We had a festive sunset birthday party for Kaya, who turned two on November 22nd. Ava sits on the ottoman eating one of Kaya’s foam circles she received for arts and crafts time.

Kaya’s birthday fell on a Saturday so we invited seven other couple’s over with their toddlers, whom Kaya plays with at the park and other around town activities. All of the women there I consider close friends and it was a cozy soiree where people enjoyed microbrews and butternut squash soup. Everybody chatted and got along. We had a music person come and sing songs and such. The kids ate pizza that I bought at a grocery store called, Safeway. I tried it the week before and it seemed tasty but next time I would order from Vinnie’s pizza shop, a NYC style joint.

Speaking of food, I am missing the variety of restaurants that is in towns I have lived in the past. I didn’t realize that I was so food centric but I suppose living in cities like; New Orleans, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Ann Arbor, Los Angeles, etc…has made me that way. I was also raised in the Detroit area where the Immigrants brought with them excellent recipes. So we had wonderful Italian food as well as reasonable American fair.

Kaya and Ava are fine with life here. I still take them to the park everyday. Ava especially enjoyed the butternut squash soup that Daddy Drew made.