weekending

memorial day weekend is when we usher in that summer state of mind.

although it is not yet officially summer, you could have fooled me.

the weather was perfect...cool mornings, warm days, crisp nights.

and we filled our time with quintessential summer doings.

i give you highlights and evidence.
see...

hear...

1. the boys go from window to window following the critters in the yard and then they go from door to door begging to get out. peanut spent a stretch rolling around in the grass in the sun in heaven. absolute nirvana.

2. teddy wasn't home much between baseball and golf and work which was umping this weekend. pretty typical life of a teenager. i mean sweet life.

3. lily pictured here likely snap chatting was busy too and typical tween. she had a date at the mall with a friend one day. they had lunch and shopped for books to read this summer. i was just thankful she didn't come home with any bath and body works product. buying books with her own money...now that's a girl after my heart.

4. the truth is that ted spent most of his time golfing. he had 3 different golf matches on monday alone for a total of 45 holes. 45 holes on the day before a tournament. an important tournament that i was able to spectate. 

5. naps in the middle of the day with the smell of fresh cut grass and animated sound of birdsong wafting through the open windows are daily pleasures for the cats, and sometimes weekend indulgences for the rest of us.

6. i prefer to get up early and eke as much goodness as possible out of the day. if i'm lucky, the weekend mornings start with strong coffee and a good book. this weekend i got started on this stack of new and promising reads.

7. i made two pies this weekend. my kids love my french silk pie, and our friends sure did too. i love my triple berry pie made especially in honor of memorial day. i served it with a dollop of fresh whipped cinnamon cream and a scoop of french vanilla ice cream and it was prize worthy if i don't say so myself.

8. grandpa and aunt a. came to walk the course with me. we logged 5 miles following ted, and it was great to support him and fun to see him in his element. he had a respectable couple rounds and beat his opponents, but his team was not one of the two to advance to state. that's ok because he needs to be in school next week taking exams not in madison playing golf.

9. tigger leo on another perch watching the neighbor kids play hoops on our court.

10. we were invited to my dad and step-mom's for dinner sunday night. their yard is so lush and green and teeming with wildlife. it's such a woodland oasis.

11. 5 o'clock rose' equals happy hour indeed. pink wine is quintessential summer.

12. the baby birds are feathered and getting bigger. soon they will leave the nest. it'll be nice to open our front door, but i'll miss them.

13. one of peanut's favorite resting places. i've given up and i just let him be. 

14. we had friends for dinner saturday night and had such fun catching up, playing games like 4 square and fish bowl and curses, and eating a classic bbq. then monday, my brother and sil joined us for another textbook holiday weekend meal and another good time.

15. lily and her buddy bodi. i think i promised her she could get a dog within the year. see #11.

16. my dad made his famous chicken piccata and it was so good. he's so good because he made the kids chicken parmesan knowing they wouldn't care for the capers. it was the first fancy thing he learned to cook back in his single dad days, but i haven't had it in at least 20 years. it was worth the wait.