Monday, October 3, 2016

TWTW: the one with the first birthday

The last time I was home on a Friday night was August 12. This Friday was the perfect night to be home: it was chilly and rainy, our fabulous cleaning lady Linda was there Friday so everything looked and smelled fresh and new, and I had no plans. Hallelujah and Amen. Only SEPTA fucked with me and stole two hours of my weekend off the bat with the 2+ hour chaotic train ride home from hell. Bastards. The only thing I did when I finally got home was cycle laundry and marinate chicken before chilling the fuck out with my homies.
Saturday I rolled out of bed and headed up to The Day We Remember Walk & Run, a charity event hosted by The Barkann Family Healing Hearts Foundation. MFD's business was a sponsor of the event as an affiliate of the Homes For Heroes Program, which means he is committed to providing Hero Rewards (basically a cut of his commission) so that firefighters, law enforcement, military (active, reserve, and veterans), healthcare workers, emergency medical services, and teachers can save significant money when buying a home. He's a strong believer in helping those who help the community, so this program is a perfect fit to marry his personal philosophies to his business.
Anyhoo this event was a great way to honor heroes, our local emergency responders and military. The chair said something that stuck with me, and I'm paraphrasing it here: you see the politics on the TV, but life is really about what happens in our communities - what we give to each other and how we support each other - and you know who controls how things feel and work in our communities? WE do. A good reminder to make sure we're involved and doing what we can before we take to the Internet and complain about things. We really do need to be the change. As a bonus I got pics with the Phillie Phanatic and Brian Dawkins...this plus Bruce on Thursday, I'm set for a while.
Top left pic attributable to the event photographer
Not much doing Saturday afternoon. I hung with the dogs.
In the sometimes food photos are gross looking department, I also did weekly food prep Saturday afternoon: breakfast casserole (recipe coming soon), green chile dip for Lola's first birthday party (looks gross, but it's not, recipe tomorrow), chicken salad over spinach for lunches, and dinner is baked ziti a la Carol and salad.
Saturday night Lori and Amanda came over and we gabbed and gabbed and ate bad food. It wore the dogs out.
Sunday morning I headed to The Pub for some delicious cream chipped beef in a bread bowl (can everything come in bread bowls?) and good conversation with Lyndsey for her birthday and left the dogs with Treat Lady.
A little trip to Target with Lori (that's a straight up kitchen towel hanging out of the back of the pants of the man in front of us in checkout) and Lola party prep.
Then it was time, my favorite girl's first birthday party. Lola's whole gang was there, and Aubrey did an awesome job with the decor as usual. I can't believe my niece has been here for a year. On one hand it feels like she's always been here, and on the other hand I can't believe it's been a year already. She's made the past 12 months such a joy for so many people.

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All good things come to an end, including the weekends. 

Go out there and kick Monday's ass.

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Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending


23 comments:

  1. Girl I totally feel ya on being home this Friday - it was amazing!! The pup snaps are so cute! Happy Monday! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston

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  2. Perfect party for our little party girl. She had fun! And the rain held out until
    Everyone was leaving anyway. Thanks to
    Universe for a wonderful time. Time to get my Autumn decorations out!
    Love. Your. Momma.

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  3. Wow what a jam packed weekend! So sorry Septa screwed up the start to your weekend--lame! Looks like the rest was pretty awesome though! I hate when yummy food looks gross in photos. You're like "I swear it doesn't taste how it looks" haha

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  4. You had quite the busy weekend! Nothing like a Friday night at home, haha says the single girl for life. The older I get the more I appreciate being home. Sorry to hear about your train troubles. I got stuck on the train a few weeks ago and it was horrible. I feel our pain. Hope you have a fantastic day!

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  5. Oh wow, I can't believe it's been a year, either! At least the food doesn't look previously chewed in pics - those are the worst. I'm glad everything got better after the Septa screwage. Two hours on a train would make me ragey.

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  6. I'm catching up on a bunch of posts . . . glad you got to see a whale on the whale watching tour! I would have been one of the folks hurling over the side of the boat in that weather! I am always impressed by your sunrises . . . I think I'm too lazy to be so dedicated to them! You getting to meet Bruce . . . love that! And giving the book to your dad . . . priceless! So glad you got to experience that! And I always look forward to the dog pics . . . love seeing their cute faces. My favorite is you hugging Geege on the beach a few days ago . . . melts my heart!

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  7. I need your meal prep mojo in my weekend routine. I think it'd make life 10xs easier. Your dogs and their sitting/laying/smothering positions always crack me up :) Sounds like a great weekend!

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  8. My twin nieces are turning 12 this week... I still feel the same way about them too.
    Pug Sweaters!!!! OH MY WORD - the cuteness!!!

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  9. I'm with you-everything should come served in a bread bowl.

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  10. The pink, gold, and silver decor from the 1st birthday is adorable! What a great weekend!! Can I say that I was definitely first drawn to the Philly Phanatic photo in your post?! Love that mascot ;)

    Meg, Borrowed Heaven

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  11. Happy birthday to Lola! It's amazing how time flies. It seems like yesterday when my oldest nephew turned 1 and now he is a freshman in college. "In the sometimes food photos are gross looking department..." I lol'ed because so true. And really a pain when you have to convince everyone that it is actually delicious, just ugly-looking.

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  12. I'm a Medic and didn't know about Homes for Heroes! Thanks for sharing the resource and thanks to you and MFD for supporting the cause.

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  13. aw, happy birthday to your sweet niece! Time definitely flies. I can't believe my nephew is as old as he is at the same time, I can't believe there was a time I didn't know him. Love all the dog pics per the usual! AND YES, dips generally don't photography well but man are they always good.

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  14. How weird is it that I looked at your marinating chicken photo and thought, "Mmm, that looks good?" Raw chicken in marinade should not look good. I need to take a pill.

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  15. The charity even you guys were at this weekend sounds awesome. You are so right, we have the opportunity to make a difference in our own communities. I agree that everything should come in bread bowls. And I cant believe your niece has been here for a year!!! I feel like just a month or two ago you were telling us about your first visit with her.

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  16. What a cool event to be a part of... I so agree with what you said about change/difference making starting with US in OUR communities. I wish more people would remember that. I can't believe your niece is one! Times goes so fast when it comes to kiddos, I swear!

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  17. Giving back to your community and the service men and women who work so hard is such a wonderful thing. I love that you and your husband are strong advocates of that. Thank-you for that! :)

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  18. What a great event! And how is it already Lola's birthday?! Time is flying for the little princess :)

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  19. Aw I can't believe Lola is already 1! She's lucky to have an amazing aunt like you and I'm sure you soil her rotten. Much needed weekend at home I'm sure!

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  20. Glad Lola had a fun party! Isn't it amazing how such tiny people can make so many people so happy? That kitchen towel in the waistband is really something. Wow.

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  21. You know... Everytime I don't think I can love you and MFD more you go out and surprise me. Love the Homes for Heroes program. That's awesome!! I can't believe Lola is a year old... Time flies so fast.

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  22. Way to relax :)
    And there's no better night spent than a night on the couch with the dogs...right?

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  23. happy birthday to your neice!
    homes for heroes sounds amazing, what a great event and walk. i love what you said about what was on the chair - that really is so true. it's communities that matter and we control that. obviously bigger things matter as well, but i think big things start with smaller things - like communities.
    your dogs always look so comfy.
    i love anything in a bread bowl. yum!

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