Portrait of a Marriage.

Sorry for the radio silence. But, rest assured Hugh is still making me laugh every single day.

Cassie: Would you go zip lining?

Hugh: What? Right now?

C: Yes, Hugh. Right now. I have a zip line set up in the backyard. Of course not right now. Like if we were on vacation and that was an excursion.

H: We don't take vacations with "excursions." And, no, I would not zip line. That shit is for tourists.

C: So you would never zip line?

H: Well, I wouldn't say never. If a zip line were going to get me from building to building and I was being chased by ninja criminals, then I would partake in zip lining.

C: Oh, good. I'm glad we clarified that.

H: Also, only fit people can zip line.

C: No, I think anyone can zip line. They have weight ratings on the harnesses, I'm sure.

H: Okay, only fit people should zipline. Get a unfit person up there in that harness and you are looking at all kinds of bulging no one wants to see.


So, in conclusion, no, no we are not going zip lining. But please don't feel judged if you love to zip line. I would totally do it.

Also, Hugh is rude.

But funny.

What We're Doing.

Do you want to pretend like 1 week on and 2 weeks off is a legitimate blogging schedule? Can we say something is better than nothing?

No?

Okay. Sorry about that then. Life has been crazy around this White Hot house. Work is insanely busy. Hugh is at the hospital for thirteen hour a day and then studying late into the night. Fletcher and Henry - well, they are still just so cute it hurts you.

Oh, and I had a birthday. As days created in your honor go, it was pretty darn peachy. I was completely spoiled by my family and my sweet friends - cards and messages and phone calls kept pouring in until I thought my heart would burst.

Hugh has fully embraced my over-celebration tendencies - there was homemade cake, approximately one million balloons, sweet and funny cards, and a birthday lunch date. Oh, and a visit from the world's best parents. A few photos of the weekend:

A very mediocre photo of some very lovely balloons.

What's a birthday without a celebratory Bellini? Why, that's no birthday at all.

Celebrating the twenty-eighth anniversary of the day we met.

A husband who bakes you a cake (lemon cake with lemon cream cheese frosting and candied lemon wheels - I know, he's probably going to try to steal my blog with his skills), lights the perfect number of candles, and then sings happy birthday? Yes, please. Also, it appears from the blazing inferno atop this cake, I am getting old. I'm going to need a bigger cake next year...

With that, I'm off to another crazy work day. And lunch with a favorite friend. And (brace yourselves) house cleaning. And then, since he worked like a dog all week, Hugh has promised to take tonight off. So I am taking us on a little date. Three cheers for date night!

Have a lovely one, sweet friends.

Let's do this, twenty-eight.



Post Script: You will notice this post title did not contain its usual "And Eating." That's because what we've been eating hasn't been much to write home (or recipe posts) about - some crumbly black bean burgers, takeout, so-so pork tacos, and lots of leftovers. I'm back to it this weekend, so let's talk food on Monday, okay? Okay!

The Weekend In Photos (and Also, Words).

Happy Monday, friends. How was your weekend?

Ours was a delight. I made sure to remind Hugh every fifteen minutes that it was the weekend before my birthday celebration. He assured me that wasn't a thing, but I just kept right on having a lovely pre-birthday celebration anyway. Here's what it looked like:


A happy little Friday grocery list:

At-home happy hour with my one and only:

See, doctors aren't serious all the time.

I think cheese and crackers is my desert island food.

Do you just love the grey and white striped straws?! I do. They are the perfect accessory to the perfect cocktail.

Played in the yard with the kiddos. We've decided to just act like it's not one hundred and ten degrees outside. So far this strategy has left us sweaty, but I'll keep you posted.

Don't let this photo fool you, Henry loves Fletcher. Ten percent of the time.

Ate mussels for dinner:

This is one of those dinners whose ease of preparation belies its deliciousness.

Said goodbye to our neighbor parents (you know, neighbors who are old enough to be your parents and do things like invite you over for Christmas dinner and make you Easter baskets. We l-o-v-e them.). They are moving to Florida, and we were very sad to see them go. There may or may not have been tears on my part. It's official: no one else I know is allowed to move. Unless you live far away and are moving closer to me. In that case, I will help you pack.

Saturday morning doughnut run:



Saturday afternoon Hugh's Famous Fried Pickles run:

Saturday night we made a last minute decision to go see a 10:45pm movie. The funny part about this is that usually we have been in bed for fifteen minutes at 10:45pm. Also, I may or may not have worn my pajamas. Saw "Crazy, Stupid, Love." It was funny and worth the late bedtime. We were very proud we did not fall asleep in the theater. Not that that has ever happened. During "Sherlock Holmes."

Sunday was sleeping in (see: we do not usually stay up until 1:15), leftover doughnuts, yard work and washing the cars (for Hugh, husband extraordinaire), reading, Words with Friends (why so addictive?!), and laundry. Oh, and a very delicious dinner:

Check back this week for a recipe for the best ribs you ever ate in your life, homemade barbecue sauce and all.

Hugh said our weekend can be summed up with the following photos:

Basically, the food was good, the drinks were cold, and life was sweet.

Lots of fun lined up for you this week on the old blog, so check back soon. I hope on this Monday you are a whirling dervish of productivity.