lazy summer days ahead!

yesterday was kai's last day of fourth grade! i am so excited to have the week off and begin our summer shenanigans together.  planning lazy mornings and fun afternoons - swimming in an outdoor pool, eating popsicles, picnicking at the beach, going for bike rides, relaxing - is exactly what i need right now to keep me from wallowing in the sadness that happens when i realize my little guy is growing... kai will be ten and in grade five at the end of summer!

but for now i will take a big breath and revel in summertime.



photo taken just after a soak with the water hose... kai is almost three!

(here is a post i wrote about the last day of school and mother angst last year... if you missed it.)

ogling summer shoes!

after ogling some lovely sandals a little while back, i went back to the shop during their sale this weekend and found a different lovely sandal and a cute shoe.  yup, two shoes ogled, tried on, and bought within an hour! 

these t-strap sandals came in some cute colours but i worried they wouldn't have long-term appeal for me.  the black however is simply classic and so pretty on the feet.  i will wear these year after year. 

 

i think i found the closed toed summer shoe... the perforated toe shoe. perfect, right?  i saw a customer in the shop wearing these shoes (in blue) and i followed her around ogling her shoes and finally got up the nerve to ask her where she bought them. well, lucky me, right there in the same shop we were in! as soon as i put them on my feet i loved them.  cute and comfortable. casual and smart.  and i love that heel.

 

have you bought some summer shoes this year?  open toed?  closed toed?  do tell.

weekend pics

we spent half our weekend with our lovely friends darrin, alexia and their sweet little girl.  kai was luckier, he spent over 24 hours with them!  yup, he had a sleepover while stefan and i celebrated our anniversary.  a big thank-you my friends!



chalkboard at beaucoup





we breakfasted on pastries and homemade muffins, we frolicked on the beach, we lunched on baguettes and salad, we drank coffees, we played at the playground, and we ended our beautiful day with a dinner of fish tacos, potato salad, and our second salad of the day (salads were 100% from alexia's garden, how awesome is that?).  but mostly we just hung out. no plans, no agenda, just letting the day unfold as it will.  it was pretty awesome.

  



kai brought over his shel silverstein book, a missing piece, to read to kara during his sleepover.





 

 

 

 

 

 



kara's first time on a tricyle... and her first time carrying cargo!



the other half of the weekend?  while stefan and kai were hanging out at a car show, i was devoted to sifting through those piles i blogged about not long ago (i made good progress!).  i also managed a little spot of shopping (check out my new shoes tomorrow!).

hope you had a lovely weekend too!

our sixteenth anniversary

image from here

daily life can get in the way of appreciating the little things that allow a marriage to thrive and grow. they are too easily overlooked. and after 16 years of marriage (today!) i am finally realizing the littlest things mean so much more than the big things.

i don't celebrate stefan nearly enough so if you wouldn't mind indulging me for a moment... here are some of my favourite little things...

* after we get all comfy on the sofa to watch some tv/movie, i remember that i forgot to bring a glass of water with me and invariably he doesn't hesitate in getting up from his cozy spot to bring me a glass of water.
* the kitchen hugs... i love.
* the quickie shoulder rubs when i am slouched over the computer working on this little blog of mine
* welcoming loki into our bedroom at night and risking a good's night sleep because i love that cat
* cooking me a separate pot of pasta because i've decided to eat gluten free at home; he doesn't even bat an eye
* bringing me chai from jj bean when he is doing the sunday morning grocery run on his own
* cooking whatever i fancy; like week long asian dishes
* stepping away from his early morning video game playing (he loves playing so very much) to be more engaged with me before i am off to work
* giving me sleep in time on the weekends and then sending kai to jump into bed with me so we can start our day
* always being the one to arrange our date nights because he knows they are amazing in fostering connection between us

there's something so very sweet about these little acts of love. it's what marriage is all about, isn't it? 

happy anniversary stefan.  and to everyone else, happy first day of summer!

weekend pics, two celebrations

saturday, we spent some time at thomas haas and a small beach on the north shore (while our car was being serviced).  we've been to thomas many times but it was our first at this particular beach.  it was quiet and small and doggies running around.  my boys built a mini coliseum.  they were very proud of their efforts :)

 

 



    

  

we then met up with our wonderful friends, dan and family.  in celebration of their daughter's eighteenth birthday we dined at chambar, a restaurant i have been wanting to re-visit for a long while now so i could indulge in their mussels and frites... so delicious.  it's a big year for aadishri; in september she not only begins university but she will no longer be living at home.  i am going to miss her company (and her biscotti!) but i am so very excited for her.  to quote from dr. seuss,

“you have brains in your head. you have feet in your shoes. you can steer yourself any direction you choose. you're on your own. and you know what you know. and YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...”  

 

aadishri is bright, sweet and is definitely going places.  



sunday, we pretty much hung out at home and strolled around our neighbourhood in celebration of father's day.  we partook in some shopping (stefan is the owner of a few new and much needed shorts and a new pair of converse), coffee drinking, and loafing at the beach.  and, with my boys, the evening could only end with a hy's steak! 

it was a lovely day.