Birthday Week

🎂 My birthday was a work day and a great, simple meal at home: Luke grilled chicken drumsticks, marking the second time the grill has ever been used (it was my birthday present in 2011 or 2012 - but too hot to grill on the driveway, in Texas, in July), and I made a caprese salad, steamed corn on the cob, and sliced strawberries. Summer food is glorious.

🎉 Saturday: three parties!

💆 Knowing it was going to be very hot and that I would be outside at least some of the day, I got my hair braided that morning. (Living by a salon that opens at 7 am on weekdays and 8 am on Saturday is so great!)

🐒 Curious George breakfast at the Butterfly House. Buffet catered by First Watch, crafts, a reading of a science-oriented Curious George book, photos with the primate himself. The girls had fun but it was HOT already.

🎠 Carousel rides.

🎨 With time to kill we drove to Chesterfield Commons to go to Michael's -- lately I've been wanting the girls to do more creative activities at home like painting, Play-Doh, etc... $150 later WE HAVE CRAFT SUPPLIES.

🍹 My mom came over to watch the girls while we went to a pool party, visited with friends, met some nice new people, enjoyed some kid-free time.

🌺 That evening--> Cream Cheese & Caftans Party!

So many of my favorite people, all together. It was grand.

Baby P, two weeks old!

I was just too hot to change clothes and couldn't change into my caftan! The gang really brought it.

Mom loves little bitty babies.

The theme from the party emerged from a couple of conversations with Jenny 1) cream cheese is the world's most versatile ingredient (solo - sweet - savory - what can't it improve?) and 2) this article referencing caftan parties that circulated on Facebook a few years ago.

The meal was rounded out by Sugarfire brisket and pulled pork and, naturally, a selection of amazing cream cheese desserts (redundant phrase, I know).

A day of new friends, old friends, family, fun - it was perfect. Sunday morning C woke up early and I hustled her out of the house so Josie and Luke could sleep. We went to Walgreens because I needed Zyrtec stat and she said, take my picture!

🍳 And then we went, bedhead and all, to Olive Street Cafe for a pancake and an omelet. I drank a cup of coffee and read part of the New York Times Magazine (bliss) while C colored the booklet in this $1 packet from Michael's - a booklet, crayons, and stickers. I'm buying 50 and putting them in my purse(s), car, gym bag...

🏡Then we looked at our first house! Unfortunately we had to bring the girls (who ran amok, of course) but it was a fun beginning to what will probably be a long process. This house had so many great ideas and a perfect location but too many 'that's not going to work' aspects to consider it. A relief of sorts because we're not moving for at least a year and I was worried about finding The Perfect House and being crestfallen about the timeline.

"I see a spider - he's so tiny!" There was no spider.

🔥 In the late afternoon Luke played an outdoor gig (so hot outside) and I made up for my lack of attendance (venturing to a new place in one thousand degree heat <<< girls placidly watching a movie at home) by making him vanilla ice cream. To everything, churn churn churn  / there is a season, churn churn churn...