OK so I know it’s technically not even summer yet…but here’s my “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” entry – or “why it’s been a little more quiet than usual in the YamStamps world”.

I have almost recovered now I think – I haven’t been overseas in a few years and I don’t remember the jetlag being this bad last time – but this was a busy trip and we came back to a full moon so maybe that’s part of it…?!

I am privileged to be one of the photographers for the Burlington Teen Tour Band and the band recently returned from a trip to England and France. While in France, the band performed as representatives of Canadian youth during DDay 75 Commemoration events, including the above performance at the Juno Beach Centre.

This trip was a busy one! We started with an overnight flight to London, and a couple of days sightseeing before taking an overnight ferry to Normandy. While in Normandy (sleeping in a community gym for 4 nights!) the band practised and performed a number of times, including a fun performance in front of local school children, one of the highlights for me (and many of the band members!).

Before the trip, members (also chaperones and staff) received a dog tag – part of a fundraiser for the Juno Beach Centre. Each set of dog tags had a personalized one for the band member, and then the dog tag with information for a soldier buried at the Canadian Cemetery at Beny-sur-Mer. Band members were to research their soldier – you can find their research (still being uploaded) here on the Burlington Teen Tour Band site. We made a couple of visits to the cemetery – and it was one of the significant events for the band. Each member sought out “their” soldier and was able to pay tribute at the gravesite – with Canadian flags and mementos. Some members wrote letters, others carried messages from family members. These moments made this tour so much more significant for all of us.

We capped off the trip with a day of sightseeing in Paris before heading home again. You can check out the tour photos here and the tour vlogs here.

This was not my first trip to Normandy – I actually participated in the DDay 40 band trip as a band member (stop doing the math in your head…). There were 4 of us who returned – 2 of us as chaperone/photographers and 2 as staff members. That’s not counting the number of second generation (well, technically there were also third generation) band members whose parents had been on that tour, and the staff members who had been on the 2nd tour 15 years ago (some as band members). I think that’s one of the things that I love about the Burlington Teen Tour Band – it’s such a positive experience and well run organization that generations will return to be involved in it.

Anyway – I returned home to the patience of the Monthly Class attendees who dealt with my jet lag (note to self – arriving home on a Monday evening from a country that is 6 hours ahead of your home time zone and having class on Wednesday may not be the best scheduling choice). I think I have recovered…kind of…and will be ready(ish) for the New Catalogue Open House and Retiring Product Sale this Saturday, June 22nd, running from 9am til 11am. Please RSVP and let me know if you need directions. I also apologize if you tried to contact me while I was away – connectivity was limited (you should have seen those kids with 5 days of no wifi…LOL).

I have this Stampin’ Up! set on order so can’t wait for it to arrive! It’s called Capture the Good. I think I’ll be able to come up with some ideas for using it…LOL.

OK back to the regularly scheduled programming – but hope you enjoyed the “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” entry (especially since I think that’s probably it for my vacation plans for the next few months!!). Otherwise you can check out some of my cheesy tourist selfies in the YamStamps Instagram “travel” highlights!