~A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING~

Hi everyone. I am just popping in with a quick post before the weekend. I'm not sure yet if we are going to the lake...it has been raining for the past two days but Sunday is supposed to be in the 80's, rain or shine. As much as The Husband and I would like to get our projects done up there, the actual thought of pulling out the paint cans and brushes doesn't really leave us with a lot of warm and fuzzy thoughts. So, maybe we are procrastinating. We are wondering if maybe we just need a quiet, relaxing weekend up there just taking inventory of what needs to be done. :-)

We celebrated daughter Abigail's birthday yesterday at a Japanese restaurant, the sort where you all sit around a big table and the chef comes and cooks on a big hibachi grill. Fun, fun, fun.
The blur of his hands show how fast he is working. I've always wanted to be able to chop as fast as Rachel Ray but now I have upgraded my goals. And I want to be able to twirl my knives and pop an egg in my hat.
I had steak and calamari, but of course, forgot to take a picture of it. It also comes with miso soup, salad, noodles and rice, and for dessert ice cream and cookies. My fortune read, "Much love is coming your way". I like that.
This is Abby and her boyfriend, Tom, who came home from school for the occasion {her birthday, not the dinner...but who knows}. Our present to her was a Coach purse and you can sort of see her holding it in the picture and she looks happy. Later she told me she wanted the one with the long strap. I really thought I had got it right this time, I'm notorious for getting almost the right thing. The one with the long strap is $20.00 cheaper, so I get a refund and that's fine with me.
From Tom and his family she received this gorgeous Vera Bradley tote and cosmetic bag, perfect for when she visits Tom at school. I'm a little jealous, not owning one Vera Bradley item. Okay, I'd prefer the Coach purse. Which would you rather have?
I rarely get good pictures of Layla...I'm not sure why. She is a lot cuter in person. Milo is just so darn photogenic. But I want you to take a look at all sweet eight pounds of her. Because...
...this is what we have living in one of our trees in the backyard. Actually there are two of them making a nest. It's hard to see the face, I was standing {cowering} next to my car when I took this picture. I think it is a falcon. We have had them for the past couple of years, but never a nest. Rumor has it that the mayor of Chicago decided to bring some of these guys in to control the pigeon population. What I am afraid of is that it is going to reduce my pet population by half. I know a lot of you live in the country...I am wondering if you have to deal with hawks and big animals and how you do it with small pets. I doubt one of these are going to swoop down and carry Layla away, but don't they get a bit testy when they have a nestful? At the lake I don't worry much because most of the wild animals stay in the woods next door, but here...I'm worried. Am I paranoid?

So anyway, this is my short post. The week has breezed by. I started shopping for my trip to Asheville. I am assuming it is going to be warm, so of course I have to pack away some of these winter clothes, go through last years summer clothes and supplement. So far I have done the supplementing at the mall and Old Navy. Oh, the cute sundresses they have. I am in love. I could wear one everyday. And the wedge heeled sandals, totally impractical for walking and sightseeing, but they are so cute! What do you wear on vacations? Do you choose style over function?

I hope you all have a good weekend. Any plans? I hope the weather is good where ever you are. See you next week! :-)