This weekend was both happy and hard for different reasons. Happy because I got to celebrate my birthday surrounded by loved ones but hard because we marked the one year anniversary of losing Elliott. I still can’t believe it. The work her parents and brother have done this past year and the strength and resiliency they, and those closest to her, have shown has been nothing short of breathtaking. So Sunday, we honored her with a balloon release and the crowd that gathered was such a sight to behold 🤍

Back at the beginning of the weekend, a trip to the zoo for Dempsey, Lydia and Landon — I’m so grateful that these cousins get to grow up so close to each other — a delicious bowl of ramen for me and after the kids went to bed, MI2 for Joey and I. Thought they might ditch the face mask thing but instead, they doubled down 😂

One more week of soccer left, thank God! It’s been fun, but it’s been exhausting 😅 We started the day with blueberry yogurt multigrain pancakes. Been serving eggs alongside Dempsey’s pancakes/waffles for something a little more filling and Joey got some that morning too. We actually had it together this week and weren’t rushing over to the field 👏 Steve, Lorna, my sister and Wayne were all there to watch. Watch me chase Dempsey around and beg him to stay on the field, that is 🤪 They scrimmaged at the end but Dempsey was definitely just sitting in the grass or in the goal the whole time. Hit the park afterward for some swinging then back home for lunch and naps.

During nap time, we started MI3 and once the kids were awake, Joey took Dempsey on a trip to the office and I made some new purees for Lyds to try this week. Let’s hope she likes peas and squash! Threw together a really simple dinner of pesto bowties with chicken sausage and tomatoes for dinner and when I asked Joey if he wanted a glass of wine to go with he said “no, we’ll get a drink at the movie tonight,” so that was a fun surprise for me! Big listened-to-a-pod-about-a-movie-and-then-really-needed-to-see-said-movie vibes from him 😂 But I’d also heard really good things about Past Lives and wow, I was really moved by it! I had such a big grin on my face through most of it and then BAM, it broke me at the end. I highly recommend it. Lori was watching the kids and they were both peacefully sleeping when we got home 😊

Here’s to 34! Got cuddles and kisses from my babies and such good presents from Joey 🤍 Then we loaded into the car and went to have breakfast at Snooze. It was as chaotic as you imagine a restaurant experience with two young children to be but I loved it. We headed over to Elliott’s balloon release on time, but had directions to the wrong park so we were late and felt to bad being the last ones there 🤦‍♀️ Lydia blessed us with a car seat blowout too, so that was fun. Couldn’t have been better weather though. I’m so sad Lyds never got to meet Elliott but she let a balloon go in her honor! FIVE new babies at this gathering, isn’t that amazing?!

We stuck around for a little but then headed home to get those littles napping, then proceeded to act like we had a lot of time to sit around and do nothing, followed by us rushing around to do laundry and salads before the kids were back up 😅 We had plans to meet my family at Chautauqua Park for a picnic to celebrate my brother and I’s birthdays but there was a miscommunication on the time, so we arrived an hour later than everyone else, oops! And yeah, Lydia did grace us with another car seat blowout. Love to arrive everywhere with a baby that needs a complete outfit change 🤪 Anyway, aside from all that, we had a really lovely evening at the park. Thanks to my mom for handling all the set up and food. She really is the best 🤍 Feeling a little out of sorts today but I’m ready to re-center and start another trip around the sun! Happy Monday to you all 😊