Happy birthday to me

 I’m 48! It’s wild to be an older lady. What a gift.

Alli treated us to an Orioles game complete with special all you can eat seats.  

She went home Thursday, so Amy, Matt, and I drive to her apartment and parked for free, then we all walked the leas than mile to the stadium. 

It was a *perfect* night to be outside. So cool and pleasant. Our section was super fun too. There was a travel team of like 10-12 year olds behind us that rowdy and fun. Since I am also rowdy and fun, at one point around the 4th inning I turned around and asked if they wanted to help us start a wave. Waves are one of my favorite things. They were like yeah! So we started, and then the next section was like - do it again and we’ll join - and it went on and on like that until we’d done it probably 10 times and gotten around 9 other sections to join in. And then we were like, kk, we’re done. 🤗

The buffet was kind of lame, but it was fun to experience. They had hotdogs, pulled pork, pretzel bites (they were cold 👎🏼), nachos, popcorn, cookies, ice cream bars, and sodas. 

The O’s pulled out a pretty fun win, pulling ahead in the 8th inning. I love me a baseball game!

When we got to Alli’s apartment building we heard a loud and persistent meowing. Matt spotted a cat on the 4 story roof of her apartment - it was wild and I would have never spotted her little head up there. We meowed and tsk tsk’ed her to the backside of the building where the ladder was. We knocked on the neighbors door who have the fire escape ladder in their backyard but they weren’t home and the gate was locked. We were like - should we call the fire department or do they only rescue cats in movies? We were fixing to call the non-emergency line when another few neighbors came out and said they’d already called and were told to call back in the morning if she was still on the roof. The poor baby was in distress though and she was really smart following us. 

Finally, Alli suggested we check to see if we could reach her out her back fire escape window. I was happy to let Matt climb on out, but Amy climbed out first and the two of them were able to coax the cat near the ledge where they were and grab her. 

They handed the anxious and scratchy good girl into Alli and Chris’ waiting towel. The birthday girl was tasked with pictures. Birthday girls don’t get their hands dirty. 😉 

And just like that - we rescued a cat! She had an AirTag on, but the smarted technologically among us couldn’t figure it out, or it wasn’t working, and she really wanted to get down, so we let her go outside and she was happy as a clam. 

It made for a super memorable birthday! And then Amy and I stayed up talking reunions till like 4am. 🤷‍♀️🤣🤦‍♀️

Henna week + Adi

Eagle Scout project sighting!

It was such a unique week. Certainly a first for my house! It was quiet and easy and delicious.

We played a lot of games. We went on a lot of hikes. Like this one where we saw 2 diamond heads. 

I got the wildest Skull King hand. 

I feel so blessed to have 2 sisters that I love to spend time with. 

And all the while Delaney was living her best fsy life. 

Off to FSY

Saturday and Sunday were lazy days. Delaney rocked her sky high blue heels at church. She’s gets all the compliments when she wears them. 🤣

Daniel and Ang came and stayed at our house Friday and Saturday night. They were out most of the time, but I’m glad they stayed.

Alli came down on Sunday. She came bearing gifts! Including this Oreo taste testing pack. They were all good except the green one, which was pickle flavored and tasted like pickle and was the gift that kept on giving. 🤢 

We taste tested them and guessed the flavors. The cotton candy one was really good!

Early Monday morning matt left for a work trip to San Diego and we dropped Adi and Frankie off at the Darrow’s for FSY. They were not excited, but I’m thrilled to report that Delaney had the best time and Frankie had a pretty good time. 

Silly shot!

These turds. I love them. 

Alecia sent this of Delaney all settled in her room. She roomed with Kristina and loved it. She loved her company and her leaders and the food and she and Kristina made friends with 2 boys and have been FaceTiming constantly. 

I got lots of good pictures, which I’m all about. 

All my kids have loved fsy food!

Meanwhile on the west coast…

He loves to say he swam in the Atlantic and pacific within days of each other. 

Alli’s plan was to stay here sunday night, then drop tenkor at the kennel and go to Amy’s. She invited Adi and I, since we were home alone. I kind of jokingly told Amy she should come down and she was like ok! And then I regretted a little because, in the words of Delaney, I’d done so much peopling, but also I just really wanted to catch up on all my stuff. But then of course we had the best time and all was well. 

Not so Beachy friday

Cyclospora is running rampant and causing explosive diarrhea, so some people aren’t eating lettuce or berries or, I don’t really know what else, but to that I say, at least I’d lose a few pounds. 😉 I don’t really want the explosive diarrhea it o did save this picture because the offending farm apparently sells to this aldi lettuce that I buy. I’m happy to report we’ve suffered no ill effects from any cyclospora and no explosive diarrhea up in here.

