Adventures in Living!

Scooter Love

Ok, so yesterday, our friend Jennifer came by with her scooter. Travis has been talking about wanting one for a while, so she offered to let him try hers out.

It was so cool! He rode it all over the neighborhood, and even (carefully, slowly) let Wren stand on the floorboard while he rode up the driveway (don't panic, grandparents, I could walk faster than he was riding). She loved it.

Jennifer took me for a ride afterward, and I have to say, it was a total blast! I have no direct experience with motorcycles that I can recall....we're not a motorcycle type of family....but this was so much fun. It's a smooth ride, just fast enough, and hardly noisy at all!

At 100 miles to the gallon, it's a hell of a bargain in terms of gas mileage. Especially since Travis works four miles from our house. Obviously, you can't carry the little kids on it, so it would only be good for running errands, going to work, and tooling around town. Still, for the number of times that one of us leaves the house sans kids to go do something, it would be worth it.

I was surfing around, checking out prices and dealerships, and well, now I want one, too.

In red.

I love my friends

Aside from the fact that my friends are totally cool, pretty much ALL of them are supremely talented in one way or another. Among my friends I have jewelers, metal artists, glass artists, costumers, quilters, knitters, fantastic cooks, leatherworkers, writers, visual artists, and bakers.

This Sunday was all about the cake decorator, though. A friend and I threw a baby shower for another friend expecting her first child in August. We did all the food for the party,save for the cake. Our pregnant friend's sister is a professional baker and cake decorator, and we relied on ehr to make the cake. No way was I going to make a cake (something I do like to do, but am nowhere near trained to do) when Lynnze could do it so much better! This was the cake:
Isn't that amazing?? She did it all...baked the lemon poppyseed cake, and did all the sculpting and decorating. Granted, she does it professionally, but STILL....so amazing. I always love seeing her creations. Here is a detail shot of the baby:

And this is the side of the cake:

The detail was really incredible, and the cake was so delicious! I know everyone loved it.

This is definitely NOT a candidate for Cake Wrecks! Well, maybe for the Sunday Sweets entry....this cake is totally terrific!

Today was incredibly HOT and HUMID, typical summer-in-Richmond fashion. It was fantastic to see so many friends we don't get to see very often anymore, and I had a good time. A sweet way to end the week.

Catching up, and the Inaugural fountain run (image-heavy!)

Sorry I haven't written in a while. Had an attack of Life, coupled with some food poisoning and it kind of derailed everything for a bit.

BUT.....now I'm back.....and I have pictures....

So, when we last left our Intrepid Heroine (that's me), I was eating a salad the size of my head. I managed to finish that, and a few others in the last week or so. Fresh organic produce is yum! Let's see....

We went to see Kira's artwork in the annual All-County Art Show.
This year, she had two pieces entered, a sculpture and a mask.
Both were just incredible! (not that I am biased or anything)

Wren gave an impromptu performance of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" on the available chorus risers.

We also visited friends for a barbecue. It was HOT.

The kids played in the sprinkler. Noah got a bit of sun.

I harvested the first vegetable from our garden, which was a cute little pink radish. We promptly ate it in a salad that evening.

And that bring us to today....a warm day with plenty of humidity after a week of rain. It was time to reintroduce the kids to the joy that is the Stony Point Fountain!

Wren was all about it.

Noah....not so much. At least, not initially.

But then he warmed up to the idea.....

....and ventured out into the middle, while the spray was off.

Wren was right in it, and having fun!

And apparently performing some kind of interpretive dance.

After a while, Noah got braver and by the time we left, he wanted to stay and play.

It's right in the sun, so sunscreen is a definite MUST, but it's a free and fun activity for the kids on a  hot day. I have to say that this, and the Children's Museum's outdoor sprinklers, are my favorite free things to do with the kids in the summer. There's even a Starbuck's right near the fountain, so Mommy can have her SB fix. Look out, Stony Point, we'll be back! A LOT!

After the fountains, we picked up some Burger King yummies (Wren says into the drive-thru intercom, "I'd like chicken nuggets and fries, please, and do you have any doughnuts?") and headed over to Kira's school to have lunch with her as a Friday surprise. It was fun, even if we had to go alittle early to prevent toddler meltdown on the cafeteria floor.

The afternoon is stretching out before me now with a productive feel....Noah is in bed, and Wren will go lay down, too, after the Wonder Pets is off. I plan to relax with some iced tea, and organize my business documents for A Hot Piece of Glass. Market season is upon us, and I need to sell some glass so I can buy my new torch this year!