snaps & snippets & blurbs

this was a pretty great weekend.  don’t you just love birthdays?!  what a perfect excuse to eat yummy food, indulge in way too much dessert, spend extra time alone with my man, and do some shopping!  fun. fun. fun.

even though my birthday was technically on friday, i received my hubby’s blessing to commandeer the entire weekend.  we did it up.  we kicked things off early with a whitehouse family dinner on my birthday eve. then we enjoyed a hubby & me date night on friday for dinner and shopping…shopping for baby goodies.  we walked away with a bag of tiny little apparel to begin her wardrobe.  a very merry un-birhday to you, baby girl.  it was so much fun. then we had an ice cream social [okay, there were only four people there but there was ice cream and we were social] followed by some additional baby girl shopping.  this time, it was off to home depot for paint.  wahoo!  and finally, we wrapped up the birthday-palooza weekend with a dinner with my dad, my fianc-ed sister, and her man.  whew!  needless to say, it was a splendid few days.  i feel quite celebrated.  quite full.  and actually, quite accomplished.  i couldn’t ask for more.

here are some snaps. 

date night with my handsome man + citizen public house.  yes.  again. + fondue with pears, grilled bread, and peppered sausage + the famous and scrumptious [gf] fried chicken and waffles with almond butter and desert lavender honey + plate o’ bread and sausage and cheddar and grainy mustard + rockin’ the scarf and looking like a “fashionable, old-fashioned cleaning lady” as ben’s sister katie calls it + a bag of tiny baby goodies for our tiny baby girl + a table-full of gifts from my man.  the contents thereof: a cookbook, chocolate bars from vosages, baubles and a scarf from j.crew, a giant bag of my favorite decaf coffee beans from local roaster matador, and a fancy-schmancy cold coffee brewing system + miss coco.  she was very jealous of the my presents and the baby’s clothes… + enjoying some of the aforementioned fancy-schmancy cold brewed coffee + a vegan peanut butter cookie from tammie coe.  ah.maz.ing + heading out for some ice cream + sweet republic artisan ice cream + some sweet republic press & a sassy face + my huckleberry ice cream + painting supplies for baby girl’s room! + off to church + dinner at the greene house + the california-cool decor + my dad + my b-day balloon + the menu + the goods…tuna; potato gnocchi with sausage, peas, and mushrooms; chicken ravioli; and scallops + some share-able birthday dessert…chocolate bars of yumminess.

as i was assembling the collection, i realized that this weekend was a pretty fabulous tour of some great local venues and vendors from the scottsdale/phoenix area.  fox restaurants, citizen public house, sweet republic, matador coffee roasters, tammie coe.  we are blessed to live in a cool town.

snaps & snippets & blurbs

this was an especially delightful weekend.  here are some selected snaps.

 starting weekend a few hours early.  there’s nothing better than leaving work early on a friday! + hubby & happiness + the buddies savoring the rare extra minutes of lap time in the afternoon + bringing out my springtime bag for date night + heading out for a double date with friends…plus their sweet little girl + yup.  true food.  again + eco-chic design elements + the lively atmosphere + dinner with friends plus miss marley…who was such a sweetheart enjoying her iPad entertainment [a fabulous restaurant lifesaver for parents, by the way] + our tablescape: menu, iPad, puffed snacks, and playthings + local veggie crudités + bison burger with parm and mushrooms with sides of kale salad and hash + a post-dinner stroll with the stroller + saturday morning tradition – coffee from matador coffee roasters + charlie faces & coco faces during a lazy day + spinning some them crooked vultures on penelope while making dinner + just a little something ben whipped up:  burgers with hatch chiles and cheddar and bacon, spicy sweet potato wedges, harissa ketchup.  my hubby is quite the guy [and yes, that makes two nights in a row of burgers] + traditional harpsichord meets the modern iPad.  now that’s my kind of blended church service.  another reason why i love cbc + eye spy, with my little eye…a charlie!  taking the buddies on a little car ride to visit my dad with charlie eagerly awaiting our arrival in the backseat +  a perfect arizona day + some post-church lunch with dad at the greene house + chatting and eating some goo-ood food together + hearing about dad’s life while mom is away visiting grandma in the great white north + miss sadie may – the ridley beagle + hanging out with the buddies + charlie, keeping an eye on things for us.  he is such a good guard dog + finishing up the weekend with some couch time, tea sipping, and family cuddles

see you soon, dear weekend