I've always depending on the kindness of strangers...

Nic took pity on my temporary single-mom situation this weekend and let me tag along to the annual blowout party her friends Mike and Sue have each year. I've met Mike and Sue a few times (Sue is a photographer, and did some pictures of DD as a baby), and of course I know Nic and MrNic would be there, but beyond that I was pretty much crashing a party full of people I don't really know. Luckily, this is a group that is pretty open about party crashers. Since DS1 was with the in-laws for the weekend, I only had two small people to keep track of. DD was totally enamored with the treehouse in Mike and Sue's backyard, until she got about 75% up the ladder. Then she froze. So, I got to climb up into the treehouse. Once we got up there, she was OK, and seemed to have a good time, except that no other kids had arrived so she was bored. I'm lousy company in a treehouse, apparently. DS2 like the swing hanging in the same tree that we were up in. Once a bigger batch of folks had arrived, we all journeyed to the ice cream store for gelatos and Italian ice. Most of us walked, but a few biked. I've never had a gelato before, and I'm sorry I waited 30+ years to try one. Quite yummy, I must say. DD enjoyed her first Italian ice as well. DS2 slept thorugh the whole experience. Back at the house, DD couldn't wait to go in the water (wading pool, sprinkler tent and hot tub.) Honest to goodness, that child became a gigantic prune. She started with the wading pool, but once she tried going in the hot tub there was no going back. She came out to get a bite to eat, and a few times to run through the sprinkler, but otherwise she did not budge from that water. DS2 was also a big hit- there were a number of babies his age and they were all so cute playing together. Time just flew by- before I knew it, it was almost 9:00 and the kids were verging on cranky. Once I made the good-bye rounds and thanked Mike and Sue for letting me crash the party, I was getting pretty tired myself. They both told me to feel free to come to the party next year, and I may take them up on it. But I think I may leave all of the kids home with DH!