The Fam

Last weekend we hosted my cousin and his wife and his adorable daughter (who we also were meeting for the first time!). It was so special to have them nearby, if only for a brief period of time.

I took Friday off and accompanied them and my other cousin -- my sisterfriend and her sweet baby -- to a local park to wander and watch animals and take a little train ride and play in the water.  

This was also their first time meeting Baby G!

We took a little side trip to visit our grandparents' old homestead, now essentially abandoned well over a year. It was nostalgic to walk the grounds and reminisce about our time spent swimming in old cow troughs (to my knowledge, none of us ever contracted tetanus, miraculously). Our family will never again gather together in that house, with Grandma in the kitchen whipping mashed potatoes and Grandpa planted in his recliner. It is with somber and mixed feelings that I think of this. But I am looking forward to new memories, to happy ones, of adult cousins still gathering as a group, watching their own children frolic together (just maybe not in cow troughs). 

After that we took them to our grandparents' assisted living home, where [Great] Grandma and [Great] Grandpa met Baby E for the first time. 

Four generations. 

The next day we returned for a family party. A different setting, but the same cast of characters. [Great] Grandpa met Baby G for the first time. 

These are precious memories, and I was happy to capture them. Thank you so much for taking the time and making the long journey to visit, R, A, and E. We love you dearly!

Husband's 30th birthday

On August 4, Husband turned 30 years old. It became a three-day event, starting on that Friday with a surprise spa day. We had a couple's massage and salt scrub and facials and manicures and pedicures and ZOMG relaxation abounded. Then we drove just a few minutes away for a lovely dinner and returned to the spa, where we spent the night.

The next day we met up with some local friends and went to lunch. We also couldn't resist a little bit of dessert. After enjoying their company (we loves thems), we drove home so I could make pie, oh, so much pie! I made cherry, blueberry, pecan, two banana creams, and a sugar cream.

On Sunday, the day of Husband's actual birthday, Husband opened a few gifts...

...and then opened his very special 25-year-old bottle of Laphroaig that he purchased in Scotland in May.

Then the rest of our friends came over, and we partied!

I am so fortunate to be able to share these milestones with you, Husband! I love you dearly and hope you had a wonderful time celebrating your 30th. Here's to many more birthdays spent together. Hugkisscuddle.