This past weekend- to quote The Office- rocked my face off.
To start the festivities, our lovely friends Annie and Jared came for a visit on Wednesday night (which, I realize, is not the weekend. Unless you’re 20 years old. Which I am!) and stayed through today. This is great. And I’m superbly happy that they stayed with us, as their dance card was quite full with friends and a wedding and such…that it was a good way to guarantee we’d see them at least twice a day.
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| Anyone want some blue? |
On Friday, N.J. and I surprised Peej with a cookie cake from Jewel (the grocery store)…but it was no ordinary cookie cake. It was one that kids could DECORATE! (Apparently, when you give my child a choice of any color frosting or sprinkles or decorative cake-like things, she will choose…blue. Lots of blue. (It was ridiculously delicious, btw.)
On Saturday, A and J drove to Iowa for a wedding (which, Massachusetts friends, yes- it’s possible to do from Illinois) and the mini Schoeny fam walked over to our neighborhood’s block party. (Peej made brownies because he’s amazing. Also because I do not bake.) There was an insane amount of food (and coleslaws. Neighborhood parties require a boggling amount of coleslaw).
There were free snow cones. (As many as you wanted, turns out! Trust me on this one.)
A fire truck showed up- which usually signals a disturbance in the ‘hood- but not this time! It was, in fact, there for eager kids- and some enthusiastic adults- to tour while wearing mammoth fireproof coats. As one kid who was a dead ringer for Jerry O’Connell in Stand By Me positively shrieked- “They’re letting you GO INSIDE THE TRUCK!” (This kid also announced in the exact same voice that the firefighters were opening up a hydrant and that the prizes for all of the games were CANDY…so it’s safe to say he was pretty darned excited about the day.)
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| Sankyou, siren. |
We couldn’t stay too long- for we had a barbecue to attend. (Lest people feel like we’re the Swelly McPopulartons- rest assured. Come February, no one takes our calls. But we’re a pretty good social occasion/big crowd bet. ‘Cause, once again, P.J. bakes brownies.)
And the bbq was fabulous. Our pals Sara, John, and Owen had us over to their gorgeous backyard and we all had a blast watching our respective kids get muddy/splashed at the water table/cover themselves with creamsicles. And they have very cool friends with very cool/quite muddy/dessert-ed up kiddos.
I even had part of a beer.
And it was really great.
Since we had a feeling that Nora would conk out early and without incident, we planned a date night. Peej suggested taking his laptop out back and watching a movie under the stars. I mentally prepped the popcorn.
Sheer seconds after tucking Nora in her bed, P.J. stretched out on our bed and- mid sentence- started to snore. I thought he was kidding. (He was not.) I amended the evening’s plans by eating a column of brownies (don’t your brownies get eaten in columns? No?) and finished Professor Layton and The Curious Village on my DS. (Because sugar makes me brilliant.) And yes, no need to tell me. I am an awesome date.
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| Dad, you’re the daddest. |
The next morning was Father’s Day, and Nora celebrated by clinging to him like a barnacle, singing his name, and opening his present for him. (She made a silhouette of herself for him- I helped- and it looks awfully cute next to the one we made last year. We’re also facilitating the buying of his new shoes- that he will choose. For he is terrible to surprise. Awful. The worst.) There was also a Mickey and Minnie card that, while not exactly Father’s Day material, was The. Only. One. That. Would. Do.
We even got to go to Victory’s Banner, the brunchiest brunch in town! (Happy Father’s Day to us all!)
That night, after Annie and Jared returned to town, we surprised her with a li’l ol’ surprise party to celebrate the big…29. Again. Again. Her loving husband threw the whole thing together and it was hosted by the gracious Brea. All I did was pick up and deliver the cupcakes from Sweet Mandy B’s and show considerable restraint in not buying out their entire shelf of individual coconut cream pies. Seriously, people.
I also got to lie to one of my very best friends for a good couple of weeks, up to and including the ridiculous whopper concerning Nora’s sitter. (“Why are we spending money on a sitter for our Game Night at Brea’s? Why not just have it here at your place, Keely?” “I…just feel like going out. On a Sunday. Even though P.J. has tech rehearsal. And the sitter’s coming after Nora’s bedtime. ‘Cause we have a very specific start time to this Game Night. No reason.) Yet again, I would make a terrible spy.
ALL worth it when we got to see her expression when a room of her closest friends began singing Happy Birthday to her…and recording it all on iPhones. Ah, the future. (Annie and I had shared birthday parties for a number of years- back when video capability didn’t come on phones. Heck, phone capability barely came on phones. But the lack of documentation is most likely a check in the plus column. Ah, the past.)
The food was stellar, the company even moreso. (But seriously, the cupcakes. I had- more than one. My weigh-in for 24 weeks this a.m. is bound to be a good time.)
If this past week is any indication of the summer ahead of us, I am le stoked.
And if I don’t slow it down, I will also be le huge.
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