Summertime? What's that?

Have you ever seen something and you thought, "Now that has potential.." Yeah, well Potential looks like many things, sometimes a piece of furniture, a heap of lumber on the side of the road that could 

become (fill in the blank), or even an old grain sack can have potential. 

This is my Potential. 

Not very pretty. Forlorn looking even. Discarded by a previous owner, and left to waste away. Exterior doors missing, windows missing, carpeting laying on the grass to keep weeds away...No one to love it.

Well not anymore!

(drum roll please)

You are looking at the proud owners of  Potential!

I'm trying to just ignore those ugly reality checks in my head. You know, the ones who are telling me this is a big project that must be done before the snow falls. Did I mention it's in the mountains, where there is snow, 3 hours from my house! Kind of a logistical nightmare don't you think? Oh yeah, and in case you've forgotten, it's fire season, and my husband is a firefighter. Hmmmm. I might be crazy. 

Well say goodbye to Summertime cause we now own, Potential! 

(Now you know why I've been absent from blogland...more updates to come) Have a great weekend!

A Historic Place You've Got to See!

Los Angeles Athletic Club -

While traveling to Los Angeles recently for a gift show we had the pleasure of staying at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. A hotel and private athletic club in one, the Los Angeles Atheletic Club was built in born in 1880 and was the first private club in Los Angeles. 

It is truly a gem. If you are in the Los Angeles area and need a hotel, I would recommend it. What a neat place. It is not much to look at from the outside, in fact you just might miss it when you drive by, but once inside you are struck by how beautiful and "manly" it is. I have stayed at many hotels in my travels but not many have made me want to explore every nook and cranny like this one. It has beautiful architecture and finishes on every floor in addition to one of the most ingenious athletic club layouts I have ever seen. It has a full size swimming pool and basketball court on the 6th floor with a running track that overlooks them both from the 7th floor. Amazing.

Here are just a few pictures of the decor of our room and the halls on our floor. Don't you just love the athletes of years gone by? Their work out attire was fabulous! Oh, and every floor had different sports pictured. Love it!

 The books in the library were to die for as was the ball room. Swoon! Makes me want a "Man Cave" in my own home.

My Happy Place!

If you are in need of a great place to go camping, play in a lake, or just relax. Shaver Lake is the place for you! Shaver is my happy place, I love escaping there. I truly want to live there, I just have to figure out the logistics to make it happen. But until then, I will let you in on this wonderful place. 

It is located on Hwy 168 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and is about an hour out of Clovis/Fresno.The town of Shaver Lake is named for the lake that lies at the 5,500-foot level inside the Sierra National Forest. This gorgeous lake offers wonderful fishing and boating opportunities; water skiing and lots of other water related activities. There is also camping, hiking, mountain biking and back packing and horse pack trips available in the Shaver Lake area. Summer is the busiest time for Shaver Lake, and winter offers a more quiet time but does play host to skiers and snowboarders on their way to the China Peak (formerly Sierra Summit) Ski Resort. There are SnoPark areas around Shaver Lake that are open in winter and the town is magical when it's lit up for the holidays! 

For this trip we rented a cabin for 3 days and camped for 2 days (it was our kids first time camping so we started small!)

My biggest "little" playing on the swings at Big Creek School

The kids also got to participate in the local Summer Rec. Program offered by Big Creek School (about 20 minutes beyond Shaver Lake). 

Big Creek raging due to snow melt, did I mention that it was 75 degrees and there were still patches of snow on the ground? So Cool!

 My son got to go bowling for the first time at the school's bowling alley.... 

Isn't this a great ad? It was hanging on the wall at the School Bowling Alley!

Yes, they have their own bowling alley, it is soooo cool! 

We went swimming in the school pool and trust me any outdoor pool located at 5000 feet in elevation has a breathtaking view. 

We took hikes near the lake,

Shaver Lake

and over Dinkey Creek, 

Dinkey Creek Wood Truss Bridge

Taking a look at the not-so-Dinkey Creek

 and got to check out the wildlife that was all around us. 

A King Snake warming itself by the road.

The pair of deer that lived right next to our campsite! 

Oh, and if you should stop by this wonderful place, make sure to visit Young's Shaver Lake Hardware. 

It is owned by some of our dearest friends and they have everything from batteries, to sheet rock patches (just in case your dog eats a hole through your cabin wall!) to toys for the kiddos! And if you forgot it, they will have it, trust me! 

Where is your "Happy Place?" I would love to see it! Leave me your comments, you just might win something!

Have a wonderful weekend!