So I was sitting on the beach in Tahoe for the past few days watching the kiddos play in the water and reading "What Would Audrey Do?"  Although my husband would never be caught DEAD reading such a book, he DOES occasionally look over my shoulder.  I said, "Wow, Audrey Hepburn was 5'7" and weighed 110 lbs. for most of her life."  He said, "Yeah.... but she SMOKED 3 packs a day!" .... This brought up an interesting arguement ..... Admittedly, Americans are fatter than our European counterparts.... BUT we smoke less..... a coincidence?

I work in Oakland.... ALL OVER Oakland to be exact.  I do home visits for infants and toddlers who are not meeting their milestones.... Anyway....

I LOVE Oakland.  The architecture, the proximity to EVERYTHING, etc. etc.  Yes, there IS a little problem with crime, but I am hopeful.

SO ... There I was, sitting down with the latest copy of Bon Appetit when THERE it was.... in their travel section.... OAKLAND!!!

See... I TOLD you all... Oakland is where it's at!  (Go buy your house NOW while they are cheap!)

I have a guilty splurge... I LOVE the products at SumBody.

http://www.sumbody.com/

Their sugar scrubs smell so good I want to eat them.... Anyway, I was in the store today buying their face wash and I randomly asked, "So when are you going to start carrying make-up?"  The sales woman said, "Actually, in two or three weeks!"

They are going to be carrying a full line of mineral based cosmetics! 

I was introduced to this shop when they opened a store on Park St. in Alameda... I received a gift certificate for a massage.  I was skeptical because I didn't see how a massage at a little place on Park St. was going to be a good experience. ... By FAR this is the coolest spa EVER.  When you go into the back you are transported to another place completely.

Anyway, their products are all Paraben free, natural, etc. etc....

On Friday my boss gave me crazy news... She is leaving our organization and I am being asked to take her spot.  ... I know, I know... it sounds great.  BUT...

I usually work at MOST 20 hours per week.  The rest of my time is spend volunteering at my kids school, taking them to their practices, games, etc.... THEN there is all the laundry, food, house, husband stuff...

I can still negotiate to work from home in the afternoons, so my kids won't have to go to after-school care, but this was VERY unexpected.

So now I need to think about whether I want more:

Time OR Money/ Professional growth

Sound like a done deal huh?

So I kinda want to wear a uniform..... NO... not THAT kind of uniform.... I've been reading a lot of profiles, (Gwyneth Paltrow...)  lately where people say that they can't deal with daily fashion, so they found a style they like and they are sticking with it.

I kinda like this idea... a classic look that is your statement.

So here is my thought for Summer days:  (Don't forget... I'm a busy mom who works part time in a casual environment...)

linen cargos/ draw string jeans (no skirts, I'm on the floor all the time...) http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product.jhtml?id=prod93708171&catId=cat302216

long sleeved cotton shirts (I'm currently embracing the tunic, and I LOVE super long sleeved t-shirts.)  (The long sleeve thing works for me too because I get BURNED in two seconds flat...)

embellished sandals: http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product.jhtml?id=prod90717171&catId=cat302260

(Gold jewlery and cool sunglasses are essential too...)

Ok... I'm writing my very first diary entry.

... Yes, I love living in the San Francisco Bay Area.... and it is a great place to raise kids....BUT...

My children have NEVER seen a decent fireworks display!!! 

See, we have this little thing called FOG.  Tonight we tried, once again, to show them fireworks.  It was KFOG's KABOOM.... (fireworks set to a rockin' soundtrack....)  We stuck them in sweatshirts over their jammies and headed for the Bay.  Although it was pretty fun rocking out next to our car to "Free Bird" .... all we could actually see was little flashes of colored light shrouded in grey mist.

At this point, my kids think fireworks are the flares and M-80's set off by the hoodlums in our neighborhood!

A LONG time ago I overheard someone telling foreign tourists, "San Francisco is the WORST place to celebrate the 4th of July!"  At the time I assumed it was because of the politics.... now I realize that it is because of the fireworks.