Now that I’m not working, I realize that I need to take advantage of every social outing that I’m invited to. Which made this weekend full of fun and exciting activities and friends. Saturday started with a yummy girls breakfast at Cafe de Paris in downtown Boise. I had a tasty egg and bacon croissant and a side of sauted veggies. Our lovely breakfast was organized my my great friend Sarah, who is also my doula. After breakfast Sarah, Ashley, Olivia and I strolled through the Capital City Market and even though it was snowy and a little chilly, holiday spirit filled the air and free samples of nuts and toffee were at every turn. It was an awesome morning spend with great friends. It also made me very happy about my new snow boots, my feet stayed warm and dry the whole time.

                                               Capital Holiday Market Companions

Later my husband treated me to dinner out at Chang Mai restaurant where I indulged in Thai Green Curry. One of my all time favorite dishes. Not only was the food great, but the hostess didn’t try to sit us at a booth. Booths are usually more comfortable, except when your belly is the size of a watermelon. This was our first meal out where the hostess was observant enough to notice. For that I was greatly appreciative and told her how much her small gesture meant to me.

Sunday was a lazy day around the house, and the first day the sun has shone in about a week. This meant getting outside to shovel a pathway through the backyard for kitties and attempting to hang Christmas lights on the front of the house. We live in an old house, which has nice character, but is a total pain when it comes to doing just about anything to it. With all the snow and wetness on the ground, we decided not to trail cables and cords around our yard. This has lead to the fact that we need an electrician to update the outlets on the exterior of our house.

Being a homeowner is fantastic and I love it, but along with the freedom to paint the walls whatever color we want also comes the responsibility of doing all upgrades and repairs ourselves. In updating our 60+ year old house I am learning to find the good handymen in our area because they are worth their work in gold. 2010 alone has meant replacing or updating the water heater, furnace, bathroom, interior doors, baby nursery, and carpeting. This to do list of repairs could go on indefinitely and can be very overwhelming for me. On the upside, there is always a new upgrade to look forward to, which hopefully leads to better house value and easier, more affordable, living. I also have to express gratitude for our ability to own a home and our capacity to make it even more comfortable for our growing family. So while the exterior light show is on hold, I am excited to say that tomorrow we get our first Christmas tree since we’ve lived in Boise. I am very excited and can’t wait to post about how that goes.

Finally, the most tenderest time of this weekend was probably the simple dinner with our friends Danny and Sarah. Having good friends with whom we can laugh and share with has made my life rich and happy. Danny and Sarah were the first, of many, members of our “Idaho family” and I’m grateful that they have stuck it out with us in Idaho all these years. It’s been a pretty amazing time for all of us, and some of the most tender moments I know have been spent with them. Love you guys!