just what I needed

 seals!

I wasn't sure if I was up for the trip. It would be a 5 hour drive and when we would get there, Winslow would be leaving me so that he could go fish. I'd be on kid duty for 2 days. But I decided that even if I would be on my own with the two little ones for a few days, that I'd still benefit from the change of scenery and the sea salty air. I'm so glad I decided to go.
On the recommendation of our friends, we rented a little apartment called The Attic. It was right downtown and oh so affordable ($100 a night!). I loved that we could take our time in the morning, eat breakfast there and I could sip my coffee. It felt like home and not just a hotel room.
Right around the corner from where we were staying were many cool things to check out. Just down the street there was an awesome kids park that Katia and I had a blast at (Noah was sleeping in the chariot). Also just around the corner from us was an awesome cafe/health food market place where I had some very delicious lattes (yum!). And close by was a beautiful library where we visited a few times (the kids were asleep, so I read some of my favourite magazines). I loved how everything was so close by to our apartment.
In walking distance to the apartment was a natural museum, the beach (the kids fell asleep in the chariot on the way there, so I just sat and took in the view while we were there), and Main Street (little shops that the kids went crazy in, so I decided we would NOT window shop again).
One of my favourite parts of going to Haines was taking in all of the scenery. Haines is such a stunning spot and we were so lucky to have such great weather while we were there. The mountains, the sea, the eagles and wildlife, the coastal buildings...... I was so happy to be able to take my camera along with me and take photos of everything that I found inspiring.
On our last day I took some time to visit some galleries and little shops before we hit the road. I picked up two special souvenirs for Noah and Katia that I will give them someday. They were two little birch bark baskets made by a First Nations woman from Northway Alaska (just down the road from us in Beaver Creek).
The golden Autumn leaves, the delicious lattes, the sea, the wildlife, the majestic mountains, the little break from "every day", for all this I am thankful.
xox