July 30, 2013

San Diego love

I will write tomorrow but just wanted to share a few images of our adventure in San Diego. I hesitate to call it a vacation because I don't think that word incorporates travelling with children. We both agreed that we could easily live there (if we could just transport our family/friends). 
Life is grand in San Diego.
xo

July 21, 2013

Mt. Baker getaway...

Hello friends! I hope you had a fantastic weekend! We had a little mountain escape with friends and stayed in a beautiful cabin at Mt. Baker. I grew up with a family cabin at Mt. Baker that my parents sold 11 years ago. Being back in the same subdivision this past weekend reminded me not only how breathtaking it is up there, but how many amazing memories we have built there over the years. 
This weekend's highlights included: stopping off at Nooksack Falls, picnicking on the stunning mountaintop, delicious pub grub, staying up late, sleeping in, Cards against Humanity, Hot tubbing, a midnight walk through a wooded graveyard, awesome salmon bbq, swimming, cheering on our hubbies who rode their bikes 90 kms to meet us there, ice cream cones, Trader Joes, gin and tonics, quality time with quality people.
When I have a weekend like this, it makes me feel so lucky to have crossed paths with such extraordinary people as these.
xo

July 18, 2013

Have an amazing weekend!

Hi friends, what are you up to this weekend? We're renting a cabin with friends - sans children. I am definitely looking forward to hiking, swimming and whooping it up with some downright amazeballs people. I just finished packing up and found a pair of tiny socks my little love had stuffed in my shoes. I am definitely going to miss my little red fro'd babe.

Here's a little something to put a smile on your face to kick start your weekend: The Californians - Kristen Wiig is a legend.
xo

unique hotels

Want to try Glamping (Glamorous Camping)? Check out these luxury tenthouse suites in BC's 
Would you like to sleep with the fish? Conrad Hotel in the Maldives
What about swimming in the sky at Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore?
Want to beat the heat? How about Quebec's icy Hotel De Glace?

Looking for Kitsch? How about San Luis Obisbo's Madonna Inn
Each room has a different theme. This is the suite we stayed in - it was awesome - complete with a shower built in it's own cave. WILMA!

What's the most unique hotel you have stayed in? xo

July 14, 2013

the skinny on thin


I recently read an interview with Oscar nominated, Emmy award winning actress Melissa McCarthy and learned that New York Observer film crit-dick Rex Reed called her a "hippo" in his review of Identity Thief. I was disgusted by this on so many levels: why would Mr. Reed or his newspaper's editor, find it acceptable to deny McCarthy's gifted comedic timing as an actress and reduce her to nothing more than a childish label? When new records or works of art are reviewed, the artist's appearance does not come into play whatsoever - they are reviewed for their WORK. If McCarthy was Louis CK or Steve Carell, you can mark my words that their reviews would have been entirely based upon their comedic performance, not the size of their clothes.
I remember when I was in my early twenties, I was seated at a company dinner and the woman sitting beside me whispered , "You're so lucky you are skinny - life is so easy for you."
I, of course, couldn't hear her because I was far too busy counting all my money and friends and my ears were draped in diamonds.
Just kidding.
I think I know what she was trying to say - that the world tends to show thinner people more kindness - you see it in the hiring practices at local restaurants and bars, you see it splashed in magazines, you see it on TV  - but I don't want my daughter for one second to think that skinny is the key to happiness.  I would much rather say, "My daughter is so bright/funny/athletic/talented/interesting....any of those adjectives as opposed to...my daughter has really low body fat."
Being skinny didn't help my friend when she went through major depression, being skinny didn't save another friend's marriage, being skinny didn't make it easier when my friend lost her baby, being skinny didn't make it easier for me when I lived with someone with addiction, when are we going to stop acting like someone's genetic disposition represents their worthiness?
Let's shift the focus to being healthy and interesting instead.
I was out with friends last week and we all agreed that we work out for the benefits it gives our minds - so that we can feel strong, get the endorphins pumping- boost our spirits. I would much rather say that I feel good in my days and that I am healthy and strong than I wear size zero jeans.
Seriously, we disregard too many interesting women for the sake of them not being thin enough.
An 8 year old boy called my daughter chubby the other day and it broke my heart. I know he is young, so I told him it isn't nice to call people chubby. But she's one and a half. I mean, come on. What I could have told him was that it's awesome my little girl loves food because I never worry that she isn't getting enough nutrition, she never gets sick, she sleeps well at night - has a real spark of a personality - but I spared him the lecture. We have to teach our children early on what is really important in life and being thin isn't. It just isn't. Be healthy. Be interesting. Eat a piece of delicious cheese for god's sake.
In case you missed it making the internet rounds this week, please take a moment to watch this interview of Dustin Hoffman, speaking about his performance as a woman in the film Tootsie.
xo

July 13, 2013

Happy Weekend!

I hope you're having a great weekend! I promise to write an actual post tomorrow, but today has been too busy/gorgeous to spend much time indoors on the ol' computer. Here are a few more images that capture what summer is about to me: the beach, open doors, fruit infused water, tent fun, playing in the ocean. I started the day at the beach playing with my family and am heading back there for some patio dining with friends, these summer days rock the casbah. Have a beautiful night! xo


July 9, 2013

images of summer

Hello friends! I want to start snapping photos that capture what the summer means to me. This is the first batch of many to come. I hope you are enjoying this beautiful summer!  xo (white rock beach, homemade guacamole, fields of dandelions, flip flops, patio beers, strawberry shortcake, backyard bbqs).

July 6, 2013

iphone love

Hello friends! How are you? What do you have lined up for your weekend?
I have always been behind the times technically speaking - we just got our first flat screen tv this year, just to give you a sense of how slowly I have leapt into this millennium. 
I finally took the plunge last week and bought an iphone. Do you have one? Seriously, the jump from a blackberry to an iphone is like going from dating Donald Trump's son to Ryan Gosling. It's much sexier and a whole lot of fun. 
For starters, I love the fact that I don't have to lug my bulky camera everywhere now. I have just started playing around with the phone's built in camera, but I'm definitely impressed by the quality of what it has produced so far. 
Have you got an iphone (you're probably thinking, well yes, I've had one for years now). If so, can you let me know some of your favourite apps?
So far, I've loaded up Camera+ for snapping photos, Nike+ running for tracking my jogs, My Fitness Pal for (attempting) weight loss, checkList (because I'm obsessed with making lists), Period Tracker (because I need to warn everyone in my vicinity or better yet hide when PMS is about to strike), iTorch (flashlight), a few games (City Quiz - so much fun guessing the famous cities from their photos), Whirly Word - because I'm obsessed with words, Four Pics one word - photography and words? I'm hooked.  For music apps, so far I've added Shazam (hold it up to the radio/tv, etc and it'll tell you whatever song is playing - such a clever concept), Songza (streaming fun playlists). So, that's what I've navigated this week, if you have any apps that you think are full of awesomeness, please leave a comment below - I'd appreciate the tips! xo 

July 1, 2013

random images from the weekend

This was such an awesome weekend full of fun and friendly faces. I hope you whooped it up!!