in pictures

{Valley Girl of the Annapolis variety}

This weekend was full of fresh blueberries and fresh babies. I took pictures of the blueberries, but I was too busy ogling to take even one snapshot of either the two beautiful baby girls I snuggled on Friday and Saturday. Speaking of babies, with the amount of corn and blueberries Violet consumed in the last two days I am truly grateful we are out of the diaper phase!

Because it is literally too humid to type (my old computer is heating up my lap and making me sweat in an unladylike fashion), I will share some of my favourite pictures from this weekend with you.

xo

em

holidays

{excited, but a little nervous at the movies}

I am on vacation!

As I sit and write this it is the middle of the day and a cool breeze is blowing in our living room window. Sweet Violet is sound asleep on the couch beside me. We brought Jeff a picnic lunch and checked out the tall ships. Holy crowds. The ships are breathtaking; Violet was particularly taken with the Halifax-Dartmouth ferry ;) In her defence it did have festive flags festooning its upper-deck. In a matter of hours we will be off to PEI for a week. A whole week. I haven't had a summer vacation in years! I am very excited. I have my fingers crossed for sun, sun and more sun.

The great thing about PEI beaches is how warm the water is. If you are a member of the Harris clan, another great thing is that you get to go home to a fabulous meal prepared by Nanny and Pop -- they live in PEI and they never go to the beach. I don't get it! But, I will eat that lobster roll ;)

Given the number of emoticons in this post, can you tell I am just a little excited.

Cute Violet story before I leave you for a whole week. (Whatever will you do ;) She and I went to see the new Madagascar movie last night. It was our first time at the theatre together. Jeff has taken Violet to a few matinees, but this was her first evening show. She liked it, but assured me she wouldn't watch the scary parts again. (There were no scary parts.)

On our way out of the movie Violet saw a Spiderman poster and said, "there is Spiderman." I have no idea how she knows who Spiderman is. Does that make me a bad mum!? Anyway, there was a huge line up of teenagers waiting to see the new Batman movie, as we were walking past them Violet said, "look mum, "Black-man". I was obviously mortified. Thankfully she was pointing at the Batman poster. Then she looked and me and said, "I love Black-man." Oh Violet.

I explained to her that the superhero is called Batman, but she refused to believe me. "No mum, it is Black-man, just like, you know, Purple-Girl. I love Black-man and Purple-Girl".

Whatever floats your boat Vi.

Have a great week. Hopefully when I check in again I will be a much browner version of myself.

xo

Em

go jump in a lake

{this is hard to beat}

When I left work on Friday I thought I was heading into a weekend of thunderstorms and drizzle. Not so, apparently. I'm definitely not complaining! Today was a perfect day to head inland and swim in a lake. My friend recently described herself as an "ocean person" and I tend to categorize myself the same way. Given the choice, I would much rather head to one of our gorgeous local beaches than visit a little old lake. (It isn't fair comparing lakes to the Atlantic ocean is it? It is like comparing a really nice backyard garden to a national park or something.)

There are some notable exceptions to my general "ocean trumps lakes" rule. If the forecasted temperature for the day is in the low-to mid-twenties a lake beats the ocean every time. It is always at least three or four (some times ten) degrees colder by the ocean, which can make for pretty nippy beach time! I have sat on beaches huddled together with my family enough times to know better.

Grand Lake, in Oakfield provincial park, is one of our favourite places to visit in the summer. We have been going since Violet was a baby. There is a huge grassy hill where kids can play and parents can serve sand free lunches (major bonus for borderline OCD mums everywhere). Here are a couple of my favourite pictures from our visit. Way better than sitting on a beach in a hoodie!

xo

Em

{checking out the scene}

{verdict: the scene is awesome}

{this is my man repellant bathing suit**}

{bubbles in the grass}

{brave girl, there is a lot less to be scared of in a lake}

** I am not being self deprecating. Apparently "man repelling" is a when you dress for yourself/ because you think something is stylish as opposed to dressing for a man. This bathing suit is not one of Jeff's favourites. I have a few other items in my closet that I really like, but that always get the thumbs down from my sweet husband (a maxi dress that has been described as "too little house on the Prairie", for instance). Who is up for a girls night where we all wear our most "man repellant"  outfit? What a stylish group we would be!

