, the girls kept themselves happy with songs and their newest silly question game.  It went something like this:

M:   What is that?

E:   A hat.

M:  What is a hat?

E:  Something you wear on your head.

M:  What is a head?

E:  The thing on top of your neck.

M:  What is a neck?

E:  The thing that prevents your head from falling off.

(followed by fits of uncontrollable giggles)

The main attraction in the blue mountains are the "Three Sisters"



And the girls were fascinated by this man (we thought he was pretty cool, too)

She won't tell us what they talked about ...

Today's Plugged in Preschoolers/Kindergarteners

   
Girl loves her Lolly....

We made another lookout point stopover on the way home


Compared to our mountains at home the Blue Mountains seemed more like "hills", but we enjoyed the different sounds and scents of the Australian forests, and the amazing bluish tint of the landscape.  On our way home, we stopped at a well-known kangaroo-watching spot - no luck, but we did get to see a whole gang of screeching white Cockatoos.  An enjoyable daytrip!