Coastal Getaway - Beacon Hill Park

 This park is right in downtown Victoria and was one of the most beautiful places we visited during our entire trip. 

Coastal Getaway - Victoria

Here we are at the Legislative Assembly of BC in Victoria

 Here we are in front of  'The Empress'.  This hotel is over 100 years old and faces Victoria's Inner Harbour.

 The island was well into spring when we arrived, look at the beautiful gardens

 There are so many Haida totems scattered throughout Victoria

 So majestic and beautiful, I love the style of their art and totems

 I just loved the copper pipe running down the length of the building for some reason

 This was the only time we got rained on during our entire trip

 There were so many little details to admire

 This is one of the extraordinary exhibits at the Royal BC Museum

 Here is another breathtaking exhibit at the museum. Every exhibit was but together beautifully, even the sounds and smells!

Coastal Getaway - Ferry From Vancouver to Victoria

We're Engaged!

We traveled to Vancouver island last week for the first time.  It was also our first vacation together to anywhere other than Ontario.  Usually we use all of our vacation days visiting our family, but this year be both have 3 weeks of vacation so we went somewhere special, just the two of us.  It was a lovely, relaxing and romantic getaway, but I will post more about the trip shortly... This is the story of our engagement.

Luke and I did things a little differently than most, we picked out my engagement ring together and both shared the expense.  So, I knew that we had a ring picked out and ordered but I didn't know when it was going to happen....  Unfortunately, Luke found out that the ring would not be ready in time for our trip and let  me know. We were both a little disappointed but we didn't let it hinder our excitement about our trip.

One day while we were in Tofino, we got a tip from a local about an amazing hiking trail that led down to the ocean.  The hike did not disappoint, it was a full hour of climbing through a dense jungle forest.  We were literally climbing up roots, walking across fallen logs and jumping across streams.  The trail ended at a secluded beach cove on the Pacific Ocean.  It was a beautiful day and we were all alone.

Little did I know that Luke had a little secret up his sleeve :)  He knelt down in the sand and I knew right away what was happening.  It was such a beautiful moment, in such a perfect setting at just the right time.  Everything was as wonderful as I could have imagined it.  He proposed to me with another symbolic piece of  jewelry, something that was very special and also very fitting to the setting we were in.  He slipped a hand painted wooden bracelet on my arm that was covered in gorgeous Haida art.  He had purchased it secretly a few days before at the Royal BC Museum and used it in place of the ring that we knew was on its way. I am so glad he was creative and thoughtful and took advantage of such a special moment even though we didn't have 'the ring'.  Its about so much more than that, and we both knew it.

The ring arrived today, and we were both so excited to get it on my finger after all :)  So here are a few pictures we wanted to share with everyone!

Blooming Backyard

Fresh buds are starting to appear everywhere

 Circus is loving the weather as much as we are

 Lots of rain

 Stopping to smell the 'roses'