It was another great weekend filled with celebrations, good friends, and laughter enough to have the cops called on us twice, marking visits seven and eight this summer. Per usual, the police were apologetic and embarrassed; they confirmed that we aren't doing anything wrong, and encouraged us to continue doing just what we are doing. Honestly, it really doesn't bother us. All
of our other neighbors are so fantastic that we just can't worry about this one set of boringtons. This weekend our friends in blue told us that they are really more concerned with the neighbor calling for no good reason than they are with us. Apparently that neighbor has a bit of a history of being a cop caller for every. little. thing. And so the fun went on. And boy did we have a lot of it!
Friday night we celebrated Jason's birthday and kicked off the celebrations early, with a late
afternoon happy hour. Jon took the train to our house after work, and Lindsay met us shortly after. A few of our neighbors came by, as did my parents. We picked up our babysitter and walked to dinner for a table of seven at our absolute favorite restaurant in town,
Bien Trucha. The food is so good I can still taste it. We all shared taco tapas and enjoyed some delicious margaritas, and then headed home to relieve the babysitter. Marin had a great time with Caleigh again, and this time we remembered to give her a key so no one got locked out. We had a great night, stayed up
wayyyyy past our bedtimes, and celebrated Jason's 32 great years.
Jon spent the night and Lindsay was spending the weekend, so Saturday we walked to Nosh for breakfast, and that afternoon I headed into the city to celebrate with Dana at her
bachelorette party. I was only able to stay for a quick visit, because Mike, Becky and their son Joel were on their way from Indianapolis. Still, it was a great visit with my friends and such a welcome change from having to chat with each other with our kids in tow. We sipped champagne from a suite at the top of The Wit Hotel downtown overlooking the lake, and chatted about Dana's upcoming Louisville wedding!
Back at home, Joel and Marin were having a
BLAST playing together in the sand, taking turns on their bikes, feeding each other applesauce, playing basketball, giving lots of hugs and kisses and speaking each others language the entire time. When I arrived back home, they were each covered head to toe in sand, and chatting together like they had spent their entire lives doing just
that. After dinner, they took a bath together. They loved splashing and playing in the bubbles together and passed toy animals back and forth as they told each other what sound it made. After they were both dressed for bed, they piled in my lap and we read one of Marin's favorite stories. They both went to sleep in record time. Mike and Becky spent the night and we stayed up late talking, but called it a night in time for a great nights sleep.
Sunday we loaded Marin and Joel in the wagon and headed to breakfast at another great spot by
us. The kids were both well behaved at breakfast and were sad when we got home and they had to say their goodbyes.
But the fun didn't end there! Molly and Brian stopped over late in the afternoon so Marin got to love on them for a quick visit and then we headed to my parents house for a family celebration for Jason's birthday. We topped the whole weekend off with a walk to Graham's for ice cream.
The house is quiet today. I love when it is full of laughter and good friends and family. Is there anything better? I had the post weekend blues BAD last night. It was such a great weekend seeing so many of our family and friends that we feel so blessed to have in our lives. Luckily, there are only four days until the next weekend!
This years Daddy/Daughter Dance was special because it took place on Marin's 6th Birthday, and it was Emilie's first time getting to go! Both girls were so excited!! They danced the night away with their friends, and during a dance with daddy, Emilie asked him to marry her. Does it get any better? It does, afterwards, they went out for ice cream with all of Marin's friends. 
Our Park District hosted its annual Daddy/Daughter Dance 
the Sunday before Valentine's Day. You have to be a big three year old in order to participate, and Daddy was so excited to take Marin this year.
boutonniere for her Daddy a few days earlier. When the florist suggested that a 
red rose might be nice Marin responded, "Um, actually I think my Daddy's favorite color is blue." So Daddy got a blue and 
orange boutonniere. Daddy brought Marin a beautiful wrist corsage with a pink sparkly ribbon. She 
loved it!
of our other neighbors are so fantastic that we just can't worry about this one set of boringtons. This weekend our friends in blue told us that they are really more concerned with the neighbor calling for no good reason than they are with us. Apparently that neighbor has a bit of a history of being a cop caller for every. little. thing. And so the fun went on. And boy did we have a lot of it!
afternoon happy hour. Jon took the train to our house after work, and Lindsay met us shortly after. A few of our neighbors came by, as did my parents. We picked up our babysitter and walked to dinner for a table of seven at our absolute favorite restaurant in town, 
Bien Trucha. The food is so good I can still taste it. We all shared taco tapas and enjoyed some delicious margaritas, and then headed home to relieve the babysitter. Marin had a great time with Caleigh again, and this time we remembered to give her a key so no one got locked out. We had a great night, stayed up wayyyyy past our bedtimes, and celebrated Jason's 32 great years.
bachelorette party. I was only able to stay for a quick visit, because Mike, Becky and their son Joel were on their way from Indianapolis. Still, it was a great visit with my friends and such a welcome change from having to chat with each other with our kids in tow. We sipped champagne from a suite at the top of The Wit Hotel downtown overlooking the lake, and chatted about Dana's upcoming Louisville wedding!
BLAST playing together in the sand, taking turns on their bikes, feeding each other applesauce, playing basketball, giving lots of hugs and kisses and speaking each others language the entire time. When I arrived back home, they were each covered head to toe in sand, and chatting together like they had spent their entire lives doing just 
that. After dinner, they took a bath together. They loved splashing and playing in the bubbles together and passed toy animals back and forth as they told each other what sound it made. After they were both dressed for bed, they piled in my lap and we read one of Marin's favorite stories. They both went to sleep in record time. Mike and Becky spent the night and we stayed up late talking, but called it a night in time for a great nights sleep.
us. The kids were both well behaved at breakfast and were sad when we got home and they had to say their goodbyes. 
But the fun didn't end there! Molly and Brian stopped over late in the afternoon so Marin got to love on them for a quick visit and then we headed to my parents house for a family celebration for Jason's birthday. We topped the whole weekend off with a walk to Graham's for ice cream.
herself, at us, looking out the window... Yesterday she laughed at Norah snoring. There is a reason her nickname is "Snorah".
baby shower for another friend who is overjoyed to become a mother, and rounded out the day at another friends Martinis and PJ's party where I got to meet he
r new puppy. A great day of celebrating love and joy with my dear friends at such exciting times in their lives.
ut of the box, straight away. Sunday, Marin, Norah and I were all in the box together.
recently made banquette seats for the kitchen table; I'm in love. I'm certainly glad to have hooked this one; he's quite the catch.
