Sweet Summertime

Oh, what a day! Eric was given a Sunday off as they asked him to work on Friday. We loved every single minute of sharing a "true" weekend as a family. He has worked Sunday through Thursday since we moved to Seattle (more than 11 years ago!) and therefore, he has never had a schedule that allowed for Saturdays and Sundays off--it is a total downer.

I will not digress or wallow.

We spent the morning at church-- 10 a.m. class teaching the 3 year olds. The girls absolutely loved having Eric there and he was a help to me, the little ones, and a welcome presence for Liv and Audrey.

After the church service (which was all about marriage and honoring one another and rekindling passion--a great sermon to have him at ;) we went to Lavender Hill Farm out in the "country" thanks to learning about it from Carrie and Darren. (Carrie happened to be there with her kids as well--fab!)

The pictures capture it best...

sweet and silly

beautiful Bliss

belly laughing beauty

The girls lavendar sachets are nestled under their pillows, fresh cut lavendar is drying in their rooms and the sweet memories of the day are lingering in our hearts...

Sally's Spa & Satellites

Audrey aka "Sally"opened a day spa this week. Foot soaks, facials, and sweet talk. I am officially water logged and blissed out--in a really grateful way.

Sally opened her salon featuring al fresco treatments.

Sally is the quintessential shop owner--she asks all about your children, work, pets and comments on how she is thoroughly impressed that one can juggle it all. She then lets you know how pleased she is that you were willing to give oneself some "me time" and have a spa treatment. She offers a warm vanilla or lavendar soak. She speaks about how she was not sure if she should pursue a career as a waitress or as someone who does nails. She comments on how her parents think Stanford would have been the best option for her. Honest to God.

Sally caters to all ages.

She even provides a relaxing waiting area complete with reading material.

I visited again on day two. She had moved operations indoors until the sun rose higher in the sky and the weather warmed. Inside she was able to turn up the service a notch with pictures of customers loved ones, seashells, some flowers, and anything else one may desire (a coaster for my coffee cup and a bud vase given to me by my grandmother, for example).

Sally's Spa has been such a hit that satellite offices have popped up all over the place.


Here is Schyler's Spa


And "Sparkle & Spa" (which was founded some time ago by Olivia & Jewel but specialized in hair and nail polish originally. They've now expanded to offer "soaks" and massage!)

Finally there is "Shine" which is run by Olivia

She defines her spa as a more "natural" haven

Her differentiator is the botanical bath

So far none of the fabulous entrepreneurs have asked for money but their mamas plan to plithe them with plenty of popsicles and praise as we need them to stay in business for a long time to come. At least for Summer 2009.

Lovin' Summer

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been
the two most beautiful words in the English language. ~Henry James

Olivia & Audrey have had a bustling summer thus far... and we're not even two weeks in! Liv has been in Hip Hop camp and Cheerleading camp (here she is below helping teach a cheer to her fellow campers). I popped in earlier today only to find her at the head of the class with her coach--no kidding. ;)

She has also been in swim lessons and her gymnastics pre-team schedule started yesterday (she can barely walk today after her 2 hour lesson).

Audrey has been in Fairy Dance camp and swim lessons and if she could never leave the pool she'd be in heaven.

They spend a few hours each afternoon with their summer time nanny--Lauren. The three of them cruise off in her convertible and hit Coldstone Creamery, the mall, the beach, and even the movies!

In the midst of all the camps, classes, and afternoon adventures we took a weekend jaunt to Portland, Oregon for my cousin, Matt's, wedding. He and his darling bride, Hailey, looked like Ken & Barbie as they exchanged vows on the golf course setting. May there lives together be as idyllic as their wedding day.

Eric and I managed a night out sans kids thanks to Matt's little sis and my 17 year old cousin, Annie. Portland rocks---the people, the food, the drinks, the mind set, the public transportation---it is by far one of our favorite places to visit.

Hope your summertime is footloose and fancy free, lazy as can be, and most of all filled with Summer Lovin'!

Journal Entry

At the end of each year I am thinking of printing out the posts I've written and putting copies in each of my girls memory boxes for a future read. As I've said before, Smilelines serves as my online journal of sorts. In today's post I am recapping life at Wilkinson Manor over the past few weeks. As is the case with all journal entries not everything written is interesting but instead offers a glimpse of days in the life...

WEATHER REPORT

For starters, the sun came out late the other evening just before it set for the night. It was a rare sight and oh, so welcome. I took this picture off of our deck as we were settling the girls into bed. Bedtime was much sweeter thanks to the sunbeams.

LADIES WHO LUNCH & WHY I CAN'T STAND MY SCALE

I popped into one of my client's restaurants the other day and grabbed lunch before our meeting. The Seattle waterfront setting with the ferry sailing by was idyllic. My lunch was so divine (fresh halibut, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, balsamic, polenta) that I snapped a picture. Clearly this is but one of the reasons I need to lose 10 pounds!

BEERFEST, FATHER'S DAY 2008

For the eleventh year we hit the Beerfest over Father's Day weekend. It proved to be a relatively mellow event this year. The kids had a great time on the bounce houses and even the sun managed to shine. We were joined by fabulous friends. A sore back, intestinal bug, and general malaise proved that while Eric is a trooper he may be feeling his 40 years OR perhaps the same gig for 11 years is growing a tad tiresome.

SEVEN MILE STARE

Our neighbor had a baby girl. We all enjoyed holding her the other evening and these pictures reminded me of when my girls were babies and would do the "seven mile stare" just before the fell asleep. Here they are doing it again each while holding the baby. How relaxed they both were. I recall my mom holding Olivia mere days after her birth and describing how peaceful she felt and how low her blood pressure was and what a joy it is to hold this beautiful new life full of promise---I think Olivia & Audrey would concur.

SCHOOL'S OUT & LOOK OUT THIRD GRADE

Audrey got out the week before Liv. Here she is the first morning out enjoying her one hour per day of TV. The girls summertime nanny started this week. Lauren and Audrey spent the days at the park, Starbucks, playing Barbies, playdoh, and watercolors.

Olivia is over the moon about being a third grader now. Here she is leaving the mall the other day (the boots, the bag, my, how they grow!) She was on TV working the pottery wheel with a couple of my clients the other day. Apparently one of my clients heard her say as we entered the station, "Stars coming through..." !

HANGIN' WITH THE NEIGHBORS

I could not find Fribble the other evening anywhere. From my bathroom window I spotted him-in the neighbor's backyard. He greets Eric at the door each evening and then Eric lets him loose in the neighborhood to roam as he wishes (yes, it's against the law and yes, we have super neighbors who think of Frib as their own). He then goes to the neighbor's house around the corner and waits for the dad to come home. He will spend the next hour there as they prepare and eat dinner.

KICKING OFF SUMMER
Eric left for a "mancation"the other evening.

The girls and I spent yesterday at the beach and park before going for ice cream. May this summer prove to be a sunny, relaxing one for all --with Frib hangin' with the neighbors as much as his heart desires!