A Fun-filled Weekend

This post is from a month ago. I’m so behind. Remember me mentioning that I recently had a chance to hang out with several bloggy friends in my real everyday existence? Well, that all began on this lovely Friday afternoon when Brigit was in the area for a belly dance festival.

She and her family were staying with her in-laws here in Sonoma County and Clover and I (Lucas was off on a surf trip) got to spend the afternoon/evening with them AND Mary and family came up from San Francisco to join in the fun too!

Brigit’s partner prepared a yummy BBQ and we ate and chatted over beers, while all our kids ran free like the wild little creatures that they are in Brigit’s in-law’s beautiful garden.

At the base of a big Redwood with a tiny little creek running nearby, the scene was pretty idyllic as the kids frolicked about and the sun sank soft and golden.

Brigit’s eldest and Mary’s partner Jeff’s son hit it off like crazy. The evening held no shortage of spirited wrestling matches between these two.

soon Brigit’s younger son wanted in on the action too.

If only I had worn navy, we would have made quite the coordinated trio. I did however, wear this lovely new-to-me skirt from a really fun package I recently received from Teeny and fittingly when you look closely, the fabric’s gold metallic threads give it teeny golden sparkles : ) Psst, rumour has it that Miss Teeny will soon be making an appearance here in real life too!

Now, what has caught Mary’s and my attention that Brigit is so naturally tuning out?

Ha! Yes, Brigit’s eldest definitely won biggest ham of the evening.

After acting as our photographer, Jeff got in on the wrestling action too, easily taking the win for funnest adult.

It was a perfect warm evening of good food, good fun, and good people. I so enjoyed getting to see both Brigit and Mary again and getting to meet and hang out with their awesome families!

Mary arrived at the BBQ bearing gifts for both Brigit and I. My gift was this fun stripy skirt featuring some pretty amazing pockets.

I put it on the very next morning before Clover and I set off to meet up with family and watch the Annual Rose Parade weave its joyous way through the streets of downtown Santa Rosa.

I do love a parade :)

Then on Sunday afternoon, after Lucas had arrived home, as if a parade wasn’t enough excitement for one weekend, we decided to throw a circus into the mix too! We walked down to the fairgrounds and met up with my sister Val, her husband Kevin, and two youngest daughters to check out the little Latino circus that had come to town.

You can tell by looking at the kids that it was hot and stuffy in that tent. Luckily, Kevin was over at the concession stand purchasing some red dye and sugar-covered ice to take their minds off it.

It was a small production, under one bright blue, red, and yellow tent, with a couple of clowns and several acrobatic performers scantily clad in sparkly outfits.

The performers could also be spotted wandering through the crowd selling balloons, cotton candy, and various plastic light-up things when they weren't performing.

While Clover spent much of the show in a state of heat-induced grumpiness (I’m sure the red dye and sugar had nothing to do with it ;), whining for cotton candy and balloons and plastic light-up things, minor fits thrown with each denial, she did perk up when this shiny lady made her grand entrance...

... oddly enough to the tune “Lady in Red.” Leaning over, she says into my ear “mama... I LIKE that girl” with a big dreamy smile on her face :)

So yeah, that was a pretty packed weekend, and there have been more fun-filled weekends since... more tales of magical fun and bonding with bloggy friends to come! Who knows, someday I may even get it together and post about my birthday party! Stay tuned :)