Happy Memorial Day!

This year for Memorial Day we were invited to a BBQ at our friends' The Foley's house. We have all been so busy lately that it's been awhile since Benjamin has been able to play with his friend Gracie...so he was really excited! Gracie's cousins Tristan and Hayley were all in attendance and the kids has SO much fun playing together. Since the kids are all 2 or 3 years old there were a few hairy moments when someone (Benjamin) was stealing someone else's toys, or when everyone wanted to jump on the trampoline at the same time. The kids were amazing though and were able to work things out with just a tiny bit of prompting from the moms. It's always fun for Benjamin to play with other children his age, but this was especially poignant since all of the children had been adopted. It's so nice to be able to talk with Benjamin about other children that were adopted like he was! Benjamin really got a kick out of this apron and chef's hat. He was "cooking" up dinners left and right for everyone! He loved it so much that I had to get him his own...now he can dress up and cook whenever he wants at home!

Not A Post About Benjamin!

I know....my blog enteries are all about Benjamin...but I just had to share one tidbit about Nate and I! On May 25th we celebrated our anniversary. Nate planned a really SUPER romantic evening that involved a babysitter!! Cousin Brita was nice enough to entertain Benjamin while we went to a real grown up dinner.

Nate chose a restaurant in Hillcrest (Downtown San Diego) called "California Cuisine." It's a restaurant he remembers his parent frequenting when he was a kid. It's still around and it's still getting great reviews so we made the journey downtown. The restaurant is really cute with a seating area up front in front of picture windows that contains an art gallery. Then they have the sweetest little patio seating out back that reminded me of the restaurants we ate at while visiting Manhatten. Since the weather had just been rainy and was still fairly chilly (by San Diego standards!) and very windy we opted to sit at a little area in between the main dining room and the patio. We definitely had the best of both worlds.

The restaurant is known for a changing menu that offers only the freshest foods. The food was just fabulous...one of the best meals we've had in San Diego! They also make their desserts on the premises and we opted for a chocolate....yummy melty cake thingy (I've forgotten the name!) with a side of homemade rocky road ice cream....YUM!!! I also had the pleasure of drinking a couple of VERY good Lemon Drop Martinis and a glass of fantastic Tawny Port with my dessert. The meal was simply wonderful!

Since we are both pretty practical Nate and I opted to not buy gifts for each other but we did have a card for one another. Turns out...we bought each other the same card!! I could NOT believe it...of all the cards in the whole Hallmark store we bought the same one. I guess that's what happens when you've been married for 11 years! Anyhow, a couple of days later Nate and I were browsing at a mattress store (we've been talking about getting a new bed forever!) We found a mattress that was so heavenly we didn't want to leave. Nate decided to buy the mattress and the bed frame for me...a sort of anniversary gift. Now I wake up EVERY morning feeling divine and well rested...thanks to my wonderful husband!

Let The Games Begin!

This is the first day of soccer for Benjamin. He is playing on a team through the YMCA with other 3 and 4 year old kids. The experience was...hilarious! I heard someone compare soccer with 3 and 4 year olds to herding cats....sounds about right!! Benjamin's team is called the "Blue Dolphins" which seemed the best choice out of the "Blue Giraffes" and the "Blue Glasses." The kids got to pick their name!

Benjamin had been pretty excited to be playing soccer on a team. He loves to play "soccer ball" in the backyard with the net he got for Christmas. I was excited to buy him shin guards and dress him in a soccer outfit (compliments of Aunt Vicki and Uncle Gene...thanks!) You might notice that, rookie that I am, I didn't realize he would need long socks to COVER the shin guards...oh well!

Benjamin pooped out of his first game pretty quickly once he realized that all the other kids were "playing with that ball" and that he couldn't just add his own ball to the game. As I write this Benjamin has his third game this past Saturday and he did really well. He stayed on the field almost the whole time, although he spent a lot of time kicking over the cones and picking grass to put in his pockets!

I Dressed Myself All By Myself!

Okay...so I've been a bad blogger lately...again!! I'm trying to get back on track. Here are some fun events that have been happening over the last couple of months.

These photos were taken about a month ago. One lazy Sunday afternoon while Nate and I were relaxing Benjamin was playing quietly in his room. Next thing I know he comes out yelling "Mommy! Mommy! I dressed myself all by myself!" When I turned around to look at him I almost burst out laughing! WHAT an ensemble!! The cowboy hat is obvious...but can you see the boots? They are rain boots...dinosaur rain boots! And his "cowboy gloves" are actually gloves with a snowboarding Diego on them. And don't even ask about the pants...I don't know where he left them! After he did his fashion show he began to gallop around the house with his usual "Yee Haw Cowboy!"