Airplane ride with the girls

I am lucky enough to have gotten another weekend away with my oldest girlfriends. The ones from childhood. We don't all share daily life together anymore, but when we get together, it's like time hasn't passed. The same things are funny. The same stories are told. We can do anything, say anything, look any way... and it doesn't matter. When you have history like this you are already known. We are understood and accepted even though we are all so different. This weekend was perfect, just like all the other weekends. A good mix of deeper conversations and catching up with a lot of laughing, teasing, relaxing, and being out on the town. Alissa hosted us at her home in Concord and she is amazing. This is her gift. Hospitality, cooking, serving, etc. She is so relaxed and her home is beautiful and cozy. Her husband, Tim, took their 3 girls to his parents in Napa for the weekend, giving us the whole house to ourselves. As sweet and thoughtful as it sounds (and is), he really was just escaping the seven of us together. We know the truth.

Other things we did? A photoshoot...

Makeup for our night out (yes, J is dancing in the background. Because it's funny)...

Pedicures...

Best mexican food ever - Carlos Santana's "Maria Maria"...

Biore strips, a board game, old movies, old photos...

Sleeping together is never a dull moment... someone's very articulate sleep talking, house alarm at 4am with multiple phone calls and a visit from the police, waking up engulfed in your deflated air mattress... things like that.

We ended the weekend with mimosas, morning jacuzzi, a long walk around the reservoir, and more stories added to our friendship. I love each of you so much!

Fall time

Mimi brought us these adorable hats that a friend of hers from Town & Country made for Wally and Skyler.

Charlie's first time out of the bumbo and in the high chair.

For Fall, I made a moss and burlap wreath, bought my annual pumpkin candle and put up this burlap banner that the kids helped me make.

For "D" week: some DADDY time. His DAD was his service project this week. Wally did a DRAWING of DADDY and we took it to his office for his DESK.

DOMINO snacks...

Dinner at the Delja's (this was actually "E" week but we should have planned it the week before!)

For "E" week, Wallace got to pick out one item from the market: he chose EGGPLANT!

We enjoyed some "ENTERTAINMENT at the Cars II 3D playing at the $1 theater.

An ETIQUETTE lesson while having tea.

Wallace's service project for "E" week was creating and ENVELOPE and sending this ELEPHANT to his neighbor EMI. :)

Malibu Camping

There is something about camping that makes you forget about everything going on in the real world while you just play, relax and enjoy everything around you. We spent 2 nights at Malibu Creek with some good friends of ours... the Rasmussens, Petars, and Bergmanns. We ate some amazing food, went exploring, had super creepy whirling dervish neighbors, sent the boys on a hunt for the rock pool, fought off bees (unsuccessfully for me), enjoyed wildlife, took drives, and actually got our kids to sleep in their tents while we enjoyed late nights by the fire under the stars. This is camping.

My friend, Sarah Petar, is a little domestic goddess when it comes to food, decor, and anything creative. She brought this banner for our campsite and family photos.

And she made these little hobo sacks for each of the kids.

Could Skyler be any more happy and content here with her brother? I love this.

Suzy and her "baby"... about to be a big brother when Coral arrives soon!

Finn Petar

If you're not dirty while camping, you're just not having enough fun.

Scarlett (one week older than Charlie) is very touchy-feely and Charlie is not sure how he feels about it.

Oh Tate... Sweet happy campers.

Feeling Coral move around in the belly!

My baby girl.

There was always something delicious to eat.

Yes, that's Starbucks on the table... we all napped our kids in the car while we drove down to Malibu for coffee and car rides. It was a break from the 100 degree afternoon for a while.

Wally & Skye hanging out.

Explorers...

The rock pool!!

Skyler has a thing for personal hygiene even while camping.

And for going potty in public.

This meadow backed up to our tents and we had deer passing through all day. And coyote passing through all night, howling like I've never heard!

My snuggle bear.

Wally and Ryder were together nonstop.

All of us on our last night.

Enjoying s'mores before bedtime.