We woke up early Friday and got things packed up. We had 2 cars and Matt and Frankie wanted to get home, so we sent them and the Pools on their way with our cooler and Adi, Delaney and I stayed to swim a few more hours. Rest stopping. 👇🏻 

We had been in search of a farm stand and Matt sent us the details for one he saw on his way and we bought the best fresh peaches!

Adi is our biggest peachy girl. 

So happy we were able to stop!

So, long story short, we never got to swim. It thundered and rained and once that let up there was still a double red flag for beaches closed, but we went to both of the farthest beaches where lifeguards aren’t stationed because Laura thought we could swim there, but the had marines guarding both spots. Come to find out there was a water spout so they really mean business. We ended up heading to a fun huge thrift shop with Laura around 12:30 and we made a good choice because they weren’t able to swim until 6. D sent a pic of the drawbridge -  I drove to the thrift store with Laura and Adi drove our car. 

It was so rainy. What a week of weather!

We killed time (hoping the beach would open) by playing giant taco, cat, goat, cheese, pizza. 

So ridiculous!

We tried! We even sun screened and everything. 

Just two angry grannies. (That’s so weird)

Coordinating our picture faces. 🤣

We forgot to get a group shot at the giant Adirondack chair! D photo bomb. 

Love her!

I can’t explain it. 

Trying to figure out how to sit. It’s harder than it looks. 

She was on one!

My #3 and #5 ❤️

So close to perfect!

And finally, Delaney feeding Jasper and teddy. She loves babies but is alto the baby so she loves them to a point. 🤣 

We grabbed lunch and it was an easy drive home. We arrived when it was still light out so we got everything unloaded and then I cashed out. Girls camp + beach week made for a tired me. 

Beachy Thursday

Wednesday night (going into Thursday) Henry had a rough night. We could hear him crying off and on all night. So when we woke up at 7, we offered to go pick up some baby Tylenol for his poor little teething body and mouth. 

For brekkie Laura made biscuits and gravy, so we all drove to their tiny house at 9.

It was our last day at the beach and we stayed as long as we could. One sad thing that happened is that our beach canopy just completely broke one day. The poles just sheared right apart in the crazy wind. I felt bad because I had left it when we’d gotten kicked off the beach, but I thought it would be fine. Then the adults all agreed they thought it would have been fine too, so I felt better.

We loved the giant tidepools during low tide!

Thursday was the best because it wasn’t too crazy but was deep (to my shoulders) like a swimming pool.

And then you could go past that to the sandbar and hunt for treasures or enjoy the waves right on the other side. 

I wanted to stay all day. We didn’t ever get a full day where you take food and everyone stays all day because of the crazy weather. Next time. 

Lu came for awhile and took pictures of us on the sandbar. 

Carter and Emmett were so brave! We got taken out by a few waves, but they pushed through their fear. Emmett especially likes to push the limits and he wanted to walk by himself, which I did not want, but allowed because the waves weren’t especially wild. Anyway, a wave came and as it hit he yelled “get me!” 🤣 all was well. 

Saturday was Jasper and Adam’s birthday and I really wanted to celebrate Jasper so we had to do Adam too 😉. I had brought my giant chocolate chip cookies frozen and had brought my homemade hot fudge and we picked up Blue bell ice cream (thank you Tony for reminding me how delicious it is!) and we threw candles in them and surprised the birthday boys. 

I made my new favorite copycat chipotle chicken and everyone loved it. I made it for the Rays, at the beach, and for the missionaries and it’s gotten rave reviews all around. It’s delicious. 

One sad thing - I bought a big chuck roast for dinner too and had to throw it away because it went bad. $35. 😢 

Everyone helped and we made black beans and cilantro lime rice too. 

Balloons are so cheap and entertaining. 

And actually, as I’m seeing these two pictures they’re from different days! 🤣 the problem with everyone sharing pictures. Oh well. 

Then Laura and Josh decided they had to sing to me too. 

July is the best birthday mont🤷‍♀️

I guess we played skull king that night? No recollection. 🤷‍♀️

Laura brought over a few crabs and showed Miss d how to pick. ❤️

These aren’t as funny because they’re out of order. This is #4 when I told them both to throw a peace sign. 

#3 when just Katie posed and I was like “you and Delaney are the same!”

#2 when they first spotted me taking a picture. 

#1 when I caught them chatting. Awkwardly, I must say. It just struck me how similar they are! Stance and personality.

Poor Lexi was so miserable. I can’t not include this funny picture. 

Carters usually not that brave, so it made me so happy to take him out!

❤️

D’s heart shades 

The twins making brekkie-

Breakfast at their crowded lil house. 

And Henry miserable first thing in the morning, before his meds.

After dinner cherry went outside and came back reporting that the ocean was completely smooth and glassy. A handful of us grabbed our suits and enjoyed the most peaceful swim of the week. It was so perfect! Matt, Bash, and I were the last stragglers and stayed till the sun went down and I was finally like, uhhh, we should probably go in. I wish we’d had more glassy ocean nights, but just next time.