A weekend with my (extended and unofficial) family.

I was gifted the Friendship Bracelet by one of my old students this week. Never have I ever seen a peace bracelet before. I'm obsessed.

Friday night I got to have a quick reunion dinner with some of my favorite camp friends. Lily had just gotten into town for the weekend and I wanted to see her and everyone else before I headed out of town.

I love how Lily is just totally and completely herself all the time with her Lil-pill mannerisms and stories. She is a good one to watch during any conversation/meal/dance party/walk/gathering.

I made it to see Alli Kenney's theatrical and very musical performance of the semester in Guerin's The Gray Area. It was student written and directed, an amazing feat for all of these kids. Alli shines when she is on stage and it's easy to see that acting and singing and (fake) playing guitar is so fun for her.

Then I was off again to drive back to good ol' Camp T for the weekend. Sarah Briggs and I had planned a quilting weekend rendezvous between our current homes. On the way Mom called me and said, "Guess who is standing in my kitchen!" and I couldn't guess and she said, "It's Katie and Nick and the baby!" Such a great surprise. I arrived at about 10:30 pm and Sarah went to sleep right away when she arrived at about 1:30 am.

We woke up in our quilt beds (the best kind of bed) on the living room floor bright and early and the whole family was milling about. Nick and Dad headed off to the camp volunteer Service weekend.

Mom had cut out our fabric ahead of time so we had the luxury to take our time while we ate cinnamon rolls and drank coffee and held baby Lincoln. Then it was time to get to work.

This weekend we decided to make a baby quilt for Lincoln. We're really into the polka-dots.

Mom sews, Sar expertly irons the seams, and I cut/pin/arrange/keep things in order. We're an incredibly effective team. Sar and I take turns being the dj. There was a lunch break for Arni's pizza and several refills of Diet Coke.

We busted out the quilt by 3:30- a new record for us partially because it's just a baby quilt and partially because Mom cut it all ahead of time and partially because we were just on a roll. Oh, and Lincoln was cheering us on the whole time.

I love when we're all home in the new room (which isn't actually new at all) and laughing and there are quilts spread out EVERYWHERE. And Mom got on this giving away quilts kick because there were so many laid out so Katie and I picked our favorite and Nick picked a Christmas one and Lincoln picked one with snowmen on it and Sarah Briggs picked a blue one. Getting to just pick out quilts was one of the most thrilling things ever.

This was Lincoln's first trip and his first time at Camp Tecumseh. He couldn't contain his excitement and we captured him singing the YMCA. Such a camp kid.

Y

M

C

A

I loved having all of my family and Sarah Briggs at home at the very same time. It was the first time Sar met Katie and Nick and she thought they were both just so fun and cool. She loves babies more than anyone I know and was beyond thrilled to get to hold Lincoln.

Because we finished the quilt so early we got to just hang out until dinner, our other favorite, a crock-pot of Mom's chili was ready. We eat it with shredded cheese and Frito's and it just reminds me of the winter growing up. Such a good food day. We sat around the table together and mid-way through the meal Dad mentioned that Arielle was home.... like just up the hill. I ran to the phone and called her to come over...

Which she did right away. And then we all stared at Lincoln some more because he's so cute and such a good baby.

We played 5 crowns and ate java-chip ice-cream and Linc got some good tummy time.

This was the first time I've been with Arielle since she and Joe got engaged. I'm so excited for her to get married and so thankful that she is happy. Arielle has been one of my best friends since we rode the bus together in elementary school, through the days of cross country practices, hundreds of summer camp days together, and now I get to walk with her into this next big phase of life. I'm so blessed to have her in my life.

Have you ever seen a unicorn baby?

Sunday morning Sar left crazy early to get back for Sunday School in Chicago, the Wright fam headed off to church, and I returned to Indy to play with friends before Lily left. We decided to go to Bub's, a burger place, in Carmel and while we waited Emily proposed we play some games.

You have no idea how excited it makes me when other people propose we play games. We got to play addition games, multiplication games, Buzz, and people association games. We're a real fun crowd.

Visits when all of us are together are sporadic but as I was sitting with Rachel, Kathleen, Lily and Emily I kept thinking about how we've done it- we've stayed connected as close friends after our time of working together as counselors has stopped.

Late in the afternoon I got to see another group of camp people I love. Carly, Molly, Rae, Niki, Avery and Emily were part of the 2010 Team CILT and are now right in the thick of their Senior year of High School. I love when we all get to pause our busy lives and get together.

Before chick-flick Sunday started Molls and I talked with Mags and Annie, two other main characters of our lives. These girls make me laugh and challenge me and trust me and encourage me and make me strive to be the best version of myself like few other people can.

Chick-flick Sunday's featured film this weekend was 13 Going on 30. More than the movie itself, I loved being able to to hang out with Emily, Eric, Emel, Colleen and Molly for the last few hours of the weekend.