The changing of the flags...

Christmas is over.
The "holidays" are over.
Please turn off your festive lights.

I'm a bit of a bah humbug when it comes to "advertising" the upcoming season before it is truly time.
It doesn't seem fair to make every upcoming holiday/ritual/turkey-fest all about the advertising. Is it just me or does it take away from the simple meanings?
Walmart and Costco seem to take the cake when it comes to turning on the RUIN button because they make Christmas start in July.  SO irritating.  Today I was at a craft store (shhhh, don't tell) and I saw Easter decorations.  I threw up a little in my mouth.  LAME!!!  TOO EARLY EASTER BUNNY.  Take your chocolate eggs and pack em away for another month you greedy lil bunny!  Good grief!

Anyway, on a happy times note I'd like to welcome the upcoming season of LOVE and that cute wee cupid that is associated with the day!
I have become a mini flag flyer and I found a darling HEART HEART one. The changing of the flags is a special ritual I perform. When I find a new flag I feel like a kid again collecting puffy stickers to put in my sticker book.  Squeal!
I suppose love should always be in the air but Valentine's Day is a bit of a fun tradition, even if it is about loving yourself for a single moment on February 14th! There are so many legends about V day, I'd encourage you to have a read here or here.

welcome love
lovelies
lovebirds
love songs
legends of love
and tiny cinammon hearts!
(The flag will disappear Feb 15th.  Promise!)


Happy Sunday LOVES!

P.S. Sending birthday love to my friend Sarah! XOXO

Park Pleasures

Fresh air is a wonderful privilege.
Bright and beautiful.
We suck back huge amounts of it any chance we get.
Hello January/February and 10 degrees C! This is my kinda winter!
We are fortunate to live walking distance to mucho parks.
We visit them often and our mini has figured out they are fun zones, no drive by's allowed!
He tells us in his own way "I'm onto you guys. STOP THE CHARIOT!" This may involve squealing.
Last weekend was totally park perfect! And the week to follow has been pretty great indeed.
(more iphone moments)

Stand back.  I know my rocks! My Dad is a Geologist!!!

The swing is STILL not my favorite!

Can't fool me.  This is a Barney knock-off!

Happy weekend to you!

Peace.

S

Just a walk in the park...

Friendships

Last nite I had tea with a friend.
She's a past coworker, an athlete, a teacher.
A heck of a cook/cleaner/story book reader and role model.
She's a fellow blogger, an inventor, crazy creative and one thing I like best...
A MOM!
Above all though, she is my friend.
And man did we have a great chat over tea.
The chocolate chip cookie sealed the sweetness of our meeting in a busy coffee shop full of facebookers, secret daters, and caffeine junkies.

K and I used to high five down the hallways of our downtown high rise and plan weekend parties.
Perhaps we shared a few shooters at a pub or two.
We hit up Vegas with the ladies.
Tackled life's challenges and drama's at the same time
and come from such similar family backgrounds it is crazy.

Now we schedule two months in advance to go for a simple tea.
Only to get to that date and reschedule due to exhaustion, sick babies, or just life stuff that shuffles our blessed lives.

Last nite we met in ponytails, sans make-up, and yes we left babies to sleep at home with Dads.

Oh how our lives have changed.
Man we are fortunate!

Here is to friends!
Not just pals or acquaintances (although they are loved as well) but friends that just GET YOU.
That you can go for months without texting and calling and still hug you like they saw you yesterday.
Here is to friends!
That don't judge, that encourage, and make you feel better about the person you really are.
K, thank you.
XO
S

I had to dig deep for this photo.
It makes me smile.