Sweet Friends, Sweet Family, & Sweet Sweets

I have once again hit a streak of several great weekends in a row (AKA the weekend jackpot)!

Two weekends ago, we visited with Brandon's family from Tennessee and North Dakota, shopped 'til we dropped, and had a wonderful surprise--a family baby shower thrown by my sweet sister-in-law, Britney!

Here's a glimpse of this last weekend..

Thursday

• Left for my parents house right after work.
• Chowed down on delicious pizza for supper.
• Nap!
• Visited with several family friends at my parents monthly museum meeting (they both sit on the board for a really beautiful heritage museum; my dad even serves as the co-chair!). 
• Early to bed.

Friday

• Took my car into my parents mechanic for an oil change/checkup.
• Headed to Denver to shop!
• Treated my mom to a delicious slice of pumpkin pecan cheesecake and (decaf) coffee at the Cheesecake Factory (words cannot describe just how good it was).
• Visited with my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Rolf. 
• Feasted on one of the best pasta dishes I have ever tasted (recipe coming soon).
• TV & lots of chatting/giggling with the girls (we all stayed the night at Nancy's).
• Bed! 

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake=Heaven

Fall in beautiful Wash Park.

I have been majorly craving this all day--it has pasta, spicy sausage, heirloom tomatoes, black olives, and feta cheese. I need to stop thinking about it now (and we topped it off with my moms homemade strawberry rhubarb pie)..

Saturday

• Visited my Great Aunt Millie (who you may remember as my fabulous roommate from last summer/honorary grandmother at our wedding) at her new apartment. 
• Lunch at Andres (where else?!) with mom, dad, Aunt Nancy, and Aunt Millie.
• Headed north for a beautiful baby shower with my best friends from high school (much, much more on that later this week--I'm still waiting to get a few more pictures from one of the gals).
• Drove back to my parents.
• Went to church (and nearly fell off the kneeler). 
• Tried so hard to stay awake for SNL, but ended up falling asleep on the couch before it started. 

Lunch at Andres: the choices for the day were chicken Florentine with pasta, tomato, and bread or a cheese pie with a mixed salad. Being the red blooded, American family that we are, we all opted for the chicken--yum!!

A raspberry torte for dessert--I really have no idea how I ever passed my glucose test..

My beautiful family!

I can't wait to share more details/pictures with you about Jr.'s shower. My friends Jen and Erin did such an amazing job planning the day--they are both so crafty and creative! It was wonderful seeing the old gang again; we haven't been able to get together since Brandon's and my wedding in January! 

Sunday

• Attended my hometown churches annual fall supper (my fave!) with my mom and dad.
• Headed back to Hays. 

So to recap (in case you're keeping track..), I ate half a slice of cheesecake, a slice of strawberry rhubarb pie, raspberry torte, a chocolate cupcake, gumdrops, a piece of turtle pie and a piece of pecan pie (at the fall supper) within a 72 hour period. We shall see if Baby Sand gets his mammas sugar veins.

I had such a fabulous time visiting my family and friends in Colorado but it was sure nice to get home to Brandon and Bitsy (I missed those two). What a blessing of a weekend I had--thank you so much to everyone who took part in it!