WE WOKE ON DAY 11, ANTICIPATING A FULL WEEKEND OF ACTIVITY. OUR DEAR FRIENDS, MARK AND MARIA, ARRIVED LATE FRIDAY EVENING, SO WE WERE EAGER TO MAKE THE MOST OF OUR SATURDAY TOGETHER. WITH THE MEN RISING EARLY TO GOLF, MARIA AND I TOOK THE CHILDREN TO THE FARMER'S MARKET. I WAS REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SPENDING THE MORNING ON THE SQUARE, WALKING AROUND THE MARKET AS IT WAS OUR FIRST TIME THERE THIS SEASON. THE FARMER'S MARKET AT THE CAPITOL HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF OUR FAVORITE FAMILY ACTIVITIES AND WE LOVE SHARING IT WITH OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS. OUR MORNING WAS FILLED WITH "SPARKLE" DONUTS AND OTHER BAKED GOODS, THE DELIGHTFUL SOUNDS AND SCENTS OF THE MARKET, PERUSING BEAUTIFUL PRODUCE, DANCING TO THE MUSIC OF STREET PERFORMERS, AND A LITTLE SHOPPING. IT WAS THE PERFECT WAY TO BEGIN OUR DAY!
ENJOYING OUR CHOCOLATE "SPARKLE" DONUTS.
WHILE THE LITTLE MAN APPRECIATED THE TASTE OF THE DONUT, HE DID NOT APPRECIATE THE MESS.
SIMPLY ECSTATIC.
CLEARLY SHE HAS INHERITED HER MOTHER'S MOUTH SIZE AND APPETITE FOR LIFE (AND FOOD).
TAKING IN THE STREET PERFORMERS.
WOULD WE CALL THAT LOOK...SKEPTICAL?
BLOSSOMING RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES.
WHILE THE LITTLE LADY AND I STOPPED TO ENJOY THE VIEW, WE WERE SURPRISE TO DISCOVER THE LITTLE MAN ATTEMPTING TO BREAK INTO THE CAPITOL BUILDING. THANKFULLY, MARIA (IN THE WHITE SWEATER), WAS THERE TO ENCOURAGE OUR LITTLE POLITICIAN TO KNOCK FIRST.
AFTER OUR FULL MORNING AT THE FARMER'S MARKET, WE RETURNED HOME TO ENJOY LUNCH WITH THE FELLAS.
PRIOR TO LUNCH, MARK TREATED CHARLOTTE TO A MINI TUTORIAL ON FITNESS.
HE ALSO INTRODUCED HER TO STARING CONTESTS,WHICH WAS RATHER HUMOROUS TO OBSERVE.
IN THE EVENING THE ADULTS ENJOYED AN EVENING OUT, INCLUDING A WALK DOWNTOWN, DINNER AT NOSTRANO, AND A NIGHTCAP AT NATT SPILL.
OUR DINNER WAS ABSOLUTELY LOVELY AND OUR COMPANY WAS EVEN LOVELIER. WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE AND LOOK FORWARD TO OUR TIME WITH MARK AND MARIA.
OUR FRIENDSHIP WITH MARK GOES WAY BACK (HE AND I MET IN JUNIOR HIGH AND BECAME VERY CLOSE, AND HE AND JEFF BECAME FAST FRIENDS IN HIGH SCHOOL AS THEIR LOCKERS WERE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.) THE THREE OF US HAVE A LONG HISTORY AND HAVE SHARED MANY MEMORABLE MOMENTS AS FRIENDS. ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE BEING WHEN HE MARRIED MARIA, A WOMAN WHO IS HIS PERFECT MATCH. JEFF AND I KNEW MARIA WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL THE FIRST TIME WE MET HER. TOGETHER, THEY HAVE BECOME SOME OF OUR CLOSEST AND DEAREST FRIENDS. THEY SUPPORT US THROUGH THE JOYFUL AND TEARFUL MOMENTS OF LIFE. THEY ARE SO GRACIOUS AND SUPPORTIVE OF OUR SWEET ONES AND ALWAYS MAKE THE EFFORT TO INTERACT WITH EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY. THEY HAVE BEEN SUCH A STRONG SUPPORT TO US DURING RESIDENCY; THEY ARE SUCH FAITHFUL FRIENDS.
MARK WILL ACTUALLY MAKE THE MAIDEN VOYAGE TO CLEVELAND WITH JEFF. IN THE U-HAUL. FOR 7-8 HOURS. AND, SPEND THE WEEKEND UNLOADING BOXES.
WHAT A FRIEND! (For the record, Maria offered to make the trip to supervise the fellas. She's a saint.)
No comments:
Post a Comment