The Relaxation Room

Dear Em,
A couple years ago your Aunt Jayme & I decided that instead of exchanging Christmas & birthday gifts, we would try to get together once a year for a spa day (she swears it was my idea, but I'm pretty sure she was the brilliant brains behind this fantastic idea). We had our first first spa day together last year. It was such an amazing experience to share with my best friend, & I was excited to continue our tradition.

This year Jayme had her second baby, & we didn't know if we could fit in a spa day. We had three needy & active amazing children that someone else would have to watch, & one of them was still very tiny. We are so fortunate that Jayme's family agreed to watch you all (it was a joint venture with Jayme's parents & brothers) so that we could have an afternoon off during our recent visit to Ohio.

You guys really made us work for it the morning of our spa day. There was a lot of crying & refusing to get dressed & crying. We barely made it out the door in time, but we gave kisses, said bye, & ran without looking back. Jayme's family really gave us the celebrity treatment. Her brother (which you fondly call Uncle Steve) even drove us to the spa & dropped us off right at the front door.

We changed into comfy, warm robes, poured ourselves champagne, & turned off our cell phones before we were directed to a room that was labeled: Relaxation Room. There was calm music & comfy chaise lounges & lemon infused water. We waited there until we were called in for the most incredible massages & pedicures. Then we headed back to the Relaxation Room to wait for our facials.

Jayme & I put our feet up, had uninterrupted adult conversation, sipped on champagne, & snacked on fruit & crackers & chicken salad. It was absolute perfection. I loved every second spent relaxing with my best friend, but it seemed like we had been lounging for a long time (certainly much longer than Jayme & I are used to lounging). Did we miss our facial appointments? I almost didn't want to ask. I was enjoying our time together so much.

It turns out they totally forgot that we had scheduled facials. The spa was all "we're so so so sorry. You must have been terribly bored sitting in the relaxation room for all that time. We'll find a way to rectify this situation" (our facials were actually comped). Meanwhile, I was all like, "I'm so thankful you forgot us in the Relaxation Room. This is the best room I've ever been in. Is it always so quiet & free of screaming children? Does it always smell so good? Can I stay there forever?"

After our facials, we may have returned to the Relaxation Room & waited a little bit before we called Uncle Steve to pick us up. I know I savored every last second of the relaxation room & the individual time spent chatting with my best friend.

It's bittersweet to be back home from our Ohio vacation & back into the swing of our hectic & busy & beautiful lives. Our flight home was rerouted to Boston and we finally got home in the early morning hours, the house smells like cat (Charlie had an unfortunate UTI incident while we were away), the company I work for announced a restructuring (which means more professional uncertainty), you had a 102 fever...this all just happened yesterday. I felt like my head might explode. I was texting your Aunt Jayme about how out of control I felt about my day & how our house smelled like cat pee. Her response: "I'll meet you in you in the relaxation room. It smells like relaxation. Let's live there."

I freaking love your Aunt Jayme. We'll always have the relaxation room...well, hopefully at least once a year.

I love you so,
Mommy

Living & Dining Room Makeover

Dear Em,
Remember when I posted about our entryway makeover & said that we were pretty much done with home improvements for a while? Little did I know, I was really just getting started. Surprisingly, it was sort of your Daddy's fault.

We were sitting in our living room one evening, & your Daddy remarked that a sectional would make much better use of the space than the bulky leather couches we had in the room. It was like a lightbulb went on in my head, & there was no turning it off. Daddy thought he was just making a casual remark. I was already looking at sectionals online. Up until this point we had NO PLANS of buying new living room furniture. We loved our comfy leather couches, but I had dreams of more seating taking up less space.

I begged Daddy for weeks, told him the new sectional could be my birthday & Mother's Day gift, & talked up how comfy and masculine the leather couches would be down in mantown. I finally wore him down convinced him, & he agreed. We used a tape measure to to plan out everything before I went to to five different furniture stores with exact dimensions. I narrowed the selections down to two different couches in two different stores to show your Daddy. In the end we chose a sectional at Jordan's Furniture because we were able to add pieces to make it a perfect fit for the room & our family.

