An Adventure in Lawrence, Kansas

This past weekend Lily and I visited my Aunt Ardy in Lawrence, Kansas.  Aunt Ardy is an artist in every sense of the word.  She is a sculptress and jewelry maker, a writer and singer of music, and every single thing she does exudes creativity.  Our visit was prompted by the marriage of her daughter, Zoey. 

Here's Aunt Ardy with Lily in the front yard.  She made the metal archway over the sidewalk as well as several other metal sculptures that adorn her yard. 

Below is another picture of my Aunt Ardy with my mom.  They are beautiful sisters, aren't they?  This was taken in the living room of Aunt Ardy's 1887 Lawrence home, just three blocks from the main drag of this lively little town.

Ardy's significant other, Walter, has a quintessential Kansas farm about 15 miles outside of Lawrence.  He invited us over for a BBQ dinner one night while we were there and Lily had an absolute ball.  She adored Walt and his cat, Rooney.  Here she is (below) imposing herself on said cat who darted away quickly after this picture was taken!!

And here's a little collage of our time at the farm.  I followed Lily around for about five minutes just snapping away as she explored.  She laid on the hammock, hugged the cat, slapped at the tall grasses etc.  What fun for a toddler!!

And she absolutely loved Walt!!  During dinner she refused to sit on my lap, insisting on being on Walt's lap instead and eating half of his food.  Speaking of food, the BBQ dinner was superb!!  Much of the produce came from Walt's farm and/or Aunt Ardy's garden, and Aunt Ardy made a fantastic cole slaw with shredded cabbage and carrots, as well as diced onions, banana peppers, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar and mayonnaise!  I am definitely going to try this recipe myself soon!!

As Aunt Ardy's house is not exactly child-proof, Lily and I spent a lot of time wandering around Lawrence, enjoying window shopping, street musicians, farmers markets, parks, etc.  Here she is on an old-fashioned merry-go-round on the street.  I didn't even need to purchase a ride since she thought just sitting on the stationary horses was fantastic :).

And finally, here's a pic of my Aunt Ardy in the vintage swimsuit she refurbished for our outing to the Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City.  My cousin and her husband had decided to have an unconventional wedding.  Instead of a fussy reception, they opted for a potluck at the water park for all their friends and family! 

Oh, and if you're wondering how I achieved the collage pics or the tints on some of the photos, I used two iPhone apps - Instagram (free) and Diptic ($1.99). 

And now back to the reality of unpacking etc.  Have a wonderful day, friends!!

Simple DIY Bows for Girls

Now that Lily is over a year old and still regularly mistaken for a boy, I've decided it's high time I start adorning her hair with that girliest of accessories, the bow!  I've actually been planinng this for a while, but my plan of attack has been thwarted due to the ridiculous expense of even the most basic bow at children's shops (going price being around $8.00 each!).

So when I spotted some plain metal clips at a beauty supply store recently ($1.88 for the pack!) I decided it was time to put my DIY skills into action, which I did over the weekend. 

The supplies were very simple: glue gun + metal clips + scrap ribbon

As you can see in the picture above, I made quite a few including (from top) a flower clip, classic tailored black bow, and several frilly bows.  The brown and white polka-dot bow actually came with a recent purchase from Henri Bendels :).

And here's a picture of the beneficiary of my efforts, Lily, wearing the black bow.  Doesn't it work well with her new from Aunt Sister (oh, ahem, explanation required here ... she's my aunt and not actually my sister, but my dad calls her sister so ...).  And a quick note on her outfit.  The top is a reversible 'smock' of sorts.  It is adorable and seems somewhat simple so I'm thinking of adding that to my list of future DIY projects :).

And as it's Monday, some words of inspiration for your week ahead, "Does thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of" (Benjamin Franklin).

