This last weekend was especially full of crazy fun excitement. Mostly because it was filled with special occasion celebrations.
Daddy returned home from another week long business trip late Thursday night (more accurately, Friday morning). So after a few hours of sleep, little girls came trotting in to say good morning and were shocked and thrilled to see Daddy asleep in his bed. They pounced on him, eager for cuddles and loves. And then our weekend began.
Friday was the Law School graduation at U of U and one of these esteemed graduates was husband's kid sister. So we readied for the day, dressing in red and went to support and congratulate. The girls' favorite part was the shuttle bus that picked us up from the parking lot and took us to the graduation ceremony. The graduation itself was a blur of speakers, including lists of accomplishments, inside jokes that we didn't get and inspirational thoughts, followed by a long line of triumphant new lawyers dressed proudly in their black and red robes, ready to accept the dean's handshake. Afterwards we celebrated an played on the lawn. Kid Sister bounced happily, hugging family and friends while my little girls played with their cousin and made friends with other nearby children. We briefly attended the Law School's reception (mostly to steal cookies) and then made the short walk across campus back to our car. Soon, we arrived at the Open House that Husband's mom had arranged to honor kid sister (hence forth to be known as "Kid Sister, JD", just as she dubbed him "Dr. Dude Bro"). The food was plentiful and tasty as we sat around talking, reminiscing and congratulating. The girls helped themselves to the generous candy buffet as well as the coloring books and activities that Grandma provided for them. Eventually, we loaded the girls into the car, said our final congrats and headed north to meet up with my parents.
We met my parents to give them our kids who would be spending the night with them. The ended up swimming all evening, staying up late and swimming again in the morning. It sounds like they had a blast and even little Lovely is now a "banzai! master". Meanwhile, Husband and I went on a date. First we met some friends for dinner at Tenpanyaki. We talked and laughed our way through steaks and sushi with some of my very favorite people in the world before continuing on to the theater. We've been waiting to use the tickets that arrived in our stockings on Christmas morning, and would finally get to see Les Miserable. It's Husband's favorite show and a perfect choice to kick off celebrating his birthday which would be the next morning. The show was amazing. In fact, both of us have seen it several times (including in London and New York) and this was my favorite. The delivery was so clear that not a single event or conversation got muddled. The talent was spectacular, especially the men, and it was such an incredible, impressive and powerful experience with a greater depth and understanding that I've ever had with that show.
The next morning started very early but happily so because we were going birthday boarding. Husband has been snowboarding on his birthday for the past two decades and even though the snow gets slushy or icy by May, it's a special occasion and great experience. But it's one that I have missed for six years now with the arrivals of our girls. So I was particularly happy to join. We started with a beautiful photo op at the top of the mountain before we split up. Husband had invited one of his best friends to go with us, so the two of them went racing off while Grandpa and I took our time down the mountain. He patiently waited for me to relearn the motions on our first run and we slowly picked up speed throughout the day (fortunately not having to keep up with the pros!). Husband and his friend usually fit in two runs to our one but we managed to meet up at the bottom a few times. We had a great time and Grandpa and I managed to find some fresh trails that were particularly fun. Despite the very warm weather, it was still a great day of boarding. (even with the brief mishap which resulted in a stop at the clinic for stitches on the way home for our friend).
We drove from the mountain and went north to meet my parents again and retrieve our cute kids. They were thrilled to see Daddy again and shower him with birthday kisses. Butterfly had begged to make him a chocolate cake for his birthday, but seeing that we were short on time, we stopped at picked out a dessert at the store instead. We arrived home to join the party where Husband's parents, kid sister (JD) and his brother and his family were waiting for us to kick off a bbq. Husband, as grill master, went work on the steaks and veggies we had picked out and soon we feasted. The girls were thrilled to play with their little cousin, just younger than our Ladybug and cooed over the baby, just a few months old. We played, lounged and relaxed. Eventually we dove into dessert, presents and a bedtime movie.
The next morning, Mother's Day, we took our time waking up. We knew the girls were exhausted from the weekend and eager to spend as much time with cousins as they could. So we skipped church deciding that although I wanted to hear them sing, it wasn't worth rushing cranky kids to get ready in time. Instead we played. Kid Sister and husband's brother made an amazing breakfast and the girls happily played all morning. It was a fun, noisy, chaotic blur. Husband had bought flowers, a beautiful combination of red and peach roses and then helped the girls make a beautiful gift for me! On poster board, his hand prints form the flower vase that holds little hand print blossoms, each girls' hands in a different color. So sweet and precious! Then all the girls (our and cousins) made a handprint in a book appropriately called I Love You Grandma, to give to Grandma. The celebrations were mixed with a packing frenzy as brother's family was preparing to go home to Arizona, plus Grandma, Grandpa, Kid Sister and Husband were preparing to leave for another business trip. We had a quick lunch and soon, everyone was gone. The house went from chaos to quiet in just a few minutes. Almost eerie actually, how quiet and still it was, so suddenly.
We rested for a few minutes and then piled into the car ourselves. We met my parents and sister in law (whose husband was working) for a playdate at the park and went to dinner. The girls ran and played, we leisurely talked and enjoyed the beautiful weather. The girls gave a gift to my mom, a pair of purple Mickey earrings that Butterfly declared would be perfect for Grammy.
And eventually we arrived home again, just before bedtime. I tucked the girls in, completely worn out from so much fun and celebrating. They fell asleep quickly and I wandered around the very quiet house, eventually settling into my own little indulgence: ice cream and the final episodes of the West Wing, finishing off the sitcom I've been watching the past few months a little at a time.
Congrats KidSister, Happy Birthday Husband and Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing women in our lives.
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