This last Monday we were extremely happy and very excited about seeing some friends that go way back, to times before I even existed. It's a familial friendship that started back with my grandparents. My grandparents made friends with one unique, artistic, kind, and smart man and his darling, good humored, sweet, and also quite intelligent wife. I can't say exactly how the relationship came about, but I know that they all went to church together. Both families had 4 kids, went to church together, took camping trips together, and have remained friends throughout life even with geographical distance between them. One of their daughters was close friends with my aunt in their very early childhood, and is the long time best friend of one of my cousins. Technically I'm part of 3rd generation of this long story, but I feel more tied in with the second. I came around when all of the second generation was pretty young, as in my dad was 19 and only younger than two of his own siblings.
For many reasons I relate better to the generation that came before me, but mainly because we all have little ones around the same age. It's funny because my daughter is technically generation 4, while the other's kids are generation 3. Lots of math and explaining I won't go into here. My cousin lives nearby, as do my grandparents friends, but their kids live all over the place, and the one we got to see (with her hilarious husband, and spunky little girl) currently lives in New Mexico. We felt really special to get to see them on their vacation in our neck of the woods! I think I can say that we were all looking forward to our kids playing together. They didn't disappoint in providing good entertainment and lots of cute. :)
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| Testing the bounciness of a foreign couch. |
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| Couch jumping dominos, two year olds are great at inventing new games. |
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| Never a toddler picture that isn't an action shot. |
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| Butterfly nets are also great bandit masks. ;) |
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Toddler Norwegian death metal band, Garn Sommerfugler. Lots of screaming shrieking ear piercing. |
The evening was particularly good for my soul, since we have been here in Washington for a year now and haven't made any friends (it's not my strong suit since I'm a home body and hardly relate to many people of our own age and situation) and don't really see much of my local family. I desperately needed the adult interaction. Also with the roots of these relationships going so far back and interspersing so much throughout my family history, it really just felt like home. Most of my family is in Idaho and I really miss being a part of big dinner's, birthday parties, and the like. Monday night was a lot like those much missed family activities.
Of course the food was nothing to scoff at either! We all decided on a Mexican themed potluck. There was a build-your-own taco bar with three different main fillings, one consisting of all veggies for us not so strict or well behaved vegans. I tried the fish in a taco with shredded cabbage and the veggies and it was fabulous! I made homemade tortilla chips and a layer dip with black beans, pico de gallo, and guacamole, and
horchata coconut lime donuts, all of which I think went over pretty well. There was also a quinoa salad, several salsa/dips, almond pound cake, brownies, and fresh berries. There might be more that I'm forgetting, but it was all delicious.
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| The lone ranger, not sleeping yet. |
We stayed way too late, and our kid was the last one standing (of course), but it was so much fun. I wish I could have more nights like it.
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