Scrumptious Summer Salads

I just love a fresh salad on a warm summer day, don't you?  As such, I thought I'd pay homage to this yummy and healthful lunch option.  To me, a "summer salad" makes use of all the wonderful in-season produce you find during these hot summer months.  But first, a confession ...

Until I moved to California many many years ago, my idea of a salad was a leaf or two of iceburg lettuce, perhaps with a few slices of carrot, and a big 'ol dollop of mayonaise.  When I arrived, however, in this land of milk and honey, I found that a salad can be so much more!!  Still, it took me years to figure out that you can really put just about anything into a salad.  I have my mother-in-law to thank for this realization.  

My mother-in-law, who hails from the UK, is queen of the impromptu feast!  She can seriously throw together something absolutely gourmet out of practically nothing.  Because a trip from the UK is a long and arduous (not to mention expensive!) journey, they usually stay at least two weeks when they come over.  Most people would balk at the idea of their in-laws staying for 2+ weeks, but I am one of the rare few people (along with my husband) who completely lucked out in the in-law department!!  I always learn something new when they're around and the summer salad is something I picked up during one of their trips.

 To create your very own summer salad, take a peek in your fridge and fruit bowl to see what items you have on-hand.  For me, the combination of fruit, nuts, and cheese, tossed with some greens and a balsamic vinagrette, is the perfect combination. 

Here's a salad I made with mixed greens, strawberries, feta cheese, red onion, toasted pine nuts and celery - yumm-o!

Some other fabulous ingredients to try in your salads:

• cantelope or any melon
• nuts of any kind (even better when toasted to bring out the flavor!)
• something crunchy (e.g. cucumber or celery)
• dried fruit (e.g. cranberries)
• fresh fruit (apple, strawberries, etc.)
• leftover cooked vegetables (green beans, brocoli, etc.)
• cheese of any kind
• deli slices or leftover meat (for a heartier salad)

So that's it, friends, a super easy and healthy summer lunch (or even dinner) option.  Try it with some crusty bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or have it alone, but do try it this week, won't you? 

It's a Wonderful Life ... at The Parker Palm Springs

The Parker Palm Springs (www.theparkerpalmsprings.com/) is one of my favorite places not only because of its beauty and tranquility and utter 'coolness', but because of all the wonderful memories my husband and I have made there over the last few years.  We try to make it there at least once a year and always thoroughly enjoy ourselves, taking advantage of the resort to the fullest by rarely leaving once we've checked in for the weekend!

A couple months ago my mom flew out from Texas to watch our daughter so that we could have a (much-needed) romantic and relaxing weekend away at this luxury spot, and I wanted to share a few pictures from our trip and ponder the ability of this place to always send us away feeling completely inspired and rejuvinated.

The hotel itself is very old, but was renovated and re-styled about seven (?) years ago by Jonathan Adler (interior), with the landscaping gloriously revived by LA design firm, Elysian.  Shortly after the renovation was when we visited for the first time and fell in love with the place. 

When you arrive, the massive orange doors are opened by young tan hotel staff wearing chic pink linen blazers and white pants.  Entering the lobby you are met with a sophisticated decor that has an eclectic retro feel (see pic below).

The rooms are mostly white with 60's era touches.  Here's my husband flopped out on the bed as soon as we checked in :).

Our room this time around overlooked the 'croquet lawn'.  Seriously, I love that they have a separate lawn just for croquet-playing!

When you stay at the Parker you pay a daily 'resort fee', which allows you access to their pools, both outdoor and indoor, steam rooms, saunas, dark rooms (for kicking back in a chair and napping), gym facilities, etc.  Again, this is a reason we never leave the hotel once we've arrived ... gotta' take advantage of all the amenities and get our money's worth ;).

Below is  the exterior of PSYC, short for Palm Springs Yacht Club ... don't you just love the irony??  This is where the gym (really a small exercise room), spa, indoor pool, etc are housed.  Love the way the interior is decked out like a yacht with loads of lush blue and white furnishings and chrome fixtures. 

