Category — Travel

A mother lives her life in bursts, or as the book I’m reading aptly puts it, “Between Interruptions.”

I write in between the time Madeleine dozes off and starts rooting around for her next meal. These moments are few, and enormously treasured. 

Madeleine and my first foray into the world was to Starbucks. It was on Day 9. A bright shining day. I read the newspaper for the first time since her birth. This past week she hit the three week milestone and we went to see the Midwife. She clocked in at 11 lb 3 oz. On the way there I filed my nails as Daddy drove. This weekend we embarked on our first adventure, to Victoria, in the safe company of Michael’s parents and the welcoming arms of Island friends. On the ferry deck, as Madeleine slept nestled in a carrier on my chest, I penned these lines:

Forest underfoot, out of sight
ribbons of saltwater taffy
streaming like a
blanket
closing in over
newborn skin.
winds dance over orcas backs
a dozen lazy dominos
waltzing like stars.

We took to our favourite island last weekend for an overnight stay.

We arrived a little tired:

But were quickly whisked down to the promontory to read poetry at sunset:

The next morning we rose to a big breakfast of eggs, coffee, sausages and hashbrowns to sustain us for a couple hours’ kayak:

And then we were glad. 

Image: by By-Your

It won’t be long until I’ll no longer be able to hop in a car at 10 pm and speed up the Sea to Sky for a sunny day spent with my nephews. So tonight I will indulge.

It’s a bit of a theme in my life at the moment. I have two more months before I am officially a mama and I’m basking in every moment. It’s not that I’m not looking forward to motherhood - I am, so much! - rather, I’m trying to fully embrace the seasons of life and for now I’ve got a midnight trip in me. 

Have a happy Monday!

My heart swells. An ocean cresting beneath my skin. The waters rise, then fall. White paper sails waltzing, cradled between sea and icing-dusted peaks.

British Columbia, I am home.  

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I spent my first weekend home with my brother, sister-in-law and adorable nephews in Whistler (while Michael tucked away in Parksville with his best friend Andrew.) Five months without these four is far too long…

The fam: Reuben, Mike, Jesse and Heidi in the village.

Jesse (in a bit of a foul mood) and I. Woah, those glasses are big.

The raddest couple.

The kissing monster about to attack my two favourite boys.

Jesse Fin and Heidi at the skate park. My two and four-year-old nephews were tearing it up on their bikes. 

Michael about to eat a plate-o-poutine for the chance to win a blackberry.

::::::::::

A weekend well spent.

This post comes to you from North Lodge, Oxford, the beautiful home of Amanda and Dr. Dean Regier and their front lawn (which is actually a sprawling 70 acres of park land. Rough. ;))

Yesterday we visited the Queen’s home of choice: Windsor Castle. Here’s a photo of a 5-month preggy me within the castle gates (I know more than a few of you have been wondering how the bump is coming along.)

One more week and we’ll be walking in our front door… at last.

Love from the Old Country, Christina

I caught up with Canada’s George Stroumboulopoulos, host of CBC’s The Hour, to get his thoughts on true love and his affinity for black (among other things.)

Enjoy this uncut version!

I am off to London tomorrow to celebrate my birthday (April 3,) visit Amanda’s adorable digs, peruse Oxford with the hubby, and savour croissants (pregnancy, the perfect excuse!) in Paris… then home to Vancouver! See you after the 18th.

I leave Toronto one week today. I can’t believe how fast it’s flown by. Just three months ago I was curled up in our condo cursing the cold and nursing my 24-hour ‘morning’ sickness. Today I am staring out at the sun-kissed waters of Lake Ontario filled with regret. I will miss this city and all its eccentricities — the buskers of St. Lawrence Market, Kensington’s nooks and crannies, Little India on Queen Street — where you’ll find us 3 out of 7 nights a week. I hope to share a few more ‘Signs of Hope’ from Toronto before we hop our plane next Wednesday. 

Priority number one, upon my return to Vancouver (April 18, after our trip across the pond) is hitting up Raw Canvas: a full-service paint-on-canvas art studio complete with wifi, lounge and fresh crema. 

I’m making plans and taking names. Who’s in?

The pictures are up. View them here. And more below. 

Brooklyn

In Anthropologie

The UN

Le Statue

Soho

Classic over-stimulated tourist

A great irony

image found at globalgraphica

:::::::::

you sit and stare. up at brick and black-balled towers. ladies pushing dogs in perambulators. children swinging. 

liberty. empire. broadway. times. 

it is the city sans sleep. it is my dream. my love. 

guggenheim. battery. central. soho.

this intersection of hope, promise. impossible possibility. 

chelsea. wall. tribeca. strawberry fields. 

i wonder. draw. nice little sketches of coolness. sitting in new york city.   

rockefeller. carnegie. alphabet. ellis.

i am in love with this place. where my veins pour dreams.

:: Toronto’s proximity to New York ::

Oh yes! This morning Megan and I will jump into her hot red jeep and speed off into the sunset (rush hour, actually) for four days of Big Apple lovin’! Since our Calgary road-tripping days we have dreamed of visiting NYC together. This is trip number seven for me.

Thanks to Amanda’s recommendation we’ll be staying at The Pod, on Friday I’ll be attending the International Arts Movement Encounter and we’ll be hopping the boat to visit the pretty lady above. So excited!

Promise to post updates along the way…