Relaxing with your family at home has to be one of the best things in the whole world. My mum asked me yesterday if I was planning to make any new year's resolutions for 2013. I said that I probably won't make any this year, but now I feel I should definitely make one.

Chinese candle holder in the bathroom
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A collection of candles in the bathroom
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This morning has been so lovely so far. I took my time in bed and didn't hurry my mind to travel from sleep to conciousness. I let my eyes stay closed as long as they wished and let them to decided when they were ready to wake up. I basically, gave my body a chance to have a good weekend lie in too.

After feeling like having had enough sleep, I slowly opened my eyes and was even more delighted to see the sun shining through the curtain into my bedroom. Ah, this is just perfectness, I thought to myself. I have probably mentioned my love affair with weekends and sunny mornings many times before, and I'm sorry if I seem to be repeating it over and over again, but I just get so much enjoyment from sunny (weekend) mornings. I suppose appreciating them so much is my way of living my life here and now. Not longing for something from the past or waiting for something else to happen in the future either.

I also went for a run straight after I had got up from bed. I just pulled tracksuit bottoms up, layered a top and a hoodie on and slipped my running shoes on and powered off. It was quite cold outside which made me really speed up my pace at the beginning, but after 15 minutes I was so hot I had to lose the hoodie and slow down a little. Then I just kept on jogging for the rest of my route. The route I usually do goes around a big pond. It normally takes me 25minutes to run around, but then I usually do an extra lap walking. It is a great way to cool down and stay outdoors a little bit longer. So all together my morning run+walk is often an hour's long me-time enjoyment. I also hardly ever have any music on (even thought that might help me to run longer sometimes) as I prefer letting my mind go empty. Then at some point during my walking lap, I usually realise that thoughts have entered my mind again. That's alright. I don't mind them popping in and out. If the thoughts relate to something that has worried me during that week, I usually think about them for a while and if I, for some reason, I don't seem to be able to draw a conclusion or find a solution, I usually have a few deep breaths and stop thinking about them for the time being. I rather concentrate on being outside, breathing the fresh air and watching the ducks and swans swimming by. Yup, those simple little things. 

A stone hear on a wooden plank on a beach.
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Whilst walking back, I got quite cold so I had a warm bath once I got back home. Other much appreciated life loving me-time moments are naturally baths and showers. Very girly and not very surprising, I know. I quite blatantly even call them my 'spa' moments as I never tend to rush out as quickly as possible. Hells no. Also, as I normally don't have that much time to pamper myself during the week, I'll often try to make an effort and do a hair mask, face mask, proper moisturising, scrub or exfoliation session over the weekend. I know they say the more effort you put in to your skin care routines the more you get out of them. It is true, your skin does look better and healthier the more you look after it, but I don't want to make looking after myself a calendar appointment type of weekly chore either. I think it is, in fact, quite silly to get stressed over not having had a full pedi- and manicure sorted out every single week. I occasionally hear and read  about people who actually get angry or upset if something comes in the way of their weekly treatments and it never fails to make me laugh out loud and wonder if they are serious about it. I mean, if they are then please, get a grip, that is not normal :D

5.02am waking up. Sitting in our living room and waiting  for coffee to be ready. I am going back home today, helping my mum to move houses.

I am also very surprised how little I am actually taking stuff home with me. One LV bag seems to be all I need for this 6 day trip. This must be some sort of a record. Ok, maybe it helps that the other half of my wardrobe is actually waiting for me in my old flat -but that's not the point :D

Speaking about Seth Stein Architects, look at their residential project portfolio

Summer house, Finland

A residential in Kensington London, which I actually have seen a picture a few years back on a deco magazine

A house in Toronto

 Plettenburg Bay, South Africa 

Vicenza, Italy

Portland Road, London

Turks and Caicos islands

Pitts Street, London

Notting Hill, London