It was a fun weekend of family and friend time! On Saturday morning, I went to a baby shower to celebrate with my dear friend Sonia, who is having a baby this June. I’m so excited for Sonia and her husband Chris to become parents!

The shower was lovely, with a children’s library theme: lots of pictures from classic books, along with lots of tasty treats too.

The best part of the shower was spending the morning catching up with this group of ladies.

We all went to John Carroll University together and 8 of the 9 of us lived on the same floor our freshman year. I’m so grateful for the long-term friendships I’ve made from college. Some of these ladies I see regularly and some only at big events like the shower, but either way, it’s always a lovely time!

On Saturday evening, I had plans with another long-time friend, Melissa, and her family. Melissa and I went to high school together and recently reconnected. Our kids love playing together and we always have a great time too!

Melissa made an absolutely delicious homemade dinner with a variety of Indian food: butter chicken, chickpea masala, and okra. The kids enjoyed naan pizzas. I seriously cannot even describe how delicious everything tasted!

But it was wonderful just having time to relax and let the kids play, while the grown-ups enjoyed each other’s company.

I definitely hope these dinners become a recurring event!

Sunday was spent getting our backyard ready to enjoy all the spring and summer sunshine! The biggest project was building two Step 2 toys for Jeffrey. This 2-Story Playhouse and Slide is not just a fun place for climbing and sliding, but it also has a small kitchen, working doorbell, and more that makes it a fun place for imagination.

We also assembled a perfect spot for summer snacking while playing: the Naturally Playful Picnic Table with Umbrella.

I love both of these and think they’re the perfect additions for an active little boy who loves playing outside. Plus, I always love supporting a local company that not only makes great products, but also is very involved in our community (we purchased the playhouse as part of a silent auction prize donated by Step 2 to the Cleveland Zoological Society). If you’re looking to fill out your backyard for summer play, check out Step 2!

So, that was our weekend! How was yours?