V A C A T I O N !!

Pack up your things, ladies, because we are off on vacations of all shapes and sizes! Even though a lot of us are stuck at home for the summer due to sky-high gas prices and vacation costs, that doesn't mean we can't plan an amazingly fun make believe vacation!! Post pictures, write a bit about your choice of vacation, and let us in on all the details! By the end of the day, we all will have traveled all over the world...! :)

My mom, Heidi, and I are so happy to be hosting this fun event!!!! At the end of this blog, I have listed all of our participants and I hope you all can get to everyone's pages and see where everyone has chosen to "travel" today! If you visit a blog, leave them a comment to let them know you popped in... get to know new bloggers and have FUN on vacation!!! Now let's get started......

I am packing up all my prettiest dresses, jewelry and favorite shoes to take with me on my lovely destination today!!

I will have a long plane ride today, so I need a comfy sweater to travel in.... but of course, I'll toss on some fabulous heels! Here I go on the plane ride across the US and further, all the way across the Atlantic to........................

ITALY!!!!

Since I have never been to Europe, I thought I would pick one place on my list of places to visit! I am an art history major and have been entranced with Italy for a while now, wanting to visit Florence, Rome, Tuscany and Venice to check out all sorts of amazing and historical places and pieces of art. I was racking my brain today trying to figure out which city to travel to, or if I should hop from one to another, but finally decided on Venice!

Venice, the "city of water," the "city of bridges," and the "city of lights," and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I thought this was an ideal place to "visit" today... what a perfect place to spend a summer vacation and explore! In Venice, the modes of transportation are either walking or by boats.. how wonderful is that? The canals serve as "roads" and there are NO cars allowed in the city...

I figured I might as well book a reservation at a splendid five star hotel overlooking the water, a suite complete with a garden terrace... I will nibble on a croissant and some fruit before going out to explore the city...

A crisp morning greets me in this amazing city....
Maybe I should take a gondola ride and try to get a personal tour of the buildings and history of Venice..
Possibly a quick stop at an airy, outdoor cafe, sipping on a cup of coffee while people watching...

Lunch at a gorgeous patio restaurant....

Then it is back to check out the hotel a bit more, maybe curl up in my fantastically ornate and upholstered bed to catch up some reading before venturing out in the city once again...
Fresh flowers, velvet plush chairs, fabric, wallpaper, beautiful lighting.... in short, the perfect vacation suite for myself!
And check out the view from my bedroom window.. right out to the heart of Venice and the gorgeous waterways... And now it is out to experience the city a bit more..
Travelling through the canals in order to do a bit of afternoon sight-seeing..
Stopping to admire and bask in the grandeur of Basilica di San Marco a Venezia... or more simply, St. Mark's Basilica. This is one of the Byzantine buildings that I have studied in art history courses, and it awed me in pictures alone, so experiencing it in person must be jaw-dropping. (I am really trying to imagine myself standing there looking up at the architecture of the cathedral....!!)
Looking across St, Mark's Square to the cathedral... what a breath-taking example of art at it's best. Hopping a gondola to travel around a bit more before it gets too dark... I still need to see the Doge's Palace before going back to my hotel..... ;)
Strolling down a narrow lane between these age-old buildings....
I will grab a bite to eat before heading down to the water's edge once again...

And here is the amazing Doge's palace, another of my "things to see" around Italy from my art classes... originally a palace home for the Doge of Venice, this is a classic example of a gothic-style architecture. The beautiful columns line the edges of the building, both inside and out.
Another view of the Doge's Palace, strolling underneath the columns and massive construction of this palace.... a place that anyone would have to visit if they travelled to Venice.
And finally, my day is coming to an end in Venice, Italy. The sun is setting on the city, the water, and my vacation. It was an amazingly inspirational "day" here in Venice and I am so glad I could share my make-believe travels with you all.
Let's pack up those bags and get back to our cozy homes, which we can appreciate so much more after a day away.. :) I hope you all enjoyed my trip, as well as everyone else's over the course of today. Visit the participants and say hello to each other... it is always nice to make a new friend, and what better way to get to know people than step into a dream vacation with them.. Bon Voyage and enjoy your trips!!!! Thank you so much for all of you who have designated today as "Let's Go on Vacation"!! xoxoxox

1. Heidi from Foxgloves, Fabric & Folly
2. Alicia from Butterfly*Gems
3. Cecilia from Nifty
4. Madrin Designs
5. Tonya from PuddinPop
6. Mallory from Mallory D. and her Big Bodacious Blooms
7. Rachel from Cherry Tree Lane
8. BJ from Sweet Nothings
9. Jeanne from Backyard Neighbor
10. Mya from Creative Musings
11. Vintage Girl at Heart
12. Diane at A Picture is Worth 1000 Words
13. BrainMosaic
14. Cole from My Menagerie
15. Kari and Kijsa from Ask Kari and Kijsa
16. Beverly from How Sweet the Sound
17. Molly from Molly B.'s
18. Rhonda from Scooterblu's Whimsy
19. Shaybert from thirtyandholding
20. Joanna at Sweet Finds
21. Brittainy at The Litany of Brittainy
22. Melissa at The Inspired Room
23. Shirl at Shirl's Rose Cottage
24. Jan at Jan and Tom's Place
25. Jill at Bailiwick Designs
26. Schotzy at Wings of Eagles

