Music. Parties. Hiding Pandas. More Music.

No surprise that music would serve as the bookends to our recent activities, huh? Our buds Jeremy, Allison and Nick were through our parts again. Ella girl loves a good musician sleepover!

The morning after their gig, she impatiently waited for their sleepy heads to awaken. And she took a special liking to Nick, the kid-kitten whisperer, for sure. It was tough for them to leave, as usual. It is never long enough.

Watching her buddies leave...

Our neighborhood has been buzzing with fun stuff. We enjoyed the massive block party (Larry's band even played). Kids were everywhere and reconnecting with families we don't always get to see is great.

One of Ella's favorites - Joshua!

There was a party of another kind, too. Our mom's group held their annual progressive dinner. I went stag. Larry had a gig penciled in the books months earlier. I am so glad that I went as my face and sides hurt from laughing. Each home outdid the next. I rode my bike (in a skirt!) because it was a beautiful night and well, because I could! Ella enjoyed a great sleepover with my parents.

Awesome moms!

Sunbathing Mavis.

Our kittens continue to provide the absolute best bad mood fixing that a mom could ask for! We have our routine down pretty nicely. Because Thomas finds it impossible to sit still and snuggle without licking our hair, our faces, our ears and our necks, they are still 'contained' during the night to our first floor. If it was up to Mavis, she'd be hunkered down in Ella's room for the night. Her brother tends to ruin it for everyone. However, the second Ella's eyes pop open the gate is flung wide so that they can join her in bed. And they do, in addition to scurrying all over our bed and US as well. You simply cannot wake up in a bad mood. There are giggles. Everywhere.

Then there was the trip to see the baby red pandas. What a great idea I had!! It was an adventure with KatieRoz, Ava, Thomas, and a new friend, Malina. We planned it sometime ago and even waited hoping that the new babies would be more active by waiting. We enjoyed the zoo visit (about an hour north of us) very much. The weather was perfection.

Merry-Go-Round giggles.

Malina, Ella, Roz and Ava turtle riding.

 

Let me just write about the peacocks a little here. Wow. They were everywhere. Walking free. Ella, Ava and I fed them straight from our hands. It was surreal. I've never been THIS close to one in my life. We are still talking about them.

Ella and Malina were not the cooperative chicks like Ava and Roz.

 

After all this fun, we headed to our reason for coming: red pandas. We circled the exhibit several times looking up in the trees, down on the ground and under bushes. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Hysterical laughter broke out from the parents (not so much from the kids). Katie was good enough to stage Roz's red panda in their backyard once we returned home. You know, so we didn't feel completely jilted from seeing one. In the end, it didn't matter one bit. We made incredible memories and met a new friend.

 

Our last musical escapade happened this past Sunday. It was a fundraiser that Larry helped out with. It was 12 full hours of music at one of our favorite watering holes. Ella and I supported the cause for a few hours and hung out with our buds.

Taylor and Ella.

Sully treated Ella and his grand-daughter to a candy store outing a few doors down. Sully is always fussing on Ella, or any other child who comes to an all-ages show. Don't let that beard and expression fool you - he's a pushover. He means a lot to us. And Ella, complainer of all smells, didn't even flinch at that big old cigar.

She left a happy girl!

Happy Wednesday, folks! ~H