Here i sit...

waiting for the rest of the house to stir...

long hot summer days make for quiet mornings...

for me to sneak downstairs to savor my first sip of hot tea

&

I think about my little adventure

that's about to begin

I'm about to stretch my wings....

and leave my chickadees in the comforts of their home with the wonderful loving watching eye of their grandparents

My Mom and Dad flew in from the Pacific Northwest just for this special visit

time with their grandchildren

while hubby and i fly off

to

for 8 days!

I can't believe I'm going

It's a business trip for him

he will be leaving me in the city to spend his days in Farnborough

whose only left her chickadees for the longest period of time...

a total of 48 hours

will now be

In London

spending the first 4 days alone

to wonder the sights

sample the food

window shop {I pinkie promised}

sit and enjoy a proper English Tea

explore London some more

I have my travel books packed....

so much to see

&

find my way back to my hotel just in time to meet up with my husband for evenings spent together...

tomorrow our flight leaves...

I still can't believe I'm going..

I've made endless lists for my parents.

stocked the pantry with goodies...

loaded up on the sunscreen

gave them all my secret tips about my chickadees

the way they like to be tucked in...

favorite foods to eat

books to be read at nighttime

our little things we do

my oldest daughter helped me pack yesterday

our time together

the younger chickadees are asking why I'm tagging along on daddy's trip

i squeeze them tight

&

tell them this is a special treat

once in a blue moon

just dream of the goodies and kisses I'll be bring back

what fun they are going to have....

I've already heard the whispers of their first donut shop visit

Panera Bread bagel bags they can't wait to fill up on...

bedtime pushed back cause moms away...

the good stuff grand kids get to do with their grandparents!!!

I've packed a journal

to document my thoughts

to report back to YoU

of a girl in London

spreading her wings

wondering around

in a beautiful city

hoping I don't get lost

&

someone will point me in the right direction for my daily latte break...

&

a flea market!!!

The adventure awaits!!!

I'll miss you all very much!!!

Look for my posts to begin

July 26

xo,

Hello sweet friends!

thank you for your patience on seeing the cabinet

Had to zip around to add the finishing touches

it's the details...

the special accessories that needed to be tucked inside to transform the lonely petite cabinet

into a

charming cabinet fit for VIP Guests!!!

Once I prepped it for painting I knew I wanted to paint it...

I already had the paint in my collection of paint colors

so it didn't cost me a thing to repaint...

Yahoo!!!

love the color it pops against the Antique White wall color....

folded my favorite quilts on top...

for the winter months...

ready to grab and use...

The upper part of the cabinet is for anything guests will need while on vacation

extra towels

cotton balls

q~tips

bath soaps

extra pillowcases

I added vintage pictures of our family members

a lavender sachet I received when I ordered a beautiful pillow from Andrea at faded plains

There is more to see

but I'm late for an important date at the airport...

My guest book is ready to be signed!

So please feel free to pop on over for a little R & R

breakfast lattes are included in your stay!!!

See you soon!!

xo,

I have to share a little secret with you...

I have a serious loVe for cabinets!

There I said it...

Can a girl have too many cabinets in her life?

I say...

of course not!!

The possibilities of there use is...

endless!!

Say it with me

e n d l e s s

I'm in a secret sharing mood tonight....

9 months ago I found a dreamy hutch on a chilly fall night at an auction

it was loVe at first sight

the petite size had me swooning...

I had every intention of selling it in "LuLu & Co my so called shop"

Well, winter blew in fierce

&

I never got around to giving it a makeover....

thank goodness for snow and cold temperatures

because

in 100 degree heat

trying to keep track of an intense game of Marco Polo

it hit me!

I dusted it off

&

gently dragged it in to its new spot....

My Guest Room!!!!

The makeover is officially in full swing

with 5 days to go until my parents arrive from the Pacific Northwest

I've transformed it

from

this

{The picture doesn't show the serious case of polyurethane that was coated all of it.

It aged to a not so nice dingy yellow}

to

______________________________

So sorry, I have to keep you guessing a little while longer...

but I will tell you this...

I'm over the moon thrilled with sanding, deglossing, intense elbow rubbing I did to it

in order to

prime

&

paint!!!

hint: the name moon is part of the paint color!!!

xo,

Between sunscreen and snack attacks I've managed to make a little mess...

on a whim

when I had so many other tasks to tackle

I took everything out of the guest room for a quick decluttering

laid on the floor pouring through pictures....

of past trips

old homes we use to live in

baby pictures of my oldest daughter

before digital took over....

It made me realize I need to print out more pictures to tuck in a box for my kiddos to go through

on a random day

when they least expected it

like I did

everything stopped

I just sorted

flipped through picture after picture

laughed out loud

held my breath

remembered the memory

felt my heart tug that time has gone by

there is something therapeutic about holding an actual picture

unedited

someone blinking

or laughing unexpectedly

it tells a story

Anyhow, back to one thing leading to the next

I emptied the whole room out

with the sole purpose of only ordering a new mattress

it was time

&

my parents are arriving next week for a visit

must have a comfy bed for they are coming to babysit....

{that is for a post all it's own. I can't wait to tell you}

After a quick trip at Starbucks

with coffee in hand I braved the mattress store

between the heat

caffeine

and wanting to make it as painless as possible i bought a Queen size bed...

now I have a slight delimma

The bed that use to be in the guest room was a...

full!

Do you see the problem I created....

it's requiring new bedding!!!

With new bedding comes with a painting redo....

And I only have a week...

to pull it all together

&

between

sunscreen and snack attacks

I have no idea when I'm going to do it....

thank goodness I have a very understanding Mom and Dad who only ask for sheets on the bed...

love my parents!!!

but knowing me I want it done....

xo,

I know it's summer when two of my mermaids come down with a case of....

swimmers ear!

Same day

same ear!

After a quick run to the doctors before the long Fourth of July weekend

I cleaned the much loved pool room...

wiped up the water puddles on the concrete floor...

have I told you lately how much I love having a concrete floor

no slipping...

we've tired...

from all the dripping wet running to the bathroom

or fridge for a cold treat..

no one has fallen

As I was folding the freshly laundered pool towels I realized I hadn't shown you my new friend to the pool room...

I took our old TV cabinet transformed it a while ago with a fresh coat of paint...

it use to hold toys

I put the kids in charge of giving it a

good cleaning out

we piled then in a box

and dropped them off to be

donated.

This occurred after we saw Toy Story 3

as I was driving to the donation center I am fairly certain the toys were talking to me....

begging me to bring them right back into the comforts of our cabinet....

I almost did

then I gave myself a good lecture

that they really don't come to life when we walk out of the room!

I dropped and ran

I didn't look back in case I saw them peeking out the top of the box...

Now it holds the ten million pool towels!

Last month on a Sunday afternoon I headed to the Vintage Source an hour before they closed..

just to walk around

I haven't had a good junking outing in forever....

when I saw this hanging on the wall I knew it had to come home with me...

It was the perfect Father's Day gift

for my husband

&

I had the perfect wall!

xo,