It's Lilac Time!

Just like last year, my beautiful French lilacs are blooming which makes me very happy.  I have about double the amount I had last year, and they seem to be a bit more fragrant this year. 

And just to update you on my faux brick wall, as you can see, it's still going strong!  I've changed the knobs on the dresser to black, got a new round mirror for over the bench, and painted the mirror on the dresser black.  

Dominican Republic Part II: Gardens & Excursion #exploretransat

As promised in my previous post, here's Part II of my trip to Dominican.  If I wasn't by the pool or at the beach, you could find me wandering the winding pathways & exploring the beautifully kept gardens.

We also did a one-day excursion from La Romana to Altos de Chavon which is a replica of a 16th century village.  Our day happened to be a rainy one (yes we had one day of rain) so not the best pics...but still quite a beautiful place to visit.  (Apparently, Michael Jackson & Lisa Marie Presley were married here...who knew?)

And of course I had to take  a pic of the door...clearly I have a thing for doors! 

I also tried snorkeling on our excursion for the first time ever...it was a little scary...but I did it!  I got to see the coral reef & a black & white striped fish...very cool!

Here's a little peek into my room...I had a room to myself for a whoooole week...every mom's dream. haha

And that's my trip in a nutshell.  Had such an amazing time &  would highly recommend a trip to Dominican Republic!   Transat really made everything easy...with friendly staff...always willing to assist.

And now that I've been home for almost two weeks in the cold & the snow

 it all just seems like a dream...but a beautiful dream!

My Transat Trip to Dominican Republic #experiencetransat

So the most amazing thing happened to me...my mom decided to take all her kids (& their spouses but my spouse couldn't go) :)  to Dominican Republic for a week!!!  YES PLEASE!!!   We had never really been on a vacation with all of us in like 30 years...it was absolutely beautiful!!!  A few years ago my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's so this was a chance to make beautiful memories for all of us and what I call, "moment memories" for him.  It was also a chance to give my mom a much-needed break from the constant care for my dad, and let us all share in taking care of his needs.

We flew Air Transat to La Romana, Dominican Republic and stayed at the beautiful Grand Bahia Principe which is a visual feast...

Every day I had to make decisions like... what should I eat first: French toast or eggs, & should I sit by the pool first or go to the beach & then the pool... & then there's the decision about what I should drink by the pool...It was a very tough week...haha.

This is a shot of the pier on the beach & below is the inside ...just breathtaking!  We also went down to the beach to watch the sun go down & I was able to capture the sunset...again, absolutely beautiful!

Hello chandelier and rafters...who doesn't love this combo?

The gardens were immaculate & if you know me, I kinda have a thing for gardens & flowers...I did post some pics on Instagram but took over 200 photos so I'll have to do another post showing the gardens & sharing more about our little excursion. 

(All photos are mine, taken with my iPhone.)

After a week of being away, I left the beautiful sunshine & palm trees & came back to the reality of snow & exams...it's been a little hard adjusting (like really hard) but I'm so grateful for the week escape.

Thank you so much Mom for your great generosity & for allowing me to share in these beautiful memories!!!

Part II to follow...

Little Trip to Unionville

A few weeks ago, I spent the day with a friend in Unionville, ON...such a quaint little town.  The streets are lined with beautiful colonial homes just like this one.  We got our fill of picket fences and gingerbread trim...love all the details.  It's hard to believe that this quiet little town is just minutes from the hustle and bustle of Toronto.  You really do feel like you're stepping back in time.

And just like every area surrounding Toronto, the real estate here is absolutely crazy right now. (In our area, very basic 4bdrm, 3bthrm builder homes are going for about $850,000.00 and are sold within a couple of weeks).  This property just happens to be on the market if anyone is interested, and it's going for about $2.9 mil.  Love the front entrance ...and those doors!!!!  (Yes...I have a thing for doors.)

(All pics taken by me with my iPhone.)

This one above is also up for sale if you want to take a peek.

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