Out of Town Visitors

Since the end of June, we have had a ton of fun visitors here from out of town.  We have been busy, happy and having a ton of fun.  I think we are all suffering from a bit of a party hangover but we really would not have had it any other way.  More for me than anyone else I want to document some of the highlighs of what we have done this month.  

*Hung out with Carrie, Lincoln and their boys for the afternoon, talking, playing with paper airplanes and just enjoying being together. (here between moving from Boston to Seattle)

* Double date with Lincoln and Carrie,  went to dinner at Citrus Grill and the went and saw Get Smart at the theater.  We were giddy being out, it felt so good to be out with couple friends, that we love.   

*Going to the Sweet's Candy Factory with my cousins, Mary, Anna and Jenna. We went on the tour and ate yummy taffy.  Noah laughed hysterically that even Sofia had to wear a hairnet.  Sofia loved getting passed around with the girlies.  Noah is their little king and loves playing with them. (here from Dallas Texas)

*Playing at Grandma S* running around the backyard with the girlies.  Talking and enjoying being with my aunt.

*Playing at the park with Stone and Grey,  eating yummy Chinese food with Mara, while the boys ate McDonalds.  Walking along the bridges and talking.  Wishing the boys would just play and being so hot.  

*Going to lunch at Training Table with Kieran for her birthday and playing in the park afterwards.(they live here)

*Taking Noah and Lily to see Wall-E at the theatre.

*Hanging with Mara's family for the 4th of July and eating yummy food and talking with her family.  They are such comfortable people.  Talking books with Mara's mom Diane  and lighting fireworks and watching the joy in Noah's face with the sparklers and the colors of the fireworks.  Luckily the noise did not bother Sofia that much. (here from Vienna, Austria)

*Visiting with Rainer, Moni and Jan and Clemens that first evening.  Noticing the similarities between Kersten and his uncle,  Loving how much joy Moni found from life and loving her laugh. (here from Austria)

*Nodding and smiling while everyone around me spoke German, pretending like I understood a little bit.

*Watching my children making connections with their cousins from Austria.  Noah is used to people not understanding him.  He, Jan (11) and Clemens (9) started playing pretend swords and guns right away and jumped on the mattresses.  It did my heart good to see that they liked each other.

*Treasuring the moments when Jan plays with Sofia.  He laughed at everything she did.  He just marveled at her babyness.  He just loved her.  

*Going to Murray Park with Mara.  While she took pictures of my children.  She is so talented and has a magical way of capturing what my children are like right now. I loved having that afternoon just to be with her.  

*Kersten hiking up Donut Falls with Rainer and the boys

*Having lunch at Cafe Rio with Rainer and the boys with Jason and Verity.

*Noah and Kersten going Miniature golfing at Mulligans with Rainer and the boys.

*Endless hours of playing video games with Josh, Jan and Clemens.

*hanging out with the old gang.  Dinner at Cafe Trang with Matt, Mara,Ryan and Kristine.  Walking around Gateway talking.  The boys going to a Manly Movie while the woman go back to my house and talk late into the night.  

*Kersten and Noah going to Southern California on Vacation with Kersten's family and Rainer's Fam.  They got to hang out in downtown San Diego,  Go to Sea World.  Two days of Disneyland,  and see Wall-E and hanging out.  Lucky them.  Missed them a lot.

*Having a sleepover with my best friend Carrie.   This was so needed.  We had dinner at Hires.  talked late into the night.  Watched Kate and Leopold.  Had muffins for breakfast.  This was the best.  

*Hung out with Alicia and Brady (they live here) for an afternoon.  Watching Brady play and laughing with Lish.

*Christopher B-day party at the park

*Sadly we missed the BBQ with Sharon, Rich and their fam.  Their kids got sick and that was the night that my boys got home.  We are so sad we did not see them.   

*We also missed Polli.  We talked on the phone quite a few times.  The two afternoons I was not home while the boys were gone were when she stopped by.  I still am so sad about this.

*Sofia and I going to see Mamma Mia with Aunt Verity and Aunt Virginia on Pioneer Day.

*Going to my Dad's 60th birthday party on Pioneer Day.

*Visiting Todd at the hospital 

* Seeing the Cannons at Katie's wedding.  It was beautiful Hawaiian orange, so lovely

*Going to Noah's swimming lessons the first two weeks of July and starting them again tomorrow.

We are so lucky to have such good friends.  We love all of you so much.  It was divine getting to know Kersten's family better and seeing our dearest friends again.  So sad we missed some of you.  We love you all