plum

girl getaway

 

This would be our sixth annual Ramsey Girl Getaway {first in a suite!} and Canyon Ranchwas quite the hostess.  ...with her luxurious accommodations and healthful fare and Aquavana thermal suites {amazing!}.  If ever the chance, get there.

 

 

 

 

 

If you're after a world class spa experience with a thousand things to do ~ or not do ~ Canyon Ranch is for you.  And, while my puffed up foot nixed my plan for "sun up/sun down" exercise, it in no way dampened my experience.  It left me with a bit more beach time, an eye on upper body work and a few extra treatments {hellooo, Oxygen facial}.  Really there's no better spot to suffer an injury!

 

thanks Mom!

 

 

sigh

It was worth a shot.  I guess. 

Deep down I wanted to cancel.  I even called the Dr. two days prior hoping for a few last minute tests.  Was there something else?  My inner voice kept saying "adenoids aren't it".  But, I didn't want to be a naysayer or put bad mojo out there or skip a step that might help.  Alas, it seems Pip's surgery was for naught.  The nose remains the same.  I think my new calling could very well be tissue box designer.  Sure, there's all kinds of splashy new designs out there but maybe I could revolutionize the product.  Last night, I bought a box decorated with "hand-sketched" artsy owls {which Em loved!}.  Every morning she takes one tissue pack on her person and a few extras stuffed in her pocket for the playground.  The amount of $$$$ we're spending on kleenex could very well drive me to old school handkerchiefs.  gross.

Poor Pip.  My poor sweet girl. 

Then, last night in the grocery store, I saw this ~ Philly Mag.  You're for damn sure I bought two copies and flagged, highlighted and earmarked any and every Doctor that might help.  Phone calls start today.

Wish me well.

 

 

Florida cankle

 

helped with this.

 

  

"Old ladies go to Florida and twist an ankle.  Nice one Granny." _{Billy Webb}

 

awesome.

 

spring revival II

 

My recent spring revival didn't end with the sunny side chairs.  I FINALLY got around to upgrading Emerson's "E". 

Long before monograms and letters were the rage, I purchased this giant metal E from Anthro for the nursery.  In fact, I made the purchase very early in my pregnancy long before I knew it was a girl and even longer before I could know for sure her name would be Emerson. I was a pinch over zealous.  Well, we know how that story ends and almost seven years later I finally gave it a facelift. 

Actually, a 2nd facelift.  I attempted one a few years ago when Emerson moved to a big girl room.  I covered it with fabric but never liked how it looked so it sat unloved in her closet.  This time I envisioned glossy white and knocked it out during my recent spray painting kick {chairs, flower pots...}.  Easy, breezy. 

Problem: Emerson didn't like it.

Then I remembered this and that I had a stash of old yarn sitting around...  A few hours later, done and done.

 

 

I'm slowly chipping away at freshening up her room! 

 

 

 

the great outdoors

 

 

baltimore fun.

 

 

 

spring revival

 

Although it's exhausting, don't you love how much gets checked off a list when hosting a party?  Sure, in the thick of it I always second-guess my tendancies to over do it {read Type A}, but once I'm done and everything is shiny and new, I'm convinced next time I should do even more!  {Billy Webb runs screaming...}

Anywho, every time I come home from work and see my sunny new chairs waiting to greet me I can't help but smile. 

Thanks Mom!  It's a wonder what paint can do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

new toys

 

You know when your kids get new toys and everyone gets to play?  He knows.

Rock on Daddy.

 

day two

 

Any zoo with their own tram car is a clue that it's big and, yep, the Maryland Zoo gives their animals room to roam.  Though, roaming my Max was not.  Baby Bear refused to get out of his stroller all morning {tired legs!} until the moment we met his beloved elephants.  From that point on he blazed through the woods and walking trails with a spring in his step.  But little boy wasn't the only one enjoying the woolly mammoths.  One of my favorite moments that day came from little girl as we walked away from a boy elephant separated from the others. 

Pip: "I hope they get another boy elephant and put them together.  It's no fun to be by yourself.  He has no one to play tag with."

^^^ ok, yes I don't like birds, but look at his purple feathers!! ^^^

 

And we finished off the day with a stop at the Zoo's brand new {yellow} playground where the kiddies ran circles around Daddy and my tired legs!

 

 

 

 

 

day one

 

Just like last year, our trip was a blast!  A perfect spring weekend for dragon boats, street performers, Federal Hill playgrounds and elephants!

Speaking of blasts, Emerson blasted her ribs on a fall {bed jumping} and Max blasted his head {bed jumping} and I wondered if we'd be visiting Baltimore Hospital.  You know those moments when you say, "pretend Mommy isn't here for 10 mins.  I'm sitting down to relax"  and then ten seconds later, screaming and tears.  That happened both times! 

Well, relax I did last night when I konked out on the sofa after putting Baby Bear to bed.  I. was. exhausted!  This forty-year-old body is feeling every inch of two days of nonstop chatter and sightseeing and fun and play. 

Parenting is the hardest workout I know!

 

Have your elephant and eat it, too.

 

Baking magic.  That's what this is. 

Yeah, yeah it's a three-year-old's birthday party.  And yeah, yeah any old Dumbo-style elephant cake would have been fine, but why stop there?  It's a party!  I crave design!  As soon as Baby Bear demanded "elephant cake!" I knew only Patti Paige would do.  Do you see the trees?!?!  Look at the detail on those elephants!!!  And the best part of all?  They were d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s.  Delicious!  The most perfectly baked sugar cookie topped with the delicate crunch of sweet icing.  Baking magic.

So, thank you.  Patti Paige.  For giving young Max his elephant and giving me and the little partygoers such a treat. 

 

 

See more of Patti Paige and her amazing work on Facebook or Bakedideas.com.

 

 

 

Herd photos by Patti Paige

others by Michael Handwerk Photography