The signs that make it official.....Hello Summer in San Diego!

It's June 1st.....that is when we in San Diego look for signs to make it official....

 Hello Summer!  

 

 

Pre Summer patio projects are finishing up!!!! 

 Lots of plans for summer fun on this patio.....

 And for Brody lots of kick back relaxing!

 Gardens are starting to bloom and stage 2 tomatoes are being planted!

 Nature boy's Jack O Lantern pumpkins are starting to blossom!

 Little League season is wrapping up....

Getting our fishing and camping gear in order.....

 Our morning walks are starting earlier and earlier....Rocky waits patiently - not!

 Festival season is on us and that is our 'go-to' every weekend....ocean views, vendors, lots of music, walking, drinking, dining.....

 And the last day of school anxiously awaited by Dylan and Brody - bubbles for everyone!

Let's do this!

Building, Winding Down, Remembering, Honoring

We are staying around the home front as our landscaping project takes shape.....Steve took advantage of the 'natural scenery' to put up the tent in the back yard and have a sleep over with the boys! 

 I took advantage of a camping opportunity to shop and buy some fun tableware for our summer camping.....hey, we each do our best to contribute to the experience!

 It was the week we needed to decide on the pavers - these....

 ....and the natural stone for the caps....these.....

 Our wonderful contractor, Humberto is amazing and took our plain vision to the next level.....Humberto - put up that wall!

 We love these guys - they have done our landscaping projects (fountain, flagstone patio, etc) in the past and do such a wonderful job and they are so nice and work so hard!

 We collaborate on ideas and how we want the slate colors to mesh and then they offer advice on what they have done before and what works well = a great collaboration!

 

Brody was very into the process as well.....he was covered with sand and the bath water would barely drain....this boy loves to dig in the dirt!

 

And here is where we left off this weekend.......

 

 

Baseball season is winding down for the boys.  I love my Boys of Summer and they have excelled this season....3rd game ball for Dylan and 3rd Slurpee for Brody....

And lest we not forget......

 

 

 

My grandmother always called it 'Decoration Day' as in the South it was they day you decorated the graves of your loved ones.  Memorial Day/Decoration day was actually created in the 1860 timeframe.  My dad would always buy poppies from retired vets on Memorial Day....this is a great article if you would like to know more....

 

http://news.yahoo.com/memorial-day-7-historical-facts-holiday-143814167.html



 

 I made a simple tablescape for our celebration tomorrow.  We will be remembering all we are thankful for and honoring those that have paid the price and blazed the trail for the good things bestowed on us. 

 

On Shore Breeze eases my Firestorm Anxiety and ADD

 

99.99% of the time my beautiful city looks like this.  We took this picture at lunch just last week:

 

 So when my city looks like this it makes me sad and anxious and restless.....and very ADD - can't complete a thought as every thing may be impacted by an evacuation!

 We have been evacuated 2x and it was about a mile from us this time and it is unsettling to say the least.....today was the first day I felt the onshore breeze when I walked Rocky....a sign of return to Normalcy I hope

 So forgive my ADD Anxiety catch up posting....not out of danger yet but calm enough to catch my breath and reflect on the past few weeks leading up to firestorm 2014....

We were all excited when The Addie came for Mothers Day....Brody was out of school due to a cut in his foot so he got to go with us to pick up our very special visitor.  We watched the plane land and enjoyed every minute with him....

 We all went to breakfast at Cully's....a family favorite we have frequented since Adam was almost Brody's age....can't beat the blueberry pancakes....

 Among a lot of other fun activities we went to the beach on Mothers Day and had a great picnic.  We also played croquet (competitive) and had lots of fun dinners, laughs and got caught up on all kinds of fun things.....missed getting pictures! We were sad to see him go but he will be back for Kristen's birthday and Fathers Day!  Hooray!

I got some really nice things for mothers day....home made ceramic roses from the boys, gift cards from A&K, a new phone case for my new phone, a nice wallet, a beautiful blouse from Steve and lovely flowers....but the best gift is family and being together.  I did order this for my mothers day gift.....I can't wait to read it!

 The butterfly garden that Dylan shared with Brody's Kinder class all produced chrysalis' and butterflies!

 And a fun and exciting release to free them was a fun event

 We met our niece and her boyfriend in OB for lunch....can't go to OB without stopping at my favorite shop Vignettes....I will not be denied such inspiration....love this place

 oooooooo's and ahhhhhhhhh' and inspired by all the crystal!

 So after lunch I came home and found a old crystal chocker my mom gave me....

 And this prism from a French flea market (I want to go back to Paris!)

 And I converted the chocker to a longer necklace and attached the prism.....love it

 A very special couple got married last weekend!  It was a beautiful wedding....

 Kristen helped with all the details.....

 The made everything so unique!

 Fun mugs for all the guests....

 Adorable place settings....

 All the comments from our RSVP cards were written out and posted for all the guest to see....

 A surfboard menu of the evenings events!

 A beautiful backyard reception setting....I remember we were so cold!

 'I Do' Home Brew

 A visit to Rosecrans to pay respects on Mothers Day....this naval ship departing the harbor = God Bless the USA

 My mothers day flowers love the heat....they are amazing....the little 'roses' the boys made are next to the vase along with a vintage mothers day card in an antique frog....love the little pink house on it.

 Our drought resistant backyard make over continues...... It is a weekend end project so will take awhile.....

And a very special visitor this week....a red tailed Hawk.   The Addie (family historian) says that Native American history tells us that when a red tailed hawk visits you it is a good sign that great wisdom and blessing are coming your way!

Bring it!