We were planning to have our friends visit from Idaho over Memorial Day weekend…but sadly, they called us on Friday with the news that they had gotten sick and were unable to make it. We were disappointed, but we regrouped and decided to make the most out of a three-day weekend at home.

Friday night after the kids settled down Mike and I went downstairs to watch a movie, “Joe versus the Volcano,” which is apparently a cult classic. I thought it was a bit odd, and Mike slept through much of it… Halfway through the movie, Chris ran downstairs to tell us that we had forgotten that he and Mike were supposed to go to “The Hobbit” that evening at Northwest Children’s Theater! We have never forgotten a play before.

Saturday morning we hit the farmer’s market to buy more plant starts and veggies, and then we went to Powell’s for Chris to spend his gift certificate. Kieran bought some Harry Potter poster books with his allowance, and Nicholas got a Curious George coloring book. That evening I made huevos rancheros with the freshly bought veggies, eggs, and corn tortillas. Yummy!!
Sunday we went to church and I ran some errands afterward: Michael’s to make some returns, and the supermarket and liquor store for ingredients for dinner and gin. Of course, when I returned home I discovered we already had half of a large bottle of gin left over. But now we are stocked for the summer for G&Ts.

Our friends who were going to visit from Idaho had planned to see “The Hobbit” on Sunday afternoon, so we called them on Saturday morning and asked if we could use their tickets. Kieran lucked out, because he had been very disappointed that he was not going to be attending (we bought two tickets for a number of shows and were alternating between Chris and Kieran). So on Sunday afternoon Mike took Chris and Kieran to see “The Hobbit,” along with another friend and her son. Kieran in particular loved the play, and it has become his latest obsession. (Thank you, Mary, Shelia, and Ken!)

In the meantime, I stayed home with Nicholas to clean the house and prepare to have friends over for dinner. Dinner was grilled halibut (hot dogs for the kids); pasta with sauteed tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives; lemon broccoli almandine; garlic bread; and strawberries in chocolate for dessert. I’d never made strawberries in chocolate before…and it will certainly not be the last time I make them!! Yum.

After dinner Kieran and Sophie entertained us with a reenactment of “The Hobbit”–Chris and Mike were recruited to play additional roles. (Kieran, of course, was Bilbo Baggins.) Here is the cast hamming it up after the play was over:

This motorcycle ride was really annoying to stand near, because each motorcycle had an obnoxious buzzer/horn on it!

He loved this one!

Kieran loves the Frog Hopper, and Mike said he was laughing and joking a lot with the boy in the middle.

We were all tired out from the day–it was hot and we are Oregon weather wimps–and all the walking around. Nicholas, of course, fell asleep on the way home. When I brought him into the house, I stood him on his feet so he would wake up. When I returned to the bedroom, he was standing on his feet, leaning on the bed. He would occasionally start to fall over and jolt himself awake, only to put his head down on the bed again! So cute!

Tonight we had popcorn for dinner and gave the boys baths. I can’t believe the whole weekend is gone already. Can I have another one?