**It is never too late to sign up... please post a blog with your dream vacation still, and email me! Ill add your blog to the list so you won't miss out. :)

a change of scenery

It is a good thing I will be going on "vacation" with you all this Thursday, even if it is only via our blogs! I am in desperate need of a change of scenery lately, feeling a bit cooped up in the same old routine. I guess it is just the time of year when a lot of people seem to be headed off for summer vacations, summers at the lake, weekends here and there. And I guess I am feeling like I need to get away for a bit, too. Not that enjoying our pool and day-to-day life is a bad thing, I really do enjoy it and I am very lucky. It is just that need for a change of pace, a new surrounding, a change of scenery! So this morning I am settling for a beautiful blog post of lovely lake pictures, imagining I was sitting my coffee listening to the peachful lapping of the lake.....
Oooooh how peaceful does that look???
I could settle for bringing my book out there and catching up on some summer reading....
A picture that looks rainy???? Definitely my kind of lake vacation!!!! This hot weather is dragging me down! :)

OK, I feel much better and feel like I have had a morning at the lake. I really do enjoy blogging and am able to vent just a bit from time to time and know that it is ok. It is wonderful to escape into other people's blogs too, and I so appreciate all of the blog-friends I have made in the past few months. Can't wait to share my super-vacation with you all!!! And sign up if you haven't already!

Now it is off to enjoy a child-free day while Andrew is with his dad. Then off to the Wild Animal Park this evening with the two of them, along with our wonderful playgroup! Hope you are all enjoying a lovely day, wherever you are, lake or not! :) xo!

swap info!

Go join everyone over at The Simple Woman in order to get in on this FUN swap!! Everyone is paired up and then you send your partner three things: something new, something from your home, and something from a thrift store or yard sale! How fun does that sound?! :) Go get in on the fun, yay! xo!

will you join us???!! :)

Where will you be "travelling" this Thursday??? Possibly to Santorini, Greece???! :)

Have you signed up for the "Let's Go On Vacation" post game for next week?

We will all be posting the lovely places we are wishing to go on vacation this Thursday!!! Don't miss the fun.. we will be able to meet new blog friends, and experience all sorts of vacations from the coziness of our homes! Money may be tight and gas prices may be high, but that doesn't mean we can't plan a dream vacation anyways!!! Leave a comment here on any of my blogs letting me know you want to join in the fun. Grab the "vacation" button on the left side of my blog and share it with your friends!! Let's get lots of bloggers to go on vacation with us! Spread the word and let's go on vacation!!!! :) Read more about the post game here!

summer fun!

Summer has got to be one of the happiest time for children... outside in the garden getting as dirty as possible and then jumping in the pool to cool off! At least, that is Andrew's idea of a fun summer morning. I am amazed at how dirty he can get ;) He has a bit of the garden "reserved" for himself and he calls it "Small Town," where he imagines all of these little scenarios happening. Such a nice outlet for creativity! Anyways, I have been meaning to post these pictures since last week, so here they are as promised....
Do you love how his pants are thisclose to falling off??? :) At that point, he had gotten soaking wet from the hose, so his clothes were barely hanging on!!
When asked if he was having fun, this is the response I got! And beleive me, "double thumbs up" is the best here at our house!! :) Filthy and so darn happy... and then he hopped in the pool for some more fun. Isn't that what summer is for??

pink saturday!

Happy Pink Saturday everyone!! This week, I am relying once again on the wonderful photos of {this is glamorous} which make me swoon!! We are heading out for a Saturday full of shopping with the girls, so I thought a post with shoes would be oh-so-appropriate. My mom, sister, aunt, cousin and I are all going up to Irvine to go shopping and we can't wait! I rarely go shopping, so this will be such a treat. Enjoy the shoes and I can't wait to see everyone's pink posts! Remember to leave me a comment if you want to join our vacation post day on June 26th! Just click the vacation button over to the left..! :)

And PS. I am on to my 6th book for the summer.... lots of girly books and they are all great! I finished three books by Whitney Lyles which were all great. Now onto Jane Green's Swapping Lives, which, coincidentally is pink!!! ;)

tinsel trading co.

Glitter and flowers!!! That can only mean one thing.................

Tinsel Trading Company!!! I was reminded of it this morning when I saw something very glittery on another blog.. if you have never had the pleasure of visiting this amazing shop in New York City, you are so missing out! Add it to your things to do list immediately... this shop is so freaking amazing, to say the least!!! A trip to New York is not complete unless you have stopped in to take a peek.....

