Tea time at the Empress - Fairmont Empress Victoria BC

It's a Sunday, a day for pretty dresses, church and family. My mother always dressed me in these dresses that made me look like a little pastry. Colours of pinks, purples and blues with floral designs all over them. My favourite dresses however were always white to my mother's dismay - she dreaded washing white clothing from a child. We would get out from church and hop in our car and drive home and have family Brunch after church. Sunday was our lazy family day. And on good days (when my parent's were feeling okay) we would go for a 'passeio' (Portuguese for "outing") which meant we would go for a drive in downtown Victoria past the harbour front. If I was 'good' that usually meant a stop at dairy queen for some ice cream afterwards.

I loved our Sunday 'passeio' they were my favourite part of being out with my parents - just driving around in the family car. Not much has changed. I still love driving in the car, and exploring. I love getting in the car and seeing where we end up. Verlon and I constantly take drives out into the valley to explore or down in Washington. Sometimes I feel like I was meant to be a dog, and stick my head out the window since I'm always just so excited to go for "car rides". Yikes, my future kids are totally going to only get to sleep by riding in the car!

I always remembered when we would go for our drives downtown looking at the Empress and wanting to go for Tea so badly, or to even stay at the Empress. Well, at this point I have done both. And I finally had a chance to get my mother to go with me for Tea at the Empress before my birthday. These photos below are from our trip to the Empress and tea time. I'm such a sucker for nice tea porcelain! 

This past weekend I was working on the island and had a lovely Wedding and Engagement sessions. - Today my mother and I went for a car drive out to Sooke and had ice tea's on a patio at a special spot on the island. I was glad to make up for my absence yesterday to hang out with her today. Even though she drives me crazy sometimes with mothering (too much love!) I appreciate and value her so much. Love you mom!