Check out more on man repelling here: http://www.refinery29.com/the-man-repeller

one

{first Winter walk}

Since I am almost half way through my 29th year I am very cognizant of my "to do before I am thirty" list. Organizing my photos is something I have been dreading. With over 9000 files spanning four years, to say the task is daunting is an understatement. I am, however, determined to get through it so I am chipping away at it little by little. Tonight I chose the photos I want to print from Violet's first year with us. There are almost 100. Since I know putting all of those pictures on this blog would be overkill (how could anyone not want to see a picture of the first time Violet tried solid food?), I decided to share just the favourite of my favourites.

It was really hard to narrow the field but here are my favourite pictures from Violet's first year of life.

I hope you enjoy them!

xo

Em

{first day}

{first days at home}

{first time in PEI/ heaven on earth}

{first hike with Nana and Papa}

{first visit to Sandwich Point}

{first day at Susie's}

{first, but hopefully not last, time dressing like a Spice Girl}

{Papa's first India visit}

{first hairband}

{first road trip}

{it isn't perfect, but this is our first family picture so I love it}

long weekend photo dump

{playground casual}

We managed to do almost all of my favourite summer things this weekend. We went to the beach every day, we had BBQs, we ate copious amounts of sandy red liquorice (that was just me), and we even got to listen to a newly released version of Graceland -- just when you didn't think it could get any better!

I find it really hard to take good pictures in the bright sun (any tips?), but here are a few of my favourites. They each remind me that summer really is the best of the seasons.

xo

Em

{best friend skipping}

{Lunenburg -ing}

{Summerville dining}

{S'more eating}

{S'more rinsing} 

{heaven gazing} 

{rain dancing/ father-daughter memory making}

food, flowers and that face

How was your weekend?

Too short?

Me too.

We managed to have lots of fun even though the weather did not cooperate at all. I know I've been talking about it a lot lately, but seriously what is with this weather? When I lived in Calgary I totally romanticized East Coast weather. I thought the rain was refreshing, the fog romantic and the mist revitalizing. I longed for those quintessential Halifax nights where the fog hovers just above the harbour. I missed how healthy my skin felt and how moisturizing was optional, not mandatory for keeping your skin on. Now that I am back I remember: towels don't dry between showers, the distinct smell of mildew is omnipresent this time of year, and that humidity is good for skin, but really bad for hair. (I actually never forgot how bad this climate is for hair, I just blocked it out of my mind.)

There are, however, things to do in the rain and this weekend they included: ogling brand new babies, baking, running outside when the rain subsided to shake the giggles out of the wee one, and planting a few more flowers (and then feeling smug about how hardcore a gardener I've become even though all I did is put geraniums in a planter. But it was raining really hard and I didn't even wear gloves which is something). 

I hope you managed to keep dry this weekend. Fingers cross for a Vitamin D enriched week!

xo

Em

{just another hipster at the market}

{now that is a cute face}

{pink, pink and red -- guess who choose these?}

{nothing says new baby like a caramelized garlic tart}

{I am so happy to have my slippers back, thanks Alex!}

{a rhodo, a Violet and a mama}

{I just can't get enough of this face!}

{chasing bubbles = burning energy = good sleep? fingers crossed!}

Anne's Land

{daddy-daughter soft-serve}

There is something special about PEI. Every time I am there I ask myself why I don't make it over more often. This weekend the beauty of the island was enhanced by perfect weather. It was hot. Hot! In PEI, in May -- that is unheard of. We had the most relaxing visit you could hope for with a three year old in tow. 

Jeff went out fishing with a second cousin -- everyone is a second cousin in Murray Harbour (home of Brad Richards, but more importantly home of the Harris clan). He had the time of his life and brought back lunch to boot:

{we like our lobster cold}

{with potato salad of course}

This weekend my grandfather said to me, "when people look around Murray Harbour they see houses, but I see history." He was born and raised there, and he and a few of his brother's still call it home. I can see why they wanted to stay: 

{water like glass}

{not a bad day to be a lobster fisherman}

{home of the world's best clam strips -- or at least Murray Harbour's best}

{the apple blossom's were just coming out in town}

We spent the weekend reading (I started and almost finished The Corrections - finally, and on the recommendation of a friend - Jonathan Franzen is a man who can write); playing at the beach; and of course eating lots of food made by my grandparents and served in Midwestern proportions. I think a cleanse is in order.

{Uncle David's beach}

{not so little girl}

{treasure}

{Violet and her papa -- she looks like a little fairy}

I can honestly say I feel really relaxed, I still feel the red sand between my toes -- I am ready for a four day week. Gosh, I love long weekends. We need one every month, no?

xo

Em