Hello San Diego!

We’ve been running so fast, for so long this fall, sitting in the car for a 12 hour drive to San Diego felt like a rare pleasure. With coloring books, honey caramels (thank you Lisa!), Les Miserables on audio and lots of great conversation we just drove and drove and forgot to stop in Vegas for the night, arriving at my sister’s house at 2 a.m. My sister and niece Lizzy were still awake, greeted us joyfully, of course, and acted like our arrival in the middle of the night was just the best thing ever. They were just cleaning up from a party, and as you’ll see in the next few posts, my sister hosted a party six nights in a row without breaking a sweat.

Lizzy and Xander just happened to be sporting their Target Captain America t-shirts and as you’ll see, this was the birth of a trend.

Mornings in San Diego are imbued with hazy golden light, everyone tumbles into the yard for assorted silliness.

My sister reteaches me her weight routine every time I visit. Stefan couldn’t find weights, so he improvised.

After weights, Lizzy and Hans go for a run. Nice shoes and socks, Hansie. Oh, if only I hadn’t put my camera down, because moments later Xander attacked with water guns.

Friends and babies pass through the house at random intervals because that’s just how my sister rolls– need a babysitter? a last-minute party? a wedding reception? 200 mini chicken pot pies? a shoulder to cry on? Just call my sister. We should clone her and fill the world with complete happiness.

My boys are all baby pigs. This is Weston, he’s six weeks old and sweeter than sugar pie.

Lizzy modeled her new Christmas outfit for me, because admiring gorgeous nieces is what aunts do best.

Since we have so much fun with Playdoh at home, I brought a set to share. But Lizzy would rather draw on the table. Butcher paper. Your next party necessity. Trust me. Well, you’ll see…(third time I’ve said that in this post)

testing Lizzy’s patience

Hans looks pretty good in Lizzy’s fur scarf too.

While Xander, Lizzy, Ruth and I shop for Thanksgiving fixins, Stefan and Erik hold down the fort (which basically means reading novels and forgetting to feed anyone lunch). I wish I’d taken the camera to Target with us. Lizzy and Xander made us laugh all through the store– juggling yogurt, modeling fur coats, skipping down the aisles. And my sister buys every sort of treat she thinks we might like, because, “Cousins only come to town a few times a year.”

And of course everyone not only survived, but thrived.

now you know what to do with those leftover party hats

 Bill arrives home just in time for pie making. I love everything about this photo. Will upside down, happy conversation, everyone working in the background.

Next up… thanksgiving. Worth waiting for. You’ll see.