Home! Sweet Home!

So last Thursday I took one last look at those amazing turquoise waters and said farewell to Turks and Caicos.  I had a stop over at JFK...and I was really hoping that I would miss my connecting flight back to the UK and get to stay overnight in New York! It happened to the last two people who came to visit me in Provo and my layover was even shorter than their's so I thought I was in with a good chance! I'd even planned my cupcake crawl I would do hitting up 8 of NYC's best cupcakeries...

but it was not to be, it was the one day that American Airlines decided to be competent (my flight even landed EARLY at JFK!) and so unfortunately the runway at JFK was the only part of New York I got to see! I consoled myself by buying copious amounts of Oreo brownies and cakesters in the little airport shop along with some I heart NY pyjama bottoms! 

I wasn't sad for too long, because a quick 7 hours later I was in London! and it has never felt so good to be back in England! despite the grey cloudy skies...it felt so good to be home! and I didn't care about the jet lag, I had spent 7 months on an Island with no shops so I put my tiredness to one side and after By picked me up at the airport we met up with Mara and did what we do best when in London! 

We went straight to Selfridge's - one of our favourite haunts! and it felt so funny to be in such a huge shop again! I was loving the Philosophy section of goodies! 

of course it was on to the cupcakes next, we stopped at Lola's and picked up some mini's.

Oreo for me and red velvet for Mara, with a little sneaky shot of Big Ben in the background! 

Then we headed to Covent Garden which was buzzing, as usual, and there were plenty of street performers out entertaining the crowds of tourists and shoppers alike.  

We ate lunch at an amazing Mexican restaurant called Cantina Laredo...I had looked it up online from the Caribbean and knew I needed to pay it a visit when back in the UK, I didn't waste any time! and we finished off our afternoon of fun in London with a few more cupcakes from Ella's Bakehouse, and after a bit of a standstill on the M6 on the drive up to my parents we grabbed some Ikea hotdogs for dinner! making sure I visited alot of my fave places all in my 1st day back! 

This was the view I woke up to on Friday Morning! A field full of cows and that lush green grass...sure it's not the same as a view of the ocean, like we had back in Provo, but I think it's pretty special all the same! 

By got us a new camera while I was still in Provo so I've been a bit snap happy with it! it takes such great pictures, I can't help it! plus everything around me just seems so exciting right now! You should have seen how excited I was to feel cold when I got off the plane in my t-shirt at JFK - it was refreshing and awesome! 

and this past weekend in Shropshire, the air was cold but crisp and I loved all the little signs of spring all around like these lovely daffodils...

and the green of the trees! 

In true Jones Family style, we had a rather spectacular homecoming! with polka dot homemade bunting courtesy of my mom...

and a whole host of welcome home cards and prezzies from friends and family! 

I was ready for some more shopping so we headed into Shrewsbury where I continued snapping all the 'English' things I could find like these lovely old school buildings! 

and we treated mom to a Mother's Day lunch at Ask.

Hmmm good Italian pizza - how I have missed you! 

and how I have missed the fun and frolics with my fam! 

Here I am with my fave shop in Shrewsbury - Vinegar Hill, it's an amazing home and gift shop...the likes of which you just couldn't find in Turks and Caicos! 

When we got home we had the amazing homecoming dessert bar Mara and my family had planned in our honour! 

It was more than a little amazing with cupcakes (of course), brownies, lamingtons, cookies and cheesecake! 

On Sunday it was UK Mother's Day, which was even more special with our whole family back together again! Mom got busy opening some presents,

and was most delighted with her Key Lime Pie Cheesecake which went along with the Key Lime candle we brought her back from Turks and Caicos! 

Unfortunately it needed a few more hours to defrost so she couldn't have a piece for breakfast! 

Although the cheesecake was a present via me, it was handmade by Mara and so it was definitely finished with care! and we definitely indulged in some after dinner and it was super yummy!

There's nothing we love more than spoiling our mom.

We had a great Sunday roast cooked by Chef Arne, my brother in law, and there's nothing better than a roast dinner with the whole family around the table! 

Mom was much more willing to have pictures taken once she was no longer in her pj's! 

So we asked our pro photographer By to take a few snaps of Mom and her girls outside...unfortunately only 3 of her girls were up for it! 

Group hug! 

and here's one of Mom with her two favourite, and only, son in laws! Don't they make us all look small! 

Today Mara had taken the day off from work so the cupcake and shopping fun continued in Chester...

finished off with a few sweet treats from Starbucks like red velvet whoopies...

and rocky road cake pops! 

So I've only been back for a total of 4 days but with the amount of shopping and cupcaking I've got in it feels like longer! 

Today in Chester it was 9 degrees celcius, about 48 degrees fahrenheit! and it drizzled on and off all afternoon, we didn't see blue sky once...a far cry from our days in T&C but my skinny jeans and Uggs are here to stay and I've still never been happier to be home!