April Showers Bring...

Thursday 5 May 2011

Gloriously sunny May days! Okay, well, only two of these last 5 days actually count as "gloriously sunny." The other three were mostly cold and rainy with bright/dry moments here and there. Sunday May first was absolutely stunning though and I think it gave us all hope for the summer we know must be on it's way.

We spent last weekend celebrating Steven's birthday and had just the best time ever! We had our own little date Friday night. We shared the biggest burrito I have ever seen at Gorditos (anyone ever heard of the "baby burrito?") and then walked across the street to see a play at the Taproot Theatre. The show was about Dietrich Bonhoeffer and it was very interesting. I can't say that I really know much of anything about him but now I'm curious to read/learn more. We still prefer musicals to straight theatre but I would say this was probably the best non-musical play I've ever seen. The actor who played Bonhoeffer was really quite good. P.S. the burrito was even better warmed up the second day. Next time we'll just get a whole extra one to bring home -- should last us a couple of meals.

Saturday was a very long day. we were both so excited that it was Steven's birthday and rather disappointed that we had to wait all day long for friends to come over and celebrate with us. I made waffles with strawberries and whipped cream for breakfast and then we just kind of hung around the house and played Phase 10 for most of the afternoon. I always feel like a little kid when I'm waiting for a party to start. I love hosting and feeding people and I just get so impatient :)

The food was really quite fabulous, if I do say so myself. Chips and soyrizo/black bean dip, pita chips and hummus, apples and peanut butter dip (parties are all about the dip you know), lemonade cookies, almond cake, sangria and rum slush! Delish! Our friends finally started showing up in the early evening and we had so much fun! Lyle and Samantha brought their little Liam who is now 6 months old and actually not very little at all. I hadn't seen him since the Superbowl and he's grown so much! Lena and Aaron showed up as well as Tim and Annika and Jeremy (Ronnie was unable to make it this weekend) and Michael and Apanda. We pulled out the bandanas and played a very exciting game of Bang! I was the Sheriff and had a deputy on either side of me; it doesn't get much better than that. The evening reminded Steven and I of all the fun parties we had when all of our SPU friends lived within three miles of each other -- I miss that! It's so much easier to plan a big party when people only have to drive 10 minutes to get there (or better yet, walk!). We were really missing Chad and Whitney and Paige and Rachel and Hilde and Chelsea and all of our favorite people who can't just drop by anymore (well, Hilde could kayak over from Norway but she just chooses not to).

Sunday morning was another fun day at church (um, do all of my posts pretty much sound the same...? I hope not but I feel like I just recognized that line as one that appears quite frequently).

Did your heart just melt? Mine did.

And here's the birthday cake I made for Steven. I literally spent 5 hours on it and it looks like I just slapped it together, haha! It was a little "fall-apart-y" but super yummy. The recipe came from Macrina. Coconut cake with lemon cream and raspberries. The cream was made by mixing lemon curd with whipped cream and the frosting was made with melted white chocolate, butter and cream cheese (no sugar, so weird!) and the whole thing was fabulous. I wish I hadn't been too full to bring home left overs because I could really go for some right now. We celebrated Steven's birthday as well as Papa's birthday with the Parducci family on Sunday evening at Uncle Scott's house. Mom barbecued flank steak and Scott made fettuccine. Our family knows how to eat.

For the most part, the rest of this week has been filled with work but Steven and I were able to spend a couple of hours last night studying with Maryn. Our study sessions wouldn't be complete without snacks... Maryn provided the tea and the tapioca and I brought the cupcakes! Brain food, right? The Enumclaw FD written test is this Saturday and we will all be so glad to put it behind us. Maryn and Steven have been studying like mad for the past couple of months and neither of them seems to be able to find any reason to talk to me these days unless they have a math related question :)

SO glad that tomorrow is Friday!! I get to teach second grade in Auburn tomorrow. I hope they're cute and sweet.

Time to sleep.