A sitting on a Strawberry, part of the play zone at the Cherry Creek Mall. She loved jumping on bacon, over easy eggs, and this cute strawberry. What a great way to burn off some energy.
I've just returned from a long weekend trip with my youngest daughter and my mother to the great city of Denver. We went for a girls weekend to see some lovely young ladies that we've known forever. They were our former neighbors whom I babysat for and my parents developed this wonderful relationship with when they came down each morning to catch the school bus and waited inside our house. Don't tell child protective services please since we did not have a license.
It was great to get away spend time together with just A and my mom while having the opportunity to see these young ladies and the wonderful women they have become. I've talked before about their mother Ann; a mentor, friend and inspiration who courageously battled pancreatic cancer only to lose her fight much too young. Her three daughters (and one son) have become adults now with lives of their own, but in them I can see so much of their mother. The girls are finally all living in the same city, so we decided it was about time to have a little reunion. While we get to see them when they come into town for holidays; it's rare to see two of them together, so imagine the treat of all three O Girls in the same city.
My mom, A and I spent time with the "girls" as A affectionately calls them now and their families all weekend. There was homemade spaghetti dinner, roughhousing with "Uncle Nick" and Pete, meals out at fun restaurants, and even a trip to a pumpkin patch. In between, we also fit in a visit to my mom's favorite quilt shop and a new knitting shop for me.
We had so much fun seeing their lives and having a peek into their worlds. Their mother would be so very proud of the women they have become. Talented, loving, beautiful, warm, great wives, mothers, and sisters. Just what she dreamt for them. Hard to believe that I've known the youngest her whole life; 28 years. I still remember returning from a ski vacation in Colorado and seeing the pink balloons on the O's mailbox signaling that the youngest K had been born.
All in all a perfect girls getaway weekend. The only thing missing was Miss M who had school and couldn't come along ! Poor A is not used to having the whole backseat to herself on long car rides with no one to watch movies with or fight over blankets. Good thing Nana and Mom are willing to take turns being her buddy in the back. I could have split a gut when Nana suggested that we take turns driving and A announced loudly and slightly confused: "I don't drive yet Nana". When you are one of the gang, you think it all includes you, even the driving.
A cracked my mom and I up on most of the trip. She is a little adult in a 5 year old's body. She must have asked us 100 times " are we there yet?" Her favorite parts of the trip were the daily trips to the hotel ice machine, the hotel swimming pool, playing at the play zone at the mall, and, of course, seeing Pete.
While the closest we got to the mountains was the view from our Hotel window, this trip to Colorado had lots of mountain top experiences. Most important is the strong bond I have with my mom, A, and the O girls. Those are memories that I can store away forever.
I saw this adorable Lucky Brand Scarf in Macy's for a mere $79.00 and want to make it. Not sure I have the skills yet, but I'm going to talk to my Knitting Friends and ask their advice for a pattern. It's too cute to pass up!
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