Since we were updating the couches, I began looking at paint colors to update our TV stand. Your Daddy admitted that he hated the TV stand, because it was a little unstable. Little did he know he was basically giving me his blessing to buy a new TV stand. I searched everywhere for something that was white, functional, sturdy, & included an electric fireplace (up until this point we'd been using a small electric fireplace next to our TV stand), & found one that was perfect for our space (I actually taped the dimensions on the floor of our living room to see how everything would fit before we purchased anything). Now I can't imagine the space without our new TV stand. The fireplace adds warmth during the cooler months & ambiance (without the heat) during the warmer months. It adds such coziness to our room.

Our new TV stand is also larger, which gave me more room to add plants & art & accents of color. I've been wanting an M to put somewhere in our house, & the TV stand provided an excellent spot. Although Daddy looked at me like I was crazy when I told him I wanted an M for our home, I bought a large cardboard M from JoAnn Fabrics & a 2 oz bottle of mustard yellow paint for around $10. After painting it, our M looks amazing on the TV stand (even Daddy likes it, but you tell me that we also need an E, J, & B).

I used a lot of pieces that we already had to add pops of color to the room.

A small clock has been the only thing hung on the wall behind our TV since we moved in, but I wanted to dress up the wall a little bit. I found this clock at Ikea for a great price. We moved the smaller clock into the Family Room (which didn't have a clock previously). I love how well the new clock matches the color scheme of the living room, & while your Daddy laughed & said it would be much too large for the wall, he agrees that it's actually a much better fit for the wall than our old clock.

I wanted to add a little artwork to the wall as well. There were a couple of Etsy shops I've been crushing on, & the bare wall behind the TV was just the space I needed. Pitter Patter Print turned your newborn footprints into an amazing sunshine print that we framed & hung. Then I worked with Jenna Sue Design to have mine & Daddy's wedding vows made into a custom work of art. I am beyond thrilled with how the artwork came out. It makes me smile when I look at the wall & think about two of the most special days of my life, the day you were born & the day I married your Daddy.

I was really supposed to be done at that point. We still weren't quite sure about what we were going to do about the cherry hutch that no longer matched our dining room table, but I was OK with that for now. I found what I started to refer to as my dream hutch online, but I was pretty sure Daddy would have an aneurism if I bought one more piece of furniture. So, I filed it under future home improvements. I should have never casually mentioned it to Nonnie, because she gifted it to us moments later (I told her I won't be accepting Christmas or birthday gifts for the next two years at least).

The table, chairs, & hutch all came from completely different furniture companies, but I love how well they go together. We turned the dining table sideways, placed the hutch on the opposite wall, & couldn't believe the transformation. Daddy was right. A sectional does make much more sense in the space we have. I can't believe how much more seating we have, while also having more space to move around. I mean, the dining chairs no longer bump into the back of our couches! The two rooms seem so light and airy & they flow so well from one room to another.

As a last little touch, I painted our stools a mustard color to bring a little extra pop of yellow in the room.

This summer was a happy one, living & enjoying our transformed living & dining room space. It's amazing how furniture & artwork can really change a room. Just think, it all started with a casual comment from your Daddy (he is my inspiration!). I think he'll a little more careful of his future casual comments about furniture...unless he's ready to start buying. Ha!

I love you so,

Mommy

Throwback Thursday: Ell Pond

Dear Em,
There's a hiking trail in Rhode Island that immediately became one of my favorite Rhode Island spots. After going for the first time with my college RA staff, I took Daddy (we were dating back then) on a hike at Ell Pond. We returned back there a number of times in the spring & fall, our favorite hiking seasons.

The hiking trail is surrounded by leafy trees, bright & green in the spring & multi colored beauty in the fall. There is a bit of a climb in some spots, making for a great workout without needing actual hiking gear. It's such a great spot to take in fresh air & all the amazingness of nature while getting some exercise. We like to end our hike by climbing up a great big rock that overlooks the pond. It's a beautiful and calming way to relax after a good hiking workout.

Daddy & I actually went for a hike at Ell Pond the day before he proposed.

We had no idea then that someday we would buy a home only 15 minutes away from our favorite Rhode Island hiking spot. Although not as often as I'd like, we've been fortunate to have been able to return to Ell Pond again and again throughout the years (it's tough, because it's not a trail I'm comfortable taking you on just yet so we can only go when we have a babysitter). Somehow, we seem to find ourselves there during many of our important life moments.

Two Year Wedding Anniversary...

Friend's 30th Birthday Celebration...