Staff members hurry to and fro on little bicycle carts with adorably vintage-sounding bells that they ring in passing.  Here a hotel employee transports an ice bucket. 

We love so many things about the Parker.  Lounging poolside and people-watching (mostly LA actor-types reading scripts and gossiping on cell phones), dining at their restaurants (Mister Parker's for dinner and Normal's for breakfast and lunch), relaxing by the indoor pool in hotel-provided plush robes and slippers, but most of all, we go to the Parker for their amazing grounds!  Each evening at dusk, we grab a mojito from the chic little bar and retreat to the outdoors where we wander from spot to spot, taking in all of the wonderful little nooks that have been thoughtfully created for the guests' enjoyment.  

Below is a circular firepit gathering area.

Here Chris is literally smelling the roses, mojito in hand.

Below is a view of the boules court.  This is a great spot to relax in the middle of the day when the Palm Springs sun is overbearing, as it offers loads of shade. The nearby Lemonade Stand also has cooling water misters. 

There are so many beautiful and charming spaces at the Parker that these few photos really don't quite do it justice, but hopefully they at least give you the jist of this amazing little spot that we love so dearly.  Each time we go there we gather inpriation for future home projects and it is currently acting as our muse for our backyard renovation. 

I hope it won't be too long before I can post our 'before and after' backyard renovation photos to this blog, but until then, enjoy these last days of summer, my friends!!  And, if at all possible, be sure to visit this wonderful spot for yourself and let me know what you think!

It's all about the mornings ...

What a difference a day makes!  Yesterday morning I woke up to a disaster zone worthy of national relief efforts and managed to avoid cleaning up the epic mess for most of the day.  In the evening after dinner, which I had somehow managed to throw in the crock-pot earlier in the day, my superhuman husband cleaned the kitchen and started a load of laundry.  This after a full 12-hour day at work!  I really don't know where he finds the energy, but I'm appreciative because today ...

When I woke up to a nice clean kitchen (thanks again, hubby!) I was completely inspired to make us a yummy breakfast, which we all three sat down and ate together - success :).  After breakfast I tidied away the dishes and threw in some laundry, which I've been processing periodically all day.  Then, after our usual morning walk I swept and tidied the front courtyard, which had been in a complete state of disarray since a weekend attempt at fixing the sprinkler systems.

I kept the momentum when Lily went down for her nap by tackling the nasty task of entering all our expenses from the past two months into our budgeting spreadsheet.  It's a good thing Lily took a long nap because this task took me over two hours to complete, but it was well worth it just to feel the tremendous sense of achievement when I checked it off of the to-do list that it had irritatingly stared at me from for the last month!!

Action begats action so when Lily woke up we took on some errands and even managed to find a police officer to sign off the 'fix-it' ticket that's been sitting in my glove compartment for the last two months (and is nearly delinquent at this point ... nearly!).  To celebrate our successful morning we stopped by our local park for some well-deserved play time. 

So I guess the point of this post, other than to boast about how productive I've been all day, is to make the point that, for me at least, your morning, the way you start your day, really does have an impact on how the rest of your day goes.  If I begin my day with a dirty house, tripping over clothes on the floor and struggling to find a clean bowl for my cereal, it has a negative impact on the rest of my day in that I feel defeated before I've even had my morning cup of coffee!  If, however, I wake up to a nice tidy home then everything just seems to sail a bit smoother and that turns into a much better day. 

So tonight I have made sure that the house is respectable to ensure another fabulous day tomorrow.  And now I'm off to bed to read with the husband.  Speaking of reading, I have to share that I'm reading "The Age of Innocence" by Edith Wharton and thoroughly enjoying it. I started reading it a couple weeks ago after starting and subsequently throwing away several 'modern' novels in a row.  Why read new books when there are so many proven classics that I have yet to read??

And one final note ... below is a little picture of my princess.  I had to include it to share her preciousness with the world ... or at least with the three of you reading my blog :).

