On Saturday morning we were all up bright and early because the day had finally arrived – the day we had to leave Halifax. Every year it gets harder and harder to say goodbye; on the Monday we had gone to my sister’s house for supper and much to my embarrassment I broke down crying when it was time to leave.

We took our time coming back, stopping over at the halfway point to spend the night in a motel. By Sunday afternoon we were home and immediately threw ourselves back into the school routine since Hayley had to go off to grade three (!) on Monday morning (two weeks late, alas).

We had some great times before leaving Halifax though. There was the aforementioned afternoon and dinner at Amanda and Neal’s house.

(Did you know she’s pregnant? You can read about it at her blog and let me tell you I did many creative crops in Photoshop to hide that fact until she announced it!)

We all had a great time; there are no pictures of the kids to share because they spent a lot of time in the backyard next door playing with the neighbors.

Later in the week we also headed out to my favorite beach, Lawrencetown Beach, as well as a couple of others that are nearby. The ocean was breathtaking. It was a ridiculously foggy day but in the end it created a fantastic atmosphere and I didn’t mind the lack of sun.

At one beach there was a sand bar that went out quite a bit and there were waves crashing from three sides when you stood out at the end. The best part was that when I stood out there by myself for a few minutes the fog made it so that I couldn’t see anyone else, nor could I hear them. It was like I was the only person in the world. It kind of felt like I had stepped onto the set of Lost for a bit but instead of being creepy it was exhilarating; when I got back I told George’s cousin that I had actually gotten giddy out there, bouncing up and down and giggling. I am an ocean dork, what can I say?

Our final stop was Conrad’s Beach which is very sandy and a popular swimming spot (not that day in those temps though!). It was the perfect place for some ocean-side yoga.

Friday took us on a quick shopping spree (you should see all the healthy stuff I bought at Bulk Barn – chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseed, etc) and then we stopped for a final fish & chips lunch and visit to Point Pleasant Park.

In the evening, we all stayed up far too late and we were tired the next morning but it was worth it just for a few extra hours with friends and family.

I’m home and I’m back in a routine of school mornings and homework in the afternoons and quick baths after supper. I’ve been unpacking and cleaning and purging and tidying, and life is back to normal. My heart’s still in Halifax though.

Is it too soon to look forward to next year?

(All the Halifax photos are over here)