I don't know how things worked out this way, but our friends and family have spread their birthdays out quite evenly through the year so we're always going to a birthday party or hosting a birthday party or scouring Amazon for The Best Gift Ever to give someone for their birthday.
September is no exception.
We celebrated two birthdays this past weekend and then we celebrated wine in between those two birthdays because this is just how we roll.
You shouldn't be surprised if you've ever met me.
So, early Saturday morning we got up and headed to the park to celebrate our nephew's fourth birthday and while four year olds do plenty of things I wouldn't list under Interests on Facebook -- get chased by "dinosaurs", get dirty in the sandbox, jump in a bounce house -- they do two other things I can certainly get behind: eat pizza and eat cake.
Kyle's also nearing the age where he can actually play with other kids. While he's "played" with kids before that usually means playing near them or fighting over a toy with them or running into walls beside them. Now he's using his imagination and mimicking his buddies and this is just adorable to see. He spent a good half hour spitting ice cubes into a cooler after he saw his cousin do it, and then they'd both uproariously laugh together about it.
I did point out to the rest of the party guests that they shouldn't drink the cooler water, if they were into that sort of thing because there are few things toddler spit enhances, am I right?
(I'd insert adorable pictures from the party here if I hadn't forgotten both my phone and camera at home.)
Then, Saturday evening, I left my anti-crowds husband at home with my has-an-early-bedtime son and went to Grapefest, a local wine festival, with a couple great friends.
We tasted wine, beer, champagne, and even olive oil. I'm not kidding about that last part!
See, a wall of different olive oils, and lots of sourdough bread to taste them with. Favorites: all.
Aren't all good wine festivals made complete by posing in front of a Jumbo Corndog stand?
Me, Kristie, Natalie.
Bubbly.
I got Yellowglen Yellow, and it was delicious.
After dinner, I poured myself into bed.
Sunday, the whole family took my mom to brunch to celebrate her birthday. Kyle's got a really great Nana, and she's worth celebrating.
She then treated me to a movie because I wasn't kidding about that great part.
We saw The Town, which was good. Really good. Almost-makes-you-forget-about-Jersey Girl good. But Gone Baby Gone is one of my top-five favorite movies of all time and it seems Ben set his directing bar pretty high for me, so I didn't find The Town as good as that, but you won't be disappointed if you fork over $10 to see the movie in a theater.
Also, Ben, good choice embracing the gray.
(Although I did leave the theater with a couple issues over the way the movie wrapped-up. Who would like to talk about those issues with me?)
It was a great weekend and I hope yours was too.
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What did you celebrate this weekend?