holiday weekend

It was a social weekend for Q and I, and I hadn't even realized how much I needed it. Too much time in the studio has left me largely friendless, and it was nice to spend some time just chatting aimlessly with friends I hadn't seen in quite a while. On Sunday, we joined J and her kids, B & Z, for some indoor playtime, while the deluge and lightening storms raged on outside. We had tried for a run to a local park during a break in the storms, but ended up racing for cover through fast-flooding streets and a rather impressive electrical display. We made it inside the garage just a few feet ahead of a very close lightening strike.B & Z had lots to show QQ, including this go-fish game, which fascinated her. B (who, I am lead to understand, is sometimes a little prickly with his own baby sister) was incredible with QQ. He showed her around the house, brought out toys he thought would be her speed, offered her food and drink when he thought she might be hungry, and even explained most of the plot of Star Wars to her in great detail ;)
It was really sweet to watch them interact.
While Mommy (who doesn't get as much time out-of-doors these days as she would like) would have appreciated some time at the park, Q thoroughly enjoyed playing indoors with the kids.
Especially when she discovered that they have a very similar "big-green-ball" to the one she is fond of at home.
She and Z, who are a few months apart, were able to play quite well together.
This is Z and Q with a play-food set...
...with which they ended up "feeding" one another. Quite the act of trust for two kids who barely know one another, don't you think?.... Even if this does seem to be a bottle of mustard that they're sucking on (I can see QQ trying it with the real thing next time she sees one).
Reading together.
On Monday, a friend of mine from my Vail years brought her daughter down from the mountains just to spend the day with us! It's been a loooong time, and L and I had a great deal to catch up on. Still raining, though not as heavily as the day before....we had the chance to walk down our local "main street" for some Thai food, and then do a little ambling around the neighborhood, which is very pretty after all this unusual moisture.
Q running to catch up with us...
...and running!
After lunch, we hoped to stop by the local vintage amusement park. We put Q in the stroller since she had missed naptime and was getting wiggly. L's daughter T very much enjoyed pushing QQ around in the stroller, with QQ looking back and waving at her happily from time to time.
A beautiful blue door with a lovely tree...anyone know what kind of tree this is? I want one!

This is where we had hoped to spend the rest of the afternoon...but bad weather early in the day had closed them down shortly after opening.
So we spent the afternoon at home instead. Once Q went down for her belated nap, hilarity ensued with our sunglass collection.

We've got some wacky ones, no doubt about it!
After that, T sat down with a copy of the book I illustrated, and read it aloud to us...
...which was lovely!

More dress-up antics...
...and still more. You may recognize this collander - it's popularity as headgear around our house has surprised us all.
Looking like a little Road Warrior.
The kid is a ham! And she has a talent for costuming.
One all combinations were exhausted, she decided to try them on Q's dinosaur.
Tee-hee!
We had a blast, and I feel rejuvenated, re-socialized, and ready to face another week of solitary work (well, solitary if you don't count the Q, who is usually company enough for anyone!)