And now is that moment when I type up a token "summer festival post" which is entirely cliche, but I just can't keep myself from doing so.

   Each and every year the summer doesn't feel quite complete until we indulge in a little sugar and deep-fried goodness at the local Scandinavian Festival.   I am pretty late to the game posting about this year's, but I need to quickquickquick because everyone is shoving fall down our throats already.  (I'm looking at YOU, pumpkin spice latte)  Cool your jets people, it's still August!

   We fight the crowds with one in a stroller and someone carrying the other little one, and make our way to our favorite food booths.  Sugary sweet Fri-jos, savory Nordic crab meat pies, saucy Frickadellers and spicy Italian sausage are always somewhere at the top of the list.  There is never quite enough room in our tummies for all of the flavors we'd love to sample, but we do a pretty good job of attempting to fit it all in.


   This year's Scandi Fest fell on the time of Nate & Janene's visit, and we headed there directly after picking Nate up from his lo-o-o-ong drive out West.  I would've been ready for a shower and a bed but he was such a great sport and totally up for a night out.  We are so blessed with such rich friendships in our lives, and I am just thankful that they still have fun hanging out with couples with kids.  As that DEFINITELY changes the dynamic of a "night on the town".

   Nate especially was just so great with the girls.  For some reason Jocelyn took a shine to him from the get-go, and would hardly leave his side.  It probably didn't help matters that he was a big softie when it came to her and bought her Dutch Bros and now how could a girl resist that??  But they were both just amazing with our girls and I can't wait to watch them be parents too someday.

   You can read about last year's foray into Scandinavian culture here.  And it makes me sad to look at those pictures because Ben & Emily often go to the Festival with us and this year they were missed, since they've moved back to Seattle.  Boooooo.

 It was a strange feeling, being there in Seattle again with our friends Ben and Emily.  Emily is from Seattle, and Ben is from Oregon, and when they were first married, they lived in Seattle for several years before moving back down to Oregon about two years ago. Of course we are happy to have them in our area, but I know her family must miss them terribly.  I'll be honest, I actually missed the excuse to visit the lovely city of Seattle anymore, too. 


   So of course it only made sense that we would visit Seattle WITH them, as opposed to visiting them IN Seattle.  This weekend they decided to visit family and we tagged along, staying at Emily's parents' house.  Everyone was so gracious to accomodate us, and we had a lovely time.  The girls played well, with just the occasional meltdown over a stolen toy or some other slight infraction.  The babies did great and we even got to go on an adult-only, double date one night, all dressed up and fancy.  Truly a rarity in my life these days.

    We strolled around Edmond for a while, taking in the cute little shops and cafes.  Of course, we didn't do much (i.e. any) shopping really, because how do you actually do that with two under two?  Plus we were brilliant and didn't bring any strollers.  A+ in Parenting for us.  Plus for half of the time in town, Charlotte was sleeping.  That's right, sleeping.  No stroller, no Ergo carrier, just us taking turns carrying a lights-out 16 month old like a sack of potatoes while the other was keeping a close eye on a certain active toddler in fancy stores with lots of breakable items within close range. Nice.




   Meanwhile, fall of course is in full swing and the sun actually came out for a while and all of the trees and leaves strutted their stuff.  The girls played in the sandbox which of course ended up being a hassle cleaning all of that grit out of their hair afterward (and the bottom of the tub as well), but what fun would life be if you never got a little dirty?


   We discovered that we'd packed nearly identical outfits for Jocelyn and Liesl so of course I had to snap some pictures of them.  Who doesn't love little matching girls?  No one, that's who.  And their mothers even got in on the fun with our extremely similar outfits (even matching tights!) that we wore on our double date night.  It was uncanny.  I promise we didn't call each other and plan all of our (and our children's) outfits before this trip.  Although that wouldn't be such a bad idea.  Packing might be a little easier.


 
   We watched the Duck game too, of course, and thoroughly enjoyed witnessing their victory over the Huskies.  Randy wanted them to win because he loves his Ducks.  I wanted them to win for that reason too, but also because Dave Softy is full of hot air.  But for whatever reason we wanted them to win for, our delight at the win was compounded when Emily's dad returned from the game and informed us that there were little rubber duckies floating in all of the urinal's in the men's rooms at the stadium.  Way to keep it classy, Washington.

This morning we attended the service at Mars Hill, and unfortunately I had to miss parts of it because I was convincing Jocelyn she would be having more fun in the children's church than sitting quietly with Mom and Dad.  Their nursery system is so sophisticated.  Stickers and numbers and sign-in computers and even pagers, and yes...my pager was buzzed.  So Jocelyn and Charlotte ended up sitting with us for pretty much all of it, but you know what?  It was still a good service and good sermon.  It was about honoring your Father and your Mother.  Mark Driscoll is going through the Ten Commandments right now, and it's a series worth checking out.


What did you do this weekend?  And are you recovered yet?

 I am planning on doing a little relaxing and a whole lot o' laundry tomorrow.