spa towels

Harrison Hot Springs

On Thursday morning we left for Harrison Hot Springs Hotel and Spa at Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia, Canada.  It’s about a 3 hour drive from Seattle, so it is easy to forget we are going to another country.  Just as we were leaving, after many farewells and reassurances to old-man-Little-Bear that the catsitter was indeed on her way, Rick suddenly said, “Hey, guess what we almost forgot? Our PASSPORTS!”

The hotel, which sits on Harrison Lake and is dwarfed by mountains, is huge. There are four hot spring soaking tubs (two indoor and two outdoor) plus one large thermal swimming pool (outdoor).  The hotel provides white robes and white towels.  People clad in white are floating aimlessly (totally relaxed) all over the hotel.  There are people from all over the world here.  As I soak, I close my eyes and hear the murmur of many languages around me.  The sounds of Japanese, Korean, Ukrainian, Chinese, Persian, Turkish, French, etc, blend into the steam that rises around me.  I am in the Tower of Babel.  The tower seems to have a stream of music that drifts in and out of my ears.  The languages blend, become muted, and resemble the sound of a rushing river.  We soak in the morning and again late at night.  There is a warm thermal spring Olympic sized lap pool and I swim until I am filled with the happiness of a child floating, swimming, and flying.  The outdoor thermal pools are open until 11 pm. It is great to soak until late at night under the night sky.

Top 5 Gifts to Get Your Stay-at-Home Wife

Life as a stay-at-home mom (SAHM) can get pretty hectic but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Without realizing it, a day can fly by between laundry, errands, and pulling together meals for the family. Here are some suggestions for practical and fun gifts for that mom you know who seems to do it all.

I am forever guilty of falling in love with commercials that feature the laundry room of my dreams—that ever-spotless space with gleaming appliances and stacks of cushy towels that probably retain their color and fluff forever. Any home that frequently does multiple loads of laundry can benefit from a new washing machine and dryer. A reliable machine always makes the daunting task of laundry piling up a little bit easier to tackle.

While household chores aren’t solely my responsibility, I do a lot of picking up around the home. I appreciated receiving a gift certificate for housecleaning last year for Mother’s Day . I had the chance to take a break from rubber gloves and walking around the house with a dishtowel stuffed in my back pocket. It was great to have a professional crew come in and give the house a thorough cleaning. The gift gave me a chance to spend time with my family without worrying that the dishes or vacuuming had to be done when we got home.