birthday weekend

my birthday was sunday, & thus i had an entire weekend of birthday leading up to the big day.

beginning with a friday night date with josh : crepes + anthropologie + powell's

my uncle howard & his partner jerry were visiting portland from minneapolis this weekend, so they came over for brunch on saturday.  (heron is in a "make a funny face in every picture" phase)

i hadn't seen my uncle howard since my dad's funeral, & he had never met our kids.  we split up after brunch & sent howard & jerry to powell's, then met again for dinner.  my uncle asked me to pick a place for my birthday dinner, so i chose screen door.  it was a hit with everyone.  (there's heron making a funny face again!).  oh, that's my uncle howard on the left.

apparently my great aunt myrt & my second cousin(?) laura live out here in portland!  i haven't seen them since i was about seven, & they joined us for dinner at screen door.  myrt is a lively lady at eighty-three, & it was so much fun to re-meet her.  she & her granddaughter laura are roommates.  

sunday arrived, & i got to sleep in until 9:30 upstairs (in "the hull of the ship" as we call our cozy attic room that serves as studio space for me, small voice office, sheppy's sometimes-bedroom, & guest room. it has the comfiest bed in the house, & the darkest blinds--perfect for late-sleeping!), then was served breakfast in bed by my three loves.

we toodled about the house most of the day, then opened gifts.  the biggie was this lovely new camera bag/purse which i'm in love with.  also, a sweet robin egg blue camera strap instead of the sporty one that came with my camera ;)  

after a day with the family i was taken out for dinner by three dear portland friends--andee, robin, & jocelyn (robin has recently moved away, but she was in town for halloween), to one of my favorite places, lovely's 50-50.  i love these ladies.  we're all moms, & we were fortunate enough to end up as neighbors for a season.