Have a good night, friends!!

My new obsession ... Pinterest

So recently a friend / neighbor turned me onto the website, Pinterest.com.  We were discussing ideas for a landscaping project we're about to take on in our backyard when she asked me if I had ever heard of Pinterest.  Apparently it's one of those 'members only' sites that has the illusion of exclusion though in reality anyone can join if invited :). 

Here's what my home screen looks like with my profile picture in the upper left-hand corner (yeah, that's me in my husband's sunglasses :).

The concept is fabulous.  Each member can create 'Boards', which are kind of like 'mood boards', and can also create 'pins' to post to said boards, or can find 'pins' that others have posted and 're-pin' them to their boards.  You start out with a set of standard boards including things like 'For the Home', 'Books to Read', and 'Products I Love' among others, and then you can modify the boards and/or add new ones.  You can choose to 'follow' other people who's taste inspires you so that you see each time they pin something new.  The other wonderful thing about the site is that each 'pin' you click on tells you its source so that you can find some amazing blogs and websites you would never otherwise know existed!! 

I have to admit it took me a while to figure it all out and really get hooked, but now I am completely addicted!  I even downloaded the free iPhone app so I can 'pin' on my phone anytime I have a few minutes (e.g. commercial breaks during TV watching, sitting in the car when my daughter falls asleep en route to the store, etc.).  It is such fabulously fun 'wasted time'.  But then again, Wasted time that one enjoys is not in fact wasted time!  Below are a few of my boards I wanted to share. 

This one I created to store inspiration for our backyard project.

And here's my 'For the Home' board.  I could spend all day pinning to this board!  I just LOVE home decorating pictures, don't you??

Here's one called 'Lily Annabelle' where I pin inspiration related to my daugther - i.e. things to do with her, make for her, buy for her, etc.

So if you have some free time to kill and want to add another addiction to your existing list of vices (?), just join Pinterest!!  I'm telling you, you will be hooked.  As we say in the world of Pinterest, happy pinning, my friends :).

Easy steps towards living 'Sunny Side Up' ...

Happy Monday everyone! 

Today I read an article by Colleen Oakley from yesterday's Parade Magazine called "Sunny Side Up: Do you know how to be happy?".  As my husband and I have been discussing the topic of happiness a lot lately (as in how to have it post-baby when you generally want to jump off a bridge!), I decided to share the key points from the article.  After all, even happy people would like to be even happier, wouldn't they??

Easy steps towards living 'Sunny Side Up':

1.) Happy people don't give happiness much thought!  Dwelling on it is a characteristic of less happy people.
2.) Planning and anticipating a vacationis generally when people are happiest and not actually while on vacation!
3.) Happiness is apparently 50% genetic, 10% influenced by life circumstances, and 40% how you think and act every day!
4.) People who make friends with their cor-workers are happiest.
5.) When they're down, people who read become happier than those who watch TV!
6.) If happy people have free time, they get outside around trees and nature!
7.) Taking fish oil every day can actually increase your brain's ability to absorb mood-boosting hormones like serotonin and norepinephrine!
8.) Listening to music is an instant mood booster!

I just love articles like this that give you easy little ways to make life happier (or easier, healthier, etc.), don't you?  Bite-size advice, just how I like it :).

Also, as it's Monday, I have decided to share one of my goals for the week.  Over the weekend my husband and I were discussing our mutual desire to lose a few pounds of flab around the middle (non-existent flab in his case I might mention), so this week we have a mutual goal to cut out ALL alcohol during the week.  We're still going to allow ourselves a glass or two over the weekend (I mean we ARE human after all!!), but during the week we will dutifully abstain.  Wish us luck, my friends!

And in case you're curious about last week's goals, I did manage to stay within my goal for caffeine and desserts, but I drank 3 more glasses of vino than I had allowed for.  Still pretty good overall though I'd say :).