growing up in san diego, summertime meant two big events -the del mar fair (later renamed the san diego fair) and del mar race season. luckily (and unluckily for anyone commuting on interstate 5), both short-term events take place at the same location, mere days apart.

accordingly, this past weekend S, his parents, and i celebrated the season with an afternoon at the del mar thoroughbred club. we arrived a little before first post (2 p.m.) and stayed for nine of the ten races. S and i opted for exacta boxes as our betting strategy of choice, selecting two horses to come in either first or second place in each race. despite coming very close a few times, we ultimately went 0-9 for the day. womp womp. S’s dad, however, ended up being the big winner with a net $25 profit! we finished off our evening with a family dinner at fidel’s, because nothing better consoles a tough loss than greasy authentic mexican food, of course.

though we may have ended the day with a few less dollars in our wallets, our hearts were filled to the brim after spending quality time with S’s parents. they really are the best and i’m so grateful to be a part of their family.

as if this weekend couldn’t get any better, i was also treated to a mother/daughter spa day with my best gal. we chose the spa at the rancho bernardo inn which on a normal weekend would have been the perfect mini getaway from our north county bubble. but on a particularly toasty sunday, our election to head eastward resulted in a very quick trip. because when it’s 100 degrees poolside, even a private cabana can’t justify being out in the heat. instead, we enjoyed our white robes in the comfort of the the air conditioned locker room and each relished in our 80-minute treatment (scrub for her, massage for me). i did my best to relax in the darkened room as reed music serenaded me in the background, and for the most part, i’m happy to say i did. although i may or may not have also planned my trader joe’s grocery list during the massage as well. whoops.

all in all, it was a real treat getting pampered. spa life suits me, i do believe. but more important than an afternoon of relaxation was the opportunity to log a little one-on-one time with my beautiful momma.

needless to say, this weekend was one for the books!