I heart summer

Our new neighborhood is full of school-aged kids. Seeing the kids hanging out on the sidewalk tonight reminded me of how much I loved summertime (before I had to worry about SATs and getting into college). We spent most of our days hanging out at the pool, going to summer camps, riding bikes, our skin getting darker and darker by the day. So carefree, so fun...

I feel a bit of that this year here in Portland. I still have a lot to do around the house, taking care of ESK, running errands, etc. But because ESK is more mobile and embarking on a more exploratory stage, I feel like I'm starting to relive that summertime excitement.

The summer weather here is wonderful and after the long rainy months, I try to take advantage of the weather as much as possible. Going to the outdoor pool. Walking to the playground and hitting the swings, then the jungle gym, and finally the slide. And last but not least, the occasional ice cream treat. Yum. It's amazing to watch ESK experience all these things for the first time and it's more amazing to witness the pure joy she exudes. Peals of laughter, endless giggles, big dimpled smiles. Makes mom's heart melt.

Montreal
This past weekend, I met some friends in Montreal, Canada for a bachelorette weekend. It is an inexplicably popular destination for bachelor/bachelorette parties. Everywhere we went, there were large packs of men and women, drifting to the next restaurant, bar, club. None of us in the wedding party new this when we chose our destination. Who knew?

Montreal is a very European-style city and much more French than I was expecting. All the signs, television, and service was in French. And the old parts of the city had the requisite cobblestone, narrow streets and alleyways. It was a much larger city than I imagined with better shopping and a more sophisticated feel. The two nice dinners we went to both had music thumping in the background and folks at the bar checking each other out. There was just an energy in the air at these places that reminded me of NY, but that I never run into in Portland. I suddenly felt like a country bumpkin. Or just a mom who hasn't gone out in awhile.

Anyway, I had a good time just hanging out with girlfriends. But I would highly recommend Montreal for a romantic getaway weekend as well. It's a taste of Europe, but just next door in Canada. Isn't that what it's billed as?

So, what did I do with ESK you ask? Hubs watched her for the entire weekend, a first for him. I was actually more curious about his experience at home with ESK than my own experience in Montreal. SK is a good and attentive dad, so there were no disasters or mishaps. But as he has ZERO kitchen skills, I wrote out a menu of pre-made food in the fridge and cooking directions for things like scrambled eggs and grilled cheese sandwiches. Oh, not to mention SK's food. And just in case he was at his wit's end, I had some friends invite him over on Sunday afternoon. There was a lot of preparation involved for this three day trip.

When I returned, we were both exhausted and he admitted that his days were a lot busier than he imagined, with very little time to himself. And he also said he would never underestimate the amount of work I did daily in raising our ESK.

I ought to go away on girls' weekends more often!