Staycation / Daycation

Sometimes its good to get away, even if that means you travel far away in a make believe vacation. Sometimes a daycation/staycation (aka - an at home day vacation), makes for a fun-ny day! Some of my best times ever are spent at home relaxing and enjoying life. Besides, the tiki torch filled with keep away bug juice, cabana lights, summer attire, popsicles and water sprinklers say its full blown summer and its time to chill out.

After a trip to the grocery store Saturday morning, and my discoverying I was missing a bag of groceries and trekking back to the grocery store to retrieve my lost bag of loot, it was time to relax. (Apparently this was some kind of cosmic thing, because they did the same thing to the hubby and forgot to place some of the items in his bag at Home Depot, which he had to make a trip back to the store to collect.)

Had a lovely weekend. We swam until our fingers and toes looked like shriveled prunes (and upon getting my swimsuit on, Abbie informed me I had a "big ol' butt"... ahhhh, the truth of a toddler). Speaking of swimsuits, Abbie loves her newest addition to her swim attire collection. Big Sister gave her a frilly fru-fru pink tutu swim suit, that she wants to wear everytime.

Its the tutu... makes her feel like "ballet" she says.

Loving our pool this year...

Reminds me so much of his daddy here when he was a baby...

My gorgeous little mermaid...

Handsome little water baby... my pool boy in training.

Nothing says chillin' and relaxing like going to the spa... so Sunday we pretended like we were at the day spa. Abbie LOVES a spa day. This time we went all out. Something about a toddler decked out in her bath robe with a chocolate face mask on and cucumbers on her eyes lounging is hysterical to me. We lit a chocolate candle (ambiance), gathered pedicure items, and I gave her a small plate of juicy strawberries and glass of mango juice (or mingo juice, as she calls it) for a spa snack. I spoke to her as if she were a spa client and she was hillarious. She told me as she was reclined with her mask on and fingers soaking in warm soapy water, that it was "so relaxing". Once I cleaned off her mask and gave her a facial massage with lotion, she informed me she was "feeling so young". Gotta love it. Next time she wants Daddy to got to the "spa" with her. ;-)

Spa refreshments...

Behold, relaxation at its finest (before she ate the cucumbers off her face).



Sunday night, we pretended we were camping. Abbie's little pink pop up tent was already out so we drug blankets and pillows inside, a small basket filled with marshmellows, chocolate, juice, a couple books and a flashlight. We peered through the mesh top at the stars (flickering flame candles Daddy put in the celing light) and read books by flashlight while eating our camp grub.  Fun way to wrap up our weekend "vacation".

Check it out... even the stuffed animal friends were chillin' out over the weekend (daddy told Abbie to pick up her animals and upon inspecting the job, this is what was found).

I hope everyone is finding time to relax this Summer! July 4th fun coming up! :-)



..... and this one just for the sweetness factor.

Happy Father's Day

I saw you 21 years ago... and I knew. I knew you were the one. I had to have you. I chose well. You make me proud, you take my breath away and you make me love you.  I am glad to take this journey with you.

On this Father's day, please know, you are loved, respected and are so very deserving of the title "Daddy". We love you.

Big Little

Middle Little

Littlest Little

A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty. - Author Unknown
I love how you stop what you are doing and get down in the floor to play. The things you do when you think no one is looking... the pride in your face when your watching them. They know your heart is for them, this is why they do run to your arms when they are empty.

A father carries pictures where his money used to be. - Author Unknown
You give selflessly without blinking an eye.

There are three stages to a mans life: He believes in Santa Claus, he doesnt beleive in Santa Claus, he is Santa Claus. - Author Unknown
I hope you know the magic you can be, are, and bring to your Littles. Their world is in your hands and shaped by your lessons and traditions.

My Father used to play with my borther and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, "Youre tearing up the grass"; "Were not raising grass," Dad would reply. "Were raising boys." ~ Harmon Killebrew (American Baseball Player 1936)
You know we are not "raising grass", and I love you for this. Grass can regrow, colored on walls can be repainted, spills can be cleaned up... I am glad you know this and take it all in with patience and appreciation.

"Fatherhood is pretending the present you love the most is soap-on-a-rope." - Bill Cosby
I am glad you genuinely love their "gifts" and  make them feel like they just gave you the best gift in the world. In turn, you are giving them one of the best "gifts" in the world... the feeling of love and appreciation.

My Dad always used to tell me that if they challenge you to an after-school fight, thell them you wont wait-you can kick their ass right now." - Cameron Diaz
I love that you try teaching them the right things, yet at the same time "keep it real".

The kind of man who thinks that helping with the dishes is beneath him will also think that helping with the baby is beneath him, and then he certainly is not going to be a very successful father. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
You have never felt anything was "beneath you".... I love you for this. A good lesson for little ones.

It is a wise Father that knows his own child. ~ William Shakespeare
You are wise and we love you. Happy Father's Day!

One of the greatest gifts I ever had

Came from God; I call him Dad - Author Unknown

Happy Birthdays!

May 31st marked the 1st birthday of "Hope's Focus"! Yes, my little space to ramble and share little bits of my family has turned one! Awwwwwe.

Of course you cannot have a birthday without celebrating or recognizing it in some form or fashion. So as Middle Little says "Were having a pool pizza party!" (While her little feet happily dance her around in circles.)
Yes, Daddy filling up the kiddy pools... ordering pizza... and having a homeade "birthday" cake, were all it took to make this momma (actually all of us) smile!

Good times.

Because one kiddie pool is not enough... yes, its a kiddie-land water park. Go big or go home!

Speaking of birthdays.... mine was great. Getting older sucks, yes. There are pros and cons to it, the biggest pro for me though... I got to celebrate one more year with those I love, what's better than that? I was spoiled and shown lots of love on my day.

I loved the fact that my birthday cake was covered in sprinkles! (Hubby despises sprinkles and has threatened to throw out all the sprinkles in the house. He says not everyone loves sprinkles like I do. Don't be a sprinkle hater honey.) Dear friends showed up with a sprinkle covered cake, which made me laugh at the fact that it was "sprinkled'. They brought me beautiful roses, wine, chocolates and spa goodies! So sweet... love them!

My "gifts"...

Received candy, gift cards, new shoes, and perfume.... I felt so spoiled. Then this happened....

I've wanted a pool for several years now. I figured getting a pool in our postage stamp sized backyard was going to be reserved for day dreaming. Hubby was leaving the house to go pick up my birthday present and when he returned, would not let me in the backyard for several hours. He would come in periodically drenched in sweat and ask for a glass of water. After a few hours, he came in, had me pour a glass of wine, and grab hold of his arm with my eyes closed while he guided me into the backyard. I opened my eyes to one of the most beautiful sights ever. My pool. My oasis, my tropical paradise...yeah, yeah, okay, thats a little overboard... the point is I like it. I love it. This man spent hours shopping for, digging out the power tools, constructing a wood deck to level out a swimming pool, and setting it up before dragging me blindly outside to rock my world. Sighhhh, I love him so.  (He said he had planned something different for my birthday, but as he was leaving, I made the comment "its hot out here, I wish we had a pool", he said he knew when he left, that was it, he was going to make it happen.)

I now have a place to relax, cool off, pretend I am in Jamaica with a fruity drink, and watch my Littles howl with laughter while turning into water logged little raisins.  The smell of the pool in the backyard air is, well.... its good. 

I do believe he is done swimming... this is the "pick me up now!" face...

On to the next celebration! :-)