A BIRTHDAY CAMPING TRIP

Scenes from a backpacking camping trip last September of women and some of their children: the sturdiest and dreamiest bunch I ever did see.

LU COUNTRY BOIL

To commemorate the end of summer, we threw a shrimp boil with friends. We were first introduced to the concept by Autumn and Garrett, who threw one a few years back, and we fell in love with the whole idea and everyone was on board to try to have one every year if possible. The year after that, we pulled off the genius move (I think it was Autumn's idea) to ask each person to contribute money to the dinner and for the hosts to do the shopping and cooking, instead of trying to facilitate a sign-up sheet of people bringing separate things. It solved so many logistic problems, it allowed everything to be more cohesive, and since this is an adult-only event, it served as a cheaper date night out with friends than if we had gone out to a restaurant. Everyone was willing to pay and did so quickly!  We volunteered to be the hosts this year, and I loved every moment of it.  It was a joint effort: with Ken doing the shopping and cooking of the giant shrimp boil for 20, and me doing the shopping, arranging and set up of everything else: the layout, decor, cocktails (whiskey sours and gin mojitos), wine, glasses, napkins, appetizers and sides (subrosa bread, butter and heirloom tomatoes) and dessert (fresh fruit and caramel chocolate pretzel bars).

A big shout out to my Ken who agreed to put up these string lights on our back driveway, without complaining even once, being a more evolved man than he was a few year ago, because of course it made the biggest difference in atmosphere. The night was perfect in weather, company, food and conversation.  Here are some photos and then a video below of the evening.

SLOANE TURNS SEVEN

Our first baby turned seven last month! She's in second grade now as of a couple of weeks ago, and it still feels strange whenever that leaves my mouth. Second grade was when I started to have some of my more distinctive memories, and it is so striking that I now have a daughter this age that is amassing her own set of memories which will shape and form her. 

She is a dreamer, a thinker, a great-idea-haver. She loves her friends and her sister, directs games, tells stories, and has a blossoming artist's perspective. She can sit for hours listening to me read a book aloud, and also loves playing volleyball, tennis and doing BJJ more recently. She is kind, silly, and often gets deep in thought or a task and won't be easily pulled away. She plays with kids who aren't included and cries at almost every movie.  What a girl we have. 

On her birthday we spent the morning having a pool party with her friends, and then in the afternoon she got her ears pierced (!) followed by dinner with my parents, my sister and her kids, who happened to be here on Sloane's birthday (which is so rare!). I loved getting to celebrate Sloane with everyone, and there's a video below that summarizes our day. 

LOGAN TURNS FOUR

I love this girl, I love talking to her, I love talk about her. She is so funny and extremely boisterous. When she is upset about something, she'll be upset about it long and loud.  When she gets her mind set on helping you, she'll help you whether you like it or not.  She is a quick learner, learning as she does the thing.  She is determined and she knows what she likes and doesn't like, and is not shy about telling you. She no longer wakes up several times in the middle of the night - thankthelord - but she does sneak into our bed early in the morning to get another snooze and snuggle in, and it is one of my favorite things about my day.  

She turned FOUR last month, and we were so pleased to be able to celebrate her.  She requested a pool party with friends, a balloon game, and banana cupcakes (she was fine with the chocolate and vanilla ones we ended up with) and that she got! Along with a surprise big present of this balance bike, which she has been practicing on diligently since. 

She was just as pleased with the red balloons as she was with the bike and played with these balloons for a solid half hour by herself while I set up for her party. 

The birthday girl got to have her breakfast on the unicorn float. 

Sloane's present to Logan was this shirt that she designed. Isn't it great? Logan loved it. That's Logan's face looking at the gift giver. 

Logan recently changed daycare to one that is closer to us and it's been a good transition overall, but she misses her friends at her old daycare.  Happily, a few of them got to come to the party, including Logan's BFF Avery.

We ended the party with a balloon game that Logan requested wherein everyone keeps the balloon in the air while the music is going and then has to grab it and freeze when the music stops. Balloon games are always such a hit with kids! 

I'm still processing the fact that my youngest is four and occasionally mourning the end of the toddler era, but getting to know how amazing she is at this stage is easing all that into sweet memories. I'm caressing the present with all my might and I'm so grateful we get to have her as part of our family. 

A SATURDAY MORNING

One morning a few mornings back, we made space to sit over breakfast and listen to the wind in the trees, birds chatter, and hear about the rhythms of each other's days. 

We gathered hot coffee, steaming casserole and fresh fruit, and walked it outside to a summer morning that carried with it some of the night's briskness, but in the light of day, it felt like we had come upon a new world. Mornings are magnificent like that.