A few very busy weekends. Two weeks ago, we went to Ki and Megan’s for a barbecue swim party. They just finished their backyard and it looked great! Zachary loved swimming and playing with the other boys. They were incredibly bad at playing hide and seek though. For one, Zachary covers his mouth instead of eyes when counting. And second, they laugh uncontrollably when the “seeker” comes into the room. Watching the kids play brought back memories of the potlucks in Illinois when my sisters and I were kids. 
The following Friday, we flew out to the east coast for my cousin Greg’s wedding. On Saturday, we went to the Chinese banquet rehearsal lunch. We got horribly lost, so we missed the actual wedding rehearsal and got to the restaurant just as the first dish was placed on the table – impeccable timing! It was nice seeing my extended family, and I was able to catch up a little with my cousins. Greg and his parents also invited us to a Korean restaurant for dinner.
Sunday was the big day. The ceremony was held at an Arlington (Virginia) art gallery. Both bride and groom looked very happy – and very few people noticed when Zachary threw a sock at one of the groomsmen.
The reception was at the Claredon Ballroom. The guest ‘book’ was a skateboard since Greg used to be a skater (maybe he still is, I don’t know.) They had great appetizers – including sushi.
Zachary fell asleep after the ceremony (jet lagged) and woke up to the sound of drums and a Chinese dragon! He loved it!
And of course there was dancing – Greg and his new wife Haiying love dancing and have won competitions in the past.
Dinner was a buffet with salmon and beef tenderloin. Zachary ate lots of macaroni and cheese made with truffle oil. For dessert, they had fresh baked cookies, a fruit platter, and a cupcake tower. It was a classy, elegant wedding, but with unique touches that made it more fun than formal. Congratulations Greg and Haiying!
Since the wedding was in Virginia, we stayed at my parents home. Which meant, in addition to all the wedding meals, we had my mom’s great cooking. No wonder I gained back the 5lbs I lost from my bout of pneumonia.
It was relaxing at home. We went to the mall once, my parents played Mahjong with my Uncle/Aunt, and we walked around Inner Harbor (Baltimore.)
We flew back on Wednesday - Thanks mom and dad for hosting us! Zachary scored 2 red envelopes on this trip, and when we got home, he wrote his first thank you card.
This past weekend, I got together with a few of my online mom friends in Napa. It was so much fun, getting away with just the girls. We stayed at the Silverado Resort in Napa. That first evening, we went out for a nice dinner -and with no a ticking time bomb (aka toddler), we ordered appetizers and drinks (chocolate martini!) in addition to our main entrees … and stayed until the restaurant closed. Back in our suite, it was basically a sleepover (minus the pillow fight in lingerie). We got in our pajamas, jumped into a big cozy bed, and talked until late … Jane and I stayed up until 3:30am!
The next morning, we treated ourselves to spa treatments (and in the same breath I curse my job because I don’t have enough vacation days to stay all week like everyone else, I rejoice that my paycheck can cover luxuries like the *gasp!* $72 pedicure.) And I don’t know if it was the convertible or my friends or a combination of both, but we were getting a lot of attention from guys. As middle aged moms, we were flattered! 
We went wine tasting in the afternoon, and then drove back to the spa for a dip in the whirlpool/pool before I had to head back home. I loved meeting Cherise and Melissa, and catching up with Jane. Since we ‘talk’ almost daily online, it felt as if we were old friends. We were comfortable with each other and had plenty to chat (okay, also gossip) about. It was so much fun – I need a getaway like this at least once a year!
Back at home, James mostly stayed home with Zachary, but did venture out to his coworkers house for dinner. I heard the food was excellent. And today, I took Zachary to the dentist. He screamed the entire exam, but no cavities - yea!
Last but not least – CONGRATULATIONS to Natalie and Jason! They welcomed baby boy Anderson Rainier on September 5th. (Soooo cute!) Everyone is doing great – and since both mom and dad are doctors, I hope they’re handling sleep deprivation better than the average parent. Can’t wait to meet the little “munchkin” in person some day! 
