Labor Day weekend used to be when I would go out to California and
meet up with my aunt Peg for the Sausalito Art Festival. Now that Peg has passed away, this time of year has a sweetness and a sadness to it. Fond memories and a feeling of loss do a little tango in my heart.
Though I didn't go out to Sausalito this year, I still kept busy over the three-day weekend.
Saturday Jeremy was working on a project at his parents' house in Colorado Springs, so Scarlett and I went to Ikea with my parents and Drew. Denver FINALLY got an Ikea. And people are still going a little nuts over it, so it's quite the event to shop there.
Afterward we had lunch at Rock Bottom Brewery. Scarlett got her chicken strips and fruit bowl meal ten minutes before we all got our meals, and she was still eating ten minutes after we were done. She was determined to stuff every last bite in her mouth.
My friends/colleagues Deb and Regina invited Scarlett and I to meet them at a coffee shop in Boulder Saturday evening to enjoy live Egyptian music. It was close to Scarlett's bedtime, but I thought the unique experience would be worth her staying up a little late that night. I'm glad I made that decision. Scarlett went NUTS at
Caffe Sole. When the music started, Regina scooped Scarlett up to dance with her -- and Scarlett went crazy dancing to the beat. She bobbed her head and tried to imitate the hand movements of the belly dancer out on the dance floor. Scarlett was so in to it!
Sunday Scarlett and I went down to the Springs for the twins' birthday party (Jeremy was already down there). I can't believe those boys are already two years old. They are only 10 months older than Scarlett, so I always look at them and think, "That's going to be Scarlett in ten months!" And it blows my mind.
It was a fun party. So many family members and friends showed up. And Jacob, Maya and Nadia were there visiting from Arizona. They had never met Scarlett. As soon as Nadia came in the house, Scarlett immediately smiled and reached for her. Instant bond. It was so cute.
Monday Jeremy and I spent time working on household projects. Jacob agreed to help Jeremy re-tile our master bathroom and do a few other little projects around our house (that a handyman wanted to charge us a fortune for), so Jeremy did his best to get as much ready for Jacob as possible.
Jacob arrived Monday afternoon, but Maya and Nadia stayed in the Springs to visit more family. It was great to see Jeremy and Jacob together again. They really bring out the best in each other. I wish they could see each other more often than they do. We joked about getting a winter house in AZ if Jacob's family got a summer house in CO. So anyway, the boys worked on the household projects and then did a little barbecue, and I watched Scarlett, did a little work and then put the baby to bed and stayed out of the boys' way.
Tuesday all of us met up with Jeremy's parents, the twins, Marissa, Marcia, Brianna, Ashlyn, Baby Dawson and Baby Ella at the
Denver Museum of Nature and Science. We had so many kids between us, it looked like we brought a preschool group. All of the kids had so much fun, though, and got along so great. No meltdowns or freak-outs at all.
Tuesday night after the kiddos went to bed and Maya and I were done working, us adults went downstairs and played some Kinect. Jeremy rented Dance Party. It was HILARIOUS. I am so completely uncoordinated, and I dance like a stick figure (or Gumby, depending on the move), so Maya was kicking my butt in the dance-offs. And watching Jeremy and Jacob dance -- OMG -- I was laughing so hard there were tears streaming down my face. It was awesome.