Sum-Sum-Summertime

So, today, my feet are completely spoiled. 

I am not sure what I have done, but all they want is to be soaked, and scrubbed, and pampered. Can you blame them? 

I love a good pedicure. And it dawned on me that I haven't had one since preparation for our wedding. That is almost 8 years ago! Sheesh! You'd never know my sister is a cosmotologist! I have never been good about the girly painting fingers & toes...but last night after I got home from my 1 hour luxury treatment, I went to work on my fingernails. I need to keep the feminine touch alive around here with all these boys in tow!! 

SO, yes, #1 won. It really wasn't a hard decision (though, Leah, I will definitely keep your option open for next time). And I had a great afternoon to myself. My in-laws took the boys to the museum for a special frog exhibit, I did a quick shopping stop, had a savory lunch of spring shrimp rolls and organic salad here (logo & menus designed by pixel) before I headed over to elle. So the boys looked at frogs from around the world while I sat and soaked my feet and had them rubbed with all sorts of smelly salts and oil rubs by a beautiful Italian girl with a heavy accent. We talked about the streets of Italy where she grew up, gelato and her love for nutella (something we share). Do you know they make Nutella gelato? She has it every time she goes home to Italy and she says it's the best. I am sure I would completely agree. She was great. And my feet thank her. 

Today, is a beautiful day. We have had SO much rain this past month. I heard in the whole month of June, there were only 4 days without rain fall. So today was a billowy-cloud-sunshiny-but-cool-breeze kind of day. We took the boys to Whitney's farm where they have huge wooden play structures, including a new pirate ship. And farm animals you can feed (including a peacock!), and we packed a picnic lunch. After that we drove by the strawberry field to see if they were picking today. Picking is quite late this season due to the rain, but the fields were plush and ready. So we randomly stopped by Mountain View Orchards (and the name speaks for itself) and picked 6lbs. in just a little bit of time. Jack ate them almost the whole time, Drew played with the boy in the next row, and John & I feverishly picked away. They are the best fresh off the vine. Warm, sunshiny, fresh, fragrant...yum. So now I need to make some shortcake, and get some cream, and we'll be all set. Maybe that's what we'll have for supper tonight. Who says you can't have Strawberry-shortcake for dinner??? After all, it's SUMMER!

Here are some fabulous looking FOOD blogs I stumbled upon trying to find a recipe for easy and delicious shortcake:

Pink Stripes:

~if your mouth isn't already watering, go here! What a fabulous "tried & true" food blog. Looks like she tries just about everything. She gives 4 varieties to the traditional Strawberry shortcake.

 

A Singleton in the Kitchen

~this blog doesn't give an actual shortcake recipe, but she tried pink stripes' recipe and gave rave reviews about it. Upon scrolling through this blog, I was quite impressed at the variety of things she has tried plus taking great pictures helps. Food is not always very photogenic. 

Ronnie's Recipes

~for a nice little shortcut, this blog baker uses a yellow cake mix for the base. Not quite as "home-made" but I bet it's super good!