I'm so glad I got to return to Ell Pond a couple times this summer. One of the excursions was part of our dear friend's bachelorette weekend. It was so fun to share one of my most treasured Rhode Island spots with a group of great people.

Sigh, I'm such a Rhode Island groupie! Ha! I'm so glad we've had Ell Pond throughout the years & we'll have it for years to come. One day, I'm looking forward to introducing Ell Pond to you.

I love you so,

Mommy

Recipe for a perfect day

Dear Em,
Things have been busy. You're back in school and work has been hectic for both Daddy & I. On top of that, you're participating in soccer, swim, & gymnastics this fall. I signed you up for everything & thought, "no problem, we got this." But as we were trying to rush you out the door (lately, we always seem to be rushing, with no time to just see where the day takes us) for soccer practice the other night, you looked at me with the saddest eyes & asked me, "Mommy, when do I get to just play?" It was at that moment that I realized I may have overextended our family.

This weekend, Daddy & I wanted a weekend for just the three of us. I can't really remember the last time we had a full weekend just the three of us. You had soccer on Saturday morning, but we decided we would spend the rest of the day doing some of our favorite things...just Daddy, you, & me. Em, it was truly a perfect day. We had...

Sunshine & Soccer:

The weather reports threatened rain, but it was a gorgeous day to play soccer. It is a beautiful thing to watch you when you're trying your very best.

We changed you out of your soccer gear & headed straight over to the...

Umbrella Factory:

It's become one of our favorite after soccer activities. I love being welcomed into the beautiful gardens.

Ever my little budding photographer, you asked to borrow Daddy's phone so you could snap some photos.

You took this photo...

...and this one (see the little navy croc?)...

...and this one (also complete with a little croc)...

...and this one.

We headed past the gardens to check out the baby ducklings & chickens & goats.

I think Daddy's favorite part of the Umbrella Factory is the bamboo forest, which you proudly led us through.

Getting a little hungry, we said goodbye to the fun of the Umbrella Factory & headed to our next adventure...

Watch Hill:

I don't think I've ever been to Watch Hill during the peak summer season. It's always such perfection in the late spring and early fall. With no crowds to fight, it always feels like it's our little secret & our little spot (remember our fun adventure two years ago?). We stopped at Bay Street Deli for chowder, sandwiches, & a donut for you (not the healthiest option, but we went with it).

We headed over the giant dune to return to one of my very favorite beaches.

We didn't bring your bathing suit, but let you head straight to the water anyways. Then we stood back & let you be you. The expression on your face was pure joy, and it made my heart so happy. I am so dazzled by you, little girl.

You were soaked & freezing, & we changed you into the jean jacket & leggings you were wearing earlier. Daddy & I laughed at the hodgepodge outfit we put together. You & Daddy played tag in the sand. God, I love watching the two of you together.

You wrote "I love Mommy" & "I love Daddy" in the sand (love is one of the few words you can spell by yourself without having to sound it out, & I LOVE that) before we headed back over the giant dune & off the beach.

We watched ominous clouds roll in as you gave us performances in the gazebo.

Trying to beat the rain, we got into our car. Your eyes looked so heavy as we drove to our next destination...

The Grocery Store

We don't often go to the grocery store as a family, but we have so much fun when we do. We give you the scanner, & you ensure that everything is scanned before we place it in our bags in the cart.

After a job well done scanning, we surprised you as we pulled into...

Lickety Splits

Yes I know, we had already fed you a donut. We're not usually so committed to hopping you up full of sugar, but Lickety Splits will be closing for the winter soon. Ice cream just seemed like the right thing to do on our perfect day.

The rain started to come down pretty soon after we got home. I smiled, thankful for the sunshine we had enjoyed that day & ready to spend some inside family time playing...

Wii Party

Daddy made us the most perfect grill cheeses (I know, it was a really healthy eating day). We ate dinner & then snuggled in for...

Movie Night

You were so tired after the movie, you told Daddy you might fall asleep while the two of you read your bedtime books. I smiled. It felt so great to be just you & me & Daddy that day. It felt so good to enjoy the sunshine & outdoors & the salty air of Rhode Island. It was such a perfect day, a day I wish I could bottle up & save for always. Not every day is perfect (& believe me the day still had some less than perfect moments), but I'm so thankful for the precious moments we get to share together.

I love you so,

Mommy