Hundreds and hundreds of beautiful flower embellishments, some vintage and delicate, some are new but seriously amazing. The flowers here are so unique and beautiful. And there are so many to choose from, any color of the rainbow, as you can see above! :)

Aside from flowers, there are millions of other little trinkets to envelop yourself in... I could get lost in this shop for hours, taking everything in...

A snapshop of Tinsel Trading during the holidays.... can it get any prettier??? Everything is dusted with glitter, little beautiful things littering the shelves. I am just feeling so nostalgic today, wishing so much I was spending the day bumming around New York on a blustery and cloudy day. A girl can wish, can't she??? Hmmm... maybe I am feeling an urge to visit a chilly NYC since it is supposed to be 104 degrees in San Diego today!!!!!!! Ugh. The pool is beckoning me.....

* Leave me a comment to join in on the "vacation" fun!!!!

mantel party!!!

So I just rolled out of bed, Andrew is happily playing on the floor with a variety of odd toys, and I have a sore throat for the second day in a row. So I decided for Kari and Kijsa's mantel party today, I am providing you with two of my favorite pictures of mantels... what I wish my mantel looked like!!! :) I hope you enjoy!

If I am a bit scarce with my posts in the next few days, forgive me! My aunt and cousin are both down visiting us from Seattle, so all of us girls are going to need lots of chit-chat time!!!! :) We are off to the fair tonite with our playgroup moms as well, which should be so much fun! Enjoy your day everyone, and go join the mantel party!

*And remember to sign up for the "vacation" party!!!! We will have so much fun, so don't miss it!

bloomin' tuesday!

I absolutely love peonies, and so miss them from when we lived in New York. We had them growing in big bushes up by our house and they almost looked like fake flowers they were so beautiful! So here in Southern California, we don't have peonies and I keep eyeing them on various blogs from you East Coasters!! ;) I was trying to decide what to post for Bloomin' Tuesday and what a perfect way to celebrate flowers with one of my favorites.. hope you enjoy! And go visit Jean if you would like to participate! Thanks for hosting, Jean! :)
Up close, don't these look like fake flowers??? Amazing that these are real! :)

I thought this was such a beautiful picture with the cute chairs in the background.. wishing I could take my cup of coffee out there this morning haha!

Those pink ones have got to be my favorites though...

And what a perfect way to display these fabulous flowers after they are picked! And anyone who is reading this and DOES have peonies in your yard, know that I am so envying you right at the moment. :)

Andrew has his first swim lesson of the year later today, but he is also battling off a little cold so we will see how the day unfolds. I have the funniest pictures of him playing outside in the garden yesterday... the child can get so incredibly dirty!!! I'll try to get those posted later today. Enjoy your bloomin' Tuesday, everyone! xo!

**And remember, please sign up for our vacation post game! We will all choose a place we want to go on "vacation" and post our imaginary vacations for everyone to see on June 26th! Read all the rules and join us.. I have a list started with all the participants and you will definitely want to join us!!! :)

san diego zoo!

Even though we have a zoo membership, we rarely go all the way down there. We usually go to the Wild Animal Park, which is quite close to us. So it really was so much fun to go to the zoo with our playgroup the other day, since we haven't been in over a YEAR! :)

Andrew is soooo into animals right now, referring to all animals as "honey" and treating them like family... I am so proud of him because of that! So needless to say, the petting zoo was quite the hit. Andrew felt like he needed to take care of all the goats, sheep and bunnies like they were his own. :)

My little "Jeff Corwin" as we are referring to him lately.. chatting it up with the elephants who, oddly enough, were following Andrew down the road as we were walking away haha! Andrew watches the Jeff Corwin show each week with amazement, telling me all sorts of funny animal facts and pretending his plastic snakes are "real" and that he is holding and catching them just like Jeff Corwin or the Crocodile Hunter would. :) "Animal Afternoons" on Discovery Kids is our new favorite TV channel!

Anyways, we had a great time and Andrew and I stayed until closing time at the zoo. Can't wait to go back!! Hopefully it won't be over a year again until our next visit. I have a feeling we will be back chatting with all of the "honeys" very soon. :)

happy father's day!!!

Hope you all are enjoying a lovely Father's Day!! We just opened presents and I have been dying to post a picture of the awesome gift I got my dad, but I didn't want him to check my blog and ruin the surprise:) So now that he has opened it, here it is!! (And there is my dad up there opening gifts and our dog Cooper watching intently haha!!)

I had the wonderful sweetb from Etsy make this gorgeous golf print, and she personalized it for my golf-fanatic dad as well!! She is wonderful, and this was such an awesome and personal gift to present to my dad today. It has his name on it, as well as my sister and my names, and Andrew of course, his one grandson!!! :) He loved it! Hope everyone has a relaxing day, and I will be on later to finally post those zoo pictures, I promise! (They are uploaded, but we are off to the movies, so Ill post later!!) xoxox!