10 Places I LOVE

Today I'm all about another list.  Because I love that over at The Good Life for Monday Listicles we can talk about 10 Places We LOVE.

I'll admit, this one was a no-brainer.  Just like the last one these are in random order.

Here I go again...

1.  Vancouver.  I visited Vancouver for the first time 6 or 8 years ago.  I can't remember.  It's been a loooong time.  It was before marriage, pregnancy and kids so at least 6 years ago.  Anyway. I went with John to visit my best friend.  I fell in love with the shopping, the restaurants, the beauty and especially Stanley Park where my husband and I got wonderfully lost for hours.  I have returned since sans hubby to enjoy 4 days here and there with Erin.  Each time has been a different and awesome experience.

I am THAT nerd.

2.  London.  (Canada).  It's my hometown.  Born and raised.  My family and a lot of my good friends still live there.  It holds beautiful and heart aching memories and a gamut of emotional experiences in between and although I don't consider it home anymore it's where I became who I am.  Not to mention where I met my future....John.

3.  Home.  Whether I'm reading to my boys at night, reading in my own bed at night, watching movies in our big bed with my whole family surrounding me all comfy and cuddly, cooking while listening to music and sipping on a chilled glass of white wine, writing at my kitchen table while the boys nap, dancing to Jack Johnson with the boys in the living room as the sun streams through the slatted blinds or simply in our family room watching the latest Storage Wars (John's favourite show) curled up with my hubby (incredibly romantic isn't it?) I love being home.  Home IS where the heart is.

4.  Anywhere with Friends.  And I mean anywhere.  At a restaurant, a park, one our homes, hanging out in a hotel room.  Always laughing our asses of about nothing and talking for hours on end about everything.  I love my girlfriends SO much.

Me and my lurrrvly ladies.

5.  Chapters.  I sit at one as I type this, in between sipping on a Chai Latte and devouring a Ginger Molasses cookie (if you've never had one - DO IT.  They will change your life.)  I also read all about horoscopes for the 50 millionth time.  I find astrology absolutely fascinating.  I found out today that I'm a Libra rising.  Interesting.

I'm a sea goat.  A Capricorn.

6.  Niagara-On-The-Lake.  This beautiful place holds so many incredibly romantic memories for me.  And we will continue to make them year after year.  It's a place where my husband and I would love to buy a home if we had all the money in the world (of-course we'd have a winter home in a warmer climate too if money wasn't an option).  We love it there.  Historic, full of romance, beauty, surrounded by water...not to mention amazing wineries.

On our 5 year anniversary this past June at Konzelman's Winery.

7.  Water.  I love being around water.  I love watching the ebb and flow, the colour of it changing constantly depending on the sunlight and time of day.  There's something peaceful and yet at the same time frightening about being in front of a vast body of water.  Nothing like that kind of contradiction to make you really think.

Yes, I'm sitting on a random bench that happens to be in the water.
Don't worry though.  That's no random dog.  That's our Riley girl.

8.  Quebec City.  After I became a Missus this is where we took our honeymoon.  I suppose I love it so much because it has a lot of the same characteristics that NOTL has.  Minus the abundance of wineries.  What it lacks in wineries it more than makes up for in fabulous restaurants.  Hmmm...I think I'm starting to see a pattern in the places I love...

Taking a romantic horse drawn carriage ride
through the cobbled streets of Quebec City.

9.  Kingston.  More specifically my Mother In Law's home.  It's right on the water.  Full of light, full of love, full of soul.

10.  My Husband's Arms.  In unison...gag...now.